Are you ready?

[Aww this never got published?]

For the best day ever?!!?

Just went on a long hike with my old roommate along dusty trails, past thick bushes hiding bunnies, in front of a grazing deer, under a sky painted in fading majestic colors, over grassy hills like something from a children's fairytale with capes tied around our necks holding jars of fireflies for light to lead the way, along the small pond that was a potential marriage proposal location, outstretched hands brushing skinny yellow stalks as we walked, on the concrete sidewalks, to the car, over freeways to Sprouts leaving with bags filled with summer corn and other produce, down the street to Target, pushing a shopping cart down the Asian aisle to reach the last key ingredient.

Sweet chilli sauce.

You know where this is going right?

We made Jean's corn salsa.

It takes about a day for the flavors to mingle, get comfortable with each other and start absorbing each others tastes. By tomorrow they will be finishing each other's sentences, indistinguishable, one bowl of awesomeness to accompany lime sea salt tortilla chips.

And it will be the best day ever.
(Although, today was pretty great already.)

DIY Christmas Cards

Why do people charge so much for greeting cards?

Remember when you were little and used to fold a piece of loose leaf paper in half, wrote your message in big letters and doodle some stick figures with smiley faces and their name underneath (so they can identify the characters) and hand it over with a big smile? Is this no longer acceptable?

This year I've been in a crafting mood and decided to make my own Christmas cards.

I figure most people don't save their cards so I should make something fun, easy and cheap so I can make them while watching something netflix and don't get terribly sad if I see it in the trash. You know how that is.

-------

{Goals}

*under $10 

*texture/3d elements

*one-sided

*each must be unique

-------

Wandering Michaels and digging through my craft bag, this is what I came up with.

{Supplies}

$2 - Michaels - 2 sets of $1 bin cards, 8 cards each (find something with a nice print)

$3 - Michaels - 2 sets Xmas decals (paper cutouts in fun shapes)
$3 - Michaels - Foam double-sided stickies (in tape aisle)
$1 - Michaels - Rhinestone stickers (guessed on price, I had these leftover. I bought some shiny rhinestone stickers for a stocking project and they only rang up for $0.01! Who knew a penny could buy you anything these days.)

{Other supplies}

$1.79 - Walmart - Xmas stickers (optional)
Paper cutter
------- 

1. Cardstock. You could use regular cardstock, but I wanted something with a print and a glossy feel. I like the cards in the dollar bin at Michaels. They are 8 for $1 and the cardstock is pretty thick. I found theses red ones with a fun pattern and rounded edges. 

2. Postcards/Tags. Since I wanted something more like postcards I used a paper cutter to cut the cards down the crease so now I have 16 cards instead of just 8.

3. 3d. I used the foam stickers behind the cutouts to make them pop out. You can stack the foam stickers on each other to make them stick out more. If you are using multiple cutouts on one card you can vary the number of foam stickers behind each to give more of a 3d image.

4. Texture. Place stickers/rhinestones/etc. for unique fun designs. This is a good opportunity to use up leftover stickers.

Total: $9 for 32 cards

Not bad. I don't think I'm giving out 32 gifts but I wouldn't mind hanging these around my room for decoration.

Like blood

 My parents leave tomorrow. I'm glad they had time to finally take a real vacation together, now that my grandmother no longer requires their constant attention. This was the first time they visited the states together, at the same time, since they first left.

Despite the distance I still find myself turning into her. Little by little.

Color is creeping into my wardrobe. Far from my black and blue days.

I have ideas. Projects I want to do no matter how unreal they seem.

She always has ideas. But she somehow follows through.
She started a nonprofit. Plans activities almost everyday.
Today she wanted to start a waffle store. I asked if she had ever made a waffle before.
Nope. But that is a minor detail. She can do it.

We can both stay in Michaels forever. Today I actually went back again today while waiting for her.




I want to do my own version of Get Carded- write a card to someone eachevery other day.
My friend used to post a card on her blog everyday. Loved it.
I felt slightly inspired and shopped a bit.