FABULOUS News + Candy!

Posted on | August 7, 2010 | 29 Comments

BLOG CANDY!! This is a sticky. Scroll down for newest post!

A lot of things have been happening in my crafty and personal life the last two weeks and I am over the moon happy. I’ve been keeping everything a secret, one for over a month now, because I have to and also because I don’t want to jinx it. So without further ado, I know that some people are just about ready to jump and shake my secrets out of me, here they are…

We got our house SOLD!! Yes, we closed last Wednesday and our paperwork got to the bank Friday afternoon CST. UPS International express ain’t cheap I tell ya! After our failed renter (they backed out due to personal issues the day before they were suppose to move in) we didn’t want to share this sale until it was all done with so not to jinx it. It finally closed, earlier than scheduled, and what a relief for us!! It’s tough having a house across the miles. It wasn’t just the mortgage but there’s also maintenance involved. We’re lucky that we have awesome neighbor friends to help us while we find a renter/new owner but if we didn’t have them, who knows. We’d have to rely on others which although paid to manage properties for a living cannot watch over our house as well as our neighbors. It’s also hard on our finances to maintain two homes. Granted we still have extra each month I had to really tighten up. I might be laid back with a lot of things but when it comes to finances I am really strict. For the grown-ups it hasn’t been bad. Me not buying new stamps every month was no big deal. But even though M’s been really good it’s heart breaking for me to tell her that she couldn’t have something just because it’ was an extra expense. She never ask for much to begin with so saying no to the little she asked was more tough on me than anything else. Seeing her sad face was no fun! The sale of the house also opens up something for me: a Ph.D. program. But we’ll see. I can’t do much right now that requires that much commitment and brain cells because Jovie still needs a lot of attention. I am hoping though that next fall would be a different story. We’ll see. I need to talk to somebody first. I need to go to London, to a University that has the program I am interested in!
I got invited to be a Waltzingmouse Mischief Maker!! What’s that? Well go check it out!! The team was by invitation only and so how surprised and excited was I when one morning I saw the email invite?! I’ve always loved WM’s stamps and it’s an honor to have been asked to be a part of their wonderful and talented team. Do visit their blog tomorrow. There’s a great new sketch AND a prize for one lucky winner. You don’t have to use WM’s stamps to play but if you do and you win who know, you might get an extra goodie or two {::SMILE}.
Last but not least I have been accepted to be the 2010-2011 Pebbles Inc design team!!! I was soooooooo excited when I received the email yesterday for a few reasons. The first was because: Their stuff is so cute!! The second was because this was one of my goals after I got here. I have more time now to craft and I thought that it’d just be great if I can design for a paper manufacturer. I have to mention two people here, they might not know that they had any influence on my decision but they did: Sasha Halloway and Sarah Martina. Sasha got accepted into a team recently and she said that if you don’t try you never know. After Sarah got her Crate Paper gig I told her I’d like to try and she said to go for it. So I went for it and gave it a shot. I really didn’t think I’d get it though because my email to them was lame. I basically told them that I have no examples using Pebble’s stuff (and I looked!) but I’d like to be a part of their team. I guess they must have liked my gallery because here I am!!! You should check out who’s in the team with me. I actually don’t know any of them but from quickly browsing their stuff they are very very talented. When I mentally compared my craft resume to theirs I think I’m the least published with the least amount of awards to be in the team. The third reason was just cause the news came after two other happy news. It was just a tad bit overwhelming.

So there they are. Nobody but our neighbor friends in MO know of #1. We just really wanted it to happen and if the sale fails it’ll just be less people to tell.

Have I gotten Miss M something? She was THE first to get a special treat. Thursday we went to this place called Scribbles. She’s been wanting to paint a ceramic box for weeks. She was so happy at Scribbles. She took her time and really enjoyed the process. It was fun watching her too while chasing Jovie around the safe side of the shop (mostly under the table). If you’re wondering what M drew, she was drawing her face, stitches from her 3-yr-old accident included.

To celebrate my wonderful news and also a 6-month stamp company anniversary I have a blog candy that’s sponsored by WPlus9! To win just leave me a comment and tell me which of WPlus9’s stamp you’d like to win (you can change your mind on which set to get if you win the candy) and what’s made your day this week. Remember that there are FOUR new sets coming out in a few days and if you haven’t been keeping up, go to the previous posts to see the new releases’ peaks and the links to the other DTs creations. Have a great one and thank you all for being wonderful blog friends and readers!! If you’re new to my blog and would like to subscribe, look to the top right of my blog and you’ll see an elephant’s butt. Click on it.

Deadline: August 12th by 12 p.m. CST

Etsy Sunday: Tape

Posted on | July 11, 2010 | 4 Comments

Ooh ooh, I am on Etsy again! Have you ever seen Lost in Space? Remember the scene where Robot said something like: “Danger, danger, Will Robinson”? Well, if I have a robot that would be what it’ll be yelling at my husband. “Danger, danger Drew Wilder”. Ha!! I haven’t been buying much on Etsy, just a few bucks here and there, but my husband loves it too. He totally supports my Etsy love and whenever it’s present time he’d go on Etsy and find something that I’d love. He bought me an apron the last time and it was just PERFECT! It was yellow, designer fabric (funny thing is that I don’t remember who now although it might be Anna Maria’s), and french style. LOVE!

Today I got into looking at Japanese fabric tapes. You know I have a thing for cutesy Kawaii stuff and that’s what I was oogling at. Here are some I want to share… Imagine them on your projects… any projects!

Miso Soup: Ships from Japan, around $3 shipping and tape ranges from $4-$5/meter, around 3 feet.

Wan Wan Corner: Shipping is $2 (from Hong Kong) and the tape prices are really good from $2.20-$2.50 for 2 meters

Apples an Eggs: One of my favorite store from all the ones I looked at today. Shipping from China is $3.50 and the tapes go for $2.20 to $3.20 per yard… or around a meter.

Kawaii Goodies: You HAVE to see what this store has! My favorite is the fabric tape below. I believe they are regular fabric that the store owner create tape from. Shipping is $2.40 from the U.S. and the price varies although no higher than $4.95. The length is as long as the fabric. Then there are other tapes too AND Bento boxes!! I’ve been making bento box lunches for M. I’m not good at it so so picture. Plus M’s been only into sandwiches and so the boxes gets old… little variety.

Here are some Bento examples from Cute Obento. I want to be that good, ha ha!! So M doesn’t have the best Bento content but she’s got the best lunch boxes in school he he he… Bentween buying and gifts this girl has six Bento style lunch boxes I think.

1. Seagull Bento, 2. Honda Super-cub Bento, 3. Three Pigges Bento, 4. Rainboot and Hydrangea Bento, 5. Peanut and apple Bento, 6. 3 Chickens Bento, 7. Anpanman&Shokupanman Bento, 8. 2 cookie cutters, 9. Fluffy Lamb Bento, 10. Bento for sports festival, 11. Corn dogs again!!, 12. Another angle, 13. Cheep,cheep!!

The above created using the Big Huge Labs Mosaic creator. FREE!

Last Etsy bit… do you like the baker’s twine that I’ve been using on a lot of things from projects to gift wrapping? If yes, Annie42 where I got it from has a dollar sale… or for $3.99 you can get 100 yards worth! I love mine and I want a huge red and white one for Christmas wrapping!! Shipping is only $1.68 ($2.99 for International) and the more you get the more worth it buying from Etsy is!

Have a great Sunday and I can’t wait to play with some Japanese tapes and while I’m at it I might get a cute mold for M’s Bento {::SMILE}.

It’s 1 a.m.

Posted on | May 22, 2010 | 3 Comments

I really want to make something crafty but it’s a bit tough. I’ve got a craft room so what’s the problem, right? Well, I ain’t got light!! I have no lamp, left them all in the U.S. cause I didn’t want to always plug them into a transformer and the only light I have here is not bright enough. We haven’t gone to an electronic/Home Depot kind of store cause hubby’s been working tons of hours. Yes I can buy lights but I can’t seem to unhook this current one so I just figured I’d leave everything to him when he gets the time. I might though pick up a lamp or two tomorrow cause this is killing me! Also, I’m kind of semi set up still. I have all these 110-220v gadgets but the cables that came with them are all 120v. WHAT?!?! So now I have to buy 220v power cables. Nice, huh? I am trying to avoid the transformers if I can. I read that they shorten the electronic’s life and increase electricity usage.

In the mean time I’ve been swamped with unpacking + organizing (still) and taking care of Jovie and M. I’m finding that I feel bad being on the computer/crafting while the kids are with me. So “my” time is night time as usual but it’s the light that’s making me not want to craft. Also with the house still a semi-disaster zone it just doesn’t seem right for me to craft regularly.

Oh, the friend of mine LOVED the card and another friend of hers ordered one for her little girl. Hmmm… maybe I can just make and sell cards!!

I have been taking pictures of the kids, I have gotten more adorable models for my portfolio lined-up, trying to decide if I want to use my name or have a “cool” business name, and figuring out the paperwork so that I can legally work as a self-employed person who will be working with children. People were telling me I’ll need this thing called a CRB — basically a background check if I want to photograph kids — but the criminal bureau people said that if he parents are there (which of course they will be) I don’t need one. If I were to do school photos then I’d need one but then the school who hires me will take care of the paperwork. So now I just need a national insurance number which is the same as the U.S. social security number. I don’t like paperwork!! I’m usually afraid I’d miss something and I’d have to pay a huge fine or be blogging from behind bars ha ha ha…

To make this post more interesting I’ll share some photos of the kidlets taken at an oooooold graveyard.

I am still trying to find my style. It’s kind of like papercrafting. When you first started out you’re not sure what your crafting style is. This is where I’m at in photography. I’ve been trying to take different shots, do different crops and play with different post-processing techniques. I think I’m getting there but not quite yet.

WAKE UP!!!!

Posted on | May 6, 2010 | 3 Comments

I couldn’t find a video of primary school children doing this but the one I did find is probably better -- way more entertaining watching these teachers learn the moves than watching the kids, ha! I’m not sure if it’s a UK thing or it’s just something that M’s school and a few others are doing but there’s this program called Wake and Shake that the kids do every morning before the start of class. I had more of a chuckle because I was thinking of my old job. The HR folks wanted exercise to be a part of the employees routine and I was just imagining something like this entering the work place. Instead of the above ladies I was imagining the HR folks getting trained on some musical workout routine so that they can then later show it to all the employees ha ha ha…

Emma’s school doesn’t use the above song though. They use the below instead and the moves are the less professional looking of these SClub7 kids. M LOVES it and she looks forward to wake and shake everyday. The part she loves the most… Jovie and mom’s there to wake and shake with her. Yes folks, every 9:05 a.m. us girls are at school shaking our butts ha ha ha… Jovie loves it too. She’d smile and giggle when we go up and down and turn around. Now she dances each time she hears music. So cute!!

This program kind of reminded me of my school years. We had to do a (more boring) version of coordinated morning exercise. I think he Japanese and Chinese schools do some type of morning exercise too. Check this one out… I wonder how many kids get hurt on average every week {::SMILES).

I think it’s a great program. It gets the kids’ blood moving before they start their lessons. Maybe the U.S. should do it too {::SMILE}.

God IS High Tech + Video

Posted on | March 11, 2010 | 13 Comments

At least according to Miss Emma… here’s how that came about:

M: Mommy, do people in heaven work?
Me: No, they don’t go to work like we do, they work on other things because in heaven people don’t have bodies. It’s more like going to school than working when you’re in heaven.
M: Do they eat?
Me: No, they don’t eat. People are like Casper in heaven. Remember, when the ghosts ate? The food didn’t get digested. But you don’t get hungry. You’re just full all the time in heaven.
M: Oooh. Do people talk in heaven?
Me: Yes, but with their minds.
M: How do you talk with your minds?
Me: It’s called telepathic. In heaven people talks that way and they’ll just understand each other.
M: Mommy, can you ask God why people don’t work in heaven?
Me: Hmmm, I’m not sure how I can ask him that and get an answer.
M: Why don’t you email him? I’m sure he has a computer because we have a computer.
Me: (hmmm, she does have a point, ha!)

So, does anybody know God’s email address? {::SMILE}

Ok, I think I am going to paint our UK living room this color:

Whatcha think? I love the touch of pink but I’m not sure hubby would like it. I am talking paint now because the landlord of the house we’re looking at getting is going to let us paint. He said he likes bright colors — it’ll make the rooms brighter he thinks. I’ll share more info on the house later… once everything is settled. I can’t wait because things are driving me nuts right now. There are just a lot of little details to go through between now and the 22nd. After the 22nd I’d be able to breath better and just arrange for our airline tickets!

Oh, I want to share this little video of Jovie too. It’s super short but REALLY cute (or at least her mama thinks so):