initial wip

Wow interesting layout blogger gave me. Well, at least it allowed me to put all my pictures on here. These are my contributions to Moki's intial swap. Finished in the nick of time and sent out on the deadline. I can't wait to receive mine.

This time there was no shoe photo. (I forgot my camera) This time there was no anticipation of, Will I like her as much in real life? This time it was just two friends enjoying some time together in Coronado. A sunny afternoon, some coffee ice cream and a nice long chat.



Thank you friend for spending the afternoon with me.
Let's do it again soon.

Tuesday night a few friends and I went to see Cyndi Lauper. I know the image you have in your head, a crazy haired looney chick with weird clothes. I mean we all saw the She-Bop cartoon video in the 80's. Surprisingly though, at least to me, she has an amazing voice and puts on a really good show. She modernized her classics and even the songs I didn't know were worth the price of admission. I must say too that I hope I look that good when I am 53 year old. So come on go to itunes and download Time after Time, it wil sounds just as good as it did when you were in middle school. Maybe even better now that your braces are off.

trying to keep up

Hi everybody. How is your week going so far? Things are busy here as you can probably tell from my infrequent posting. I have been keeping up with the blog reading though. It seems as if a bunch of really fun bloggers were up in the Northwestern part of the states this past weekend. Read here and here to see how much fun was had. Aren't you a wee bit jealous? I hopefully will get to see a fellow blogger soon too. (NO pressure :)

I have updated the shop with one piece of art and some fun wallpaper packs. (Pictured above)

I have many things I should be working on and many things I need to mail. Hopefully this week! As always thanks for stopping by, I appreciate all of your feedback and comments more than you could ever know.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow , I love you tomorrow

Not that any of you were holding your breath,

but the shop update is postponed until tomorrow.

Happy Monday.

back but then gone again

Challenge: to create a cocktail outfit using only black and white
Challenge twist: Angela and Vincent were brought back from auf'dom to participate in this challenge. In order to stay they have to win the challenge.
Three people will be eliminated in this challenge.
Challenge twist #2 - The designers must use ALL of the fabric they purchase.

I really like the concept of tonight's challenge. Since the designers were all using the same color palette cut, design and creativity were very important. I was a little disappointed in the lack of creativity from the designers. I loved Michael and Kayne's dresses. Both very simple. I could appreciate Laura's but it still seemed a little stuffy to me. I can empathize with the exhaustion she must be feeling. The pace and the stress of the competitions would have me crying too. Pregnancy is hard enough without adding those elements. I am sure winning the competition lifted her spirits.

So thank god Angela and Vincent were again sent packing, as it should be. I thinkUli really should have gone before Kayne. I feel Kayne garments do show originality, although sometimes lacking a little in taste. Uli, as we have discussed here, makes the same garment over and over in different fabrics. The sleeves on her dress tonight were awful. I am SOOO very bored with her designs. I thought Jeffrey's outfit was hideous. It looked like an outfit from the window of Charlotte Russe (no offence to the store but nobody ever goes in and buys EVERYTHING the mannequin is wearing) I am glad Heidi told him that he does the same thing over and over. Edge but with no elegance. He too really needs to show another side or I'm sure he will be eliminated. Michael is sure showing all the signs of winning. Michael Kors can't stop gushing about him. Well deserved!

Last but not least, it was interesting the number of voters who wanted Allison back in the challenge huh?

We are only a few weeks away from finding out the winner. Any predictions on who will be out next week?

Something new

Something new for the shop.

Shop update Monday, September 18th.

ps. thanks for all of your how to get rid of ant tips

Not just an ordinary day

I can't pretend that today is an ordinary day because it is not. Five years ago today the world changed forever, mine included. One of my first thought as I watch the events unfold was, "Oh my God, what kind of a world have I brought my child into. She was 10 months old at the time. Above is one of the first collages I ever did. I have the collage wrapped in a mesh that resembles a chain link fence, I took it off so you could read it. Tourist grapple with seeing ground zero or not. This article was written a few months after the attacks. It struck me for some reason. I never have or will understand why. I had no plans to go to New York as I was afraid to fly before September 11th. I just knew if I was in New York I would struggle with the decision to go to ground zero or not. It was a place where thousands had lost their lives, hallowed ground, not a tourist attraction. It was also place where so much history happened in one single day. Was it disrespectful to all that died there to not go and pay your respects? I felt guilty for feeling so strongly about New York with so many other losing their lives at the Pentagon, and on the planes. I think it was watching the towers fall. That to me was just...

Fast forward to 2003, I was pregnant with my second child and had the opportunity to accompany my sister to New York. The decision to join her was easy. However I did struggle the whole time I was there with the question above. We stayed on Chambers Street which is well within walking distance of Ground Zero. On my last day there I made the decision to go. I will forever be grateful that I did. When I arrived I saw signs, signs that immediately told me others had been there and it was ok. There was a huge sign stating that the Governors of New York, New Jersey and the Mayor of New York had put this make shift memorial in place so people like me could mourn and honor all the people who lost their lives here. There was also a huge sign with all the Heros of September 11th, names of all the people that had died that day. I felt a deep, guttural wave of sadness but then a peacefulness. I am suppose to be here. I want each and every person who lost there life to know that I am sorry they are gone.

I will always remember. I will never forget.

WIP -Potty Training

Boy almost three years old check,

New Spiderman underwear check.

It's only 11:30 and we have already gone through three pair.

Hmmm...boy will definitely be harder to train than girl check.

Happy Friday everyone.

ants and more ants

We have been invaded by ants. I have spent the majority of today trying to get rid of the buggers. Does anyone out there have any homeopathic methods to keep these pesky critters at bay? Spraying Raid in my house makes me nervous because of the kids. Please help. I tried to google but the search proved to be frustrating. I kept getting product website for me to buy things to get rid of ants, I think I may not have been looking for the right thing. HELP!!!

the best and the worst

Challenge: to create a couture gown- focus to be on the handmade detailing of the dress
Challenge twist: the gown had to fit two models (a Parisian and their original model in New York)

This challenge had our designers still in the City of Lights. They ate, shopped and created in Paris so what could go wrong, apparently quite a bit. Michael lost his Mojo, Laura went flat, Uli did the same thing AGAIN (with better material) and Kayne was Kayne once again. I didn't care for many of the dresses. The designers only had 2 days to create their pieces. Tim Gunn himself said that couture gowns can have a hundred hours of hand detail work. So um yeah, you can guess the couture aspect was minimal. Jeffrey's dress was my favorite. It was very inspired and modern. I think he absolutely deserved to win for this dress. (You have no idea how hard it is for me to type that) and of course... Vincent is out! How does everyone feel about that? Oh wait I already know. All I can say is thank god I do not have to hear about what gets Vincent off ONE MORE TIME! That guy is creepy! Bye bye ya freak!

random thoughts:
What was with the freakish growing belly of Laura in Paris but once back in New York the baby bump was back to normal 3 month size? Did they reshoot scenes or something?

Does anyone kinda wish Keith was still in the running? Yeah he was a pompous ass but damn his designs were interesting and beautifully made.

How funny was Kayne and his moustache, goatee and beret? Love him, even if he is pure vegas!

Prediction final three: Michael, Jeffrey and Laura. Hmm I am having deja vu (Daniel V., Santino and Chloe) If you didn't watch last season they were respectively, the shy one, the bad boy and the chick.

until next week good night

Will it ever be cold enough...

for me to wear this lovely scarf Anastasia made and sent to me? I keep reading that other bloggers are "feeling fall in the air". Not me, not here. Teetering very close to 100 degrees everyday for the last week or so.
Phew! Any of you fall feelers want a house guest?

My Talented Friends - Part Two

Beautiful embroidered needlebook

Amazing collaged box

inside of collaged box with my own embroidery kit and adorable tomato pincushion

When I received this package of amazingly beautiful things in the mail from Kristin last week, I was speechless. These handmade goodies are the result of an art trade Kristin and I did a few months back. The three thing trade. Yes, you have read about this kind of trade on my blog before. It is one of my favorites. I sent Kristin three things and she was to use them to create something and send it back to me. I did the same for her. Well nothing could have prepared me for what she sent. First you must understand that Kristin had never attempted collage before. When we started this project she said she was interested in trying it out. Um did you see the box she made? I would have paid some serious cash for that if I saw it in a store. Then you have to understand her attention to details. In the inside of the box is three tiny pictures of my children (they are stamps). The reason she used those is because those stamps are basically the thing that started our friendship. A swap-bot swap, a thank you and a conversation about those stamps. We have been pals ever since. Talk about a touching detail. Then there is the gorgeous needlebook. The details on the bird almost brought me to tears when I looked at it. Embroidery is Kristin's specialty. I am so glad she decided to use it. I had felt for a while that this trade had been a little unfair. Kristin was taking on a new medium and I was working in my comfort zone. So when I saw this needlebook it settled my soul a little. She was able to do something in her comfort zone too.

She also included my own embroidery starter kit and the cutest damn tomato pincushion you have ever seen. If you would like to see more pics or a better pictorial rundown of our trade go here. Thank you Kristin. You already know how I feel about this package. Lucky for me, I got to talk to you on the phone on Saturday. xoxo

WIP-spilling the beans

The best auntie ever is going to be a mama!

If you would like to read more go here. We are all really excited here to become an auntie and cousins. You are gonna be a great mom sis, I am so happy for you and Adam.