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there are lots to be thankful for in 2010, but it's time to say goodbye.  we are extremely excited for 2011 to arrive, another year to start off fresh...

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so, here's to a very happy 2011 to all of you.   may it be better than last year!!!
xo, carla

she belongs to a "madeline" too...

i say this, because i previously made one for a girl named, madeline.  this doll is for my neighbor's daughter.  she is a very sweet girl with blond hair and blue eyes.

here's the doll i made her, using the black apple tutorial for the basic pattern, and customizing the other details to make it unique.  i added a scarf and sleeves to this doll - it is winter, afterall.

a detailed shot of her eye (i modified it to add an iris and highlights)

a detailed shot of her flower hair clip (inspired by a friend of mine)

a detailed shot of the embroidered monogram

i hope you liked it.  now, i'm off to make one for another girl whose favorite pastel colors are:  blue, pink, and purple...
xo, carla

all things merry and bright

my family and i would like to wish you, a very merry Christmas!  this season is extra special because our "bun in the oven" is 20 weeks old, and doing well.

i couldn't find a "we're expecting" ornament.  so, here's a felt one that i made for him/her... 

i would like to share lil' man's santa photo too.  he was so excited to see santa, it seemed like the only thing he wanted for Christmas.  he was asking us to see santa for weeks.  when he finally got his chance to sit on old saint nick's lap, he didn't want to talk to him, or smile for the camera.  so, santa ended up tickling him to conjure up a smile.  dom is stifling his laughter, and kicking his feet in this photo (notice his hands?  that's all him - LOL).

i was so inspired by the beautiful Christmas trees i saw while browsing around.  so, here are some of my favorites:

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(source - image at weheartit.com)

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by buro north  (source)

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here are some of my favorite ornaments:

"green ornament" by kira shaimanova

"the tiniest deer" by skunkboy creatures (this is a birthday gift, but it would make a great ornament, wouldn't it?!)

aren't those ornaments cute?  also, check out more unique trees here!

enjoy this wonderful time with the people that are closest to your heart.
xo, carla

warm hands = warm heart

first and foremost, i would like to thank ilene and sandy for creating this wonderful swap, and for giving us all an opportunity to meet fellow bloggers and gain new friends too!

i was lucky enough to be partnered with a wonderful and creative lady, emily smolak of "sassy smolak".

i'm so happy to meet her because she is so lovely!  as i was reading her blog, i came across her wedding photos.  i was so inspired by her favorite colors (also her wedding colors).  so, i visited a few stores, but still couldn't find the perfect gloves for her...  finally, i decided to visit one of my favorite online stores, etsy, and i came across love driven's shop!  the moment i saw the smittens, i knew i found the perfect pair.  heather (of love driven), customized a pair with two of emily's favorite colors, purple and orange!

these are the goodies that emily sent me:

i received tuquoise gloves by mossimo, cards by the craft pantry, and a beautiful wood garland!  thank you so much emily!!!  i absolutely love all of them!

hope your week is as wonderful as mine (or even better)!
xo, carla

the sweetest thing

it started out as a really funny discussion...

dom:  mommy, i want you to have a tiny belly.
me:  well, we are going to have to wait because baby is inside.  so mommy's belly needs to get bigger first, because the baby is growing.  just like you did!
dom:  but i like you to have a tiny belly mommy.
me:  okay, i will, after the baby is born.
dom:  so, after the baby comes out, you are going to have a tiny belly?
me:  yes, i promise. 
dom:  okay, so the baby will be my best friend and your belly will be tiny.
me: *tear* you want the baby to be your best friend?
dom:  yes, my bestest friend.


"best friends" - sketch by tina burke



... and ending as the sweetest thing the lil' man has said...  even better than, "i love you".

xoxo,
carla

hear ye! hear ye! read all about it!!!

my family and i would like to officially announce that we are expecting!  our family of three will be "four" by may 2011.  i guess there was a reason for this post... LOL.

 

our first ultrasound happened last month, and i saw our baby's heart pumping as he/she slept in my womb!  i would provide the ultrasound photo, but it's so blurry - so, i'll wait for our next one to post his/her photo.  we are so happy, i can't wait to see him/her again!

it's been a pretty tough first three months...  feeling extremely exhausted (napping every single chance i get), and deathly nauseous.  when i was pregnant with dom, i knew exactly what i wanted to eat:  beef teriyaki, kimchi, burgers, and salads. and what not to eat:  anything chicken - that's it!

this time around, my food aversion varies from day to day and the list is growing daily.  mostly, i detest garlic (this is my all-time favorite, which makes me extremely sad. because i can't have anything with a trace of it), beef, the smell of any cooking (if i don't smell it in the cooking stage, i'll most likely eat it - this is a major problem when going to restaurants), oranges, coconuts, and strong smells.  i also can't have any canned food or ramen - i can actually taste the preservatives from it.  though, i do love salads, ambrosia apples, grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken dishes, and plain oatmeal with mashed bananas.

despite the uncomfortable moments, i find myself on cloud nine, and feeling so beautiful.  it's a great time in our lives right now.  dom kisses my belly every morning, saying, "good morning baby" - he's going to be such a great big brother. 

i would also like to say "congratulations" to those who are expecting, i know of a few!!!  i'm so happy for all of you!

for now, have a great weekend!
xoxo, carla

(i promise to be back on a regular blogging schedule as soon as my symptoms ease - lol) 

cold hands, warm hearts...

hello everyone! 

i just joined a swap and it's perfect for winter!!!  it's called the "cold hands, warm hearts swap"!

this is my second swap (here's what i did for my first one) and i'm really excited for it because it is hosted by these two lovely ladies:  sandy a la mode and much love illy!  

for more information on this swap, click here.  hope you are 1 of the 100 who will be exchanging lovely packages.  we could all use a little heart warming, right?

thanks sandy and ilene!!!

xoxo, carla

all hallow's eve

hello everyone!  just wanted to wish you all a very happy halloween.  it is my favorite holiday of the year.  it's fun, creative, full of laughs, and scares! 

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our son, is looking forward to this day too!  he's been asking us to "go to halloween" everytime he sees a jack o'lantern or a pumpkin.  he's sooo excited to be buzz lightyear, and is looking forward to receiving candies "from ghosts and monsters" - his exact words. 

have a spooky one!

xo, carla

artist feature: pretty little thieves

i discovered pretty little thieves through a beautiful mess, and i've been following nancy mungcal's work ever since...  not only is this selft-taught artist,  talented, but she is also a philanthropist.  i was lucky enough to own a couple of her original works through etsy (which were for a good cause too).

"the community"

get to know the talent behind pretty little thieves, nancy mungcal:

"self-portrait"

CD (me):  could you share a little bit about yourself?

NM (nancy mungcal):  i wear glasses and currently live in california.  i am inspired by my family and friends, music, books, art, photography, design, and travel.  i love animals especially pugs and wolves.  i wish i could play the guitar.  i feel lucky to get to share my work.

"bird like"

 

CD:  what is your approach when it comes to composition?


NM:  i constantly fill notebooks and sketchbooks so i often refer to the things i've drawn or jotted down to inform my work.  at other times, the work comes together in the process

"support group"

CD:  who are the most influential artist that you look up to?  and what drew you into their work.

NM:  i find music and books to be transforming.  i find myself insfluenced and inspired by the work of my favorite musicians and writers.  i am drawn to the emotions and stories told.

"her outlook was different"

CD:  your work, in my opinion, sends a beautiful yet melancholic emotion.  is this intentional?

NM:  thank you for the wonderful compliment.  it is unintentional but tends to show up naturally.

"your black heart"

CD:  how do you like the viewers of your work to feel?

NM:  the really amazing thing about art is that the viewer connects to the work in their own way.  to me, the biggest compliments about my work i have received have been the ones where my work has reminded the viewer of herself, or a friend, or a sister.

"two heads are better than one"

CD:  do you have a favorite piece, out of the works you've created? 

NM:  i don't have a favorite piece but i tend to have some pieces that i can't let go of.

"crazy talk"

CD:  some artists, create a series of their work.   do you like doing this?  does it influence you to create works based on a theme?

NM:  there seems to be prevalent themes in my work like loss, heartache, friendship, duality, sisterhood, and sadness.  these seems inherent and are constantly influencing my work.

"a real mess"

CD:  do you have an inspirational place?  if so, where is it and why?


NM:  i'm a fan of road trips and finding or discovering new places to be real inspiring.  i also find the woods to be amazing magical places

"the things we share"

CD:  a lot of us were affected by or moved by the gulf oil crisis...  what are your views on it?  what inspired the creation of "for your friends"?

NM:  i found the gulf oil crisis devastating.  the images of the animals covered in oil were especially difficult to see.  "for your friends" was actually a painting my five year old niece asked me to paint.

"for your friends"

CD:  can you share some of your future plans, fund-raising causes you participate in, or the direction of your most recent work?


NM:  to continue to put my work out there, to find new avenues for my work, and to help when i can to raise funds for causes that i believe in.

collage of earlier works for the drawing for a cure project

CD:  what keeps you motivated to do what you do?


NM:  a love and a fierce (stubborn) determination for the creative process.

"what matters to us"

CD:  do you have any advice to give aspiring artists?


NM:  i'll share the advice i've been given, which are:  don't wait, keep putting your work out there, don't give up, and always be brave.  i remind myself of these constantly.

"friends with glasses"

website:
http://prettylittlethieves.com/home.html

blog:
http://prettylittlethieves.blogspot.com/

shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/prettylittlethieves
i hope you enjoyed pretty little thieves! 

xo,
carla

happy thanksgiving!

to my fellow canadians,

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wishing you all a wonderful thanksgiving!!!

xo, carla

dom-isms: reading between the lines

my brother in law (dom's godfather) is an avid collector of mint condition transformer action figures...  everytime my son gets a glimpse of his collection, it tempts him to touch or play with them...

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so, after we all got together for dinner, dom asked his godfather, "ninong, can i play with your toys?"

ninong replied, "if you do, i'll cut off your fingers!" - in a joking manner, of course.

dom looks back at us and nonchalantly says, "i guess he said no."

happy thursday everyone!
xo, carla

burlesque

another random fact about me, i'm a huge sucker for musicals or anything slightly resembling a musical...  i cannot wait to see this:  "burlesque"!!!  it's out on november 24.

i can't help but be drawn to it...  cher, chrisitina aguilera - need i say more?

here is a list of my favorite musicals of all time (box office and broadway - in no particular order, some less musical than others):

• west side story
• cry baby
• sound of music
• wizard of oz
• moulin rouge
• chicago
• mary poppins
• big fish
• annie
• the king and i
• cabaret
• grease
• beauty and the beast
• miss saigon
• phantom of the opera
• les miserables
• aladdin
• dumbo
• oliver
• fiddler on the roof
• sweeney todd
• hair
• jesus christ superstar
• rocky horror pictureshow
• across the universe

i could go on forever, i'm sure i missed a bunch more (specially the disney ones).  what's your all time favorite musical?

have a great week everyone!
xo, carla

sweetheart plush

i've been eyeing this cute tutorial by johanna monte of one red robin, for quite a while now...   i've always loved her work, specially this cute fawn found at her etsy shop:

"fiorella the fawn"

a few months ago, i finally got the chance to make the "sweetheart" plush!  i love the easy to follow instructions too.  here's how it turned out:

one red robin has quite a list of free tutorials you can try!  so, when you get a chance, hop on over to johanna's blog and be inspired...

happy weekend everyone!
xo, carla

she belongs to beautiful madeline...

here's another one of the dolls i made, using the black apple, and chez beeper bebe tutorials.  here's the original inspiration for this doll, i found it while searching for black apple doll images on google.

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i was able to find the blue retro space fabric by michael miller (in etsy), and i got the striped fabric from a local fabric store.

i made this for madeline, who lives all the way in detroit.

the "madeline" doll

detail of the lacing on her boots/shoes

detail of her face and the peter pan collar

detail of her capelet and the pocket

though i haven't met madeline (i've only seen her in photos), i'm already deeply in love with this little girl.  she is the daughter of one of my best friends!  i can't wait to see them soon.

have great week everyone!
xo, carla

it all started with a popsicle...

here's another one to add to dom's sayings (aka. dom-isms)...  it happened a few weeks ago.

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my dad ("babba") gave lil' man a popsicle when we were over.  dom says, while hugging him, "thank you for my popsicle babba.  i love you very, very, very, very, very, belly, belly button!"

what will he come up with next?  i'll keep you posted...

have a wonderful week!
xo, carla

dom-isms

dom is growing up so fast, and i don't want to miss a thing... i just wanted to capture and document some of his sayings here, aka. dom-isms.

we are lucky enough to have both sets of parents to babysit the lil'man when bry and i are off to work...  it's definitely time away from him, but we're at ease because he is left with people who love him as much as we do.

 
when i dropped him off yesterday at my in-laws', dom said, "mommy, i want a hug and lots of kisses!"  so, i gave them to him.  then he says, "ok, that's enough!"

LOL, he's such a funny guy, just like daddy!  can you blame me though? i can't get enough of hugging and kissing him!

hope your day is wonderful!
xo, carla