The Very Hungry Caterpillar...

As told by Rubyellen Bratcher

There was a caterpillar and he was very hungry...

So he ate and ate lots of junk until he felt so sick and his tummy was so big...

So he balled himself into a cocoon...

After some time of ingestion, "Voila!" the very hungry caterpillar became a beautiful butterfly...
Then end.

A friend needed puppets for the story The Very Hungry Caterpillar because he was going to do a puppet show retelling the story in another language. I am honored that he enlisted my help and it was a lot of fun to make! 

I wish him well on his final project, but I am sure his rendition of the story will be magnificent!

All day...

Spent slaving away and working...

I have gotten pricked by lots of pins...


I have poked my lovely pin cushion lots of times...


Some little sweets somewhere will soon be enjoying some Cakies...
This all just makes me happy!

A break was needed, so we went to the nearby park to have dinner. We picked up some sushi and just enjoyed the fresh air (as fresh as southern California air can get)... True even got her own roll!

I see the carrot dangling ahead and I look forward to a little break. I have so many new ideas that I want to try out that I can't wait to give them a go... to create for the sake of creating! And oh lots of projects to do around the house... decorating! I love decorating!!!

Home Sweet Home...

Here is a new project we did last week... something we like to do often is make clothespin dollies, so we made a couple more to add to the collection we already had, but this time we also had to make the dollies a home...

True is proud to show them their new home...

Alas, "Home sweet home..."

True loves this new little home of hers and she hugs it and cries if she can't see it! Though, I know one thing True will love more is the real inspiration behind this little project...

Awhile back, I came across Mummysam as it was a feature on the etsy homepage treasury and I fell in love!!! I mean talk about a creative mind?! Each piece is such a work of art!! Seriously, I could spend all day looking at her lovely shop! 

Sam, the creative mind behind Mummysam, was a painter in her pre-kid days and now she has taken her love for art and given it new meaning and depth in a brand new and different medium. Just meandering through her blog, one can see the overwhelming creativity just oozing out...

Look at these artful creations...

This dream townhouse is screaming to move in the neighborhood, right next to True's little house...

And come on?! What little kid wouldn't want to be running around the house with this little beep beep car. You wouldn't have to worry about it poking them while they sleep (because they insist on sleeping with their toys)...

And her dolls... wow!!!
She would look good sitting on one of my rusty, antique French chairs that many of our visitors are scared to sit on (I don't think she will be scared!)...

I wish that I could purchase all of Sam's beautiful creations! She is definitely another artist/seller added to my favorites list, a wonderful inspiration, and a great new friend!

So check out Mummysam and all her wonderful goodies! Everyone needs a Mummysam creation...

Shop Mummysam...

Read her blog...

*Thanks Sam for letting me use some of your photos!

Gone to NY...

Okay, not me... but Cakies!

Cakies can now be found at Born Lucky's brick & mortar store in NY. Also, soon Cakies can be found on their online shop!

Born Lucky has the perfect stylish duds for your lucky little one... come on now, every kid is Born Lucky!

Shop Born Lucky...

*A few more Cakies stockists will be listed soon, so stay tuned!

Here is the recipe...

As requested by a few emails and a comment...

Filipino Adobo (from Tiff out in Nike land)
2 pounds of chicken wings (spilt at the bone)
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
few cloves of garlic (depends on how much you like garlic. i like lots of it!)
black pepper

Marinate the chicken in all the goodness for about 15 minutes. Cook on medium to medium high with the cover on for about 45 minutes or until the meat starts to fall off the bone. Then simmer for about 5 minutes with the cover off... and that's it! Enjoy!

*My only change to the recipe was that I used skinless chicken breast, so I think either way would be yummy!!!

Yes...

I brought my work along and succumbed to the giant scallops calling my name!

Boy... I'm hungry!!!

Sudden craving...

NO! I am not pregnant, but I simply wanted Filipino Adobo...

Now, I don't really like Filipino food nor do I know how to cook it, but thanks to my friend Tiff and her yummy recipe, it came out so good! Of course, I had to healthy-fy it a bit (otherwise, Ben wouldn't eat it), so I cooked it with chicken breast instead of the usual dark meat that it calls for... and the colors aren't that great because adobo is brown and I had it with brown rice, but oh it was so good! It was just what my tummy was craving... thanks Tiff! 

Tomorrow is Memorial Day and I was planning on sending my girlies along to their grandparents, so I can get some work done... but my mom said, "giant scallops" and now I am thinking of tagging along and taking my work with me. 

Oh what a dilemma... work or scallops?!!

Something's a bit different...

Can anybody guess?


And exciting news for Cakies...

Neatostuff, a place that finds a nice collection of items from all around the web, has featured the Bolt of Thunder Cakies Crown, which can be found on Cakies retailer Bellasymphony!

Thank you to Neatostuff and Bellasymphony!!!

Buttons...

In pretty colors...

In pretty shapes...

In wonderful blues...

And some pinks too...

Makes my True a happy girl...
Of course, books must always be involved and buttons turned into a learning lesson (remember, I used to be a teacher...). True loved making connections with all the buttons in her hands and all the wonderful buttons in her book.

Books about buttons make True a really happy girl!

*Buttons from The Fairie Cupboard's shop...

Twice in one weekend...

The wedding was beautiful and I am so happy to see my two friends finally married...

Besides the blessed union, the wedding marked something special for me because it was the first time I sewed something for myself. I went shopping, but couldn't find what I wanted in my head, so I decided to try and make it. I was a bit nervous because this just didn't involve elastic like making a little girl's skirt, which is very simple to do, but it involved actually measuring, using a zipper, and gathering, and measuring some more. I had fun doing it and I was satisfied with the result and my Ben really like it... so I guess that is all that matters!!!

Another, wonderful note was that I found a cheap, pair of shoes to match the green I used perfectly...


Well, I knew I could use this with other colors, so I made a yellow belt to wear with it too...
And I wore the yellow to church on Sunday. Of course, I had the perfect shoes to match, which was the last gift Ben ordered for me as another Mommy's Day present from my favorite store in the whole wide world (I think this will be my last pair of shoes for awhile, but there are some wedges that I really want, but know I won't get).

I really had fun making myself something and it kinda saved us some money (but fabric ain't that cheap!) I can't wait for the next occasion to make something for me (Wait! Who said it had to be for special occasions only?!!). I already have a list of ideas of things I want to make... if only there were more hours in a day?!!

So thanks to a somewhat versatile, homemade outfit... it was worn twice in one weekend!

Almost forgot...

Thanks so much to Cool Mom Picks for their wonderful write-up on my Cakies crowns. I was very excited to wake up and see them there this morning...

This is also True's second time on their site... the first time was sporting a PGB doll and now for Cakies... yay!

Come on every kid needs a Cakies crown!!!

Gone...

So I have been gone from this space for almost a week now...

The reason: My hands hurt when I type...

So sad, so sad, I know, but I have had carpal tunnel now for awhile and with all the things I use my hands for, I decided to give it a break. I had this condition since early college because I used to work at a flower shop and when it was dead, I would sit there at hours upon hours making bow after bow after bow... and well, it became very bad for my hands!! So on occasion, it will act up, I should really wear my brace when I work.

But I am back, until a few weeks, when I decide to go on another blog-vacation just to be normal again just for a few weeks, but I promise I will be back.

I wanted to share a few new loves this week from none other but my favorite store, Anthroplogie...

A new tea cup from my lovely mother...


And a cake stand from my lovely friend Jane...
Gosh... I really love this store!

Now have a lovely Friday everyone and I am going to a wedding this afternoon, which will be lots of fun, and a wedding that everyone has been waiting for... I am so excited for my friends!

Happy weekend!

A heARTful Mommy's Day...

Mother's Day started on a Saturday afternoon for me when I was graced with a lovely little box from my Benny and both babycakies. And what was it?!! A lovely Anthropologie dress that my Benny went to go pick out himself (I think we all know by now how much I love that store)!



Suddenly, they declared Mother's Day "Art Day" and the fun was to begin...

First, I was graced with "Culinary Arts" with Ben and True working hard to make some sushi...




Second, since I am always taking the pictures and never in them, Ben said it was time for some "Photographic Arts" with me and the girls at a local mural he found...

Lastly, I have been wanting to do a family painting together for the house, so it was "Abstract Art" and I was so excited to work together (it is not done, but at least we got a couple layers in)...

'Twas a marvelous Mommy's Day of celebrating the arts in different ways. I so appreciate all the work my Benny and girls put into this and I savored every single moment...

I hope everyone had a heARTful day too!!!

I love being a mom...

 

(and Ben said I have one more present coming in the mail... I am so excited!)

And who could forget...

The best Mommy Day card ever...






My Ben will never admit his talent in drawing and painting, but he is really talented he would just say these were stick figures... yeah right!.

Geez... I really love Benny and my babycakies!!!

For our moms...

A little something special to remember just how little their grandaughters are and how much we all love them very much...

One pillow has already made its way to Texas...

My first official embroidery project was fun and turned out well (though I had little mistakes here and there), but I look forward to doing more (This is the little project we were working on this week)!

CupCakies...

I saw some yummy cupcakes from Bakerella and had a perfect occasion to give it a go. I was a bit nervous on how to work and use fondant, but I think it turned out well. Let's just say kneading and rolling out fondant can really give you toned arms!!



Red velvet cupcakies with cream cheese frosting (thanks to Paula Deen!) is very yummy...

Look!!

My Sweet Mum in Ocean Sun was on the homepage of etsy today... a lovely turquoise treasury list put together by Fofiko. Thanks Fofiko!!!

Kristen from Shabby Vintage Mom was kind enough to send me a message and tell that I was on the homepage... thank you so much!

It was so exciting!!! I had to call my Ben...