Splendid

spring break eternal...

We are adjusting to life here in Florida quite well... We just had spring break here, sun and sand were our theme.  We had a "staycation" and went to the beach, watched movies, lounged by the pool, rode new bicycles, visited the Everglades, BBQed with burgers and toasted smores and slept in...loved it.

 

The girls have had 1 1/2 weeks of school now, and luckily they both were welcomed by their classmates more than I could have hoped for. Big sis has 2-3 of the girls calling and texting her numerous times a day, she is happy and I am, too. Little sis was excepted quickly as well and as her teacher said, "had girls fighting over sitting next to her at lunch."  I feel so content, my heart is smiling. This week they started dance lessons and next week they start swimming twice a week.

We also put an offer on a home that was accepted, so around April 28th we'll have a new place to hang our hats. It has a cute little backyard with a lovely pool with a waterfall, hot tub and large patio perfect for entertaining. It is a very plain-jane home, but has good bones. The kitchen and baths are a little outdated, and I am dying to finally get my IKEA white country kitchen. I am already dreaming of Anthropologie rugs and IKEA storage containers and big sis has a whole new bedding set picked out from Urban Outfitters. Agh...now to win the lottery...

toffee magazine

I was beyond honored when Toffee Magazine asked me to do a couple crafts for their second issue. Toffee is a fabulous magazine with beautiful photography, crafts, cooking, current trends, eye candy galore, free downloadables and articles from Indie Artists and Crafters.  They are sort of a Martha meets Frankie love child (with DIY as an Uncle) kind of magazine. I highly recommend you check them out and get a subscription!!

They sent me a file of their lovely Spring papers to make something spring-y...I made these two projects, a paper cone with a little bird, ready to be displayed for spring or Easter. Chirp, chirp... 

 
and an Easter card, complete with a vintage Bunny cupcake topper.

 
Both are super simple crafts, just perfect for quick Spring decorating. You are able to download for FREE all their super sweet and beautiful papers here!!!  Go and take a look at them, I promise you won't be disappointed.

bid on this...

What's happening in Japan is just heart-breaking.  My heart goes out to all the people there who have lost loved ones and have had their homes damaged by the earthquake or tsunami. I don't have an official charity that I support, I kind of do a couple each year, but the American Red Cross is definitely one you can trust and I urge you to donate whatever you can.  Another lovely way to show Japan some support is to bid on my friend Jen's lovely wrap here.

I just bid on it and normally I would not tell others to try to outbid me, but this is a good cause to say the least. So go. Help these poor people any way you can.

home.

 
We have arrived here in Florida. It's beautiful, balmy and green. The tropical breezes are gently shaking the palm trees outside my window, I just went food shopping in the US again and was so ridiculously gleeful to buy organic veggies, range-free eggs, bread and condiments I couldn't get in Mexico City, so giddy I swear I had a smile from ear to ear. Tonight Dave and I are taking the Littles to the Rainforest Cafe.  Years ago we took them in San Fransisco, but little sis doesn't remember and I'm sure she'll love it. The point is, it's familar, and normal, and feels safe and effortless.  Living in Mexico City was not the easiest place out of the variable bonanza of places we've lived. I worry about the girls being happy here, I worry they won't be easily accepted into their new school and with new classmates, I want them to be happy, to delight in life again, they have moved 3 times in 6 years for us. I feel guilty and hope and pray that they acclimate quickly into a group of girls and soon will be having sleep-overs and playdates swimming and stuffing their faces with buttery popcorn going to the movies (in English!) We're looking forward to a more relaxed, safer, freer feeling living here. Rollerskating, days spent lounging at the beach, BBQs all year round, making new friends, it will be good.

pet love and an atc

Hi there, everyone! Hope you're having a great day! March's challenge is "my pet" over at Category Stories.  That could actually be a project about your pet, a pet peeve, a pet your wish you had, etc. I was going to do a pet peeve one, but I'd need too many pieces of paper to do it, and I've actually never done a LO about our furbabies, so I thought I'd do that one. Selina is usually not that camera shy, but this time she was. Maybe it was the Fuji Instax being shoved in her face that made her fearful... Lobo is ALWAYS scared of the camera, so I was not surprised he didn't give me the best poses.

 
Come play along!!

...and over at Simply ArTistiC we have card #11 up, inspired by a magazine layout.  Go take a look and then play along so you can swap with a scrappy buddy! Here's mine...

 
More on our new home later (to Miami)(for those of you who care or know me...) I've been MIA lately, just so busy traveling for work and pleasure and packing and and moving back to the US. Wow, soooooo glad it's all almost over...

Tribute to Mad Men

The March challenge at the Creative Type is a tribute to Mad Men and advertising.  Find a picture or something to use as your own advertisement. When I was a kid I wore Kangaroos all the time. This past summer I bought a pair of kicks and I love them. Although, I must admit, I remember when I was kid and I'd put a couple quarters in the pocket, that 50 cents went much further than today.

 
Come play along and upload them to our Flickr group!  Each month we pick a winner to be a guest designer for another month!