fun with photos...

I literally saw this 3 1/2 minutes ago on Cool Mom Picks' facebook page...and I had to try it. I love messing with photos...especially when it is easy...and free:) All ya gotta do is go here...upload your picture...pic out what you want it to look like and voila...instant polaroid, just like the good ol days.

You know...when I had this kid (the one in the picture), 9 years ago...we did not have digital cameras yet...and so to send instant photos...we used a polaroid camera instead of the regular camera that you then had to take the film to develop. Seriously...those days were crazy! One can just not function like that I tell ya.

Awww....Lily and her best friend Grace.

How cute are these two? This is Lily and her best friend Grace. Lily's mom is one half of the creative brains behind Lima Bean Kids...and she has 3 other Lily's in her house now...yup...an entire Ballet class.

How is it that everyone I know has 4+ kids and have it all under control? I only have 2...and I am a nutjob.

Happy first day of school Maddie and Alyssa!

More sparkly customers!

Are you kidding me!!!

Ok...so not sure I mentioned this? Uh ya...I didn't lol. BUT...3 weeks ago I turned 34 (yes...I did mention that part), 3 weeks ago my kids started school (yup, I think I mentioned that one as well) AND...3 weeks ago I started my "get healthy for the rest of my life" kick. Yes. I know I did this about a year ago as well. The difference is that a year ago I was covered in hives...with facial swelling and on enough antihistamines to put an elephant to sleep. Oh and the steroids...the wonderful steroids that certainly took care of the hives...but also helped me pack on 25 lbs. Yes. 25. Anyways. I am not dwelling on the weight (kinda), I am dwelling on the fact that I am just totally out of shape and this sucks. I do still have the hives...they are under control now, and instead of 18 pills a day, I only have to take one. One major one...but one...which I can live with. So back to my health kick. I am truly just trying to get healthy. I used to be quite fit. Sitting making shirts and doing paper work all day will do just wonders for your a** ;) NOT. So. 3 weeks ago I started walking my kids to school everyday and then after I kick them to the curb, I continue on for about 45 minutes. However long it takes me to do my walkaround the lake routine. I was alot quicker this week than last because I can actually run 1/3 of it...which is horrible I know...but concidering where I was at a month ago...I feel soooo much better. I put on a pedometer today and counted my steps...thus the photo. Do you KNOW how far you have to walk to get the recommended 10,000 steps a day? 5 miles. That is 5 miles. And you know what. 3 weeks of me walking-jogging 10,000+ steps and I have not lost a SINGLE POUND!!!!!!!!!

Gah.

Thats all I have to say. I will report back in another 3 weeks on this one and see where I am at. I told myself I was not going to worry about it. I was doing this for the health...which I am. And my goal is really just to be kinda "fit" by my next birthday. Geesh...I have like a year peeps. Surely I can do that.

Oh...one more strange point I would like to make. It was 95 degrees out this morning at 7:45 when I started...and I was sweating...and LOVED every minute of it. I LOVE to sweat. I have come to realize that when my hives were soooo bad...I was not sweating...like...ever. Ya. Tough to do in Phoenix. But I think maybe that was part of my hive issue. No sweating=no toxins leaving the body=sickness. Huh. I know I am onto something here. I may sound like a loon but I know my body...and it was messed up.

UPDATE: I just realized that someone is probably reading this thinking..."well of course she is not losing weight...she eats cupcakes all day" which apparently is the general consensus...because as soon as people see cupcakes it reminds them of me. Yikes. Yes I soooo adore cupcakes BUT...I do not eat them everyday...I would! But I don't. I only save them for birthdays and special occasions. And for the last 3 weeks not only have I been exercising but I have been eating about 1000 calories a day of protein. No carbs. Ya. Now explain it to me please. OH. I just lied. I had Rubios last weekend...Mahi Mahi grande bowl and loved every single bite.

ahhhh...things I think I need

just some of the wonderful finds for today...can all be purchased at Modern Lola.

Not much to say...so just a view from the shop

Rumor has it the candy you get with orders from the paperlili shop are so enjoyed...I thought I would share a view of some of the goodies that I toss in...AND...concider this a little hint of things soon to come. Paperlili.com exclusive things that is. Also I wanted to show you what $400 worth of rhinestuds(and about a weeks worth) look like. Nice huh. I love how I am surrounded by so much color. My work is like a rainbow everyday...an expensive rainbow that is.

Dear J Crew...

...please stop making clothes that I see...want...need...dream about? Please?

Thank you

sincerely,

Cristy

ps...this goes for the crewcuts as well

pps...quit trying to trick us "regular" women into thinking if we buy your clothes we will look as cool as your catalog models...I'm onto you J Crew.

Little Posh Princess

Little Posh Princess is owned by the sweetest chick. Leslie. Yes she sells Paperlili goods, but she also has a fabulous eye for other must haves (yah Paperlili is a must have!) She asked me to take a picture of this Fall Kids Ink dress and omg...it is the cutest dress ever. AND it has pockets. I love Kids Ink. I love all their stuff. I need more before we don't fit into it anymore.

So go here for the dress

Go here for the suitcase

Go here for the necklace

Go here for the hairband

Not being helpful is something I am never accused of being. If someone stops me in the street to ask me where I got something...I will tell them where, when...and sometimes how much...sometimes lol. Like when you see me walking in these...you will sooooo want to ask me where I got them...but now you won't need to because I got them here!

Oh...and if you love this Kids ink dress...then you also need THIS one because we have it too and boy do I love it as well...plus its on sale now.

p.s. please do not critique my photos...a professional photographer I am sooooo not...just a mom with a camera.

My Kids Rock...almost as Sparkly as Mandye

Check out Mandye and her My Kids Rock tee. I love these pictures. I love happy customers. I love Mandye.

More Matilda

...so I am going to be doing a 2 day online Matilda Jane Catalog show again. Starts Sept 8th. I will remind you. Last time was a success but I have to tell you, if you see something you want...you really should order it on the 8th because holy schmoly, it can sell out fast. I have learnt my lesson and if you fall in love with a certain something...you need to just get it because it may be gone. Sure you may find it on ebay 2 months later but it will be like 3 times the price. And trust me...it is impossible to not find something you need.

On a side note my friend Cyndi just opened an Etsy shop. If you have a golfer in your life keep in mind her personal cap clips and ballmarkers sets.

opp...I forgot...a couple happy customers

First we have a happy school girl. Tara purchased a shirt for her niece and by the looks of it, it was a hit!

Then we have Fifi! Toni's chick. I love the Hippie thang...and we love Toni!

Thanks for sending these ladies.

Wow...I really am bad at this bloggin thing lately aren't I?

Ok...I just wrote a huge blog post and realized that it was so poorly written...I should just delete. So I did. Ha. I am sorry for once again being a bad blogger. I promise to be better. I will leave you with a tank I had to do yesterday. See...all you have to do is ask. A customer has a daughter who is in a dance group called the sun beams. So she asked if I could do something for her and voila. Sun Beams. Cute huh.

Now because I don't really have a ton to post...I will tell you about my newest addiction. From Lorac. It is the 2 in 1 concealer and highlighter set. I love it. It has a little ball on the end that helps blend...and it works really well.

And I will leave you with a completely and totally inspiring post from Nie. I swear if that woman does not make you appreciate life, I don't know what will. She needs a sun beams shirt because noone shines brighter than Nie.

Oh...Giggles Glitter Glam

Girls.

Check out Aurora and Katherine. Both in one of my favorite shirts I have done yet. Hang in there...I will have many new designs soon.

I wonder who does Aurora's hair...how cute is her cut! If her mom says she cuts it then sign me up because that is adorable!

Katherine's mom is the owner designer behind Miss Sugar Pops. Check it out here.

One of these women is 34 today...anyone wanna guess?

Is it Charlize Theron? Is it Courtney from Giftfully Simple? Or is it me?



ps...I hate birthdays...but the fact that I share this exact day with these two women...makes it a little easier. I think it will be funny in about 20 years when I will be 54 (omg!!) and Charlize will probably be hovering around 45...because celebrities never tell the truth do they? Let me tell you...the second she starts lying...is the second I start...since we are twins right?

If you are wondering where I have been

This pretty much says it all doesn't it? This is a daily occurance... and yes...my mail lady HATES me. Now dont just think there is only one item in each of those either...nope...most have 2 or 3 pieces. Perhaps I need to hire someone...do ya think? Anyone wanna come work with me?

What I need is a machine...sure they can't carry on office gossip with me...or laugh while watching the Tori and Dean show (man I love that show...Tori spelling is so darn funny), but we may actually accomplish something. Sigh. Ok...back to work.

hmmm...I will keep my comments to myself

So I just saw that there is a new Daisy Fuentes Pilates tape for the wii. Since I am a total sucker for every new type of exercise (although I do none of them) I googled it and found this. Now. Seriously. SERIOUSLY? Are there not certain things that just do not need to be animated on a video game? I am not saying the girl should have been drawn flat BUT COME ON!

'nuff said. Do you agree? Am I being silly?

Mookla...Best toys ever...

...ok well maybe not ever...actually maybe ever. I love them.

How cute is the doll you sew yourself? This is like the perfect gift for 8 year old girls and up don't you think?

Now this coloring set is the most exquisite, and I know that is a strong word, but seriously it is THE best coloring set ever. We have it...and my daughter LOVED coloring the 6 or so pictures that come with it. They are on cardboard backing and I have one on my desk. I just stare at it pretending as though my daughter was the artist behind the whole project and not just the one to color in the lines. Honestly I want to frame them they are that beautiful.

The knit it yourself elephant I am posting so I can remember it at xmas time. It is such a cute little elephant and my Peyton would take such pride in it if she knit it herself. So here it is. Please remind me in a couple months that I need to order it. Thanks lol.

Now, don't get me wrong. There are not just toys for older girls on the Mookla site...there are toys for everyone from baby on up. And they are all beautiful. Seriously the most original toys ever. Each one a work of art.

Back to school time

So school starts up for us this week. Ya ya blah blah blah, I could say, "where did the summer go" or "ooooo...my poor dears I will miss them so" but seriously...it is 114 degrees out today and well...school is a darn good place to be when it is 114 degrees out. PLUS, for some unknown reason, the kids that live 2 doors down from us and have for the past 3 years have taken it upon themselves to ring our doorbell 15 times a day. It is insane. They did not do this for the first 2 years 11 months they lived here...but now...they will not leave us alone. I was nice for the first 35 times...now I am the grumpy mean lady that whips open the door and says "YESSSSSS"...and then I proceed that with "pleeeeeease STOP ringing our doorbell you are driving both my dogs and myself craaaaaaaazay". Then I feel badly for like 2 minutes until "dingdong dingdong". I have tried the pretend-I-am-not-home method...but they stand there peering in the side window staring at my dogs. I am not kidding. I am two steps from putting a do not trespass sign on my front yard. Oh I know I know...I am a crabby pants...and yes...I am right now...BUT...for the love of peet...take a hint kids...my chicks do not want to play. In fact my one daughter said to me "they should go see a movie and THEN movie to Africa". Whaaaaaaatttt??? Ok...that sounds totally snobby and mean, and so tweenager-ish, but I would be lying if I did not laugh...in my head.

Anyways...back to "back-to-school" business. I love school supplies. Love them. I think I have mentioned that before haven't I. Well here are some cute things I have found on the internet that I think are fun little extras.

-water proof labels for cups and water bottles, markers and scissors...binders...everything...these little mamas are a perfect and polite way to put an end to the "who's glue bottle is this?"

-personalized pencil case - ok, I have not ordered one of these...but I am about to because it is super cute. I love the japanese designs. I love tokidoki and all those funky cartoon characters. Well not ALL of them. Some are downright strange. But these are pretty cute. You describe your kid and the artist paints it. Comes in both boys and girls version. Cute!

-personalized zipper pull...cute for backpacks!

-apple barrett...

-lunchbox notes. I love these. I have bought different notes before and these are about the cutest ones I have found. Don't tell ME these little puppies wouldn't make your kids lunch just a little more fun.

I am sure I will come across other cute back to school ideas, and I will post them as I find them. In the mean time...don't forget to order your back to school

paperlili tee!