MOOD 13
DIY•RECIPES•HOME DECOR•CRAFTS
EASTER GARDEN PAR-TAY SPRING swiftie butterfly garden
LOVER THEMED egg hunt
13 WAYS TO REUSE for earth day APR 2020 $2.99
THE COLORS OF KRYSTAL WARD
thoughts
DO
WHAT
YOU
LOVE
"I wanna be defined by the things that I love Not the things I hate Not the things I'm afraid of, I'm afraid of The things that haunt me in the middle of the night, I I just think that you are what you love" —Taylor Swift, Daylight
FOREWoRD we hope you like glitter, hot glue guns, and wine (a lot of wine) Welcome to the first issue of Mood 13 Magazine: a Taylor Swift-inspired project magazine created by Swifties for Swifties, featuring party ideas, crafts, sweets, mixers, and more. “It’s a whole mood up in here!” This magazine is the brainchild of myself, Christa, a Swiftie mom, with a passion for art, creativity, entrepreneurship, glitter, cats, and of course, all things Taylor. I arrived at the idea to publish a magazine after spending countless hours creating projects inspired by Taylor. But I knew I couldn’t do it alone, and why would I want to? Projects are always more fun with a buddy! Once Carissa joined the party, project days turned into nights —the kinds of projects that evaporate time, provoke bellowing laughter and leave a trail of glitter and empty wine glasses. Many which were emptied in front of an audience of judgy felines and eye-rolling family members —but we’re used to it; we’re Swifties. Our love for Taylor knows no bounds, and let’s be honest, neither does yours. With that in mind one very late night with no less than 13 rolls of ribbon, paint-stained hands and glitter in places we’ve yet to discover, we decided these memories and projects were worth sharing and never looked back. We've set out to help you express your Swiftie mood. From concert costumes to bracelets for your favs and even elegant expressions of our love for Taylor to decorate your homes, we have a myriad of ideas for you. Just imagine the sweet feral screech of satisfaction echoing a once-was dining room turned craft explosion or the unexpected sun shower invading your magical butterfly garden extravaganza; these are the memories to hold on to because they will hold on to you. We love creating and brainstorming new ideas. As daydreamers and night thinkers shaping tangible keepsakes from the intangible highlights of our icon, we aim to ignite your creativity with our project guides as you empty wine glasses over sparkly messes of your own (assuming you’re of legal drinking age of course). Here’s a toast to our real friends and the legendary melodies and moments of Miss Americana herself.
CHRISTA THOMPSON Editor in Chief
FEATURED
Pictured:: Handmade egg hunt sign, decorative Easter eggs, Easter Garden Par-Tay sign On the cool chicks, printed sunglasses
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MOOD 13 EDITOR IN CHIEF
Christa Thompson
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Carissa Shuman
PHOTOGRAPHER
Christa Thompson
ART DIRECTOR
Christa Thompson
PROJECT ASSISTANT
Carissa Shuman
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Christa Thompson
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Christa Thompson
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EDITOR'S NOTE
G N I R
BY CHRISTA THOMPSON CO-WRITTEN BY CARISSA SHUMAN
is upon us, and every Swiftie knows how much Taylor enjoys a SP competitive Easter Egg hunt and egg battle with her brother Austin, much to our delight. Apart from this nugget of entertainment, spring brings with it rebirth and renewal —a crisp morning air that energizes while fresh blossoms inspire us to appreciate the possibilities of the new year. We tend to get organized, maybe hit the Kombucha a little harder, but mostly we are invigorated. With Taylor’s current album, Lover expressed in pastel shades amidst cotton-candy clouds, this is certainly the era for Spring. Lest we not forget her obsession with Easter eggs (of the CIA-level variety) that keep us Swifties on our detective A-game. So, how do we interpret Lover into DIY projects, crafts, home decor, entertainment, and of course, Easter? Well, we thought you’d never ask! This issue celebrates Taylor with the Swiftie Garden Par-tay complete with a Lover themed egg hunt, Lover themed sweets & mixers, and elegant decorative Easter eggs that you can make with your guests. Pictured on the cover is our first feature, the elegant Lover themed decorative Easter eggs that you can gift or keep for your Easter decor. Our second feature is a fairy-sized butterfly garden that will bring life and renewal to your outdoor space. Another way we have realized Spring in full Swiftie fashion is with birdhouses that will invite wildlife to your garden. You will also find projects for home decor in both fun pastels for your room and in elegant styles to seamlessly blend with any decor while renewing your space. We did not forget that April 22 is Earth Day. You will find in our Mindfulness section, 13 Ways to Reuse for Earth Day. Finally, for those who need a quick creative fix, check out our Quick & Easy section for 5 projects you can make faster than you can say, “sabotage.” This month’s Artist Feature dives into the colorful world of Krystal Ward, a watercolorist from Southern California, who’s known in the fandom for her exquisite renderings of Taylor Swift. 4 | MOOD 13
7
LOVER THEMED DECORATIVE EGGS
10 22
HOME DECOR FOR ADULTING & WHEN ADULTING SUCKS
BUTTERFLY GARDEN
30
EASTER GARDEN PAR-TAY
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SWIFTIE EGG HUNT
33
LOVER THEMED EASTER EGG CAKE
36 44
QUICK & EASY
52
MINDFULNESS
54
COCKTAILS ARE FUN
THE COLORFUL WORLD OF KRYSTAL WARD
48
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FEATURED ARTIST: KRYSTAL WARD
LOVER THEMED DECORATIVE EGGS
"Lover is the most elegant era Taylor has to date. We decided these decorative Lover themed eggs would have the undertones of timeless elegance because Taylor has exuded so much of this since the start of this era."
By Christa Thompson & Carissa Shuman
The first thing that comes to mind with we think of Taylor and Easter, is her fierce competition when it comes to egg hunts and battles. If we had a dollar every time we saw the phrase “Easter egg(s)” in a news outlet or in an interview with Taylor, we would have enough money to buy that totally bitchin’ Stella by Taylor Swift jacket! These are not the Easter eggs that have been seared into our minds. These are Easter eggs —of the decorative variety. They were designed with the pastel colors representative of the YouTube Lover Live Lounge. Lover is the most elegant era Taylor has to date. We decided these decorative Lover themed eggs would have the undertones of timeless elegance because Taylor has exuded so much of this since the start of this era.
stay
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Elegance HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN DECORATIVE EGGS Making these decorative eggs is a lot easier than it looks. With a little bit of time and some patience (or a lot), you can make these beautiful Easter eggs to reuse every year or gift. You can invite friends over to make them with you, or even use it as an activity for your Easter Garden Par-tay. TIP: We recommend setting up a little work station for yourself. If you are doing them all yourself, decorate one or two eggs at a time.
This is what you’ll need for the eggs: 1. A dozen decorating/crafting eggs (plain white) 2. Lover colored ribbons in various textures and shades 3. Embellishments (scrapbooking section) 4. Jewels (bead or costume jewelry sections) 5. Acrylic paint 6. Gold and hot pink Sharpie markers 7. Glitter/glitter glue 8. Hot glue For a work station: You don’t need a lot of space, because eggs are tiny.Set it up in an area that is out of the way, so you don’t have to keep clearing it and putting it up again. stay
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making your eggs There’s no set way to decorate your eggs, but we can offer you a few pointers. While decorating our eggs we noticed we tended to follow three categories: mostly white, mostly pink, and mostly blue. For the mostly blue, we mixed different mediums (paint, glitter, and ribbon in layers) and trimmed them with either blue or gold embellishments. For the mostly pink, we trimmed them with jewels and gold embellishments. For the mostly white, we used as little other color as possible (all gold or all blue embellishments), and were the easiest to write lyrics on.
displaying your eggs You can either reuse a thrift store find like we did, and hang your eggs or you can put them in a glass bowl. You could also hang them in your window. That’s a tradition in Europe. Or, if you’d like, you can hide them around your house for your friends to find. However you choose to display your elegant decorative eggs, their timelessness will blend Easter and your Swiftie-mood for years to come.
stay
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home decor FOR ADULTING AND WHEN ADULTING SUCKS Decorating your space is about creating a sanctuary where you can relax, your happy place. Naturally, as a Swiftie your happy place is where you are surrounded by all things Taylor. For some that may be as simple as hanging posters, for others (for example, us) decorating your space can become a journey in interior design, rivaling a full dissertation in the subject. As middle-aged moms we are always battling our alter ego (a.k.a. our 15-year-old inner Stan Swiftie) and its desire to paint the walls pink with “Lover” sprawled across them to be admired from our rainbow sofa. However, it’s far more functional, and probably more socially acceptable, to celebrate Taylor in a sophisticated way that blends with our decor and enhances our space. Therefore, in our Home Decor section, we created options for both.
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SIMPLE & SUBTLE By Christa Thompson
There are few things I love as much as being a Swiftie. Apart from my obvious obsession with creativity, one of those loves are interior design. For me, when a space is both functional and exhilarating it's complete harmony. Have you ever walked into a model home, a nice hotel or a friend's home and thought, "Wow, this place is really nice and well put together!"? Of course you have! But make no mistake, the perfection of that space, right down to the lighting and florals, was meticulously planned —sketched on paper even! Many hours were spent sourcing materials, the color palette and pieces needed to turn that space into a practical sanctuary. As a Swiftie I find myself in perpetual design conflict. I buy merch, I revere merch and then I place it in my Lover themed guest room where it "fits the design". And while that's all cool, what I really want is to have simple and subtle reminders of Taylor around my home —in my common areas and the places where I spend most of my time. As much as I would love to paint cotton candy clouds on my ceiling, it just doesn't scream, "adult". So, I decided to start crafting home decor that blends with my space. I wanted to share the wise words of my queen with guests while being reminded every day of what a strong and empowering woman she is. That's why I came up with this wall decor (or table top, you do you) in black and white hand lettering. Its colors are both neutral and sophisticated. I chose a chic farmhouse style which blends with my decor. Of course, you can use whatever hand lettering font you like to fit your space. When choosing a quote or lyric, think of something that will not only express the likeness of Taylor but will also resonate with you personally. I suggest funny relatable quotes and inspirational quotes or lyrics. This will give you even more ways to talk about Taylor (which I'm sure you have no difficulty with now) while being both amused and inspired on a daily basis.
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MANTEL DECOR Rectangular mantel sign Black spray or acrylic paint White paint pen
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WALL DECOR Wooden signs and/or plaques White spray or acrylic paint Black paint pen or sharpie
"DEFINITELY NOT READY FOR ALL THIS
grown up stuff" -TAYLOR SWIFT, MISS AMERICANA
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your happy place FRAMED LOVER VALENTINE'S DAY CARDS LYRIC HEART RING DISH
HEART & ROSES SIGNED LOVER INSERT FRAME
PAPER RINGS JEWELRY BOX
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CAUSE ADULTING IS HARD
FRAMED LOVER V-DAY CARDS
FRAME YOUR VDAY CARDS They also get dusty. It’s much easier to display them over a long period of time if they’re framed, and it’s easier to keep them clean and in good condition. With that in mind, we decided to frame Taylor’s Valentine’s Day cards. We picked up a few frames from the dollar store that happened to be a shade of “Lover” blue. After embellishing them with a few decorative roses, we realized that we wanted to be able to showcase her note as well as the front of the cards. So, we cut out the phrase and hot glued it (with additional embellishment) to the top of the center frame. When it comes to creating a nice display, one of the things to consider is balance. For this display, we balanced it by putting the flower pictures on each side and the flower embellishments on opposite corners. This also helped show that the three separate cards/frames go together.
The thing about displaying cards by just setting them on a table, mantle, or shelf is that everytime the slightest breeze blows by, they fall over.
MATERIALS Taylor Swift cards from taylorswift.com x3 frames Accent flowers (scrapbooking section) Wire cutters Hot glue gun and glue sticks 15| MOOD 13
make your own HEART ring dish A ring dish can be useful on your nightstand or dresser, wherever you take your jewelry off (i.e. your real and paper rings). Or perhaps, on a side table where you set your keys. This is just one more way you can add a little Taylor into your space. We found these at the dollar store, painted them, and used a gold paint marker to add lyrics. When it comes to painting, you can obviously use whatever color you like. Although spray paint is generally easier and quicker, we used acrylic paint for this project so that we could get the varying shades of pink we wanted.
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We added a layer of gold glitter over the words “Lover” and “dazzling” to give it a little pop. NOTE: it’s important to spray items with a clear coat if they are going to be used to hold items, handled often, or displayed outside. That will help keep the paint and decorations from wearing or scratching off.
MATERIALS Heart shaped dish(es) Acrylic or spray paint Paint pens Glitter or glitter glue Clear coat spray
HEART & ROSES SIGNED LOVER INSERT FRAME MATERIALS Frame Roses Autographed cover Acrylic paint Glitter Paint pen or Sharpie marker
Remember when it comes to decorating your Swiftie room, you can be as creative as you like. Make it yours.
FRAME YOUR SIGNED ALBUM COVER If you were one of the lucky Swifties who happened to be evaporating time on social media during the five minutes that it took for Taylor’s autographed Lover album cover to sell out, then you probably want a great way to showcase your new treasure. We found some cool stuff in the unpainted wood section of WalMart. Using a natural wooden heart-shaped frame along with two natural wooden roses. We painted them and affixed the roses to the frame, decorated with glitter, and added a lyric to create a two dimensional means of exhibiting this epic score. Remember, when it comes to decorating your Swiftie room, you can be as creative as you like. Perhaps you’d like to use a butterfly instead of roses, or bring attention to the number 13. The options are endless. Make it yours.
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YOUTH MAGAZINE
PAPER RINGS WE LOVE SHINY THINGS And sparkly things and things that remind us of Taylor. Whether it's a beaded bracelet from a fellow Swiftie or a special keepsake like the Benjamin Button watch or Lover locket (taylorswift.com) we all have a small collection of treasures to keep. Making a special jewelry box for these prized possessions seemed like the perfect project for getting organized this spring. And while a lot of the crafting we’ve done offers a more formal look, decorating this jewelry box took us right to Swiftie City. We went all out with the Lover aesthetic and decorated the inside with some of Taylor’s confetti. Decorating a hard surface with the confetti was actually very simple. You can use mod podge and a paint brush to adhere the pieces to the surface, and then put a coat over them to protect them from whatever jewelry or treasure you store inside.
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Jewelry Box The jewelry box we got had a heart shaped opening in the lid, with a plastic cover. It was designed to either give a sneak peek to the contents inside, or hold a picture. We opted to cover it (from the inside) with a wooden heart shape that we painted a lyric on. Then, behind it, we created an earring holder/display out of cardboard and cloth. There are lots of options when it comes to something as personal as a jewelry box. You can even make a ring holder to go inside. Whatever you do, make it yours and make it sparkle!
"Kiss me once cause you know I had a long night"
"Kiss me twice cause it's gonna be alright" FINDING SHINY THINGS When it comes to scoring jewelry with that Lover vibe to it you want to look for pieces that fit the aesthetic of the era. Think rainbows, pastels, hearts, butterflies and opals. You can find a lot of this at very affordable prices in any T.J. Maxx, Five Below, Kohls and even Target. We are always seeing rings, earrings and necklaces that catch our eye! You can also make your own jewelry which is a lot of fun. There are plenty of pieces at Hobby Lobby and Michael's that fit this era. Look for roses, butterflies, hearts and sparkly pinks and blues.
MATERIALS Wooden jewelry box with picture frame Pink and blue paint Glitter and glitter glue Confetti Cardboard
Cloth Beads Hot glue Mod podge Pierceable fabric
"Three times cause I waited my whole life"
YOUTH MAGAZINE 19| MOOD 13
THOUGHTS
HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE "There are two ways you can go with pain. You can let it destroy you or use it as fuel to drive you to dream bigger, work harder.� -Taylor Swift
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Pictured: Swiftie Butterfly Garden Handmade plant stakes, modified garden stone, modified camper, stonecrop (sedum), purple and white phlox.
Spring BLOOMS
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The butterfly has been synonymous with Taylor Swift since her Debut album
Swiftie Butterfly Garden By Christa Thompson and Carissa Shuman With the beginning of the Lover era we saw the most magical butterfly known to man when Taylor stepped on the red carpet at the Billboard Music Awards when she received her Tour of the Year Award -- a tour the critics said would only have empty seats, but instead made history. As an unforeseeable factor, you might find that making a butterfly garden to renew your outdoor space is a great way to bring your love for Taylor to your home. This butterfly garden can be as big as you want it to be, but here we have created one that is “fairy sized.” When we decided to create a butterfly garden, we first toyed with the idea that it would be a fullsize garden. Then we realized that many Swifties may have a limited space, such as an apartment or dorm room. So, we decided to make it small enough to fit any space. Besides, who wouldn’t love to make miniature Taylor ornaments for their tiny garden? . 22 | MOOD 13
SPRING
Details Are Everything Creating a butterfly garden is both as easy and difficult as it sounds. But we’ve already made the mistakes, so it’ll be 13% easier for you. You're welcome.
Butterflies & Blooms GET CREATIVE AS YOU LIKE THIS IS YOUR PLACE YOU MAKE THE RULES
We incorporated miniature lyric signs made from plant stakes (found at the dollar store) using a black paint pen. We added in just a couple of small items —a fox, a unicorn, and a bicycle (found at Michael’s, don’t forget your 40% off coupon). We also added a camper that we repainted, a small hanging battery-operated lantern, and a garden stone (also from the dollar store). TIP: Use a white paint pen to write “Lover” on the garden stone.
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know before you grow In order to effectively create a butterfly garden, you'll need to provide for the four main needs for your soon to be butterfly family: food, water, shelter, and space for caterpillars. The flowers you select should not only attract and support your butterflies, but also thrive in the amount of sunlight you have available in the space that you've chosen. Food
Butterflies eat nectar and are attracted to flowers with bright colors, but you should also consider that the caterpillars need a separate food supply. Yellow coneflowers, goldenrod, lavender and phlox are great choices for butterflies whereas caterpillars love leafy plants that retain water such as sedum (stonecrop) or milkweed. Note: We chose purple and white phlox for our butterflies and sedum for our caterpillars since we have a partial sun space. 24 | MOOD 13
Remember, choose the right plants for your for the sunlight you have to work with. Water
Believe it or not, butterflies take baths, and of course, they need a source of water to drink from. Our water source is at the top of our tiered garden. We filled the pot with lava rocks and blue glass stones to create a shallow water space. Shelter
Butterflies need shelter from the rain. Leaving a space between your second tier and your flowers will give them nooks and tunnels to hide in. Caterpillars
Again, we chose sedum because it flourishes in partial shade, it’s drought tolerant and easy to maintain. Plus, as it grows, you can separate it and replant it. You could even use the sedum clippings to make a Taylor flower pot, but we won’t twist your arm.
Building Your Butterfly Garden SUPPLIES
x3 Plastic planters, (lg, med, sm) x1 Bag potting soil Ground covering - Dry or fresh moss or rocks *Heat absorbent and helps butterflies maintain their body temp. Glass stones (top pot) Gloves Gardening trowel x2 cement pavers x1 Package plant stakes (lyric signs) Tiny decorations of your choosing Black and white paint markers Clear warm fairy lights (battery) Sturdy stick for support Clear coat spray Butterfly/caterpillar food plants
AESTHETIC
Your butterfly garden should represent both you and Taylor while maintaining its function. Choose a color palette that speaks to the theme you are going for. When it comes to garden decor, think of things that remind you of Taylor. We chose a fox since she likes foxes, a bicycle for the Instagram “Easter Egg” she gave for this era, and a unicorn for the “Me!” video. The camper we decorated represents the “Taylor Park" from the “You Need To Calm Down” video. We also chose various lyrics of hers that we painted on the plant stake signs.
PREP
Make sure your post are free from any chemicals. Prepare your garden ornaments (painting your lyric signs, your pots and anything you want to modify). For the signs we recommend practicing on paper prior to writing on the signs. ** There’s a resource for beginner hand lettering on our Resources page. Be sure to clear coat anything that you have painted so it is ready for the elements. Choose a space that will not be impacted by high winds and clear the area for your garden. It's best to start your project before direct sunlight enters the space so that your plants are not dehydrated while your building your garden. 25 | MOOD 13
Instructions 1. Fill the large and medium planters half way with potting soil. 2. On the back portion of your large pot, build it up with soil enough that you can place the pavers in it to make them level with the edge of the pot. Make sure the pavers are dusted off so their surface is level. This will support the next pot (test it to make sure that it will be stable). 3. Place your sturdy stick behind your pavers to allow reinforcement of your medium and small pots. 4. Plant the flowers in the large pot, leaving space for decorations: all on one side, or some on either side, you decide, it’s your creation. 5. After the flowers are placed, fill the pot with soil and gently press it around the flowers. 6. Place your ground cover around the flowers and pavers. 7. Take the middle pot and fill the back (or the side) half to the top with soil, packed down to provide support for the top pot. 8. Plant the sedum (or caterpillar food of your choice) in the other half of your medium pot. Set aside. You shouldn’t need any ground cover for this section. 9. Fill smallest post with the glass stones. Set aside. **To fit the garden stone we purchased, we had to use a top pot that was larger than originally planned. In order to save money on the glass stones, we filled the bottom with small rocks from the yard.
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TIP: We cheated by purchasing an already planted sedum, took half of it out of the pot it came in, and filled that area up with soil to support the top pot. 10. Place the medium planted pot on the stabilized surface you’ve created with the paving stones. 11. Place the small pot on the stabilized surface you’ve created in the medium pot with the packed soil. 12. Put your garden stone on top of the glass stones in the top pot, and fill it with water until it just barely covers the stone. 13. Place your fairy lights, decorative signs, and garden ornaments. If you are using the fairy lights, be sure to tuck them into the flowers so that they illuminate softly. TIP: Place the battery pack in a ziplock bag and set out of view.** The larger sign on the front was a garden sign. We attached it to the bottom pot with clothes pins, and used the stake that came with it to hang our lantern.
Caring for Your Garden Now that you’ve made the most adorable Taylor themed butterfly garden in the world, you need to care for it. All in all, it’s pretty low maintenance. NEVER use pesticides in your butterfly garden! You want to follow the care instructions of the plants that you chose. Get to know your plants. Notice when they start to look dry or a little droopy. You want to make sure you keep them watered, but don’t over-water them. In just a few weeks, you’ll likely need to trim back some of the plants so they don’t overcrowd the garden. Do this with small pruning shears, and remember, certain plants you can divide and grow in separate pots. But, don’t cut back your perennials in the fall as hibernating adults or egg masses can be damaged. Keep an eye on the water level of your smallest pot. It’s a good idea to clean it once a week to avoid growing algae or attracting mosquitos. If you want to deter mosquitos altogether, drop a few drops of organic lavender essential oil onto a cotton ball and tuck it in the plants or maybe in the lantern. It attracts butterflies while repelling mosquitos and fleas. We suggest having your butterfly garden in a corner, away from heavy rain. We put ours in the corner of our Christa's outdoor patio, just slightly beneath the roof and gutters. Your butterfly garden will need to be updated each year, which gives you an opportunity to freshen it up with new garden ornaments. Now that you have your butterfly garden in all of it’s magical glory, turn on the fairy lights, pour yourself a glass of wine (or age appropriate beverage), stream Lover, sit back, relax and enjoy the sweet serenity of nature in your renewed outdoor space. Note: Bees are also pollinators, and therefore are also attracted to flowers. Keep this in mind when deciding where to place your garden. 27 | MOOD 13
THOUGHTS
Featured Arttist Krystal Ward
BE FEARLESS
“Being fearless doesn’t mean you have no fears. It means you’re strong enough to face them.” -Taylor Swift 28 | MOOD 13
spring INSPIRED BIRHOUSES
BRINGS LIFE
By Christa Thompson and Carissa Shuman If gardening isn’t your strong suit, have no fear. We have an adorable birdhouse idea. Plus, they’re definitely as cute, and almost as corny as our rhymes. If you want a simple but elegant trifecta of birdhouses to hang from your tree, choose two colors to alternate between them. To create a balanced look, paint each outer birdhouse a solid color. If you want something more true to Lover era pastels, make your largest birdhouse pop with pink, blue and white. And, don’t forget to embellish it! Both ceramic birdhouses are considered decorative. One came in an off white color while we painted the other one with rose-gold spray paint. We used black and white paint pens to draw hearts, write "13", and write lyrics. The biggest birdhouse is a plain wooden bird feeder that you can paint and embellish as you desire. We added a sign to ours by using a plant identification stake and a black paint pen. Remember, anytime you paint something that is going to be exposed to the elements, you need to spray it with a clear coat to protect it.
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FEATURED
If you’re anything like us, you don’t need an excuse to throw a Swiftie-themed party or should we say...
Par-Tay
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EASTER GARDEN
PAR-TAY By Christa Thompson and Carissa Shuman
One of our favorite things to do after the madness of winter is to throw a garden party as a way to get our friends together and enjoy the beauty of spring. The month of April brings with it fresh blooms, perfect weather and of course Easter. So how can you celebrate all of these things in one party? With an Easter Garden Par-tay of course! Our Easter Garden Par-Tay will invite your friends for an afternoon (or morning, you do you) of creativity, competition, sweets, mixers, prizes and a melodic Taylor marathon (may we suggest streaming Lover). When we picture a garden party we think sunshine, cool breezes, flowers, flowy floral ensembles and of course, Lover. To add the element of Easter, well, nothing beats a good old-fashioned Easter egg hunt. Are we right Austin and Taylor? In our Easter Garden Par-Tay section, you’ll find recipes for sweets and mixers, a "Swiftie Themed Easter Egg Hunt" and easy to do Easter decor.
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Easter Garden Par-Tay Decor b y C arissa Shuma n When we were deciding what to use for our garden party decorations, we focused on maintaining our Loverthemed color scheme and incorporating the element of Easter. We began with a chalkboard sign declaring this our “Easter Garden Par-Tay.” I’ll let you in on a secret, though: the chalk doesn’t really work all that well. So, we ended up using a white paint marker instead. Besides displaying our elegant egg decorating skills, (and our modesty), we also wanted to provide our guests with an idea of what to expect when the festivities begin. You know, give them *ahem* an Easter egg. With that in mind, we began setting out components of our egg hunt, including some of the various plastic eggs we gathered for stuffing. We popped a few of them open, allowing their treasure to dangle and spill out onto the table. Some of said treasure includes glitter, paper butterflies, confetti, and a few handwritten lyrics from the song “Lover” which are part of the main egg hunt competition. Don’t worry, we made copies so we wouldn’t have to snag our new found decorations and hide them for the hunt. Since there’s an egg hunt, we made a sign just for that. We took a rustic wooden arrow sign we found at Michael’s and gave it another coat of white paint. We used hot pink to paint “Egg Hunt” in block letters, then outlined them with gold glitter, and added a gold glitter heart for some extra flair. The sign was then positioned pointing towards the back yard where the rest of the eggs were hidden. Interspersed between the eggs, their stuffings, and the signs we carefully placed decorative chicks. They were so cute, but needed a Swiftie touch. That was an easy fix. We printed out some sunglasses (you can print yours from the next page) to place over their eyes, and… Voila! Cool chicks! We extended the table decor to the wall behind it by adding accent pieces from the same color palette. We hung some spring-themed pennants and paper fans. And, since no party is complete without a little garnish, we topped it off with some sprays of Easter grass.
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Swiftie Easter Egg Hunt By Christa Thompson and Carissa Shuman A Swiftie Easter egg hunt is by no measure your run of the mill Easter egg hunt. For one, it’s definitely more competitive. This Swiftie Easter egg hunt requires you to know your stuff, and by “stuff” we mean song lyrics. The mission is to be the first to complete your assigned song. We chose pastel colored eggs, some that glittered, and some that were gold. With no particular color scheme in mind, we randomly stuffed the eggs with lyrics, butterfly confetti, Taylor Swift paper heart confetti, paper butterflies, and one golden egg with golden *glitter.
It’s important to note that you’ll need to write out or print the lyrics to a full song for each person participating in the hunt. So, keep that in mind when determining how many eggs to purchase. Also, if the number of people participating exceeds five, you may want to separate the songs into stanzas instead of individual lines. At the beginning of the hunt, each person is assigned a song. The first person to find all the lyrics of their song is the grand prize winner of the hunt. In addition, we chose to add a few extra prizes besides the grand prize.
The participant who finds the golden egg full of gold glitter is the second prize winner, and anyone who finds a paper butterfly wins a consolation prize. To facilitate these winning options, you need to stuff your eggs accordingly. Ideally, you should fill most of the eggs with lyrics and confetti, one with golden glitter, and a few paper butterflies, because the golden glitter and paper butterflies represent prizes.
ga
e let th in g e b s me
HOW TO FILL YOUR EGGS 50% lyrics 22% butterfly confetti 22% paper heart confetti 5% paper butterflies one with gold glitter GRAND PRIZE IDEAS Lover vinyl, Deluxe albums Taylor merch (taylorswift.com) Cornelia roses OTHER PRIZE IDEAS Forget me nots/roses grow kit Gift cards: McDonald’s, Starbucks Awesome crafts you made Cat-ear headbands Pastel items (journals, jewelry, etc…) *Use biodegradable glitter if your hunt is outdoors as not to hurt the environment.
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SCREENSHOT OR SAVE TO PRINT
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BABY I'M JUST GONNA
bake
bake BAKE bake
bake
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LOVER THEMED COCONUT EASTER EGG CAKE By Christa Thompson
36 | MOOD 13
The following recipe is for making your own cake batter but you can certainly pick up any white cake mix in your grocery store and flavor it all the same. Only the cat will judge you. We found the uncolored cake batter portion of this recipe on cookingclassy.com We chose coconut flavor because coconut. But you can certainly choose any flavoring you like as long as it’s a white cake batter so you can create the rainbow cake effect. We used white fondant painted using a water-coloring technique before adding the details. This is a lot easier than it sounds and it’s done with food coloring.
Taylor is obsessed with Easter eggs (and evidently so are we as indicated by the 2019 press coverage of Taylor’s Lover Easter egg shenanigans). Seriously Taylor, this cake's for you.
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LOVER EASTER EGG CAKE INGREDIENTS Need: x1 9” round pan *If making Lover Mason Jar Layered Cupcakes for Two you’ll need an additional 6” round pan and a small heart cookie cutter (1.5”) x2 sauce bowls, x6 small mixing bowls, x3 large mixing bowls, electric hand mixer x1 cutting board, x1 decorative base plate x1 rolling pin, x1 unused paint brush Parchment paper
CAKE BATTER x3 cups (360g) cake flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil 1 1/3 cups unsweetened canned coconut milk, well shaken, room temperature x2 large eggs, at room temperature, yolks and whites separated x4 large egg whites, at room temperature 1 tsp coconut extract 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/8 tsp cream of tartar Neon food coloring (pink, blue, green, yellow)
ICING & DECORATIONS x1 Pink gel icing for "Lover" x1 Neon green cake icing for grass Large pink (round) and blue sprinkles (hearts), regular blue sprinkles Pastel Jordan Almonds (or mini chocolate eggs) x1 Decorative paper cupcake topper (aqua green for garnish) *We used Sweet Tooth Fairy Cupcake Topper from Michael's x1 24oz white fondant *If making Lover Mason Jar Layered Cupcakes for Two, reserve excess for 1.5" hearts to decorate
TEMP: 350 BAKE TIME: 19-22 SERVES 10 38 | MOOD 13
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter cake pan(s), line bottom with parchment paper then butter again. In large mixing bowl sift cake flour, baking powder, salt and whisk. In separate mixing bowl using electric mixer, mix sugar, butter and oil on medium until well combined. Scrape down. Add yolks one at a time and mix until combined after each (hold 2 whites). Mix in coconut and vanilla extracts. Scrape down. Alternate 1/3 of flour mixture and 1/2 of the coconut milk into mix, blend until combined. In a separate mixing bowl, using electric mixer, whip 6 egg whites with cream of tartar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold 1/3 of the egg whites into cake batter one at a time until combined after each addition (don't over-mix). Divide batter into 6 small mixing bowls. *If you are making the mason jar cupcakes, pour the blue and pink bowls slightly more. Tint each bowl of batter in rainbow (pastels) one drop at a time. Pour batter in center of pan starting with pink and going in order of the rainbow (pink, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple). Do not mix.*If you are making mason jar cupcakes, follow the same steps with the remaining pink and blue batter and pour into 6” pan. Bake 19-22 minutes (until the toothpick comes out clean). Cool 5-10 minutes before gently removing from pan onto a wire rack to cool down completely. This is a good time to work on your fondant.
ICING & DECORATIONS Once cool, use a knife to create a flat top and then to shape the sides to form an Easter egg. Set aside. *If you are making the mason jar cupcakes, set aside the tiny cake until you are ready to use (you can refrigerate for another day). While cake cools, cover cutting board with parchment paper, and roll fondant to ¼” thickness. Once cooled, transfer cake to decorative plate then cover cake with rolled out fondant like a tablecloth. Use a knife to cut away excess fondant and smooth with hands. In 2 sauce bowls blue and pink colored water with food coloring. *It’s smart to test on excess fondant before watercoloring your cake. Begin creating the watercolor cloud effect with dabs of pink and blue until the desired effect is achieved. Let dry 10 minutes (or until tacky). *If you’re making the mason jar cupcakes, use a small cookie cutter to shape x6 1.5” hearts and paint them with the same method (or solid, live your life). Begin placing sprinkles the way you would decorate an Easter egg. *We chose pink and blue but you can go all out. Using pink gel icing, tube on “Lover”. Using neon green cake icing, tube on grass around the bottom of cake. Garnish with mini chocolate eggs or pastel Jordan Almonds and any other flare your pastel heart desires.
LOVER MASON JAR LAYERED CUPCAKES FOR TWO INGREDIENTS Need: x1 9” Round pan x2 Small mixing bowls, x1 medium mixing bowl, x3 large mixing bowls, x6 5” Mason jars x1 Piping tube Parchment paper
CAKE BATTER x3 cups (360g) cake flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt x2 cups (400g) granulated sugar 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temp 1/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil x1 1/3 cups unsweetened canned coconut milk, well shaken, room temp x2 large eggs, at room temp yolks and whites separated x4 large egg whites, at room temp x1 tsp coconut extract 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/8 tsp cream of tartar Neon food coloring (pink, blue)
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter cake pan and line with parchment paper then butter again and set aside. In large mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk. In separate mixing bowl using an electric mixer, mix sugar, butter and oil on medium speed until well combined. Scrape down. Add in yolks one at a time and mix until combined after each addition (hold 2 egg whites), then mix in coconut and vanilla extracts. Scrape down. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, blend until combined, then 1/2 the coconut milk, mix until combined. Alternate these until well combined. In a separate mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip 6 egg whites with cream of tartar on medium-high speed until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold 1/3 of the egg whites into cake batter. Do this one at a time until just combined after each addition (don't over-mix and deflate egg whites). Divide batter into 2 small mixing bowls. Tint one bowl of batter light blue and the other light pink. Starting with pink, pour batter in the center of the pan then follow with blue so it spreads naturally into the pink. Do not mix. Bake in preheated oven 19-22 minutes (until the toothpick comes out clean). Cool 5-10 minutes before gently removing from pan onto a wire rack to cool down completely. Once cool, remove the cake and begin crumbling it into a large bowl.
ICING & DECORATIONS x2 White icing 16 oz x1 Package of Wilton Heart Icing Decorations *If you’re made the Lover Themed Easter Egg Cake you would have reserved fondant and made your own so, you won’t need these. x2 Packages of paper cupcake toppers, one each of two different designs. *We used the Sweet Tooth Fairy Cupcake Topper brand found in Michael’s. Pastel Jordan Almonds (mini chocolate eggs) x1 Food coloring marker in dark pink
TEMP: 350 BAKE TIME: 1922 SERVES 12
Icing & Decorations Once crumbled, begin layering the cake into the mason jars (cake, icing, cake, icing…). Piping it in works best. Use the dark pink food coloring pen to write “Lover” on the hearts. Once your mason jars are layered with cake and icing, garnish with hearts, cake toppers and eggs. Enjoy! 39 | MOOD 13
4.26 WILL NEVER BE THE SAME By Christa Thompson
Perhaps one of the most catchy tunes to come from Taylor Swift is her first single off Lover, "ME!" which she collaborated on with the angelic pipes of Brendon Urie (Panic at the Disco). It introduced us to a side of Taylor we had never seen. Personally, I found the song to be refreshing, energetic and impossible to forget. I mean, it has been an entire year and "ME!" still hijacks my brain. "Me-e-e-e-E-E-EEEEEEE". If this didn't stick to you like orange on Trump then at the very least, you gotta give it up for that video.
“And I’m also really so excited that you’re down to do like, a massive video, cause…. It’s not gonna be a small one.” Taylor to Brendon during their "ME!" recording, Miss Americana. In case you didn't know, the new definition of “massive video” is snakes exploding into butterflies, a French meltdown, “The Ladies”, flying umbrella men, an iridescent mosaic sky, rainbows, spelling, a kitten, a unicorn, a marching band, a disco, cowboy boots, dancing, and a pastel paint bath. Not only was "ME!" an unmitigated pastel explosion, but its release followed a two-week countdown that shooketh the earth as we know it. April will never, like ever, be the same which is why I decided to make these Cupcakes by ME! for our Easter Garden Par-Tay. You can use box cake cause you’re a busy woman (or man) or you can follow this white cupcake recipe from preppykitchen.com
C L CHICKS ARE THRIVING
"There’s a lot of cool chicks out there." Some cool chicks are culinary Queens (*cough* Taylor), others are exquisite works of art (*cough* ME! video)… But, we can all be cool chicks when serving up these Cool Chicks No Bake Cheesecake treats! For our dessert puritans, you can make a no bake cheesecake batter from scratch or for the “from scratch” challenged, you can buy a dessert kit like we did. We used the Sweetshop Unicorn Tart No Bake Cheesecake Kit. It came with everything needed except for the 4oz (half a container) of whipped cream or the x2 8oz packages of cream cheese it requires. So, if you’re planning to go this route prepare to purchase those as well. 40 | MOOD 13
By Carissa Shuman
Regardless of how you choose to make your cheesecake, you’ll want to be mindful of coloring with caution so as not to end up with over saturated colors. We used blue, yellow, and pink since those were the main colors of the Lover album cover. In retrospect, it would have been nice to have a fourth color. The following recipe is from Down Redbud Drive and serves 6. The kit we used suggested 16 very small servings but only yielded 6 servings as well (but our servings size were much larger at ¾ of a 9oz cup than the one indicated on the box).
CUPCAKES BY ME! DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
Need: x2 Large mixing bowls x2 Cupcake baking pans x16 Cupcake liners (we used Sweet Tooth Fairy Blue Floral Baking Cupcake Liners from Michael’s). X2 Different cupcake toppers (we used the Sweet Tooth Fairy Floral brand from Michael’s ) x8 Varying colors of Taylor’s paper heart confetti x1 Fine point Sharpie pen in hot pink x1 White icing pen (for writing words) x1 12oz bag of pink Wilton Candy Melts x1 Silicone heart mold (about 1” hearts) Pastel Jordan Almonds or pastel chocolate Easter eggs Parchment paper
cupcake batter 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 213g 1 cup granulated sugar 200g 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp kosher salt 3/4 cup unsalted butter 170g, melted 3 egg whites room temperature 1 tbsp vanilla extract 15mL 1/2 cup sour cream 120mL, room temperature 1/2 cup whole milk 120mL, warm
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake papers in a cupcake pan. Sift the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and powder into a large bowl, and whisk together. Separate the eggs. You can use the yolks for a custard or a batch of French buttercream. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until combined. (The batter may be clumpy, do not worry!) Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Distribute the batter evenly into cupcake both rainbow and floral papers about ⅔ full. Bake 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out of center dry.
icing & decorations Cream the room temperature butter. Add in the confectioners sugar in two batches. Add salt, milk, cream, vanilla and 2-3 drops of pink food coloring. Mix until fluffy.Transfer to a piping bag. Pipe a large dollop of buttercream on each cupcake. Follow the melting instructions of the pink chocolate melts and form them into silicone heart molds. Allow to cool before removing onto parchment paper. 8 of the hearts will have lyrics and the other 8 will have none. I used “Baby that’s the fun of ME! And wrote it on with a white icing pen.Using your hot pink fine point Sharpie, write “I’m the only one of ME!” onto varying colors of Taylor’s confetti paper hearts. For your rainbow papered cupcakes, add the following; x1 plain chocolate heart, x1 pastel egg, x1 cupcake topper and x1 paper heart with lyric on it. Do this until you have completed the lyric. You’ll want to use a different color egg than the paper heart. For your floral papered cupcakes, add the following; x1 chocolate heart with lyric, x1 pastel egg and x1 cupcake topper.Arrange the cupcakes to be in order and enjoy!
icing & decorations 2 lb confectioners sugar 900g, sifted 1 lb unsalted butter 450g, room temperature 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp heavy cream 1 pinch kosher salt 1 tsp whole milk Pink food coloring
TEMP: 350 BAKE TIME: 18-20 MIN MAKES 16 CUPCAKES 41 | MOOD 13
COOL CHICKS NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE INGREDIENTS
WHAT YOU NEED x2 sauce bowls x3 - 6 small mixing bowls x3 large mixing bowls x6 9oz plastic cocktail cups x1 8oz tub of whipped cream Colorful Easter confetti sprinkles Pastel Jordan Almonds (or pastel mini chocolate eggs) x1 Box of yellow Peeps Black food coloring marker x1 toothpick cake topper with blank label (you can make your own with a toothpick and cardstock paper) Several paper flowers in various sizes (we used paper roses and flowers in pink, yellow and blue from the scrapbooking section at Michael’s) Hot glue gun (if you are making the sign) Fine point black Sharpie x1 Decorative paper cupcake topper (we used a Sweet Tooth Fairy Cupcake Topper from Michael’s)
for the mix x12 Shortbread Cookies OR graham crackers x1 Tbsp melted butter x1 packet unflavored gelatin x2 Tbsp of cold water x2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp vanilla Pinch of salt 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature 1/2 cup sweet cream coffee creamer, at room temperature gel food coloring (pink, blue, yellow)
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES CHILL TIME: 2 - 4 HOURS THAW TIME: 30 MINUTES DECORATION TIME: DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON YOUR OBSESSION WITH DETAIL 42 | MOOD 13
DIRECTIONS Crumble shortbread cookies or graham crackers into crumbs. In a large bowl, mix the butter and shortbread crumbs together with a fork. Spoon the crumb mixture into the six cocktail cups making sure the crust mix is even and packed firmly. In a separate bowl, mix gelatin and cold water. Whisk thoroughly then set aside to thicken for a few minutes. With an electric mixer beat the cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Mix well until combined. Microwave the hardened gelatin for about ten seconds. Slowly add both creams to the cream cheese while your electric mixer is running. Then, pour in the gelatin and finish mixing. Once the mixture is finished, equally divide into separate bowls for adding color. Add the food coloring gel one drop at a time until you get your desired color. Pour the cream cheese mixtures, one color at a time, on top of the crusts filling the cups ¾ of the way. Be mindful of what can be seen through the cups. Place on a flat surface in the freezer uncovered for 2-4 hours. Remove from the freezer for 30 minutes before serving and follow the decoration instructions.
Toppings / decorations
While your cheesecake is chilling, you can make a “cool chicks” sign by writing on a cupcake toothpick topper, or on cardstock paper you attach to a toothpick. Embellish with paper flowers. You can also use the black food coloring marker to give the yellow Peeps sunglasses. After thawing, top each serving with whipped cream, and sprinkle with the Easter confetti. Place your toothpick sign and decorative topper into the whipped cream. Arrange your cool chick Peep and some pastel mini eggs around your toppers.
"I think about food literally all day every day. It's a thing." -Taylor Swift
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Cocktails ARE FUN
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Pictured: Snuck In Through the Garden Gate Iced Tea with fresh daisies and giant blue heart ice cubes
Prep the following the day before so you can boss level the cocktails when your guests arrive.
DETAILS ARE EVERYTHING BY
CHRISTA
THOMPSON
AND
CARISSA
Prep, Prep, Prep
When supplying beverages for your outdoor party, you want to choose mixers that are refreshing, light and seasonal. I mean, we love a good Old Fashioned as much as Taylor, but it doesn’t scream garden party. We came up with three cocktails that are as fun and light as spring itself. Their citrus undertones are refreshing while their fresh floral garnishments embody the season’s essence. The real fun is in the details! We added pink sugar, tiny light pink heart shaped ice cubes, and giant light blue heart shaped ice cubes for extra street cred. See, we really are cool chicks.
DIRECTIONS (ICE CUBES) Color blue water to your liking. Color pink water (using red color) to your liking. Pour pink water into small hearts and pour blue water into large hearts. Freeze 3-4 hours. Repeat in order to make enough ice for your drinks. You can store unused colored water in the refrigerator and frozen ice hearts in containers or ziplock bags in the freezer.
SHUMAN
What You Need
PINK SUGAR (RIM GLASSES) Need: ½ cup sugar x1 ziplock bag Red food coloring
COLORED ICE CUBES Need: Silicone hearts mold (¾”) Silicone hearts mold (3”) Food coloring (red and blue)
DIRECTIONS (SUGAR) Add sugar to the ziplock bag + 2 drops of red food coloring. Massage until the sugar soaks up the color. This will take a few minutes but it’s really quite magical how two drops of food color can make this a reality. *To get the sugar to stick to the glass, rim with lemon juice first then dip in sugar. DO THIS BEFORE (you’d be surprised) making your drink. *Please be advised, adult beverages contain alcohol and are intended for consumption by those ages 21 and older. We do not encourage underaged drinking and have provided alternative non-alcoholic recipes for our readers under the legal drinking age. For those of you who will be enjoying these cocktails, drink responsibly, stay away from trampolines and remember you are NOT a wizard.
OCTOBER
2019
•
MIXED
| 36
45 | MOOD 13
WHAT YOU NEED
x3 Lemons sliced Fresh roses Pink sugar Tiny pink heart ice cubes Stemless wine glasses Decorative paper straws x1 Large pitcher with or without spout
Afterglow Rose
INGREDIENTS
Spritzer
*FOR NON-ALCOHOLIC OPTIONS x2 Bottles of Rosé wine *substitute with pomegranate juice cocktail x1 Bottle of vodka *substitute with a half and half mix of apple cider and white grape juice x1 2L (or enough smaller bottles to = 2L) strawberry club soda
DIRECTIONS In pitcher mix equal parts of Rosé wine, vodka and strawberry club soda. *substitute with equal parts pomegranate juice cocktail, apple cider/white grape juice mix and strawberry club soda. Garnish with 4-5 lemon slices, 2 fresh rosebuds and a decorative paper straw. Before filling glasses with ice, rim with lemon slice and dip in pink sugar. Fill with tiny heart shaped ice, pour drink over ice and garnish with a lemon slice and a fresh rose. 46 | MOOD 13
The Afterglow Rose Spritzer is perfect if you want to lean toward the sophisticated side. Garnished with a fresh rosebud, lemon, light pink heart shaped ice cubes and rimmed with pink sugar, this beverage is both sweet and pretty. We made ours as a punch so guests could just pour over ice and enjoy.
Snuck In Through The Garden Gate
DIRECTIONS
ICED TEA
WHAT YOU NEED One of my favorite lines in “Cruel Summer” off of Taylor’s Regular Ice most recent album, Lover, is Giant blue heart ice “snuck in through the garden Cocktail shaker gate.” It evokes a sense of Pint glass adventure with an element of Fresh flowers (May we suggest daisies?) Decorative paper straws anticipation while inviting you into the heated throws of summer love. It’s polarized with INGREDIENTS desire and uncertainty. *NON-ALCOHOLIC OPTIONS Likewise Snuck In Through 2oz Blue Curacao (non alcoholic) the Garden Gate Iced Tea is 2oz IBC Cream Soda polarized as indicated by its 2oz Zero Calorie Sparkling Peach Nectar layered blue effect. On the 2oz Grand Marnier *substitute with surface its blue heart brims with 2Tbsp of unsweetened orange juice uneasy love while beneath it is a concentrate perfect storm that requires 2oz Vodka *substitute with a half and caution in big doses. Be careful, half mix of apple cider and white grape you might get hooked! juice
In this specific order, add ice (with the giant blue heart on top), then the Blue Curacao only. Then, in a cocktail shaker, add the Grand Marnier and the vodka and shake well. *Substitute orange juice concentrate and apple cider/white grape juice mix. Pour over Blue Curacao. Top with cream soda, and sparkling peach nectar to create a layered effect (note, if you’re using the substitute method, your layers might not be that cool). Garnish with a fresh flower and decorative paper straw.
YOU NEED TO CALM Cotton Candy Margarita DOWN We wanted to offer a mixer that's exciting to say and calming to drink. Go ahead, say it, tell us you’re not excited. This mixer is sweet, fun and refreshing. We served it in a heart-shaped jar found at Hobby Lobby. But you certainly don’t have to be that extra. Any glass will suffice. The tequila and cotton candy go down all the same. We promise.
WHAT YOU NEED x3 Lemons sliced Cotton candy Pink sugar Tiny pink heart ice cubes Heart shaped jar Decorative paper straws
INGREDIENTS
*NON-ALCOHOLIC OPTIONS 2oz Premade strawberry margarita mix (nonalcoholic) 2oz Lemon club soda 2oz Silver tequila *substitute with 1oz of plain soda or lime juice, or just leave out
DIRECTIONS Rim each glass with a lemon slice and dip them in pink sugar. For each glass, mix the premade strawberry margarita mix, tequila, and lemon soda *substitute with equal parts of the strawberry margarita mix and lemon club soda, adding an ounce of plain soda or lime juice if desired. Add fresh squeezed lemon juice and dissolve a handful of cotton candy in each. Garnish with a lemon slice and some of the cotton candy on at the top of a straw. 47 | MOOD 13
THE
ColorFul
WORLD OF
KRYSTAL WARD INTERVIEW BY CHRISTA THOMPSON
48 | MOOD 13
Chances are, if you're a "Stan Swiftie" you've encountered a fair amount of fine artists who share one muse, Taylor Swift. And rightfully so, even on her worst of worst days, Taylor is flawless. There isn't an angle on her the camera doesn't love. Taylor is the queen of speaking volumes without saying a word. This kind of charisma and character invokes many to pick up their mediums and recreate her iconic moments into art. In a fandom with a plethora of fan art you might find its creativity to be
PHOTO: KRYSTAL WARD
overwhelming (in a good way of course). Just take a peek at Tumblr, Taylor's fans are brimming with talent! And among that talent is that of Krystal Ward and her salient watercolorings of Taylor Swift. Krystal Ward's paintings stand out in a big way. But don't take my word for it, Taylor loved her work so much that she invited her to a Lover Secret Session in 2019. Krystal's portraits convey some of Taylor's most photographic looks and moments while maintaining the drama from the original work. Looking at a rendering by Krystal is like looking at a perfectly crafted dream of Taylor.
I got with Krystal to ask a few questions about being a Swiftie and what has impacted her art the most. C: When did you first become a Swiftie? K: "I first fell in love with Taylor with Love Story was released. She had always been my guilty pleasure. But I went into Swiftie mode with Red. And finally in Rep era I discovered that there were so many other Swifties like me on Tumblr and Twitter, which was such a magical discovery for me."
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C: What has been your favorite era of Taylor so far? K: "My favorite era so far is Lover. I love(r) her mentality, her freedom, and her outlook this era. I am over the moon for the Lover aesthetic and everything about this chapter. C: This time last year we were all having daily heart attacks. We were in the throws of a global countdown, Easter eggs and all. What was the most exciting about that experience for you? K: "I was MOST excited to hear what she had been working on and experiencing it with the rest of the fandom. I was also really looking forward to tour."
C: If you were stuck in a room for 72 hours with only one Taylor song on repeat, which one would it be? K: "Oh my goodness! Wow, that's a horrible thing to make me pick one song. But if I had to choose at this very moment, it would be WTNY acoustic. It really blows me away. I love her acoustics." C: What is it about Taylor that inspires your art?
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K: "Taylor is obviously a HUGE inspiration to my art as she is my subject most of the time. Her character is what inspires me most. Her style and aura are big factors as well." C: Which other artists, musically or otherwise, inspire your art or make an impact on your life? K: "Musically, Death Cab for Cutie has made a major impact on my life. I went through my teenage years up to today listening to their music and just catching that feeling of some strange beautiful connection through music. A lot of classic rock like the Beatles, David Bowie, and Bob Dylan also have inspired me growing up. C: It's been one year since the first single from Lover dropped. What do you think of Lover now? K: "Lover is still as amazing as it was upon release, I will never grow tired of it. Some songs hit differently with some personal changes going on in my life, but that's the magical thing about music. It's meaning can change from moment to moment depending on your individual life experiences."
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QUICK CREATIVE FIX By Christa Thompson and Carissa Shuman
"Avoid situations that can drain you and embrace the energy you have by setting time aside for yourself." It seems like these days there’s never enough time to get it all done in one day. Whether it’s studying for a test, finishing up a work project, meeting deadlines, or just managing all the stuff in your home life —24 hours just doesn’t seem to cut it. It’s easy to get overwhelmed at the thought of the never-ending list of things you need to do, but it’s important to step back and allow yourself to do something for yourself without guilt. It balances everything. For some, that might be self-care, for us, it’s putting aside time to execute creative ideas. That’s why we came up with these quick and easy projects that can fit into anyone’s schedule. This way you can feel accomplished and true to yourself. While crafting these projects we got into a deep conversation about personal boundaries, particularly when it comes to having to explain yourself to those who are not responsible for managing any of the demands of your everyday life.
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Whether it’s a phone call from your mom asking why you’re eating take out instead of a home-cooked meal, or your sibling asking you why you’re ordering things on Amazon instead of making a run to Target, it’s OK to avoid unnecessary fires. In other words, these moments are “free rent living in your mind” that are unnecessary, unfruitful, and ultimately drain the valuable energy you have on reserve to manage your daily life. It’s OK to not feel guilty for not answering the phone. It’s OK to not feel guilty for avoiding landmines. You can talk later when you have time to have an enjoyable conversation instead of having to explain or defend yourself. It’s OK to take control and only answer to numero uno. With that in mind, here are five quick and easy projects you can fit into your “Me Time.”
Quick & Easy TEARS OF TAY'S HATERS
#1
One heart shaped vial (craft store) Blue glitter Fine point sharpie Foam heart Thick paper (card stock or note card)
#2
SPRING VASE White ceramic vase (craft store) Black paint pen Artificial flower “bush” or “spray” Scissors
#4
#3
GLITTER FRAMES Glitter frames (dollar store) Your favorite pictures Fine point sharpies
BANANA KEYCHAIN
A banana keychain (you can find one online -- we got ours at Five Below) Fine point sharpie
DESK PLAQUES
#5
Desk plaques (dollar store) Spray paint (white, pink, gold -- we used rose-gold) Paint pens Glitter or glitter glue 53 | MOOD 13
#1
13
#3 54 | MOOD 13
WAYS TO REUSE FOR
By Christa Thompson and Carissa Shuman
#2
MINDFULNESS Mindfulness is a buzzword we hear a lot, but what does it really mean? Simply put, mindfulness is being aware of something. Since Earth Day falls on April 22, we thought it would be a good time to develop mindfulness about our environment. In the spirit of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” we are sharing with you 13 ways you can reuse or repurpose household items to express your Swiftie self.
Earth Day #1
Give your travel mug a make-over, Swiftie style. A travel mug you already own Pink paint pen to write a Lover lyric or Taylor saying on it Clear coat (make sure it's dry first)
#2
#3
#4
Design your own catch-all bowl. Repurpose a ceramic or decorative bowl Spray paint any color Use any decorative objects you want to add —we used smooth rocks spray painted gold and hot glued in a stack. Paint pen TIP: Don’t use a sharpie with coat spray as it will cause the ink to spread out. Hot glue Glitter or glitter glue Clear coat spray (to protect any paint or writing from easily rubbing or scratching off) Display your extra Lover lyric books as framed decor. Taylor’s lyric books. Glitter frames (Five Below)
#4
Decorate a Scrabble sign. One tile holder and tiles Acrylic paint Glitter or glitter glue Fine lined sharpie Embellishments
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#6
#5
#7 56 | MOOD 13
#5
#6
#8 #9
Decorate old picture frames. Picture frames from around your home that need livening up Paint (acrylic or spray) Embellishments from your craft supplies Hot glue Freshen up old flower pots. Old flower pots Spray paint (You can use acrylic on terracotta, but spray paint is much easier) Paint pen or sharpie (only use clear coat spray with paint pens) Clear coat spray Display artificial plants indoors, or use to plant flowers on your porch
#7
Make a Taylor confetti mason jar night light. Reuse a mason jar or similar glass container (make sure it’s clean) Spray paint for the lid Embellishments Taylor confetti Fairy lights
#8
#9
Reuse a decorative plate. An old decorative plate Spray paint any color Paint pen or sharpie (do not clear coat sharpie )Glitter or glitter glue Clear coat spray Renew your accessory or makeup storage bag. Reuse a tote bag, a small case, an old purse, or a make-up organizer. Paint pen, sharpie marker, or fabric paint pen (best) Add some of Taylor’s lyrics, quotes from Miss Americana, or you favorite Swiftie sayings
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# 11 0 1 #
# 12
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#10 #11 #12 #13
Paint an old ornament with Taylor vibes. Old ornament (we used this camper) Acrylic paint Glitter glue Clear coat (if it will be outdoors) Adorn your unused journals or notebooks. Any journals or notebooks that need extra flair Embellishments Sharpie markers, glitter or glitter glue to add lyrics, quotes Repurpose glass soda bottles as vases. Clean glass soda bottles Spray paint Paint pens Repurpose a glass vase. Reuse a glass vase Taylor Confetti Artificial flower(s) If you want to add a saying, you can write it or print it out on a white label, then stick it on
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RESOURCES Ask us on social! #Mood13
The following resources are helpful if you are a budget crafter and enjoy learning new techniques. Anytime we can score a deal or learn new tricks, we do so with great enthusiasm.We also love finding second-hand items for our project pieces. Not only is it budget friendly but it's eco-friendly too. Remember, you can score big deals with retailers who have reward programs. Neighborhood Facebook groups, college communities and your church are also great places to ask for donations to get your project supplies. In need of a bunch of picture frames? Ask your neighbors, because reusing materials is fun.
Thrift Garage Sales Good Will Thrift Stores Antique Stores Salvation Army Facebook
RETAIL
Neighborhood Facebook Groups College Communities Church
Ollie's Amazon WalMart Big Lots Dollar Tree Dollar General
Target's dollar section Hobby Lobby (with 40% off coupon) Michaels (coupons via mailing list)
HGTV is an amazing resource for all things home and garden. If you are a beginner at gardening, light building, or painting, you can find just about anything you need here. How to Hand Letter – Suzy Grace has a great video on YouTube if you’re a beginner: "10 Things I Wished I Knew As a Beginner". You can find it on her YouTube channel How to Hand Letter. She also has a website: howtohandletter.com. We recommend practicing what you want to write a few times on paper before applying it to your project. We also highly recommend rubbing alcohol, acetone nail polish remover, and q-tips to remove mistakes. The Topless Baker, Matt Adlard, has an awesome channel on YouTube that includes a video “7 Easy Piping Techniques You Can Master” if you’re new to cake decorating.
LEARN WITH YOUTUBE CHANNELS HGTV How to Hand Letter
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Matt Adlard (The Topless Baker)
MOOD 13
t c a t n o C us
Christa Thompson christa@fearless13publishing.com
Carissa Shuman carissa@fearless13publishing.com Support support@fearless13publishing.com Marketing marketing@fearless13publishing.com Social @mood13magazine #Mood13 Disclaimer All rights reserved. The material in this magazine is owned by Fearless 13 Publishing. Any material not owned by Fearless 13 Publishing is published with permission from the original owner for the intention of content use within this publication. Mood 13 Magazine is a magazine published by D.B.A Fearless 13 Publishing, registered under Travel Media Solutions, LLC. Mood 13 Magazine is not affiliated with Taylor Swift, Taylor Nation, 13 Management or any entity owned and operated by Taylor Swift. All pictures are original and owned by Fearless 13 Publishing. Any copyrighted material that is photographed is part of an original project and was purchased from TaylorSwift.com or obtained at an official Taylor Swift event. All Taylor Swift related information is copyright of its respective source, Taylor Swift, Republic Records, Universal Music Group and/or Big Machine Records, unless otherwise stated. Added commentary, opinions and editorials expressed on this publication are copyright and property of Fearless 13 Publishing only and do not reflect the opinions of Taylor Swift and/or her management. The projects outlined in this publication are intended for personal use and not for commercial distribution. *Wine and other alcoholic beverages expressed in this publication are for the intended use of parties 21 years of age or older. Non-alcoholic alternatives are provided for readers who do not meet the legal drinking age in the U.S. where this publication is headquartered.For inquiries please contact support@fearless13publishing.com.
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EDITOR'S BLURB
Featured artist Krystal Ward
Written by Carissa Shuman
Co-written by Christa Thompson
We hope you enjoyed our first edition of Mood 13 Magazine as much as we did. We can't wait to show you May!
May
: k e e p k a e sn kitchen home decor Swiftie movie night indoor French herb garden organization framing and a
s u r p r is e !
Don’t forget to toast to your real friends and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest @mood13magazine, and share your projects with #mood13. Until next time here’s a feline crossword puzzle.
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Across 1. Taylor's first child (hyphen). 2. Why are you a superhero? 3. A feral sound made by both Taylor and cats.
Down 1. Bombalurina love this. 2. Better than a diamond ring. 3. Five syllables, sings, dances, naps in a hammock
13
Anytime someone tells me I can't do something, I want to do it more. TAYLOR SWIFT
Fearless
KRYSTAL WARD
@krystalanne.art NO SCOOTER
©2020 Fearless 13 Publishing, LLC
@Mood13Magazine #Mood13
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