SWAPITY SWAP

I participated in my first swap this month on craftster.com and learned quite a few things. Swap details? This is the Easy Peasy Swap - it's just that! Easy Peasy!
You are required to make ONE MEDIUM SIZED CRAFT and that is it. No more, no less. Just a medium.

What is a medium? For this swap please plan to spend 2-4 hours of crafting time. Crafting time is actual time that you are spending physically crafting. time to dry does not count. shopping for the crafting does not count. physically crafting is the time that counts

easy peasy! love anything that has that phrase attached. I sooo didn't love this swap though :( I think mostly because of the time of year...tax time. I had procrastinated on getting my expenses for my Partylite business detailed down so I could do my taxes and so spent zero hour online at taxact.com finishing up. but THAT'S a whole nother story.... I drew Disneybelle as my swap partner and learned quite a few things about her. The obvious being her love of disney stuff. ;) I also learned that she's graduating from Perdue and moving to Florida soon. She was hoping to get stuff to decorate her new home with utilizing her favorite colors of Black, Brown and "martha stewart blue". I had no idea what MS blue was, but she explained that it's that light almost tealish blue found on her website. I had so many ideas running through my head that time ran away from me before I realized it. I had to hurry to finish up so it's not as pretty as I would *like* it to be, but she still loved it!

Did I mention I still haven't finished my quilt a long blocks? I've got to meet a hostess tonight in Southcenter so I think I'll finally stop by Joann's and get a self healing mat big enough for my sewing projects. The small 8x11 one for my scrapbooking just isn't cutting it. pun intended ;)

Dirty Snot...

So I was doing my morning blog-surfing today. It's so nice to be able to start my day by peeking into other peoples worlds. *sigh* I guess it also helps because I see such happy cheerful posts that either make me smile or laugh... This morning I came across a blog I'd never happened across before. Two Lime Leaves. In her blog she did a little meme for 7 things.

5. I have never eaten, nor will I EVER eat an oyster. Why would anyone want to eat something that looks like infected dirty snot?

Ever read something that gave you an automatic visual? This one did. I was very rofl with it. Mainly because Oysters are one of my FAVORITE foods.....as long as I don't havre to be the one cooking it. lol.

There's nothing like a new baby to make people feel all gooey inside. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I can't WAIT until it's me...but at the same time, I know I'm not ready yet. *sigh* Easter Sunday wasn't spent with a bunny...or in church for that matter. I woke to a text message from my sister announcing that Aiden Ikaika was born at 753am. yay! a big 7lb 15 oz baby measuring 19 3/4 inches long! wowsers! The plan had originally been to have my cousin Kaleo and his mom come over because Monday was his 18th birthday and do a surprise party for him. After a few phone calls, we shifted it to Tacoma so we could all go visit baby. He was definitely surprised and we had fun. Mom was still a party pooper in her attitude, but we've learned to deal with that. at least I have.

I spent a nice hour and half talking to her the other day. well...listening. She called to see if I could check around for a hd enclosure and I tried to get her to come up again. Of course, the weather lately had her freaking out. she definitely ain't coming by any time soon...that's kinda frustrating too. I'm always having to drag Jack down to Tacoma just so I can spend time with them, but they're not willing to come this way. It's something I've learned to deal with over the last few months since I moved up here. It's definitely one of the hardest lessons to learn~putting myself before others and not getting hurt when they're selfish. Don't they realize I gotta pay for gas too?

Makana was student of the month last month for academic achievement and no one even thought to tell me. how depressing. None the less, Jack and I are talking about doing something special for him. Probably a weekend with us, or maybe a new ps2 game. we'll think of something.

Mom's bday is in 11days and my sisters seemed to have bagged out yet again. too bad. Maybe we can do it next month and make it for Dad's birthday..... I think I'm just going to get Raiatea tickets for my mom and dad for her bday. She'll like that.

sHHHHHHH!

So there are some birthday's coming up in the next few weeks and idle conversations have turned into plotting with me. ROFL. My cousin kaleo turns 18 on Monday and I'm thinking that we could turn his "come over and hang out" day on Sunday into a mini bday party. also I'm wanting to do pictures of me, my sisters and all the keiki's then with Tanya. It occured to me as I was emailing back and forth with Tanya ~ someone is ALWAYS pregnant when I try and do pictures of the kids..... WTH is up with THAT?! LOL. Both events should be fun if I can pull them off. We'll have to see though...

Epiphany

Yesterday I had an epiphany. We'd gotten home and J was in the mood to sit down and read after work lately. I'm not sure if it's the lifestyle change he's been making or that he just got really tied into the book he's reading. Either way, he's made a habit to sit down and read the past week when he gets home. It's a nice way to escape after work and last night I decided to join him. Only after I'd sat and joined him, after a couple of pages I realized I could get some laundry done at the same time. I needed to run the finished loads through the dryer again to get the bulk of the wrinkles out and fold/put them away. So I went into the bedroom and seperated them - whites, hang up stuff and everything else and did that. I got through all the hang up stuff and also ironed the pieces that still required it and all the whites. By the time I put the rest of the stuff in the dryer, it was time to get dinner started and I never got back to it. I got a lot done though and am proud of that. I'm also glad I'm not the only one whose laundry room looks like a war zone.



I've also discovered that I'm not the only one in a gift making frenzy. This past weekend, I made a passel of these, a bunch of tissue holders, a sling and started two quilts. I also went on a search to find these. The plan is to use the kiddy fabric I've got TONS of, and make one or two to go with the store bought ones my mom gave her as well as make a few for me. ;) The PROBLEM though is finding the time. Time seems to always be a problem. Esp when I'm NEED to make some booking calls, but don't have the will or fortitude to do them. It's easy to get discouraged and want to quit. It's finding the energy to power through that and stick with it I'm having problems with. *sigh* anyone wanna buy some Partylite?

For those that wanted to know, the photos below are from my friend Tanya's new business venture. She's opened, complete with business license, her own photography business. She's awesome and also the one to take the latest pictures J and I have had done.



It's funny bc I thought she was being over critical when she said the photos she was posting on blogger came out too pixelated. I didn't see them as such until yesterday's post. As such, she's got a new blog here. Go check it out, she's pretty awesome.

Babies on the brain...

It's been non stop talk about babies lately that has me wishing we were more ready to have one of our own. I know, though, that we're not. (doesn't stop me from wanting!) On Saturday afternoon, Jack and I went to Puamohala's shower. It's crazy to think that she's even PG, but at looking at Tanya's photoshoot with her, she's just GLOWING.

In typical filipino style, there was tons of food that i haven't had in ages - loved it to the point it hurt. lol. i was good though and made up for it by not eating that many desserts. it was pretty chaotic at the halau. I guess her family came in to do set up without her and did it differently than was normally done for halau "feeds". She had lots of guests (and presents) and the event was pretty chaotic (i said that already didn't I?). It was great to be able to see and catch up with some of the girls. I can't wait until I'll have time to start going....and transportation.

Sunday though was Secret's final baby shower. It sucks that I had to be the one to make all the arrangements (long distance) and that I had so little help with it. It was even crazier that Ivory was so secretive about her being PG again...esp since most everyone knew. The fun part about the shower is that the common phrase was "I made that!" lol. Chelsea made her an awesome looking fleece blanket. The neat part is that Tony helped out by picking the fabric print. It had cute wittle teddy bears and sports stuff on it. When Secret opened it, Chelsea had exclaimed in a voice of disbelief ~ I made that! which prompted us all to say it. How funny that she got so much homemade stuff!

Auntie Charlene sent up a small baby quilt for her and I made her a ring sling. I'd almost given up on it because the original intention was to give her one using the elmo fabric that I had bought years ago on ebay, but the flannel turned out to be too thick. (One day I'll make time to take it apart) But Friday night I was doing the chapstick holders and prepping the last of the kleenex holders when the fabric called to me. I was looking through the box for island prints so I could do a few in those and SAW it. I don't recall where I had gotten the fabric now, but I do know that the original intent was a shirt...or something... hey maybe I got it at Joann's!. Anyways, it turned into a nice little sling for Aiden. I hope she really likes it.

No I'm not lazy

I've just been crazy busy at work. I never realized how draining talking on the phone can be at the end of the day! lol. and no you're not crazy, I left the christmas tree up ON PURPOSE. What better way to celebrate the greatest time of year?


So I never got the Jelly Roll into a firm shape. It came in, I tore it apart and the original plan kinda disinegrated in front of me. the roll told me it didn't like it and now it sits and stares at me from a tray (actually an empty sobe box/tray) mocking me. I'm not sure what I'll do with it yet, but in the mean time, I bought a few charm squares! :teehee



Both have definite plans, so keep watching as they take shape. I hope to have one done by the time I leave for St Louis in July. Those crazy Bobers will get a huge kick out of it. here's a sample of that one! don't you love that cute little bootie! rofl

I did also make my first batch of tissue holders this past weekend. I was neglectful and forgot to get shower gifts for my sister's baby shower so I made a dozen of these, and stuffed the bag with candy she had. Boy was she thankful to get rid of all that candy!

In other worlds, I met a girl last night who is new to my Partylite team who lives close by! how exciting! We talked briefly about carpooling. We'll see how that pans out!