Football Basics

Happy Friday! My husband and I are heading to LA this weekend for a little seminar and some quick hang out time with my cousin and his wife. We're looking forward to a fun visit and some time away, although I'm not so sure how I feel about taking a seven hour drive while seven months pregnant. We'll see how it goes!

One thing we won't be doing is watching the 49er game on Sunday. And I'm okay with that. Even though I've been known to complain about watching football, I've sort of grown to enjoy it over the last few years and I think it's because I've started to understand a bit more about what is going on. Instead of just getting frustrated when men pile up on the field every few feet, I can see the challenge of the offense trying to make a first down. And I think interceptions are one of the most exciting aspects of the game.

Thanks to my husband, dad, and brother-in-law, here are ten basics of the game (from pages 128-129) that I hope will help you enjoy the game a little more too!











1. A touchdown is worth six points. A field goal is worth three points.
2. The line of scrimmage is where the ball is placed before each play.
3. The offense has four downs to get 10-yards. If they gain 10-yards they get a new set of downs.
4. A fumble is when the team with the ball loses it. Either team can recover it.
5. When the quarterback throws the ball and no one catches it, it is an incomplete pass. When caught, it is called a complete pass.
6. When it seems the offense is running the running back aimlessly right into people, they are; they’re trying to break through the line of players on the opposing team.
7. When the team with the ball passes it and a player from the other team catches it, it is called an interception.
8. When a referee throws a flag on the field, it signals an infraction has occured and a penalty may be assessed.
9. A sack is when an opposing player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.
10. When the offense is tackled in their own end zone it’s called a safety and the opposing team is awarded two points and possession of the ball.

Have a great weekend!

Bento Lunches

Happy Friday! And thank you all for the great feedback on the newest issue. It was exciting to put together, in large part due to the contribution of so many creative people!

Sonia is one of talented contributors. When her son Greyson started school last year, Sonia began making the cutest lunches for him each day. I asked her to share her lunch making tips in hopes of inspiring other parents to put together something just as fun and healthy for their kids! Here's a snippet of her feature in Delighted's fall issue. The full feature is on pages 86-93.






























From Sonia: "I am not the kind of mom who will spend time shaping rice into a cat, or butterflying hot dogs into octopi, or fashioning seaweed strips into a face. I care about what my kids eat and I am committed to packing healthy lunches. But it has to be easy, or it isn’t for me. Like every other mom of school-aged children, I struggle to get my child to eat at school. And while I do not consider myself a true “Bentoid” the Bentodian concept of serving “a variety of small bites” has proven to be really effective in combating the lure of recess and playtime.

The key to keeping it doable, is to have a stocked pantry, prewashed fruit in the fridge ready to go, and the right gear. I keep to the formula of one protein + one/two fruits/veggies + one carb + a treat. If I have all those components in place, I can put a lunch together in under 10 minutes, and spend all of that time just making it pretty. That’s the fun part!"























 Photos and text by Sonia Ballesteros

Fall Issue 2012

I'm pleased to bring you Delighted's second issue just in time for fall and all of its festivities. Read, enjoy, and pass along! And if you're not following Delighted on Twitter or Facebook, please do! I'd love to keep you updated on new content, giveaways and other fun happenings. Thanks for visiting and happy reading!

New Issue Update

The fall issue will be live tomorrow (Tuesday) and I'm excited to share fun fall fashions, delicious recipes, back-to-school lunch ideas, and a lot more! Follow Delighted on Twitter or Facebook for updates. And check back here tomorrow to read it all! In the meantime, here's a last look at the summer issue. Enjoy!

Give Back With Style

If you haven't checked out the chic new bag company, hiip, why don't you do so now? With a simple adjustment to the bag's strap, these transitional bags go from cool fanny pack to cute shoulder bag to fun clutch—genius!

Nicole Flowers launched hiip this past summer with a dual focus of creating stylish bags while providing necessities to the homeless community. That's right, for every hiip bag you purchase, a hiip kit (which is a bag filled with shampoo, soap, toothbrush, etc.) is given to a person in need.

It was such fun to feature Nicole's story in the first issue of Delighted and I thought it was worth sharing highlights for anyone who missed it. You can also read the full story on pages 46-59. Visit hiip's website at hiipsf.com.














































What is hiip?
hiip [helping individuals in passing] is a bag company with a purpose. They come in multiple colors and patterns and they put the fun in multifunctional. We've got adorable styles to choose from and there are so many ways to wear them [on or off the belt and even as a clutch]. The best part about the company, though, is the social component. For every hiip bag you purchase, we donate a hiip kit to a person in need. The kits are filled with basic necessities and we encourage those who are in the area to go with us on hiip handouts to pass them out. The idea is that we give back while we build the community through purposeful interactions.

Tell us how the idea for hiip came to be?
I was actually sitting in my apartment eating dinner and finishing up the book Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie and just asked myself what I could do with my skill set. I thought about what I was good at, who I wanted to impact, and how I could merge the two. The idea of redesigning the fanny pack came to mind and I went with it. I am a person of high but risky fashion sense so I wasn't sure I could convince people that it was time to bring this necessary item back into rotation; my gut told me a solid yes but I didn't hedge my bets until I passed it by a few friends. I have a heart for those in great need, a huge part of which is the homeless community in America (San Francisco more specifically), and I felt that hip bags could be beneficial all around. The best part about it is that I started implementing and researching the idea the next day!

What inspired you to start this venture?
I met Blake [Mycoskie] at a meeting in mid-2011 and my adoration for his social entrepreneurship model was heightened; I had followed him for about four years up to that point. Once I read the book, I knew it was time. I had wanted to start my own company since I was around 22 years old but I was never sure what it would look like. Once I put some real thought (and heart) into it, the idea was as clear as day. As I've gotten older I've realized that once I put my mind to something, I make it happen.

What has been the greatest challenge in starting this venture?
Learning everything! I have no idea how to sew so Kristina, my stellar designer/seamstress, has been a true blessing. She was able to conceptualize what I was trying to describe in my head and made the pieces so well. I also knew nothing about business. I studied Journalism at Pepperdine and to this day have never had a business class. Needless to say I've spent a lot of time getting opinions, perusing the SBA website, and talking to my financial advisor brother to get up to speed... really quickly.

What has been most rewarding?
Learning everything! Just figuring each bit out is exciting. I'm constantly challenged and not only am I finding how true and wonderful my friends and family are as they offer every bit of support that they can but I'm seeing myself grow as a person. It's an amazing gift to know that you will be truly impacting lives because of an idea you've had; what's even better is that everyone that surrounds me will be involved as well. I can't wait to see it... each step of the way is a reward in itself (including getting my packaging tissue!). 

What do you love most about the product itself?
I love that it's actually a hip bag. I get frustrated easily when my purse constantly falls off my shoulders. Maybe I have droopy shoulders—who can say? —but I love that I can strap it on and run to brunch. Or to the market. Or to the gym. Or to the airport. Hip bags are totally functional and all they needed was some modernization and cute patterns. Now that we've nailed that (if I do say so), I love that I have an easy option to wear around town at any time. I can even wear it as a clutch for evening or just for a different look!

Which bag is your personal favorite?
I have two: the floral corduroy and the black and white mini-chevron. Both are so adorable to me - the floral because it's so sweet and girly and the mini-chevron because of the rich texture of the fabric.

What advice would you give to others who are considering starting a business that gives back?
Think of something that is both new and needed. It's sometimes easy to spin off an idea that is already happening but why not rethink what's out there? What is a group that you love, that you feel drawn to help? What do they need to survive or live better? How can you impact your immediate community? Once you think about that, you can create something that can help them and be beneficial to those who you want to buy it. Business will succeed if you have something to offer that others don't; the community that you desire to help will succeed because ultimately, I believe, people want to help but they just need the opportunity. We need more opportunities to make a difference!

Interview with Nicole Flowers | Photos by Bess Friday

Baby Room

The fall issue of Delighted will be live next week! Hooray! I'm looking forward sharing some great autumn ideas and wonderful stories. In the meantime, however, we can still look back at some of the features you may have missed from the summer issue. Today I want to share Noelle's baby nursery and all of the beautiful DIY elements her talented mom, Cheryl, created. It's completely impressive, as I'm sure you'll agree. Check out Cheryl's blog and Etsy site to find out how to make your own (or buy a similar version)!

Hand Painted Trees on the Wall

Giraffe Art Made with Hole Punched Paint Chips | Mobile Available on Etsy via Right.at.Helm

Reupholstered Glider and Handmade Pillows
Noelle's mom, Cheryl,  shares the three principles she used in designing this room:

Infant-focused decor It was important to me that the decor in Noelle's room not just be pretty, but stimulating for an infant. Infants like to look at objects with high contrast, so the tree decals and wall prints were designed to be simple and clean with clear edges. The hot air balloons and animal mobile were made with very light materials so that a gentle breeze would send them bobbing to keep her occupied.

Smart storage I kept the room clutter-free by keeping anything we use daily (e.g. diapers, wipes) in the top dresser drawer, and putting storage boxes under the crib skirt for blankets, sheets. Picture rails also allow us to display books and toys in easy reach.

Varied Textures Rich textures can really warm up a room and make it look sophisticated. I chose fabric that had a thicker weave for her pillows and added chunky-knit throws and blankets. A basket and some pinecones brought in more organic textures but were painted grey to keep it in the color palette.

Photos by Cheryl Lim Tan of Right.at.Helm