Boo-hoo-hoo...

Every year I dream of Darling Daughter begging to be a Princess... Every year she wants to be something like a Vampire Bat

(oh, those eyebrows KILL ME!)

or a Pirate...

Yes, that is a glittered eye patch- duh!!

Thankfully she does let me glam it up a bit with PINK and GLITTER!!  I'll get some pictures later today at the school party!

I shouldn't complain TOO much... I did get ONE Princess out of her when she was 3!

Oh my gosh, I know she's my own child, but is she stinkin' ADORABLE or what????  Eeek, I miss those days!

(My mom made the outfit, I bought the fabric & pattern because I THINK I can sew...I can't!).

I think everyone's seen this picture by now, but it was our muse for the pumpkin we did for Darlings school.

I'll get pictures with my "little" camera today.  I took pictures with BIG MAMA 

and still don't know how to make them smaller so they don't take 9 years to download...

Ok, I've got a few loose ends to tie up before I head over to Darlings party (shocking, I know!).  I'm still sick, I really hope I have a lot of downtime this weekend so I'm ready to go next week!!

WASH YOUR HANDS and have a GREAT Halloweenie!

Ugh, sometimes it's so confusing!!

I've wanted to give chinamommy an update for a LONG time and I don't mean just changing the background!  I want to use all those cute fonts and I want the set up to be different, but... I am elderly in the world of computers and technology!  I got a wonderful book:

I went to this site and got FREE FONTS (that are adorable!)

Kevin and Amanda's awesome blog!!

I got this big girl camera

made this cute strap

read tons of how-to's, tried to get my pictures loaded onto my mac, and freaked out because LOUD bagpipe "music" was playing on the tv in the background.

So instead of giving the blog a make-over, I made a Bento for Darling.

 this is ONLY the 1st little one I've put together, so as I gather more supplies (cause you know I WILL!)

I hope they'll be a bit more spectacular!

Oh yeah... the blog make-over!

Everything is just so hard for me to figure out and there are some fabulous tutorials out there but I just need to devote an entire day (week??) to doing NOTHING but learning this stuff!  I'm going to keep plugging away because I really do want to make this blog bigger, better, and, of course, CUTER!

Stayed tuned next week and I'll show you how to make this:

IF you're interested, go grab these supplies this weekend:

TP rolls, foil, small dish, wire cutters, thick wire, black felt (small amount for eyes/mouth), liquid starch and cheesecloth!

(and a can of white spray paint is really going to help!  after doing the 1st one last night, I'm thinking this will make things a LOT easier.)

See you next week with the how-to!

It's Friday, otherwise known as: "the end of my freedom till Monday"

1st off, I LOVE my family: the Mister is awesome (yeah all you readers that know him...go ahead and tell him I said that!!) my daughter is fabulous, but... How much do I love a quiet house M-F??....  

I'm sure in a few weeks I'll be wandering around the house with tears streaming down my face missing those two like crazy, (when it's just the dog and I in the middle of a snowy Michigan winter...) Oh heck, who am I kidding!!  I'm kind of a hermit down in my studio!!

and...

speaking of studio, I REALLY need to get down there!  I can tell you I've spent so much time on the computer that the underside of my right wrist is SORE from rubbing against the edge of the desk as I move the mouse around!! 

 Now that's SAD!

I found a GREAT website with the BEST free fonts and you know anything "computery" get my brain in a scramble, so although, I can download them, I can't use them... Hmmm, kind of like how I can take a picture with the new camera 

but I can't get the pictures into the computer!!

Grrrrr!!

Hey, if you're a "font freak" head on over to this gals blog and grab them

FREE!!!!!

Fabulous Free Fonts!!!! click right HERE!!

Have a great weekend, I hope to do something "blog worthy" that doesn't involve a trip to the ER!

What I wore today...and other, better stuff!

Ok, so it was yesterday, but still!

You know how all those cute YOUNG bloggers in their vintage dresses like to post their outfits on their blogs and outfit remix sites?

Well, not wanting to be left out, I thought I'd join in...

Don't hate...

Oh yeah, then I have to give a run down of where I got everything: Shirt- TJ Maxx.  It's one of those running shirts that wick the wetness off of you, I wore it in 04 when I adopted my daughter from the sauna known as China.  Pants: Meijer, terry cloth and too short and WAY too wide.  Sexy, I know!

 I decided I'd better just post Darling's outfits, cause even if I don't wear them, I must say: I can pick them!!

Jeggings!!

(Target: head to toe)

I'm going to live vicariously through her outfits...

This year I'm going to stick to my goal of taking pictures of what SHE wears all year!  I know I love to see what I wore as a kid in the 70's!

Ok, so you know how I never finish what I start and I always have 1,000 projects and 999 problems with said project?!  Well, I watched the video on how to use my sewing/embroidery machine and I FIXED the issue I was having and look what I got done!!!

(please note improved outfit today!!)

Yes, my friends, it went from this

to this

note: fancy stitching

Now, don't get all excited, it's not me, it's the machine!

The sewing machine I have is smarter then you and I combined and it cost more than my car (although that might not be saying much...).

It is beyond me and I do NOT deserve to have this machine, but I do...long story.

Off to the dentist...will my $25,000 smile ever be done?

Where did yesterday go?

Yesterday was my 1st day of freedom and I swear it went by in the blink of an eye!  

Today I promised myself I would exercise with my Just Dance Wii "game", don't ya know, the remote thingy won't work!  Last week I signed up for a running club and promptly got an email message that the leader was having "scheduling conflicts" so I shouldn't show up unless they got back in touch with me!  Is it my lot in life to die of heart disease?  Good grief, I don't like to exercise that much as it is, let alone with road blocks!!

Today I have plans, big plans!  I am going to watch the video so I can thread my bobbin, 

I am going to sew my camera strap re-do 

AND I am going to get some more things cut out for my 2nd etsy store: papercutsarecute.

and, hang with this little guy...

(and YES, the Mister IS going to get that window trim put up soon...)

Have a great day and check back tomorrow!

PS: the new camera... I now am using it, but do you think I can import those picture into my mac??... NOPE! and I've spent a LOT of time trying, emailing for help, and reading...

The Last Friday of Summer Vacation...

These are the last 4 days of summer vacation, so, even though I love you all dearly, I think I'll spend this time with my girl...Darling!

and her giant toe...

Ok, friends, have a FABULOUS weekend!!

We're going to go soak up some fun (and maybe some coffee for mommy!!)

PS:

I'm on page 62 (out of 200) in my camera manual...

I MIGHT need to take a class...

Become a fan of chinamommy on facebook- just type in:

chinamommy

Follow TheCHinaMOmmy on twitter

Watch out.... I'm everywhere!

Have you met my weird-o friends?

No, not really!  Or maybe... I mean, I never take the term "weird-o" in a negative way, do you? I like quirks, I like unusual people, I like funny, I like creative, I like mischievous!  I like people that can laugh at themselves and I like people that don't have a lot of secrets- hey, I tell mine!!  I don't like boring, I feel the need to fill the space with chatter, wait- I always feel that need, but still, boring people BORE me!!

  Wouldn't you rather hang out with this... guy?

or maybe this one?

or...this cutie?!

maybe all these men would make your husband jealous?!

Perhaps this gal would be better

You could talk about your stuffed animal collection, as long as you don't mind the SMOKE!

I love how the Internet has connected like-minded people...  

Anyway, check out the links below and see 7 things about each of my very interesting pals!!

http://bundlesofblossoms.blogspot.com/2010/08/7-things-about-me-im-sure-you-didnt.html

and

http://inmyminditisfunny.blogspot.com/2010/08/award.html

and

http://melisthepositivepessimist.blogspot.com/2010/08/award-for-me.html

If I didn't include you in this award (AWARD-doesn't that sound prestigious?), don't be insulted, chalk it up to the fact I had a brain fart and just couldn't think of anyone else as I was typing out my list!  If you want to play along, grab the list, add to your blog and type in your own answers... or use mine if you're lame :)

No, I still don't know how to use my camera, I spent the weekend hiding in my studio (the pollen is about to take me down!) catching up on darlings scrapbooks, crocheting, and cutting the fabric for my camera strap re-do!

Workin' for the WEEKEND!!!

Not really, because 

1. I don't work outside the home 

2. I've done NO work this week...well, VERY little!

Last night as I was washing our bedding at 7 pm, the Mister says "what happened to Monday wash day?" 

My reply?....

"Well, I had an appt. Monday, Tuesday we were shopping, Wednesday we hung with our friends all day and so Monday wash day is Thursday this week!"

Darling starts school the day after Labor day and as much as I LOVE being with her, I am VERY anxious to get back to my studio, fill my etsy shops FULL, learn how to work my camera and get caught up on 100 other projects.  I also want to make some changes to my blog.

This summer has given me time to think about what I want to do.  It seems I have my best ideas when I just CAN'T get to my studio, so I've been dreaming a lot this summer.

My baby is 7, she's my only child and I wouldn't trade a second of the time we've spent hanging out this summer!!  There's always the school year for "working" and these days won't last forever!

Yesterday we were running all day and I wanted to show you the fabric I got for my camera strap re-model!

I want to show you FABULOUS pictures of the fabric, but you're going to have to see it with my old camera because... well, you know why!!

Owl Corduroy!!!!

and

coordinating polka-dots!!!

(Jo-Ann's if you're interested)

I  printed out the manual for my camera (which is different from the book I have!!), all 200 pages!!  I ran out of ink once and out of paper.  Thankfully, I still had old 8-1/2 X 11 scrapbooking papers- ha!

No, this isn't intimidating at ALL...

 Have a wonderful weekend!!

We're hanging out with my mom today and then I'm going to study this manual!!!

Make sure you check out my OpenSky tab at the top of my page for some super cute goodies!!

Ummmm... hello, am I a dip?

So I figured out (kind of...) how to use my camera.  

Ok, let me say I figured out how I can push a button and it takes a picture- end of story.

I figure now all i have to do is take that little thingy and plug it into the back of my MAC, so I do and....

NOTHING!

Sooooo...

I pull out

and apparently I am...

I am quite sure I'm going to have to sit down with someone and have them hold my hand while I lay naked in the fetal position sucking my thumb.

I'm visual people... the manual makes my heart beat fast...REALLY fast!

So, I am sorry to inform you that today my blog will NOT have fabulous photo's nor will it become famous (YET!!).

Instead of posting the ADORABLE pictures I took of darling I will do my usual: instead of studying the manual I will make a new (pretty!) camera strap!

at this point if I was young and hip, I would end with

"'cause that's how I roll"

but due to the fact that I am 41 that would be totally awkward and weird.

Go here to see a tutorial on how to make your own:

http://www.modabakeshop.com/2010/04/custom-camera-slipcover.html

It's from Megan over at Brassy Apple

http://brassyapple.blogspot.com/

Check her blog for AMAZING DIY projects!!!

Happy Thursday and a reminder:

IF you are making/buying hats for my baby hat drive, I need them by the end of Oct.  So let's say I MUST have them by Oct 31st- BOO!

My NEW ~*Baby*~

Look what came in the mail yesterday...

I'm hoping these will be the last BAD pictures you will have to view on my blog, but...

there is this:

the manual...or field guild as they call it- less scary than "manual", don't you think?...

see how thick it is?  ALL info about 1 camera!!!

259 pages of reading!

it MIGHT be said that I don't have the best carry through... 

BUT for now I LOVE my new camera!

Yes, I'm hugging my new camera

Yes, those are my PJ's

No, i'm not wearing a bra.

We'll saw how much love there is after I get into that manual, I'm sweating already...

Oh, I'm SOOOOOOO excited!!

Well, 1st of all I want to welcome all you new readers!!

I can't tell you how much I appreciate it and how it feeds my narcissistic soul!

Yesterday my daughter came into the house with a box from SINGAPORE!  Don't you know it was a box full of goodies from the sweetest little girl (who is really a grown married woman, but she is a sweet girl to me!!).  I know she won't mind the term "girl" because I'm pretty sure she (like me) does not ever want to grow up!!

If you don't know sweet Zoe, head over to her blog and check her out...

http://dreamcometruelovekz.blogspot.com/

Darling was SOOOOOO excited to check out all the goodies, read the card and EAT the Hello Kitty marshmallows!

All kinds of goodies!!

Cute t-shirt...I think she gets my style!!

(and so does this girl, head over and check out this post:

http://picklesonpizza.blogspot.com/2010/08/cell-phone-photos.html I guess I'm a bit obvious!)

Cute donut coaters...or fancy eyeglasses?!

and this adorable bunny which went straight to my studio and is hanging right where I can see it everyday!

Thank you Zoe, you're a doll!!

Has someone surprised you with a wonderful gift or a thoughtful gesture this week? Have you done something special for someone else?

I like to think I'm doing my part by feeding my daughter and catering to her every whim... 

School? YES, please!!

(she goes back the day AFTER labor day)

I am always amazed at the kindness of other and the friendships that can build over a computer and spread all around the world!

I really hope this is my last day of icky photos...

this baby is suppose to arrive: TODAY!

IF you're interested, I got the Canon EOS 30D.

People tell me I will NOT be disappointed!

I bought it used from ebay and hope it works perfectly?!  I communicated a bit with the seller and feel good about it.  I just didn't know that I wanted to commit to over $1,000 for a new one... plus the Mister wasn't up for that!  We'll see how this goes.  If it makes my blog famous and my etsy store a million dollar success - I'll go for the newest model (and a house on water and a white Range Rover....).

Happy Day girls!