CACTUSmango Designs

Sweet Dreams Pillow

2012-02-08T14:38:00.001-07:00

Give your sweet heart something she can hug and snuggle with. Like this sweet dreams pillow <3

Source: zazzle.com via cactusmango on Pinterest

For some other especially sweet valentines gift ideas check out my pinterest board < here >
http://pinterest.com/cactusmango/cactusmango-designs/

Free Digital Frame

2011-12-08T18:20:00.001-07:00

Woohoo!

It's been awhile, since I made anything for digital scrapbooking. Today, I made a frame. (See preview Below) I'll be using my Xyron to make magnets. Here's one of my favorites for you to download for free. Thanks to all my friends and family for parading your dogs in costume, zumba-ing, dancing, eating paletas & frozen yogurt, buying Christmas trees, sending your love from afar by donating online & putting cash in a stamped envelope, adopting my baby jade Sprouts, donating garage sale items, letting me do some website work and logo design - All to help me to raise $1,075 thus far for Phoenix Children's Hospital! I've exceeded my team committment of $1,000 and now it'll be gravy on top to reach my personal goal of $1,500! I'm still accepting donations online at my official PCH Fundraising page here > http://tinyurl.com/gocactusmango

Chewy Mango Walnut Bars! YUM!

My friend Ginni Llorente has started up her own little bakery biz. I imagine her right now elbow deep in flour, walnuts and mangos. Yes, mangos! hello, i'm a fan already and haven't even tasted her Chewy Mango Bars with walnuts yet. (So, sorry no pictures to show yet) But, I've ordered THREE bags of bars already. Maybe I'll share some with you...maybe not. If you are in the Phoenix area, and would like to order some of my friend's delicious baked goods. Please leave a comment here or on my facebook wall. I'll fill you in pricing. She's just starting out, so the pricing is mainly to cover her expenses. The bars would make a lovely gift for sure. I've decided not to mark up the price to fundraise for PCH. Instead, please consider donating online directly to Phoenix Children's Hospital at http://tinyurl.com/gocactusmango and messaging me for details, if you'd like to order some mango bars from my friend. Gotta support your local upstart businesses!

Lastly, Phoenix Children's Hospital set up these two fundraisers & hopefully those local can participate in them.

Zumba Dec 11th 2-4pm at Abby Bella Arcadia
4280 E Indian School Rd.; Suite #108
Phoenix, AZ 85018 https://www.facebook.com/events/229407250464329/?ref=ts $15 Zumba ticket for two hours and 100% of ticket sales go to PCH. that's pretty awesome.
Christmas Trees https://www.facebook.com/events/126582757454927/ Purchase your Christmas Tree with Scottsdale Environmental and $15 will be donated to Phoenix Children's Hospital! Happy Holidays! See event for participating locations.

More Goodness:

Now, if helping out a children's hospital isn't motivation enough, here's some goodies to dangle before you:

I still have one $25 Sprouts Farmers Market gift card to raffle away to donors. Plus, my very talented husband, Ron Carranza of ZaZo Graphics and Animation, will be creating a custom 8x10 caricature of your loved one(s), for one lucky Donor!

Thank goodness for social media networking, because printing & handing out fliers was a real pain, especially having to bring my 2 year old along each time! She may have gone a little bit coo-coo from it all, as you can see from her picture above. My husband & I are breathing a simultaneous Huge SIGH of relief that the big urgency to raise enough has passed! HIGH-FIVE ya'll! Now, I have all my energy for the holiday frenzy and training for the MARATHON!!!! Saturday, I'm running 14-16 miles! Ridiculous!

alrighty, Enjoy the digi frame!

* Kindly Donate $1 to Phoenix Children's Hospital Today. Thank You.

* Download digital frame freebie

Sprouts4Sprouts October Winner

2011-10-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

After the ASU track workout last Wednesday I happened to walk in on a meal worm feeding session at the Pets, Inc. I was passing out fliers for our Care2Dance fundraiser at the time. I was told the worms were for a Sugar Glider. Curious, I followed the manager to see if I could meet one. After getting over the sound of their freaky squeals, I cautiously pet one of the four babies tucked in a little pouch. These flying squirrels have fur that feels like felt. So adorable I'm thinking of getting one for Ava's first pet. But, I digress. Don't be fooled by this cuddly encounter. Fundraising is even more challenging than running.

Flashing the cash from two happy donors. I was hoping
the morning's fundraising success would flow into the evening.

Exhausted, I grabbed a cup o' Joe and even snagged an awesome giveaway prize on the way to our fundraiser Care2Dance (from Donny at the Starbucks on Ray + the 101...two bags of coffee and a mug!)

After my not so glamorous yard sale fundraising in the morning...we danced the night away at Care2Dance, our team's first attempt at a big fundraiser. We only had a short amount of time to plan for it because our dancers were already booked far in advance. We had one night to do it, Oct 1st, so we took a chance. We definitely had all the mechanics in place. We had the fluff and the meat. The turn out unfortunately was not what we were hoping for. Regardless, we still had a great time and met some very cool people. Here's just a few of the pictures from that night. You can view the Care2Dance album on our team's facebook page here We're also fortunate to have had a professional photographer shoot our event -Warren of

OD Imagez (I'll update this when his photos are released.)

Amber Barnes + John Holzworth our Care2Dance instructors. They graciously volunteered their time + enthusiasm for us and made the event so much fun! Look for them at Fred Astaire!

Team Sunshine all loosened up + we're just dying for some cash!?!

Our friends from Boxer Luv Rescue

Captain Tanya, Daniel and Ava

CamillaCentral on the dancefloor!

TheDars!

And lastly, I wasn't going to pick the Sprouts4Sprouts $25 Sprouts gift card winners until Jan 14th at the pre-race pasta party...but, since I've had such wonderful support from everyone, I'd like to start picking out one winner each month, starting now! Watch the video prize drawing below to find out who won this month!

Project: Sprouts for Sprouts

2011-09-03T01:13:00.000-07:00

Planted sixteen "baby" jades tonight for Phoenix Children's Hospital.

They're so cute. I'm thinking about naming each one.

But, I don't want to get too attached to these guys, because I'll be sending them home

with the kind folks who happen to fill up my collection jar with their generous donations.

You see, a long time ago, my aunt and my father in law gave me clippings of jade stems from their plants. Using what little gardening experience I had, I've managed to keep them alive. Maybe it's because I may have inherited some of my dad's and mom's green thumbs...but, I think it's due to how strong and hardy these little guys are.

Even when I've forgotten to water them and they're all shriveled and dehydrated. They still spring back to life after a good watering. Now those little stems have grown into several large pot fulls in my back yard.

Now, I want to share them with those kind enough to share something for the children and their families at Phoenix Children's Hospital.

I've enjoyed designing the poster and the thank you labels, (which I still have to adhere to the rest of the jars!) But, What will be even more rewarding, is seeing these little pots of dirt & plant, going to a new home. They are easy to care for and can be snipped and multiplied into even more plants. I can imagine how they'll brighten up a desk space, kitchen window or even the bedside of someone you love.

If you prefer to make an online donation, please visit my fundraising home page @

http://tinyurl.com/gocactusmango

It's late and I still am insanely thinking I can crawl out of bed for the group run at 6am. I know what song I'll be singing in my head during the run tomorrow...This one's for my fellow dirt girls + boys. This is my shout out to my mom + dad. Thank you for growing me right. Here's a song for you.

http://www.dirtgirlworld.com/dirtgirl/listen.html

Planting Song - Dirt Girl World

Well I've done a lot of digging

And I'm still nowhere near pooped

So here's a song I like to sing

And you can sing it tooped

Make a little hole,

Put a seed in it

Cover it up with dirt

It only takes a minute

And before you know it

You can help to grow it

Help the garden grow

Helping the garden grow

Help the garden grow

Helping the garden grow

Take a water can

Put some water in it

Sprinkle it on the ground

It only takes a minute

And before you know it

You can help to grow it

Help the garden grow

Helping the garden grow

Help the garden grow

Helping the garden grow

Make a little hole

Put a seed in it

Cover it up with dirt

It only takes a minute

And before you know it

You can help to grow it

Help the garden grow

Helping the garden grow

Help the garden grow

Helping the garden grow

Help the garden grow

Helping the garden grow

Help the garden grow

Helping the garden grow

day 30: in motion

2011-08-30T06:56:00.001-07:00

Levitating on our way to Market Side...

Chasing Pigeons at the Park ~ Ron took this one. Nice!

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.

*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

It's the last day of the Photo Challenge! boohoohoo! This was loads of fun and will be a unique album when it's all printed.

Here's a link to My 30 Day Photo Challenge Gallery >>>> http://photobucket.com/cmd_30dayAug

day 29: purchased

2011-08-29T10:00:00.049-07:00

Love these! Keen Raya Persimmon They're colorful, practical, comfy, cute and on sale. Ava's been wearing some $13 tar-jay pink ones this year, which are holding up pretty well for knock-offs. But, even though these are more expensive than the tar-jay variety; I think I got a pretty good price for them $29 at Nordstrom Rack. Considering, I sized up for room to grow - it has a secure ankle strap to keep my girl's feet in place - the insole & outer straps are of better more durable material than tar-jay's $13 kinds. Ava's already breaking them in!

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.

*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 28: daily routine

2011-08-28T23:24:00.000-07:00

Starting at 7am (sometimes as early as 5 omg am) our home becomes AvaCentral - until she's finally asleep around 8:30 at night. Plopping down on the couch, feet up enjoying mindless reality TV, instead of NickJr/Sprouts is awesome. Compared to yesterday, this is our real "after dark" scene.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.

*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 27: after dark

2011-08-28T23:19:00.001-07:00

The stars aligned for us to enjoy a rare night out celebrating our friend's birthday. It felt strange to be going out without our baby girl, after 6pm. We both had this feeling like we were sneaking out past our bed time. After an awesome buffet, we continued to have a great time chillin' at Talking Stick Resort. Our group split, half chillin' by the bar listening to live tunes, while the rest of the crew tried their luck at Pai Gow.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.
*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

I know I haven't been out drinking in a long time, but, is it just me or were these "shots" ginormous? It took me three gulps to get one of these down, seriously. If I didn't have a 6am group run the next morning, we might have stayed out past midnight. At least we went home with an extra 150 duckits ~ Cheers!

day 25: sunflare

2011-08-28T23:11:00.000-07:00

I love photos that capture the play of light around a subject. It's surreal and whimsical. I've done it on accident before, so, I had to do some googling on how to do it on purpose! I found these tips @
5 Tips for Achieving Artistic Lens Flare to be useful. I pulled over on my way home from one of my morning runs, to snap this shot. I want to play around with this technique more with a cuter subject - my little Ava, next time we're out.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.
*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 26: something old

2011-08-26T11:00:00.001-07:00

Ava's newest discovery is something old: her daddy's highschool trumpet.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.

*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 23: sunset

2011-08-26T00:34:00.001-07:00

It's day 26 and although I wasn't able to get any good "Day 25: Sunflare" shots today, I was able to capture the sunset for Day 23. This was taken while in moving car, using the "Sunset" option on the "Scene" setting on our Nikon d5000. I had some "camera glitches" (aka I pushed some random button on accident that screwed up my shot) that made me lose a great sunset shot overlooking Discovery Park. I begged my hubby to turn the car back and drive around and around until I got my sunset shot. Of course, he said no. I was bumbed as we drove away and then he shouted out, "Field of Wheat!" So, I looked to my right. Beautiful scene right there! So, I rolled down my window fast as can be and went trigger happy. Of the 10+ shots, this one came out the best. I think mainly because of the bird silhouette! Ok, you have to squint to see the bird, but I think it's still pretty sexy!

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.
*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

Fabric Erase Chore Chart

2011-08-25T16:22:00.007-07:00

I recieved my free fabric swatch in the mail yesterday from Spoonflower! It's cool! This fabric called "Round the Bend Grey" is designed by Cristina Pires

My hubby says he doesn't get the fascination. It's just a piece of fabric. Uhm, helloooo, it's chevron, gray and white, what more do you need? I thought I better come up with a quick way to make this functional and displayed in our house. Then I remembered my FB wall post that I shared not too long ago about a blogger who turned a picture frame into a chore chart. I have a frame if you've seen my previous post, that's in need of a purpose and cool fabric that I want to display...but it has to be functional too. So, here's what I it looks like. Perfect! Now where will this live? And will the chore chart really help me stay on task...hmmm?

day 24: a smile

2011-08-24T00:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I missed day 23...the day flew by and before I new it, the sun had set. I'm determined though, to get my sunset shot by Day 30. For now, I'm happy to show off my little sunshine's smile. Well, one of her smiles. Let's just say this is smile #5: the eyes squinted shut, teeth grinding, squeal-ly kind of smile -most often emerges when she discovers something new and fun - like this vintage frame I've been meaning to work into her bedroom somehow. Maybe it's finally made it's way in, by way of this picture.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.
*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 22: trees

2011-08-22T09:40:00.001-07:00

hello. seven baby calamansi trees growing indoors on my kitchen shelf. I followed online tutorials on how to grow lemon trees from seed and applied it to the seeds I saved from calamansi fruit from the asian market and from family. I hope I can keep them alive and well until maturity. Family in CA have been keeping their eyes peeled for more mature trees in their local nurseries, but haven't had any luck for the past couple of years. Furthermore, apparently you can buy them online, but they can't be shipped to citrus states like Texas, CA, FL and AZ. That's why I've resorted to this lengthy method of obtaining a calamansi tree. It could take 10 years for these babies to mature and a couple more after that, for them to bear fruit. It's still cheaper than a plane ticket home to the Philippines!

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.

*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 21: pretty pattern

2011-08-21T10:07:00.008-07:00

Patterns consisting of concentric circles are on the top of my favorite-patterns-of-all-time list. I've used the pattern in my daughter's birth announcement and also on her baptismal candle. A couple weeks ago, I convinced my better half that we could make this pretty pattern out of TP tubes and hang it above our bed as wall art. We both converged on the vision of an all white art piece, which would pop against our chocolate wall. This is what it looks like so far...unglued...unfinished...

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.

*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

One TP roll makes 1 "circle". One paper towel roll makes 2 & 1/2 "circles". 6 TP rolls + 1 paper towel roll later = about 1 ft. 2 in in length. Thanks to momC & tintin for their donations! We just need 7 more batches of rolls like this & we'll have enough to fit above our bed. So, we're still collecting/accepting unwanted rolls!

As if I'd stop at one project! I have to make a colorful version for my daughter's room. I'm inspired by this art piece "Collective" by Jodi Fuchs.

I first saw it inside CostPlus World Market over a year ago. She's described the piece as "inspired by the overlapping circles of connection on facebook". I looked her up and found she also sells poster reprints in her etsy shop HomeShanti. Whenever possible, I prefer buying direct from the artist, plus it makes acquiring this beautiful artwork more of a reality for me!

Oh, don't miss out on all the pretty patterns posted by the rest of the challengers here:

day 20: what I read

2011-08-21T00:58:00.001-07:00

My husband and I love to read to our little one. She especially loves it when we read words that call for silly sound effects. These are some of the books in heavy rotation in our house lately.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.

*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 19: where I slept

2011-08-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.

*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 18: in my bag

2011-08-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

Groceries. Nothing glamorous here.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.
*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 17: on the shelf

2011-08-17T11:53:00.001-07:00

On Ava's shelf, I keep her birth announcement & birth photo, along with some thrift store found mementos used to decorate the dessert table at her 1st birthday party (L-R): Ceramic Mushroom (found in a Yuma thrift store with Lola Amy & dad painted the mushroom stalk white), Wooden "A" Block (that I hand painted with purple craft paint and sealed with glitter modge podge), Vintage Owl and a white painted baby deer.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.
*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 16: what I ate

2011-08-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

mmmm....enjoyed a bowl of hot oatmeal this morning with my avadarling.

well, most of her bowl ended up on her belly instead of in her belly.

i'm not complaining, i snuck some flax seeds in there. she was a a happy messy girl.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011. *overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 15: my shoes

2011-08-15T15:17:00.000-07:00

For today's photo challenge, I wanted to pay homage to one of my favorite photographers Natsumi Hayashi, Tokyo's famous floating girl. I found a way to do my own style of "levitating" without actually wearing my shoes...I don't think it'll be my last levitation attempt. It's addictive!

Summertime temps in AZ are pretty solid for a good part of the year. So, it's a rare that these boots get busted out. Must be why I forgot I had a pair in this earlier post. They enjoyed their walk out in the sun today I'm sure.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011. *overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 14: flowers

2011-08-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

When the seasons change, I enjoy redecorating my babies' flower box.

This is the new flower arrangement I'm putting together.
The colors transition well from summer to fall.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.

*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 13: from a distance

2011-08-13T11:21:00.002-07:00

those white specs in the distance...

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.

*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

...are my fellow Miracles In Motion team on our first long run. I started out at a good pace, but my endurance just isn't there yet. Had to walk 2/3 of the way. I'm glad I had my ipod playlist set up. Loving "Lunatic" by Andy Grammar. It's so fitting for someone crazy enough to run another 26.2 miles and on top of that - raise $1,500 for Phoenix Childrens Hospital. But it's all worth it to be able to give back to our local community knowing this will help a child in need. It was a muggy but beautifully cloudy day. I couldn't help but think of my two angels in heaven looking up & ahead of me. I know they are looking down at me smiling and cheering, "go mommy go!" I made it back to the start of the trail and so appreciated the bountiful breakfast spread awaiting us all. Plus, I met some new friends & joined a group of gals to help with fundraising. woohoo!

day 12: close up

2011-08-12T23:59:00.001-07:00

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.

*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 11: something fun

2011-08-11T17:09:00.000-07:00

It doesn't take much to amuse my little one.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011.

*overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 10: something I made

2011-08-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

Instead of making something new for today, this challenge has given me a good window to journal & photograph about some special things I made the night before my daughter's baptismal: a painting and a candle.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011. *overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

Family and friends would be coming for lunch immediately following the baptismal, so I was determined to paint this and hang it up above my baby girl's crib.   I was going for the non-traditional girl nursery wall art, something mod enough, that maybe she'll take it with her to college someday. I was inspired by this backlit canvas I'd seen on DesignSponge and fell in love with the idea.

I printed out in large black font "ava dar", then taped it on the back side of a white canvas.  (if you're thinking "ava dar" is the raddest name you've ever heard, well, thank you, but, it's actually her first name + our family's term of endearment "dar", short for "darling".) Ok, well, I simply used a light box to hand trace with pencil the outline of the letters. Then I hand painted around the letters and the rest of the canvas with gray craft paint. (I know gray for a girl's room? I love it against the "Tender Bud" wall paint, so there.)

By the time I finished doing this, it was well past my bedtime and the baptismal was early the next morning. I ended up nixing the back lighting, but mainly because I loved it as-is. You can see some of my brushstrokes and pencil lines up close, too. So if you think from afar, it's a professional painting, and look up close to see brushstrokes, well, good! They're there as proof that it was handmade with love.   This project may still get updated in the future...I'm always on the look out for the perfect vintage ornate frame for the "avadar" canvas, in hopes that I can take it home to coat it in a high-gloss white.

As for the candle, I shopped around for a baptismal candle, but couldn't find one cool enough for my baby. So, I designed the candle label and taped it on, along with some silvery white ribbons for that little sparkle. We never did use it during her baptismal. But, we kept it as a memento of the day our families and friends came to witness and share in this special day.

day 9: faceless self portrait

2011-08-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

just me and my trusty succulents.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011. *overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 8: technology

2011-08-08T16:14:00.000-07:00

I'm really not a gadget geek. But I live with two, my husband & brother, so the techno stuff was easy to compile for this shot.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011. *overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

Tomorrow's challenge - "faceless self-portrait" - is kind of stumping me. I tried taking a shot, holding my cam behind my head, but it was just awkward and kept getting just a closeup of my hair. hmmm...we shall see.

day 7: something new

2011-08-07T16:00:00.005-07:00

(everybody holler like Oprah with me)

...a new PRrrrOooOoJECT!!!

TP Wall Art.

"What?" You say. Well let me tell you. It's one of the classiest ways to upcycle the lowly TP Roll I've ever seen. Check out these inspiring > TP beauties What's the best thing about this project? My hubby - who usually curls a nostril at me every time I come up with a new project - actually likes this toilet paper roll project, too! There's a space above our headboard that's in dire need of a makeover. This one in particular is what really caught our conjoined eye > Saving by Making

Love this pattern...and hope I can complete this project by Photo Challenge Day 22: Pretty Pattern. I don't think I can horde enough TP rolls to complete it for Photo Challenge Day 10: Something I Made. All my nearby buddies, be fair warned, I may come & raid your recycle bin for your TP rolls in the next couple weeks.

day 6: childhood memory

2011-08-06T10:12:00.004-07:00

How do you photograph a memory? As I thought about this challenge, lots of bags of flour came to mind. I remember napping on hard bags of flour in the back of the store, next to trays and trays of rising donuts. Mom standing in front of a butcher block counter - working flour into mounds of dough waiting to be rolled and cut into the days batch of donuts. The rhythmic thud of mom rolling heavy metal donut cutter. Mom was always covered in flour. 10 years of her life. Knowing her, she surely doesn't want to ever see another bag of flour. Still, these white bags always bring me back to those days fondly and how much my mom loves me.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011. *overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 5: someone I love

2011-08-05T18:50:00.001-07:00

today's prompt was a no brainer. here he is, my darling.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011. *overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 4: favorite color

2011-08-04T17:35:00.001-07:00

Finally, I'm on today's challenge. You'd think it'd be an easy one: your favorite color. But not so! I love the rainbow and all the non-rainbow-ish colors are my friends, too. I've definitely had favorites that I've stuck with for years. I had my phases. Often, my color phases have been best exemplified by my shoes. For example, I wore green metallic boots to our Jr./Sr. Prom. Wish I still had those. Then I wore metallic silver & white striped sneakers to Prom the following year. In college, I loved these brown pleather boots. Wore those to the ground walking/running around campus. Of course, I had a "white phase" shopping for my wedding day footwear. Followed by my spunky yellow &; grey Lucie's. Funny thing is, I don't have a single pair of shoes that are orange toned. That has been a favorite color of mine for many many years. The quest for orange shoes is on!

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011. *overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 3: clouds

2011-08-04T15:00:00.002-07:00

OK, alright, I confess...technically, these are not "real" clouds...and actually, I took this photo - end of July. I'm playing catch up here, because it's not really day 3 - it's day 4! Yesterday there were plenty of clouds and I figured there'll be more today...but alas they went away! So, alright, well I just had to share this picture, regardless. It's one I took of my dear bro-in-law & sis-in-law as they share a quiet moment - taking in their lovely baby girl's nursery. A bunch of friends & I had a ball creating the Papier-mâché Hot Air Balloon mobile for them.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011. *overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

day 2: what i wore

2011-08-02T13:15:00.001-07:00

I haven't worn much jewelry since my little one came along. She's already got a rap sheet *yeah long* for pulling apart beaded jewelry. So, when I saw this bracelet at Forever21 while out with my buddy Ninette...I thought, "Perfect!" It has a modern, yet ethnic feel to it. The varied types of wood reminds me of the old furniture in my families ancestral home in the Philippines, that had tiny pieces of inlaid wood done in intricate patterns. The fun mix of colors can go with virtually everything in my closet and it'll be much harder for my daughter to accidentally break it...i hope.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011. *overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

I dare not wear chandelier earrings or any necklaces now either. Speaking of "daring not to wear...", stilettos. Those things are deadly. In the picture above, I'm holding my camera to show the stilettos Ninette & I tried on at the mall, just because. I had to hold onto the shoe rack for dear life posing for these shots. My fave are the red ones my friend posed in. So hot! Well, I can say I wore stilettos, even if I can't walk in them!

*it's actually day 4 of the challenge...I'm catching up!

day 1 - self portrait

2011-08-01T01:50:00.001-07:00

Playing catch up already on this challenge. (1:50 am on Day 4 of the Photo Challenge) I was tempted to use a self-portrait that I took prior to the challenge. But, decided against it and found myself jumping up & down several times, trying to get my face in the little red Ikea mirror in our living room wall! Pix is a bit grainy and I should have dusted the mirror first, but, at least I got a bit of a workout.

credits: *paislee press 2010 calendar stamp, that i modified for 2011. *overlay edge stax by Kim Liddiard and *hand drawn circle doodle by me.

Share your photos, admire others nifty shots, or if you want to join & have questions, one of the challenge hosts Sherry made up this little button for you to follow to her blog:

Kids Vanity Update

2011-07-17T10:39:00.056-07:00

So, we did away with my Sea foam dreams and went with classic white. My S.O. spent one morning spray painting the vanity in the backyard. We let it dry, but got side tracked with "other things".

Then a couple weeks went by...My S.O. and bro became so enthusiastic about the project with the prospect of finally being able to use my bro's reciprocating saw *cue the choir of angels* to cut out the wooden top inlay. They went and got some nice pressed wood. Traced the glass inlay for the exact shape and after several cautious passes with the saw, they successfully cut out the wooden inlay.

My S.O. then spent the morning sanding it to give it a nice soft kid friendly edge and spray painted it as well. The paint we chose was labeled "high gloss" but, I think the result was more like a regular gloss. I was hoping for a super high gloss that looks like it's wet glass. Don't know how to achieve that, especially with all the nooks & crannies

Then we got sidetracked with "other things" again. Eventually, I got tired of it not being done plus, my kids a weed. If I waited anylonger to finish this up, she'd be using this vanity table as a bench. I found some wipeable white caulk in our garage stash. I used wet towels and my fingers to glue and seal the wood inlay into place. This took longer than I thought, because I had to scrap off carefully all the excess goop. In hind sight, I should have used blue painters tape, to protect the edges and make for an easy clean up. Duh.

Lastly, I stopped by Lowe's and told an employee what I was needing...something to secure the vanity to the wall, something white and something flat. If we couldn't find anything, then I'd resort to some kind of white fabric ribbon. He showed me the perfect solution: Plastic Hanger Strap (3/4" x 10"). It conviently has pre-drilled holes evenly spaced apart. All I did, was count how many holes it took to wrap around the vanity leg, added one extra hole for good measure.

Next we needed to make it safe. S.O. drilled a drywall anchor into the wall behind where the vanity's location. He then made a loop with the plastic strip, aligning the last two holes on each end and placed a screw through it and the wall, for both back legs of the vanity. Lastly, we slid the vanity through the two secured loops. You can't even tell the loops are there. They blend in so well. done!

We're happy with the result and our little girl loves it too! Now the quest is on for a kid safe mirror...

update, 8/23/11: I haven't found a kid-safe mirror yet, but I did find a super cute framed bulletin board! It's an American Girl product on sale for 13.99 at Safeway. After I brought it home, I looked online to see if it was a good deal or not. Seems like a discontinued or not readily available product. It was sold out on Overstock.com, where it was priced at 9.99. Would have loved it for that price, but, I'm happy I was able to get one! The frame is a white painted metal with a darling scalloped edge. I think that's what really got me. I don't see too many scalloped metal frames around. The back of the frame has two sets of hanging notches. The board is covered in a cute green & white polka dot fabric. Also, since the board is screwed in, it's easily replaceable in the future!

Sea Foaming at the Mouth!

2011-04-06T09:48:00.023-07:00

Say hello to my next non-digital project. Posting it up here in the blogosphere for both accountability and for HELP! But first I want to give a big thank you to auntie & uncle Tamondong and Merlz for selling me these two little treasures with the bonus vintage pic! Gotta love that. hahaha. Seriously though, aren't they just lovely - all gaudy and gold? Which brings me back to - HELP!!!! I have a vision of this reborn in high-gloss white with accents of sea foam. To help me envision the finished project, I put together an "inspiration board". I got lost at sea yesterday googling sea foam clad thingamabobs. I was sea foaming at the mouth.

After all that effort, I looked for sea foam high-gloss spray paint and found - NONE. So, again I say, HELP! I know. I know. Maybe I need to give up on my vision and just make it easier on myself. Paint the table ALL white. Paint that picture frame sea foam with craft acrylic paint. That is definitely my plan B.

But, I will throw this out there to all the crafty artsy fartsies:

Where can I buy high gloss sea foam colored paint for plastic?
What's the best high gloss white paint for plastic?

* Tue, Aug, 9th NOTE: See the finished project here > kids vanity update

New Logo

2011-03-30T16:18:00.004-07:00

Ever since I came up with the quirky name CACTUSmango, I've been racking the crevices of my right noggin trying to visualize our logo. It had to be one that incorporates our company's long name, that's organic yet clean, modern and fresh. The other night it FINALLY hit me like a slushy to the face. Now without further ado, I'm thrilled to unveil our new logo! Ta-da! Ain't that one juicy logo?! I think so! Let me know what you think here or on our FB wall!

Sponsor Me at March for Babies!

2010-06-30T20:56:00.003-07:00

Click here to help me reach my goal!

DIY wedding invitations

2010-06-13T23:32:00.003-07:00

quite the learning experience...as a favor, my husband + i designed custom wedding invites for our friends tracy + lawrence, while I'm also being a full time S.A.H.M...I underestimated how little time I have for designing these, when my baby is needing my full attention. She's learning to crawl, learning to fall asleep on her own, teething and fighting a diaper rash. phew! 'Nuf said.

But, I'm quite happy with the turn-out. I really like the "seal" I created and I like the way my husband's orchids turned out...you can't see in these photos, but, they have an airbrushed look to the petals.
I am also really loving Flash. I pretty much did everything design-wise in Flash {invitations, rsvps, map, candy bar wrapper (not shown) and the seal}. Oh and it was sooo much easier to make the map in Flash...instead of photoshop.

i just wish there was more time to add more design love to them. I had my vision of making custom labels and Ron made a Save the Date for them as well... but more custom doo-dads means more printing/cutting/glueing for them to do.

But they needed to get these out like yesterday. wishing them luck + speed as they race to get these to Mr. Postman this week. It was a great learning experience that I am thankful to our friends for giving us the opportunity. Perhaps we'll be helping them with their wedding programs and place settings...but, I think we're going to take a bit of breather...'til the end of July.

{special thanks to our buddy marg for cutting out all of the cardstock, for feeding me Chodangs and icecream and lending us her cutter...I'm getting you a new blade sister! and to Paislee Press for her lovely digital paper from her kit "on this day" which is featured in Memory Makers Magazine and available for download at MM website. Read about it here}

I hope to squeeze some time into converting this invitation set into something I can offer in my digital store at Kjoistudios or to offer in my Etsy shop. But, first I am going to continue working on two other projects...a logo re-vamp for a friend and a website design for my bro. Stay tuned for that. Now it's time for me to tune out. toodles.

Before I go to sleep

2010-05-30T01:53:00.002-07:00

I forgot to share with you the rest of my Mom's Recipe Box, mini printable kit. It's an exclusive KJoi Newsletter Freebie...but you have to subscribe to the Kjoi Newsletter to snag the coupon codes...{so, subscribe here yo} OR you can show me some love and purcase them in my shop ;) wink-wink ;)

Mom's Recipe Box {Set 1 here}

Mom's Recipe Box {Set 2 here}

Mom's Recipe Box {Set 3 here}

Mom's Recipe Box {Set 4 here}

I posted a recipe on my food blog...over here...{Potluck Potato Salad} that I'll eventually transfer onto these printed recipe cards and place in a clear recipe box. I'm thinking about purchasing this one:

But that project won't be for awhile...i have two other projects on the back burner that need to get served hot and tasty. That's tomorrow's priority. Oh wait, It's tomorrow already. OK! gotta crash.

6 months already?!

2010-05-07T19:37:00.002-07:00

Yay! It's Friday! Hubby is sitting back with Ava enjoying the Phx v. SA game. So, I really should go take a nice long nap, before my "ava shift". Here's a quick photo round-up of what I've been up to:

Happy Half-Birthday Ava!

Ava + I ready before the Pat Tillman Run in Tempe.

Bowling on the base with momC in Yuma. Can you tell I love my Baby K'tan. Ava was so comfy in it, while I bowled that she fell asleep!

Oooh...more of my favorite baby gear....

Delivery from FedEx...

It''s my gMum kit! A lot of brochures/$2 coupons and cute stickers that say "no landfill necessary" and "is your baby having an environmental movement?" If I had my way, ava would be a completely gDiapered baby. But, I'm happy at least my hubby is willing to try gDiapers for day time use at home. At night we switch to Seventh Generation diapers for overnight. When we do have diapers to dispose of, we use the baggies from Nature BabyCare.

Oh here is Ava sporting my new gMum gear!

Ava hanging out in her Chicco 360 hook on Chair.

Eating fresh organic avocado with her Boon Squirt Spoon.

Happy Half-Birthday Girl sporting onsie from auntie Trishna and hand-made hair clip from ninang Ninette.

Oh, and this is the first installment in my Mom's RecipeBox, which you can have for free if you are subscribed to K-Joi Studios Newsletter. {subscribe here}

I made these to record down my mom's recipes that I grew up eating and loving, like KareKare and Terrific. And also to record recipes from my dad and in-laws. I want to be able to pass these recipes down to my daughter. These are meant to create a special Mother's Day gift. Each week check your inbox to read the K-Joi Studios Newsletter and collect the next set of cards in my Mom's RecipeBox.

1 recipe card (one light + one dark) | 2 print sheets (one sheet of 2 cards - for both variations) Pictured above is the print sheet of two light recipe cards.

Speaking of recipes...Here's a layout of ava enjoying home-made organic baby food. I used the KidCo Food Mill (from Diapers.com)

I re-colored this paper by Paislee Press and layered it with paper by Crystal Wilkerson.

And the last thing I made today is this Mondo Salad for dinner. So colorful and thoroughly satisfying.

Mondo Salad Recipe by ME!

Step 1 - Chop or slice up these ingredients
{basically add anything and everything you could ever want in a salad all into one huge bowl}:

2 organic boiled eggs
2 avocados
2 organic strawberries
10 organic cherry tomatoes
1 mandarin orange
2 celery stalks
2 sausage links
2 handfulls of shredded cheese
1 box of sliced mushrooms
1/2 onion
4 handfulls of organic baby spinach
3 slices of turkey

Optional {Put all your veggie scraps and eggs shells into a compost bin.}

Step 2 - Sautee the mushrooms onions and sausage. Then pour it right ontop of your salad. Mmm...love the contrast of warm and cold in this salad!

That's all folks! Time to crash! Good night!

Heart Felt

2010-02-05T01:34:00.001-07:00

First blog post of 2010 + new product in my shop - woooohooo! Yup, I couldn't resist the urge to make a little something new for my baby's first Valentines. {my little one'll turn 3 months old this weekend} I snapped this shot of her in mid smile...hubby saw it & he totally cracked up. That made my heart melt!

Speaking of hearts...Check out these lil sweeties. I made them using photos I took of various colored scraps of felt. {which my buddy ninette gave to me, so that i can try making felt hair clips for my baby girl} I haven't gotten around to that project yet...but, at least I made these :D

Exclusively available [here] at K-Joi Studios.

While I was at it, I whipped up a coordinating [postcard] + [stamp] in my zazzle shop.

[product link to stamp is being processed, will update.]

There's still time for V-day gifts! 50% off 2-day shipping on my zazzle products on orders of $25+. Use Code: WELOVETWODAY Ends Monday!

well...it's time for me to hit the sack....night-night!

Holiday Blog Train gift

2009-12-05T06:00:00.004-07:00

To spread the holiday cheer, a group of my kjoistudios buddies put together a 2010 calendar just for you. Visit their blogs to collect pages for each month of the year. I made this page for the month of October with stuff from my Bizarre kits, which are 50% off (along with my whole shop @ kjoi) from now 'til Jan 1st. {shop CACTUSmango}

{download oct2010 calendar}

Maligayang Pasko! + Merry Christmas!

Jan * Panda Bear Designs
Feb * Scrapzn Bitz
Mar * SandEz
Apr * Lizard Dau Designs
May * April Dawn Creations
Jun * Scrapzn Bitz
Jul * KatLen Kreations
Aug * ice princess
Sep * Lori Imel
Oct * CACTUSmango Designs
Nov * Designs by Angel
Dec * KatLen Kreations

New Candy + Stitch-less-ness

2009-10-24T10:57:00.034-07:00

The other day I was craving M&Ms and learned that you can now personalize them with your own photos and messages! They're having a buy 2 bags, get 1 bag free deal right now. So, I uploaded a few of my Bizarre graphics and this is the sample of what it would look like: How cool is that?! But, I shouldn't be gorging myself on sweets (since I have gestational diabetes). I figured the next best thing for me to do, is to make my own sugar-free candy-coated treats..."digitally" of course! With Halloween just around the corner, you'll enjoy sprinkling your newest Halloween scrapbook pages with these yummy goodies.

Bizarre Candy Pack

Bizarre Candy Word Pack

Bizarre Candy Frames
Bizarre Candy Borders

Not only is Halloween a week away...so is a major milestone for my pregnancy...I'll be 37 weeks prego on Halloween Eve! Therefore, from now up to the day after Halloween I'm offering these new Bizarre Candy Packs for 37% off when you use this special blog coupon code:

bizarrecandy37

Get the Bizarre Candy 4pack instead of the individual packs and save another $1 ;)
Now for me to brag a little. I won a prize from DueMaternity! I never win anything! It arrived Thursday, and I was thinking it was from my friend Adie, but nope. I actually won a gDiaper starter kit (which is perfect because we're going to gDiaper our baby and needed 2 more diapers! Awesome!) That's not all, we also received the newest What to Expect book! Even though we're heading into the home stretch of this pregnancy, this book also has breastfeeding and postpartum info. (layout credit: Desert Botanicals v2 and ck ali's hand font.

layout credit: Desert Botanicals v2 and ck ali's hand font.

So, I want to share with you the 10% savings code they also gave me for being their winner! Here's the code:

MarissaC

This code is valid for a year only on purchases of $25 or more at duematernity.com only.

Oh and I almost forgot to mention, my friends' package finally arrived yesterday from Virginia! What a sweet way to spend my 1st day as a "stitch-less" prego while simultaneously celebrating our 36th week milestone! What a strange feeling to have come this far and to know that there is no longer that tiny stitch holding baby snug inside! Now, we have to let nature take it's course. layout credit: Desert Botanicals v2 and ck ali's hand font.

Well, I've got a couple K-joi Studio Collaboration kits I'm working on, almost time to wrap up the Crop Dreams fundraiser and I have a handful of my own products that I'm scrambling to get up into the store before baby arrives. I have a sneaking suspicion that when baby arrives - I won't have the time of day to do any designing! So, that's all for now folks! Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

PregoBrain + Boo Baby

2009-10-03T15:01:00.028-07:00

With baby-birth fast approaching (possibly could happen anywhere in the next 3wks-7wks! oh my!) my husband and I have been busy busy busy getting ready. He's assembled the packn'play, the bouncer, the stroller, set up the closet, installed the infant car seat, set up the diaper changing table, laundry...we're almost all ready to go. I know it may sound easy for me, watching him work away, while I'm on bed rest, but it's not! I am going nutso wanting to NEST too! There's only so much satisfaction I can get from internet window shopping for the best deals.

So today, I thought I'd put up some new Halloween baby gear in my zazzle shop. These are inspired by my Bizarre digital stamps/brushes at Kjoistudios. Boo Baby Onsie - Bat wings + Boo Baby Onsie - Spidey Pumpkin They turned out pretty darn cute and they're printed on organic cotton to boot.

The horror story is that I had an attack of PregoBrain and deleted half my zazzle shop! arrrrgh! I was just trying to move them to another folder, but hit delete instead! doh!

Gone are my best selling products: my 'Eclectic Black' slim business card, my multi-lingual 'thanks' postcard and the funky fun 'Urban Island Keds'!!!!

oh, it hurts! forever gone are all the sweet commentary/ratings by fans + customers. (deep sigh) But, I will just have to try to recreate them, someday...

------------------------------------------
updated: Sat. Oct. 03, 2009 5:12pm.

phew! it took some 'doing', but I have successfully recreated my Eclectic Black + White skinny card. There may be some variation to the original of course, because I was referring to a super small image that I had. Why I didn't save the original is beyond me. Anyway, it's back in my zazzle shop. HERE woohoo!

LAST CHANCE!!! for Crop Dreams Charity Kit

2009-09-24T18:57:00.001-07:00

Hello Scrappers!

So far, we've raised just $36 USD for Opportunity House. Thank you so much for supporting Mabuhay Project since October ‘08. We'd love, however, to get the donation higher. We have a goal of $200.

So, if you can, we would love it if you could tell everyone about our Crop Dreams Charity kit. If we get the word out to the entire scrapbooking community, we believe we can raise a lot more this last month. This October 2009 is our last chance to make an impact!

Please remember, with your purchase of the full collaboration, you will recieve the Crop Dreams Alpha Set for FREE!

(Yes! I want to support Opportunity House Today with Crop Dreams!)

Crop Dreams Charity Collaboration Kit is packed full of all the essentials you need to scrap a whole bunch of beautiful pages. There is so much in here you will love it!

Crop Dreams includes: 18 gorgeous papers, six awesome 12x12 quick pages, 10 beautiful bracket pages, 7 unique word arts ("flourish", "flourish.thrive.grow", "hip!hip!hurray!", "mabuhay!", "proud of you", "sumisibol", "U Crack Me Up")

and 53 tropical fun elements, including: 1 decorated tri-bamboo frame, 1 tied-branch frame, 1 heliconia flower, 1 plant stem, 1 glittered nipa hut, 1 rice stalk (green, yellow, tan), 1 brown vase, 1 watermelon (as a stamp + sticker), 1 watermelon slice (as a stamp + sticker), 1 multi-colored border, 1 pink flower, 3 different leaves, 1 branch with leaves, 1 nut, 1 stone, 1 knotted string, 1 twisted ribbon (in green + in olive), 1 cluster of water drops, 3 glass bead buttons (flower, leaf, wood), 1 green bullnose clip, 1 tropical clipped cluster, 1 brown leather flower, 1 ripe mango, 1 cluster of painted wooden flowers, 1 stapled olive ribbon, 1 pink sash, 1 string of shells, 1 sash with clustered elements, 1 plain wooden flower, 2 wooden "tsinelas" slipper key-chains, 1 lightwash border 12x12 overlay, 1 mango morning 12x12 overlay, 1 mango traffic jam 12x12 overlay, 1 sticker of a string of sampaguita flowers, 1 sticker of a sampaguita flower cut-out, 1 plumeria sticker, 1 plain brown hut, 4 "gumamela" hibiscus flowers, 1 brown with green striped ribbon, 1 "go mango" tropical cluster, 1 multi-colored "community" of huts, 1 cut-open coconut, 1 "coco flora" tropical cluster (2 styles), 1 fiesta "carabao" water-buffalo head, and 1 leather+wooden flower cluster.

Plus, with your purchase of Crop Dreams Charity Collab, you will also recieve the Crop Dreams Alpha Set for free. Crop Dreams Alpha set includes a natural weave texture and a subtly painted version. It consists of a lowercase alphabet, numbers 0-9 and the following punction { } , ! . ? *You may also purchase just the Crop Dreams Alpha Set here > http://kjoistudios.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66_75&products_id=2238

More about Crop Dreams: This is a beautiful, fresh collaboration kit originally released in October 2008 in celebration of Filipino American History Month - and will retire at the end of October 2009. Inspired by the agriculture, nature and island culture of The Philippines, Crop Dreams was lovingly made by several Filipina digital designers from around the globe under MabuhayProject.blogspot.com, to benefit Opportunity House - a Pearl S. Buck Foundation International (www.psbl.org) program that helps children in Asian countries, like The Philippines.

To learn about the designers who collaborated on this charity kit and for more layout ideas please visit http://www.mabuhayproject.blogspot.com/

Crop Dreams Collaborators:
CACTUSmango Designs - Mars Carranza, Aimee Designs - Ma.Aimee Suarez, Lorie M. Designs - Lorie Manlapaz, Bev O'Loughlin Designs, teysT - Tes P. Tirol and Dianeskie - Diane Mirabeles.

All Proceeds of Crop Dreams and Crop Dreams Alpha set (minus PayPal fees) will be donated online to Opportunity House of the Pearl S. Buck Foundation

International in celebration of Filipino American Heritage Month. Crop Dreams and Crop Dreams Alpha set are for Personal Use Only.

If you would like to donate directly to Opportunity House, please visit http://www.psbl.org/.

Celebrate every day.

2009-09-12T23:42:00.000-07:00

It wasn't too long ago, that I wondered if I'd ever make it to the third trimester. Now, thankfully here we are, heading into week 31. Every day we get closer to meeting our newest family member, is cause for a celebration in our house.

So, while we anticipate the arrival of our little one, and as the holidays roll steadily near, I was inspired to create a "word cloud" that is non-denominational. This way it can be used for all family/celebration themed events in your life.

Word Cloud - Celebrate is available now in my CACTUSmango shop at K-Joi Studios.

Here I've used the multi-colored Celebrate word cloud for our newest family portrait.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Please enjoy 15% off the product "Word Cloud - Celebrate" by entering this coupon code at check out: cmdblog_celebrate (Valid from sept 13-14 only.)

Click here to visit my CACTUSmango shop at K-Joi Studios.

A Lovely Place to Be

2009-08-08T12:42:00.001-07:00

Music + Fashion are great sources of inspirations for me in general, when I get ready to design a new scrapbook kit. I love acoustical artists, especially ones with a slightly raspy voice. I recently learned about Melissa Polinar, while perusing vids on YouTube. I am loving her lyrics and her vocal quality.

Melissa Polinar - Lovely Place

With a little one on the way, I've been intensely looking for the perfect diaper bag, among other things. While this may not be meant for diapers, it's definitely one lovely tote. I'm especially loving the color palette.

Artist's Tote - Blue Motif @ Anthropologie

So with a pretty color scheme and joyful lyrics in my mind I made this mini kit: Lovely Place. It's feminine yet still neutral enough for scrapping pages of your every day moments. Lovely Place is not really a location themed kit, it's more of how I'm feeling at this moment. Having been blessed with another chance at motherhood, to carry a miracle inside, having this little one just take her time and grow at her own pace, and having a wonderful man to experience and share this happiness with...to me, it's a lovely place to be, even if I have to spend it bed-ridden! ;)

I hope you are smitten by this mini kit Lovely Place and it's 6 coordinating 12x12 quick pages.

Here's one of the pages I made with Lovely Place. Visit my {gallery} @ kjoi studios to see others and to share your Lovely Place creations.

Also, for kjoi studios newsletter subscribers, I made 5 Lovely Place freebies for August. So, be sure to sign up {here} if you're not already and enjoy!

Bump in Progress

2009-06-29T07:49:00.002-07:00

Boy, my blog's dusty! I actually designed a quick page and digi scrapped for the first time in months!!! And yes folks, that's my bump in progress...the reason I've been away from the blogosphere & all of digiworld. That little growing package is very delicate...such that, I've had surgery, bed rest, weekly injections and tons of ultrasounds since my last post in March. We're just living it day by day, week by week.

fonts used in [bump] title: Tahoma and Desryel.

But, the joy of finding out that baby's a lil' girl, has brought me back to the drawing board with a fresh new goody to start the day. This kit is based on the first ever digital scrapbook kit that I designed, called Desert Botanicals Collection Volume 1. That was a mouthful of a name! LOL! My 2009 version Desert Botanicals v2, has been reborn into a sweet little 5x7 quick page album set. Desert Botanicals v2 is inspired by the colors of the southwestern landscape and the surprisingly exotic looking flora that bloom in the desert. The floral patterns on the paper are based off of the Mexican Bird of Paradise.

Desert Botanicals v2 5x7 Album is available exclusively at K-Joi Studios.

This 5x7 quickpage is a sample of the album set above and will be offered as a freebie on K-Joi Studios Blog sometime this week. Please check K-Joi Studios Blog to snag this quick page ;)

Old Spice...

2009-03-05T21:14:00.000-07:00

No not the men's cologne. Just showin' off some of my old brushes in a new twitter background. It's a definite improvement from the photo of the pillows on my couch.

International Scrapbooking Industry Day

2009-03-04T14:12:00.000-07:00

All of scrapbook world is having a party today. Woohoo! Which also means there are prizes to be had. Creatively Obsessed (host of the Book in a Day challenge) announced the prizes from all the sponsors of K-Joi Studios ISID.

I would like to thank the great companies that have chosen to support K-Joi Studios by sponsoring our International Scrapbooking Industry Day events. The generous contributions made by these companies help us to ensure that our guests get every opportunity to take advantage of and make great use of, the wide variety of products available here at K-Joi Studios.

Please join me in showing our appreciation by visiting our sponsor sites listed below.

Digital Scrapbook Artisan Guild
To help celebrate ISID the Digital Scrapbook Artisan Guild is excited to be able to share the benefits of membership with one lucky Grand Prize winner. In addition they want to share the inspiration of the Artisan Notebook magazine with three runners up.
http://www.digitalscrapbookartisanguild.com/

Scrapbooks to Share Scrapbooks to Share is giving two lucky winners 10 quality prints on beautiful cardstock paper. A value of $20 for each winner!
http://www.sbtoshare.com/

Scrapping simply
Scrapping simply will be awarding 10 free prints to one winner.
http://www.scrappingsimply.com/

Scrapbook News and Review
Scrapbook News and Review has generously contributed two 6 month subscriptions and 1 annual subscription.
http://scrapbooknewsandreview.com/

Scrapbook Dimensions Magazine
Scrapbook Dimensions Magazine is offering a subscription to their magazine as well
http://scrapbookdimensions.com

Viovio!
Viovio is happy to offer a scrapbook
http://www.viovio.com

What a beautiful bevy! I am heading over to K-joi Studios right now to play along. Come and Join us! here

Mamalo once said...

2009-02-27T18:35:00.004-07:00

...that someday I'd "rub elbows" with someone after I finished college. That phrase cracked me up every time. She'd proceed to tell the story of how Ferdinand Marcos used to court her back in Ilocos. She'd smile and crack her sweet little old lady laugh, as she'd push off the floor, to set her rocking chair in a slow and simple rythm. I enjoyed these light hearted moments with her. Back then, I often got more of the well-meaning but, stern lola looks and advice. So, a little love story was warmly welcomed on my part. I don't doubt that Marcos had an eye for my lola, she was a looker. I also don't doubt that Mamalo easily brushed him off - for she was a woman who pursued education with a passion and had little room for elbow rubbing. At the time, what I garnered from her story, was "don't have a boyfriend until after I graduate". It didn't cross my mind until today, that she was right though - that I had indeed met the love of my life after college.

title: since by: marissa carranza aka cactusmango

de.love.ly digital scrapbook kit by Paislee Press for Songbird Avenue to benefit UNICEF

While she was approaching her 93rd year of life, it still came as a shock to me that Mamalo is no longer with us. Even as news filtered back to me via my mom and cousins on Facebook, that Mamalo was not doing well - even as my dad rushed from Virginia to be by Mamalo's hospital bedside...I still believed that she would pull through. In my mind, she is always strong, ever poised for whatever the day brings. I truely believe she's happily reunited with Papalo now after being apart for 32 years.

Tuesday, brings to the valley a traveling film festival courtesy of the makers of those yummy Luna bars. I mention this because there is a film called Kuna Ni Nanang (My Mother Said) being featured, that I must and will go see. The Color of Paradise is also a movie that I'd recommend to everyone. My husband and I happened to be watching this around the time when the news came about Mamalo. The story's central characters are a Father and his blind son...but, in the movie, I was drawn to the grandmother's character and of course, my thoughts drifted to my Lola Idang and my Mamalo.

10 things by marissa carranza aka cactusmango

All paper & elements by me. Page done for the Feb '09 Kjoi Newsletter Challenge.
fonts used in title: the king and queen, tahoma, vladimir script, rosewood std, script MT Bold.

25 Random Things

2009-01-23T11:55:00.004-07:00

I got tagged by my boy John Nesbit, aka OldSchoolReviews. I spent entirely way too much time filling this out, but now that I have compiled this list, I might as well share with those select few who actually read my blog. If you read this, consider yourself tagged buddy.

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this on Facebook, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. i'm a pretty good MacGyver-style cook. to eat in my kitchen is brave.
2. i've made felted jewelry beads out of my cat Sam's hair. (clean hair, mind you.)
3. my nike+ "Power Song" is "Me Against the Music".
4. i'm a 1x marathoner.
5. Elijah and Angel are my two babies in heaven.
6. i run in a skirt.
7. chocolate is like a vitamin. i have it daily.
8. even though people stare and give me that "girl - you are weird!" look, i often refuse plastic bags and styrofoam left-over containers and prefer to use tin-foil or paper.
9. again, at restaurants, ignoring other's attempts at making fun of me, i take home veggy/grain leftovers to toss into my compost bin in our backyard.
10. i don't miss paper towels at home. instead i use + launder cloth napkins.
11. in college, i was affectionately known by a select few as "Over-da-Bakod Queen". (bakod=fence)
12. one cloudless pitch-black night, outside my on-campus dorm, i witnessed the most fantastical rainbow encircling a full moon...was it a "moondog" or is it a "22' Halo"...whatever you call it, none of the pictures online, depict exactly what I saw in the Philippines.
13. i still believe i saw a giant black butterfly or moth inside the Palaruang La Salle.
14. i miss Mushroom Burger in Tagaytay. mmmm....tenga ng daga....
15. i made the pledge to only give/buy handmade gifts. we'll see how well that goes...
16. there are many "walks" to remember lost children, but someday i'll organize a team/fundraiser full on 5k run for miscarriage awareness and research. I've been running for my angels for years now. I always see the TNT, Team Diabetes, Autism, etc...but nothing for Miscarriage research & support.
17.there's a UK org focused precisely on this issue, called Tommy's. Someday I will run in the London Marathon for Tommy's.
18. i'm running out of random things to say.
19. in isla mujeres, mexico- dogs ride on the hoods of moving vehicles. no seriously, ask ron, he was witness.
20. you wouldn't want to lift weights with me. you'd be too busy cracking up at my straining-facial-expressions.
21. a very long time ago, i won a co-ed billiard tournament at Blue Hawaii in Cavite. i still have my participant t-shirt, somewhere...
22. i miss sparring. i think i still have a pretty solid back-fist. SAI!
23. "fractice make ferfect. and ferfect fractice - makes ferfect ferfect".
24. No one makes donuts like my mom. Her "Blueberry-Cream Cheese-Bear Claws" were the bomb-diggidy.
25. I survived being side-swiped/hit by a car...had minor whip-lash, but thanks to learning how to fall correctly in Kuntaw, I didn't crack my noggin on the concrete. Thanks Kyud Lito.

Ok now that you have entirely way too much random info about me, go forth and smell the roses and dance in swaying fields of wheat ( i was going to say "hemlock fields", but turns out those are poisonous).

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama

2009-01-20T12:52:00.001-07:00

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, originally uploaded by CACTUSmango.

President Obama's Inauguration Speech: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28751183/

Rev. Lowery's Inauguration Benediction: http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/01/rev_lowery_inauguration_benedi.html

Elizabeth Alexander's Inauguration poem:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20text-poem.html?ref=books

took the plunge

2009-01-16T23:43:00.000-07:00

Being well aware of my procrastinating tendancies, this pledge will be a challenge to keep. Yet what motivates me is the many benefits of going "handmade"...it's more sincere, heartfelt, original and often times more budget friendly. Since, it's the begining of the year, I am going to take this as a head start. What stumps me, is what to hand-make for my nephews - who love video games and Legos?

Not paying $800 for a side table!

2009-01-15T17:50:00.002-07:00

$60 Asian Drum Table, originally uploaded by CACTUSmango.

It took some hunting & a couple coats of paint, but hubby & I finally found a side table that fit our corner, aesthetics and budget...

Ding Dong!

2008-12-24T11:49:00.002-07:00

Mr. UPS man dropped off a white package on Christmas Eve's eve. Inside were these three lovelies:

These gift for participating in the Digital Scrapbook Magazine Plugged In Blog Header contest, back on Digital Scrapbook Day. I have Carolyn Jolley at CK Media to thank for packaging these up & shipping them to me just in time for the holidays. What a treat! Can't wait to play! And also thank you Glitz Design!

The Dars + Sam New Year Jam!

2008-12-21T13:15:00.001-07:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

50% off Last-Minute Sale at K-Joi Studios

2008-12-17T17:28:00.000-07:00

Free Christmas Word Art and Quick Page

2008-12-15T17:05:00.003-07:00

Here's a page I made for my hubby's family reunion last year. I submitted it to the Word Art and *This Christmas* Lyric challenges at Kjoistudios. You can snag this word art for free in my shop at kjoistudios, here.

http://kjoistudios.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2522 http://kjoistudios.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2521

And here is the free quick page I made for the Lyric Challenge.

http://kjoistudios.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2522

Don't forget the Holidays in My House Mega collab kit is on sale for only $5 during Dec. ;)

Spreading the Love

2008-12-11T16:20:00.019-07:00

Christmas is a seaon filled with cheer, but it never fails, that I feel the blues missing my family and wishing I could afford to give them the gifts that would truely light up their eyes and show how much they mean to me. With the economy being the way it is and me not having much success on my shopping outings and only two more weeks to go. I realize my original idea of printing out digi scrapbook pages that I've made, is the most cost effective and still very thoughtful gift that I can give. So out with the BahHumBug blues and in with the the spirit of humble yet thoughtful gifts. As my mother (in-law) Amy Carranza says, "It's not the thing. It's the thought."

Here's one of my first gift pages, called "Filled with Cheer" and it goes with the lyric challenge I'm hosting this month too! Can you see my father in law in this picture? Hubby & I are trying not to laugh because of him! For all those who participate in my challenge, they'll recieve this quickpage:

*This Christmas* Dec Lyric Challenge | http://tinyurl.com/thisxmaslyriccha

Lyric Challenge Gallery | http://kjoistudios.com/gallery2/showgallery.php?cat=528

Another great gift idea, is to give the gift that helps others.

In October, for Filipino American History Month, Mabuhay Project got several designers together to create Crop Dreams. So far, Crop Dreams has been downloaded 13 times by creative team members and a few who've actually purchased it. After PayPal fees we will be donating proceeds to Opportunity House. Opportunity House Opens Doors to expand opportunities for children and families who would otherwise be denied health care, education, livelihood, and psycho-social support by developing and delivering resources and standards of excellence to affiliates and partner agencies throughout the world.

My wish this christmas is for more people to support Opportunity House via a $9 purchase of Crop Dreams before 2008 closes. Crossing my fingers and asking for your support.

Crop Dreams - Charity Collab Kit benefiting Opportunity House - valued at $12.50 - only $9

Crop Dreams Alpha Set - Charity Collab kit benefiting Opportunity House - only $3

Here is a list of other charities for your consideration this holiday:

Holidays in My House - Mega Collaboration Kit regular price $12.50 - only $5 during Dec. '08 - proceeds will go towards helping April with her Sub for Santa project: http://kjoistudios.com/messages/index.php/topic,5911.0.html and April will also be helping families from New Beginnings for Women and Children is: http://www.nbwctucson.org/

Snowflake Silent Auction - Is not a digital scrapbook charity kit, but will benefit The Jones Family. To learn about their situation and how you can help please read Rita's blog.

Shirt the Kids - only $5 to Shirt a Kid. The goal of Pnoy Apparel is to sell and donate a minimum of 10,000 Sammy shirts by December 31, 2008. That will be10,000 shirts for 10,000 kids! For the price of a cup of coffee, a bag of chips and/or a gallon of gas, people can put more than a priceless smile on a child in the Philippines and benefit children fighting cancer.

TNT - I'm very proud of my brother-in-law Ray Carranza, who has been training very hard for the P.F. Chang's 2009 Marathon in Arizona. He is training with Team In Training and raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Online Kettle - My friend Ken Fujimatsu is raising for with his very own online Kettle to raise money for the Salvation Army.

And of course, Song Bird Avenue has another lovely charity kit this month called:

Jolly Holidays - Created with love by Emily Merritt, Jan Crowley and Meredith Fenwick - only $8 at songbirdavenue.com - benefitting the American Diabetes Association.

Say What?

2008-12-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

I've seen a bunch of people with these cure wordle clouds and figured I'd give it a whirl. Here's what came out for my blog. Ha ha ha...I guess I use the word "yeah" alot!

This Christmas in My House

2008-12-01T10:23:00.004-07:00

The K-Joi Studios designers have created another beautiful

collaboration now in the shop for only $5 this month!

We hope you enjoy Holidays in My House (http://tinyurl.com/holidaysinmyhouse).

We took inspiration from how we celebrate the holidays in our own way. I incorporated capiz christmas ornaments and my hubby Ron of ZaZoGraphics.com made a really cute Cactus Christmas scene. Here is the preview to my new collaboration contribution.

Here is a little 1/2 page I did while in Yuma for Thanksgiving weekend.

Also want to congratulate Frumpje for winning the *Faces* Nov Lyric Challenge. Your prize info. has been PM'd to you.

Thank you all for sharing your heartfelt memories and pages with us.

For December our song is "This Christmas" by Donny Hathaway. It's been covered by various artists, but his version is still a beloved tune. You can find his song on Amazon.

*This Christmas* Dec Lyric Challenge

Post your creations using lyrics from the song below in the K-Joi Studios Lyric Challenge Gallery here http://kjoistudios.com/gallery2/showgallery.php?cat=528 and reply here http://tinyurl.com/thisxmaslyriccha with a link to your layouts page by December 31st.

This Christmas by Donny Hathaway

Hang all the mistletoe

I'm gonna get to know you better, yeah

This ChristmasAnd as we trim the tree

How much fun it's gonna be together, yeah ha

This Christmas

Fireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas, will be yeah

A very special Christmas, for me yeah

Presents and cards are here

My world is filled with cheer and you, ohh yeah

This ChristmasAnd as I look around

Your eyes outshine the town, they do

This ChristmasFireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas, will be

A very special Christmas, for me yeah

Alright, break it down, ha ha ha

Ooh yeah, yeah yeah, alright

Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeahYeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah

Alright now, right now, now

Fireside, oh, is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night, yeah

And this Christmas, will be, oh

A very special Christmas, for me yeah

And this Christmas, will be

A very special Christmas, for me oh oh

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Merry Christmas, ooh yeah

Gonna have a merry Christmas, ohh yeah, oh oh

Merry Christmas, oh it will be

Oh, a very very very special Christmas

A very special Christmas (this Christmas)

Alright now, right now, yeah oh

It will be now, oh (this Christmas)

Oh, this will be, this will be, baby

A very special

Have a merry merry Christmas (hey yeah)

And a happy New Year

Oh hey, alright, yeah yeah yeah

Merry Christmas

This Christmas

Oh this will be, this will be, baby

Freebie quick page and Toots!

2008-11-01T12:44:00.014-07:00

Congrats to the winners of the Sept. + Oct *I Will Survive* Lyric Challenge!

They each one a trip to the K-Joi Studios Prize vault.

Oh my goodness oh gosh oh golly! I've been honored by the DSM blog peeps with a runner-up prize for my blog header entry! Wooooooohooooooo!!!!! For my efforts they've gifted me with two kits from Pixel Canvas. They're stuff is gorgeous and I can't wait to see what I get! :D :D :D :D :D :D Hop on over to the DSM blog to see Amanda's numero uno blog header and all the fun hybrid project ideas and beautiful freebies!

Speaking of freebies...i made one this morning, to give away during my first EVER Chat...no, not the first time I chatted...but, the first time I've HOSTED a chat! oh it was loads of fun and my little chatroom guinee piggies made my virgin hosting gig easy to enjoy!

Congrats to Shelli - winner of the "Left Over Candy" chat game ! Everyone had multiple guesses, but she was able to guess it right on the money! I crammed 67 starbursts in that glass!

She won this super cute set of custom boutique bows

handcrafted by Margie at http://luvabows.com/!!! These are real bows not digital embellishments and Shelli will get these in the mail next week and plans on giving them to her grand daughter! lucky gal :) Big thanks Marg!

Our Second winner is Creatively Obsessed !!!!! she was the fastest scrapper this morning during the "Scrap It while It's HOT" cha, where everyone had less than 30 min to make a brand new halloween layout with any kit of their choosing. She whipped out a brand new halloween layout first Monster House using Dawn Inskip products. Her prize is all my Bizarre stuff at kjoistudios, including my new 8x8 quick page kit that fits in an 8x8 Shutterfly album.

Here's the quick page I made for all the chatters and now you too. ;)

Pick up my lil treat Bizarre 12x12 quickpage freebie at K-Joi Studios.

Kara joined in the fun, fortunately after we talked talked about snakes and other slithery creepies and she squeezed in a page too using the chat freebie! Woohoo! go kara!

lil' pumpkin

Fun on Nov. 1

2008-10-29T21:16:00.004-07:00

It's the 2nd annual Digital Scrapbooking Day on Nov. 1st and all of digi/hybrid scrap world is busy busy busy gearing up for all the inspiring and whackadoodle fun to be had.

Here's just a few things I'v surfed around the net:

Digital Scrapbook Magazine - Blogheader (I'm afraid the deadline is today!), Laptop Skin and Zazzle Keds shoe Design Contests! I've entered the blogheader and shoe contest so far...working on my laptop skin...would love to share what I've made, but i'm afraid if I do, it might be grounds for disqualification...so...instead, here's a link to their official gallery at the Creating Keepsakes website > http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=28&catid=90341&page=viewproj and these are ones I included, just for show & tell because I made these back in August > http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=28&catid=90191&page=viewproj so they don't qualify, since entries need to be brand new designs and I CAN show these, they're called Pretty Posh.

Now, i'm a tsinelas kinda gal myself. but, these are a pair I'd be happy to wear with shorts or jeans and a white or hotpink shirt anyday!

they are in my zazzle store now...give it to that funky galfriend of yours for christmas! high step on over to my shop why dontcha!? I have a whole line of Posh shoes and even some fun kids shoes, skateboards too!

http://zazzle.com/cactusmangodesigns (please include the cute star. "when you add an asterisk (*), as in "zazzle.com/username*", it becomes a referral link. That way, the store owner can earn up to 7% of sales - on top of their royalty - just by using this URL. We call this feature the "Zazzle Star". Pretty cool, eh?!")

DSM has also paired up with Scrapblog to host a Holiday Greeting Card challenge! you could win 50 prints of your own custom holiday greeting card design. The deadline to enter is November 1, 2008.

Fun @ Digitals aka Digital Scrapbook Pages: They're have crop/chats lined up with freebies and getting to know their designers.

DigitalArts Cafe is having games on their forums!

Scrap Orchard is having a scavenger hunt! among other things...

A Cherry On Top has chats/freebies and giving a limited edition grab bag!

These are just a few that I ran into, but also check out the main site here for MORE DSD activities!

http://susanwhite.typepad.com/digital_scrapbooking_day/digital-scrapbooking-day-2008-events.html

Over at Kjoistudios, we're still cooking up a plan, but I have just thrown myself into the kitchen offering to host a chat for the first time EVER! I have to figure out what prize to give! what time to host the chat...etc...maybe someone could give me some suggestions? wishes? Ok...i'm really getting out of the office and onto the couch to enjoy our latest Netflix arrival Golden Compass...I think this was one of my picks. Hope it's good!

Show & Tell

2008-10-26T19:08:00.002-07:00

Lorie recently peaked my interest in Altered Aura's blog. She writes very well and I am really enjoying her travel pictures of her visit to Nayong Pilipino-Clark - which has "a theme park environment that showcases Philippine heritage with scale-replicas of various Philippine historic and cultural locations.

"They have a replica of the Banaue Rice Terraces; The Kalinga Houses; a replica of a Barasoain Church; A Kapampangan village; and The Philippine myth and stories of how the world was first populated by humans is also depicted within the walls of these informative exhibits."

"The Nayong Pilipino Park has an outdoor amphitheater, indoor theater, museum, lodging cottages, meditation garden and function room, eventually Nayong Pilipino will become a full-scale cultural center for the arts, both performing and non-performing."
Here are Altered Aura's fun and unique digiscrapbook pages using Crop Dreams
Daydreaming, Sumisibol, and Proud Momma:

Please visit her blog WaRpEd & TwIsTeD

to read about her inspiration behind each page

and to leave her your warm feedback.

Lorie's new CT members have been busy creating some fresh new pages too!
"U Crack Me Up" showing how Crop Dreams works for boys pages and a wedding themed page called "Mabuhay" by Miranda

We've got two gals "Leona+Lena" and "Jojola" over at kjoi who've made some special pages too!

"Leona+Lena" another Crop Dreams great "boy" page, with her "Two Brothers" layout.

And another page by Leona+Lena called "Smile" a very cute girly page using a QP designed by Tes P. Tirol using Crop Dreams. I think this is the first one I've seen from other scrappers using the QP set. Super cute!

Also we have Jojola who was able to make Crop Dreams work for a winter looking page! It's called Unbenannt:

Her 2nd page is brown and lovely...called "Sweet Memories"

I also have a new page to share. You know how convienent it is to snap photos with your cell phone, right? But, how often do you scrapbook those photos? This weekend I scrapbooked an iphone photo from my friend Kathy. It's sized 8x8 so she can print it from home.
Princess Slippers

And last but not least, here's one more, that I did a week ago or so...of my little god daughter, called
Sweet Girl.

Thanks for looking and for your continued support of Opportunity House with your purchase of Crop Dreams.
Happy Filipino American History Month + Mabuhay!

Marissa Carranza | CACTUSmango Designs

Crop Dreams

2008-10-22T17:39:00.005-07:00

just got lovelier with the addition of Bev O'Loughlin's alpha set! This alpha's natural weave texture and neutral color go perfectly with Crop Dreams and any scrapbook page. Also, included is the same alpha with a soft painted look, using designs by CACTUSmango.

I made a little thank you/intro page for the gorgeous gals of Crop Dreams, with Bev's new alpha and elements from each designers' contribution...

These lovely pages are by Lorie's new CT members, Miranda and Natalie.

by Natalie

Stayin' Dry In Style & PARTY ON!

2008-10-17T08:00:00.003-07:00

Isn't my goddaughter the sweetest little diva you ever did see?! I think so! I am fortunate that my friend Ninette let's me "borrow" her lil' girly for my digi/hybrid scrapbooking. I love how she was able to capture the water sprinklers so clearly and to have caught that perfect pose & smile. She's become an excellent photographer. I did tweek the photo a tad bit in PSCS2, just increased the contrast and decreased the brightness.

Title: Stayin' Dry In Style

Modified Lyrics: "I Will Survive - As long as I stay under my umbrella - I know I'll stay Dry!"

Digital background paper and epoxy "diva" word art - by me - for the K-Joi Birthday Collab Kit. (release date TBA) *Want to say thanks to Dana Conditt for her commercial use Bracket Album Template from Digital Scrapbook Place. I masked it with my red diva paper. Fonts: reprobate & hole-hearted. Join the *I Will Survive* Lyric Challenge to get the Diva Defined word art.

I'm working on the preview right now, for the entire mega birthday bash collaboration with the contestants and K-joi Designers combined! holy moly! seriously...it's gargantuan. There's also a 1st Birthday Card Challenge going on and the winner gets the mega huge birthday collab kit! yowzerz!

Oh and one other thing....the fabulouso contestants are revealing themselves today! They're doing it on their Blog Hop and offering up some fresh FREEBIES! Here's the Blog Hop list in case you don't already know:

21206D Lizard Dau Designs (http://liz-lizarddaudesigns.blogspot.com/)

21845B Labline (http://labline.blogspot.com/)

21879D Digidesigns By Amberbaz (http://weallhavetostartsomewheredigiscraps.blogspot.com/)

22170C Panda Bear Designs (http://www.pandabeardesigns.blogspot.com/)

22181A April Dawn Creations (http://aprildawncreations.blogspot.com/)

22342B Camillas Kitchen (http://camillaskitchen.blogspot.com/)

22596D mITSYBELLE (http://mitsybelle.blogspot.com/)

22611D luvfromindia (http://luvfromindia.blogspot.com/)

22896B Lori Imel (http://living4him2.blogspot.com/)

22978 Schappys Scrapdesign (http://schappys-scrapdesign.blogspot.com/)

23075D Stacey Crossley Designs (http://nicoalgoesdigiscrapping.blogspot.com/)

23494D Cancer Moon Creations (http://cancermooncreations.blogspot.com/)

24074A Tripalee Designs (http://tripaleetalks.blogspot.com/)

24301D KatLen Kreations (http://katlen124.blogspot.com/)

24588B Belanna At Odds (http://atodds.blogspot.com/)

24789C SandEz Creationz (http://sandezcreationz.blogspot.com/)

24864A Biebels Scraps (http://biebies.blogspot.com/)

Also, their are 45-50% off sales going on right now. Including, the gorgeous Crop Dreams, collaboration kit...is only $4.50 until Oct. 19th only!

What a deal AND all proceeds (minus PayPal) is dontated online to Opportunity House. Isn't that awesome!?

Rural Poverty in The Philippines

2008-10-15T02:51:00.010-07:00

"About 40 percent of Filipinos live on less than US$2 (€1.28) a day, and about 13 percent — or 11 million — survive on less than US$1 (€0.64) a day." (  ) 1 in 3 people are considered to be living in poverty in The Philippines. (Rural Poverty Portal)

Here is YouTube vid about Poverty in The Philippines, featuring "The Apl Song" by Allan Lindo Pineda of the Black Eyed Peas.

Another video called "Philippines' children in poverty" by  DAYNYCSFO has a beautiful song, which lyrics I'm not able to translate completely, but the chorus talks from the point of view of a child that is poor, wanting to play with the kids that go to school, so they can feel like they are also going to school, like normal children.

There is a part in at the end of the song, that says, "Bata ren ako." (I'm a child too.) It's a very touching message. The video blogger goes on to write at the end that "Education is the key to unlock the poverty in The Philippines." I truely believe this to be true. That is why I was drawn to supporting Pearl S. Buck Foundation International & Opportunity House, because they provide education to the poor. In a small way, our combined efforts can help one or more of these children.

So, please, please, please, help Mabuhay Project raise money for Opportunity House, telling your friends and families about the charity collaboration - Crop Dreams. It is a beautiful refreshing kit, inspired by the agriculture, people and island culture of The Philippines.

Your donation and all proceeds (minus PayPal fees) will be donated online to Opportunity House. If you would like to donate directly to Opportunity House, click here.

Thank you for reading about the global issue of poverty.

Sincerely,

CACTUSmango Designs - Blog Action Day Participant
Blog Action Day. What is Blog Action Day? Blog Action Day is an annual nonprofit event that aims to unite the world’s bloggers, podcasters and videocasters, to post about the same issue on the same day. Whose aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion.

One Issue, Thousands of Voices

Global issues like poverty are extremely complex. There is no simple, clear answer. By asking thousands of different people to give their viewpoints and opinions, Blog Action Day creates an extraordinary lens through which to view these issues. Each blogger brings their own perspective and ideas. Each blogger posts relating to their own blog topic. And each blogger engages their audience differently.

Please visit http://blogactionday.org for more information.

Blog Action Day 2008 Poverty from Blog Action Day on Vimeo.

Here is a 4x6 brag book quick page as a thank you for your support. Download it > here <

Also, visit Lorie Manlapaz's blog to download her lovely Crop Dreams 6x4 brag book quick page > here <

Freebie and layout

2008-10-13T13:03:00.002-07:00

> Download your copy here <

This is my dear god daughter at her ballet class. I used the "flourish.thrive.grow" word art, because she's growing up so beautifully. I wonder what she's thinking in this picture, hopefully she's just paying close attention to her teacher!

Sweet Girl

2008-10-13T02:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a page of my dgd that I made with Crop Dreams for two challenges at kjoistudios (template & font challenges). Photo by dgd's mommy ninette. ;)

Huge Template Pack

2008-10-13T00:14:00.002-07:00

Rose of Rose McDigital is selling a Huge Template Pack - it's got over 100 templates in it - for only $10.00!!!! Why in the world would she do that?! Well, she recently survived a bad car accident, but her car did not. Please consider helping her out with a purchase of her Huge Template Pack, just click the image above, to take you there.

Crop Dreams for Opportunity House

2008-10-10T01:33:00.001-07:00

Help Opportunity House with your generous purchase of Crop Dreams today.

Please help spread the word about this worthy cause, by sending this link

http://kjoistudios.net/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=157&products_id=2060

Please see MabuhayProject.blogspot.com for more details.

Sincerely,

CACTUSmango Designs

Mabuhay Project

Friday is the big day

2008-10-08T22:45:00.001-07:00

one last sneak peak...

Pinoy Ako!

2008-10-06T12:24:00.002-07:00

On October 1st, Barack Obama recognized Filipino American History Month. He wrote,

" Dear Friends,

I appreciate the opportunity to join the Filipino American National Historical Society and its friends in celebrating Filipino American History Month. This celebration is a wonderful opportunity to honor the values and traditions of Filipino Americans, and your role in the story of America.

America’s greatness lies in our nation’s ability to embrace and integrate different cultures into our national character. Filipino Americans nurture and maintain important social, cultural and business ties between America and the Philippines. As you celebrate your Filipino heritage and your American identity, I hope you remain inspired to make our country as great as we know it can be. "

His entire letter can be read > here.

I am very proud of both my American upbringing and my Filipino culture and ancestry. Growing up in California and Virginia, I didn't experience any extreme discrimination. I can recall only twice being discriminated against. One instance, my mother, brother and I were walking to the parking lot from the mall, and a group of teenage caucasian boys drove by in a pick up truck and shouted "Go Back to China!" and drove off laughing. I was too young then, to understand that they were being racist.

A second time, while walking to my first class, during highschool, one African American boy started making fake "asian talk", like "ching chong chee!" all the while with this cocky sneer. This made me mad. I thought, this guy doesn't even know what he's talking about. Even though he was bigger than me and standing with his friends, I walked straight up to him, looked at him - eye to eye and told him "I'm Filipino." He was stunned. He never said a bad thing to my face again.

Several times, when I first moved to the Philippines for college, there were people that told me "You're not Filipino, because you don't speak Tagalog." While I did in fact, know several phrases and words in Tagalog, but not enough to carry on a conversation. I can understand where those nay sayers were coming from. But, at the same time, what do they know about me and my family? When I grew up in Virginia, they didn't offer Filipino language classes and both my parents worked 15+ hour days, running out family owned Lola Lly's Donutery. So, I couldn't blame my parents for not teaching us. Besides, you learn the language that you talk in school, right? I've since learned enough to carry a general conversation in Tagalog. Aside from that, I do my ownl online study of words and phrases, in Tagalog, Ilocano and Pampagueno languages. There are things my parents did teach me, they're values of education, hard work, loyalty to your family and siblings, honoring & respecting your elders, like "mano po". We ate rice with almost every meal (my dad even ate rice with spaghetti! Now that's hard core. lol!) We take our shoes off in the house, to not track dirt on the carpet. My father would often tell me, "Never forget, that you are Filipino, OK."

It's funny now, that I'm an adult, living in Arizona, one of my Fil-Am friends told me quite affirmatively, that "You're not." He said this to me, after I just recounted my story, about how a few people in the Philippines had told me that I'm not Filipino. I was rather stunned, actually, at his comment. I can't recall what I said to him in reply, or if I said anything at all. Well, he's entitled to think that of himself or me. But, I do know myself. I am very proud of my heritage, of my grandparents and parents' lives and hardwork, both here in the US and the Philippines. I am proud of the Filipino and American Veterans that walked the Bataan Death March. I am proud of my brother and sister in law who both serve in the United States Navy.

I am a proud digiscrapping citizen of both the Philippines and America - and that's that! Don't ever stop believing in yourself, in your heritage, and in your dreams. Here's another sneak preview of Crop Dreams. Just one more reveal preview before the big reveal on Friday. ;-)

(click thumbnail for larger view)

I wonder have you ever felt like your culture was not recognized? Do you feel invisible? Do you like blending in? What about the Filipino culture (or the cultures you identify with) that make you proud? Today, I challenge you to scrap about the cultures the make up who you are. Please comment back with a link to your layout.

P.S. I have also created a group on Facebook for Mabuhay Project. Please log on today and join! Find me on Facebook as Marissa Madrazo Carranza.

Filipino Moms has a list of events in San Francisco > blog
SF Gate > http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=5&entry_id=21024
Asian Americans for Obama > Letter from Sen. Obama

Also, I want to wish Shaui of Fei Fei's Stuff at Oscraps for being in the Designer Spotlight this month. She is a talented Filipina designer based in the UAE.

Here's a page I made using her free template and a Sampaguita Sticker I made for Crop Dreams.
This is called Bad Batz Maru Cupcake and I've submitted it to her 8+ embellies challenge.

My friend Ninette and I had lots of fun making these during a dry run. The cupcakes were a hit at the Baby Shower too this weekend. I didn't bring a camera that day, so, I'm waiting to get those pictures in.

This is a page I made for her 1st challenge, to use a brush as a mask. Shaui's Crazy Beautiful kit's "portrait of love" word art is perfect for this picture and the use of a brush on the photo really makes the page special. I also added two embellies from Crop Dreams: painted wooden roses and a "clipped up" embellie.

Thanks for looking!

8 days

2008-10-03T08:00:00.001-07:00

and counting...

here's another sneak preview...

Happy Happy Joi Joi!

2008-10-01T14:25:00.036-07:00

Happy Happy! Filipino American Heritage Month! Woohoo!

taking a cue from one of my fav bloggers (paislee press), I decided to tantalize you all with reveal previews. In the coming days, we'll get to know the fabulous digital arists that have come out of the woodworks to participate in Mabuhay Project's fledgling collab kit. Three more pinay digi artists who have joined in, so I'm making a new preview once all their goodies are in. Stay tuned these next 10 days for Crop Dreams big reveal - Oct. 10!

And more great news: K-Joi Designer Search is BACK! from outer space and that's a good thing! That means there are now FOUR rounds of FREEBIES gorgeously and lovingly designed by the uber talented contestants, or as they like to call themselves: Joi de Vivre. Here's the links to download, please thank and leave some lovin' on their gallery posts, vote/see past vote results.

Round 1 freebies. Please visit the gallery to thank & leave the contestants your lovin'. Click here for Round 1 Vote Results

Round 2 freebies. Please visit the gallery to thank & leave the contestants your lovin'. Click here for Round 2 Vote Results.

Round 3 freebies. Please visit the gallery to thank & leave the contestants your lovin'. Click here to place your vote > Voting Closes Oct. 6th

Round 4 freebies. Please visit the gallery to thank & leave the contestants your lovin'. Click here to place your vote >Voting Closes Oct. 6th

OH, I made a new banner...it's alright for now. Still haven't made "The One".

Walk to Remember

2008-09-25T11:29:00.003-07:00

is a one mile non-competitive event held by Banner Desert Hospital evey year, for 16 years now. My husband and I started going in 2005 shortly after we lost our first child Elijah, after 18 weeks gestation. It was a comfort then and still is now, to be supportive of other families going through what we did. Families come wearing home made shirts honoring their little loved ones or carrying quilts, balloons and banners, as we walk around the block, symbolically to take the steps that our children would never be able to take.

This year I finally got around to making my own shirt for my two little babies. Yet, I just can't seem to get it to go on smoothly/perfectly. Grrrrrrrr!!!! It was just so frustrating that I messed up my shirt. I don't have oodles of cash to go buy a new one. If I can't salvage this shirt, by iron-on transfering the same image over again, then I'm going with - It's "vintage". Yes, it's got the worn out look of a shirt that has been worn and washed many times because it's so loved.

(back)

(front, detail above the heart)

(front)

I used a combination of flourishes designed by Brooke Rochon, found in the Posh Picnic digi kit at Cocoa Daisy, with flowers designed by my husband and I for a new digi kit coming out next month, called Crop Dreams. Crop Dreams is a collab charity kit for Filipino American Heritage month, October. So, it's a little bit of a sneak peek to that kit. I'll be writing more about it next week.

Divas, Sisters, CAKE + Pie

2008-09-07T05:00:00.020-07:00

On September 7, 1949, a DIVA was born - none other than the phenomenal Gloria Gaynor, who's breakthrough song "I Will Survive" was an instant "anthem of female emancipation" and remains so the world over. This is the song that will pump a bold streak of karaoke bravery in even the most timid of closet singers. It has been revived numerous times in diverse musical genres, even by Gloria herself. My favorite renditions of her song range from 1940's-style close harmony vocal music, a rock novelty song, and alternative rock.

Although the song tells the story of a woman getting over a breakup, I dedicate the spirit of this song to those who have faced and are facing natural disasters; to Kara and her team, our site members - new & originals and to all the Designer Search contestants - now working on their round 4 entries - who have been pushing through the growing pains that each weeks' challenge has brought them. Given the struggles K-joi has and is overcoming with such a big growth in membership of scrap happy sister's from all over...exceeding bandwidth was bound to happen. It's only befitting, that as we celebrate K-joi Studios 1st of many birthdays that we take inspiration and cathartic release this month from one diva to another, of such heart pounding powerful lyrics!

Get in touch with your inner Diva and share it with us your scrap diva sisters as a symbolic slice of birthday CAKE or Pie. Take a bite out of this month's challenge along with me, Gloria, The Puppini Sisters, CAKE + Parokya ni Edgar's "Picha Pie". (YouTube videos - Gloria Gaynor CAKE Puppini Sisters Parokya ni Edgar's "Picha Pie"

*How to participate:
Upload your layouts inspired by & using excerpts of your choice from the song *I Will Survive* to the K-joi Gallery and leave a link to your LO, in the Lyric Challenge forum, by ~~Sunday Sept. 28th, 2007~~ Thursday, October 30th. We will pick two winners because we missed September. This month's winners will be picked randomly and will walk away with a $5 trip to the K-joi prize vault. Winners will be announced ~~Tue. Sept. 30~~th Friday, October 31st.

Here is an 8x8 LO (made with a photograph from one of our Studio Diva's, Creatively Obsessed. This is her DD and her shiny new red car. She shared this photo to help inspire the K-joi Designer Divas, because it totally has all the K-joi colors, red, black, and white.)
The paper and epoxy "diva" word art are from "divapack" my lil' contribution to the September K-joi Designer Diva collaboration kit. If you participate* in the challenge you will receive the "diva defined" word art, in both clean and grunge versions. I applied this word art as an "overlay" on top of the papers. ;)

Here's the lil' preview for my contribution to the K-Joi 1 yr. anniversary collaboration kit. I have not seen the other Designer Divas contributions yet, due to the site situation...but that's alright by me. I like surprises!

Oh and of course...let's not forget the lyrics!!!!
I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor

At first I was afraid
I was petrified
Kept thinking I could never live
Without you by my side
But then I spent so many nights
Thinking how you did me wrong
And I grew strong
And I learned how to get along

And so you're back
From outer space
I just walked in to find you here
With that sad look upon your face
I should have changed that stupid lock
I should have made you leave your key
If I've have known for just one second
You'd be back to bother me

Go on now go
Walk out the door
Just turn around now'
Cause you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to break me with goodbye
Did you think I'd crumble?
Did you think I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not I

I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to love
I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live
I've got all my love to give
And I'll survive
I will survive, hey hey

It took all the strength I had
Not to fall apart
Kept trying hard to mend
The pieces of my broken heart
And I spent oh so many nights
Just feeling sorry for myself
I used to cry
But now I hold my head up high

And you see me
Somebody new
I'm not that chained up little person
Still in love with you
And so you felt like dropping in
And just expect me to be free
But now I'm saving all my loving
For someone who's loving me

Go on now go
Walk out the door
Just turn around now'
Cause you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye
Did you think I'd crumble?
Did you think I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not I

I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to love
I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live
I've got all my love to give
And I'll survive

I will survive, oh

Go on now go
Walk out the door
Just turn around now'
Cause you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to break me with goodbye
Did you think I'd crumble?
Did you think I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not I

I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to love
I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live
I've got all my love to give
And I'll survive
I will survive
I will survive...

And you survived this long post!

Poverty

2008-09-06T23:59:00.000-07:00

Join the conversation. October 15th, 2008.

Food, Friends & Fun

2008-09-05T16:23:00.005-07:00

What a perfect combination! While we have not decided on a conractor to remodel our kitchen, we figured it was about time to upgrade my hubbies college couch. We invited friends over to test run the new set and I think it's safe to say, their "tuches" were quite happy!

I also finally spent the remainder of my gift money from last years Bigi Digi Contest. Thank you Scrapbook.com! I love my new archivo, diamond glaze and white pen!!!! I made a really cute hybrid project using the diamond glaze. But, I'm saving it for the Kjoi anniversary, which is in a couple days. So, I hope you come by again to see what little goodies I've made. In the mean time, here's my lil' slideshow of our recent gathering and other silliness.

My first...

2008-09-02T10:34:00.005-07:00

...blog nomination! Yippeeee!!!!! Thanks Sarah of Duffer Daze for nominating my lil' blog.

So, according to the RULES* - now I get to nominate 7 more great blogs. So, here I go!

Song Bird Ave I love this blog/site because they sell a new kit for a new charity each month.

CamileTV This is really set up like a weekly mini TV show. But, I love this girl's soulful voice and charm- I just had to include her in my blog nominations list. There was nothing in the rules, that said I couldn't nominate someone outside of the digi scrap world. ;)

Paislee Press or "elizzylee" has one of the freshest, cleanest, most stylish design sense in the digi world.

Spooning and Forking Haven't heard of spooningandforking.com? Go check it out. You'll love reading her ever so palpable descriptions of food. Mo is one of the best food bloggers out there.

Lucky Girl Jo + Creativity At My Pace the two gals who are part of the now sleeping dreamingwithpixels.com. I still love reading their blogs though!

Source If you are a share-a-holic, then this blog is for you. My gal Iris is well versed in all things music, food and design, to name a few.

*THE RULES: The winner can put the logo on her blog.Link the person you received your award from.Nominate at least 7 other blogs.Put links of those blogs on yours.Leave a message on the blogs of the people you’ve nominated!

The SEARCH is on..

2008-08-21T01:50:00.000-07:00

for the next K-Joi Designer. The annonymous contestants are havin' a ball rockin' their designs and their annonymous avies. Round 2 is already underway. The site is undergoing some upgrades to accomodate the growing membership! Woo hoo! So, there will be slight delay in getting the voting up. Here's the link for the voting thread: ttp://kjoistudios.com/messages/index.php/topic,4944.0.html

If you haven't already, hop on over to download a massive coordinated Round 1 mega kit, created by all the contestants. Here's the fabulouso round 1 previews. Click on it to take you to the shop to download download download!!!! :D

Oh if you noticed a little change on my blog? it's inspired by Paislee Press. She did a revamp of her blog and is having a lil' sale to go with the fun. Hop over to Oscraps to stuff your shopping cart! It took me awhile but I finally figured out how to put a third column in my blogger template. whew! I've been cleaning up, moving things around and removing useless nonsense. I'm going to really try not to over load my blog with cutsie pie stuff. I will focus on what inspires me to design, like music, fashion, and food. And what I'm designing or creating! Sounds simple, but when it comes to creative pursuits, I have no set structure! At least, I'm trying and out if my efforts I have now a cute lil' fan blinkie. My first ever fan blinkie. Hee hee hee. So, if I do happen to see you sporting it, I'll whip up a 12x12 digital scrapbook quickpage for ya! ;D Ok, I really ought to climb into bed now...it's now 10 'til 2am, and cheer on the Men's USA indoor volleyball team!

There is Happiness after Dr. Martens contest...

2008-07-30T22:19:00.014-07:00

...in the form of Zazzles fresh off the presses custom shoes. I'm thrilled!!!! Designing the Dr. Martens boot was fun...but with Zazzle, now I can take control and sell my own dang shoes! I can't believe this! It's awesome!

Here's the lovely newsletter that I found in my inbox, after seeing that I've been squashed down to spot 24 today by the annoying "Goon Boot" squadron. This surely brought my spirits up high. I'm eyeing the blank canvas of the Women's Custom Mini Slip-ons! Oh what JOY!

First EVER Custom Shoes
Zazzle, the world’s best website for print-on-demand products, is the first and only to offer a new technology that allows you to create shoes from your own artwork and photos instantly. Start designing a Zazzle custom shoe today to see the true power of self-expression!
Learn More »
Custom Shoes by Contributors
Check out these custom shoes that were just created by Zazzle contributors! You can create your own custom shoes here.
Crazy Kids Shoebyshoecreatives
Stars and StripesbyKRWFancyFeet
Little Pinkie Kids ShoebyTheSpottedOlive
Find it on Zazzle:

Zazzle, the Zazzle logo, Zazzle Custom Stamps, and Zazzle Profile Cards are registered trademarks or trademarks of Zazzle.com, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

*update added Thursday, July 31st* This morning I jumped out of bed, and logged into zazzle! I spent all morning and ignored my tummy grumbling at me, just to put together my first pair of KEDS!!!!! I submitted it to the zazzle admin for approval and I can't WAIT until my shoe goes live! Here's a preview of my jazzy bright Urban Island women's slip-ons.

I can see myself wearing these with layered white, green and pink tank tops with denim shorts or a solid colored mini skirt.

I tried to make a plain jane simple girly girl shoe, but I still think this is a bit more rebellious looking. I designed it with my neice zoe in mind. She's like most girls who love love pink, but has a harmless mischievious streak too. Maybe it runs in the family...LOL!

For, these second pair of keds, I used the Womens mini slip ons. I call them ZOez Stripe. The stripe is a standard pattern available on zazzle. But the black shiney trim above the toe and flourish on the sides are from the Black Vintage Frame I designed for digital kit Posh Picnic available at CocoaDaisy.com

I can't wait 'til mine are in my zazzle shop! I just checked right now, and it's still not yet in my store. I think it takes 24 hours for the Zazzle admin to approve of the designs. I wish it was like at cafepress, where your product goes live as soon as you submit it.

Well, Listen, You've got to try the custom Keds at Zazzle. Make a pair for your artistic child, using their own art! Of if you don't have any art of your own, they have basic patterns all ready for you to customize. It's so fun and easy. I also love the Happiness shoe by Bill Oneil. Check out his Atomic Creations zazzle shop for inspiration and to shop!

Another Hair Brained Idea?

2008-07-30T16:49:00.004-07:00

OK, before you go thinking, I'm a complete loon. Just so you know, I'm not the first one to try this. I found that out, after I had made these! I should have saved the link, because now I can't find it. But if you google Cat Hair Balls you might find the other person on the world wide web cat crazy enough to try this.

You see, it's not really that strange. I mean, isn't wool and felt made out of animal hair too? Mine just so happens to be domesticated and free! Well, not entirely free, I had to work! My cat Sam hates to have his hair cut and will hiss and nip at the hair groomers.

They said I'd have to have him knocked out, before he can get his hair cut. Which I just couldn't bare the thought of my Sammynuts getting knocked out! So, ever since, I've been cutting his hair by myself, but it has to be while he's eating, so that he's totally distracted. Needless to say, this process takes weeks! But, eventually I ended up with a grocery bag full of his hair!

After watching so much of Planet Green, I couldn't bare to just throw it into the trash, knowing it'd go to some landfill and contribute to the methane gas problem....(good gracious, I sound obsessed. but i'm not! Really!) So, hence, what to do with all that hair!
Ding Ding ding! Make it into felt beads!

Without having any experience making proper bracelets before, I strung up some of the more monotone colored and round beads to give to a friend for her birthday gift. She loved it!

But, her skin was sensitive to the hairy texture of the beads...so she's going to use it as a door knob decoration. (humf!) Well, any suggestions on how I can FAB this up would be greatly appreaciated, because I have a huge bag full of hair and 4 floral pin mini skewers of hair beads just begging for a happy home outside of the landfills!

OK...so there you have it. Why my husband thinks I've completely gone Green GaGa!

Let me Relish

2008-07-29T09:51:00.015-07:00

this moment in my life -where friends and family have helped launch my boot Bloombastic onto the "Upcoming Designs" page of this worldwide design contest.

Bloombastic, is a boot design that I created one night, inspired by a design I made for a digital collaboration scrapbook kit called Posh Picnic. Bloombastic, as the name implies is just totally bursting with colors, bold and vibrant, with a feminine floral touch. It certainly breaks the mold for what a DM boot could look like. The name was highly influenced by the fact that I just hosted a lyric challenge with a song by Shaggy.

I remember feeling all giddy with excitement as I finally was done. Happy that after hours of working on it in PSCS2, that even my husband Ron (a professional graphics designer...zazographics.com is his site) was impressed and urged me to submit it it already. With his encouragement and just that "why-the-heck-not" attitude that I have about LIFE, I uploaded my Bloombastic design.

Forget for a moment that my design is about 3,000+ votes away from the #10 spot. Furthermore, forget that the Top 10 spots are overrun by a group of "Goon Boot" entrants, whose sole purpose is to prove that DM riggs the voting. Forget that, as soon as their 24 hours is up, the "Goon Boot" squad and all their supporters will go systematically down the line, and vote against all those designs beneath them, including Bloombastic. I just want to relish in this moment and tell my family and friends how good this feels and how they have made this moment happen.

Oh and let's NOT forget, yesterday's beautimous special delivery (...the bed, not the house guest) made for the best sleep I've had in a long while. Ron on the otherhand reported that he still needs to get used to it, because he slept on our old bed since he was a kid! Yes, it was THAT old. I don't miss the metal coils one bit. Our house guest seems to agree with me.