Fabulous Friday Sugarcoat giveaway

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

another coffee chat

pretend we are having coffee together. 

this is mine right now. it's almost empty. time for a refill. 

first things first...

current (i've had his crush for a long time) celebrity crush, alexander skarsgard!


who is your crush? and is your significant other ok with the crush? david, the hubby, thinks i'm silly. the other day we were watching some super bowl event and he (below) came out and i screamed, "he's so hot". realizing what i said i turned and said to him, "well he is, sorry, but so are you my love". 

so, what's new? i love reality TV. what shows are you currently watching?
my list:
Kardashians
Housewives
Tori Spelling
excited for the new season of Bethenny Frankel

oh, shoot hold on, doorbell!

ok, i'm back. 

so, my little one, even though she isn't so little, she wears the same shoe size as her older sister, asks WHY a lot. sometimes it can get a bit annoying. especially when she asks questions like "why does she have to go to school?" or "why do her mama and papa live in another city?" but seriously she asks a lot of them. are your kids the same way or is my abigail lorelai just way too inquisitive? but then i start thinking that I AM the exact same way. i ask a lot of questions. i always keep my questions to myself, jotting them in my journal. here are 2, maybe you can answer them. 

why is gas so ridiculously expensive? the hubby tries to explain and when he's done i still have the puzzled face. 

this i have thought about for a long time, why aren't there seat belts on school buses? 
i just recently learned why a school bus is yellow. 

oh and why is it that something always has to happen for things to change? i think about that the most. example: death of a loved one and a family reunites or they slowly start to separate. just an example. 

and why is it that i'm too nice? things definitely have to change in that dept. i never wanted to be the person that thinks well i treat you the way you treat me but unfortunately, and i say this very sadly, it has to be done that way with some. mom and dad always taught me to treat others they way i would want to be treated but again, unfortunately, not everyone was raised to think and do that way. 

love and light! 

today is a new day, a better day. 

thank you for the talk! (really we should do it in person next time, LOL)

and thank you for stopping by. 

hugs,






Monday, January 30, 2012

hello monday

hello to a new week. it's almost february. seriously, time flies and where does it go!

hello to grocery shopping. NOT A FAN. and when the hubby goes he brings home all sorts of junk, not really food to prepare meals with so I HAVE to go. that must get accomplished today.

hello to new material and product that were delivered saturday. i'm expecting more today.

hello to britney spears. got her latest CD from iTunes and i love it all. favorite song on the CD, til the world ends. Sel can dance all day, all night.

hello to 2 weeks of cheer practice, 2 weeks of monday tuesday wednesday friday and saturday practices. my poor baby. the good thing is that she loves it. currently, her heart belongs to cheer. its all she thinks about.

hello to all the new friendly people i have met. so many nice compliments, i feel like i must be doing something right. i knew this all along but my new read says that customer service is #1!

hello to all the talented in Laredo who are running their small businesses. we are all an inspiration to each other. so much talent. PLEASE SUPPORT LOCAL HANDMADE BUSINESSES.

hello to one of the benefits of having Mom live in another city. she went to buy some supplies for me over the wknd in SA. and i love that she is willing to go and shop for my business. SWEET!

hello to a successful family photoshoot over the wknd. i wanted the rustic feel, but i also wanted nature, and of course we are a HILARIOUS family so there are a couple of hilarious shots. Ms. Selika, fabulous photographer but most importantly SUPER nice to her customers and so sweet.

i know its seems so far away but hello WEEKEND!

what are you saying hello to this beautiful Monday AM?

thank you so much for stopping by.

must get to work.

i leave you a pic of me & the hubby at the Brookyln Bridge! I found this site very inspirational. There's so much history to it. And this is what's making me work even harder. I am still waiting to hear from the National Stationery Show. But its in NYC, of course it would be. It's a magical, magical place. Sounds crazy, but I want to retire there. The hustle and bustle, there's nothing like it.



peace & blessings!

Friday, January 27, 2012

instaFriday

I don't know about you but I'm glad its friday but I also feel like this week went by too fast. Actually the past 3 months have gone by so fast. Strange. When I had my full-time job the day/week could not go any faster. It seemed like Friday took forever to arrive. Things are so different now. Really, when you're having too much FUN doing what you love, time just flies by. I remember the days of a younger, more youthful Sel. When I would go out with my girlfriends I never wanted the night to end. That's how I'm feeling now.

I only took one pic with instagram! 

It's kinda embarrassing. Clearly I'm a hoarder when it comes to shopping bags and gift bags. I took a pic because I need to do something about this. Should I just throw them away? They do take space in the cabinet. I have so many bags. While in NYC I noticed how a lot of people reuse them and use them as their lunch sack or some ladies would carry their fancy office shoes in them while they wore flip flops to walk the streets. I just don't know what to do with them. I hardly reuse them. What do you do with your shopping bags/gift bags? HELP!

Thank you for stopping by today/this week!

Have a wonderful weekend :) 
See you Monday!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

wiww

it's time for another edition of wiww. if you're new to the blog, wiww is what i do to keep myself accountable for getting out of my PJ's and into some stylish clothing on a daily basis. i must warn you that i do not take pics on a daily basis. mostly because there are days when my outfits are not picture worthy. most days i'm caved in my little workspace working all day. on those days i will slip into some comfy lounge-around clothing.

top: Gap
jeans (dark denim): Gap
scarf: The Limited
Shoes: Tory Burch

Have you noticed the stack I'm standing next to? 
Those are blocks of wood ready for decor.
All those will be western themed, perfect for the LIFE fair.

Shoes close up! My favorite. Worth every penny. So comfy. 
Not all flats can be comfy but these hugs my chubby feet and make me a very happy girl. 

That's it. 
Thank you for stopping by.
Time for work. 

XOXO,

Monday, January 23, 2012

hello monday

hello to new week, a new work week!

hello super bowl. giants vs. patriots. tom brady, yum. 

hello to a routine that i love. 

hello to sophie and her cheer team. their bingo fundraiser was a HUGE success. 
we cannot wait for competition. 

hello to the bi-polar weather that has decided to hang around. 

hello to getting organized as soon as I'm done with this post. 

hello to falling in love with my Mac every day. 
I've been learning something new about this computer everyday. it's a wonderful machine. 

hello to the Housewives of Beverly Hills Season Finale tonight. GUILTY pleasure! 

and last but not least 

hello to YOU!

thank you for stopping by today. 

 i will leave you with this...


XOXO, 




Friday, January 20, 2012

instaFriday!

I love Friday's but I really love instaFriday's. Could be because I heart instagram.

Here are today's pics:
Cookie, after some much needed spaw time!

all play and no work! love this job :)

my favorite TV show growing up. still waiting for the rest of the seasons. 

almost done and i've learned sooooo much. i recommend this read to all ladies who sell handmade goods. 

love this print :)

Thank you for stopping by.
Blogging this week has been fun. 
Come back Monday!
Have a beautiful weekend!


XOXO, 


Thursday, January 19, 2012

botany 101 (DIY)

Did you know? 

Indoor plants not only add beauty to our living rooms, but also help in the reduction of air pollution, noise pollution, etc. They also act as de-stressing agents. There are many more benefits of having indoor plants. The most important benefit of indoor plants is their ability to absorb carbon dioxide. In return they emit oxygen in the surroundings. It helps in cleansing the air. They also absorb harmful chemicals and toxins. Plants are also known to have de-stressing effects on the mind. The green color that the plants possess relaxes the mind. Indoor plants also act as filters that absorb noise. It helps in the relaxation of nervous system, which is under tremendous stress throughout the day. 

Sel, why are you giving us a lesson on indoor plants? Well because I love indoor plants and so should you. My favorite indoor plant is the gardenia because of it's fragrant smell; however, lots to tender love and care go into making it live and not die. I speak from experience. 

This week I decided to add some indoor plants to my kitchen space. I wanted something different, not just the basic plant in my coffee mug planter. 





I used 3 different plants in on planter.
 I got this idea from my mom who plants many little plants in huge pots for decor around her house. 
This is super simple. And seriously, if you have hands well then you absolutely can do this. 
Buy a planter, pot, whatever. As long as it has a drain hole on the bottom. 
This one is from Michaels, purchased summer 2011 and it was $8. Use coupons!
I love color and this yellow screams, LOOK AT ME!
So, first buy a pot, go to Lowe's (my choice for indoor plants), select different plants (must be indoor plants, found inside Lowe's not outside). Depending on how big your planter is then that's how you base yourself on how many plants to buy. I purchased 3 at 2.98 each. 
So, for under $20, taddah! 

It's purifying the air, de-stressing the environment and looks very pretty! 

See you tmrw!
XOXO


P.S. In no way does Lowe's pay Sel for advertisement or creative project ideas but they really should be paying me. It would definitely go back to them. I love that place. 






Wednesday, January 18, 2012

wiww

if there's anything i'm certain of it's that Sel should clearly not do the wiww post. either i forget to take the picture or jeans and a tshirt is not picture-worthy.

i was able to snap 2 pics. hey, i'm trying!
modern turtleneck, NYandCO
jeans, old navy
shoes, DIY from earlier post
scarf, gap

fedora, belongs to sophie from forever 21
tee, gap
velour sweater, target
jeans, old navy
shoes, sketchers
work all day.

oh and hair is pulled back with a Blossom Band!

time to work. 

tomorrow, another DIY. an idea i got from my mama. 

XOXO!




Tuesday, January 17, 2012

hello tuesday

today is the start of a new week for me. usually the start of a new week begins on mondays but since my girls were off from school yesterday, for us the work and school week starts today. 

today i am saying hello to many things. 

hello to trying new healthy recipes. below is last night's dinner. broiled tilapia (seasoned with old bay), served on a bed of steamed brown rice and steamed green beans. super delicious and easy peasy to make!



hello to AM gardening. 

hello to washing lots of towels & bed sheets. ahhh, clean sheets on the bed tonight, comfort. 

hello to the Valentine's Day Printable Collection in the paper passion shop. Lots of hard work and time went into this collection. I'm very proud. 

hello to prepping for the LIFE event. Brainstorming, gathering ideas, sketches on booth...

hello to being invited to a 31 Leadership event in Chicago but having to decline
 because it coincides with an event that i have to attend. 

hello to BABIES! friends are making and having babies like never before. i guess i'm at that age where all my friends are reproducing. and it's such an emotional, overwhelming feeling. 
especially when friends who have tried for so long are finally pregnant. 

hello to turning 33 in 50 days. it's hard to even think about it. 
but i do have to say being in my 30's has been just GREAT! i want to stay in my 30's FOREVER. 

hello to party planning! no party for me but the hubby will celebrate his 35th with a bash.
 abby has finally agreed to the theme i suggested for her birthday party. 
and sophie is making her own plans for a 10 year old slumber party, no bras involved.

hello to planning and brainstorming on what to do for the hubby and i to celebrate 10 years of marriage. we were thinking of a cruise and then he saw happened this past weekend to that cruise liner off the coast of italy, and so that trip instantly just became just a nice thought.

hello to all my loyal readers. thank you for stopping by to catch up on the what's happening in my world.
what are you saying "hello" to on this Tuesday AM?

XOXO,

Sunday, January 15, 2012

right now...

right now i am…

watching:  gilmore girls. . i have it on in the living room. season 1. and in my workroom, i'm on season 2 disc 3.
eating:  just finished a barbacoa taco. homemade in the crock pot. 
drinking:  green tea.
wearing: PJ's, socks
avoiding:  dishes. nuff said!
feeling:  like i have to get work done but i need to take a day off. 
missing:  the sun. swimming. 
thankful:  that i get to spend the day tomorrow with my girls since they don't have school. MOVIES!
weather: again, BI-POLAR! 
praying: everyday but more for my mommy :)  
needing:  (December 18, 2011)-a new TV for the workarea. one with a DVD player so i can watch gilmore girls all day and who's the boss :) oh and Uggs! oh and Christmas shopping. hoping to get it done on wednesday. from 8-2:30! UPDATE(today)- well i got a TV :) and a DVD player, it's how I'm watching GG :) UGGS, totally sport them every chance i get. but today i'm needing my hubby because it's cold, i want to snuggle and he has to install some hardware around the house :)
thinking: way too much these days. that's why i write down every single thing/idea that pops into my head. i'm a walking pinterest pin board. 
loving: barefoot moscato more than yellowtail. I'm just not a fan of fizz. and I'm loving how much my girlfriends make me laugh. who needs to work out to burn some calories when you've got girlfriend's like mine who make me laugh, hence burn the calories, like a crazy lady. 

so, that's what happening right now! 
what are you up to right now?

much love,

Friday, January 13, 2012

instaFriday!

It's Friday and in the blogging world, InstaFriday. I'm linking up over at Life Rearranged
If you are new to the blog, InstaFriday is where I post the pics I take with the Instagram app on my iPhone. It's a pretty powerful app and was actually voted Top App in 2011.
 I don't know who voted but I agree.

Here we go!

 the hubby got the original Mario Bros on the Wii. I feel like I should invite friends to come over to play. No more blowing into the game cartridge or standing super close to the TV because the remotes weren't wireless back then. I've played it several times and I played much better when I was younger.
I'm getting old :(

i love these toppers. the perfect toppers for a mickey/minnie party. 
it brings me great joy to see my work at birthday parties that we attend. 

 the kids playing Mario Kart. I couldn't stop laughing at them. its looks very awkward, seeing them with their wheels, making faces at the tv. look the big kid's face, aka hubby!

i love any kind of soup. and so when i try new soups i like to take a picture of it and then note where its from. if i like it, chances are i'll order it again. this specific tortilla soup was alright. i saw that chick-fil-a has a spicy tortilla soup. and today just happens to be CFA Friday in our household so i may just get it. 
CFA Friday is ChickFilA Friday, we eat CFA for dinner every Friday.

thank you for stopping by. and to the loyal reader that comes here everyday THANK YOU.
i hope you enjoy the blog and if you do i'd like to know.
i always like to know how I'm doing, if i'm doing the job i love correctly. 

have the best weekend! 
XOXO,

Thursday, January 12, 2012

another DIY project

i'm hoping to get at least one DIY project a week. This week I've made 2 and it's Thursday! I think i'm on a pretty good start. 

so one thing i love is home decor. for home decor i go to pier 1, tj maxx, homegoods(San Antonio), and World Market. I especially love World Market and Pier1. 

On Black Friday I stepped into World Market for Christmas gifts and decided to purchase some placemats and napkins to use after Christmas. Well, my luck they only had 1 napkin to match. I needed 2 but I bought that 1 anyways.  

Fast-forward to last week. I removed all Christmas decor and started to put the house back to normal. I don't know why this happens but every year after Christmas decor is taken down the house seems so blah and I swear it doesn't feel like before, before the Christmas decor went up. Get me? Apparently, other people feel the same way. I thought I was abnormal til i started asking and turns out my friends are abnormal as well normal. Moved some things around, put up my new placemats with old napkins i had. My 1 napkin was tucked in the napkin drawer til this week. 

Fast-forward to this week, Monday. Because I still felt the house was a little blah, i got in the car and the auto-pilot took me to Pier 1. i was planning on going to kirklands but the car thought differently. pier 1 scares me a little because it's kinda pricey and once you see something, it's like you HAVE to HAVE to it, regardless $$$. while there, i decided to check out the napkins, you know just in case they had some to match my placemats. Well they did and they only had 1 of the design i liked. my bad luck. i bought it anyways because it was .98, super deal! i figured if i didn't use it in the kitchen i could make a hair flower with it. after all, its just fabric. 

then the lightbulb turned on. i really like both napkins, both from different stores so i said i HAVE to do something with them. i figured i could get both, cut them in half, sew the halves together and taddah, 2 BEAUTIFUL HANDMADE NAPKINS. truly, one-of-a-kind. no one else in the whole wide world has a pair like this. 

below are the pics. from start to finish, in that order. and they aren't that great either because i took them with my ancient iPhone, but hey it works.

the yellow is from pier 1 and the red-orange is from world market. and both were .98! 





 all done. and as you see, it's several napkins in one. all together 3 napkins, of course 1 is half/half. 
back on the bar countertop. it's where the girls eat their meals. but, and don't get weird on me when i say, THEY AREN'T ALLOWED TO USE THE NAPKINS. it just for decor. WHAT? I said don't get all weird on me. i already told you i'm abnormal and by the way my girls love to use paper napkins. after all, it's their only option. 

placemats: World Market
napkins: Pier 1 and half of 1 napkin from World Market.
napkin rings: world market

I'm a fan of placemats and napkins/napkin rings. i think it adds so much in certain places. i do not use them on my dining table, solely on the bar countertop. and i buy more placemats to use around the kitchen. 

thank you for stopping by. i hoped you enjoyed this DIY project.
i'm already brainstorming for next week's project. 

XOXO, 





Wednesday, January 11, 2012

wiww and DIY shoes

welcome back for another edition of WIWW. i'll be linking up with Linsday. WIWW (what i wore wednesday) is what i do to get me out of my PJ's and into some stylish clothes during the week. sophie, my daughter, takes a daily pic of me and then i post it up on WIWW. pretty simple. except this week the photographer wanted nothing to do with pic because she has been studying pretty hard for the spelling bee.   she was able to snap some pics. 

Girls Night Out! I promise I was dressed during the day just didn't snap. 
Blouse: Forever 21
Cami: Gap
Jeans: Wrangler
Boots: Ariat

Boots, close-up! Getting these babies on has been a challenge.
And taking them off, well let's just say I almost slept with one on.
After 20 mins of pulling and tugging a friend was able to remove it. Of course we were laughing hysterically. New leather can be very challenging. Especially on Sel and her chubby feet. 
Cardi: Old Navy
Under tee: Gap
Jeans: Gap
Shoes: Forever 21. More on these coming right up!

These shoes! So I first spotted a pair like these back in September of 2011. I saw them on Polyvore. If you have never been to this website, you must go like NOW. Well, first finish reading this post. Polyvore is where I go for all fashion inspiration. So back to the shoes. I ran across a pair of shoes very similar to these. They were Steve Madden. So Sel, being Sel, searched the whole WWW for the exact pair. I knew they were $90 and didn't care. I wanted them. Well sad to say I never found the shoes. Actually I did find them on some Asian website and I had no idea what it said. So again, Sel, being Sel, made her own pair.


Right after they were done.

On my chubby feet. 

The shoes were $15. And the stones were around $10. 

TAKE THAT MR. MADDEN!

And there we go. New WIWW post and a new DIY project. If you see something you like and you think you can do it yourself, GO FOR IT! 
Tomorrow I'll be posting on another DIY project. 

The business keeps me very busy but sometimes I just need some time for me and my crazy DIY projects. 

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO,

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

workspace tour!

the hubby has once again made me one very happy wife. he saw the need for organization and more actual workspace inside the paper passion/blossom workshop so he got to work. he installed 2 cabinets with drawers and doors to hide all the junk valuables. he then installed white countertops. instantly, the room looked very different. i actually had more space to work. at this point, the room the is complete. except for a some minor repairs, like caulking, i am ready to start work. i spent a couple of $ on some organization totes and bins for elastic, flowers, adhesives. i also had to find the most perfect knobs for the cabinetry. 
want a tour? here we go! 
tour will be from left to right. 
entrance.
 above is my banner. what you see below the banner is the entrance to the laundry room. i have a desk in there where we keep bills, files, the junk drawer. you can't really but inside the laundry room, hanging on the left side wall is where i hang all my purses/totes. at one point the entrance was sorta blocked because of the purse/tote collection so my hubby said if i didn't solve the issue he would do it himself. well, as of yet, i have not solved the issue and neither has he. 
entrance to the right, a mirror that was gold i painted black. i love it. 
entance to the left is the hall to the room. can you see the scarves? i hang them and some more purses along the wall. i already have a solution to the scarf addiction, i just need to get it done. 

 next to all the scarfs is the invite board and my guest chair, which is going to get painted this week. above the chair is the ribbon holder. i actually need another one of these. directly in front of the chair, next to the ribbon holder, is my desk, with some nice smelling crystals and a display of all things Blossom.
 the workspace. ahhhhh. i can hear the angels singing. behind my red desk chair is the workspace to the left of the room. some countertop space for work and then shelving to hold and display all my tools/materials. 
at the window (which i don't like because it hides the view to the pool) are some bins, again for organization. next pic is the workspace to the right of the room. i know this pic is not great. it probably 1/4 of the workspace. but its pretty much the same thing as the other side, with shelving on top. 
this is the computer workspace. this is the part of the room where there should be a closet but when we built the house i knew what i wanted and that was not a closet. i have a hanging organizer for paperwork. in the middle is the computer where i spend a lot of time. to the right of the computer work area is my print wall. i am filling it up with many prints (all inspirational of course). i have prints waiting for framing. 
soon, they'll go up.
knobs! i'm sorta obsessed with knobs and pulls. i wanted both cabinets to have a different set of knobs/pull. i'm excited to have the hubby put them up. knobs/pulls can add so much to a room where there is cabinetry. 

i hope you have enjoyed the tour. 
being in here is so relaxing. i love my room. 
the other day, a client who i had just met came over to put an order and she didn't want to leave. 
she wanted to stay in the room because she said she felt at peace being in here. 

all i need is a bed and i could literally sleep and work in here. 
but that won't happen, i need my hubby next to me every night. 

thank you for stopping by. 
HUGS!


Monday, January 9, 2012

hello monday!

it's monday, again! seriously, the days are just passing so quickly. i really need to slow down and enjoy them, along with this bi-polar weather/seasons we are experiencing.

hello...

to new projects.
to new friends.
to party planning for abby's birthday, IN MAY! i know very early but that's who i am and its what i do.
to finding someone who owns a typewriter. i have to fill out a membership application and it has to be typed.
to making over 500 blossom bands.
to sophie and cheer practice 3 days a week. they're prepping for upcoming competitions.

to this new week. so blessed and grateful for all my blessings.

come back tmrw. studio tour!

XOXO




Friday, January 6, 2012

instafriday!

i'm a huge instagram fan. today's instagram were taken over several weeks. one pic is even from november and somehow didn't get posted earlier. oops...
here we go!
Found these super cute earring at Forever 21. Didn't get them though. I should have gotten them for Sophie.

Abby and I having some fun at PPP!

Blossom's very own SuperModel, Abby.

  The brownie pan from Oprah's favorite things. A gift from the hubby.

Banana nut bread :)

For some strange reason, the pics were taking forever to upload. Never has this happened. I need to figure out why so it doesn't happen again next instafriday.

Have a great weekend!
Thank you for stopping by :)



Wednesday, January 4, 2012

back to a routine

hi there!

i know you're thinking its wiww, but to be quite honest i hardly got dressed over the winter break. my girls and i would lounge all day in pj's relaxing. it was their winter break from school and i wanted to make sure they were able to rest. next week, i promise a wiww edition :)

overall, the holidays were wonderful. i got way too many nice gifts but what mattered the most was that my family was with us on Christmas Day. My brothers, mom and Dad all came over for a Christmas breakfast, exchange of gifts, and fun times. here are some pics!

family pic! i am very blessed. 
with my MIL! 
Christmas AM. Very fortunate, we are. 
pots and pans! it was time for a new set. 
i love the expression on my face! i had been wanting the perfect printer to print the best documents for paper passion!

the hubby and i also celebrated 9 years of marriage. we shared an intimate evening at a very yummy restaurant, we exchanged gifts of leather. a coach wallet for him, western boots for me. he's the best husband in the world!

i was also able to squeeze in some time for work. 



the holidays are now over and its time to get back to routine, set goals and make them happen!
Creative Connection 2012! I hope to go this year. I have to work extra hard because the fees to attend are pricey, plus flight and hotel! I know it will happen. I'm excited for all there is to learn there. 

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful Hump Day :)

hugs,