Catching up....

Happy Hump Day!!! =D i have to admit that i've been slacking a little (well, maybe ALOT) with taking pictures and uploading them.... hehe... i guess life caught up to me after all... Lil' man is almost 6 months now and he doesn't really sleep through the day.... short naps and then wants to play for as long as he can... so i'm pretty much limited during the day... that doesn't mean i've stopped crafting... crafting hours are at night, when the house is asleep... and let's just say for the time being, i've fallen into an old routine and staying up til about 3-4am just to finish stuff... comprehendable on 4 hours of sleep?! sometimes.... LOL try to sneak in a nap in the afternoons... doesn't always work though... hehe... if my body (and mind) could handle my once beloved all nighters, believe me, i would! LOL.... i don't think the late nights will last very long... i'm just trying to prep for a craft fair/bazaar coming up next weekend...

going through what i already have loaded on my comp, i came across these pix that i haven't shared with you yet... Thanks to Joy U. for her fabulous clutch kit, i managed to make these little goodies for DD1's hula sisters... it was a hit as they all are lil' divas in the making... haha!
made about 20 for the girls and then did 3 more for DD1's kumu and the assistants... then i decided to whip up a few more to send as Christmas gifts to some blogging sisters... so sorry i failed to snap some pix of those before it was sent out... i was totally under pressure to hurry and get them out before Christmas...



also made some post-it holders using acrylic frames... my initial intention was to have these made and go out as Christmas gifts, but i wasn't able to finish much... the lack of photo frame sizes i wanted played a big part in not completing as well as time... it really made a cute set with the post-its and some paper and binder clips that matched... but with what i had done, i managed to send these out to some blogging sisters too!

my goal for the weekend?!?! upload the rest of the pictures and share them... i was blessed with lots of love from some blogging sisters who have sent wonderful gifts, beautiful cards and a whole lot of holiday wishes and i want to say "THANK YOU" for thinking of me and my family during the holidays!! The friendship leaves an imprint forever! i tried to take pictures of what i received, but i wasn't always quick enough and the kiddies decided they wanted to help me open my presents... so i caught whatever i could before they terrorized the packaging... will share that soon too!

Thanks for coming by today!! Hope you all have a beautiful day and i'll be back soon with more sharings!!

Sweet Christmas Gifts!

Happy Friday!!! OMGoodness, i've been MIA for far too long.... 2 of my biggest projects are now complete so i think i'll have a little more free time to post and share.... =D oh it feels so good to have some pressure/stress relieved.... phew! and to top it off, the 2 lil' ones have a slight cold... =( no fun! and last night DD1 said she felt sick... oh did i mention i caught it too! yup, i tried to be strong, but i couldn't fight it... i'm feeling a little better with cough drops... =D just a little congested...

anyway, here's one of the big projects i've been working on... took me 2 1/2 days to complete... record time... LOL... anyway, this fit perfect for a challenge over at ATS - Gift Ideas!

Since this is for a bunch of 2nd graders who really don't care what the packaging looks like but what's inside, i decided to keep this year's Christmas goodies a little simple.... yet a little girly since DD1 is all about girly!
i saw this simple treat holder at a craft fair last month and thought it was so cute and so simple to make... so i did my own measurements and recreated these little treats... you can actually make these for any occasion by changing up the papers and images... on this one i used CC Designs Santa Emma from last year's release... she's a total cutie so i just had to use her.... of course she's dressed in pink! one of DD1's favorite colors...

here's a close up... simple treat, a pencil and a candy cane.... then i thought about it, they could actually use the treat holder as a bookmark afterwards... more than likely they won't, but it was a good thought... LOL

weekend is here and i'm excited the DH is flying home tonight!! too bad it's in the midst of a storm... i pray he comes home safely... busy weekend ahead with 2 Christmas parties to attend, last minute Christmas shopping and whatever other obstacles come my way.... i hope i can sneak in some craft time too... probably not but i still hope! =D Hope you all have a fantastic weekend no matter where you are or what you will be doing!! keep on smiling! be back soon!!

December OCS, RAK & Presents

Merry Christmas Eve one and all!!! we are only hours away from the big day!! can you believe it?!?! Wow!!

This post has lots of pictres and sharing for you all... but first thing is first... THANK YOU to all my dear friends who have kept my grandma and i in your prayers and thoughts... i'm deeply grateful for your support and kind words... you have helped me keep in the Christmas spirit regardless of her status and it truly means a lot to me... i have been down and out the last few days, and it's a very diffucult time to not have her home with us for the holidays... but i do THANK YOU and i do THANK the Lord, for giving us another day with her... i LOVE you all for helping me get through!!! Thank you, Thank you!!

on to this post... Teri hosts these awesome monthly one card swaps... and through this i have met some wonderful and talented gals... if you haven't participated and would like to, keep an eye out from Teri's post on the monthly swaps... it's lots of fun!!!

my December OCS partner was Lorna... and she has beautiful creations on her blog... if you have a few minutes, please show her some love...
here's the card she sent me.... we both are blue lovers, so it was great for her to create this for me.... isn't this sooooo pretty... i'm not so sure how she did this, but it feels embossed and it's very gorgeous with all the sparkles... the design is very beautiful and i love the mixture of color... Thank you Lorna, for a beautiful Christmas card...

here's the card i've made for her... based on the very 1st TGF 12 days of sketches sketch... again, Lolli Anya is giving up some sweet Christmas wishes... done in blues with lots of glitter... hehe, you know i had to add snowflakes... =D

my darling sister Linda, sent me yet another Christmas RAK.... with a few more things i LOVE... COPICS... ahhhhh! LOL, she snuck in a few other things like glitter and dew drops in my FAVE color... and look at the gorgeous Vivi card... perfect image with the perfect gift... =D i just love the snowflakes on the card base.... Thank you Linda, for all the goodies... me loves it all! =D

ha! what you all were waiting to see... oh wait, that was my diamonds... LOL... here is DD#1's Christmas gift from Santa... {excuse the blury and not so well taken pictures...} her hawaiian name is on this bracelet.... Ka'ulawena... meaning the rosy glow of dawn... the letters are raised versus the traditional black enamel you see on most...

here's a picture of around the bracelet... DANNI, you'll LOVE this one.... it has butterflies all around... with flowers in between... DD#1 chose this pattern... an all around creation chosen by her... so sorry the pictures aren't better and that darn glare is on it...

and here you go ladies.... my perfect Christmas gift.... my DIAMONDS..... diamonds are a girls 2nd best friend.... LOL... no, it's not my first... gems rank higher than diamonds for me... because you all are a gem of a friend in my life... =D hubby said said not to wear these with my wedding ring because these diamonds are bigger... so in response, i said "then i guess you have to buy me a bigger diamond for me to wear on my finger!" LOL.... i think i'm pushing it a little too much... =D my mom called me SPOILED... and so i told her, "i'm not spoiled, i'm just well taken cared of!" hehehe!

Thank you for spending a looooong visit with me today... in all the ups and downs of life, i still have the Christmas spirit in me and would like to share the magic with all of you.... i believe things happen for a reason and it's only to better ourselves... so again, THANK YOU, for all your LOVE and SUPPORT... your comments put a joyous smile on my face and i really take all of it to heart...

in case i don't come back later here's a little something to end tis post with....

MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all my dear, loving friends! May the season bring you lots of wishes to brighten another day... Let us be thankful for the blessings of family and friends... When you open your gifts, let us be grateful, for someone in this world may not have a gift to open... and wish someone you may not know, a Merry Christmas, for your kindness will put a smile on that person's face... i LOVE you all, have a safe, loving, magical Christmas!!!

A little alteration...

It was a beautiful weekend spent with family!! and a much needed one too... there was absolutely no crafting on Saturday and Sunday, which i think the DH was a little relieved by it...

OMGosh, i have to share this story with you... Saturday we went to the mall because DD#1 was meeting her halau there for pictures with Santa... so while there, i managed to sneak away to the store to pick up DH's Christmas gift... i asked the lady to wrap it extra good because the DH likes to open his presents and then re-wrap it... LOL... i'm serious, i saw him do it once... so i come walking out from the store with the bag in hand and DD#1 says to me, "Mommy, is that Kay's bag for me?" LOL... i started laughing and told her, what in the world do you want from Kay's? her reply, "my bracelet!" she has her eye on this Hawaiian bracelet for Christmas and she chose the design and everything... but what she dosen't know is Mommy and Daddy already got it for her a few weeks ago... i'll have to take a picture to show you before i wrap it... anyway back to my story... so i told her, we didn't get you your bracelet and that she should ask Santa... so she ran over to Santa and said "Santa, i would like a Kay's bag for Christmas!" everyone thought it was so cute that we all giggled... funny how Santa was stationed right outside the Kay's store... so what was in the bag i had that day... DH loves his money clips, and i saw one that i thought he would love... and guess what??? he opened it! =D so in exchange, he let me open mine... and i almost dropped dead when i opened it! inside a tiny black box held the most beautiful diamond stud earrings! OMG!!! i've had my eyes set on this one but never had the courage to pick up a pair... and now, i have one!!! =D yes, i was a bad girl and opened my present before Christmas... but wow! now i can wear it for Christmas!!
Oops! i kinda rambled on that story.... sorry!! now onto my creation... i actually finished this project on Thursday... excuse the blob of pink... i had to edit the name because i know this sweet gal didn't get it yet... anyway... I used Lolli Anya from TGF for this one, as the recipient is just so sweet and i'm glad she's a friend of mine... i wanted to post this so she could see how to put it together... i took a clear CD case and popped out the inside... it makes a shallow container to hold scraps of paper for notes or whatever will fit inside... then i took off the cover and flipped it around to make it an easel.... just like the picture above... i actually wanted to make this into a calendar but could not find my calendar template... so i added some post-its on it instead... not much creating room on this so i added a few butterflies and bling and personalized it... the best part is, it's interchangeable and if she wants, she can make her own and slip this out and slip her's in.. i wish i thought of this earlier, it would have been a nice gift to give all... and i really hope she likes it... =D

okay my friends... i finished cleaning the craft room at 3 this morning and now it's ready for me to craft away again.... but not until i finish some errands... Have a wonderful day and thank you for stopping by to share in with my little story and creation!! I LOVE that you can take some time to visit... =D

Hairpiece and Christmas RAK

Phew!! i can't tell you how good it really feels now that the weekend is here... it's been another loooong week and i'm just excited that's it's a 3 day weekend for me.... Yay for weekends... LOL... have a lot on my plate this weekend... most important thing is DD#1's special hula day tomorrow at the mall... i was told to have her dressed in her practice clothes with a flower in her hair... any kind of flower, real or fake... they will be having a contest on who's hairpiece is the nicest or something like that... we don't know all the details until we arrive there tomorrow but from what i heard, they'll be singing Christmas carols to Santa.... how sweet! anyway, me being so last minute, i finally finished it tonight... =D
picked up a bush of poinsiettas and some branches with flocked snow, all fake from the local craft store... bought a decent size barrette from Wally world and made this...

with my handy dandy glue gun i stuck everything on the barrette...

to showcase what it looks likes in your hair i played guinea pig and put it in my hair... so yes, that's me, i just didn't take a pix of my face... LOL.... i'll try and get a better pix of it in DD's hair tomorrow....

and i just have to show you what i got in the mail yesterday....

i've been meaning to make one for myself to hold my favorite recipes.... but i guess if you really wish on it, your wish will come true... a big THANK YOU to 1LuvnMama for sending me this beautiful recipe box... ain't it just pretty?!?!? she does amazing work.... her creations have a lot of heart... if you have a moment, go and check her blog... lemme know if your jaw drops at her door...

here it is with the top off... wow girl!! you put a lot of work into this... it's beautiful!

here's a few of the tab dividers... look how she matched it to the label.... CUTENESS!!! Thank you so much girl!!! this was well needed... i've already added some of my fave recipes (mainly desserts because it's sweet like that).... =D another great Christmas gift!!!!!

As we count down the last days to Christmas, sometimes we are so caught up in the whole season, that we don't take a moment for ourselves.... i'm taking a moment now, to reflect what made this Christmas even merrier this year.... i've grown quite a bit, emotionally and mentally... and i have been one to doubt myself often... but getting back into crafting and meeting all you wonderful people, i can now say i'm beyond that point in life.... in the beginning of this journey, i never had thought i'd be a name you all recognize or even a person that would inspire you.... where i am at now, back then, it was never foreseen i'd make it this far... i'm ever so grateful to all my friends/supporters/fans for giving me a chance to show my style, my creations... i am over the top for the 2 teams i now design for, for believing in me and giving me a chance... 5 months ago, i could have only dreamed of this... i am proud of my accomplishments... but i could have not done any of this without all of you.... so, THANK YOU ALL for making this Christmas EXTRA SPECIAL... i am so blessed to have amazing friendships in each and every one of you.... to my biggest supporters... DH and DD1 and DD2... i LOVE you with all my heart, and i THANK YOU for the huge support through this new found happiness in life... {tear}

More to share....

Hello Thursday!!! I hope you all are enjoying the week... i'm looking forward to another 3 day weekend, trying to use up some vacay... so i'll be off of work on Monday to finish up my LAST Christmas happenings... no creation for you today... i have some in the works.... i don't know about you but i'm STILL hanging for the CA hop on Monday... and well, i'm trying to play catch up the rest of this week.... finshed all the goodies for DD#1's class last night and wrapped up her givings to her teacher and A+ leader and now i can get back on track with finishing up my mailings...

just a few reminders... click here for my Flutter by Wednesday post... we have a great challenge going on and would like to see you play along... and after you fancy that, i Dare you to click here and play along with our Diedrich Dare... this challenge is running for 2 weeks, so there's more than enough time to play...

I just can't leave you hanging today without a post... so i'm sharing another round of Christmas goodies...
Look at these HK goodies for my sweet friend Brenda... I was blessed to have Brenda as my November OCS partner and now she's another great friend i've made through Teri's OCS... Be sure to check her blog out because i deem her as the Punch Art Queen! it's punches to a whole new level...

so i was extremely excited to see a package from her and ripped it right open... these are the goodies that were in there... a cute HK holder that was stuffed with some images and dew drops... ain't it CUTE?!?! OMGosh Brenda, where did you get those HK stamps?!?!? i LOVE it... and then there was this gift bag that was in there too... and yes, i was naughty and opened... Sorry Brenda, i was TOO curious... LOL... and to my amazement, she had wrapped up this AWESOME circle recipe book that she put together... it's the cutest... a few recipes in there that i'm thrilled to try soon... THANK YOU Brenda for the grace of your friendship and for the wonderful RAK this season... =D

after opening that, i had yet another box to open.... this one from Kim Y. Kim is another gal i say you should most def check out... i know i've mentioned this before, but she does some amazing 3D and jewelry creations... {Congrats on your BIG win at the CA Holiday Hop girl!!} uh-huh, she wowed the CA team with her beautiful creations...

Look at how gorgeous this card is... 2 of my most fave things... shades of blue and snowflakes!!! i adore this sweet image and LOVE all the sparkly... simply gorgeous....

and stuffed inside was this mound of goodies... Wow! Do you spy Kim's stamp??? Sassy Suzi was created by Kim for the TGF wild Sprout line... and i'm so happy to have my very own... =D Lots of other goodies include a stamp from Lala and Inky Impressions, stitch punches that i'm curious to use, and lots of wonderful embellies... THANK YOU Kim for a big surprise!! i'm so joyed to have met Kim here.... We've become great friends.... and i Thank her for being a part of my journey!!!

Thank you again girls for the wonderful Christmas RAKs... You have blessed me this season with your kindness and i am ever grateful for your friendships!!!!

Thank you to all who support me, give me the extra push, the extra encouragement and the extra LOVE... i'll say this again, you ALL hold a place in my heart!!!!!!!! Have a wonderful day!!!

RAKs for Christmas

Back again to share some goodies... hope everyone had a wonderful Tuesday...

First up is a Christmas RAK from my dear sweet friend Joy U.... She's always thinking of us around the holidays and gives lots of sweet treats... "Thank you Aunty Joy and Taelyn for our Christmas gift... Mommy made us put it under the tree! =D"

Haha! yes, the kiddies were disappointed they couldn't open their gifts... i even got scoldings for opening mine... LOL... Thank you Joy and Taelyn for thinking of the girls... and OMGoodness that Critters clear stamps are a must use... they are so darn adorable!

Look at her cute box! i just love her treat holders... don't you?!

and to show you how big this box is, look what was inside..... Joy fit all these goodies inside... Wow! i need to get me that box die too... hehehe! Lots of yum yum in this box... Thank you so much Joy!!! Love the gifts and i can't wait to use them.... =D

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Next RAK is from Colleen... This one is actually a Thanksgiving RAK...

more yum yums in this one.... she gave me an assortment of memento dew drops, clear stamps and a card she made.... yummy sweetness...

This is also from Colleen... a Christmas RAK.... She also sent something for the girls, which again i made them put it under the tree! =D "Thank you Aunty Colleen, Uncle Benson, Zachy & Kylie!!!"

how darn cute is this musubi ornament.... i so LOVE it...

and here's the yummies that was in my package.... how stinkin' cute and wonderful is that HK ribbon??? OMGosh, i don't even want to use it because it's so pretty! She also sent Clear Smirks Christmas stamps... and the 35th Anniversary HK collectible.... Thank you Colleen for all the goodies.... That was sure a surprise!!

Thank you ladies for the wonderful showers of Christmas gifts for me and my family!!! I am so blessed to have such giving and sweet friends!!!

Alrighty, that's it for today.... Please come back tomorrow for another DARE and Flutter by Wednesday Challenge....

November OCS and Christmas gift

Wow! December surely brings a busy time of year... i'm still spinning from all the excitement yesterday! hope you all liked my creations for Flutter by Wednesday and Whimisical Wednesdays - The Diedrich Dare.... it's really an honor and awesome to be on such 2 great teams... i hope i do them proud... =D

well, with the whirlwind this past week, most of my creations are still in the making... i'm slowly trying to finish them up... but work has been hectic and kids have been going crazy now that there's presents under the tree... i'm trying to finish up some goodies to be sent off and i still have a mountain of presents to be wrapped... all in all, it's the most wonderful time of year...

I have a few things to share with you today... but first, my baby, DD#2, Alia is turning the big 2 tomorrow... and she is excited as ever.... she's really into Dora the Explorer and really looking forward to her Dora cake... i'll post a pix tomorrow before she digs in... it's soooo cute! lucky girl, she gets to cakes... a mini one tomorrow for her actual birthday and one on Sunday for another birthday celebration...

okie dokie.... on to some goodies.... every month Teri hosts an awesome One Card Swap... so for the month of November, my partner was Brenda.... OMGosh, if you enjoy punch art, you've got to check this girl out! she does amazing punch art... and i'm so happy to have been her partner.... she likes the color lavendar and so i made this sweet purple card for her... the image used is from Inky Impressions.. i cut out the letters for her name with my sizzix dies... punched some butterflies that i added some stickles and rhinestones to... and some prima flowers... i really hope she liked her card... =D
and here's my early Christmas gift that i was soooooooo EXCITED to receive... (eek, don't mind my messy desk).. my lovely sister Linda (by heart) surprised me when she sent me these goodies.... a refill for my copic pen that already ran out of ink... boosters for a little ease of refilling... 2 multiliner pens and 2 new copic ciaos... isn't this a wonderful Christmas gift?!?!? all the things she knows i will use.... and lookie at that cute HB card she made too!!! Thank you Linda!!! you already know what i did with all of this... hehehe! Love You mucho!!!!

well friends... that's all i have for you today... if there is time, i'll be back tomorrow with a post of the birthday girl...

and in the end... THANK YOU all for the wonderful congrats on making yet another fabulous team, the special comments you leave, and for spending just a few moments visiting... reading your comments always puts a smile on my face and i Thank you for that!!! =D have a wonderful day!!!!