Mes Petites Creations

Happy New Year!!!

2011-12-31T20:28:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year all!

{image source: Southwest Institute of Healing Arts}

Flowers and Stamping!

2011-12-29T15:01:00.000-08:00

I went to Michael's today and got some really cute things all for $3 and under! I love shopping the sale bins there for little supplies and today I got a really nice stamping kit with little Christmas stamps from Recollections for just $2.99! A real bargain. I also got some paper flower packets for $1 each and a couple of ink pads. Check them out:

Holiday Stamp set from Recollections;
includes 16 stamps, 2 ink pads in red &
green and 2 small glitter pens in same colors.

...

Paper flowers in orange, red, purple and sky blue
from Studio G.

...

2 lovely sets of note cards (8 in each packet)
and 2 ink pads in brick red and olive green.

On a side note... I doodled a little on some scrap pieces of paper I had lying around. I haven't decided how to use them yet but I shall soon. Here's a small preview:

Flowers, butterflies and glass beads and baubles...

Enjoy!

Monday Musings: First Freebie EVER!!!

2011-12-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

OK, so leading up to and even right after Christmas I'd been re-organizing all my paper crafting goods and realized that I have a lack of scrap-booking/card making papers in Spanish. In fact, I have none. Everything I have bought and seen is always in English and then it occurred to me that I can make my own. This is a first try, mind you, and not at ALL professional but if you are wanting some word embellishments to print out and use I am more than happy to share my little creation. It is a friendship sheet of words, meant to be printed out as an 8 x 8 (could be as small as 4 x 4 but I think the bigger size is better). So, without further ado, here it is:

If you want to print the page, just right click the image and print or save it to your
computer for later use. Enjoy and please remember to link back to this blog if you
decide to share this on your blog. It is FREE for PERSONAL USE ONLY.
Please respect my copyright and do not sell my work. Thanks and ENJOY!

I hope you enjoy this little tid-bit! If you can't download the original size then click here. I hope that if you do use this you will post a link in the comments so we can all go and see what you've done with it!

Cheers!

What I'd like for Christmas...

2011-12-23T18:30:00.000-08:00

1. Bone folder from Paper Source, 2. Awl from Paper Source, 3. Christmas Tape
from Paper Source, 4. Envelope Templates from Paper Source, 5. Paper Flowers
from Michaels, 6. Martha Stewart Butterfly Paper Punch from Michaels, and
7. Pia Jane Bijkerk's My Heart Wanders.

What would you like for Christmas? Sending you warm and fond Christmas greetings from me to you!

Cheers!

Little details...

2011-12-06T07:04:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to share with you the finishing touches on my paper clip package for my pen pal. Details really do mean something when creating a gift and the presentation of these clips was something I mulled over until finally coming up with the following:

What do you all think? I hope she will like it! I can't wait to keep making more lovely little things for friends and family!

Happy Tuesday!

Monday Musings: It's been too long...

2011-12-05T17:47:00.001-08:00

My computer died on me about a week ago and I have yet to figure out what is wrong with it. In the meantime, my wonderful parents have been so kind as to let me use their computer to check e-mail and the like. I've had a few little side-projects going on. Besides working in retail at present and learning Russian I have been trying to find ways to get creative with my gift-giving. As many of you know, I am involved in pen palling, and always look for creative little gifts to give my pals (you can check my blog about pen palling out as well if you like by clicking here).

Anyhow, back to my topic, I have a wonderful pen pal here in the US who is really into all things paper (as am I) and I'm compiling a few little trinkets for her and decided to include some paper clips for keeping little papers or scraps together. This is what I came up with:

Aren't they fantastic? I have beyond way too many paper clips which I rarely use and the gems were part of a belt I'd saved to use in some crafty idea some day so...what a better way to add bling to your paper accessories than with some flashy paper clips? I've seen them made with buttons which I also love but I thought it appropriate for this friend to fashion them with pretty girly-colored gems. Here is one more shot of them before I go!

Pretty, right? I thought so!

Cheers!

For the Do It Yourself Crowd (I'm part of you too!)...

2011-10-08T14:32:00.000-07:00

I am in love with doing things myself. It's why I love Pinterest, why I love blogs, why I love in short looking at an object that someone else deems as trash and knowing that I can do something with it. It's what has helped me turn formula cans and vegetable cans into beautiful pen/pencil holders, what has inspired me to make bookmarks out of discarded card stock, and many other crafts. Anything do it yourself is always fine by me.

So when I discovered Mollie Makes magazine which is full of great crafts, diy's, and more I was hooked! Plus, each issue comes with a little craft kit for your enjoyment. I've only been able to get issues 1 and 5 here in the States (the magazine is from the UK) but am trying to track down 2-4 and then hoping that next week issue 6 will be in the stand at Barnes and Noble which is where I have gotten the other two issues. I am so super eager for issue 6 to be here in the US (it has already come out in the UK).


My two kits I've acquire and have yet to put together and of course, Issue 5.

I happened upon Mollie Makes on Facebook while browsing other pages. Somehow I ended up there and fell in love and while on a trip to Barnes and Noble looking for crafting magazines there it was! The first issue and I was hooked! I love it and want more of it! I think what I liked most about it is that it resembled greatly my other favorite crafting magazine Adorn (of which I was only ever able to purchase one copy) which had tons and I mean TONS of great do-it-yourself projects and showcased some awesome crafting books. Mollie Makes does all this and so much more!

Issue #1 of Mollie Makes and Adorn Magazine Issue Spring 2007.

I miss Adorn but know that there are some copies still available online, hopefully soon I can get a few to make a complete collection. Someday...anyway I just wanted to share Mollie Makes with you all because I love it so much! Any other crafty mags you all read? I'd love to know if you can recommend any!

Cheers!

My crafting wish list...

2011-10-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

I love, love, LOVE crafting and every now and then I like to do some virtual window shopping on Etsy and the like for ideas on craft supplies I'd like to acquire. Here's my latest "wish list"...

I was already imagining the things I'd make with these....sigh!
Charming set of wooden vintage thread spools by vintagescrapshop.

...

I love this kit! The natural colors, the possibilities,
everything about it really! Gorgeous hue!
Vintage sewing kit, 30 cream buttons and thread
by gretaloves.

...

I'm anxious to start sewing! If only my machine were not in
Caracas! I love this little set, same natural hues as above a
perfect complementing set, don't you think? Sigh.... lovely!
Vintage sewing kit custard coffee and cream by gretaloves.

...

Just a rare and obscure book for my rare collection.
Piccolo mondo antico, rare 50's vintage book by
gretaloves.

...

I'm obsessed with buttons lately and these make me
feel girly and happy inside! Aren't they just pretty?
Pale pink vintage buttons and supplies, 14 pcs. by
gretaloves.

...

So many amazing crafts come to mind when looking at these...I can think of
various uses...can you? Vintage set of round wooden clothes pins, altered art
by MyraMelinda.

...

OMG! I think I've died and gone to paper heaven!
Jumbo vintage ephemera pack, altered art, scrap-booking
by MyraMelinda.

...

I just think this is so cool and would add so much character to my crafting
station (a.k.a. my desk)! Vintage justrite metal pricing stamp by MyraMelinda.

...and lastly...

A little bit of lace goes a long way when packaging a little gift bundle....
Itty Bitty Vintage Lace Goodie Bags by vintagescrapshop.

Cheers!

Nadia

Monday Musings: Well, it's really Tuesday...Technically...

2011-10-03T22:36:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is technically Tuesday but in some parts of the States it is still Monday so there! I've been thinking about life and where I want to be in it. So much is going on these days, people are starting to think differently, a need for change is in the air. I want to live simply and that seems to be a theme that permeates the world economic and political atmosphere these days. It is also part of the theme for My 365 Magazine's latest issue as well: Simplicity...it's just there for us to embrace.

So, in light of that, I have curated this list alluding to simpler times and simpler pleasures...

Who wouldn't want to plant their own garden and eat from it?
Organic Seeds Three Pack from cubits on Etsy.

...

Wood has always struck my fancy and this cutting board made from reclaimed
wood by PegandAwl on Etsy is no exception to that rule--get rid of that plastic!

...

Don't look at the price, just look at the table. Also from PegandAwl on Etsy.
Gorgeous, isn't it? Kitchen table Maurice de Sully Puzzle table, reclaimed.

...

I just adore the rustic earthy feel of this bowl. Verdigris organic carved bowl
by Tierra Sky on Etsy.

...

Love is in my heart and on my mind a lot more these days.
Red Heart Barn Wood Sign with barbed wire Oh My by
TheLonelyHeart on Etsy.

...

This personalized ribbon can be used for so many beautiful crafts and decor
ideas. Also from TheLonelyHeart on Etsy.

...

Too cute for words! I love owls and this pair is a real hoot!
(I could not resist it, so sorry for being so corny)
Owl Salt & Pepper Shakers Etched Glass by BeedazzledDesigns
on Etsy.

...

Someday my bathroom will have something like these in it, crochet scrub
scrubbies by CocoaBeans on Etsy.

...

In my opinion, you can't go wrong with vintage!
Vintage teak mod wooden bowls, set of three by kitschcafe on Etsy.

...

There's just something about this orange chair...
Foxy Orange Herman Miller Chair by oldnewhouse on Etsy.

...

Someday I'll be able to afford one...for now I will enjoy the image on my blog.
1948 Vintage JR Bauman Dress Form, cast iron base by oldnewhouse on Etsy.

...

I love Mason Jars...
3 Kerr Self-sealing mason jars by oldnewhouse on Etsy.

and last but not least...

I just love this little guy! Vintage Crewel Owl by junkytownvintage on Etsy.

Hope you enjoy this list and come back to check out more!

Cheers!

Weekend Special: Dreaming...

2011-09-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I peruse Etsy and other sites and find stuff I REALLY would like to have. So, here is a picture list of things I'd love to have...

New York City Urban Pillow Style no 3 Pillow by NestaHome

...

I am obsessed with all things vintage and this awesome 1970's brown rotary
phone from calloohcallay is no exception! I love it!

...

Vintage Camera Argus C3 with Flash Case by calloohcallay... as if I would
pass over this!

...

I adore these vintage Pyrex bowls!

...

I've always loved the little blue Corning Wear flowers... I want this pie plate.

...

I've been toying with the idea of collecting vintage books for my kids to read ,
that is for when I have children.

...

These would be good to have too!

...

I kind of want this one for myself...I love Thackeray!

Can you tell I love vintage? Here come the crafting goodies!!!

I just adore lace...

...

Vintage Burgundy Red Braid Trim, 3 Plus Yards...to die for!

...

Vintage Wide Red and Blue Embroidered Woven Trim...I love vintage trim!

...

Unbelievably gorgeous Golden Flower Vintage Button Bracelet (I would
remove the buttons to use in other crafts---they're awesome!)....

I am in love with each of these items! Let's see how long they last in Etsy to see if I can get any! Have a fantastic start to your week everyone!

Cheers!

Monday Musings: Ephemera Your Heart Out!

2011-09-12T17:04:00.000-07:00

I have been enjoying immensely the time I spend working on my art journal. Some days I am more inspired than others but all in all, it is nice to be able to work on something that brings a smile to one's face at the end of the day. Since I've been working on this journal I've tried to incorporate different types of ephemera into it including by making my own out of paper scraps. Thus came into being the following "paisley-esque" forms I made for using in my journal:

These are the paislies I worked on....

Also, just writing out words for use in scrap-booking or journaling can be helpful. You can write them however you choose, on any paper you want, etc. Here are some of my scraps of white paper and what I did with them:

More paisley and some words to live by...

There are a million possibilities but those are just a few of the things you can do to create ephemera. I collect everything that seems to be re-usable and give it new life! Here is how I used these different forms of ephemera I created.

I used the words in this art journal entry...

and this....

In this case I drew some hearts on remaining white paper bits
also a flower and a couple of words...

and lastly...

Too much fun really!

All it takes is a little time and creativity! I can't wait to create some more!

Cheers!

Monday Musings: Working on....

2011-09-05T12:50:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty incognito lately, I know! I've been busy as a bee with my 365 Day Project of photos and art journaling and have neglected to post anything here or at any of my other blogs lately. So, I wanted to just share a little of what I've been doing so that you all could enjoy it as well!

My 365 challenge is photographic and is pretty much about my 30th year of life (that is the theme, I started it on my 30th birthday---August 12th for those who did not know). So far it seems my 30th year is all about art! I need to get out more!

My art journaling is really what I am enjoying most these days and my entry yesterday is by far one of my favorites:

I continue to learn daily through reading other blogs and am inspired by my friends constantly. My surroundings are an inspiration sometimes although I really wish I lived somewhere more interesting. Hopefully soon I will be able to share a little more interesting stuff with you all now that September is come and autumn festivities seem to always breed more fun!

Hope you're having a wonderful Labor Day (those of you in the States, that is--everyone else I still wish you an excellent day)!

Cheers!

Card-making...

2011-08-11T12:53:00.000-07:00

For me it is therapeutic to make cards. I just love gathering all the pieces and materials for making them. Beautiful and intricate, or elegant and simple; making cards is a form of expression so personal and endearing to the recipient that the maker derives a gratifying satisfaction from the knowledge the his/her creation will be loved and well received. Here is my very own latest creation:

The design is simple and easy enough and I used some paper scraps I had on hand to come up with the concept. The first thing I did was raid my little box of keepsakes from pen pals to find the flower I was going to make.

Box where I keep little trinkets sent to me by my wonderful pen pals...

Once I'd found it I traced it onto an index card to make a template and not ruin my little bit of paper joy...

Original and template from index card...

I used the template to make my large orange flower and also to trace flower "silhouettes" onto my linen card for added effect. The silver "ribbon" is a paper band that came from some stationery I'd exhausted; just measured it, cut it to length and pasted it right onto the card. The center of the flower was made from some scraps of scrap-booking paper I had and I just dotted it with various colors to give it that effect.

Template and scraps of paper used...

Pens, markers and some creativity aided in the end result...

Ready to be sent out...

I wrote the message by hand and drew the smaller flowers by making series of dots...

The little details make all the difference...

Isn't it darling? I need to make some more fun ones! Enjoy!

Focus is on the flower...

♦Fantastic Fridays: Painting...♦

2011-07-29T11:46:00.000-07:00

Oh the joys of creating something yourself. Earlier this week I painted a small 6"x 6" canvas and found it to be therapeutic.

My little painting, acrylic on canvas, first I've ever done...

Yesterday I got a pack of 25 different brushes at Big Lots for four dollars and today I bought some sponges, painters tape and clothes pins for various art projects I want to do. They are not "professional" supplies but I have found that there are many things that one can use to create beautiful works of art. Tomorrow I will work on another painting I want to do using shapes and textures. It should be interesting.

I am by no means a professional and am just experimenting with art. I've decided to start and art journal on my 30th birthday which I am really excited about as I think it will really help my creativity. I've been gathering my supplies and even think I am going to actually make the journal I want to use myself. So, I'll be posting more about that soon!

I checked out a few sites for inspiration and found the following:

daisy yellow, a great source for learning about art journaling

journal girl, a fantastic blog of inspiration

Hanna Andersson, her blog is full of beautiful art

Enjoy!

POST #105: Another little project...

2011-07-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

Making cards from my own photos...

I cannot believe that this is my 105th post to date! I know that I've been a little sporadic lately but I am hoping to get up to my old speed again. I've been learning a lot more about blogging and will be slowly incorporating all the things I learn in here. My photos are looking crisper and better and the style is becoming my own. I am happy to share with you all what I am doing and I promise that soon there will be a proper tutorial in the works.

I've been working on some projects using my photography, sparked in part by the fact that I would like to know what I can make at home with my photos (I have so many gorgeous shots that I want to share with the world) and in part by the fact that I have been pen-palling a lot lately. So, doing a little research here and using the programs I already have on my computer + my excellent ingenuity skills I have created some cards using my photos and printing them right at home on card stock. The ones in the photos are my prototypes but aren't they lovely?

I have finally also found a use for my binder clips...

The cards in the picture show two distinct shots I took in 2009 and 2010. The one on the right is an autumnal shot called "Autumnal Reverie" which I have on display in a few websites and shot in Princeton, NJ in Fall of 2009. The one on the left is a row of townhouses on Bank St. in the West Village in Manhattan which I shot in January 2010 on a weekend visit. They are both two of my favorite places and I hope to print more cards out soon!

I love to work with the things I have on hand...

Today I printed out a few more cards from a small shoot I did in Princeton that same previously mentioned autumn. I have enough shots of the university and the surrounding area to have an entire collection of prints on cards. I'll be bringing you more photos soon of some more of this wonderful creations of mine. Hope you've enjoyed them!

Thanks for stopping by!

Monday Musings: Floridian nights...

2011-06-27T21:28:00.000-07:00

As I sit here listening to some old school pop music from when I was fresh out of high school and well into the end of my first year of university I wonder why at night my mind tends to wander through the events of the day, the news I've heard or read and my own thoughts of what we are currently living globally.

I don't think we all realize how interdependent on each other we are nowadays. I think that the gravity of these hard economic times we are facing, the mounting global pressures we face are very greatly misrepresented in the media and while everyone wonders about what Bernanke said or what Obama didn't say or do, no one bothers to ask the populace what they think of what is going on, how they've had to change the way they live, what new hardships they're facing---in short, we are all in kind of a daze and that is worrisome.

Sometimes I find myself wishing I were back in the mid 1990s when I was in high school and life wasn't so hard. I wonder if the choices I made would have been different if I had set my aims toward something different, instead of desperately wanting to become an actress I had desired to go into law or medicine...I'm sure that even then the outcome would have been the same.

Now more than ever we all need to pull together in solidarity with our fellow man and help each other as best we can.

Until tomorrow...

Hand-cut gift tags...

2011-06-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

Yet another work in progress of mine of late has been to make hand-cut gift tags from scraps of scrapbook paper big enough for the small gift-tag template I have (which, consequently, is a reused garment tag which came with something I bought a while back--can't recall what exactly it was but it served a great purpose to me).

I have an enormous amount of beautiful papers to use and thought, why not make gift tags? They're elegant and very romantic in their aspect and quite a crafty endeavor so, here they are:

My first hand-cut tags...

I have since hand-cut a few more tags and am now in the process of seeking out a smaller hand held hole-punch than the one I currently have in my possession to cut the small holes atop and add the thread I want to use for each tag to complete each set.

Hand-cut tags kept in a little pink and brown "carry-out" box which originally
had some delightful caramels in it...another reuse project, if you will.

I just love being able to use every bit of left over paper I possibly can....

Nestled away in their little box, upright and beautiful...a touch of girly pleasure...

Spectacular, aren't they?

Lovingly chosen and hand-cut...

I hope you've enjoyed reading this post as much as I have enjoyed writing it....until next time!

Cheers!

Bookmark Adventure and stationery pleasures...

2011-06-23T16:21:00.000-07:00

There is a beautiful blue sky which I've been able to see from my bedroom window every day this week, consequently I've not been able to enjoy that same blue sky outdoors much because the heat is just completely unbearable. Being that I've stayed in doors a great deal then I've taken to crafting to pass the time rather than sulking at the fact that I might wilt should I attempt to be outdoors more than a few minutes (my poor herb plants were suffering that very same fate today and they are now in the coolness of my room by my window enjoying the sun but safe from the heat).

Inspired in part by reading Jane Eyre and by watching through Emma, Sense and Sensibility and tonight's Mansfield Park with my parents my crafts have been focused on representing that era somewhat. A couple of weekends ago I saw some really nifty mixed media collaged bookmarks and had the idea that I might make my own bookmarks as well so I did! Here is my first one:

My prototype which I am keeping for myself...
I cannot part with it...sigh!

Also, inspired by all the penpalling I've been doing lately I have printed my own postcards and stationery and there really is nothing more satisfying. Almost two years ago when the BBC broadcast their 2009 version of Emma I played around with some screenshots from the movie and edited them with photoshop. Yesterday I added one of those images and a couple of other stock images to some stationery *for personal use only* and love the way they came out. I think I may buy less stationery and make more of my own...

Jane Austen stationery and Oriental Lily postcards printed by me with my Epson.
the photo on the postcards is my very own from a trip to Venezuela last year.

And lastly, here are the next two bookmarks I have been working on today:

Mixed-media bookmarks in their first stage...
my previous bookmark was covered in scrapbooking paper.

To see more pictures of the progress of my original bookmark you can go to the blog's facebook page and click on the album titled Bookmark Adventure. I can't wait to share some more of the progress with you all!

Cheers!

Back in the game!

2011-06-02T07:02:00.000-07:00

Hello again friends! It's been a long while! I've been working on many projects lately and having moved about a month ago I now finally have a chance to begin sharing more with you. Let me tell you a little bit about what I've been up to lately. I've re-vamped one of my other blogs and refocused it specifically to topics on photography (LatiNadia), I've started two food blogs--one is a recipe blog in Spanish (El Recetario de Nadia), the other is a food diary (Food: A passionate journey), I've been penpalling like crazy and am loving it, and other than that I've been organizing and decorating my room here in Florida (yes, I am back in Florida--go figure!), doing some food-tography, cooking and expanding my creative juices. Here is a photo of what is currently on my desk:

1. Letters I received a couple of days ago to which I need to respond, 2. Home Spa book I bought recently at Tuesday morning, 3. Vintage Art Postcards I acquired some years ago from my Grandfather's collection, 4. Current project: Re-writing recipes on index cards to place in my Mom's box.

Hopefully in these next few days I can bring you a little more on crafting and green living. Have you all checked out My 365 Magazine yet? Please do! Issue number 2 will be out in July! Stay tuned for more updates.
Cheers!

Just a quick post...

2011-05-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that My 365 Magazine is now live! Check it out, join the Coffee House club and let us know what you think!

Settling into life back in FL so I will post again soon!

Cheers,

Nadia

Monday Musings: BIG NEWS-- New Magazine, check it out!

2011-04-04T20:41:00.000-07:00

Friends have I got news for you! I've mentioned my friend Kiki many times on here before, well she and another friend and I have embarked on the project of a lifetime! We are launching a new magazine called My 365 Magazine. The premier issue will come out in May but we still need contributors and advertisers. Please check out the webpage and also our facebook page.

Please take a look at the information below and check out the mock up of what the magazine will look like on the webpage:

I cannot wait to see how many of you want to contribute and advertise! We really need more advertisers, I cannot emphasize this enough! Thanks for all of your support and look forward to hearing from everyone!

Cheers,

Nadia Marie

My 365 Magazine

Media Mogul

http://www.my365mag.com

Tuesday Tutorials: 100th Post!!! Whoopie!

2011-03-22T23:16:00.000-07:00

It's my 100th post! So excited! I wanted to share with you an idea that works great for party favors or a fun birthday gift and is quick and easy to do! I always like to have hard candies on hand for sucking on if need be and was trying to find a place to put mine and it dawned on me that I had this empty plastic Starbucks cup sitting on my window ledge and I thought, maybe I can use that. While out shopping on Saturday I wandered into a candy shoppe and lo and behold the idea I had had already been taken so I just had to buy one of these gorgeous cups!

Here they are for you to see:

The one on the left is from Bruttles Gourmet Candies and Treats & the one
on the far right is my Starbucks cup I decided to reuse. The tray is also from
Starbucks.

Taffy in the Bruttles cup and Jolly Ranchers in the Starbucks one.

So, this project is a reuse/recycle one. I took my Starbucks cup and washed it well with dish soap (the straw too), rinsed it and dried it completely. Once it was clean I just filled it with the candies as shown and voila! Instant gift or party favor! The tray was from my brother's last trip to Starbucks and I snatched it up thinking I might be able to use it. I think if you have some or even save a few they would make a great way of displaying party favors and people can take them off the trays as they leave and you will have them to use again for another function. So, it's quick, easy and affordable! Hope to see you all create some with your favorite candies!

Cheers!

Monday Musings: Weekend Shopping Trip and more...

2011-03-21T21:03:00.000-07:00

I love shopping and this past weekend I got a few things that were right up my alley...

Bird Cage w/hooks from Atticus, Candies from Bruttles Gourmet Treats,
Stationary from Atticus, The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway,
and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

Close up of candies and books (books I bought at Auntie's Bookstore)

More of the candies with stationary...

Flowers from Bloem- Chocolates, Flowers & Paperie
Hanging Mason Jar from the Pottery Barn

London Notebook by Cavallini from the Pottery Barn
Hardcover Journal with my original photo printed at
Snapfish.

4 lotions from Bath & Body Works
A real bargain for $22.50 plus a bag!

Eiffel Tower eraser from the Pottery Barn
(I also saw this in sortingwithstyle.com)

Now my next task is to place all my newly found items in their proper place!

Cheers!

Monday Musings: Lifestyles of the chic and fabulous...

2011-02-22T00:12:00.000-08:00

I am in love...♥! In love with some pretty fabulous publications which are online these days. New web-based magazines are springing up every day and among them are great lifestyle ones which just happen to be both chic and fabulous. Thanks to my brilliant friend Kiki of Kiki Nakita and Kiki Nakita Lifestyle Design, I am now a very big fan of Matchbook Magazine. This magazine is a dream come true for lovers of fine and simple things --it makes me dream of macaroons and lace tea towels, it's elegant and spectacular all at once. Katie Armour and Jane Lilly Warren are the founders of this fantastic magazine and I cannot wait to see what else they bring our way. Some of my favorite things from this premiere issue:

Ideal Bookshelf 97 IS print by janemount on Etsy

pg. 14 on Matchbook....

this Strand mug...only because Strand is the best used bookstore in all

of NYC and a place that I spent a lot of time in since childhood thanks to

my father's love of bookstores, particularly used ones... (pg. 14)

Pages 34 and 35 about Princess Margaret struck my fancy as well. There are some really great articles and though I have not read through the entire magazine yet (I'm taking my time to savor the publication), I can tell that each article is well thought out and beautifully written. As I said earlier, I am in love...this is total soul liberation and major eye candy for the lover of all things dreamy.

Matchbook's tumblr is even delectable. After looking at it I really want to read Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger and have a living room to decorate in Rita Konig style...sigh!

So, check out Matchbook and while you're at it, here are a couple more mags I think you'd enjoy:

Lonny Magazine is a publication whose mission is to, in their own words, "reopen the doors of accessible design."

Adore Home magazine is also a must read for you design lovers...

Cheers!

Conscious Shopping Wednesday: Homes and Exteriors

2011-02-16T17:53:00.000-08:00

photo of events at the Arts School of Venezuela in Caracas...

by: Nadia Marie Perez

What do shopping and design have in common? Quite a bit, actually. In about a week's time, hopefully, I will be heading over to the Tri-Cities to visit my friend Kiki of the blog Kiki Nakita and to attend the 2011 Regional Home and Garden Show in Pasco. I'm very excited to attend because my dear friend Kiki is a designer and I'll be able to pick her brain about what to look for in home decor and exterior design as well. She's bound to know how to get a bang for your buck or what to particularly splurge on. I don't own a home yet but I love design and think that you can shop for your home and what will go in it both conscientiously and efficiently.

I'm no designer but I have always enjoyed design and home improvement; it is no wonder, growing up with a father who had a subscription to HOME magazine ages ago and then House Beautiful to ELLE Decor I was always surrounded by design and yes...as a child I enjoyed watching This Old House and gardening shows so it should come as no great shock to anyone that I would enjoy design.

Look for a future post on the Home and Garden Show! This weekend it is on to celebrating my little nephew's birthday who just turned one yesterday! I love you, Little Alex!

Cheers!

Monday Musings: Birthday, Birthday, Birthday!

2011-01-24T09:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday Morning, my lovely readers! I've got a lot on my mind lately but today I want to give a special shout out to my lovely niece Alyssa who is turning 5 today! My nieces and nephew are the most beautiful thing I have in this world and knowing that they are getting older is a big deal. So, as a tribute to those who are having a birthday today, here are a few famous persons who share this special day with you:

Neil Diamond, 1941

Aaron Neville, 1941

John Belushi, 1949

Mary Lou Retton, 1968

Mischa Barton, 1986

Happy Birthday, babies! Enjoy your day and your week! Check in tomorrow for some crafting ideas!

Cheers!

Dreaming of White Christmases and decked halls...

2010-12-14T22:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas is indeed just around the corner, with barely 10 days left until the holiday is upon us I've been busy trying to get all of my shopping done! Next year I will try not to wait until the last minute...try being the operative word. For those far away (and one special person very close by) I've done my shopping online...the rest I'm doing right here in town.

Decorating the tree was very fun! My sister-in-law went for a red-white-black-and silver theme this year and the ornaments are very pretty and almost vintage style. The tree is tall and beautiful if I do say so myself. A touch that I had not previously thought of myself was my sister-in-law's idea of hanging large ornaments from the ceiling and they look absolutely wonderful! We were able to procure six large ornaments in a package from Costco and used only 5 along the crease of the ceiling. There is truly nothing I love better than Christmas decorations!

So, I've yet to do my Christmas baking and also have to get some cards written out but all in good time! :-) Most of the cards I need to send are local so I'm not so worried. Christmas Eve promises to be a fun day! I'm going to be having a mini movie marathon with my dear friend and hope to be able to bring him some baked goods for the occasion. We will no doubt be watching A Charlie Brown Christmas, California Raisins Christmas Special and more. On Christmas Day in the evening we'll watch It's a Wonderful Life and one other film which I cannot remember at present. I am eager to see how well received my gifts are to their recipients. For the following Christmas I hope to be better prepared.

I think I will begin my Christmas shopping for next year in June or thereabouts. At the very least for my nieces and nephew to whom I want to be able to give several gifts next year. I do hope that I will be better off financially by then. At any rate, I suppose it is the thought that counts when giving gifts. I hope to have another post for you all tomorrow. Enjoy your week and I will greet you again soon!

Cheers!

For the love of Shopping and blogs...

2010-11-10T21:02:00.000-08:00

With the holidays coming up I've been thinking a lot about things to buy and things to make. Having two nieces and a nephew often makes me think of my own desire of having children and therefor leads me to wondering what I would buy for my very own children and lately I've been thinking of language learning. Many of you know that I have been teaching myself both French and Italian for the past couple of years and I have been giving it some serious thought of late. I really would love for my children to be able to learn and speak all of the languages that I do and I have a total immersion plan which includes the purchase of books and other educational aids for teaching my children 4 languages. Yesterday I found these two books which I really loved:

UN Deux Trois: First French Rhymes (French Edition)

and

Baby's First Steps in Italian

Someday...on a side note, my good friend Eleonora has this great food blog in Italian that I am just dying to share with you all! It's called Burro e Miele and is just fantastic. Not only is Eleonora an excellent writer, she is also a great photographer and the images she includes are crisp and delightful. Please check her latest post out!

Thanks!

Tuesday Tutorials on a Wednesday....

2010-10-06T21:58:00.000-07:00

I had a very busy day yesterday and was not able to get a tutorial going but better late than never I say! Since I am not the only one who does 'Tuesday Tutorials' I thought it would be fun to google the term and see what comes up. Here are the top three:

Indie Fixx by Jen Wallace- I really love the layout and her posts! This 'Tuesday Tutorial' about printables is just adorable: http://indiefixx.com/category/tuesday-tutorial/
Melly & Me: Fun Fabulous Design by Rosalie Quinlan and Melanie Hurlston- These sisters have a 'Tips & Tricks: Tuesday Tutorial' series that has some excellent tips of all kinds! Great sewing trips, beautiful design!
Ali Edwards has some great scrapbooking tutorials for their 'Tuesday Tutorial' series and they are very informative.

I really enjoy seeing what others are doing and with Christmas not far off getting ideas and sharing them is a plus! Here are a few of my Christmas tutorial favorites from around the web:

Button Wreath Tutorial by One Crafty Mumma...

cinnamon scented sachets by homemade by jill...

Paper Christmas wreath from the red thread Christmas Tutorials...

I can't wait to share my own tutorials for Christmas with you guys soon! It's going to be awesome! Have a great Wednesday!

Cheers!

***Note***: Crafting photo from Hoopla Now.

♦Monday Musings♦: Creativity in a gioielleria...

2010-10-04T11:31:00.000-07:00

☼Morning all!☼

I woke up early today to do my Zumba workout with my sister-in-law and am feeling so chipper! Wouldn't you if you were able to get up early and get the day going on time? While preparing things for breakfast I started to watch RomaUNO TV one of my favorite channels from Italia and saw the coverage of the opening of a new boutique in Rome of this gorgeous jewelry store called: amore & baci.

This is no ordinary jewelry store though, it is a creative place where one can select beads to make a personalized set. Their beads and things are gorgeous! For the creative soul this is a great place. Just look at these beauties:

a bracelet from the 2009 collection...

beads galore...all colors...

a screenshot of the "create your own" bracelet page,

this is my creation...isn't it beautiful?

You can visit the site in either Italian or English but isn't it gorgeous? They are truly magnifico! Io li amo!

Cheers!

Fantastic Friday: Those Lovely Swedes!

2010-10-01T22:37:00.000-07:00

So today on facebook, just for fun, I took this Which EU capital should you live in? quiz and got Stockholm, Sweden which is just a fantastic place! So I decided to check out what Sweden has to offer and found this amazing shopping centre called the PUB and within it's stores there is this amazing brand called Tiger of Sweden. And oh what a shop it is! Just check these wonderful numbers out:

my first favorite: JENNY DRESS

another beauty: ABELA DRESS

Another wonderful boutique: GANT. I think I love Sweden and could live there! Here are some of the great finds from this boutique:

Loving this shirt: RUFFLE DOBBY BLOUSE

I adore this little dress: WRINKLE DRESS KLANNINGAR

Among the boutiques is one called happycolor and it truly is quite colorful. Here are a few pieces that caught my eye:

Aren't those Swedes lovely? I think so!

Cheers!

Music Thursday: The Birthday List...

2010-09-30T22:03:00.000-07:00

If you're like me then you love music and love creating playlists that have some kind of meaning or significance. So, yesterday I had this wonderful idea to compile a list of all the #1 pop hits of August 12th for every year beginning on the year of my birth, 1981, and ending this year. Here is the list:

Aug. 12, 1981: Jessie’s Girl- Rick Springfield

Aug. 12, 1982: Eye of the Tiger- Survivor

Aug. 12, 1983: Every Breath You Take- The Police

Aug. 12, 1984: Ghostbusters- Ray Parker, Jr.

Aug. 12, 1985: Shout- Tears for Fears

Aug. 12, 1986: Glory of Love- Peter Cetera

Aug. 12, 1987: I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For- U2

Aug. 12, 1988: Roll With It- Steve Winwood

Aug. 12, 1989: Right Here Waiting- Richard Marx

Aug. 12, 1990: Vision of Love- Mariah Carey

Aug. 12, 1991: (Everything I Do)I Do It For You- Bryan Adams

Aug. 12, 1992: This Used to Be My Playground- Madonna

Aug. 12, 1993: I Can’t Help Falling In Love- UB40

Aug. 12, 1994: Stay- Lisa Loeb

Aug. 12, 1995: Waterfalls- TLC

Aug. 12, 1996: Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)- Los Del Rio

Aug. 12, 1997: I’ll Be Missing You- Puff Daddy/Faith Evans/ 112

Aug. 12, 1998: The Boy is Mine- Brandy and Monica

Aug. 12, 1999: Genie in a Bottle- Christina Aguilera

Aug. 12, 2000: Incomplete- Sisqo

Aug. 12, 2001: Bootyliscious- Destiny’s Child

Aug. 12, 2002: Hot in Herre- Nelly

Aug. 12, 2003: Crazy In Love- Beyonce ft. Jay-Z

Aug. 12, 2004: Slow Motion- Juvenile ft. Soulja Slim

Aug. 12, 2005: We Belong Together- Mariah Crey

Aug. 12, 2006: Promiscuous- Nelly Furtado ft. Timbaland

Aug. 12, 2007: Big Girls Don’t Cry- Fergie

Aug. 12, 2008: Leavin’- Jesse McCartney

Aug. 12, 2009: Waking Up in Vegas- Katy Perry

Aug. 12, 2010: Love the Way You Lie- Eminem and Rihanna

So, those of you born on August 12th between those years can use this list to make your own! I think compiling a list for good friends and family makes a great birthday gift! What do you think?

Cheers!

Conscious Shopping Wednesday: Decorating with Style

2010-09-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

I adore the handmade, the vintage and of course the eco-friendly so for some of the best finds I often turn to Etsy shops because they have unique one of a kind pieces that just call to me. Here are a few of my faves from my search today:

Contemporary Quilt Pillow by HAWThome...

Dragonfly Silhouette Pillow Cover by Modernality...

Birds and Bees Selvage Potholders by SweetMagnoliaHome...

Eco Friendly No2 Magnet Set by loxlee...

Up cycled Burlap Napkin Rings with Eco-friendly

Butternut Tree Nut Buttons by ARemarkYouMade...

Brooklyn Bridge Tower Throw Pillow Corduroy by A TreeGrowsOnEssex...

Classic Rock Collection LP Coasters by RetiredRecords...

...and I saved the best for last: Bubble Gum Pink Ornate Vintage Style

Picture Frame by nicolesuder...because a girl needs a little pink in her

life every now and then.

Cheers!

Tuesday Tutorials: Making a hand-made fall themed postcard...

2010-09-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

I adore autumn! It's my favorite season. So when I heard about the fall themed postcard swap I was all over it! The task was to create a handmade postcard with an autumn theme and I thought I would share how I made mine with you. So here we go!

You will need the following:

Mat stack of your choice (I used the 'Once Upon a Time' mat stack from Die Cuts with a View)
Brown Crayola Marker, basic colors collection
Autumn Leaf stickers (for texture and relief)
Autumn themed stickers

For some card making inspiration I used the following magazine:

Card Maker magazine...

And here are the steps:

Make a rough sketch of how you want your postcard to look, I drew it in my notebook.
Choose your card stock mat according to your theme, I really liked the light backdrop this particular mat created for the embellishments I used.
Choose your stickers according to the theme you've decided to use (I used these photo stickers my father had given me as a gift).
Begin placing your leaf accent stickers where you have sketched them on your mat.

5. Choose something to write, a message according to your theme (I used a simple message from the

Card Maker magazine).

6. Place embellishment stickers on mat according to your layout.

7. Continue to embellish postcard and write message you chose to use on there as well using a brown

Marker or another autumnal color.

8. Finish placing embellishments and write personal message on the opposite side of your postcard.

And here you have the finished product:

Enjoy! Cheers!

***Note***: In my second steps collage a few photos were labeled incorrectly, sorry for the inconvenience but you get the general idea!

Monday Musings: Apartment furniture...

2010-09-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

I have fallen in love with IKEA and have been doing some apartment furniture research and fell in love with this bed:

Being that this will be my first apartment ever I am willing to save money to get all of my very own things. Along with that simple yet elegant bed I would love to buy this dresser:

I also love this little chest of drawers as a night table:

I also love this cute mirror for above the dresser:

I've also decided that my bedroom will be 'Paris Themed' so I would love to add some Parisian images and flair. I would like to get this canvas print:

I absolutely adore this pillow as well....

These would be fun to have as well...

Well, that is all for now but there will be more musings soon....

Cheers!

Monday Musings: Almost 2 weeks...

2010-09-06T13:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day! So, I've been back in the States for nearly two weeks and have a lot to think about! I am finally going to try to get back to my blog series and back to posting every day even if it is only a few words. I've been enjoying some different music mixes these days all from the Colette podcast series. Colette is an online shop based in Paris, France and their current podcast features music from Canada for their We Love Canada series. I love Colette, they have so many cute things! One of my favorites:

Lomography Hello Kitty Fisheye Camera

I've also been enjoying the new flavors at Starbucks, like their new Toffee Mocha! Yum!! I bought a little jelly bean packet there the other day and am saving it for a rainy day....other than that I've been enjoying some great granola bars and wonderful weather! Can't wait to do a tutorial for tomorrow! I hope you check out the Colette podcasts and let me know what you think!

Cheers!

Days in Cheney....

2010-09-02T22:59:00.000-07:00

I just finished posting to my newest Spanish language blog, El recetario de Nadia, and decided to do a little blog surfing and found another blog from a fellow Washingtonian called Fresh Fruit. I love the images on there and think you should really check Becca's photography out. I love blog surfing because I always end up finding something interesting and there is one blog I found a while back that I love and want to share with you: A Day in the Country. The blogger is the owner of an organic blueberry farm called Missing Goat and I really want to visit the farm one of these days! So, if anyone wants to join me on a trip to South Surrey in the future by all means let me know!

Well, other than those wonderful links I want to share with you this photo I found on facebook, author unknown:

Conscious Shopping Wednesday: My new local loves...

2010-09-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

I love to shop locally as most of you know so today when I went out for a walk I went to good old Ben Franklin and bought a couple of things for a postcard exchange I am going to participate in. The host is the Wonderful World of Postcards group on facebook. I bought some really great embellishments and a mat stack that will be the perfect size. For some inspiration I got some magazines and am super happy to get started!

I've been shopping here and made a few purchases at our local grocery store and have stayed pretty local of late. Made some cookies yesterday as well! More to come later...

Monday Musings: New things happening...

2010-08-16T11:51:00.000-07:00

I finally have a moment to write to you all once again! I have missed blogging and was craving the right moment to do so. I have much news to share with you all! First, I just had my 29th birthday last week on August 12th which was really fun! I am really excited about this last year of my second decade on earth, beginning the third decade seems like a really exciting time for me! Here is a collage with some of my favorite photos from the actual day of my birthday:

I really enjoyed the day! It was very fun and full of love! Beyond having a new year added onto my life I also got a new look! The day before my birthday I was treated to a day at the beauty salon by my friend Mireya. Here are the results:

So, the other news is that in a week and a half I will be boarding a plane once again headed to Spokane, WA this time. Lord, it only took me about a half a year to get there which had been my original plan but I am glad it is finally coming to fruition and that I got to spend time here in Venezuela. Anyway, thought I would share with you just a bit of what's been going on in my life these days. Tomorrow I will write again!

Cheers!

PS: If you want to know more about my move and all that jazz visit the Notes section of the blog's page on facebook!

Saturday Special: It's Been A While

2010-07-17T21:24:00.000-07:00

It's been a great long while so I thought I would share some thoughts of what I've been up to lately. In a word: MUSIC. Whether it has been taking the girls to their classes, attending their concerts or attending other concerts and the like, everything has had to do with music lately. I really enjoy such events and being around musicians, there is something so passionate about instruments and those who play them. Taking the girls to their music lessons is something that for me is precious as well and I love to encourage them in this area.

I've had the great opportunity of meeting many different people during this time and I love it! It is fun to hang out with the girls and take them here and there. Now that summer vacation has officially begun for them it should be interesting to see what things we end up doing. I've had the pleasure of continuing to work on my photography as well and have been working a lot on photographing the events I attend. I am still nowhere near being a pro but I do enjoy it very much! I had the great fortune of being able to get some really great snapshots in on one occasion while I was waiting for Andrea to get out of music class one day. In the building complex where she has her classes there are many works of contemporary art around and I love photographing those sculptures. There was one in particular called PANDORA which really appealed to me and I took several snapshots of her. Here is one for you to enjoy:

I absolutely loved photographing this sculpture and there are so many sculptures all around Caracas that are worth photographing...I have yet to discover it all!

I love spending time with the girls because they make an adventure out of any little thing! In the above photo we were at the mall looking for some new clothes for Maria Alejandra's end of the school year party and Andrea and I seized the opportunity to take a cute photo while waiting.

Tomorrow I will attend Andrea's end of the year choir concert and also La Traviata in the evening which I am really excited about! What exciting things will you do at the close of this weekend?

Cheers!

Monday Musings: I took the week off...

2010-06-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

Last week was pretty crazy so I took the week off from blogging and how I have missed you all! I've done all sorts of fun things and cried with the Italy fans when we were eliminated from the World Cup Tournament but we will RISE AGAIN!!! Beyond that, I've been hanging out with my little girls and having a blast!

I have the fun task of taking them to music classes and bringing them home, helping them out with their homework and such things...last week we had a long weekend and I spent it watching movies with them, playing, going to concerts and participating in their grandmother's birthday party!

We watched Nanny McPhee (I confess I had not seen it and think it is very cute), 17 Again and several episodes of Phineas and Ferb on youtube! So, needless to say, I am LOVING my life in Caracas! It's absolutely wonderful! This afternoon I get to meet with Maestro Yevgeny Bushkov from Russia before he goes into rehearsals for this Wednesday's presentation of the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra (Orquesta Sinfónica de Venezuela), it is their 80th Anniversary celebration this year and there have been scores of wonderful concerts and presentations! On June 20th I went to the ballet with the girls, they presented Carmen which was just awesome and gorgeous! Here is my fave photo which I snapped from the event:

Please visit my Perez Liscano Photography page on facebook to view more photos of the spectacular event! It's such a joy to be able to share such things with you! Anyway, I must get going, got some more things to do but wanted to share these things with you!

Cheers!

Fantastic Friday: Just another day in Caracas...

2010-06-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

Oh the joys of a Friday! It's nice when you've been paid and have some money to spend and most of my money went to much needed things like: shampoo, conditioner, baño de crema (which is a deep conditioner), lotions, soap and other such things. For next week I'll stock up on other things and some more soap but in the meantime I think what I bought today was sufficient.

I took Andrea to music class today as well and afterward treated her to some ice cream at Mc Donald's! She really enjoyed that and I am glad she did. She's such a cute kid! My one treat for myself today was a really beautiful fan I bought which called my eye when I was taking Andrea to music class, I bought it from an informal street vendor (there are plenty to be had here in Caracas) and I love it! It's black with gorgeous fuscia sequins and embroidery.

What's next on my list of things to do you ask? Tonight: watch "Because I Said So", tomorrow: clean my room and possibly go to the National Art Gallery or go catch a play at the old Ateneo Theatre, Sunday: it's Father's Day and I hope to talk to my father a bit but will be attending Maria Alejandra's choir concert and later that afternoon taking the girls to see the ballet production of "Carmen". That is my weekend in a nutshell! Hope you have a fantabulous weekend too!

Cheers!

Conscious Shopping Wednesday: Local Artisans

2010-06-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

Living in Caracas has opened my eyes to wonderful new possibilities as well as wonderful new markets! I love to shop! It is part of who I am and it is inevitably engrained in me but I am not a "mall shopper" or even much of a "department store" shopper (although I love the very chic Beco here). I am most definitely a boutique and artisan craft shopper. I LOVE boutiques and things made by hand and in Caracas there is no shortage of boutiques of all kinds.
On Sunday, May 3rd I had the great priviledge of attending a market/bazaar I had discovered a couple of years ago in one of my previous extended stays here in Caracas. The bazaar is called El Tarantín and is a great place to get to know local artisans from all over Caracas and Venezuela. Artisans and vendors showcase their goods and one can shop under the open air market of the Municipal Market of Chacao (one of Caracas' many municipal sectors, sort of like a burrough) for all sorts of great things.

There were so many wonderful things and I just have to share a few of the photos with you all:

The atmosphere was fantastic, everyone was having a great time browsing and shopping and I believe that for the next event I will definitely be taking some more cash to get some other goodies! I made one purchase, a set of flower barrettes for my niece Alyssa:

The event was a huge success and I was able to meet Liliana Saenz, one of the organizers, who had given me permission to photograph the event for this blog. I cannot wait to bring you the future events that are hosted! Liliana was most helpful and all the vendors were really nice about being photographed. There are tons more photos you can check out on my photography page on facebook, Perez Liscano Photography in the Arts and Culture Caracas album. Anyway, I will be trying to write more and more about these cultural events and all that jazz!

I love life here!

Cheers!

Tuesday Tutorials: Make it your own!

2010-06-08T11:43:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is already June! Yikes! Where has time gone? For me it has been a whirlwind ride of teaching and going to cultural events lately! I've been so busy that when I get home I am too tired or too spent to even think about writing a post but here I am back again from the woodwork!
I've been working on making this room here my own (not an easy task since there are so many useless things lying around here that I am trying to figure out what to do with) and have commenced by decorating one side of the shelf for me to enjoy and look at!

If you read my post in April about collage making, then you will recognize the first piece on my shelf-side collage. I used that collage as a starting point for this particular decoration piece:

What else did I use, you ask? Well, I have an ever growing collection of postcards and trinkets people send me so I started to use them as the basis for my collage. Among the ones pictured are a postcard from Socks for Happy People, a postcard my parents brought me from Lima, Peru, and a few little cards from Paris my friend Martina sent me! I am a very visual person and having a bland room is not my idea of fun!

In order to not harm the shelf nor harm the pieces I am using I decided to use mounting tape to get them up there. It peels off fairly easily when I want to change something around and is less annoying than regular scotch tape.

Thank God for creativity and ingenuity! It's the little things in life that inspire me most! Have a bright and cheerful day! What decorating plans do you have for this summer? I'd love to know!

Cheers!

Fantastic Friday: Rain, rain and more rain!

2010-05-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

It rained pretty much all day today! I did some laundry early in the morning and thank God that was dry but I didn't have such luck with my second load! After placing it out to dry I went to get a couple of things at the panaderia and to meet up with a friend and voila! It stared pouring down rain! My clothes was, of course, soaked and since it rained all day since it is still up there wet and I will probably have to take it down early tomorrow morning, bring it here and put it through the rinse cycle once more...oh well!

Other than that, I had a pretty busy day running about here and there, taking my little friend Maria Alejandra to and from ballet to music class! We had fun at the end, despite the rainfall! I got an Italia bracelet to be decked out in World Cup gear and fervor (that's my team) and Maria Alejandra was happy because she is also a fan of Italy! After that we got ice cream sundae's at McDonald's and headed back to the building! Here are some shots we took today:

Maria and I show off our bracelets...

Maria and I at McD's!

Ahhhh...sundaes!

Maria enjoying her sundae...

Life... ♥

2010-05-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! It's been a while since I last wrote! Life has been whizzing by and somehow I got caught up in the moments. Today I just want to share a little bit of what I am enjoying these days....

Catching up with old friends on Monday...

Received a letter from a friend in Germany on Wednesday...

Aren't the German postage stamps lovely?

The postcard my friend sent me....

and the little tour/travel cards from Paris she included as a token...

Today I played around with the cam and different shelf shots...

my tea/candy jar...brought this from the US with me...

...and of course, CHOCOLATE! I bought these two today.

I've also been updating some photography on my Perez Liscano Photography facebook page. I added an album called {a rose is a rose} and it has some beautiful shots! Check it out and if you're on facebook and like what you see become a fan as well! I've also added a few things to the Mes Petites Creations facebook fan page as well! Other than all that I've been teaching my little students English and hanging out with my Grandma.

Cheers!

Tuesday Tutorials: Food-torial! Peanut Butter, Banana and Honey Sandwich

2010-05-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

I love peanut butter and bananas! So today I wanted to share with you a tutorial about making some really yummy and peanuty snacks. Here is the list of ingredients in pictorial form:

Wheat + Oatmeal Bread

One banana...

The goodness of Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter....

and honey...lots of honey...

This bread is one of the best healthy breads in all of Caracas... I love it!

So, on to the assembly:

Spread some peanut butter goodness on both slices of bread (this is an open faced sandwich).

After spreading all that good peanut butter, slice the banana and place it directly on top of the covered slices of delicious bread...oh, la, la! Finally, drizzle some amazing fresh honey over the bananas, letting it drip onto the peanut butter and voila! The finished product is below in all it's glory!

Bon apetit!

Monday Musings: Baking Enjoyment and New Projects

2010-05-17T21:19:00.000-07:00

About a week and a half ago I'd bought some bananas and, as with almost everything else I tend to buy fruit-wise, I didn't eat them all in time and alas they started to get brown and mushy. Well, one of my favorite things to do with mushy bananas is make banana bread and that is what I did. I generally use the Betty Crocker recipe but this time I used a recipe that my grandmother likes which was included in a cookbook compiled by the Trinity Wives Club back in 1958-ish.

The recipe I used was the first one on the page pictured here, Banana Quick Bread. I have to say it was fairly easy to make and turned out quite good! I love the fact that instead of stating that nuts are optional it calls them nutmeats, isn't that cool? I love old cookbooks! While new ones are often beautiful and full of color, it's the older ones that hold interesting pearls of wisdom and anecdotes. This one in particular is full of Bible verses, poems, prayers, helpful hints and the like. I have decided to take on the task of retyping the book and later making it into a new book with pictures and all. I plan on making each recipe and adding photos to them, keeping the original text of each page. It's a labor of love really.

My beautiful retro style Banana Bread and it was good!!!

Home-made goodness...

Well, I will let you now how this project progresses over time! I leave you now with a funny picture I took of myself and a magnet I got in NYC with a food sample! Enjoy!

Happy Mother's Day 2010!

2010-05-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the lovely ladies who read this blog! I wish you much joy and love. Blessings to all! Hope you had a fantastic weekend! Here is a photo for you to enjoy!

Cheers!

Saturday Special: Socks For Happy People Love

2010-05-08T18:44:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday I received a package in the mail all the way from the UK. Inside the lovely reusable envelope were the socks pictured to the left. Those of you who have been reading my blog for quite some time know how much I love Socks For Happy People and their mission. So you can imagine that I am beside myself with these 5 pairs of socks and have had a rather large smile on my face all week since receiving this excellent package and the great note from Tom and Rich which brought tears to my eyes. I was not expecting to receive such a wonderful array of socks but I deeply appreciate what I was sent.

As I told my good friend Megzy, who is also a huge fan of SFHP, I am beside myself with joy at the ability I now have to wear these remarkable socks because, afterall, they are more than socks. They are even more than iconography, they hold meaning and that is something which not all brands can boast off. I love that the company doesn't have just a mission statement, they understand that they are on a mission. Their purpose:

"Socks for Happy People exists to inspire a deeper understanding of genuine happiness throughout the world, and be a shining example of how a business with the well-being of humanity and nature at its core can be inherently sustainable and abundantly profitable."

How could anyone oppose to that? Socks for Happy People truly is more than just another sock company. Their purpose and mission also breaks down to three different types of visions: Social, Environmental and Economic. Besides these wonderful visions there are the wonderful programs of Buy One, Give One Free as well as Penny On which gives you the option of adding pennies on to your purchase benefiting Penny On an organization dedicated to the eradication of world poverty. So, as you can see, Socks For Happy People is about more than just socks but the socks are pretty darn wonderful too!

In short, I hope you too will hop on the happiness band-wagon and get into a pair or two or even more of Socks for Happy People socks because, afterall, they're more than just socks! This is a happiness revolution and I'm all for that!

Love, socks, and happiness!

Nadia Marie

Monday Musings: Until we meet again...

2010-05-03T20:49:00.000-07:00

{Dance Class at the Opera by Edgar Degas}

This afternoon my parents embarked on a journey back home and I hope to hear that their travels back to the States went well and were without strange occurrences. I was sad to see them go but have the hope of seeing them again in the not-so-distant future. It was nice to spend some time with them since before arriving here in Caracas on March 29th I hadn't seen them since the beginning of November. I miss them already and the room is emptier without them but I am at peace with being here and know that God has great and wonderful plans for me. So, tomorrow I hope to bring you a great tutorial in honor of keeping the old chin up and continuing on with life and hoping for better things to come!

Cheers!

Inspiration Collage: ♥{Etsy Love}♥

2010-04-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

I am inspired by love, romance and weddings these days. The beautiful images that come to mind are just amazing! As I googled "ny love" I was brought to the Etsy Wedding blog which was full of gorgeous images, some of which I chose for this inspiration collage:

Clockwise from left: Paris Love- Eiffel Tower by artsharkdesigns on Etsy, HAITI RELIEF A World of Love..unused Vintage postage stamps..to post 5 letters by Verde Studio, 40 mm Pink Heart Resin Cabochons 5 pc set by delishbeads on Etsy, Sweet Black Dress with Vintage Fabric by TheGarbologistsWife, Cherished heart notecard set by yourwishcake on Etsy.

I made this collage using picnik and it's wonderful premium sticker collection! I think that if I ever get married I will register with Etsy because there are so many awesome vintage finds and I want to have a vintage wedding. Enjoy!

Cheers!

{I ♥ shopping!}: El Principito Kids...

2010-04-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

Shopping locally is often a bit of a task as nowadays almost everything comes from China but the brand El Principito Kids is from here and marketed throughout Latin America and Spain. I have the good fortune of being near the outlet store so I can get the clothes at a large percentage less than what one would pay at any of the other stores. I wanted to share the beauty and quality of these articles of clothing with you today in hopes that someday soon EPK will export to the US and other parts of the world. Here are the three shirts I bought my two nieces and nephew last week:

These shirts are brilliant and beautiful, designed in France exclusively for EPK and are just too cute for words! I love their collections and while I was in NY was contemplating how I might get some cute articles of clothing for my nieces and nephews from this store and at a good price so I am very happy with my purchase. All three shirts were under Bs.F 110 together which was a real bargain since a small baby shirt alone at any other store here can cost a minimum of Bs.F 120.

Anyway, I just wanted to share these lovely things with you all!
Kisses!

Tuesday Tutorial: Creating a collage out of what you've got...

2010-04-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

I love collages and each one I make is always different. For this one I decided to do a little painting, a little cutting, a little pasting with some whimsy on the side! First, the supplies:

I used two different colored paints, one pink and one purple for the background painting, the back photos of CD cases (I got a CD notebook and got rid of all the plastic cases), a piece of yellow cardstock, some pens, markers and a glue stick.

First I painted the entire background pink:

Afterward I let it dry and caught up on a few blog posts by personal friends from college. It was great to be able to check out their blogs. Once that was dry I painted the trees and drew the flowers:

Once that was all taken care of I pasted down the photos I'd decided to use plus a print out of the Irish Blessing I had lying around. It was fitting because the band photo I chose was of U2, my favorite Irish band.

With a little bit of imagination and creativity you can turn anything into a work of art using that which you find just "lying around." I think I will frame this little ditty! Oh, and of course, chocolate must never fail to be around for crafting pleasure:

YUM!!! I love milk chocolate! Enjoy the craft and share your own!

Cheers!

Monday Musings: Retro games and something more...

2010-04-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

I have often said that my grandma's apartment here in Caracas is a house of relics and today I was able to once again prove that this is so. I have not seen so many retro things together under one roof in my life and while my father was helping clean out the large shelf in the living room we came across a few interesting things. Of course, I had to snap up a few photos for posterity's sake. First up, an old Sorry game from 1958:

Check out the retro styles of the board...

I'd never seen Sorry played with game cards before...

Being ever crafty I couldn't pass up these great finds: mounting tape and floral tape all from some time ago but still good enough to use:

Don't they look lovely on my bookshelf?

I think it is sometimes a great thing to explore the nooks and crannies of an old apartment. You never know what you will find. I have acquired, besides the old tapes, a few sheets of cardstock to make cards with, some old stamps for my collection, an entire collection of old matchbooks which I want to photograph and many other things.

Well, tomorrow I hope to have a super tutorial for you! Until then, au revoir!

♥Vintage Inspiration♥: {Paris 1960}

2010-04-26T09:46:00.000-07:00

I am inspired of late mostly by Parisian-themed images and photos. Here is a collage I created using images from around the web:

Photo Credits: 1. Fashion Photo-Paris 1960 by Mark Shaw, 2. Helmut Newton photo via the Paris End: Photography, Fashion and Glamour from the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, 3. unknown, photo via The French Mouse blog, 4. Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin in the courtyard of the French National College of Fine Arts, Paris 1969 via The Perfect Pucker Smokeye.

Fantastic Friday: Café con leche and Paris...

2010-04-23T16:17:00.000-07:00

I love coffee. Venezuelan coffee is some of the best coffee around. This is no Starbuck's coffee with ridiculously large sizes and ten million different ways of preparing it. Here it's either small or large (the large is not even a "Tall" in Starbuck's), con leche (with cream), marron (with milk but slightly dark), tetero (more milk than coffee), negro (black) and almost all are to be had with sugar unless the person specifically asks for no sugar packets. Usually 2 sugar packets are more than enough because the sugar here is very sweet. I usually get a con leche grande or a marron grande when I feel like have a kick in my coffee. The above photo is of a café con leche grande I got at a nearby shopping centre.

I do like Starbuck's, don't get me wrong, but in the art of coffee Latin America has the US beat! The style is closely related to French and Italian styles of preparing and serving coffee (I think more than anything the French style). I am enamored right now by all things Parisian and have found a plethora of blogs all having to do with Paris or French life in general that I just devour. To name a few: French Larkspur, Bonjour Romance, Hidden in France, Le Blog de Hervé Bizuel, paris breakfasts, parisian party, and Polly-Vous Francais? are all excellent blogs. My Marie Claire Idees had all these beautiful Paris themed accessories feature in it, some of which I would love for my room!

I love these Robin du Lac scissors styled after the Eiffel Tower:

This wall decal from Idzif is just lovely:

Pour moi...a Parisposte bag from Bonjour mon coussin...

Another for my room...Tickets pillow from Bonjour mon coussin...

and lastly, Eiffel Tower card holder from Les Invasions ephemeres...

There are so many more things that I have seen and wish I could have! My aim is to decorate my room with a Parisian theme. Wish me luck!

A tout a l'heure!

Tuesday Tutorials: Gathering Inspiration

2010-04-20T11:58:00.000-07:00

As a crafter I often look for inspiration in various places and forms. Sometimes it comes from what I am eating, sometimes it comes from a picture, sometimes the color of a certain article of clothing and other times it comes from what I am reading. As I have mentioned before, I read many blogs and lately they have been a great source of inspiration but, more often than not, it is the magazines that I read which provide me with the most inspiration. One of my latest acquisitions, Marie Claire Idees, has given me a great new French inspiration for crafting and even decorating. I purchased a copy from January of this year at a bookstore here in Caracas called Las Novedades.

At Las Novedades I have always found interesting magazines ranging from decorating to crafting to cuisine, all very good and slightly different from the magazines we get in the US. I like to have a mixture of things from different parts of the world so it is nice to be able to get magazines from France, Italy, Spain, Colombia, Mexico, England, Germany and even the US. Another magazine which greatly inspires me is ReadyMade which has a great many DIY projects and tips for the creative person to enjoy. I have two copies from last year and really wish I could get a subscription to the magazine, I am working on figuring that out. In the meantime I check out Ready Made's webpage for the latest projects and news.

Beyond Ready Made and Marie Claire Idees, my other source of inspiration comes from within my e-mails. Nothing like the daily dose of inspiration I receive from Martha Stewart. One of my favorites from last week was the Organizing Tip of the Day: Bookcase Armoire. I've been looking for some room decor inspiration and lo and behold I found that link in my e-mail! I just love the look and feel of the armoire and the fact that it is in itself a craft makes it all the more fun and intriguing! The armoire calls my attention because it is such a space saver and the room I am going to be living in for the next few years is such that while it is somewhat spacious it would work better to have something similar to be able to better organize my things.

So, now you see more or less where I get my crating and decorating inspiration, where do you get yours?

Cheers!

Conscious Shopping Wednesday: Take Me to the UK!

2010-04-14T12:12:00.000-07:00

They say that cleanliness is next to Godliness and I think that cleanliness should also be stylish. No need to have ugly and gruff looking cleaners when you can have wonderful things such as those found in UK based summerill&bishop 's online boutique. I have always loved the beautiful things that come from the UK and after reading Chelsea Fuss's post on {frolic} today I was hooked!

One of the things that first caught my eye in the Utility & Laundry section of the boutique were the glass liquid soap bottles. Plastic is so over used today and I've been more inclined of late toward finding products bottled in glass. Here is my favorite from the boutique:

Have another look at the Savon de Marseille products they sell:

With such beautiful and natural presentation who wouldn't want to spend lots of time in the bathroom?

This feather duster makes me want to go out and clean all day long! It's so cute and chic, it reminds me of those Victorian Era stories I used to read as a child. I don't know how many of you used to read the American Girl Collection books but that duster reminds me of the Samantha stories.

I absolutely love this waste paper bin for my bedroom. I must see if I can get one either from the boutique or find one similar here in Caracas. Either way, the wire basket will dress well and keep in line with my classic meets modern idea for room decor!

So there you have it! You can be clean and look good doing it! There are so many wonderful things at summerill&bishop, you'll never want to leave the boutique!

Cheers!

Tuesday Tutorials: Decorating a notebook with gum wrappers...

2010-04-13T21:19:00.000-07:00

That's right! Tuesday Tutorials are back in action! Late but nevertheless here. Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a chewing gum addiction that I just can't seem to kick! Everytime I chewed a new piece of gum I wondered what I could do with the wrappers and started saving them to see what I could come up with...the gum wrapper decorated notebook was born!

I took the following materials and embellishments to create my recycled work of art:

All the materials...

Composition Notebook
Various sticker packs
Paris Rubber Stamps
Stamp pads
Gum Wrappers (kept inside 5 Gum box)
Contact Paper

Using a normal glue stick I began to glue the colorful gum wrappers down in a pattern, like so:

The notebook, front cover

The notebook, back cover...

See how pretty it looks already? After having covered both sides with the gum wrappers I embellished another type of gum wrapper with a Paris Eiffel Tower stamp I have using the black ink stamp pad. The paper is patterned from Orbit gum. The rest of the embellishments are stickers but you can use cut outs, print outs and any thing else you can get your hands on. Get creative and go your own way! The main thing about this project is that you are reusing wrappers so they don't go to the landfill!

Paris stamp on patterned gum wrapper paper...

Finished front cover....

Back cover shot...

Once you'ved finished emellishing the notebook as much as you want you can go ahead and cover it in contact paper so that the embellishments and gum wrappers remain neatly on and don't start to peel off. If you decide to make this project I would love to see what you come up with! Please link back to this post and let me know what you have made or place photos of your own creations on the wall on our Facebook page.

Monday Musings: Life in Caracas

2010-04-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

I've been here in Caracas for about 2 weeks now and so far I've been sticking mostly to La Candelaria and the surrounding areas. I've not really ventured very far away from the area I reside in much lately. Last week I went to BECO with my parents and got a few things, also went to the Centro San Ignacio (a very swank mall in Chacao) with my parents to show them around a bit. A couple of things we did: got new blinds for the window in my room, got a hook-rack for my purses which we placed in the closet, finally got a lamp/light fixture for my bedroom (it had been without for a few years now) and walked around checking some things out here and there.

Purse rack from BECO Chacaito

New white blinds from EPA

I've been to church the last two Sundays that I've been here and have seen some good friends from before which was nice. I've also been giving private tutoring sessions to a little girl in my building in one of the apartments downstairs twice a week and I hope to get more jobs in soon! I enjoy keeping it as local as possible but I know that I will eventually have to branch out some more if I want to make enough money to have a pretty good salary. I've got so much to share with you guys and am getting ready to prepare a tutorial for you this week! I'm trying to get back into the swing of things.

The girls and me: Nadia, Andrea and Maria Alejandra.

I had a tasty breakfast today (the cheese here is spectacular!) and watched Friends as well as The New Adventures of Old Christine while I ate. It comes on the Warner Channel in English with subtitles but it is nice just to be able to watch something in English! The breads here are also amazing...pretty much all the food is!

For breakfast: Whole Wheat bread toast, egg, and Palmi Zulia Cheese with coffee! Yum!

Later today I will be off to church to see my friends and fellowship with them! Here's to a great week and more posts to come!

Cheers!

Things to do....

2010-04-06T20:32:00.000-07:00

How I wish I could be crafting all the day long but I've not had the chance to do that at all! I've been mostly helping do things around the house, photo editing, updating flickr, and trying to keep from getting bitten by the tons of mosquitos that keep attacking me all day and night long! They seem to get feisty when it is hot here and then they get worse after it has rained and is still hot out (I guess it's a tropical effect or something). So, things are just a bit hectic and tiring but hopefully all will be normal after a while.

On Sunday, after church, I ran all over La Candelaria looking for a birthday gift for my friend and finally found a few things I thought she might like in Ferka. Thankfully we've had rain the last couple of days but my main concern is that it rain in the parts of the country where it is most needed, with this drought the rivers are not filling up and it is bad for us because Venezuela runs mostly on hydroelectric power. Conserving energy has never been more difficult. Anyway, my friend's birthday was a ton of fun and the fabulous cake our other friend made for her birthday got many oohs and ahhs, you can check the photos out on her facebook page: Marianna's Cakes. Here's on of the photos I took:

I hope to be able to keep you more updated throughout the week. I seem to be busy all the time here and I am not even working yet! LOL!

Cheers!

☺Happy Easter and Happy Weekend! ♥

2010-04-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

Easter weekend in Venezuela is usually spent at the beaches and other tourist spots of the country when you love in the capital. I, however, prefer to spend it in Caracas because the city becomes more tranquil with less people and you get a rest from the everyday hustle and bustle that can sometimes seem chaotic. There are many interesting traditions during this time of year that occur as well mostly because of the major Catholic influence on the society. Perhaps the most interesting of the traditions during Holy Week in Caracas is the Wednesday processions to the Basilica of Santa Teresa known as the veneration of el Nazareno de San Pablo. The faithful dress in purple robes and make promises to God as a sort of penitence or payment in exchange for that which they desire and are asking for whether it be the good health of a loved one or a better economic year.

Purple robes and rosaries for sale during Holy Week

photo from Medelhi's Blog.

Another thing that people in the area where my grandmother lives have as a tradition for Easter is the eating of an Empanada Gallega Sunday afternoon. Since there are many Spaniards and families of Spanish and Portuguese decent here in La Canderlaria, almost all of the tascas (spanish style bar-restaurants, similiar to pubs) make the dish especially for Holy Week and people often order the empanada gallega in advance so as to guarantee having one. I have to say that the empanadas gallegas really are delicious and I could probable eat some every day.

Image from fondoescritorio.net

They are very easy to make and there are scores of recipes on the internet for making them. When we were living in Florida my mom made one after we watched Chef José Andrés prepare some on his show Made in Spain which aired on PBS. There are various ways to make this type of empanada, some make it with fish, others with chicken and I believe some even make it with meat (I personally like the chicken and tuna ones). Here is a peek at the show that we watched that day:

Jose Andres: Made in Spain from El Aderezo - Blog de Cocina on Vimeo.

Well, I hope this gives you a taste of what things are like here! When I get better organized I will write more and show you more as time goes by!

Cheers and Happy Easter!

Venezuela!

2010-03-31T08:30:00.000-07:00

Well friends, thanks for being so patient as I was travelling to Venezuela. I arrived safely after a long and expensive trip from New York to Toronto and finally Caracas. I got here at about 11:05pm Monday night and my Dad and Aunt were waiting for me at the door. I met two wonderful Venezuelans while at the airport in Canada and got into Venezuela quite smoothly! The main difference that I noticed right away was the heatwave that they're having in comparison to the cold early Spring rain storms we were having in the Northeast. It is very hot down here and we are in the middle of a drought so there is a lot of rationing of water and some rationing of electricity (Venezuela uses mostly hydroelectric power so if the river is not full....well, you get the picture). Here where my grandma lives thankfully the electricity is not being rationed but right now during Holy Week the government has decreed that all business take the week off to save energy so we'll see how long that lasts.

I love Caracas and hope that next week (since Holy Week is pretty much a deadzone here, most people go to the beaches during Semana Santa) I will be able to look around more and check out some more shops and things for crafting ideas. Yesterday I would have had a tutorial for you all except that I am not yet fully settled here and am still trying to get back into the swing of things. I did, however, find a small piece of a string of faux blue pearls that I think I might keep around for some kind of future project. Here they are:

I still have a ton of people to see and reconnect with, yesterday I visited with my friend Maria Mercedes and her girls, I also visited with my friend Merlyn and of course I went out with my parents walking around a bit. Being the Wednesday of Holy Week all grocery stores are packed because tomorrow everything closes for the weekend so I can't really tell you much about the shopping for today but I promise that next week will be a normal posting week!

Thanks so much for reading!

Cheers!

Fantastic Friday: Socks for Happy People and more...

2010-03-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Spring Poppies by Susan Hazard

Today is the official launch date of Socks for Happy People's 3 lines of fantastic socks and I can't wait to hear how their first day went! Having been communicating with Tom and Rich since last September (when I met them on Twitter) I've been excited about this moment and now it is here, upon us and the excitement just keeps growing! Check out this video of their fantastic What Lies Beneath Line:

What do you think? I love all of the socks in this first launch collection and can't wait to get a pair on my feet!

Still working on my packing, I have about 2-3 days left to do it all and I've not been very successful of late. I was however able to get a CD notebook and finally take that load of heavy plastic cases off and will be leaving the frightfully large CD carrier for my Dad to enjoy!

Other than packing and getting a few last minute things here and there I've been enjoying my sweet little nieces and trying to give them as much love and affection as I can before I leave. I am going to miss them both a lot!

Cheers!

Why another two day hiatus?

2010-03-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

Hello friends and fellow readers! I know I've not posted anything in a couple of days and I feel terrible about that but I've been busy packing for a move. On Monday, March 29th I will be embarking on yet another journey to Venezuela. I was there last year for about 4 months, from the end of March to a little past mid-July 2009. As much as it hurts to leave the United States, I believe this move is the best thing for me at this point in my life and when opportunity knocks you've got to grab it by the horns, so to speak. I am not saying good-bye but saying I'll keep in touch from way over there!

I will continue to bring you tutorials, consumer reviews and all the other things I've posted to you about just that I will be in Caracas instead of NY. In the meantime, my room looks like a tornado ripped through it because I have stuff strewn around while I pack (my method is a bit odd but it works for me). I am waiting for a movie I bought from Amazon.com to come in yet (I hope it gets here either today or tomorrow, they said Friday at the latest) and I need to reorganize a few things. The movie I bought is called Blame It on Fidel and it is such a great film! I had the good fortune of watching it on the Sundance Channel in January and really wanted to share it with my friends and family.

The film really makes you think about your own values and where they lie. It's thought provoking and informative. I am really happy to own it on DVD and the fact that I am going to be able to share it with my parents when I arrive in Venezuela is a plus, I'd been telling them about it because I really wanted them to see it. Anyway, a couple of other films I bought previously need special mention here as they too are quite good; Because I Said So (Widescreen Edition) and Sideways (Widescreen Edition). I'm a huge fan of Diane Keaton and a movie all about California wine country can't be bad, right? Watching Sideways always puts me in a mood for good wine!

So, in short, I've a lot of packing to do yet and still have "work" to do taking care of my nieces. Somehow it will all work itself out and I will be ready! LOL!

Until tomorrow!

Fantastic Fridays: Socks for Happy People announces product launch!

2010-03-19T09:16:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! Sorry for the two day hiatus, been busy cleaning and packing for my next big move but wanted to bring you all this news which is something I've been waiting to hear for some time and am really excited about! Socks for Happy People has just yesterday announced the launch of their line of eco-friendly happy socks! The website and the ability to buy socks from this fun company will begin on Friday the 26th of March. Tom Minter and Rich Taylor are great friends of mine and I am so happy to announce this launch on my own blog in hopes that you too, if you haven't already, will join in the fun and celebration of this much anticipated product.

Besides going to the website to enter to win the entire collection, which I recommend you do as the contest is still open, you can join the party on facebook on the Socks for Happy People Fan page, follow them on Twitter: @Socks4HappyPPL, check out the Flickr group: The World's Largest Collection of Sock Pics, and of course, you HAVE to check out the blog which is where you will see for the next few days the products revealed starting with today's Affirmation Sock post!

So, stop hesitating and go already! Check it all out and feast your eyes on the coolest socks around!

Have a happy weekend!

New, New, New! I ♥ New Things!

2010-03-16T20:57:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post because today was a very long day and there was no time to do any tutorials! The blog has yet another brand new look! I found this blog background after visiting my friend Jenny's blog: Coffee and Cream. She got her background from The Cutest Blog on the Block's website and I just had to peruse their themes! Since I've been loving the woodland themes I chose this little brown and pink birdy one!

A few other new things I'm loving today:

Cannelle et Vanille: a blog by Aran, a Basque Expat who makes some delicious sweet treats and has incredible styling talents and did I mention her photos are amazing??

Color never looked as good as it does on DoreDoris, a Swedish blog by an incredibly vintage family! I love the stuff they find!

The different variety of crafts in Venezuela is really great! I found this blog, Manualidades, while searching for some craft magazines I'd seen the last time I was there!

I always enjoy finding new blogs to leaf through and the like! One more that is new and I love: Poppytalk is a Canadian blog based in Vancouver, BC and is one of the most gorgeous blogs I have ever seen.

Check them out and let me know what you think!

Cheers!

Monday Musings: Favorite Crafting Supplies

2010-03-15T19:30:00.000-07:00

When it comes to crafting there are some supplies that I really believe I could not live without and I long for the day when I can get my collection of supplies out of storage and back in my hands for proper use! A few years ago I bought a set of pens that I absolutely love and do not know how I ever got along without them! The Staedtler Triplus Fineliner pens are perfect for journaling which is why I originally bought them. The pack I got comes with 20 colors:

Their fine point is great for detailed doodles as well. Also from Staedtler, the ergosoft coloured pencil set is a great choice for coloring in doodles or small embellishments for scrapbooking or journaling. This is the set I bought at Arte Real in Venezuela:

I use pretty much whatever I can get my hands on when crafting and since I am environmentally conscious I try to reuse as many things as possible, from yogurt cups to cereal boxes and right down to the empty toilet paper rolls (I once used toilet paper rolls to wrap loose strands of ribbon on them to keep them from getting tangled). Another thing I love to use when crafting is wrapping paper. Some papers have such gorgeous designs that are perfect for embellishing.

Stickers are of course part of my supply list as is ribbon, cardstock, glues, other adhesives, paints, and much more! I use old expired catalogs for inspiration and sometimes even to cut things out from. A simple gum wrapper to me has much potential. Another of my favorite supplies is Mod Podge:

I absolultey love that stuff! When I am in the US that is what I use, when in Venezuela the equivalent is OroColor's OroPeg:

Another thing I often use for crafting is tissue paper and whenever I get a gift which has tissue paper in the wrapping I save that stuff for later use! It is handy in so many ways! What are some of your favorite crafting supplies?

Fantastic Friday: Photography I ♥ thee!

2010-03-12T12:40:00.001-08:00

January 17th/Day 11,
originally uploaded by Nadia Marie.

I took this photo of the Stella McCartney boutique when I was last in Manhattan. I was already wanting to write a post about photography when I opened my Flickr account and found I had a message. I thought it was from one of my friend's so went to open the message and saw that it was Amanda Brooks from the Schmap New York Guide letting me know that my Stella McCartney boutique photo was chosen for the April 2010 edition of the Schmap Guide's short-list. This does not mean that it will necessarily be in the final edition of the guide but the fact that it is even being considered is a huge honor for me, so I had to share, of course!

I do hope that the photo will make the final cut but if it doesn't I am still honored to have been considered. ☺ I hope to soon be letting you know that it was included in the Guide!

Cheers,

Nadia

PS: Click on the link below the photo for a better view as seen on my Flickr page.

50th Post!!!

2010-03-11T19:40:00.000-08:00

Hurray! This is a great milestone for me! It is the first time that I have been able to be consistent with a blog so I count my 50th post as a huge success! I love bringing interesting things and topics to you guys and am happy to continue to do so in the coming months! This blog has brought me so much joy and has led me to form some really great friendships so today's post is dedicated to those who have encouraged me in my writing and have been there for me since I began the blog! You guys rock! This is for ALL my readers but I'd love to give some special shout outs!

To Tom Minter and Rich Taylor:

YOU SOCK-TERRIFIC GUYS ARE SO DEAR TO MY ♥! I am so happy to have met you guys and come across you through Twitter! I love you guys and feel that you are part of my larger than life extended family! Thanks so much for your constant encouragement and your all-around happy attitude! I ♥ U!

To Laura Hillman:

I am so glad we became friends! You are an inspiring woman and a great encouragement to me as well! I cannot wait until we get to meet, whenever that might be! We'll have to go dancing! ;-) I ♥ U!

To Marianne Baird, Debra Cincioni, and Blanca Raygoza:

My sisters for life! You ladies are so awesome and there is not a day that goes by that I do not think of you! You have brought zest to my life and joy to my heart! We are sisters forever! Love you!!

To Stacy Gandy, Megzy, Chelsea Fuss and Mary Green:

Words cannot describe the joy I get from the creativity that hails from these wonderful ladies! It is so much fun to see their creative genius! I enjoy the blogs, the photos, the creations, everything you ladies have to offer and for that I am truly grateful! You inspire me daily! Thank you!

To Margaret McDermott:

Thanks for being so supportive of my blog and allowing me to be supportive of yours! Though I may not always comment I have to say that I love your blog and am so happy to call you friend and to have met you in college! I love you, mama!

To Lalia Helmer:

You are such a joy to receive comments and tweets from! I am so glad to have met you through Socks for Happy People and hope that our friendship will continue to grow! I hope you are enjoying Spain and England and cannot wait to hear all about your trip! Hugs and kisses!

To Jennifer and Laura:

You ladies are such a joy and inspiration to me! Your friendship means a lot and your continued loyalty even more! I love you girls! Hugs and kisses as well!

To everyone else:

There are so many of you who have made this blog possible and I am so grateful for you! I enjoy your comments, your encouragement and I hope that you enjoy the content of this blog. Thanks for making the first 50 posts worth writing! I hope the next 50 will be even better! From my heart to yours!

Love and blessings,

Nadia Marie

Une belle surprise! Kate Moss for Longchamp...

2010-03-10T13:59:00.000-08:00

I have been a fan of Longchamp ever since they brought the Ceci est un it bag purse! Looking for an image of this bag I found a blog that mentioned it and provided a link to Longchamp's online store and voilà! I found the new Kate Moss for Longchamp collection and fell in love! I still want to find one of those "IT BAG"s but wanted to share this collection with you. Here are a few images from the website and an interview with Kate Moss, all from LONGCHAMP PARIS.

Logo for Kate Moss Collection

The collection is exquisitely beautiful yet modern. The site boasts a downloadable music playlist created by Kate and Queens of Noize which is fun, including tunes such as "Tainted Love" and "You Really Got Me" among other greats. You can also create your own moodboard à la Kate! It's fun and enters you into a contest to win a Gloucester Travelling Bag signed by Kate herself. I created my little board and entered in the drawing! Wish me luck!

Below is what Kate has to say about Longchamp:

My Kate Moss Moodboard...

Aren't these gorgeous? I'd love to see everyone else's moodboards! Go ahead and create one!

Cheers!

Let's Connect...

2010-03-09T20:40:00.000-08:00

I am not sure what title to give to today's entry, being that it is rather late in coming and I have not even really figured out what I will share this evening, it is more likely that I shall have a title by the end of the post rather than at the beginning. It's Tuesday and normally I would bring you some kind of tutorial but sometimes it is good to break from routine and write something more heartfelt.

Perhaps it is the music I am listening to (Love is Free by 101 Strings Orchestra Sampler) or the fact that I finally watched Julie & Julia in it's entirety but I'm a bit nostalgic this evening. I've had a lot on my mind these days. I am a firm believer in that thinking too much is dangerous so tonight I just want to talk, to share with you in the hopes that you too will share something with me. The movie was great! I think it was just lovely. It made me want to cook French food, drink Bordeaux and eat chocolate! It also reminded me that I really ought to continue my français lessons on livemocha.

I bought a little composition notebook at the Dollar Tree which I plan on decorating and keeping as a French book. I had started one before leaving Florida but it too is packed away in a storage unit in New Jersey, wondering when it will come out of the dark and back into the light. I am extremely used to moving and every time I move into a new place and open my boxes it's like Christmas. I know it may sound weird but I enjoy moving...it is how I have come to know so many wonderful places and wonderful people. I am in transition at present and God only knows where I will end up but I do so much hope to one day live a year in France, another in Italy and maybe even in India some day!

I miss my friends as well but I thank God for the internet! I relish letters but can reconcile myself to receiving e-mails or wall posts on facebook. I am nearly thirty but feel fifteen and somehow I think this will not change anytime soon. I was recently looking through photos I'd taken a about 3-5 years ago while living in Cheney, WA and found a few of my earliest crafts which I love! I have this composition notebook turned into cookbook project that I've been working on for several years now and it is one of my favorite things in the world. Here is a page from it:

Tea cookie recipe from a magazine...

This notebook is like a scrapbook of recipes from magazines, old recipe cards my mom had in a little box, school recipe papers from home-ec class and the like. That is what I love about it. It's very personal and unique. Another photo I found is one I took of a notebook I had decorated with my friend Melissa Mason. I'd been inspired by a scrapbooking magazine to decorate a journal and thought it would be something fun for both she and I to do together and I hope she still has hers. Here is mine:

Melissa and I being silly, as was our custom...

There was never a boring moment when hanging out with Melissa! I miss her and all of my friends in Spokane very much. Still, I would not trade the time I get to spend with my nieces right now for anything else in this world. They are adorable and I love being with them. Lord, I feel like I am confessing tonight! Anyway, I think this next photo is something worth getting a good laugh at. My sad attempt at making a guitar cake as per Betty Crocker:

Melissa loved her cake and it is the thought that counts...

I think that rather strange looking blob next to the cake was supposed to be a guitar pick fashioned from one of the left-over cut-outs of the assembling of the guitar itself. I'm not a cake decorating artist but I do believe this cake was not a total loss and it tasted quite good! For a first attempt I think it was not so bad! Definitely could be better but oh well!

One other thing I miss about Spokane, Jane Austen Tea Parties with my friends Johanna Darnall and Lynn Swanbom. I have very few other friends who enjoy Jane Austen as much as I do. When watching Emma on PBS I could think of nothing but them. I miss them so much!. Here is one of my favorites from one such event:

Tea being poured into my cup...

I've enjoyed sharing these things with you and I hope that you have enjoyed reading! Thanks for being there! I hope to hear from you all. Let me know how you are doing and what is making you smile this week! Have a brilliant Wednesday!

Cheers!

PS: I finally found a title! ;-)

Monday Musings: All Things Irish

2010-03-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

from Why Ireland?

St. Patrick's Day is soon upon us and PBS has been bringing out the Irish wonders left and right. I just finished watching Out of Ireland with Patricia O'Reilly and after watching the news from RTE she showcased PBS' latest documentary the Music of Ireland: Welcome Home. The two part documentary airs this month across the country and centers on the history of contemporary Irish music. It features music and interviews from some of Irelands best and most well-known artists as well as some lesser known artists but just as great, including: The Chieftains, the Clancy Brothers, U2, The Dubliners, Riverdance, Bob Geldof, Ronan Tynan, and Sinead O'Connor.

I am eager to see this documentary as one of my favorite bands, U2, is mentioned and there is even a great interview with Bono! I can't wait! My 2009 Christmas gift to myself was U2's latest album! I am also excited to see more of Ireland's best. I love celtic music and I think it has had a huge influence in contemporary music even beyond Ireland so it should be a great series. If you go to the Music of Ireland homepage there is a tab entitled Broadcast where you can see if and when it will be aired in your area!

U2 photo from billboard.com

I hope to be able to make my traditional Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick's Day this year! If you haven't already, check out the Spotted Dog I made last September, similar to Irish Soda Bread, it is an Irish version of the British Spotted Dick. Check it out in my post The Things I've Made. A few Irish goodies I found on Etsy in preparation for St. Patrick's Day, check them out:

Cute little Irish Boy hat by daisymaehats $12

Gorgeous Lucky Shamrock Scarf by Ayca, $35

Kiss Me I'm Irish Shamrock Cookies from Holiday Candy Lane, $29

I leave you with some beautiful photos of Ireland:

from the dailygreen.com

from grouptraveldiscounts

Glendalough, Ireland

Cheers!

Fantastic Friday: Dreaming of France, Peanut Butter Bread and Free Music

2010-03-05T17:10:00.000-08:00

A finer Friday I could not have asked for! I love having exceptionally good days because when you're having a not-so-great day they are the days you can draw inspiration from and remind yourself that there's always a rainbow after the biggest of storms. So, I've had all things French on my mind, so much so that I actually did a little bit of my French lessons on Livemocha.com. I was watching Julie & Julia last night and although I wasn't able to finish (the DVD was not working very well) I was already loving it and think I may just have to purchase it! I think I may also purchase that cookbook of Julia's and tackle those recipes myself (Mastering the Art of French Cooking is a cookbook that has always intimidated me but now that I am older I think I might be able to handle it).

I woke up from a brilliant dream about being in France and was happy to find the sun shining through my window and was even happier to come downstairs and drink a cup of coffee accompanying it with some toast with Nutella spread. After feeding Gianna and making sure Alyssa had some food, I sat down to watch the Gilmore Girls and then caught Paula Deen on the Food Network. Her recipes today were delicious as she had decided to "Go nutz!" The episode, Goin' Nutz! was full of great food and a nice little "tip" at the end. She made this very good looking Peanut Butter bread which I of course had to try! So I made it, although the reviews were not so great, but mine turned out wonderfully! Here it is:

Peanut Butter Bread using Paula Deen's recipe

I think the trick to the bread was baking it for about 30-35 minutes instead of the 50 minutes suggested by the recipe (I inserted a toothpick and when it came out clean took the bread out which was well before the 50 minutes). Also, adding more like 1/2 a cup to 3/4 cups of sugar instead of 1/3 cup will make it a bit better although adding honey to it when it is still warm makes it taste pretty good too! Here is the recipe. Just click on the boldfaced word to access the link!

I listened to the House of Soul sampler I got from iTunes as I was cooking and while waiting for the bread to cool some, I got on facebook to see that there was an NPR sampler available for download so I got that. Looking for more music I found samplers for free on Amazon and I want to share that link with you: Amazon Samplers. I love to listen to music as I cook or craft and even more when it is an ecclectic mixture of good tunes! So, I leave you now with some gorgeous photos of Paris, La Ville-Lumière, the City of Light since that's what I've been dreaming of lately:

{Tour Eiffel, Paris France by Philip Rood Photography}

{Collage by ..Agnes.. on polyvore.com}

{Photo from Paris Perfect}

{Mini Eiffel Tower Grater from wishingfish.com}

Ok, so that last one isn't exactly a photo of Paris but I thought it was cute and really want one! Hope you've enjoyed today's post!

Cheers!

Awareness Thursday: A Whale of a Tale

2010-03-04T08:02:00.000-08:00

Looking through my long list of e-mails for some inspiration I came across a message sent by Greenpeace which is a disturbing to me. Apparently, the United States is embarking on a deal that poses a huge threat to whales worldwide, the largest threat since the 1986 moraturium to commercial whaling was established. Why anyone would want to hunt these beautiful creatures of the sea is beyond me as they create part of the balance of our eco-system and whaling cause a very big threat to that harmony and that trickles down to the overall threat on humanity itself.

According to Greenpeace, this deal would permit whaling even in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary (wouldn't be much of a sanctuary then, would it?). It's ridiculous and outrageous what the United States is wanting to be a part of. We need to stop this action before it becomes a major hazard to the safety of whales. Take action here --> Obama, Say No to commericial whaling. Join me in taking action today against whaling. Once again, the whales need our help for their safety and the safe-guarding of the delicate balance of our eco-system. Let's not let them down!

Here's a reminder of what whaling looks like:

Image from Greenpeace UK

Japanese whaling photo courtesy of the blog

Whale Wars.

A bloody battle, photo courtesy of the Sidney Morning Herald

Gruesome, aren't they? I do not want to see our oceans turning red because of corporate greed. Stop and think about the whales and how long we fought for them in the 80s. I leave you with a nicer photo:

Humpback whales from exzooberhance.com

Let's save the whales once more!