Wednesday, March 21, 2012

OH NO!!!!!!!!!!

           I HAVE HORRIBLE NEWS!!!!!! AWFUL NEWS!!!! NEWS THAT I ALMOST CAN'T BEAR TO GIVE YOU!!!!


       So if you don't want to hear any bad news, I suggest you stop reading. Right now. Seriously, stop reading this right now if you don't want bad news.





       Alright, now that we're left to the people who want to hear bad news, (or have their curiosity peaked enough to read on,) let's get it over with.


       Here it is: IHAVETOSTOPBLOGGING! Yes! I know, awful news! I have to stop blogging! I'm getting really busy with ballet and school so I don't have the time to blog. I mean, I could try to keep up the blog, but it wouldn't be fair all you readers.
           So I have decided to stop the blog. I'm a bit sad too, because I enjoy running the blog. Unfortunately, I can't keep up with it. Maybe sometime, when I'm not so busy, I'll start it up again, or start a new blog! (I'll post on here if I do!) But for now, I'm going to have to stop.

      
See you in the internet future!


Courtney

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Bento Week: Day 4

           Wow, day four of Bento Week already! Plus it's Thursday, so you get a quiz too!
        Let's start off with the bento, okay?





               Alright, for this bento you'll need:

1. A Sandwich (of your choice)     2. Cheese     3. Cupcake Holder    

4. Mochi (if you don't have mochi, which you can find at most Asian markets, you can use a doughnut, or a small pastry or something)

5. Apple     6. Raisins


          
           Now, how to assemble this bento:


1. Take your apple and slice a quarter of it off. Then place it into the bottom right corner of your bento box.

2. Place the cupcake holder above the apple.

3. Cut the cheese into small squares and put them inside the cupcake holder.

4. Now take your sandwich and cut it into a triangle shape using kitchen scissors.

5. Use the raisins to make a cool face on your sandwich. Then put it in the top left corner, next to the cheese.

6. Place the mochi in the remaining corner.

7. Enjoy!



          What did you think of today's bento? If you make it, I would love to see a picture! Send me one at balletandbento@live.com  and it might end up here! (Be sure to include your first name so I can give you credit!)


           Alright, so for Bento Week, we're going to do a bento related quiz! Are you ready for...



ARE YOU A BENTO EXPERT?



1. You have to pack a lunch for tomorrow and you're still working on homework that's due. You:

A. Stop and fix up some cute looking eggs, colorful fruits, and fun-shaped veggies!

B. Fill a container with half salad and half fruits, and add some raisins in a cool shape to make it look interesting.

C. Throw some leftovers in a lunchbox and draw a smile face on your banana peel.



2. You like your bacon and eggs arranged:

A. Like a happy face.

B. Separate from each other.

C. It doesn't matter.



3. It's your friend's birthday! While she leaves the table, you:

A. Arrange her lunch to look like a kitty cat and to say HB.

B. Put your present on the table next to her drink to make it look like eyes.

C. Give her your present once she gets back.



4. You're starving, and you need food now! You:

A. Cut a pop-tart into fun shapes before you eat it.

B. Grab some goldfish. They already have smiles!

C. Snatch an orange from the fridge. It's more important that you eat!



5. Ice cream time! You're putting on chocolate sauce, so you:

A. Put it on in a cool pattern.

B. Try putting it on like you see chefs doing all the time on food network, but wind up watching it slide together anyway.

C. Pour it on.





ANSWERS




Mostly A's: You are a bento extraordinaire! You know that food tastes better if it looks neat, so you make an effort to make it as colorful, cute, and interesting as possible! Great job!



Mostly B's: You are a good bento maker! You can make bento, but sometimes things just don't turn out the way you want to. Don't get upset, just keep up the good work, and you'll be a bento extraordinaire in no time!


Mostly C's: Keep practicing! You can make amazing bentos if you just try! Try following a recipe for a little, and pretty soon you'll be creating your own elaborate bentos!



   


Well, that was this week's quiz! See you tomorrow!


Courtney



P.S: What do you think of a bento cookbook by yours truly?

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Bento Week: Day 3

           All right readers, are you ready for day three of Bento Week? Let's go ahead and get started then!







             All right! Now for this bento, you will need:

1. Strawberries     2. Bananas     3. Carrots    

4. Hello Pandas (These are cookies filled with chocolate. You can use what you want to though.)

5. A Wrap of your choice     6. Trail Mix     7. Cupcake Holder



         Ready to learn how to make it? Here's how:

1. Place your wrap in the bottom right of your bento box.

2. Fill the cupcake holder with trail mix.

3. Put it next to the wrap.

4. Fill the other half of your bento with Hello Pandas or whatever you're using.

5. This next part gets a little tricky. To create a 'faux-sushi' I cut the strawberries into slices. Then I cut a little hole in the middle of them. After that, I cut a banana to the correct size to fit inside the hole. Then I cut super tiny pieces of carrot and stuck two into the banana at different angles.

6. Put your 'faux-sushi' in on top of the Hello Pandas.


         And then you're done! The 'faux-sushi' is tricky, but can look pretty cool. Maybe I'll do it in a future bento so you can get more practice!

         If you make this bento or even you're very own inspired by this, I'd love to see it! Send me a picture to balletandbento@live.com and it might end up on the blog! (With credit to you of course!)

Until tomorrow!
 
Courtney

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Bento Week: Day 2

           Day two of Bento Week is here! Let's learn how to make another bento!





               For this bento, you will need:

1. Strawberries             2. Raisins           3. Carrots      

4. A Sandwich of you choice (cut into the shape of a little person)


          Here's how to make it:

1. First, put your strawberries on the left side of your box in a line.

2. Then, place your sandwich person beside the strawberries.

3. Fill in the areas your sandwich person doesn't fill with the carrots

4. Take three raisins. Place two of them next to each other on your sandwich person for eyes, and one below them for a mouth. If you want to be really creative, you can add something like a lettuce shirt, broccoli hair, or a chocolate shirt! Be creative!


         There you go! An easy bento to make in four steps. If you make this bento, I'd love to see your version! Take a picture and e-mail it to me at balletandbento@live.com! I might show it on the blog!


See ya tomorrow!

Courtney

Monday, March 12, 2012

Bento Week: Day 1

           It's the first day of Bento Week! I'm going to show you a picture of today's bento and tell you how to make it!
       But first, since it's Monday, it's time for The Cute, the Adorable, and the Loveable! Since St. Patrick's Day is on Friday, Nick the westie is all prepared-if he was awake!



 
            Awww, isn't that cute? Happy Early St. Patrick's Day everyone!


        Alright, now on to bento. Here's today's bento!



            This bento has:

1. Strawberries                2. Bananas        3. Cupcake Holder      

4. Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich      

 5. Lotte Kanchos (These are little oriental cookie-thingys with chocolate in them. You can use anything you want, like chocolate chips maybe.)



         Alright, so if you want to make this bento, First, you'll need to mentally separate the container into three sections surrounding the center.

         Next, put the strawberries into the bottom right section.

         Then put the bananas in the bottom left section.

         Now cut your peanut butter and jelly sandwich into fun shapes with a cookie cutter! Then place the shapes in the top section.

         Almost done! Now, put the cupcake holder in the center of the sections. Then fill it with Lotte Kanchos or chocolate chips or whatever you want!


         And there you go! You have bento! If you make it, I'd love to see your pictures! E-mail them to me at balletandbento@live.com!


Until tomorrow!

Courtney

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Oriental Markets

           Guess what! I got to go to the oriental markets today! I love them, they have such interesting things!
       And I have a surprise for you too! I took TONS of pictures. So I'm going to show them to you!




               1.   I didn't get this, but isn't it a cool bottle???!!!





                2. I think this was actually seaweed...but it looks fun right? RIGHT?! ;)-







              3. Ahh. What trip to the oriental market would be complete without noodles??  :)bd





               4. OH MY ISN'T THIS BEAR JUST SO SUPER CUTE AND ADORABLE???!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, I'm good now.






               5. Well, I'm actually not that interested in soy products. But this package has a ballet dancer on it, so I HAD to take a picture!






                6. Um...I can't read this, but the cute animals have to be a good sign, right? :)







              7. Cute???








               8. I love these! The candies are good, but the box is cute too!







                9. Mochi! One word: Yum :P






               10. Last but not least, you know it, you love it, it's Pocky!



   

          Well, that's it for my trip to the oriental market. Hope you enjoyed the pics!

          I also have good news! This week is officially "Bento Week" here on the blog! You'll get to see a new bento Monday-Friday! And don't worry, you'll still get The Cute, the Adorable, and the Loveable on Monday and a quiz on Thursday! It'll be double fun!

Courtney ^_^


P.S- All brands in the pictures above are not mine and all credit goes to their proper owners.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Quiz Day!

           Welcome back readers! It's time for a brand new quiz! This week's quiz will be a little different. And easy. Are you ready? This week's quiz is:


WHAT DOES YOUR FAVORITE COLOR SAY ABOUT YOU?


1. Quick! Pick your favorite of these colors:


A. Red                         B. Yellow

C. Blue                        D. Green

E. Orange                     F. Black

G. White                      H. Purple

I. Pink




ANSWERS



A: Red means that you love excitement and action. Your feelings can be very intense.


B: If you like yellow, that means that you are carefree and like to look on the bright side!


C: Blue shows that you are organized and a loyal friend.


D: You are full of energy and ready to try new things if you like green!


E: Like orange? You are satisfied with your life. You also like to do good deeds and get things accomplished.


F: If black is your favorite color, then you are serious and make a good leader.


G: White, right? You are honest and try to do things right. You also like things to be neat and clean.


H: Purple! Purple means that you are creative, witty, and love to fantasize.


I: And last but not least, pink! Pink signifys that your feelings are important to you and can be easily hurt. You love to daydream.


       

       So? Did you like it? What is your favorite color? I bet you can guess mine! ^_^


Courtney

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Weather...

           Well readers, the weather has been a bit cloudy today. And I've been a bit under the weather. :(
        But not to worry! I took this time to color one of my pictures! I can't decide whether (hehe, homophones are fun!) I like the black + white version, or the colored version. So, I'm going to let you decide! Here's the black and white:






And here's the color:







          So, which do you like better? Tell me in the comments! The picture with the most comments will get added as my main picture! (You know, the one on the top right of this page ;) )


See you in the comments!

Courtney

Friday, March 2, 2012

Time for Another Quiz!

           Alright readers, it's time for another quiz! This week's quiz is...(dun dah dah!)


ARE YOU THE POOL, OCEAN, OR A LAKE?




1. Would you rather walk:

A. On the beach

B. On a nature trail

C. On the sidewalk



2. Your favorite style of swimsuit is:

A. Bikini

B. One-piece

C. Tankini



3. Friends say you are:

A. Energetic

B. Calm

C.  Fun-loving



4. Your favorite sound of nature is:

A. The wind

B. The sound of animals

C. Birds chirping



5. And your favorite food?

A. Sun Chips 

B. PB&J sandwich

C. A classic deli sandwich






ANSWERS



Mostly A's: Energetic like waves, you are most like the ocean!


Mostly B's: Calm and nature-loving, you are most like a cool summer lake!


Mostly C's: A lover of fun? You are most like a pool on a summer day!




          
          I'm a pool! ^_^  What are you? Tell me in the comments!



Courtney :D