two things i am lovin'

1. My first chai latte, which I had yesterday hanging out with my friend at Cafe de Leche. We are doing it again next week, so come join us if you can and I would love to meet some of you. Email me for details...

2. A Cakies website...
It isn't a full website yet, but thanks to 32Flavors, a most wonderful PR firm, I now have an official site to go to for editors and such. I love Liz and she is such a genius at these kinds of things, me... not so much! That is why she is so needed, even for a little etsy shop like me. The wonderful thing is that this isn't just for baby and mommy products it could be for anything to get you and your product out there and to give a contact page for editors to go to. She was the one who first pushed to get Cakies out there, like I said, I love Liz!

For more information about the service, visit here. Also, the service can be purchased on her etsy shop for $150 as a starting sign up fee (but not including the domain purchase and hosting which is darn cheap!). Price may also change depend on the extensiveness of your site. Though, I feel the best way to get this is to contact Liz directly at press@32flavorsPR.com, so she can give you more details and that way you can see her other services. She really is the best!!!

Too bad I can't have a chai latte while staring at my site... that would be cool!!! Sorry, just excited cause I never had a real website before and I think it is pretty fun!

Chai lattes and 32Flavors PR... yum!!!

polaroid tuesday: week eight

A little late, but it's still Tuesday here...

Two of my loves trying to sneak in a nap together... so sweet.

the breakfast dress

Last week, we planned to spend Saturday eating out for breakfast in Laguna Beach, thus a dress was made to mark the occasion. The dress was perfectly fit to hide a happily full tummy, made to frolic in the sand, and still had the dark colors of winter (or maybe it's fall colors), yet flowy enough to welcome Spring...

I am now quite addicted to dress sewing for me, well, I can't be addicted to shopping, so this will have to do. I have a couple more things that I want to try out and I can't wait to find the time to do so. 

In case anyone is wondering, I am working on things for the shop opening as well. I am trying to get a number of items already pre-made and see if this is better for me and my time. I am so excited to show you some new things! Also, my friend and I will be hanging out tomorrow morning at Cafe de Leche in Highland Park. Anyone interested just email me...

And thank you all for the nice comments about my paintings. I was very nervous to share them as I don't consider myself a painter, but I am so encouraged by all of you... thank you!

Have a glorious Monday everyone!!!

for him

This was my little secret Valentine that I was working on for Ben last week (I am just a little late in sharing it as I was a bit hesistant). It is a 7'x10' heart cut out of corrugated board and painted with acrylics. I don't really paint, but this little project was very fun for me. Maybe it is because I was making it for my Ben...

I am thankful to God for the cross and His goodness in providing me such a loving husband... I love my Ben lots!!!

I am excited because we have another fun weekend planned, so see everyone on Monday!!!

i needed a new dress

Okay... since all of you have seen my closet, then you know a new dress isn't needed, rather wanted. Although, by no means was I going to buy one cause it wasn't needed. I have fabric and know how to sew and thought I ought to just make one. 

I have been loving the one's Catherine has been making for herself and she inspires me to sew more for me (sewing adult size scares me). I really don't go clothes shopping anymore (that stopped when I had True), but I still do get that shopping itch. Usually, making things for my littles ones calms the itch, but for Valentine's Day I wanted to look nice for Ben. 

Therefore, off I went to my large stash of fabric and a little cutting and sewing together... "voila!"

I was happy with the way it turned out (as it was done without a pattern because I am bad at following directions) and I wanted a tunic-ish style one that was a little more forgiving in certain areas, because after having 2 kids, I need a little more forgiveness! 

First, it was just gray, but a little too plain for me. After a bit of time fiddling with things here and there, I saw this vintage tablecloth with hand embroidery in my stash, and cut out these little bits and sewed them on...

It was the perfect touch (at least I think so).

Alas, here I am modeling my little concoction (I hate self portraits and this will have to do)...

I was so excited to show Ben when he came home and the verdict was that he liked it, but he did wish it was tighter. He said that I was hiding my figure. I told him, "Exactly." Haha... so I did end up taking it in a bit more. Well, it was to impress him anyways!

It was definitely the perfect dress for our Love Day galavanting...

polaroid tuesday: week seven

Cold and rain outside means tea and warmth inside...

full of love

My love gave me a bunch of flowers with every one handpicked by him, he said the dahlias reminded him of me...

My love filled my tummy with love...

Love was given to our little babes...

Love was given to my love...

My love gave me a rose...

My love wrote me a most poetic love note (with my favorite chocolate)...

I thank God for the joy and love He so graciously bestows upon me and allows me to enjoy through Him. I was so excited to also be able to give my Benny the present I have been working on just for him. It is hard keeping a secret, maybe I will share it with you in the next few days (and it doesn't involve a baby in my belly, just in case you were thinking that).

I love my Benny and my little babes... it was a day full of love. 

I hope yours was just as love-ly...

the harts

We decided to make a family...

I cut them out and punched the holes, then True drew the faces and gave them limbs...

I am so amazed that she could draw faces. She starts off with eyes, nose, then mouth, and lastly adds a mustache. After which, she scribbles a little, but I was definitely impressed!

Presenting, the Harts...

Watch out! Baby Hart tries to steal the O's...

Brave's temperature has gone down, but she is still a bit moody, yet very cute. We have been spending more time crafting these days. It is fun, lots of fun. I thank God for giving me these moments.

Love Day is tomorrow, though you should be showing love everyday, and I will be spending it with my loves, the ones who have stolen my heart, and these girls definitely have...

How could these faces not have stolen my heart?!! They are irresistible, just like their Papi!

Have a love-ly Valentine's Day!!!

my little picasso

Or should I say my little Picassa?

True enjoys painting and drawing so much, but I guess what almost-3-year-old wouldn't?!! I think my True is quite an artist.

Just in case anyone was planning meeting me (and my friend) today at Cafe de Leche, I have to cancel because my Brave is sick. She has a super high fever of 103.7, the doctor said it is just a cold virus, nevertheless please pray for her. I just hate it when one of my little babes is sick! 

That's all for now. Oh wait! I almost forgot to announce the winner of the tweet giveaway! Drumroll please... the winner is (as chosen by the random generator):

Kelly, who wrote...

 "I would love this tweet because first, I adore your work. It's always so simple and sweet, but oh-so-meaningful. So I would love to have a bag from you, it'd be such an honor. And secondly, this bag has a gorgeous print - the pink cherry blossoms are my favorite flowers and the birds just compliment these wonderful blossoms. I would be truly thankful and appreciative if I received this bag. :)"

There were two Kellys, so I had to include the winner's comment to distinguish the correct winner. Kelly, please email me your address.

Thank you to all who entered. It seems everyone is in love with Lisa's designs and everyone deserves lots of tweets (I really wish I had more to give)! Seriously, times like these calls for a tweet every once in awhile. Well, I hope your sweety will give that to you on Saturday!

I can hardly wait for Valentine's Day! I like special days...

a love-ly string of love

So the garland making continues. The girls had so much fun just stringing last time, that I wanted to give them another opportunity. So easy peasy: cardstock, scissors, hole punch, and twine...

Of course, hung right next to my 2 vintage Eiffel Towers cause well, Paris is the city of love! We are definitely ready to celebrate Valentine's Day (almost)...

***Don't forget tweet giveaway ends tonight!***

polaroid tuesday: week six

I have two sisters, but I like to call them my seesters. One is currently out of the country traveling with our parents, so I spent an afternoon with the one who thinks she is a dinosaur...

Maybe, it's because of the fishnet (those are her scales)...

a love-ly string of sweetness

Valentine's Day is coming and I have never really decorated for little days like this, but with the girls growing, it is fun for them to get involved and working on something for a little celebration. Then, seeing their little finished project always puts such a big smile on their face. Thus, we made our Valentine's Day garland and hung it up on the mirror which rests atop our fireplace (and yes, I know the mirror is broken, we like it that way!)...

Now, I saw this garland somewhere and pretty much just replicated it using cupcake liners and doilies. I can't find where I found it and the Garland blog, I think that had it, is no longer working, so if someone knows where this came from, please send me the link because I would like the give the creator the credit due to them... thank you! Thank you all you wonderful people for sharing all those links and I found the wonderful blog I first learned it from, which is Petunia!!! So much goodness there that you must check it out...

Anyways, this was super easy to make and the girls had such fun taking out the cupcake liners and stringing them onto the twine. Kids have so much fun doing the simplest of things, but they like it more when you are doing it with them. Crafting and making memories is such a good combination!

There is lots to do this week as I plan on having a shop update soon and we are busy playing. Yes, playing (and well, other housekeeping activities). Also, one of my good friends and I are going to be hanging out at Cafe de Leche, which I learned about from Karen, this Thursday morning at around 10-ish. If any of you live in the L.A. are, you are more than welcome to join us. This little coffee shop is great because it has a place for kids to play. I would love to meet some of you, so if you want to just hang out and chat about mom things with us, just email me. 

Have a love-ly Monday friends!!!

***Don't forget tweet giveaway!***

flying by

This week flew by and now my closet is clean (pictures will come later)... yay! But now my studio-loft-ish area is a horrendous mess! I tell you, there is some law of nature that prohibits all areas of the house being clean at the same time. Don't you agree?

Well, I did get to crafting a bit and planning the shop opening, so some new (once-in-awhile) sweet creatures will be flying into the shop soon...

Until then... happy weekend and don't forget the tweet giveaway!!!

tweet, tweet, treats

There is a lot of bird love going on in our place. Maybe it is our anticipation for Spring or maybe cause birds just make our hearts flutter. So to continue our excitement for these fluttering creatures, here are some of our lovely goodies that is going to help us usher in the new season, maybe you will want these too...

At a recent romp to the flea market, I chanced upon this lovely vintage bird illustrations book...

True loves it. She loves flipping through it over and over again pointing out all the various colors. Her favorite bird to stop on is the woodpecker (the bird above is not the woodpecker), immediately she starts imitating the illustration by bumping her nose to the wall. It makes me laugh every time! 

This is my lovely treat, or should I say tweet that has been hanging around my neck...

This is from Lisa Leonard Designs, who is such a talented artist and mother. Her story and her art is so inspiring, such serenity in all her pieces. I think everyone needs one of her necklaces for spring, but more like for all seasons. It isn't too late to nudge your husband for a Valentine's Day present (just send him this link!).

Another little tweet that I am loving are my wood-like adaptations of Audubon's avians...

I was so elated to see them on sale at Anthropologie. I have had my eye on these for awhile, so you bet I scooped up a bunch! The best part is that each one is hand painted, so no two are exactly alike.

Okay, here is my last tweet for myself...

I love my vintage bird pin from lovely etsy shop, Oh Hello Friend. She sells the cutest bits and bobbles and her blog is equally as darling. Just another shop and blogger to fall in love with!

Now, here is a little tweet for you...

I made this last Spring to be my Spring bag, so it is gently used and has a light, golf ball size stain on the back (it is washed and clean, but the stain won't come out, but the bag is reverisble too). I have much too many bags, so I thought I would share this one with you. Plus, Joel Dewberry's aviary fabric is much too appropriate for these past couple posts, so I couldn't resist. I really love this bag, so whoever wins needs to make sure to love it just as well, maybe even more!

If you want this bag, just leave a comment that says:

1.  Why you should have a little tweet.

2. Your favorite necklace from Lisa Leonard.

That's easy, right? So many contests lately, but it keeps things fun. Hopefully, by week's end my closet will be clean and the Starry Night crown will be done... maybe, just maybe (and I may have some once-in-awhile in the shop soon). 

This tweet giveaway will end next Wednesday, February 11th at 9pm PST (I sleep early) when the random generator will pick a winner. 

I love tweets! Don't you?