HALLOWEEN

HALLOWEEN!!!

Trick-or-Treating

Parties

Shopping

Ear-Piercing...

We really lived it up this Halloween!

I think this is the first time since I began offering custom costumes that I actually had MY OWN kids costumes put together the day before Halloween...usually I'm trying to throw something together the morning of....poor neglected children, lol!  We had a big party the night before though...so I was FORCED to be more organized!  Carter was easy...he wanted to be "Bob the Builder"...Taylor and her friend wanted to be 50's Car-Hop waitresses (and I actually made them for them, so I did feel somewhat less neglectful) and Reagi (as usual) had a definite vision of what she wanted to be..."sort of a vampire/spider/witchy person...but still pretty" is how she described it...

We went shopping and trick-or-treating in the morning at the local mall...and Reagi (who has been begging to get her ears pierced since she turned six a couple of weeks ago) decided she was READY to do it!  She was amazing...didn't cry at all...just said "ow...I think this actually hurts more than you said it would"...

Howard was working that evening at the Hospital ....darn...so it was just us trick-or-treating.  It's much more fun with Daddy...but we tried our best.  Reagi loved it...Carter complained the whole way and kept throwing his hat in the road...Taylor stayed home and gave out Candy...

Yay for Halloween!!!

GLAM GLAM Geisha...

I've wanted to try a different TAKE on a traditional Kimono for quite some time...this was the result

There.  I quite like how it turned out actually...

And Reagi had a fabulous time pretending she was a japanese princess slash NINJA...(not sure why she felt like it was appropriate attire for karate moves...but there you go)

I always feel like I should offer a little space with all the "blooper" pictures from the photo shoot--they can actually make me laugh out loud on occasion.  hmm...I think I'll have to start doing that:)

Cree, my sweet friend over on THIS IS BOUTIQUE even awarded me the listing of the day...thank you my dear!  If you haven't visited her site you should head on over...quite fabulous!

CLOWN Cutie...new costume listing

Hurray! Fall equals Halloween...equals costume season! I'm not sure why I love making costumes so much, must have something to do with having a REASON to make something totally different and just plain fun....

I had FUN with this little baby....I felt like I had OVERLOADED it with "stuff" but then I stood back to get the full effect when taking pictures and I decided ..."no...you can never have too much stuff on a costume"...lol!


Yes...costumes are fun...I shall never tire of them

You can visit the auction for CLOWN CUTIE here if you would like...lots more pics over there!

yeah....it's only been SEVEN months...what are you complaining about?

That title is for you Kass:)

Yes...I realize it's been awhile---I have been BUSY. I know the rest of you think you are busy and still manage to post to your fabulous blogs/maintain you fabulous lives/raise your fabulous children....but alas, I am NOT super-woman and I never claimed to be.

We moved. We practically killed ourselves getting our house ready to sell (since in this market a home has to be ABOVE and BEYOND perfect to even have a chance) painting/installing floors/tiling/yardwork-----yeah....we were BUSY. Then we MOVED--which in and of itself is awful--I know what I'm talking about, we've moved 14 times in our 15 years of marriage, and I pretty much NEVER want to see a moving box again...

I've been trying to unpack...get kids in school...start piano/violin/dance lessons....help husband adjust to new job/schedule/life...set up my sewing room...keep up with custom orders....LOTS of family has visited (and don't take that the wrong way my dear family--we have LOVED being close enough to have you all come) then EVERYONE got the flu---sigh----yeah...BUSY fall...BUSY YEAR for that matter.

But...HERE we are in Idaho...and it's fabulous! I love being back here--I really do. It feels like home. I love that it is so close to Yellowstone Park--you can literally just run over there for the day...

and it's FALL...my favorite time of year

It's good to be back.

Where are my sheep?

I thought it might be fun to visit some of the costumes I do on the side...that never get posted on ebay or anywhere else...
This little number was for a Mardi Gras parade float...did you know that even elementary schools in Louisiana get a holiday from school and get to do their own parade? Who knew?

Anyway...I'm still waiting on photos of the whole FLOAT...I can't wait to see what this creative mother put together for the whole scene...and I can't quite remember if we were doing Little Bo-Peep or Mary had a Little Lamb (not much difference actually...as it was a "Mother Goose" theme for the parade...so those both work, lol!)

I took some quick shots of Reagi in it before I shipped it...

it turned out quite pink and frothy...which was JUST the effect we were going for...;)

I love making Jane Austen hats...which was a perfect style for this costume...I shall have to post a tutorial on here sometime about how to do it...it's surprisingly easy and then you could have your own Regency bonnet to wear out and about!

Happy YEAR of the Ox!!!!

January 26th, 2009 starts the New Year for China...it's already January 26th over there, so I figure we can start celebrating here too...especially because it is now the YEAR of the OX....and that is MY year! It's also my daughter's year...in fact, (this is such a strange coincidence) Taylor and I were both born in the year of the Ox and we were both born at 2:53 am...which is the HOUR of the Ox....that is almost too strange isn't it?

Here is a little bit about OXEN-folk...try to ignore all the completely untrue gibberish about us being stolid and dull...and stubborn and all that...just look at the parts where we are hard-working and loyal and dependable...all SO true...lol! Actually the part about being very intolerant of those that are lazy...oh my goodness, that could NOT be MORE true--it is my one true PET peeve, I cannot stand laziness!

Famous people born in the Year Of The Ox? They include President Barack Obama, actor George Clooney, boxer Oscar De La Hoya, Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai, and soccer star Wayne Rooney.

Go and check here and see what your Chinese animal sign is...and then who you should marry (or who you should have married, lol!) according to the Chinese Zodiac they can predict who you will be most compatible with...and that may be quite true, as Oxen are supposed to be very compatible with Roosters...and my husband is a Rooster and we have a fabulous marriage--thank heavens I didn't marry a Tiger or a Horse...I could possibly be miserable and divorced right now;)

Further complicating matters is the fact that you have further "elements" that affect your sign; water, fire, earth and metal...depending on the year you were born. I'm a "water ox" (not a very attractive sounding term...but whatever;)) so that means I'm much more likely to see another persons point of view than most stubborn little oxen--HERE is a good place to check for that too.

Whether or not you believe in it...it IS fascinating to see what your sign is and what it says about you. And if nothing else...the Chinese New Year is a fun excuse to have a little chinese food and throw a party:) My cute mother, fabulous schoolteacher that she is, always celebrates the Chinese New Year with her class...they have a parade, complete with the big paper Chinese dragon...yummy food...I think it's wonderful they get to experience a little bit about another culture.

So, go and make some homemade fortune cookies...write some fun fortunes for your family for the year to come and CELEBRATE !

ANDALUCIA!!!!

All right...I know its been MONTHS and MONTHS since I posted...I cannot even begin to come up with the energy to explain myself...just chalk it up to busy-ness...and the holidays...and sheer "computer burn-out"... I really tried to just focus on real life things for the past few weeks (okay months) and NOT worry about online (which can almost seem real;))things for awhile--a fact which my family appreciated (well my IMMEDIATE family...all those family members that check in here for updates...sorry about that...)

We DID take a Christmas card photo...which...ahem...I have yet to mail ALL of them yet (so if you usually get one from me and haven't this year--don't give up hope!)

This was the front:

and this was on the inside:

We did have a lovely Holiday season...it was very low-key and just us, and it was a great opportunity to start some of our own Holiday traditions and really spend time together. The kids had a fabulous Christmas...they ALL agreed it was the BEST one ever (Carter didn't have that many Christmas's to choose from, but he fully agreed with his sisters that this one was quite nice...)

soooo....OH yes, the reason for the title of this post??? Patty Young's fabric, ANDALUCIA...is finally available--and lots of ladies over on ebay put together a launch of just Andalucia goodies...you should go check them out...

I LOVE these fabrics, they are so bright and fun...and perfect for outfits that defy the cold dreary weather outside right now (if we can't have sun, let's have some sunny bright clothes right?)

Here are my listings so far...I think I still want to make more! And some pics for fun...

We are actually planning a trip....just Howard and I...(gasp) without CHILDREN...to New Orleans and Las Vegas in two weeks--I still cannot quite believe we are going, but we already paid for the hotel and airfare, so maybe we are;) I shall blog more about THAT momentous occasion later...but for now I feel quite pleased with myself that I've managed to finally post...he he...and at least gave those of you who patiently still check in here SOMETHING new to look at!

Stay warm...