I'm Famous! (sort of)

My mom just called and told me that I am in the current (Dec. 28) issue of ALL YOU magazine on page 87! I'll give you more details later.

Make a Flake

Heather is encouraging everyone to make a snowflake. It took me a little while to get the hang of it and I'm surprised at how it turned out!

Make your own here.


I just might have to go and make a few more!!!!

Fun Stuff at My Minutia

Teresa has posted a wonderful tutorial about making your very own cookie sheet Advent Calendar. I am so tempted to make one but I don't have time if I'm going to get my knitted gifts finished.

Find the tutorial here.

Teresa is also doing a subscription-based holiday 'zine full of fun projects and tutorials. I'm very tempted!!!

I got a wonderful package from my Sweet Goodness partner Cheryl over the holiday. I will post pictures soon. She really does spoil me!!!!

Late to the Party

I missed Natasha's virtual prom but I sure enjoyed reading everyone's posts. How fun!!!

I thought I'd share a few photos from my past. They made me laugh when I pulled them out.

Here is a photo of me with my Homecoming date in 1992. I found the dress at a resale shop. Guess I was still living in the 80's.



And here is my prom dress in 1993. I got it from the Victoria's Secret catalog and I was so proud that it looked different from everyone else's dress. I even have some big Texas hair going on!!! I didn't have a date for prom. Just went with a bunch of my girlfriends.



I look at those pictures and think...."Gosh I was skinny!" I'm
5'7" tall and in high school I weighed no more than 115 pounds. I would kill for that metabolism now!!!

CBC Holiday Giving Challenge

Hello Friends.

I have decided to do something different this year for the holidays. There is an organization that I really believe in called Heifer Project International. Heifer Project provides animals and the skills to care for them to people all over the world. These individuals then go on to share the first babies from their Heifer animals with community members. The program has been proven successful and really embodies the old saying "If you teach a [person] to fish, [he/she] will fish for a lifetime." I am trying to raise money for Heifer Project through my two blogs this year. I would like to raise enough money to buy a llama and some chicks. If you would like to help, follow the HEIFER PROJECT link in my sidebar or follow this link.

I feel so blessed this holiday season with my home, my family, my friends and my pregnancy that I have to share the wealth.

If you donate and leave me a comment that you did, I will enter your name in a drawing for a custom prize that I will send out in January. Any amount is welcome.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

Almost Turkey Time!

I am lucky because I will not only have my mother around to cook for Thanksgiving but my husband will be cooking the turkey. He loves to cook which makes me a very lucky girl.

I still love to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I know a lot of people think that is cheesy. But, to me, the season doesn't really start until I see Santa at the end of that parade! So, I'll watch the parade and then get started on my meal contributions. I usually do the desserts. Pumpkin pie and chocolate pecan pie. I also like to make Chex Mix and rice krispie treats to have on hand throughout the holidays. My husband tells me that it is traditional in California to have crab on Thanksgiving Eve. We'll see if we can find some in spite of the horrible oil spill in the Bay.

Mom and I will probably decorate for Christmas on Friday. I can't face shopping crowds. That is another good reason to go "handmade" for your holiday gifts!

I am feel especially blessed this year so I have lots to be thankful for. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Many blessings to you and your loved ones!!!

Blissed Out Bellas

I have so enjoyed reading the blog entries from the ladies who attended Silver Bella. It sounds like a great time was had by all. And it is great to see that many of the instructors have posted leftover kits for sale. Head over to Sis Boom Daydreams, House Wren Studio, Everyday is a Holiday and several others if you want to get one of their Silver Bella kits. (links in sidebar) I was lucky enough to get one of Holly Doodle's Joli Paquet sugar shack kits. That will be a fun project. And I am anxiously awaiting House Wren Studio to post a kit for some of her little felt trees. I really want to try that! I hope I'll get a chance to go to Silver Bella next year but we'll see how I handle a new baby first.

My mom arrives tomorrow for Thanksgiving and she will help me decorate. I'm still a little behind as my morning sickness marches on. I have added a new symptom---dizziness. But it is all part of the adventure. My mom happens to be a very gifted wreath-maker. I have a huge fall wreath on my front door that she made and people always ask me where I got it. I would love to help Mom create an Etsy shop. What do you think? Do you think people would buy wreaths from Etsy? Besides working on knitting up some Christmas gifts, that will be my next project.

Picking Your Brains!

Hello everyone!
I am back from my conference. It was a really great but very challenging for me physically. Let's just say, those little bags in the airline seatback pockets really came in handy.

I have decided to scale back on my swap participation. It is going to be increasingly hard for me to keep up with everything. I'm going to finish up my Sweet Goodness Sister Swap and then I'll take a break for awhile. (although it is really hard for me to resist a cute swap!)

I want to concentrate my efforts on making some handmade things for my baby. I really believe in the "Buy Handmade" movement. Several of my friends are currently pregnant as well and I'd love to make handmade gifts for them. I'm going to get back into knitting for one thing. But I need your help for ideas for other baby-related items to make. Since I will be a first-time mom, I am looking for lots of tips and advice! So, be sure to leave lots of comments for me over the next six months. In the meantime, if you have some good artsy-craftsy ideas for me to make for my baby and other babies, let me know. I don't have a sewing machine right now but I'm hoping that Santa will bring me one.

In the meantime, I am working on my Sweet Goodness package for Cheryl. That should keep me busy!

Off for the Weekend!

Hello my friends.
I am heading out to a conference in Anaheim for the weekend. (wish I was going to Silver Bella instead!)
I'm hoping there will be a little time to sneak over to Disneyland. I figure I could handle the Fantasyland rides. And maybe find some cute Disney baby clothes while I am there!
Don't forget to check out the goodies over at Joli Paquet. They go on sale tomorrow. I hope there will be some left when I get back.

Have a terrific weekend!

CBC Special Announcement

Guess what I did this morning?


I heard my baby's heartbeat! Yes it's true! I'm pregnant.

It has been a tough couple of months as I have fought fatigue and morning sickness. But it's all worth it.

This is my first baby and I couldn't be more excited. My current due date is May 29 which is right around my birthday. I can hardly wait.

My Fairy Name

Your fairy is called Gossamer Cornfly

She is a creator of bounty and harvest.

She lives in spiderwebbed wonderlands and insect grottos.

She is only seen at midday under a quiet, cloudless sky.

She wears tiny black spiders on her dresses. She has butterfly wings the colour of yellow corn.

Get your own fairy name here!

This makes me think of Karla!

October Swap Goodies

Well, I was FINALLY able to upload photos of all the swap goodness I received in October.

First of all, I received this wonderful assortment from Cheryl, my partner in the Black Cat/Pumpkin swap. Aren't the pumpkins sweet? And she even put a mini Toulouse in there for me!



Then, I got my first Trick or Treat Swap package from Mica! So many wonderful goodies! And I love the fabric hanging. Isn't it sweet? She even has a cat on my trick or treat bag!



My other Trick or Treat Swap partner, Cathy, sent me this wonderful package that arrived on Halloween! The pumpkin is made from a gourd that she grew!!!!




And last but definitely not least, my Sweet Goodness partner, Cheryl, sent me an unbelievable amount of wonderful goodies. The Boo-Eek garland is so wonderful and I love the little plaque! (it got a little abuse in route to my house so I need to reglue that adorable chain)






Thank you to all my swap partners for giving me such a wonderful October!!!

Dia de los Muertos and the Weekend

As some of you may know, I am from Texas and I really miss celebrating Dia de los Muertos. When I lived in San Antonio, we would go and visit all the local altars. I was just in San Antonio recently and got to see many people setting up their altars in Market Square. Every year, I swear that I am going to put up my own altar but I'm always too tired after Halloween. My husband found out there will be a Day of the Dead processional through town on Saturday night and we are going. I'm really looking forward to it.

I need to take down all my Halloween decorations and start digging out Thanksgiving stuff. And I really need to make a trip to the craft store so I can start working on my next Sweet Goodness package. So much to do! Most importantly, I need to get my camera working properly so I can upload the photos of all the wonderful swap packages I have been getting. I'm going to get those photos up this weekend if it harelips the state! (as my mom would say!)