A Project for my Niece

A while back ago I had to force myself to stay away from doing swaps on Swap-Bot. But while reading another blog, I came across a swap for making a Coraline Box. This was also just after I had taken my niece to see the Coraline movie in RealD. (Anyone who hasn't seen a movie in RealD is really missing out! It's sooo much better than the old red & blue 3D!) So I decided that I would do this swap with my niece!

It took me a while to get around to it, but I finally got around to putting my box together. 

I used and old cardboard soda box to construct the frame for my box. Then I covered it in scrapbook paper, buttons (using glue dots - my new favorite tool!), and Stickles glitter.  When it came to finding the perfect button "eyes" I used these adorably cute button earrings  from Peptogirl Industries swag. And I created a pillow for the "eyes" using fabric from Katie Jean fabric swag.  The rest of the goodies were just a miscellany of sewing supplies from my arsenal. I also couldn't pass up making her a coral bracelet!

The most fun part of the project was giving it to Mari - Watching her open it & then taking pictures with the BIG button eyes!

Sweet Shoes

What will they think of next? I found these yesterday when I was out shopping with my mom. 

I wonder how good this  recipe is?

Handmade Parade THIS SATURDAY!

Check out the Vendor List:

Girl on a Bike Designs
Tiny Tog Knits
Outro Designs
Grouse and Badger Gifts
Abel and Baker Design
Mediums to Masses
Brave Moonman
My Cousins Bunny
California Caramel Co.
Ochibo
Classics Redone
Pillowphyte
Drop the Chair
Rain's Embellishments
Ellen's Green Art
Recover Your Thoughts
Fancy Four Paws
Roadside Photographs
Funky Vintage Kitchen
Rock N Roll Crafts
Heart_Felt
RM Creations
HonzCreations
Sacramento Craft Collective
In Good Company
Skeletal Dropkick
Intuitive Hands
Tara To the T
I Scream Seams
The Tin Thimble
Katie Jean
Twin Crow Studios
Lisa PV Designs
Wear Yeti

Oops! I did it again!

(My sister told me I had to blog this one....)

A few months back I blogged about how I accidentally stabbed myself with a pair of scissors on my way to a craft along. Well, this morning I stabbed myself again! But not with scissors, with round nose pliers!

As you all know (or maybe you don't), I am a beader. Which means I frequently carry beading supplies around with me. Well, today I had all my tools (pliers, cutters, crimper, beads) in my bag. While I was walking from my car to work I was holding my bag down at my side. Then all of a sudden, OUCH! I looked down to see my pliers sticking out of my bag. When I got inside the store I noticed that yes, I indeed punctured myself in the calf with my pliers!

Luckily, the wound isn't as bad as the previous incident...and also lucky for me, I already had my tetanus shot!

Again, I warn all crafters to please be careful with all sharp instruments! I'm definitely finding a new case for all my tools!

Trippy

When I was about 4 or 5 years old my dad won a jacuzzi by buying a single raffle ticket at a local Bluegrass festival. After he won it and brought it home, he and my mom made the investment of building a gazebo to house it.  

We enjoyed the jacuzzi for several years. It was my "swimming pool" during the summer months; and I would even have picnics out there when the cover was on top of the jacuzzi. 

Eventually, the pump broke and we never fixed it. So it along with the gazebo became my dad's little den for late night evenings to sip a beer (or two...) and listen to some music.

About a month ago I was bringing my mom some flowers for her birthday, when she told me to look outside at the backyard. O! M! G! It was completely different! The gazebo was torn down! I was completely astonished! ... Still am! I had to take some pictures just to be continually amazed to how trippy it is to see nothing there! 

The center circle of dirt is now the new birthplace of my mom's garden! (Pictures of the garden to come in a later blog.) Not quite sure when I'll get used to seeing my parent's backyard like this, but I'm sure that day will come. Perhaps, when there's another change! (Maybe when the unfinished shed gets torn down!)

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms, Grandmas, Great-Grandmas, Aunts, and Godmothers out there! I have been blessed enough to have several of these special women in my life! The two most important being my mom, Kathy, and my Grandma Carmen. Without these women in my life, I doubt I would have the gifts I have today. These women shared their love of art and color with me...as well as bountiful amounts of LOVE! Thank you mom for always being there for me! And thank you Abuelita...I miss you & I can still hear your laughter!

My Mom & I when I was little. 

The woman from whom I inherited a crazy sneeze. 

Who likes to coin her own phrases...

and is an amazing seamstress!

My Grandma Carmen. 

The woman with a ton of spunk!

Who loved to wear colorful dresses...

and who wasn't afraid to paint a couch 

with birds & flowers

 in every color of the rainbow!

My Day of Service

So today I went for Jury Duty. About the least exciting thing about this was that I had to be awake and someplace by 8am. Now I realize millions of people have to be at work at 8am everyday...but I've grown spoiled from my job at The Bead Shoppe and usually don't have to be to work until 11am on a daily basis.

I got downtown in time and found parking at the jury lot. Then I had to go through the metal detector (my purse through the x-ray machine) and go upstairs to check in. Once upstairs I joined the mile-long line of fellow jurors. Once checked in I had to fill out a survey that asked basic background questions and then wait for instructions. So I waited by starting to read a comic book (The Watchmen) my friend loaned me. They called the first couple groups of jurors and then started a movie.

Every once and a while they would stop the movie to call a new group to different jury rooms. Right after the first movie ended and the second one began they decided to free us for a lunch break. It was really nice to step outside for some fresh air. I found out that there was an open farmers market at Caesar Chavez park at lunchtime on Wednesdays. I perused the fresh fruit, veggies, flowers and bread but sadly realized I had no cash to take advantage of the market. So I walked back across the street to La Bou for a delicious Thai wrap & basil pasta salad! (yum!) On my break I called a couple of people and made several texts to my boyfriend. Then I walked around Central Library and then back around outside to enjoy the beautiful day. 

Eventually I had to head back inside the court house.  I caught the end of the second movie and then they began to call for more jurors. Again I sat and waited. When they started the third movie I began to doze off for a nap. Then I was startled awake for the announcement of another group. After a few minutes I dozed back off and awoke about 20 minutes later with a neck cramp. Texted my sister while being tortured through the end of the third film. Towards the end of that, they announced that the remainder of us would soon be released for the day. 

My day of waiting soon ended (around 3:30) and I was permanently released from jury duty...for the next 18 months at least! It really wasn't that awful of an experience. And now I know what to be prepared for the next time I'm called. 

Jury Duty

I have been summoned for jury duty! Can't you feel the excitement?! Yay! (If you couldn't tell, this is sarcasm folks!) Hopefully, I'll get excused! Luckily, I have a brand new book to read to help pass the time! Wish me luck!

Sacred Handbag for a Sacred Cause.

Repost from Yoli's Sacred Journey

Wow, it has been almost a year and half since I first started a round robin for the altering of my "Sacred Handbag". For those of you who are new to me, back in September of 2007, I started altering a handbag, and it became a nightmare! I got so frustrated that I almost threw it away, before getting the bright idea to blog my frustrations. I offered to pass it around to a few friends to "doctor" it up for me, and before long, everyone wanted to have her way with it, so one of my good friend's suggested that everyone get a chance to work on it. I was so excited, that I decided to donate it to raise funds for the Diabetes foundation.

Since my girl, Melody of Handmade luck has connections, I gave her the bag so that it will included in the 2009 Online Auction to Benefit Diabetes research hosted by Brenda Novak.

(Copied from Melody of the Sugar Cube Society's blog)

Not only did they all beautify the bag, they all donated swag too. this bag is filled with lots of goodies, including supplies, jewelry, video tapes, and a whole bunch more!

Here are a few pics and more details on this auction. Please pass it along and I encourage all the artists to pimp out this auction tambien!

“The Sacred Bag” which is a collaborative artistic handbag, originated from the mind of Sacramento artist, Yoli Manzo.

Yoli recalls, “The bag started out as a disaster. I was putting it together and felt that I really messed it up. I was ready to trash it. Rather than throw it away, I thought about putting the bag up for an “Artist Challenge” on my blog. I offered to send it out to someone who wanted to save it and auction the finished product off for charity. The response was so overwhelming, that Michele of Fat Thumbs, came up with the idea of letting everyone work on it. Thus the Sacred Bag Round Robin was created.”

SACRED BAG BEFORE...YOWZAH




Each artist took a turn adding a personal embellishment to the bag, or adding pieces of swag. Once they were finished adding their touches, they passed it on to the next artist. This handbag has traveled thousands of miles from the home of the first artist in Florida to the home of the last artist in California. This bag was treated with so much love and enthusiasm, all for the sake of curing diabetes.

SACRED BAG AFTER...QUE BONITA!

The artists included in the process were:

Annamaria (www.artByASM.etsy.com), Kathy Cano-Murillo (www.craftychica.com), Shonda Honkanen (www.ignition916.com), Krissi Sandvik (krissisandvik.blogzpot.com),Michele Hirata (www.fatthumb.com), Alisa in San Diego, Artist Alexa, La Reina of Divine Dolls, Mariah (www.myspace.com/honey_pumpkin_creations), Hella Crafty (www.myspace.com/hellacrafty), Dolores, Vidriosa (www.vidriosa.com), Brittany Heskett of Papermoonies (www.brittsart.net), Lorrain Garcia of Rains Embellishments , Melody of the Sugarcube Society (www.sugarcubesociety.etsy.com) and Yoli Manzo (www.sacredyoli.blogspot.com).

Here is a pic of the bag with swag!

My Keychain is hanging from the bag (skull with flowers)

Come Chicas! This is awesome!

THE SACRED BAG IS UP FOR AUCTION STARTING ON MAY 1st athttp://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/ listed under the category titled HOPE IS WHERE THE HEART IS. Please check out all the items in the auction, as there is some dope stuff for writers, collectors and fashionistas!