How To Get Sharpie Out of Jeans

We've all been there. One minute you're innocently writing something in permanent marker and the next you're in an all out Sharpie fight with the person next to you: streaking ink across their arms and hands and, invariably, their clothes.

Okay, maybe it doesn't always happen quite like that, in my case it didn't. Nevertheless, at some point you've probably had, or are going to get, permanent marker on your clothes. In my case, it was at work. Although I did receive a streak of black Sharpie on my arm from a co-worker, the stain was my own doing.

You see, we have these meal cards that each customer gets and on which we write the number of guests in a party. We each carry a clickable Sharpie, which makes life much easier than a capped Sharpie, until it goes into your pocket with the marker clicked out :/

Then you end up with a very unattractive, very obvious black splotch. Like this one:

Not good. Especially when I only have 4 pairs of jeans! So, like any 21st century gal, I turned to the internet, searching for a way to remove Sharpie from jeans. And what did I find? Not a lot, honestly. Most said that permanent markers are exactly that and 'good luck' basically. I did find some who suggested rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover and, since I had these supplies on hand, I decided to give it a try. 

I should add that I noticed the stain the next morning and immediately doused it with Shout, which I think was a big helper in the stain removal. I would suggest using Shout first, along with the following steps. 

I gathered my supplies:

And went to dabbing, in hopes of restoring my jeans to at least wearable condition. I used paper towels, rubbing alcohol, and 100% pure acetone nail polish remover. I think that any nail polish remover would work, I was actually a little worried that this stuff would almost bleach the denim because it's so strong, but it worked just fine and no harm was done. 

I used the alcohol first, putting some on a paper towel and dabbing at the stained fabric. The rubbing alcohol then soaks up and removes the black marker from the fabric! I also held another paper towel on the reverse side of the fabric which should definitely be done as it also absorbs a lot of the marker. 

The rubbing alcohol had lightened the stain to a purplish color but it was still very noticable. Then I brought in the nail polish remover. Using the same method of dabbing, pressing and slightly rubbing the stain out with a dampened paper towel, I applied the acetone.

After the stain had faded to a light purple (and I was starting to feel a little funny from the fumes :P) I decided it was looking good enough. I then doused both stains with more Shout and threw my jeans in the washer. 

If you notice in the beginning picture, there were 2 stains: one at the bottom of my pocket and one on the inside and top of the pocket. As a sort of experiment, I didn't do anything to the top stain. I hadn't put the original Shout on it (because I didn't notice it until I was doing this process) and I barely dabbed at it with the rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover. I did put Shout on it right before it went into the washer, just to see what Shout alone would do. That stain is still there in full force, which is fine because it's inside my pocket and not noticeable.

As for the main stain, it looks much better now! Barely noticeable!

 It took some elbow grease and patience but if you get a Sharpie stain on your clothes, I would definitely endorse this method of stain removal. 

Last Day at Resource, First Day Off

Well, this was my last week at Resource. And really I couldn't have asked for a better one!

Monday, I took lunch by myself and walked around DUMBO, taking pictures and checking out the shops. I've done a little exploring around the area but usually with another intern so it was nice to look around leisurely and go into some of the stores where I had only window-shopped before. I really like that area of Brooklyn, of course it's the only area of Brooklyn that I've been to... But it's artsy and picturesque with cobblestone streets and cute shops. It's right by the water and more urban, so I'm told, than the rest of Brooklyn. I'll definitely be returning in the future :)

For my final project, I was creating a directory of businesses to go on the Resource website, entering a lot of information mostly and making sure everything was working and linking properly. I finished that up yesterday morning and then went through a bunch of files that I had, making sure my boss had the most updated versions of some other projects that I had worked on pieces of.

At lunchtime yesterday, four of us went out together. I broke down and got a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich at Bridge Fresh, which was the best I've had here in New York and actually a really great deal. We ate under the Brooklyn Bridge and had some great convo and lots of laughter. It made me a little sad to be leaving the other interns and also kindof wishing that that lunch could be my last, just because I enjoyed it so much.

Then, around 5, I got my wish! We all got an email saying that the office would be closed today and everyone was just to work remotely (from home). Since I had finished up what I was doing and my superior was on a photo shoot today and yesterday, I was done! We all left the office at the same time and I said goodbye to the interns as the walk over and subway allowed. By the time we were actually on the train it was just Janet and I, and with the promise of visiting and getting coffee soon, we  also parted as I transferred trains at W 4th Street.

Thus ended my time at Resource. Although there were ups and downs, I can honestly say it was an awesome experience! I learned a lot, had some great experiences, met a lot of cool people, and even made some friends through the whole thing. There was no grand exit, there never is, but I still had a pretty perfect last day. Had the office been open today, Janet and I both admitted we had planned to bring in cookies and maybe there would have been a little more recognition of the fact that someone was leaving. But I think that the way it worked out was for the best. Especially because it gave me a day off today. Which there is no way I would complain about!

Today was my first day off in 3 1/2 weeks!! It was a much-needed day to sleep in and get some stuff done around my apartment. I made banana bread-muffins, did laundry, tried some new mug recipes (get excited for next Monday!!) and did quite a bit of cleaning. All in a leisurely fashion of course with plenty of Pinterest distractions, of course :)

It's strange to think that it's over-- the very reason that I moved to New York. Now more than ever I wonder, what's next?! Only time will tell... but hopefully by the end of this week I'll know better :)

Jumping On The Bandwagon, Mug in Hand

Welcome to Coffee Mug Mondays! (name pending...)

Here's the thing, I LOVE this new craze of mug recipes! If you don't know what I'm talking about it's like this: you take a regular old coffee mug, add a few ingredients, throw it in the microwave for a few minutes and voila! Some awesome creation that, up until now, we've always needed an oven/stovetop/a lot more time to make! The recipes are usually single-serving and I have yet to find one I don't like.

Basically, mug recipes are perfect for this single girl with limited access to an oven and a schedule that usually results in arriving home real hungry. It also means I might need to buy more mugs...

I've decided to share the love, the love for these super simple, single-serving mug recipes. And because I love alliteration (words starting with the same letter or sound) and because I already shared my recipe for a chocolate chip cookie in a mug last Monday, I've decided that every Monday I'll share a proven-delicious mug recipe.

Today's recipe is one that I came up with on my own. Pasta has become a staple for me, being relatively cheap, versatile, and easily making enough for leftovers. I stocked up on some basic cooking/baking ingredients before moving to New York (meaning that my parents bought me a bunch of food so that I wouldn't starve right away) and then set to work figuring out how to combine them into palette pleasers.

This recipe is seriously one of my new favorites--it's so flavorful and I always have the ingredients on hand. Sometimes I'll add mozzarella cheese or tomatoes (as I did tonight) depending on what's in my fridge. Tonight was the first time I really tried cooking pasta in the microwave and it worked great! So much faster than over my little hot plate, and it was a lot easier to make the right amount.

Umm, Yum! Pasta

1 serving of your favorite pasta (I used 2/3 cup of rotini)

Enough water to cover the pasta (I used about a cup but it boiled over a lot)

A dash of salt

1/2 TBSP butter

1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1 1/2 teaspoon parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon fresh chopped tomato (optional)

Place the pasta, water, and salt in a mug and microwave for 4-5 minutes or until pasta is cooked through. Drain the pasta and add the butter. Stir to melt the butter and keep the pasta from sticking together. Add the remaining ingredients and enjoy!

Every bite is so flavorful~ it will be gone before you know it!

Hope you enjoy this pasta as much as I do! And check back next Monday for another delicious mug recipe!

Song of the Week

Hi All!

It's been a busy weekend with some exciting stuff happening!! I'll update on that later, for now I just wanted to share the song that has been my obsession this week. Each week I seem to have a new song that I just can't get enough of and listen to over and over. As I discover new music, the songs get replaced but this has been my jam this last week. 

Primadonna by Marina and The Diamonds

At first her voice reminded me too much of Katy Perry but as I found the catchy tune stuck in my head more and more throughout the day I listened to it over and over and came to love it :)

Fall Is In The Air

Can you feel Fall in the air? Maybe it's just me but there's something thrilling about the start of a new season. And having only experienced summer so far in New York I'm excited to be here for another season.

I am a very sensory person and perhaps it's my creativity or my being whimsical, but I have strong connections between the senses and pretty much anything (as you may have noticed from my Rainy Day Music post). Or maybe everyone is that way, I'm not sure because I'm not everyone :)

Walking back from lunch one day last week, I commented on how "Fall" the day felt. Pointing out the cooler temperatures, light breeze, the golden sheen to the sunlight, and how it even smelled like Fall. Or at least what I guess Fall smells like in the city, not quite the same as Fall in West Liberty...

The results of some teamwork pumpkin carving last fall

Anyways, there are plenty of things associated with Autumn in most peoples' minds: pumpkin flavored everything, desserts consisting of apple and cinnamon, leaf piles, hay rides, going back to school (so strange for me not to be doing this year) breaking out the sweatshirts and jeans, Halloween, apple cider, pumpkin carving... And football.

Football has always been a big part of fall for me, which I didn't really think about until I went to college. Friday nights without a football game just seemed empty and sad. And it's not that I'm even a huge football fan. I understand it well enough to get by but there's no way I could have an in-depth conversation about it, or even watch an entire game intently. Nonetheless, I had been going to football games most of my life, thanks to my dad being a high school football coach for most of my life. Then, in high school, I was in marching band and the flag corps so I was at every game.

Senior year flag corps 2010

Working at Hill Country on Saturdays reminds me of being at home for college football games. Of course it's the Texans or Longhorns or Cowboys playing instead of the Buckeyes, and it's multiple people, drinking and cheering, rather than just my dad, who still probably cheers and hollers about as loud as any of the guys at the restaurant. It's amazing how these little things, just being around guys excited for the sport, yelling for and at their team, can take you to a whole different place while reminding you of the time (season) you're in.

Overall I guess the point of this post is to point out how certain things will always be associated with certain times. In this case there are many, many, many elements that prove to me that it is indeed Fall, some are sensory--golden light, chill in the breeze, scent of apple-cinnamon--while others are memory or tradition-based--carving pumpkins, watching football. I never really thought of football as a big part of my life and yet, mostly thanks to my dad, it was a huge part of my life as well as an identifier of Autumn for me.

Lunch in DUMBO

My days at Resource are winding down, just three left next week. Which is totally crazy! It's been a great experience-- I've met some cool people I hope to keep in contact with and learned a lot.

I have to admit though that one of my favorite parts of the job has to be lunch time. Lunch is on your own but thanks to some socially-motivated efforts, the interns usually all eat together. Around 1 o'clock you can see us all exiting the office, "The Herd."

The first stop is Bridge Fresh, a deli just 2 blocks away. I'm still awed by New York delis which sell everything from sushi to hot foods to custom salads to pre-made paninis, burritos, and enchiladas; as well as fresh fruit, sandwiches, pasta... I'm not even doing it justice. Suffice it to say that if you're ever in New York, you should really get a meal from a nice sized deli, just for the awe of all that food!

Today I broke down and bought some sushi. I usually pack my lunch but I've been craving sushi big time and  since I hadn't bought a lunch there yet and my chances to buy anything from this particular deli are running out, I figured it was time to treat myself.

Crab and cucumber sushi

Mmm so worth it :) Then we went to the park (Brooklyn Bridge Park that is) to eat and it was lovely. The park is right on the water and there's a great view of Manhattan. Plus since the Resource office lacks windows it's nice to be outside and see the sunshine a bit. 

Awesome view of Manhattan from Brooklyn Bridge Park

One of our last days all eating together :(

Rainy Day Music

It's been a rainy day here in New York, which, since it wasn't actually raining while I walked to and from the subway, I didn't mind at all! Rain has always been relaxing to me. It's clean and cleansing and fresh. I love the smell of rain, the sound of rain, watching storms roll in, and the sharp chill in the air right after a rain shower takes away the humidity.

Rain is very conducive to relaxing. I always imagine curling up near a window with a good book and cup of tea. However, since this rarely actually happens, I have to find other ways to bring the calming effect of rain into my daily schedule.

The best way I've found to do this is by listening to my Rain Music playlist. Yep, that's right--I have a playlist devoted to rain. This is because I identify music with emotions, certain events, people, or places, moods, seasons, and, yes, weather. Sometimes the songs actually mention rain, sometimes they don't. Rain music is mostly chill, lazy sounding music. I would say it's in the style of artists like Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, Florence + The Machine, and Train, but I am in no way exclusive--when a song speaks to me, it speaks to me :)

Some songs can go either way while others go into my Rain Music category as soon as I hear them. Here are 14 of my go-to rain songs (because I couldn't narrow it down to just 10!). These are songs that I can't listen to on a sunny day without wishing it were raining.

~ Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson

~ Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles

~ Boston by Austustana

~ No Rain by Blind Melon

~ Don't Know Why by Nora Jones

~ Bubbly by Colbie Caillat (also on my Morning playlist)

~ While My Guitar Gently Weeps by The Beatles

~ Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Shop (summer rain)

~ Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John

~ Hallelujah covered by Rufus Wainwright

~ She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5

~ Stay With Me by Josh Gracin

~ In the Glass by OK Go

~ Love by Matt White

Does anyone else associate certain music with rain? I'd love to add to my collection if you have any suggestions :)

<3 Ash

Back to Monday

Wow, was this weekend weird for anyone else? Going into the office today was the strangest feeling. My whole weekend seems like a daze. I can't really separate the days in my mind or remember anything I did (mostly because nothing eventful happened and I worked every day), yet it doesn't seem to have flown by, nor did it drag. It just happened I guess.

Although it really wasn't all that different from most weekends, I felt like I was hardly at home. Therefore, I was ready to just get back to my apartment and chill after my internship today. And what better way to relax and enjoy a night at home than with some good ol' fashioned comfort food? In this case, I enjoyed a delicious chocolate chip cookie, made in the microwave!

I've been scouring Pinterest for microwave meal/dessert recipes (and finding mostly desserts hehe) as I don't have an oven in my apartment and depending on the time it can be very inconvenient to use the one upstairs. I've found a lot of winners that I'd love to share! For tonight, there's Single Serving Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies which I found on Pinterest but was through this blog.

I've altered the recipe just a little bit, finding the original a little too flour-y. And in this case I didn't microwave it til the cookie was done because I wanted some gooey cookie dough as well as baked (nuked) cookie. Yum!

Chocolate Chip Cookie in the Microwave

1 TBSP butter, melted

1 TBSP white sugar

1 1/2 TBSP brown sugar

3 drops of vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

2 TBSP flour

pinch of salt

1 1/2 TBSP chocolate chips 

Melt the butter in a regular sized coffee mug in the microwave. Add the sugars, vanilla, and egg yolk. Stir in the flour and salt. Add the chocolate chips. Microwave 45-60 seconds or until the cookie is "baked" to your liking. Enjoy with a glass of milk :)

It's All About Who You Know

Funny story for the day:

I work as a hostess at Hill Country BBQ Market and got the job after a chance meeting with one of the owners at a mutual friend's impromptu comedy show. We met briefly and chatted and when I mentioned my need for a job as well as my waitressing and restaurant experience he gave me his card and said he thought he could set me up with something. Later that week I had an interview with the general manager and 2 weeks later I started training!

I've seen the owner a few more times since then and he has always been friendly and occasionally my co-workers would say something about 'aren't you guys good friends?' I would respond with the story of our random meeting and my good fortune that came from it. 2 days ago however I found out the reason for they're inquiries.

This time I was standing next to a  manager when I saw the owner, from whom I received a high five and compliments on how I was doing. After he left the manager asked me about how exactly we knew each other, through church right? Ummm no... I explained our chance encounter and she burst out laughing. She then told me that when I first started here everyone was nervous and a little scared of me because they all thought I was best friends with the owner. I, of course, had no idea "everyone" knew that I had any connection to the owner and found it hilarious that anyone would be scared of me.

We both had a good laugh and she exclaimed how great it was to find this out on that particular day, which was her last day working there. I still just think it's funny that these crazy rumors were going around about me that had people a little on edge. It does make me wonder how many people are under the impression that I'm some sort of VIP worker... and has that impression changed anything about my working experience there? I don't think so, but who knows?!

Hope this can give a laugh, or at least a chuckle. I know it did for me!

xo ash

I See A Hundred Wishes

I love this :) I have always loved dandelions, from their pretty, yellow flower state to their fluffy, white, seeded version.

The Obligatory "About Me" First Post

Well hey there :)

I'm Ashley and here are 20 fun facts about me

1.) I'm 20 years old. (Hence the 20 facts)
2.) I grew up in a small town in Ohio (like the less than 2,000 people kind of small)
3.) I went to a 2-year liberal arts college in Kansas (Hesston College woot woot!) and majored in graphic design.
4.) I worry that those 2 years of college might have been the best years of my life.
5.) I love music! I listen to a wide variety of genres and love finding a new bands that I enjoy.
6.) I moved to New York City at the end of June to do a web design internship at a Resource Magazine, a photo/video magazine in Brooklyn.
7.) I knew no one in NYC before moving here, which was kindof scary but I figured when else am I gonna have an opportunity like this and just be able to just pick up and move to the Big Apple?!
8.) I always spell the word opportunity wrong. I put a "u" where the second "o" goes and get a little red squiggly line underneath. Every time. Thank goodness for spell check!
9.) During the 4 days of the week I'm not interning at Resource, I work at Hill Country BBQ Market in Manhattan as a hostess.
10.) My favorite color is lime green although really any bright colors are great :)
11.) My favorite time to do yoga is in the evening on a rainy night.
12.) I love to cook and bake! One of the most fun parts of living on my own has been cooking for myself and finding new recipes that I can make for just myself and without an oven.
13.) I originally wrote "funnest" in the last fact but knew a certain grammar obsessed friend would mock me for it...
14.) I love to travel! I have been to most states in the continental US and traveled overseas to England and France.
15.) I dream of living various places before settling down anywhere, which is another reason I picked up and moved to New York City right after college. And where I'll go next, I have no idea.
16.) I love taking personality tests and seeing how accurate they are as well as using them to figure out more about myself.
17.) I would be totally fine with being a stay at home mom when I get married.
18.) I'm a Christian. I was raised Mennonite and am in the process of figuring out what that means exactly.
19.) I come from a very close-knit family consisting of my two amazing parents and my wonderful younger sister.
20.) I'm a total night owl and like to stay up late and wake up leisurely to a cup of tea.

That's just a little about me. But stay tuned for more on this crazy, random, adventuresome (or sometimes awkward and boring) life I lead :)