My February Break Challenge(s)

It's that time of year again- February break! I start counting down to this week of winter wonder as soon as Christmas break ends. Don't get me wrong, Christmas break is wonderful. I love decorating my home and baking and spending time with my family, but it always goes by too quickly because it was spent shopping, wrapping, returning, baking, decorating, and driving. February break is MINE. I get the house to myself! My husband's school doesn't have their break until the week after, and the baby will be in daycare (because they charge us the full price anyways) so I get an entire week at home by myself.

In order to make sure that this break doesn't pass in a blur of sleep and sweatpants, I decided to extend some challenges to myself:

1) I am going to watch a new pre-code movie everyday.

2) I am going to make a new kind of grilled cheese sandwich everyday.

3) I am going to make some kind of art/craft each day.

Break week hasn't officially begun yet because I always have weekends off, but I wanted to get a jump start on these challenges.

1) I watched Hot Pepper (1933) which stars Lupe Velez. My first Velez film. I can see why she was so popular in the persona she embraced, but the movie bored me. The ongoing feud between Quirt (Edmund Lowe) and Flagg (Victor McLaglen) became redundant after only a few minutes. There were some funny quips, mostly from Lowe's wiseguy character, but I think the part which really illustrates its pre-code character is when Pepper (Velez) is running away from Flagg up the stairs; she knows he won't make her leave his home without clothes on so as she flees up the stairs, she slowly sheds her clothing, sending one piece at a time down the banister.

It's worth noting that on this promotional poster, Pepper has red hair. Velez of course was Mexican, and brunette. It could be an artistic decision to make the illustration match a pepper, or it could be a blatant attempt to Anglicize the actress, and make her sex appeal more palatable to American audiences. 

2) Last night I made myself a grilled cheese which had cheddar, cream cheese, chopped jalapenos and red pepper jelly. It was delicious.

, 3) I'm currently working on an idea for a canvas that I saw online, but I need to buy more materials.