Thursday, September 30, 2010

September recap!

A little recap about this awesome month: September.
A lot happened, happens and I hope it will keep happening on September.

The month start with my dear daddy birthday and a week later, my brother's. Don't see them from almost 4 years, miss my daddy encouragements and my brother's jokes.
In between this 2 occasions, there is also a painful occurrence in my family: my grandfather (my dad's dad) death. This year have been 10 years. I didn't make a blog post entirely for him because I know that I wouldn't want to be remembered in a sad light, but rather for his strong spirit and for the fact the he was the bond of the family, with 8 children and 16 grand kids. He wasn't lucky enough to met my Gabriel, his first grand grand son. He also suffered of asthma and that's how he passed away in a cold night of September of 10 years ago.
I was there, with my father. We got a call in the middle of the night from my grandma asking for help and my dad asked me if I would accompany him. Was like 3 in the morning but was wide awake, so I went. I'm glad I did it because I had to drive my poor destroyed father at home.
I think my dad misses him terribly, but we always laugh thinking of my grandpa, because this is how he wanted it.

2 years after that cold night, I started dating my husband as I already write about it here.
I couldn't believe he wanted to date me too, I watched him from behind the ice creams that I used to serve him for over 2 months, thinking he was sooo out of my reach.
I'm glad I was wrong about that ♥

This month also is special because Gabriel completed his first year of being on a gluten-free diet with major results.
He's now wearing a size 8 without me having to fix it anything with my sewing machine, which I'm glad because he looked very skimpy in a size 6 pants what was just right in his waist, but too short on his ankles.
One more year to go and we'll be ready to slowly reintegrate some gluten in his diet to see if he can tolerate it. Life would be easier if he could, but still I'm just happy he's growing good on this diet.

I call September the purple month because is grape time.
I'm enjoying the fact that hubby's grandma has a vine and donate us lots of grapes and I had the ability to try my hand at making grape juice. Didn't get to make any jelly, but I did get some from my mother in law that was very good.
Envious?? Don't be! Here some grapes for you!


In Italy September is also back to school month: until i was in school I enjoyed so much going to shop for school supplies, the smell of new notebooks and used school text books, finding the right memo book to keep up with my million things to do.
Now that I'm a parent of 2, back to school is a lot of headaches, infinite waiting for school buses and this year a very big delusion with the school system that has Gabriel in care at the moment.

For a month that goes, another that comes! Stay tuned for October topics, like Halloween, Breast Cancer awareness, getting ready for holiday season and a little surprise, something a bit different from my "usual" me ;)

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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Share the love on Tuesday: My Helping Hands



This weeks Featured Shop is My Helping Hands Graphic Design. Custom Avatars, Banners and Ads!


You can find My Helping Hands Graphic Design at:



Website



Artfire Shop



Blog



Facebook



Twitter


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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Happy Anniversary to me and hubby!


Today is the 8th anniversary of my first date with my hubby!
The picture above was taken few weeks later in one of our outings with a lots of friends, most of them married as well. There was the years of 2002.
And this is how we look now, 8 years later:

I think hubby changed quite a bit lol. I might as well ask: who do you like the most, my boyfriend of 8 years ago or my current hubby??? LOL It's the same guy!
8 years and hubby still take his jacket off to cover my shoulders when I'm cold, comes in bed to warm my feet, check on me during the day to see if I'm fed and happy and ask me about my dreams and where I want to be in 10 years.
I spare you the counting: we have been married 7 years last August soooo...
We started dating September 28th 2002 (the picture above I believe being October or so of the same year). May 2003 I found out I was pregnant with Gabriel and we got married August 2003 and had an home ready for when Gabriel was born, January 2004.
Most people bet that we wouldn't last more than a couple of months, but here you go:
8 years later and still strong.

To share this celebration with you, I'm running a little sale: hope you'll enjoy :)

Click To Go ShoppingCrocheted Little Things
  • The Discount: For today only: 8% off all my items to celebrate the 8th anniversary of my first date with my husband! ♥
  • How To Get This Sale: Prices already discounted. Just browse around and find something you love :)
  • End Date: 09/28
Other Information: NONE
Click Here to go to the Shopping at this store!

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Monday, September 27, 2010

Monday cupcake Find



This Monday is a smelly item from DebsDay!

Cupcake Tart
Cupcake Soy Wax Tarts...Package of 2, $2.65 by DebsDay


This is for a package of (2) tarts....All my tarts are made with a soy wax for a nice clean burn..

These tarts are highly fragranced with Vanilla Buttercream fragrance oil..It fill your home with the smell of freshly baked vanilla cupcakes.

Each Cupcake weighs appx. 1 oz and is 2" wide and 1"high.
Directions for Use: Place one tart in a tart burner (do not add water) and enjoy hours of fabulous fragrance..You can remelt the tart a few times until the scent is gone..There is approximately 8 hours of burn in each tart!!!

Do you have a cupcake to share with me??? XO


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Sunday, September 26, 2010

News from the handmade community.

Can you hear it? Can you smell it? The holiday shopping reason is fast approaching and you should start prepping for it.
That's what I'm doing, while looking around and valuating my opportunities.
I found some news and updates from selling venues that I'm going to share with you, so you can get ready too.
I must say, I'm partial: I love this site. Make really easy to put listings up with the 1 page listing process, the importer tool from etsy listing and a bliss to sell with features like the global editor, sale mode, sale labels and coupon options. Just to name a few. The recently rolled out new improvements, like the new front page featuring collection made my members and the a better karma/kudos (feedback) system.
They are running a super mega promotion now. If you go on Artfire right now and open a basic account of already have a pro account, if you opt for the Artfire deal, you'll be able to have a pro account for $5.95/month. Not matter if you joined yesterday or 2 hours ago, if you have a free account and opt with the deal you can have a pro account for $5.95/month. If you currently have a pro account, no matter what rate you got locked in, you can opt for the deal and pay $5.95/month from now on. The new rate will start October, 1st: make sure you opt for the deal before than so you can be in. I urge you to not miss this opportunity, for the tools and features that artfire has, the new rate is a steal! I'm currently pay $7/month and my sales aren't excellent, but I'm still able to make a profit.
Was a venue that really attired me 2 years or more ago. I really liked there, but in almost 3 years I mad one single sale. Not too bad but still....
They have rolled out a series of changes, now every store has a blog and users have the ability to join and create "Markets" kinda like 1000markets. I still find the listing process a pain in the....neck and the inability to connect with other sellers on there makes me feel kinda of lonely.
Anyway, I revamped and renamed my account and I will add more stuff in the next days, can't hurt. Here you go, giving it another shot, Cupcake Land:

On Monday, September 20, 2010, 1000 Markets was acquired by Bonanza (formerly Bonanzle). right now my shop is closed, 1000markets shut it down for inactivity (haven't listed anything there for a while), so I think I will have to wait for approval that it will be reopened and then I will have to make the transition to Bonanza. I do not have any experience with Bonanzle, so I can't tell you if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but I do know of sellers making sales there, so it can be all bad, right?
4. Etsy
What can I say? Where should I start? Well, let's see. Something happened around March and my shop there (still opened) simply died, disappeared from google and from customers eyes. I had big hopes, I put into it lots of work, I even made it to the front page one morning. Recently I was informed that I was one of the "victim" of the privacy issue with the treasury: my real name (instead of my username of etsy) was public on a treasury that I made months ago. Yesterday, I had a customer buy something or I must saying, trying to buy something but she couldn't: I ended up sending her a paypal invoice. They changed the feedback system and the rules about canceling transitions: now when a seller cancel a sale (for any reason) an automatic email is generated both to the seller and the buyer, stating that there are just 48 hours to leave feedback. Plenty room for non-payers to screw any shop over. It's a mess in my opinion. I had a dreadful spring and a dry summer: honestly, I don't except much from it for the holidays.
This is a venue that I haven't explored yet, but I want to in the near future. Not sure if I'll be ready for the holidays tho.

I guess that concludes my stroller around handmade venue. If you have experience with any other venue or want to share your experience with this venue, I will love to hear from you :)

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Saturday, September 25, 2010

Randomness Saturdays

Can't believe is Saturday again.....where the whole week has been? LOL

♥ Just found out yesterday that Gabriel school finally hired a teacher that will start on Monday. I'm hopeful that she will do a good job with my son, but somehow believe that it's too little and too late. We'll see.

♥ Gabriel felt better today, so we brought him for his soccer game. This is him greeting me. He's doing a much better job staying in the game and I'm sooooo proud of him. One of the other mom out there cheering asked me if Gabriel even stop smiling: I answered "I hope he will never do that!"

♥ Michelle is getting over her cold also and will be going to the pumpkin patch in a couple of weeks. So excited, would be her first with the school.

♥ Watched 2 animation movies this week that I really liked: One is "Igor" and I loved it because talks about how it's possible that a "nobody" change things and save the day. And the other one is "Space Chimps", was also great because talks about true friendship and I loved one little character in there that has an impossible name but she's funny because her head lights up and she sing when she's scared. Way too cute.

♥ Tomorrow is exactly a month since my mom and sister went back in Italy. Feels like a whole year to me and I've been thinking to them a lot. And when I miss my mom, this song always come to my mind, I hope you'll enjoy too.

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Thursday, September 23, 2010

News from Gabriel's world.....

......and I'm in need of your prayers with this.

Many of you read on this blog about Gabriel progresses last school year.

But this year seems to be a whole different story.
It all started with some school changes that I didn't like at all, but took on board for the sake of my son of course:
1. He's in first grade, BUT there crammed all the first grader in the same classroom with the kindergarten. Same class, same teacher, same hours, same everything. Gave me the feeling that my old was "hold back" with younger kids instead of "moving forward" to get main streamed in second grade next year.
2. The lesson start at 7 am and the school is an hour away with the school bus. We wake up at 5.30 am and Gabriel leaves with the bus at 6.15 am in a cranky mood.

To that, add that the teacher in charge sent us a letter September 1st, saying that she retired August 31st. So: no teacher, just the assistant teacher and the therapists.
Here start all the problems.

Gabriel is already cranky in the morning due to the early hours.....what is that? This is a 6 yo going to first grade not a teenager going to high school. He goes to school and the assistant teacher is "stressed" 'cause they miss a person in the team and they have too many kids to bad....is it my fault? Is it Gabriel's fault? Of course not, but he gets screwed over nonetheless. He come home always in a bad mood, the assistant complaining about him, he's whining about not going back to school. And it's been a month.

But last straw was last week.
1. Gabriel got bitten by fire ants while playing on the school playground. 15 bites. Say what? Who wasn't watching him while the fire ants bite him all over the tummy, the back, his right arm and hand? Nobody.
2. Gabriel comes home with a little scratch, but it's right under his left eye. When I asked him what happened he told me he was pushed and fell over some toys. When I ask the "assistant" for an appointment to talk the last events over, she told me that he was fighting with another child over the same toy and when he got it, he pulled it too much and hurt himself in the eye. She also added that there was nothing to talk over and Gabriel was doing fine.
FINE???????????????????
Fine.

Now you have to understand that I'm a very calm and civil woman, but when it comes of my children, I'm a mad tiger and poor the people that try to walk all over me: I eat them with a roar.
I march to the school and not only the "assistant" refused to receive me, but I wasn't able to speak with anybody in charge, just a counselor.

You also have to understand that we were recently investigated by the DCF (the irony, I studied for them for an year) for a scratch on my daughter shoulder that was 10 time less "suspicious" that what Gabriel had now under his eye.
I believe in justice and I believe in fairness, maybe I'm naive, but if a law applies to me, I believe applies to everyone.
Of course, unless you're discriminating me for my country of birth, which is what I suspect happened with my daughter allegation.

The fact that the teacher is refusing to talk to me about whatever happened, it's enough in my eyes and heart to make her guilty of abuse and/or neglect.
If I was a judge, my wood hammer will go down while looking down to the teacher saying "GUILTY!"

I'm now pulling my son off that school and this morning me and hubby visited a wonderful private school that will do wonders for Gabriel. I must admit, we didn't know that this structure existed or would have looked into it much earlier. But now we do, and this is might be exactly what Gabriel needs to get to the point where he needs to be.
Many people have tested him and told me over and over that he can fully recover with the right therapy and help. I spent several sleepless night, trying to figure out what was this "right therapy and help" the we needed but we couldn't find and nobody knew where it went.....
Well, this is IT!
But of course is not so simple: the tuition is $40000,00. YUP!

You know how is like to be poor? Is like staring out of a bakery window with your belly screaming for hunger, but you don't have money to buy anything and you just stay there while watching people going in and out to get their freshly baked goods, every day. And you are there, smelling and watching, and maybe see that rich mom buying a cupcake for her kid, but the kid is so spoiled that it gives a bite and then decide he didn't want it anymore and threw it on the floor....and you're watching and your belly is still screaming for hunger and now your brain is screaming too......WHAT'S WRONG WITH PEOPLE? WHY I'M NOT THE LUCKY ONE?

Well, you're not the lucky one, I'm not the lucky one. I dunno who's fault is it but I do know I'm not gonna watch my kid going to waste. I'm gonna fight and I'm gonna get the money and give my boy the best of the best.

Pray for me, if you please.

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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Share the love on Tuesday: KP Designs



This weeks Featured Artisan on Share the Love.. Blogger's Unite is KP Designs! Kathy has wonderful creations. You can find KP Designs at:




Madeitmyself




The Gift Shop Handmade




Facebook




Twitter




On Fire for Handmade




HERE for code


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Monday, September 20, 2010

Monday cupcake Find



This Monday is a little item from SenecaPondCrafts!

Cupcake Tags
Sweet Indulgence DIMENSIONAL Angel Cupcake Tags Digital Printables, $2.50 by SenecaPondCrafts


Each of these SIX Dimensional Cupcake Shaped Tags has a Sweet Raggedy Angel ( with kind permission of Whimsy Primsy ) inviting you to "INDULGE," and there's a special suprise inside! The Cupcakes open up to deliver the message, " Life's short ... Eat a Cupcake!" How fun!!!!!! You could use these as tags or they can easily fit into an envelope to use as a greeting. They each measure about 4 inches square.

Do you have a cupcake to share with me??? XO


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Saturday, September 18, 2010

Randomness Saturdays

Oh my, it's been a while since I did my last Randomness Saturday, uh? Did you miss it? I know I missed you'll incredibly! But here some updates.

♥ First Month of school: Gabriel is not doing so good :( His formerly teacher retired after few weeks of the beginning of the school and he still is with an assistant and in my opinion not getting the services he needs. He got bitten by fire ants of Tuesday, got home with a boo boo under his eye on Wednesday and got fever on Friday...what the h....?? Already complained with the school principal.
Michelle instead is doing pretty good and enjoying it too!

♥ I thought was a smart idea to go back to school. Only trouble is....I don't have the money, so I'm applying for every financial aid/scholarship I can find and just that it's like a full time job, oh my! I hope I get in! We'll see.

♥ Yesterday my hubby went to lunch out with some of his colleagues and he said that the waitress was hitting on him. When he made an effort to show her his left hand with the wedding band on, he saw the face of the girl turning so pale of embarrassment. I thought was funny!

♥ I'm running a little giveaway on twitter in honor of National Cupcake Week. Want to join me? I will pick a random winner among the people that RT this by tomorrow morning:
@piccoladonna RT this message for your chance to win a free #cupcake from my shop http://bit.ly/cEi5ng free shipping on #cupcakes

Good luck ;)

♥ Movies I watched lately.....hmmm I watched "Peter Pan" with the kids yesterday night 'cause I think it's an evergreen that every kid should watch. And my hubby is trying to convert me in the "Star Wars" saga, but I must say, it's really not my thing. oh well!

♥ Song of the week: Drops of Jupiter by Train

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Thursday, September 16, 2010

And the winner is......

......#59 Tara on September 15, 2010 10:01 AM said... 59

I would buy the five of hearts waffle iron, so cute!

Thank you all for entering, I always enjoy reading your comments :)

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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Share the love on Tuesday: Deans Designs



This weeks Featured Artisan is Deans Designs.


Beautiful creations by a very talented artisan! You can find Deans Designs at:



Etsy


Facebook


Blog





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Monday, September 13, 2010

National cupcake week!

Did you know that this week is National Cupcake week??? No???
Well, then let me tell ya! It is!
And to celebrate I'm having a sale on my cupcake items, just for ya!

Click To Go ShoppingCrocheted Little Things
  • The Discount: It's National Cupcake Week! Celebrate with me with FREE SHIPPING on every cupcake items!
  • How To Get This Sale: Use the coupon code "CUPCAKE WEEK"!
  • End Date: 09/19
Other Information: NONE
Click Here to go to the Shopping at this store!

Receive free shipping on Select Studio Items
Use Coupon Code:
CUPCAKE WEEK
during checkout.

If you're celebrating too, link away! I'm curious to know what are you doing for this week :)

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Sunday, September 12, 2010

Soccer season started with a bang!


Yup, Soccer season started for Gabriel yesterday and it took a lot of work and LOTS of patience to convince him to go play. Of course, the hot temperature outside wasn't helping, but he tried. Eh.
We were well in the middle of the game when on kid kicked the ball that end up in Gabriel's face. Yes, people in full face. He obviously started to cry and the game stopped. The boy who kicked the ball (who has autism as well I believe) felt horrible while all the adults run over to see Gabriel's red face and to calm him down.
My biggest fear? Gabriel bleeds pretty easily from the nose, so when I ran up there, my heart was skipping bites at the thought to find his face covered in blood. But luckily the ball hit his forehead and after a good cry and a bag of ice, the coach asked Gabriel if he wanted to get back in game and my son, the trooper he is, said YES!
Went to hug the kid that kicked the ball on his face after listening to his apologies and understanding that was just an accident and off he went running and kicking and having fun! What a wonderful sweet little boy I have! I'm so lucky and feel so proud!
He even scored!

I wish he knew how big is his heart and how every day he's making little steps close to recovery! He can do it, he can do IT!
And he loved the new uniform shirt 'cause he told me he got number 6 and it's just right since he's 6 years old right now.


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Thursday, September 9, 2010

What happened to my hair and Locks of Love.

Do you remember when Michele blogged about her donation at Locks Of Love? No?? Well, you can read it here!
Well, I followed her example and donate my hair too and I'm gonna share the before and after pics with ya!

Yup, they were long down my waist, but hubby cut them down, was able to donate over 13 inches (that's hubby taking a picture of me in the background)

And that's how I look now
(I know, not a very good shot, sorry!)

Very short, very easy to manage and also very plane :(
So, I crocheted a nice hat for me, that I'm offering in my Artfire studio....well, of course, it's not MY hat, but I can make one just like it for ya!


This happened almost 2 months ago. Why am I sharing this just now? I forgot about it of course! But then, I got this in the mail:

Locks Of Love: Do your donation :)

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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Share the love on Tuesday: Gabs Bags



This weeks Featured Artisan on Share the Love.. Blogger's Unite is


Gabs Bags! Beautiful One of a Kind bags to Jazz up your wardrobe with!


You can find Gabs Bags at



Shop URL
http://www.gabsbags.artfire.com

2nd Shop URL
http://www.gabsbags.etsy.com

Website URL
http://www.gabsbags.net

Twitter Page
http://www.twitter.com/gabsbags

Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Austin-TX/GabsBags/194470116610?ref=ts

Blog
http://www.gabsbags.net/category/news



The Gift Shop Handmade


http://thegiftshophandmade.com/FashionShopsonTheGiftShopHandmadeDirectory.aspx


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