just another day of fun...

today is just another day of work play!

i don't mind at all. it's what i love to do. it's relaxing.

and look at all my fun tools. people often ask what do you use to craft and today i am using these fun materials to create some gift tags and cupcake toppers.

dropping by to say hello and share what i love.

much love,

new additions...

Welcome! Thanks for visiting.

Recently I have been thinking what I could do to fully start my stationary business. I've received so much help from many business owners. I have started working with graphics t make the most out of my business, paper passion. It truly is a passion. I intend to fully get my online store and take full advantage of some of the great social networks out there. Currently I am working hard on producing some cute printable designs that one could use for just about anything. I have finished some valentines day printables and have also created a new logo for paper passion. While my custom logo is getting created by a fabulous graphic designer, I decided to do one on my own for the meantime. Visit my FB page, paper passion, and browse thru all the photos of invites I have made in the past and check often for new designs of favor tags, cupcake toppers, invites, banners, calling cards, and so much more.

Coming soon to my blog: purchasing thru paypal and a new blog website URL. I sense the excitement brewing :)

indie business 3.0

YAY for me! i have a officially registered for indie business 3.0 ;) what is that, you ask? well it's an online class on starting, surviving and succeeding in the world of independent creative business. i am so exctied to learn from the pro's! lisa is amazing. she makes the most beautiful jewelry. read more on IB3.0 thru their website, http://www.indie-business.com/



this is how i'm going to learn the ropes. then someday i hope to travel to blissdom and martha stewart's dreamers into doers (i need to post on that), because that's me; a dreamer who wants to do everything. the great thing is that i have wonderful time-management skills. i manage my time wisely, between work, home, play. i've incorporated home and play together. lately, my girls have been in my craft room with me doing homework or playing on starfall.com while i work. i dont want them to ever say mommy didn't spend with us bc she was always working.

indie business...well it was either that or go back to school and get a PhD or another master's and i really dont want to study anymore bc one day i will be my own boss. unless i can get scholarships then i'll consider grad school again. and it would really only be for self-fulfillment and enrichment.

i encourage you to check out indie business and if you wanna join me and other fabulous women let me know. it's going to be fun!

besos,

promises, promises...

I recently made a promise to myself. i never do that. and i'm not even sure why i made this particular promise. here it is. FOR 6 MONTHS, FROM MID JANUARY TO MID JUNE, I AM NOT GOING TO PURCHASE ANYTHING FOR MYSELF. by nothing, i mean clothes, shoes, purses. i have a weakness for shopping for these 3. what i have allowed to buy myself is makeup and hair products. i mean if i'm gonna be wearing the same thing over and over, at least my hair and makeup are gonna look good. the last purse i purchased cost me $700 a pretty penny, the last pair of shoes i bought occurred in december, and well the last item of clothing i bought was back in december. so, i'm pretty proud of myself. i didn't think i could do it but actually it's not that hard. i know there are sales everywhere but quickly i remind myself that i can't and really there's no need to because i have a closet full of clothes, shoes, and handbags. but believe me, when mid-june comes around i already know what hangbad i want. and like i said there's really no point to this promise. it's not like im saving for anything in particular. i figured if ever the say came that i HAD to do this, it would be a piece of cake.

ok, so i also allowed myself to make purchases for my crafting. and so i have bought something new and i want to share.

i got it thru amazon because it was no where to be found in laredo. this tool can pretty much do one thing but it's fun to use. and i recently learned that the best way to sharpen a hole punch is to use aluminum foil. so guess what i did sunday. yup, i sharpened all my punches. that took a while.

we are in the process of prepping to sell our home so if i dont blog much its because im busy packing and making the house as clutter-free as possible. but i PROMISE to not ignore my blog. i promise to post everyday as much as i can.

hugs,

these are a few of my favorite things...

when the dog bites, when the bee stings, when i'm feeling sad. i simply remember my favorite things and then i don't feel so bad.

Imagine. the excitement, the thrill that came over me when i saw this super funky glue gun. bought it of course, and at full price. came home put it in the basket with all my boring glue guns and quickly it kicked my boring glue guns' behinds.

another one of my favorite things, decor! and for v-day i don't go all out but i do like to add some pink and red touches here and there.

i see my coffemaker in the background and say to myself, "man, you are a lifesaver"

now on to my absolute favorite thing(s) that i recently discovered that i vowed to always be faithful to.

and

i'm serious when i said faithful. i vowed to never even browse another make-up counter for foundation. SMASHBOX!!!! where have you been all my life? bareminerals, who, what? i love you SMASHBOX foundation and halo and primers and photo op brighteners. i swear the creators of this AMAZING brand are getting all my love and attention. thank goodness for pout cosmetics here in laredo. they are pros at using all these magical products.

and i can go on forever...

and lastly, one mf my favorite things will be The Sound of Music, the movie. no other musical like it. i wanted to marry the captain and i still do.

when the dog bites,

v-day crafting

good evening to all who took time from their hectic lives to visit me!

over 500 page views, AMAZING! hopefully i have inspired you to bring out the creativity in you. we all have it, you just need to dig deep!!! it's just like i would ALWAYS tell my students "you are no different than the north side kids. you all have the same size brain. they just know how to use it". so go out there, research, what is it that you can do be more creative. i dare you to try it.

Sel, what are you doing? i'm glad you asked. working on my v-day wreath. i like to decorate our home based on seasons, holidays, days of the week
, and so now it's time to bring out the red and pink. my husband hates this decor. it just reminds him that he needs to go out and shop AGAIN! can you belive several days after Christmas he already had my v-day wishlist. of course he rolls his eyes and moans and groans but i usually get what i want if not the nagging continues for several months. Mostly it's always me saying "FOLLOW THE LIST". he truly is special. a great catch. honestly, how does he put up with me?

and on that note, don't forget v-day is coming up! what will you buy or make for that special someone? my david will be indulging on homemade brownies, among several other thing.

wordless wednesday...

this pic screams FUN but it's also worth a thousand words. for my best friend, this pic means her son has turned 1 and she is so proud. turning 1 is a BIG deal. and in her case, it meant the world.

i attended this party and had a great time with my family and friends. the only bad thing about that party was that i literally gained a couple of lbs. there was so much candy, food, drinks!!! but hey, he only turns 1 once so why not, i thought...LOL

blog name re-vamp

yes, i changed my blog address for several reasons but the main reason is for privacy. no longer will be posting on my family. i love my family but turns out there are people out there who i wish they not know stuff about us.

so, my "new" blog will solely be about me and my crazy, somewhat normal life.

that's all that needs to be said about that.

now on to the FUN stuff. or at least i think it's fun.

i FINALLY found the brownie recipe i had been searching for. it took me a while but it was worth it beacuse i ran across so many other fattening interesting recipes for salty and sweet snack. but BIG thanks to bargainhoot.com for posting southern living's top 60 best loved cookie recipes. of course i had to get my recipe from there. the brownie recipe shall be tested a bit before V-DAY, and if all goes well my hubby will receive homemade brownies, i'm planning to forget he's on this "diet".

also, happening soon: CRAFT ROOM REMODEL
ahh, i can't wait. i went out to chose paint colors last week. currently, the room is very un-organzied, at least by my standards. thanks to IKEA, i am gathering design and organization ideas. IKEA has low shipping so 2 of my big purchases will come from there. oh, how i wish laredo had an IKEA. i'd definitely be in debt but very well organized.

off to do some much needed crafting,

wordless wednesday...

in the blog world, there is such a thing called "wordless wednesday". what is that, you might be asking? well i post a pic and basically the pic speaks for itself.

i think this pic speaks way too much...

Christmas present to Sophie from her mama and papa.
FUN. CREATIVE. TEACHER.
My mom purchased this at a teacher supply store in SA. Basically you only see easel's like this at daycares or schools. And my little educator-to-be Sophie has one. She says she wants to be a teacher but I think it's because her imaginary students don't talk back to her or make her life miserable. I tell her it's not something I wish for her but of course they are allowed to become who and what they want. Mom is there for support, not to judge or disapprove.

the week is almost over. sophie is not feeling well. that means, i have to be by her side 24/7. no fun in my craft room for the next couple days :(

hasta manana,

on vacation. literally.

i was gone for quite a while. i was on vacation from life, reality. i was able to do so much, hardly spending time in my craft room. i was able to sleep. a lot. i was able to watch TV. play with my girls. bond with my husband. enjoy evening s with my friends. it was very badly needed, this vacation.

but i'm back.

i am starting on a clean slate. the new year is possible my favorite time of the year. i put away all christmas decor before dec.31 and start with simplicity for the new year. i'm looking forward to my trip to pier 1 to see what they have in store for spring.

currently working on 2 designs for invitations for two friends. brainstorming. one is alice in wonderland, the other dallas cowboys baby shower. both cute themes. also working on an interesting project that might take longer than i had planned for. a blank canvas is all i have at the moment. and some paper. i will post pics as my project progresses.

i am also researching for a delicious brownie recipe.

for now, life is great. clean. new year. new goals. new resolutions. loving david more and more each day because i see his greatness and his patience. man, he has some patience, my big guy. love him to pieces.

besos,

done...

finally. the gingerbread baking, decorating, and stuffing them into pretty bags with nice tags is DONE! it took a lot of effort but it was fun. sophie asked a lot of questions about cokoing and baking, and well abby pretty much sat there and munched on the cookies while we decorated them. we love her.

time to rest and maybe a nap. all this baking has left us tired.

hugs,

on my mind...gingerbread

lately, what's been on my mind are the gingerbread cookies i am making to share with family and friends. i had to literally purchase everything, except for a cookie sheet, to make them. i had absolutely nothing in my pantry to make them. i even went out and bought a rolling pin. so proud of me. maybe now i can make some delicious fattening tortillas. nah forget it. after the year, it will be diet time s

o no tortillas for awhile.

sophie and I made the gingerbread dough. currently it is laying in the fridge for some chill time. come 6 o'clock we will be cutting them with our NEW, of course, gingerbread cookie cutter and decorating them. while it sits there and chills, i will be happily gift wrapping some more. geez, i think i went overboard on the gift giving. it just seems that the gift wrapping never ends...

be back in a bit,

winter break

day 1 of winter break. today was great. we slept in til about 10:30am. last night we hosted a dinner for my parents and our good friends. we laughed, ate, shared stories...overall, i was happy. last minute christmas shopping today at michael's. also last minute purchases for my gingerbread mess cookies we will be making this week.

i've been stuck in my craft room wrapping, wrapping, and doing some more wrapping. i smile as i wrap because a lot of thought went into all the gifts i purchased. oen thing that makes me eek is when i receive a present and think to myself, "you obviously don't know me". sounds lame and selfish but i just put so much thought into my presents; i only give to those who deserve a gift. my favorite gift i am gifting is my mom's present from her grand-daughters. i'll post a Pic soon!

i am ready to celebrate Christmas with my family and friends. but first, i must finish wrapping. i wish i could wrap like a professional.

back to wrapping, just thought i'd stop, relax, and type.

much love,

ready for a break & hurting

two more days of work. and i ready for a much needed break (11 days off from work).

what's on my agenda these next two weeks: NOTHING! well i do have things to do here and there. most importantly, i will spend time with sophie and abby. we will go catch movies at the theatre. we will SHOP, especially day after Christmas. we will watch plenty of TV. i will take them to the library. i will go for some walks. and of course, there is always crafting that needs to get accomplished. i would also like to re-organize the craft area and my laundry room. i would also like to dig into my sock drawer and match pairs; i bet that would save me time in the mornings.
i just can't wait.

deep inside i'm hurting. and there's nothing anyone can do, not even david. i'm not about to go public with my feelings and what is happening. thank goodness for sophie and abby who keep me very distracted from my hurt.

C U manana,

weekend fun...

Vino Viernes started out fun. Dad and I went on a date. Look at my handsome cowboy. Thanks Sophie, our precious photographer. She loves wasting space on my SD using my camera so for Christmas she is getting a nice dig camera. The night was fun. Lots of dancing, laughing.

Then the big day got here. SATURDAY. Off we go to mama and papa's home in Leon Springs.

First stop Fiesta TX. In this pic, me and the little ladies with their grandmas.

Sophie and Mom

Big sis, lil' sis on the teacup ride

 Me and my papa

me and my MIL

walking the park...

We then headed out to Longhorn Steakhouse, where my God-sister's joined us for dinner.

THE NEXT DAY...

never leave a camera next to my husband! this is what happens...

Can you believe they just "hang around" my parents' yard...

If the hunter in the family would have had his rifle that would have been last night's dinner.

Then this is what happens when your 8 yr old camera obsessed daughter gets a hold of the camera.

Random...

I'll just take a pic of doorknobs, a dining table, the view from the stairs...

Oh Sophie! I'm glad she's getting her own camera so she can leave mine alone.

So that was my wknd. I hardly got sleep. I did no crafting whatsoever. I drank very little wine. But I did spend lots of time with my parents, brother Angelo, my little ladies, my big man D, and my wonderful MIL and that's what matters the most.

 



taddah (i'm good at spelling but i'm not sure how you spell this word)...

DONE!!!!!

Actually it was completed last night but I was tied up with some other stuff that today I can finally post the pic of my new wreath(s). I actually made two; one for my office and one for my home.

So I got the inspiration from Lynsey @ wwwthepleatedpoppy.com/blog. She's so cool, that girl! I was inspired to wrap ornaments in yarn. Yea, odd.

So. Wait, why do I like to start my sentences with SO. And why am I typing as if I'm writing a college researchpaper, all grammatically correct. that's so not me.

Anyways, I was driving by Pier 1 imports, at least that's what I told my David, I parked, got off the car, turned off my cell phone and entered paradise, heaven. They had the most beautiful ornament wreaths for like $40. So, there i go again, i decided to replica pier 1's wreaths and got some inspiration from Lynsey and taddah...

The other wreath is silver with more yarn balls. That one is for my office.

So, it's really beginning to look a lot of Christmas in South Texas. It's definitely my most favorite time of the year. Getting together with family and friends is the best. Can you imagine a life without family and friends. I know someone who doesn't get along with their family and doesn't have many friends :( sadness...but hey it is what it is...and for a reason.

I will be headed North this wknd for some family time with my folks, brothers, husband, daughters and maybe even my God-daughter and her parents, Julie and George. It's going to be a blast. We will hit Fiesta TX for some entertainment then hit downtown SA for the yearly visit to the Alamo (and every year big man David wants to go in), and the big tree, SA's version of the NYC Rockefeller tree.

This Christmas will be especially hard on the big guy around here. His father is no longer with us. It will be a sad time for all of us. However, I'm glad I can be here for my big guy and I'm glad for the big broad shoulders he has so I can lean my head and hold his hand.

I will try to post tomorrow, keyword: TRY!

BIG hugs and sweet besos,

SeL

wreath preview

I took a pic of all the materials I will be attacking using for this project. I've had the materials for over 2 weeks. I already started but little by little I am trying to finish it. Hopefully it will get done before Christmas. Fingers crossed...

Materials:
Funky wreaths from Target, $2.50 each
Ornaments from Target (don't break), $1.00
Yarn from Michaels, $12
Glue gun from ???? it's so old...

What does Sel want for Christmas? A NEW GLUE GUN!!!

no bloggin on the weekends...

As much as I really want to, I have not allowed myself to blog on weekends.

Four reasons:

My wknds
1. are for spending time with my daughters, hubby when he's off from work, and for friends!
2. are for sleep.
3. are for spending money shopping.
4. are for crafting ;)
Vino Viernes was great. Here's a pic of the pretty girls that got drunk wasted were present.

I promise to post a pic of some new XMAS wreaths I'm creating.