Birthday gifts for my niece

I know I have not posted Halloween pictures yet, and it is on my to-do list. But for now, I'm posting the pictures of "the products of the day". Yes, it was another one of those housekeeping strike days. And yes, I am making more flowers...

A pair of $1.00 gloves turned out pretty with beads embellishment.

I hope she'll like them.

I didn't know gingerbread man had bones...

Halloween-theme snack for J's class: "Ginger-Skeletons" (that's what J calls). The idea came from Family Fun magazine, and the recipe was from Allrecipes.com. This was my first time trying this recipe, but it was really good. I baked for 8 minutes just like the reviews, and they turned soft and delicious. It's definitely a keeper recipe.
The first thing J told me after he got off the bus today? "Mom! Everyone LOVED the ginger-skeletons!" Yay!

Obsession with flowers

It started as just to make gifts for little girls. But now, I like flowers on me. Me, the same girl as her wardrobe used to be consisted of pretty much black, white, gray, and khaki - the super basic, kind of boring, but the one you can wear for years (oh, maybe that's my problem...). I don't have the guts to wear these flowers on my hair, but I like them as brooches. Since I made the shirt with flower, I became okay with flowers. So here are the showcase of the week.

2 1/2 inch silky ribbon + candle light + glue gun = scarlet beauty

Inspiration from Etsy + pretty fabric from my friend = Christmas gift for a niece

I think this will look fabulous on my new $4 red sweater from Goodwill

Pretty vintage looking lace from a friend's "ribbons and stuff" box for a shabby look?

My mom would be so happy to see her daughter started wearing pink and flower again, because when I was 10-year-old I decided that I didn't like red or pink, or flower or lace or that line of stuff on me.
Well, maybe I'm maturing a bit.

Birthday Bash

We celebrated J and M's birthdays this weekend. It was a grand 5-day event!

We went to a zoo on Friday,
(kids being Rino - isn't that cute?)

and went to a children's museum on Saturday.

Then we had a family birthday party.
Here is J's cake - he requested a skate board.

Of course, M's request was a princess Barbie cake.
What 4-year-old girl doesn't want a princess cake?

And opening gifts, lots of gifts.

I think I took a break on Monday....I don't remember.

Then, of course, the cupcakes for J to share with his 20 some classmates on his birthday.

My husband picked up J from school at lunch time and they went for a special Daddy-and-son lunch. We had J's favorite dinner, home-made hamburger, in picnic style in our front yard enjoying cool fall air and colored leaves flowing by. And to complete, we received a box full of goodies and birthday gifts from Japan. What an event!

Bento faces

A friend of mine inspired me to make my son's lunch more fun - making Bento (lunch box) faces. I remember my mom making Bento faces for me. It was fun to open my Bento box to find faces. I can feel her love. Now as I do it every morning, I really appreciate all the time and effort she put into my Bento for many, I mean many, years. Thanks, Mom! And thanks to my friend for inspiration. I'm sure it's more fun for J to see these faces than just cookie cutter cut-out sandwiches (though I change cutters everyday from a car-shape to an airplane-shape to a train-shape).

So, here is some faces for this week.

"Hmm?"
(bread crust and craisins glued with beanut butter)

"Missing Teeth" - just like J, missing teeth, and has one wiggly tooth
(Ham & cheese sandwich, top piece of bread with a hole cut out to make mouth.
Decorated with cut out cheese - kitchen scissors does the wonder)

My absolute favorite:
"Blowing Raspberries"
(the orange color of Muester cheese edge inspired tongue,
sliced into the bread for the 3D action!)

I can only hope J enjoys his lunch.

$5 shirt makeover

It was almost like gamble to buy a T-shirt (granted it was only $5 on sale) only to cut. And because I was not so sure how it would turn out, I didn't even take a "before" picture. But it turned out super cute! And I'm showing off. This is what I made today, instead of cleaning a house full of mess.
J was very disappointed when he came home hungrily just to find his mom sewing instead of cooking. "I thought you were cooking something good...."
Well, sorry son. We are having pizza tonight.

Thanks to many bloggers out there nice enough to share their talents and post tutorials. I liked the style of this t-shirt with the idea of using one T-shirt.

I was very very cranky this morning. Frustrated, frizzled, stressed out...it was not my day. But after I finished this beauty, I felt so much better. I felt beautiful in it. Maybe I discovered joy in a whole new world of sewing. And it's pretty therapeutic.

"Hate it" to "Like it" to "Love it"

One morning, a few days ago, I had a moment thinking, "I LOVE being a stay-at-home mom!"
When I became one almost 4 years ago, actually, I struggled. I hated it. I was all of sudden a mother of 2 kids (I worked full-time till 2nd child was 3 months old). I had no idea what to do, what I was doing, or what I was supposed to do. I felt lost.
A friend of mine shared with me one day, "You know, when I first became a stay-at-home mom I hated it. The first 18 months was horrible. Then I started liking it, and now I love it. I hope you'll get to love it in a few years."
About a year ago or so, I told her that I started liking it. She was happy to hear my progress.
Then a few days ago, I thought, "Hey, I love being a mom, a stay-at-home mom!"
I love being able to take J to kindergarten every morning without rush, with a baby on my hip and 2 kids in tow (Yes, it is crazy in the morning). I love being able to make 22 pieces of rice crispy treats for J's kindergarten class as a snack. And I absolutely love seeing my son thriving in his new world - kindergarten. And, honestly, I enjoy a little quiet time I get during the day.
Yay for me - to be able to say, finally, "I love it."