Busy Month

seriously this month has been so busy! i've taken pictures for 2 weddings, 2 families, 1 40th b-day party, and a family reunion. phew pretty much all in the same week. you can see pics from one of the weddings here. it was so nice but i have 700 pictures to go through just for that wedding. Anyways it was also my birthday on the 16th,
i got this bike:
and a bunch of other things like scrapbooking stuff :) .
my cake was kind of a flop, the frosting was too...i don't know i just didn't like it too much. i liked the candle though. it matched the flower sprinkles.

i also spent some time making these invites:
for my aunts reception.....

we also went camping with 4 other families. well, 2 went camping we went cabining with the other family. haha we've been camping with these families since i was born but our family doesn't camp after some unfortunate experiences...

we went to the washington coast and it was pretty foggy and chilly but it was still fun. the above picture is actually from La Push, WA, we went to forks and la push on our way home from greyland. we saw forks high school and some other fun Twilight places.

this weekend we went to woodlyn park zoo in seattle, it was about 90 degrees and i literally melted (note it will be around that hot the rest of the week...darnit i like the sun but not that kind of heat) on our way home from the zoo we ate at the Rock Woodfire Pizza restaurant...SO GOOD if you're ever in lynwood you should definitely look them up we talked to the guy about opening one in bellingham, we are that cool.

tomorrow my brothers, my dad and i are going to orcas island in the san juans to scooter around the island.

hopefully it will be a little cooler there with it being by the water. maybe. so that's why i haven't posted much this month...too much good stuff going on. next month will probably be pretty busy too so don't expect too much :) .

Summer Theme{s}

it's SUMMER! i'm pretty excited. i plan on spending quite a few hours doing these things:
consuming lots of lemonade flavored drinks...so good. i don't care what form it takes. there's just something so refreshing about lemonade.

listening to books on CD, this one i just read but i want to listen to it too. it's only 20 discs...i have lots of books on tape lined up and i'll read them here:

sitting on the Adirondack chairs on the deck (note, this deck is not mine). OR the hammock (not pictured)
the reason i want books on tape is so i can put them on my ipod and do this:
while listening to them. my birthday is in 14 days and this is what i would like. i probably will have to buy it with my own money, certain people don't want to buy it for me. booo. it's pretty legit. all it needs is a basket. anyways this summer is pretty full so i'm excited.

Where I was...

...when Michael Jackson died. Oh YES i did. i just have to say this one thing. michael jackson was a little bit of a creep-o his last few years of life, for sure, BUT...he was an amazing performer and i love (almost) all of his songs. i'm a little sad, but i'm not freaking out like others. wondering how i am going to go on with life, like a little piece of me died...not true. i'm sad that the king of pop died but my life goes on. i found out he died yesterday via text message just as i was making some homemade salsa verde enchiladas. (they were pretty darn good).

ok so switch topics, salsa verde enchiladas are pretty life changing. i didn't use any of that canned junk they try to sell as salsa verde, my neighbor taught me how to make my own. like from scratch. with lots of tamitios. it's AMAZING. even cold it's good. i made enough for 20 enchiladas, 2 full pans with enough for leftovers. i put one pan in the freezer to bake on a day nobody wants to cook. if you'd like some life changing enchiladas feel free to come over. (notice: i call them life changing since the only ones i have ever had are dry, red sauced and gross).

p.s. if you need some entertainment today check out these links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj-x9ygQEGA

"emo kid is is throwing a dove at my face, i guess that means that he flipped me the bird..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMlA8nQ0bXc&feature=related

"i'm a spelunker, and i am in a cave..."

SERIOUSLY RUN DON'T WALK AND WATCH THOSE LINKS. let me know what you think. i think they are hilarious.

Hair Flowers

i've been so busy lately. i just started a new job, job number 3, so i haven't really had time to post anything on this here blog. however, in the last couple days when i do have some free time i have been making some hair accessories for my photography. my neighbor also thinks i should sell them at a local craft fair but i'm not sure i'm sold. everything has to be $3 and under so we'll see.
i cover the alligator clips with ribbon to make it look a little nicer and to be softer on the soft baby heads:
here is the out-of-control flower mess:i am doing good and keeping it all in the box when i'm not using it FYI.
some completed flower clippies:

here are some cute crocheted headbands that you can put the clippies on. they are interchangeable. i love seeing these headbands with a HUGE flower on a little baby. seriously

and these crocheted hats...AMAZING. i love them. they too are interchangeable. i think i might weave some ribbon through the bottom part. these are newborn sizes but i think i'll go ahead and order several bigger sizes too.

and some more completed clippies.

tomorrow i will be buying a large amount of tulle to make a few newborn/toddler tutus. i am a little obsessed with photography props especially when i can do a craft to make them!

and last but not least my friend abby had a baby last friday...unfortunately i won't be able to practice any of my new hats or anything b/c she had a boy. his name is daniel and he is CUTE. they discovered a hole in his little lungs so he was in an incubator this weekend but today when i visited he was still in the nursery but in a crib with a heart monitor. hopefully they get to go home tomorrow!

Back...been back for awhile

i was in disneyland earlier this month. i've been home for some time but haven't posted anything b/c i'm really busy. i'm posting real quick between dropping the kids i'm babysitting off at school and visiting teaching and turning in an application for a new job. if that makes sense. here are some pictures from disneyland. i had a post planned out to write what i did on the days but decided that's really boring so i'll just put a couple pics up.
at one of the hat stores. i ended up getting some pirate mickey ears-they have a pink bandana and skulls on the ears. they're pretty legit. too bad i can't wear them anywhere else.

the QUEEN. talk about wench bag. she almost ran me over. jasmin ended up getting her signature but she never stopped walking or frowning. we had to chase her.

ROB C FROM SURVIVOR AMAZON AND ALL STARS! he was standing 2 feet from me and i didn't get his signature...i'm such an idiot!!!!!!! he's my favorite survivor EVER.
this was in california adventure...screamin' california. not scary even though it goes upside down and all around. we had our hands up the whole time. we're cool. i love how they guy is the only one holding on. haha
i loved these cars. besides sully from monsters inc. these were my favorite "characters" from pixar at C.Adventures.

ok there may be more later but i have to get stuff ready for the day. so bye.

DisneyLAND

tomorrow morning at oh eight hundred thirty i will be on my way to DISNEYLAND! (please note that time measurement might be written wrong 8:30 is what i mean). I am going with my aunt and her three kids, i'm not excited AT ALL... don't let my running and jumping around the house singing Disneyland over and over again fool you. i made up a song to count down the days, and now i have to revise said song to document the HOURS...that's right...hours. I will be gone until next thursday at which time i will madly scramble to try to put together a baby shower for that weekend, yay me!
ANYWAYS i won't be on here for that time. don't be too sad... i have a few plans for a little idea i had. i am going to make a What Not to Wear Disneyland slide show. i'm going to coach my cousins and aunt to stand so it looks like i'm taking their picture but i'll really be taking undercover bad outfit pictures. i'll have to make up a word to say to them so they know when to pose...like pineapple or chap stick. i might just be included in some of these photos, just a warning. i'm going for comfort and cool--just like most of the people i might be taking pictures of. so i still have several things i have to pack and get ready for my absence, i'm realizing i have to prepare everyone else for me going away more than getting myself ready.

here's a picture just so this post isn't TOO boring. my pretty organized suitcase.

alright i have to finish things up so i'll be done know. i'll think of you when i'm having lunch with the princesses, eating at the fancy pirates of the Caribbean ride/restaurant and spinning endlessly on the teacups.

Slouchy Hats

for the last two months i have been wanting a slouchy hat. those ones that everyone wears when they are having a bad hair day. but i couldn't justify spending $20 on a hat i didn't know if i would even wear (not so much a hat person). i had searched raverly high and low for the perfect slouchy hat to make with my new 100% alpaca yarn (AMAZING BTW usually costs $18per skein but i have connections and got it for $6). after trying to make 4 different versions i finally found the pattern i wanted to make from google (i can't find the link now so that's great).
then i couldn't find the right needles so we searched literally high and low for the huge set i got my mom and found them after an hour. i went to the deck and started. i had the hat finished later that evening. size 13 needles are pretty amazing.
here is the so soft alpaca yarn. i only wish they came in more unnatural colors...if that makes sense.

the next day i decided i needed a green hat b/c i LOVE green. so i made it yesterday. i made a few changes from the original pattern to make it a little slouchy-er. and not so pointy on the top.

here's a bad picture of part of the backside. i love them. i don't think i look good in hats still but i love that it hides my gross-in a bad need of a haircut hair.
oh and here are some cupcakes i made for a baby shower a few weeks ago. they came out a little dry i guess that's what happens when i don't follow the recipe and over bake them b/c my hands are covered in pink chocolate and can't get them out of the oven. my life would do that.

i made some white buttermilk cupcakes (not so sure buttermilk is my favorite FYI- VERY dense) and a big batch of cream cheese frosting that i tinted an ivory color. then i melted some pink chocolate and piped it onto parchment paper in binky shapes. then i melted regular chocolate and piped curly hair (which turned out terrible, they all kept breaking!!). after the binkies were set, i piped a tiny bit more pink chocolate onto the smooth side and stuck a white lifesaver to it. then just pipe some chocolate eyes and a little frosting nose. thank goodness people in this world can come up with things like this to make my life easier.

Scrapbooking Stuff

When i made this blog, the intention was to post scrapbooking and crafty things, however this blog has turned into something completely different-mostly just random stuff i feel like posting. today however i really will post a scrapbook page and a card.

yesterday my neighbor and i were downstairs scrapbooking and i made this page for ty's Fight the Shun scrapbook. for those who don't know, fight the shun is the band he is in. i plan on making a whole scrapbook but i'm really a slow scrapbooker so i might just do 4 pages and call it good.



the picture is one from our recent photo shoot. their favorite picture since it says good music on the wall. i cut an old record i found at the salvation army for 70 cents, using a scroll saw (not sure if that's it's main purpose but it worked). i got a little worried when pieces started flying off at my face. you might notice the bottom of the album is kinda broken in a weird way.

anyways onto the cards. my friend is having a baby in about 2 months and so, her sister claudia, our friend chrey and i are throwing her a baby shower. i put myself in charge of invites. after a few weeks of putting it off i finally came up with an idea a few days ago. i bought paper at joannes when it was 5 for $1 but i didn't have a design in mind so i didn't end up having enough paper so these are just variations of the same card.

where you see the ribbon behind the scallop, there is a pocket for the invitation to be stuffed. i just have to print them out and cut them to the right size. they took a LONG while but i'm finished with the card part at least.

so there you go, an actual scrapbooking post. yahooo!

Make Your Own "Beads"

i found some old "beads" i made several years ago and wanted to show you. I think they are pretty cool, they may be completely stupid but i don't care. here are the first ones i ever made:
i want to make them into earrings. they are made out of magazines. we have a plethora of old magazines so i have lots of options, here's what you do

pick a pattern you like, remember not much of it will actually show.

make sure you have toothpicks, siccors, gluestick, and clear fingernail polish.

cut your patterned magazine into strips depending on how wide you want it to be

trim off the extra sides. flip it over and slather it with glue.

wrap it tightly around your toothpick. the longer the piece of paper, the thicker the "bead" will be.

after it's wraped around paint the whole thing with the clear fingernail polish.

stick it somewhere to dry completly. then slide it off the toothpick and do whatever with it.

i don't know if this is weird, probably, but i think they look kinda cool. you can cut your paper on an angle to get a different look. i don't have everything to make them into earrings but maybe soon and i'll post pictures.

Photography Props

I didn't know which blog to post this on, my photography blog or this one. i decided to do it here since i use this one more. lately i've been all about the photography props. i love all sorts of stuff, baskets, rugs, blankets, pillows, chairs, sticks, old gas pumps, old suitcases tables, etc....some people may not understand some of the ideas in my head for my pictures but i have ideas that seem silly to others but they trust me and go with it, and usually love it. ANYWAYS the past few weeks/months i've been collecting props (mostly for babies/toddlers). i've spent some money but i try to get things on clearance/sale or from value village. on all the props on here today i spent between $150-200. i figure it's a good investment. ok on to the pictures (which ironicly are terrible)
this little jewel was found at value village, it was $3. i almost didn't get it then i did and i'm so happy. i sanded it and spraypainted it.

i actually don't know if this will work it's a potting basket i found in the garage. it's a little flexible so we'll see.
this chair came from the goodwill, it was $20. i'm planning on getting it upholstered soon but i have a disneyland trip coming up so i'll wait :)

i got this blanket from pier one on clearance for like 8 dollars. and i knitted that baby cocoon with yarn we already had. i plan on crocheting a chunky one soon...maybe
PILLOWS! i have other covers too from ikea. the two small ones were just a few dollars at ikea canada and the big blue one was from TJ Maxx for $7. it was leftover from when linens and things closed...a $40 pillow!
i love this green stool also from ikea. i believe it was $7ish.

ok long one, i got the black fabric underneath everything for $4 from walmart. there is that white fabric on the left corner, it's heavy-duty duck cloth that i got for $17...40% off. then the fuzzy white fabric was also 40% off and cost $7ish

now this little guy is really larger than it looks. i don't know if i'll keep it though. it was $24 at walmart in the garden section. it's a flower pot. maybe it would be good for newborns with a pillow/blanket on the inside.

mmmm baskets, this was 40% off at joannes and i LOVE the color. i think it works for boys or girls.

ok i love this one too. also 40% off from joannes. i can just picture a newborn laying in this (with a blanket of course) on top of a cool dresser or something.

this was a little pricer, i got it from TJ Maxx for $50. but i couldn't help it. i walked away from it, then kept going back to look at it more. i think i'll like it lots.

and last but not least, my new backdrop holder thing. i made it all for under $15 from PVC pipe. i was going to buy one online but they are around $500 each so i figure this will work until i make the big time (ha)...it's really tall like 6 ft 6 in. and i have big heavy duty clips to hold the fabric up. when i cut the pipe, i did it so it can be only 3 ft high if i want/need it to be. i made it all by myself i even figured out the scroll saw. now i'm just going to spray paint it black. it's why i bought that fabric. i'm also going to get other patterned fabric/shower curtains for backgrounds. anyways if you made it through all of that...well probably nobody did. i can't even make it through....