The Stuff I Live For

CannotContainExcitement-BubblingOver … Must … Breath September 1, 2009

Before you read on, please picture me facing you - holding tightly to your shoulders and, uh, 'gently' shaking you in the hopes of making you come to close to understanding my utter elatedness…

I must say, I will not believe anything less than divine intervention was involved in my discovery! Since getting Mushy Bug going, I have had less and less time to blog and much less time to visit others' blogs. I believe the last time I visited Portobellopixie was about a year ago. After browsing little girl clothes on etsy last night and seeing lots of great combos from the Ginger Blossom and Farmer's Market fabric collections, I felt the urge to visit Sandi Henderson's blog once again. Sandi is the designer of those prints, of which I have hundreds of yards of up in my little studio!

I literally read, and re-read, then jumped up! Just yesterday (the same day I found the post) she blogged about items some etsy sellers make with her fabrics - and TWO are mine!!! Can I just please brag on and say the FIRST TWO are mine?! AND the first comment is from someone who had already bought one of Her First Mod Purses from me - she botched the Mushy Bug name in her comment but I'm not complaining! I can't get over the fact I would've never known the honor of being recognized by a fabric designer if I hadn't felt the sudden urge to visit Sandi's blog last night.

PLEASE visit this link!  http://portabellopixie.typepad.com/portabellopixie/2009/08/etsy-finds-ala-moi-part-deux.html   

The images on her post are broken right now, but I'm sure she'll fix them. Sandi recognized this Her First Mod Purse and even wrote "only ten bucks!"

And one of my new Spoiled Baby Gift Sets

My discovery came about at 11:30 last night. I was beeming for so long my smile muscles hurt! It was kiling me that it was too late to call anyone and tell them and I didn't want to post about it here yet because the images are broken on her blog (they still are but I just couldn't hold off any longer). Like a kid on Christmas Eve, I barely slept and when I did my dreams were mixed with images of Apple Dot prints and my star on the Hollywood walk of fame!

If you can't quite understand, I'll put it this way - Sandi Henderson is like the President of my fabric world. And since I'm not very political, and fabric is a huge part of my world… well you get my drift… Vote Sandi 2012!                                     

My Snow Angels February 5, 2009

Although I am allergic to the cold, I did step outside for three seconds yesterday in my slippers and no coat to snap a couple of quick pics. The day before I even helped make a snowman. Now that’s enough for me for the year. I’m ready for shorts and sweating!

Christmas Pics - Yes, Late January 3, 2009

While Eric's big Christmas gift was a telescope, Santa gave me a great, new Canon camera. Unfortunately, it was nearly the last thing I opened, so I didn't get too many great gift-opening pics with it. Later, we spent the afternoon at my mom's and I was the papparzzi, taking pictures of the same thing over and over. Even though the camera has tons of functions, I've yet to read the instruction manual. I'm a man like that and think directions are for suckers!

My main reason for wanting a good camera was for taking pics of inanimate objects for Good Pails and Mushy Bug. For this, it is working fabulously and for this, I don't need no stinkin' directions.

So, here's some pictures from our wonderful Christmas of 2008, taken without touching any of those knobs or buttons which I know nothing about…

The cupcake maker - fun, but messy.

The girls are loving this Fisher Price Kid Tough camera. They like to take pictures of Elmo on the television!

Maybe this camera shows a little too much detail!

Saying Goodbye to My 20’s October 31, 2008

And I'm not a bit upset about it. Today, I am 30 and… I am happy. I love my family, I love life. Thank you, Lord, for the most wonderful gifts I could have on this earth - Eric, Ayla and Shay.

Although Eric took the day off today, many crazy circumstances led us to have to go into Center City Philadelphia today so Eric could get a couple of things done at his work. Of course today of all days was also the big parade for the World Series Champions - the Philadelphia Phillies. There were literally millions of fans out there, exactly in the spot we needed to get to. The real comical part is Eric is a Mets fan! Of course I had to get lots of pics of Eric with a sea of red around him. He didn't share in the laughs with me. 

The un-comical part was that it took us over an hour to get across the street! We went into the subway and tried to go under Market Street to get across. Every stairwell was just mobbed with people. With two kids, one in a stroller, it wan't easy going.

Why did the Mets fans cross the road? Cause they didn't wanna watch that darn parade!

Anyway, we made it, and we ended up having a good day.

Later, of course, we went trick or treating. Ayla was a butterly and Shay, a ladybug. My cousin came over with her girls so the kids had a great time collecting tons of candy for ME!

Now we're watching A Nightmare on Elm Street 2. Freddy Krueger rocks. Today was too rushed for time for the girls and Eric to make me a cake, so I have already declared tomorrow my birthday too.

My Olympic Hopefuls October 14, 2008

The girls started both gymnastics and dance classes this fall. Dance consists of an intro to tap, jazz and ballet. The bummer is that I can't watch the classes. Is that normal? There's no waiting area so I drop them off and go home then run back and get them. Not looking forward to that in the winter. But, they're so cute in their little outfits and they really love the classes.

I haven't snapped a pic in the dance leotards yet, but here's Ayla and Shay ready for gymnastics.

Speaking of Birthdays… September 15, 2008

I'm going to have a new niece or nephew in March! My best little niece Natalee will be about 2 1/2 years older than her new brother or sister. Perfect timing I think. Congrats again to my best sister and brother-in-law, Ashlee and John. Yea! I'm so excited. I love little babies I can hold and then give back! I added a baby ticker to my sidebar.

Better Late Than Never September 13, 2008

Happy Birthday to my mush-cake munchkin! Shay is three years old! Well, she's been actually. For about a month now. My littlest was born three years ago on August 14th. I told you I'm running a bit behind here.

During the day my gram, who is Dobbie to the girls (Ayla's mispronunciation as a baby stuck!), took the girls to Build-A-Bear in the mall. It was our first time there. I don't think they really appreciated it enough for it to be worth the ridiculous cost, but it was fun. Shay made a monkey, her favorite animal; Ayla a bear (to add to her bear collection of at least 10 now) and Natalee made a bunny with an Eagles cheerleader outfit (boo Eagles, go GIANTS!).

Later we had Shay's Tinkerbell party at Dobbie's house. The girls put on a hula show for us.

Shay got lots of great gifts, but my heart is still smiling about her favorite one - the tutu I made her in Tinkerbell colors. She opened it up and said with a very serious but excited voice, 'Ah! A tutu. It's e-e-ful (beautiful). I try it on now!' She put it right on.

When I told her later that I made it for her she put her arms around my neck and said said so maturely, 'You made it? I so happy you made that for me, Mommy.' That is the stuff I live for.

O.C. Vacation September 4, 2008

I'm starting back where I left off - the beginning of August. Not because you're all dying to see pics of our vacation, but partly because I'm trying to keep up with this blog as a sort of journal of memories. Just like last year in Ocean City, NJ, we were blessed with perfect weather every day. My sister and brother-in-law, my niece Natalee and the four of us all had a great time. Of course, right? It was vacation, duh!

Eric squeezed on the little helicopter with Shay and Natalee.

My aunt, my cousin and her little girls came to visit for a night.

We dug a big hole and made a little pool on the beach. That was fun and I worked long and hard with all the girls on it and another sweet little girl we met on the beach UNTIL I saw some gross little swimming worm things in there. That was it for me. Another reminder of why I don't go in water I can see my feet in. Yuck.

Ayla, Shay and Natalee loved flying the kite.

Ayla had been, coincidentally, asking me for a few weeks before vacation when she was going to see a rainbow. It rained for three minutes once on vacation and we got this view of a rainbow over the ocean from our deck.

Real Love, as it Sounds Through a Baby Monitor June 24, 2008

Last night, Eric and I were listening to Ayla and Shay through the monitor in our room well after we put them to bed. They were chattering about this and that, most of which I couldn't understand. Ayla told Shay she's 'so cute' and told her they would dance together in the morning. After a few more minutes of giggles and silliness came:

 Ayla:  Shay, do you wanna marry me when I grow up?

 Shay:  What?

 Ayla:  Do you wanna marry me when I grow up?

 Shay:  Yes.

Then, silence till sleep - as if that was all it took to make them content enough to finally rest. I explained to Ayla in the morning that someday she'll find a man she loves enough to marry and she surely won't be marrying her sister! But I was so happy. The girls realize that marriage is about true love, and Eric and I have been good examples to them.

And how overwhelmingly amazing it was to hear that special moment between two best friends who are also sisters.

She’s Crafty, She Gets Around June 11, 2008

…She's Crafty, She's Always Down - That's the Beastie Boys in case you don't share my taste in music.

I ask your forgiveness in advance, for I need a moment to gloat. I've been beside myself with excitement these past few days. I've been drooling over this project table from Pottery Barn for at least a year now. Right now, it's priced at $1,099.00 plus a $120.00 surcharge, plus regular delivery charges!

So I had a family friend/carpenter (Joe) make me this for less than 20% of PB's cost:

I had to paint it, but what a deal! I am soooo happy with it. It's perfect and even has a little shelf on the bottom to put my sewing machine's presser foot on. Over the last week, I took apart the guest bed and got to work on making the spare room my craft room. Here's some more of it:

 cutting table

  fabric shelving (which Joe made too, last year)

  more shelving (Joe made this too)

  sitting area

I did all the outlet covers and light switch covers in different Amy Butler prints.

I've already been getting plenty crafty in there and Eric is all but admitting his jealousy of the room. Not because he wants one. Because it's keeping me from him slightly. I've got a craft room and a guy who always wants me close, if even just to watch the Mets lose with him. Aren't I a lucky gal?