Halloween Bootique in Costa Mesa, CA

We are certainly lucky here in Southern California to have an abundance of year-round Halloween stores, from Halloween Club in La Mirada to Halloweentown in Burbank to Traditions in Canoga Park, plus many more! One of those is Halloween Bootique in Costa Mesa, California, located right here in Orange County. For some reason I had never checked it out, despite driving by and seeing the signs for a looong time. This changed this past weekend when I needed a little Halloween pick-me-up, and decided to pop-in while I was in the area. Check out photos from Halloween Bootique below:

SoCal VegFest Expands to Two Days this Weekend

SoCal VegFest, which made its smashing debut last year, is back for its second year and has expanded to two whole days of food and fun! The event is this weekend, Saturday, October 29th and Sunday, October 30th at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa from 10AM to 6PM. Entry and parking are FREE!

This vegan festival will feature:

• Halloween fun, including a costume contest
• Free plant-based food sampling
• Live music
• Guest speakers and celebrities
• Cooking contest and demos
• Raffles and prizes
• Film screenings
• Yoga and meditation workshops
• Apparel booths and a cruelty-free marketplace
• Animal welfare, environmental, and humane organizations
• Activities for kids
...and of course, lots of yummy food trucks & vendors!

The SoCal VegFest is a project of APRL (Animal Protection and Rescue League), a local animal welfare non-profit, with a 100% volunteer staff.

I can't wait to eat all the vegan food and have some Halloween fun at SoCal VegFest! I hope to see you there this weekend!

For more info, please visit the SoCal VegFest website and Facebook page!

First Ever SoCal VegFest Spooks Up Fun and Food November 1st in Costa Mesa, CA

SoCal VegFest is Orange County's first ever vegan festival and will showcase delicious vegan food and beautiful vegan products on Sunday, November 1st, 2015 at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa! The event will also feature special guest speakers, cooking demos, live music, and much more! Entry is FREE and I hear they may have some Halloween and/or Dia de los Muertos activities planned as well.

Come out and cure your Halloween hangovers with some delicious vegan food and hang with some fun, friendly veg peeps! More details below...

Halloween 2015 at TPT Home

TPT Home is a home furnishings store located in the SOCO district of Costa Mesa, CA that stocks Halloween décor, tableware, artwork and more this time of year. They always have unique Halloween products, so I love visiting their store once they have all their seasonal items out.

I stopped by today and was delighted with this year's Halloween goodies! Check out some pics of TPT Home's Halloween selection below:

Vegan Scones and Donuts at Cafecito Organico in Costa Mesa, CA

Vegan donuts, scones, and more available at Cafecito Organico!

It seems like vegan options are popping up everywhere these days (much to my delight!), so when a little birdie told me that the Cafecito Organico coffee shop at The Lab in Costa Mesa had vegan baked goods - including scones, donuts, and cookies - I checked it out as soon as possible! The baked goods are from a Long Beach bakery called Caffeinated Kitchen, and I am so happy that there is yet another awesome vegan bakery in SoCal!

Restaurant Review: PizzaRev in Santa Ana, CA

PizzaRev in Santa Ana

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

A fellow Orange County vegan clued me in on PizzaRev, a new pizza place that opened up near South Coast Plaza in Orange County. PizzaRev has other restaurants in SoCal (and are planning on expanding to other parts of the nation), but this is the first one I had ever heard of! They have a build-your-own pizza system, with a counter set-up much like Chipotle’s, where you tell your server what kind of crust, sauce, and toppings you want for your pizza. They are not a vegan restaurant, but they do offer vegan options!

Halloween 2014 at TPT Home

This black cat was totally creepy cute!

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

TPT Home is a home decor store located in Costa Mesa, CA that usually has a great selection of Halloween décor, tableware, artwork and more this time of year! They recently moved to a smaller location (just a building over, they are still located by the SoCo Collection), and unfortunately their Halloween section has also shrunk.

They still have some neat items, but the selection is much more limited than it was in past years (and lots of it seems to be coated in glitter...yuck).

You can check out the photos I took of their Halloween offerings below:

5 Must-Try Vegan Options in Orange County

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

I have SUCH exciting news, ghouls and boils! I wrote my first article for Vegansaurus about "5 Must-Try Vegan Options in Orange County" and it was published this past Monday!!! I am so over-the-moon excited about this because 1) Vegansaurus straight up rocks and you should be reading it regularly if you aren't already, 2) Vegansaurus has always been there for me on my vegan journey and I could always rely on them for straight talk peppered with sass! It truly is an honor to see my writing on a site I have read for years and years now!

You can check out the article on the "5 Must-Try Vegan Options in Orange County" on Vegansaurus or read all about these awesome places below. 

I’m gonna let you in on a little secret: while LA is undoubtedly the vegan Mecca in Southern California, Orange County isn't far behind. Orange County is located between Los Angeles and San Diego, roughly an hour from each, and has amassed quite a collection of excellent vegan restaurants that are definitely worth the visit.

Since it would probably take at least a few dozen paragraphs to tell you about all the vegan options in Orange County, I've decided to spare you a wall of text and instead recommend restaurants based on meal-times throughout the day, from brunch to a late night snack. A lot of people will be coming to town this upcoming weekend to attend the Natural Products Expo, not to mention those who visit for the beaches or Disneyland on a regular basis, so now is the perfect time to recommend the best vegan options for those on a tight schedule or for those that may only be visiting Orange County for a day or two. I've only included restaurants that are unique to Orange County so you can maximize your time and try new things!

The vegan Huevos Rancheros at Seabirds Kitchen

Restaurant Review: Seabirds Kitchen in Costa Mesa, CA

Seabirds Kitchen at The Lab is now open!

I have been a long-time fan of Seabirds and their vegan food truck as year after year they have continued to impress me with their quality vegan food in Orange County! From delicious staples like their beer-battered avocado tacos to their other seasonal options and specials, I have always felt so lucky to have them in my community offering such amazing vegan food!

Restaurant Review: Tacos Cancun in Costa Mesa, CA

Tacos Cancun - vegan Cancun Combo with 

two tacos, pinto beans and potatoes

This small restaurant is located on the busy hub of Harbor and 19th in Costa Mesa, just a block from the end of the 55 freeway. I discovered it by chance while searching for new food places and since it was so close to our house Mister Spooky and I decided to give it the old college try.

Though the restaurant serves standard meat- and cheese-filled burritos, tacos, etc., I was delighted to find that Tacos Cancun is vegan-friendly and even serves Soyrizo, soy ground “beef” and Daiya cheese! So Mister Spooky (who is not vegan) and I (vegan, obviously), could eat at the same place and both be happy!

One chilly evening we arrived at the cozy restaurant and were greeted like family. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable about the vegan options. Menu items were also marked with a “V” if they could be made vegan. Basically, you could replace the meat protein with a plant-based protein in most of the taco and burrito dishes and the dairy cheese would be substituted with Daiya. They also have the option of subbing veggies or potatoes for the protein. Other veganizable dishes include their enchiladas, tortas, quesadillas and salads.

In chatting up the friendly woman behind the counter I learned that the chef was vegan and insisted on providing vegan-options to his guests. It is so rare to find someone from Central America (where the chef is from) that is vegan so I was mightily impressed and very thankful he decided to open a restaurant with vegan options!

Tacos Cancun's vegan sign

I ended up ordering a Cancun Combo that came with two tacos (I replaced the meat with Soyrizo and the dairy cheese with Daiya cheese), a side of pinto beans (vegan!) and crispy potatoes (the rice is not vegan). The tacos were double-wrapped in tortillas and stacked high with Soyrizo, pico de gallo, lettuce and two types of Daiya. OMG…they were seriously heavenly. The tortillas were warm and soft, and the toppings had just the right amount of spice to them. I also loved the sides of pinto beans (I can’t remember the last time I was able to eat pinto beans in a restaurant…thank goodness Tacos Cancun has some sense and doesn’t use nasty lard!) and the potatoes! I would have been full on one taco plus the sides, but I cleaned my plate – that’s how good it was!

Mister Spooky went a little nuts and ordered the asada fries, cheeseburger, and street tacos. Yes, he is a big dude. The asada fries were HUGE and he could have easily been satisfied with those! He plowed through the fries and loved them! He said the street tacos were also really good. He was so full he had to take the cheeseburger to go. It’s a rare thing he can leave a restaurant completely full and satisfied (and with leftovers!), but Tacos Cancun was able to accomplish this!

One thing to note – space is limited and there are only about five tables in the joint, so keep that in mind if you go during peak hours. Other than that, it is a neat, clean space with an inviting atmosphere and awesome staff!

When we left we profusely thanked the chef and his staff since we had such a great experience here. We will definitely be back…I want to try everything that can be made vegan!

If you are in the Orange County area, I highly recommend checking out Tacos Cancun!

Tacos Cancun - vegan Cancun Torta

UPDATE: I went back and tried the vegan Cancun Torta. I had never had a torta, but it’s kinda like a Mexican sloppy Joe…beans, veggies, Soyrizo, guacamole in a hamburger-like bun. It was only $5, but it was so big I could only eat half of it! Plus, it was delicious!

My 5 Favorite Things About Summer

Happy Summer Solstice!

In honor of June 20th's solstice, which marks the official start of summer as well as the longest day of the year, I put together a quick top 5 list of favorite things about summertime!

I'm not the biggest fan of summer (it is my least favorite season), but in the spirit of the season I figured I would take a walk on the sunny side of the street and list some positives to look forward to this season.

 Lolly Zombification by Steven Silverwood

1.) Popsicles - My current obsession is Trader Joe's Coconut Water Fruit Floes (review), but I pretty much love any chilled fruity sweet treats this time of year! It's my favorite way to cool down on a hot day. And there are so many vegan options to choose from it is redonkulous!

2.) Fresh Fruits and Veggies - I love being able to pack my fridge full of so many different varieties of fresh fruit and veggies during the summertime! Every trip to the farmer's market or grocery store yields an amazing bounty and it is so easy to eat fresh during this season.

 Orange County Fair by Jeff Voris

3.) County Fairs - The bright lights of the fairway, the crazy deep-fried foods, the kitschy crafts and the always lame "House of Horrors" that I insist on riding anyways...nothing quite says summer like the fair!

Veggie Kabobs by Vegan Soapbox

4.) Barbecues - Is there anything better (or easier) than throwing some Portobello mushrooms, veggie kabobs or veggie burgers/dogs on the grill, cracking open some beers and having some friends over for a casual BBQ? Barbecues are pretty much THE quintessential summertime activity and one of my faves to boot!

5.) Halloween is coming - My absolute FAVORITE thing about summer?? It means autumn and Halloween are only one season away!!! Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

What are your favorite things about summer?

Vegan Breakfast Burrito from Seabirds Truck

To enjoy the gorgeous weather today (high 70's), Mister Spooky and I headed to the SoCo Farmer's Market at the OC Mart Mix for brunch. Besides the beautiful produce from local farmers, there is always a tantalizing selection of gourmet food trucks to choose from! I heard from a little birdie that the awesome vegan food truck Seabirds was going to be in attendance, so I was totally stoked, especially since I've been dying to try their new vegan breakfast burrito!

I got there just in time to snag one of their last brekkie burritos...and now I wish I had ordered as many as possible since it was sooooo yummy! The burrito contained a fresh, flavorful mix of tofu scramble, black beans, kale, bell peppers, hash browns, Daiya cheese and was topped off with a delicious green salsa. Just thinking about it is making me drool! It had a rich, savory flavor and I loved the multi-layered blend of ingredients. It was also on the large size for a food truck burrito and very satisfying. Even the non-veg Mister Spooky enjoyed it (when I let him have a bite).

Seabirds always delivers high-quality, healthy and mouthwatering vegan dishes. I adore their jack fruit tacos,  deep-fried avocado tacos (ok, maybe those aren't that healthy...) and cupcakes (and pretty much everything else I've ever had there), but this breakfast burrito is definitely my new favorite!

Keep up with Seabirds on Twitter and Facebook!

31 Days of Halloween: Halloween 2011 Events in Orange County

Happy October 1st, fiends! Today kicks off my 31 Days of Halloween (check out last year's Halloween posts!), where I will be attempting to post a Halloween-related post every day of October for Countdown to Halloween's annual blogging marathon!

For my first post, I've made a list of some spooky events occurring around Orange County, California, where I currently reside. Of course, the L.A. area has a TON of events, but to narrow it down I've elected to just post about some events closer to my home.

Please note this isn't an all-inclusive list, but rather events that have caught my eye! I'll be adding more to this list as I find out about more events, too! If you know of any other events in the area, please let me know in the comments below!

Fullerton Haunted Walking Tours
(Fullerton, CA)

A hauntingly good time is in the offing when the Fullerton Museum Center’s popular “Haunted Fullerton Walking Tours” return for their 11^th season in September.

Tours will be given Wednesday and Thursday evenings Sept. 14 through Nov. 3, with a special Halloween tour planned Oct. 31. Due to popularity, the tours book up fast, and persons interested in participating are strongly advised to get their registrations in early.

Considered to be one of the most haunted cities in Orange County, Fullerton will serve up a variety of “spirited” locations to take in during the tours.Locations visited can vary and may include the landmark Plummer Auditorium, where the spirits of Louis E. Plummer and one known only as the “angry woman” are said to watch the shows presented there; the historic California Hotel, now Villa del Sol; and the home of Fullerton’s first woman auto dealer. Even Fullerton’s Police Department apparently is not without its own reported hauntings, and will be one of the locations visited on the tours.

Ghost Ship
(Newport Beach, CA)

GHOST SHIP is the first haunted attraction in the country that actually sets sail into the dark, open ocean…at night. The Attraction is comprised of three floors of highly interactive content. The gut of the ship will bring the poor souls through the abandoned hallways of what once was the treatment deck for those in need of Electro Shock Therapy, Hydrotherapy, and Sleep Disorder Rehabilitation as well as the old examination rooms and even morgue. The middle floor will appear to provide a moment of calm where patrons can grab a cocktail and take in the old ballroom vibe of the 1930′s. However, appearances can be incredibly deceiving. Lastly, the top deck will bring gluttons for punishment through an interactive execution experience that just may make them wonder “who” is actually getting executed. This will be an experience you will not want to miss if you are someone with a high tolerance for fear.

Monster Massive
(Irvine, CA) 

America's largest Halloween dance music festival returns on Saturday October 29th, 2011 with an exclusive U.S. appearance of Armin Van Buuren's "Armin Only Mirage" show on the "Tomb of Doom" main stage all night. The "House of Horror" will feature Erick Morillo, Moby and much more TBA.

Hearse Show at OC Fairgrounds
(Costa Mesa, CA)
 
Freak Out is the theme for this year's event slated for Sunday, October 30 a"Come as Your Favorite Freak" Costume Contest, several shows presented by Freak Show Deluxe, "Freaky" stilt walking troupe, Monster Mash Up Puppet Show presented by Swazzle Puppetry along with free trick or treating from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., world renown pumpkin sculptor “Farmer” Mike Valladao carving 3-D "freakish" masterpieces out of 400 lb plus pumpkins. All day exhibition of antique and classic hearses preceded by a four mile ceremonial ride through Costa Mesa.

Day of the Dead Craft Workshop at Bowers Museum
(Santa Ana, CA)
 
The Days of the Dead in Mexico are a time of remembrance and celebration of the lives of departed family members. Memorial altars are created with special foods, flowers, mementos and candles. Sometimes, a humorous piece of skeleton folk art will be placed on the ofrenda (altar) in order to keep Death distracted from the living. The masks are worn to celebrate the life of a deceased person and to remind everyone of the fragility of life.

Great Park Pumpkin Harvest
(Irvine, CA)

The Great Park Balloon will be transformed into a giant Jack-O-Lantern, as visitors are welcomed to the Great Park Pumpkin Harvest. Visitors will experience the time honored tradition of fall activities and family fun, including: Pumpkin Patch, Pumpkin Decorating, Pumpkin Carving Demo, Mini Hay Maze, Train Rides, Art & Crafts Activities, Carnival-style Games and more. Come visit our inaugural Scarecrows in the Park exhibit that will be featured at the Pumpkin Harvest event.

Ghost of Old OC Tour
(Santa Ana, CA)
 
Meet the Spirits from Orange County and California history as they tell stories of how the state and county were formed. Journey through Heritage Museum’s seven-acre site in this after-dark living history program.

An Autumn Meal and warm beverages will be available for purchase, courtesy of the Victorian Tea Society.

Everybody Dies Horror Film Festival
(Brea, CA)

From the minds that brought you the radtastic horror spoof Stupid Teenagers Must Die! (one of my fave indie movies of all time!) comes Orange County's own horror film festival!! The Everybody Dies Horror Film Festival promises to deliver the best in indie horror to one of the most terrifying places in the world: Orange County, California. Designed by filmmakers for filmmakers, this new two-night fest presents shorts, trailers and feature films displaying everything from brain-chompin' zombies to knife-wieldin' crazy killers, all hosted by our mistress of ceremony, the super sexy psychopath Machete Betty.

Night of the Living Dead LIVE at the Maverick Theater
(Fullerton, CA)
 
This is a one of a kind experience, perfect for the Halloween season. Night of the Living Dead...on stage! A group of panicked survivors are barricaded in a deserted farmhouse while a horde of flesh-eating zombies hovers outside their door.

Dark Harbor at the Queen Mary
(Long Beach, CA)
 
Something Wildly Wicked Takes Over: This Halloween, The Queen Mary steams into a harbor of the damned, a decidedly demonic destination.With a trio of She-demons that prey on all mortals who dare enter their realm after sunset - villagers, passengers and visitors alike - the annual scare-fest takes on a horrifying new dimension.

Knott's Halloween Haunt
(Buena Park, CA)
 
The granddaddy of Halloween events will feature 13 mazes and four scare zones scattered throughout the Buena Park theme park.

New Knott's mazes for 2011:

• Invasion  Beneath – The military battles against creatures emerging from a fissure in the Earth's core. Replaces the perfectly themed Black Widow's Cavern (Calico Mine Ride).
• Endgames: Warriors of the Apocalypse – A post-apocalyptic arena where gladiators battle to the death for the entertainment of the rich and powerful. Replaces the pointless and endless Labyrinth (In Camp Snoopy at the former Peanuts Playhouse location).
• Delirium – A wasteland along the blurry line between nightmare and insanity. Replaces the mediocre Club Blood vampire maze (Ghostrider warehouse).

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween at Disneyland
(Anaheim, CA)

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a Halloween-themed special event held on select dates in Magic Kingdom theme park.

In addition to many favorite Disney attractions, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is filled with special entertainment, including:

• Mickey's "Boo-to-You" Halloween Parade—including Disney Characters and the stars of the Haunted Mansion attraction. The parade begins with a spook-tacular ride by the Headless Horseman.
• Happy HalloWishes—a spectacular fireworks show where the Disney Villains go trick-or-treating in the sky.
• Many favorite Disney Characters and Disney Villains in special Halloween costumes.

Special lighting, music and theme effects transforms special areas of Magic Kingdom theme park into happy haunted hollows.

What are some Halloween events going on where you live? 

Restaurant Review: Happy Family Restaurant - Costa Mesa, CA

I am so happy that a vegan Chinese restaurant opened up in Costa Mesa! Happy Family is a wonderful find and my new go-to vegan Chinese food restaurant.

My boyfriend (non-vegan) and I (vegan) arrived on a Sunday night to a near-empty restaurant, however after 10 minutes or so a few more groups of people came through the doors. We were greeted by a very friendly host and excellent wait staff.

I asked our waiter which items on the menu were vegan, and he replied that 99% of the menu was vegan (BTW...the menu is very extensive)! Huzzah! He said the remaining 1% can easily be made vegan by omission of egg. So basically, if you're vegan, just ask them to hold the egg on anything that lists it on the menu. Easy peasy! I love it when being vegan is this easy!

We ordered the hot and sour soup, Mongolian "beef" and soy "chicken" nuggets with orange peel. The dishes don't include rice, so we had to order some on the side. However, either brown or white rice is only an extra $1, so it's not that bad. The service was super-fast and we got our orders within 10 minutes of ordering.

Hot and Sour Soup

The hot and sour soup (we got the smaller of the two sizes) was HUGE, spicy and downright delicious!! It was filled with tofu, mushrooms, noodles, veggies and yummy spices.

Mongolian "Beef"

The Mongolian beef was really nicely spiced and had quite a bit of heat to it (but not too much). It was a little dry in my opinion and I wish it would have come with some veggies, but it was still satisfying.

 Soy "Chicken" Nuggets with Orange Peel

The soy "chicken" nuggets with orange peel were the real star of the meal though (next to the amazing hot and sour soup!). Perfectly crispy and with a wonderful bite, these were devoured by my boyfriend and me. I would definitely order these again on subsequent visits!

 Vegan Tiramisu

After that delicious meal we were both stuffed, but decided that we just had to try their vegan tiramisu dessert! I don't know what a traditionally Italian dessert is doing in a Chinese restaurant...but god bless the genius that thought of putting it on Happy Family's menu, because ordering this was the best decision of the night!! OMG, guys, it was soooooo good! It was silky and scrumptious and very flavorful. I can't wait to go back just for the tiramisu!

Happy Family was a very positive restaurant experience and I cannot wait to go back again. Whenever I have a hankering for some good Chinese food that I know will be 100% vegan, Happy Family will be my first stop!

Read my review originally posted on YELP!

It's Coming...

Spotted THIS last week:

All I can say is YAY!! Roughly about a week or so until most stores REALLY start stocking their Halloween stuff and the Spirit stores open!

WOO HOO!

(P.S. I know I've been slacking on posts this past week, but I'll try to get caught up this upcoming week!)

Thasos Greek Island Grille - Costa Mesa, CA

My boyfriend and I stumbled upon Thasos Greek Island Grille tucked inside a small shopping center across from South Coast Plaza this weekend, and my eye was drawn immediately to the menu in the window,  proudly proclaiming "The Mediterranean Vegan Feast"!! Of course, I LOVE when restaurants have vegan options, but I am always doubly impressed when they actually have the word "vegan" on the menu.

We sat down amongst few other diners in their tiny dining room and had fast, friendly service. We ordered right away and I got my lentil soup very quickly. It was downright delicious and flavorful!

 Thasos' Lentil Soup...hearty and delicious!

When I was almost done with my soup they brought out my Vegan Feast...it included four falafels, four rice 'n' herb dolmades topped with fresh tomato sauce, sauteed veggies drizzled with balsamic vinegar, hummus and pita. YUM! By this time the dining room was completely full!! Service slowed down a bit, but it seemed like one waiter was covering the restaurant, so it was understandable.

Sorry for the bad photos...it was kind dark!

This was a very filling, very satisfying meal and while it wasn't all that different or adventurous, it was still very good! I don't know many other Greek places in Orange County besides the Daphne's chain, but Thasos is definitely worth checking out!

They also have two convenient locations...one at Fashion Island in Newport Beach and the other where I visited, in Costa Mesa near South Coast Plaza. 

Visit thasos.com for location info and to take a peek at their menu!  

Acai Bowl at Milk + Honey in Costa Mesa

Milk + Honey might sound like a weird place for a vegan to hang out in, but when I recently had the opportunity to visit this specialty drink and food place in Costa Mesa, California at The Camp, I was pleasantly surprised!

Though they serve a lot of non-vegan items (frozen yogurt, ice cream, non-vegan food items like sandwiches, breakfast items, etc.), they also offer several vegan options. Of these, I decided to try their acai bowl.

Perfection at Milk + Honey in Costa Mesa, CA

Filled with blended acai and topped with granola and loaded with fruit, this tasty dish not only looked pretty but was absolutely delicious!

Though a little pricey at around $5 - $6, I would definitely come back to Milk + Honey just for their acai bowls, but would also be interested to try their other vegan options. They make everything fresh, and though this might make the wait a little long, it's well worth it for the quality of food.

Also, their tiny shop is absolutely adorable and they have a cute open air patio filled with plants and succulents where you can spend a lazy day lounging around!

They don't have a website, but you can check out Yelp for more info!

Eerie Idea: Headstone Throw Pillows

I was browsing Etsy the other day for Halloweenie things and came across some cute headstone-shaped keychains made out of fabric and felt that were too creepy-cute for words!

 What my pillow would look like, miniaturized! Photo from SilentOrchidStudio via Etsy!

And then I had an "a-ha" moment and thought, what if I made headstone-shaped pillows?! I could personalize each one and write my own eulogies on them!! I got all excited, but realized, ummmmm...I don't really know how to sew and I'm not that crafty.

It sounds like a simple project, though, right?! I'm sure someone much craftier than me can execute (mwahahahahaha!) this awesome project...and then perhaps they can send me a few pillows!

Pretty please?!