Featured in Viva La Moda!

A few weeks ago, Ainhoa from Viva La Moda contacted me about using my Itty Bitty Initial Clips for her online magazine. Of course, I said. I can't wait to see it. Now it's here - whoo-hoo!!! Page 68-69 of the magazine and it is item #3 (front and center!). Check it out online. They focus on handmade items and a lot of vintage fashion. So if you like either one or both, you would love browsing their pages. If you want to be part of the mailing list, click here.

Curly Flowers Limited Edition Headbands

These headbands are new on Etsy. Just $12 each. I only have a certain amount so get yours while they last! Ssshhh... one Facebook fan will win their choice of color on Tuesday, June 1st. One lucky fan will be chosen to win something from the shop each month. So become a fan now if you aren't already (just click on the Facebook link on the top right side of the blog).

In a Treasury {some really beautiful hydrangeas!}.

My Pastel Hydrangeas Bouquet Headband
is in Treasury East today.

Thank you, emmjeyessvintage for including them!

Boxing for a good cause.

My husband {Chris Mascarinas} is stepping in the boxing ring

on June 11, 2010.

For a good cause.

Boxing and dinner to benefit 3 charities:

Hope for Haiti, RF Youth Boxing, and USA Boxing.

If you are in the Tristate NY, NJ, and CT area, I hope to see you there.

www.therealfightclubstamford.com

WHITE COLLAR BOXERS IN TRAINING from djavan harris on Vimeo.

A special Mother's Day

This Mother's Day, I received some very special things...

a special pancake breakfast made just for me {with a cup of my favorite coffee}...

a new flower garden...

a special card from a very special little girl...

{inscription inside Skylar's card}
My Mommy

My mommy is the best
My mommy makes the best headbands
My mommy buys the best shoes
My mommy makes the best burritos
My mommy is the best mommy ever!

Love, Skylar

a special card from a very special little boy...
{thank you, Deacon for making me 26 years old!}

And don't forget my very best Mother's Day present of all...

My three very special little monkeys
{Deacon, Peyton, and Skylar in 2008}

the best kids a mommy could ever ask for!
{Peyton, Deacon, and Skylar - taken Mother's Day morning in their jammies}

Thank you for making today and everyday, a special one.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies out there!!!

Don't hate me because I'm VILE.

Valentino Summer Flower Tote

This is a lovely conversation that I overheard while walking through my downtown area today.

A small circle of women dressed in their designer duds are gushing over this woman's new tote (see above).

Woman #1: Oooooh... I just love it! The hardware looks so good! Love the flowers!

Woman#2: Don't you just love it? It was such a bargain too. It was only 3 grand!

The women giggle and agree on what a steal this lady's purse was. Here's the kicker:

Woman #1: So where do you think we should have lunch? Rosies (a gourmet deli)?

Woman #2: I don't know. Rosies has some fabulous salads but they're a little on the heavy side. I'm not sure if any of you would like that extra 50o calories!

I couldn't stand it any longer. I walk up to them.

Me: Excuse me ladies. I heard that there's a Chicken Joe's that just opened on this block? Do you know where it is?

Woman #2: Chicken Joe's? What's that? {I swear the look on her face was priceless}

Me: They have the most fabulous chicken nuggets and french fries combo in a bag! You should try it - it's out of this world!

Woman #1: Um... It may be up the street some more. I thought I saw a sign. {And you know she is secretly counting all the calories that I am about to consume}.

I thank them politely and walk away - hearing them whisper and know that they are talking about my lunch of choice. I smile to myself, loving it all.

Gooey Good. {a random post}

G is for gooey. G is for good. I am so loving PW's homemade cinnamon buns.
Thank you Bakerella for your instructions on baking a half batch.
The only thing that I tweaked was the glaze. Substitute half a demitasse cup of espresso for the coffee and two tablespoons of honey instead of the maple syrup. Yum! I made two trays - one to give away and one to keep. I made some friends very happy!

My thumbprint necklace finally came in. Lindsay did a wonderful job.
She inscribed my children's names on one side along with their birthdate and birthstone. Fancy!!!

And now their tiny little thumbprints are forever frozen in the little charms {sigh}.
What a beautiful keepsake. Truly.
I have another charm coming with my wedding date and my initials and my husband's.
{Double sigh}

My little lovebirds Peyton and Andrew (Deacon's best friend) holding hands in the car.

I think it's real, people!

Thank you, foundhandmade for featuring my Tiny Twin Flowers on your blog.
I appreciate it and am so flattered to be with some awesome crafters!

Check out my new Pretty Pinwheel Headbands.
They are available at the shop now.
More new items to come soon.

Delaney Butterfly has a new color combo!
It was the first clip to be given away to one of my Facebook fans.
If you want a chance to win a monthly giveaway on facebook, click here to become a fan.

This was one heck of a super random post.
But it's been a great week.
Busy. Good. Great.
Hoping that it will continue over the weekend!

Call me crazy.

Tag necklace and photo courtesy of 3BlueHoots

My life is crazy. I have three wonderful crazy kids who keep me busy 24/7. A dog who is my furry fourth child who also demand my attention. Not to mention my poor husband, who has, unfortunately fallen to the bottom of my daily priority list. And let's not forget Skylar's Candy Clips - my little busy company composed of one employee - me. Yep - me, myself and I.

So maybe it was turning 35 that did it. Either that or my brain is finally going loco. But this year is the year that I committed to getting fit. So I signed up for two challenges - a half marathon this June and a triathlon this September. You're crazy, girl! people will say. Uh-huh. I'm getting that a lot. But as crazy as it sounds, the more I get into my training program, the more doable it's becoming for me.

My husband once said, anyone can run a half marathon. Really? That's easy for him to say. He trained and ran his first marathon in less than 6 months. And finished in about 4.5 hours. Show off. And me? When I started training for this crazy, 13 + mile run, back in late January, I can barely run two miles without feeling like my legs were going to pop from my hip sockets. But I ran. And ran. And ran some more. A few days a week, in fact. And got myself nifty running shoes. Now I can run almost 8 miles. It is exhilarating to feel the wind on your face, and the pavement beneath you. Liberating, in fact. It clears my head and gives me renewed energy.

And the triathlon? Well, it's actually a sprint - a mini version of the real triathlon. A half mile swim, 10 mile bike ride, and a 5K run. Swim? Wait a minute? I can't swim. Sure - I can doggy paddle my way from one end of the pool to another. I can even tread in deep water. But to do actual laps? 36 laps to be exact = the half a mile I need for the triathlon. And to swim it in open water. Yikes, yikes, double yikes! I tell myself that I will be taking this one step at a time. One day at a time. Which is exactly what I did. I signed myself up for some adult swim lessons and on the third class, I was finally able to do 3 laps of freestyle swim. Success!!! 33 more laps to go...

It all sounds crazy, I know. What does all of this have in store for me? Well for one thing, it's forcing me to be in the best shape of my life. I'm not there yet, but every day, I'm inching closer and closer. It's not a bad thing too that those "too tight" pair of jeans that I hid in the back of my closet can now close and zip up on me. Maybe all my lonely old clothes that got stored away after the kids were born can have a second chance.

And my inspiration? My family. I want my kids to see that anything is possible. That you shouldn't be afraid to try a challenge. That if you set your mind on something, you can actually do it. Little life lessons that I myself, at 35, am just beginning to learn.