Blue Monday

Yesterday I went to the Alameda Flea Market.  I have not been to this market since 2008 and it has changed, for the better I must say.  It is bigger than last time I went.  I have never been to the Rose Bowl market. ( I can't believe I never went when I lived there).  From what I hear, this one is comparable in size.  It is packed with people, the aisles are full of buyers with flat carts and shopping carts full of goods.  Many shop owners use this market as a source for their inventory.  In the past I found this market to be too highly priced.  I always found things at my local drive in flea market for better prices.  However that has changed.  In comparing Alameda's prices to the LA area markets, I find it to be very comparable and cheaper in many ways.  There is a lot of furniture and bric a brac here as always, but I saw some really cool pieces that I would have loved to buy if I had a home to put them in.  We are in a teeny tiny apartment temporarily, so any buying of new stuff has to wait until we permanantly locate somewhere.

The weather was unusually cold and dismal for August, so in honor of that, I call today's post Blue Monday.  I am loving aqua and blue things lately, so I shopped with my camera and took pictures of a lor of blue things.  Here are a some photos of my favorites.

Meet Solo

I love baby animals.  Baby anythings are so sweet.  This is Solo.  My cousin's dog found her at just a couple of days old, and was playing with her when my cousin rescued her and began bottle feeding her.  I know the stories, and trust me, they know the realities of raising a raccoon.  They have done it before and had their home trashed by some.  I just wanted to post this photo because it is just so adorable.  I got to hold her and pet her.  She wraps her little hand around your thumb and holds on when she drinks her bottle. 

I think it is such a great experience for kids to be exposed to wildlife, and learn about animals.  I love living so close to the Lindsay Museum.    I have taken many a fledgeling baby bird ther, been on 4 field trips there, and have taken my kids numerous times.  We love seeing all the animals they have rescued there...  Every time I look at this photo it just makes me smile...   Just a little something to share with all my blog pals out there today and hopefully put a smile on your face.  Hope you are enjoying the summer sunshine and enjoying all the beauty of nature, wherever you are.

Oh happy day

I am a HUGE Diana Gabaldon fan.  Her Outlander series of books featuring a time traveling nurse/doctor Claire and her Scottish highlander Jamie are my go to favorites when I really want to escape.  I have read them all a few times each, and they are so rich with content, every time, I find something I missed the previous read.  If you love historical romance novels featuring time travel, or novels set in the 18th century, you will love these books. 

I remember when I was in Spain almost 8 years ago, and her then latest book, I think it was A breath of Snow and Ashes was just out in stores.  I saw it in Madrid, but unfortunately it was in Spanish only... I wanted that book for the long 12 hour flight.  I bought it when I got home.  I came down with a wicked bad flu bug I caught in Italy, and with a 104 degree fever, I drug my sorry sick ass to B&N to get it.   I spent 2 glorious weeks in bed sick with the flu, reading the new one, and then rereading the old ones. 

I saw on her website she is currently writing the next book in the series, and I have been waiting YEARS for this one...  It is due out in early 2013...  considering how fast the time has flown by recently, I expect it will be out before I know it...

I find it interesting to note that my hubby's other last name, (his mothers maiden name, which all Spaniards use as a second last name) is Gabaldon... . That's actually how I saw the book in the Madrid bookstore, he picked it up and says jokingly... "Hey, this is my cousin".  Perhaps somehow very distantly... but how cool would that be?!

I can't WAIT to see what happens next...  with half of the family in the past, half in the present, I am looking forward to seeing what happens next...  I can't recommend these books enough.  I have had many tell me they started the first one, and couldn't get through the first few chapters.  I tell them to stick it out... It gets better as you go.  You fall in love with the characters and then you can't put the book down... I recently got them on cd and burned them to my laptop.  Now if I can figure out how to put it on my phone, I can listen to it on the way down and back to LA next month.  I want to reread the last one so I am all up to date and refreshed for the new one.....

free stuff friday

Today is a Free Stuff Friday.  I have been scanning a lot of old photos and trade cards.  I have quite a collection, and I love unique photos, people in glasses, smiling, children, double weddings and twins.   I thought I would share them with my blog pals.  feel free to copy and share these with all your friends.  If you would be so kind as to give them the link here, I would appreciate it.  Check back every month on the first Friday for free stuff.  Please leave a note here and let me know what kinds of things you would like to see on Free Stuff Fridays. 

Graduations

My son Zachary graduated on June 8th and we had a party for him on the 16th.  I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the wonderful young man he is.  He has a great sense of humor, a passionate outlook on life, a solid gold heart, and the height to make most people feel small next to him.  Like his stature, his personality is huge.  He fills a room when he is in it.  I don't think he realizes the magnetism he has yet.  College will surely polish up the rough edges and mold him into the commanding leader he was born to be.  I know that he will grow into an amazing man, he is already half way there, and I couldn't be more proud of him.

Here is an assignment he has in English class, to write a valedictorian speech.  It says a lot about what kind of man he is becoming.  I got lucky when God made him my son.  I love you Zack.

All of us have spent the past thirteen years waking up, brushing our teeth, throwing some clothes on and going to school. When we were younger our parents drove us to our elementary school and told us where to meet them after school to avoid the rush of over protective parents who arrive 45 minutes early to pick up their kids. We then kissed them goodbye, grabbed our brown bagged lunch, and got ready for the toughest day of third grade ever. Times tables. Little did we know, our problems were only just beginning. After our 5 years of 100% guidance in elementary school, we were now onto the next stage of education. We were now, for the second time, Entering a world of unfortold mystery. Junior high. We would now learn how to write a 4-5 paragraph essay, and we would have 6 different classes with multiple teachers. To our young minds this was quite a change. We are now in the process of growing up; our moms stopped packing our lunch, they stopped waking us up in the morning, and rather than a hug and kiss in the morning, they send us a Good morning text. Over the next three years at the junior high we will lose many friends because they will have hugged the boy or girl we liked first, we'll stress about our first book report, we'll tell our parents that we hate them and that they're the worst parents on earth, and they'll totally ruin our lives by not letting us go to Joe's 12th birthday party because EVERYONE is going to be there. And our parents may act angry, but on the inside they are smiling because they know that this punishment is nothing compared to what lies ahead. Soon our time at the junior high is up, and we begin preparation for our 8th grade promotion, which to us was a huge deal, but in all honesty is nothing. Now the real work begins. We begin preparing for the worst, most intense, yet, happiest and best times of our entire lives. High school. There will be drama, and parties where that one kid throws up, well all do things we wish we hadn't, but when we look back; we wouldn't change a thing. Well have our romances, some more ridiculous than others. We've all had our romances, the two week i love yous, the three month stretch, and for some one year and more. Some will meet the girl they love in Mr. Schains US history class junior year. Others may have been friends for a long time and developed into more. A few may have "the one" that turns into "the one that got away" .Some won't get through the hard times that lie ahead, but for those of you who will put in the work, stay up all night studying for their exams, pass all their classes, put on that cap and gown, walk down the aisle, shake Mrs. Kamels hand and walk out of here with a diploma, these past 4 years will have been worth it. We've all stayed up until 3:30 in the morning writing a paper because we were too occupied with Call of Duty, hanging out with friends, or we just flat out didn't care. Most of us leaned how to drive. We started off as we did on our first day of school. Nervous, hesitant, scared. And to be honest we all sucked. But over time most of us became better drivers, just as we became better students. The truth is, after we walk out of our class this Friday with our heads up high, we will soon after realize that it's all over. No more guidance, no more mandatory schooling, no more neatly packed lunches with notes on the napkin, no more teachers telling us what to do. After this Friday, we never have to come back again. The faces we're used to seeing everyday will fade until eventually they are nothing more than "that guy in my english class sophomore year." This Friday we're all facing a monster, many of us know this monster as reality. And if you don't pay attention reality is gunna lash out and slap you right in the face. So my fellow 2012ers, look up, face reality, and fulfill your self expectations. I know I won't be seeing a lot of you anymore, and I'd like to thank all of you for the memories. I hope I have left some of you with good memories as well. High school will forever be the best times of my life.

Silver Tray Albums

I met a woman named Michelle Hurtt last year at Glitterfest.  She had the most beautiful books she made from silver trays.  I begged, pleaded and coaxed her into teaching a class for me and some friends before I left OC, and man OH MAN was it fun!  What a great day. 

Her studio is so beautiful and organized you could sit in it all day and just paw through all her treasures like Gollum in Lord of the Rings.  Inspiration abounds in all her jewelry and assemblage pieces placed throughought the studio.

Here are the photos of what we did.  I don't want to give away all her secrets... You have got to take a class and find out for yourself.  Let me just say after making one, she does NOT charge enough for the things she makes.  They are labor intensive, and absolutely gorgeous.  Mine is the last photo pictured.  I gave it as a wedding gift to Pascual's cousin in Spain and they LOVED it.  These are a unique and special gift for a wedding or baptism.  If you would like info about the class, please contact me and I will give you her info.

More CHA

So my long delayed CHA posts are now going up... I am WAAAAYYY behind on my postings.  Thanks Annette for pointing out I posted with the wrong date on the previous post...
 So here is my friend Cindy on day 2...  Loved the mini tiaras thay had in this booth for the dolls we sculpt.

This jewelry was really pretty.  Saw some great jewelry companies, and bead companies too, but honestly, I didn't see anything there I can't get at Gilding the Lily or in Downtown LA.

Scrapbooking industry has really changed since I was in it...  Fewer companies, many subsidiaries of large mega companies, everything has the shabby grungy textural look I love and have been doing in my books for years.  Honest opinion, I would rather make my own stuff and be unique.  But maybe that is just me, or is that how a lot of us scrapbookers have evolved into mixed media artists? 

As always, very cool things in the Ranger booth.  Here is Tim Holtz doing a demo, I had to squeeze into the side to get this photo.  Lots of cool altered art projects in their booth, and the displays were awesome.  Old luggage and carts, wood walls and doors.  Very funky and fun!

So my overall opinion is that you can really see how the craft industry, and especially the scrapbooking and stamping industries have been impacted by the economy.  What was once a hopping, fully packed show has been pared down to bare bones.  The small start up companies are gone, and the industry as a whole has changed.  It makes me sad to see a once thriving, amazingly creative pool of businesses shrink down to a handful of large conglomerates that churn out a lot of sameo sameo stuff.  So I say long live the altered artist!  We are the grease that keeps the wheels turning!

CHA Day 1

So we hit the CHA trade show today and powered through about half of it..  Will be going back Tuesday to see the other half.  The last CHA I attended was in 2002.  Things have definitely changed in the crafting industry since then.  Most of the small companies are either gone or have been swallowed up by large corporations.  The show is MUCH smaller than I remember it being.  There was plenty of room to walk, seats were easily obtained in the food court, and there was nowhere near the crowd I am used to seeing at this event.

Knitting and crochet seems to be really big.  Here are some examples I snapped at a couple of booths.  I took some at the Vanna White fashion show booth.  They told me no photos allowed (very rudely I might add).. which I thought was ridiculous, because isn't the point of all of this to have your product marketed?  What better way than for bloggers to share their love of it on social networking sites... We met Mikey and Diva Dan at lunch.  Should have taken a photo, as they were quite dapper.  Mikey teaches crochet on You Tube, check him out here.  Here are some random pix of things I really liked there.

Quick and Easy Elf Costume

Here is a fun idea for recycling an old velour top into a child's elf costume...  They make great outfits for the traditional christmas photo...  Why not add a little elvish fun to the photos with upcycled elf costumes.

First, you need a ladies large or plus size pullover style velour top in red or green. Cut out the sleeves at the arm holes, which should leave you with a sleeveless tank top. Set the sleeves aside, be careful to leave the seam down the arm intact. Take the shoulder seams up so the armholes are the right size for your child. From the bottom of the top, sew up at an angle toward the armpit, creating an A line skirt.. Cut away the excess fabric up the sides and in the armpit until you are left with a childs tank dress. You should have 2 triangles with seams cut from the side seams. Open them up and sew them together to create the elf hat. Sew a large jingle bell on the point of the hat. Hand sew a white feather boa around the neck and armholes and hem of the dress for a more elfish look. You can glue gun it on, but then you won't be able to wash it if the dress gets dirty, the boa won't hold up in the wash.

Turning the sleeve inside out, cut a small slit with scissors in the cuff seam insert a piece of elastic or string tied to a safety pin all the way around the cuff, gather and tie tightly. Place the sleeve over your child's shoe and use a piece of ribbon around the ankle. Let the top of the sleeve bunch up and flop over to form a natural cuff on the elf boot. Finish the look off with jingle bells on the toes, and your little elf is ready for their photo op.

Extra touches can be added for a different look... Leggings and a skirt with a turtleneck and the elf boots, or leggings and a vest for a boy elf... A womens petticoat or underskirt from a prom dress can be cut down to make a tutu to go over the whole outfit...

So next time you are in the thrift store and it is bag day, take a look at things with a different eye. There are elf clothes hiding in almost everything.