Friend, one gin tonic!

The title of this post means everything to me since this last Sunday.

I want to excuse myself for talking so bad english but will do my best to express what I am feeling now.

This November 14 my cousin Techi died after a so long disease. But she was strong, she was a Benitez woman and that means in my family that you are brave enough to carry even with the hardest thing. And she was.

This last Sunday she taught me more than she could ever imagine. And she started just when I first came in the room where she was. On the coffin I saw a flower bouquet and the ribbon had a message. I was seated just in front of it and tried to read what it said but couldn't see the whole phrase but then as she could see me moving in my seat to read the entire ribbon, someone came and moved it. And I had to make an effort not to laugh when I read; "Friend, one gin tonic!" and signed as Viky.

And I laughed (for myself of course, lol...) because she was that phrase! She was the best friend and she enjoyed life with friends and gin tonics. But gin tonics in the whole meaning, not just the drink but the situation. She loved music, God, and family. We were not so close as friends but I knew all that from her becasue in a second you could see how she was, how she was from the bottom.

The mass before her burial was more a tribute to her than a mass; it was a tribute to a good woman. To a woman that knew she was going to die, that had the best ever husband that took care of her till the end as he did at the beginning. She had a cruel disease but her heart was so strong that all she radiate was positive.

And her and that phrase have been with me since yesterday. I can't stop thinking how close is this phrase to what life means. Friends or family or anyone to share a gin tonic with. I want my life to be just that; a gin tonic with all the people I love, and then that gin tonic will be a smile to my beloved ones when I'll die as it was to Techi's friends yesterday. They all laughed about the phrase and how much she would have loved it!

I want to have lots of gin tonics to remember with my friends and family and Techi teached me that yesterday.

Halloween

Shame on me

No words for my lack of posting. So here they are new pics...

How long is my hair!!! I think since high school I haven't had it soooo long....

Well, lately I've been mostly around the kitchen, maybe because I am in kind of a diet, lol... (hope this makes sense...)

This is something I loveeeeeeee... Rossejat! Is kind of a paella but made with noodles. I love it!!! And if you have a bit of alioli to add then it's just yummy, yummy! 
And also I've been trying to make my kids dinner as fun as I can so they eat more... lol... Henry really likes it but Celita is still more on the classic way...
ANd now the crafty part of it all... A market bag I made for Elma's birthday with that lovely Ikea fabric. I love it, full of hearts!
And also I added some crochet brooches that are now so in! She bought a really cozy cardigan and I think they match it perfectly!

Oh, and my last apple pie. I have just made it today with bananas and raisins too! But I don't really know what went bad but it isn't the best ever one!!! lol...

Long post!

I can't believe  it took me so long to post again. Maybe it's because of the summer, or just that I am a lazy bloger, lol...

Well, this is going to be a long and mixed post as I have many crafty things to show. And I want to start with my "azotea" (rooftop) makeover. I truly like how it looks like now. I promise better pics of the finish look tomorrow! 

It's not so big but enough for the 4 of us, but we got it so unused and forgotten... lol... We wanted to make a cozy and comfortable place to enjoy summer afternoons. 

This is the BEFORE pic

We tried different options
But then just decided to put some faux grass and a wood platform where we could enjoy our Ikea Tüllero set (it was love at first time for me!). I want to paint the set but will make it next year, maybe in bright coastal colors
I also made  a cushion cover with a nautical style fabric from Ikea too.
Henry helped so much adding the marble stones

We also created a "chill-out" zone where we can rest a bit in the sun and this is the view we have from down there... lol 

Tomorrow I'll make more nice pics from the final look! But, do you like it?
And now let's talk about serious things.... Yarn! lol...

God, I love this Knitpicks yarn! It's the shine line. I love both worsted or sport weight! I am ordering also some Organic cotton now because I'd love to make a baby blanket with it. 

Enjoy all these colors! I am making a granny afghan now without any pattern, just adding colors as they come out from the bag! Love it!


I was so excited when all the yarn came that couldn't stop looking at it, lol... I got to my bed and worked in the final steps of the baby blanket I was making while admiring my new yarn colors. 

Love Knitpicks!
This is the blanket I was finishing! I like so much how it look like! I can't tell anything else of it just in case the Mommy who's going to receive this gift reads the blog, lol... But I can tell I made it with a lovely Katia yarn called Austral (Ravelry link)
And this is the first project I made with my shine worsted yarn. It was a cushion I made for Elmita's birthday. I made it using the same flannel I used last year for her winter bedding crib set. I think it came out so cute, what do you think?
Oh, and now I am so proud to show you the beginnings of my lovely, cozy, full or memories new quilt. I made it with all my husband's old t-shirts. There are all from sweet memories of our family; some from our honeymoon trip, some from our travels, some bring us memories of our kids... Every and each one of them has a little story to tell. I think it's the sweetest project I have ever made for this family! I have all the t-shirts already sewn and just waiting for the batting and backing. 
Some travel memories
This is the first layout, I made some changes but it's almost the same as here.
And well, I told you it will be a long post, lol... cause I've been baking too! Since we came back home from our holidays trip in the northern Europe, I am obsessed with apple pies and apfelstrudels! This is the pic from one I made with sour cream from a Goseberry Patch's recipe! Loved it!

The kids don't like apple pies so I made a chocolate birthday cake for them and they ate it all!!!!! lol... Just because of the chocolate, I bet!
Oh, and this next pic is my own (ugly as my husband says) recipe. You just need to put a spoon of olive oil in a saucepan, when it gets hot add a small can of sweet corn, and then a tuna can. Then add tomato soup or sauce and mix until it get thick, then just add 1/2 cup raisins and mozarella cheese. Just yummy!!!!
Oh, and finally my question about the crisis... How can everything get sooooo expensive when people has less money?? Guess how much this cost me..... In the packet there's only meat, not jamón serrano... lol... Well, it was 73 euros!!!! ($104) Can you imagine???? I was terrified! 

What a day yesterday!

That was the view from my deckchair in Siam Park's beach. God, that's life!

And this was the view any time I got up a bit to see what was happening around, lol...

The Siam Park is the biggest water park in Europe and it's located in the south of my island. I drive in front of the dorr everyday since it was open last year but never got to go. Yes, we're so silly! lol... But yesterday was the day, a great day!

This is the beach where every hour a big 6 feet tall wave "explodes" and you can enjoy it and when you're still recovering from the big "tsunami effect" you heard the sound of the next wave coming! It's was so fun!

Then we had the Beach Club just near us! Great!

This next pic is the view from the beach of the Kid's lost city thatw as amazing with lots of slides and water falling from everywhere. So fun and so fresh for the hot, hot days we've had this week!

We got there so early (we got to way at the entrance because it wasn't even open when we arrived, lol...) and the kids had a blast with the whole beach for them alone! lol...

See this? Slides!!! From the top, top!!!

Ohhh... and the slow river was just soooooo relaxing!!!!! lol...

And now I'm showing the final pics... Look my sweet baby face.. lol... She was walking while sleeping, lol... Poor little kid, they didn't want to get out from there but at the same time they didn't have energies for one more minute there ,lol...

But was a great family day we will remember forever!

I love Stockholm

In my last post I was in a wonderful cruise ship in the Baltic sea. It was the NCL Jewel and we did had a blast there!

But I just fall in love with Stockholm and its archipelago. It's like a dreamland full of amazingly cozy houses all around and you only see nature! I would love to be able one day to go to one of those cottages for a holidays with the family!

The thing is that there are so many islands that I don't know the name of the one I liked most. It was closer to the city center than the others. Here they are some pics of the wonderful houses we could see from the ship cabin balcony while we were going out to the sea again.

See what I mean? Could it be anything more cute than being seated in your garden and watching the boats sailing around with the sea just in front of your door?

Oh, here's this family that was seated in one of the ways watching the ships and the cruises. The kids were having a blast! Click in the pic to meet them!

Isn't this just beautiful? Click in the photo!

There were little islands with just one house in it, like fishermen houses! Amazingly beautiful!

A beauty non stop!

Love Stockholm

This is life!

Oh God, I am enjoying this soooo much!
This pic is from Warnemünde in Germany, one of the stops in our wonderful cruise. I loved this place! Was just like a little fairy tale village full of charm and beauty!
God, thanks for the life I live and the family I've got!
I am so sorry I have been so bad blogger but was just preparing my life time holidays! lol... Almost all my family together again is just paradise for me!
Hope to read all the blogs I love again soon!
Enjoy!

Ottobre skirt

Don't you just love Ottobre magazine? I adore it!

In the last issue I fall in love with this skirt and thought it could be so nice to make it with Heather bailey's fabrics! And after I made it I thought that a bit of applique in the shirt could be cute!

She looked lovely with the Ottobre outfit!

Piratas de Ikea

Henry's bed has been featured in the blog from Piratas de Ikea! An Ikea hacker blog in SPanish with great projects and ideas! 

Check it out! Love it!

¡Feliz día de la madre!

Happy Mother's day to everyone! Here in Spain is today and I am the happiest in the whole world! lol...

Look what I got first time this morning!

Henry painted this wonderful wrapping paper for me at school

And also painted this wonderful flower to macth! 

And this wonderful tag was attached to the package where it was...

...this pretty colored sand filled bottle. Look what a beautiful gift he made for me! 

But today, for me the greatest gift of all is to have my kids in my life! To be a mom. Now that I am one I can't even remember what I felt like before. It has filled all my life, now I am all I have ever dreamt of; the mom of two beautiful kids I adore.

Nothing can make me happier than a hug from my kids. And also feels weird because there's nothing that can heal me better than a hug from my mom. Just her touch, her smell, and her hugs heals my soul better than anything.

I hope someday I'll be that for my kids too!

Happy Mother's Day!

Crafting a bit

I've been wanting to post all these photos from the little gifts I made for my Dad's birthday.

Here's a frame I embellished with some Ikea kids fabric I love and a crochet flower.

First I used some modge podge and then made some cuts to start embellishing the frame.

And that's how it looks like wiht my little kid's photo in it. They look so serious and big in the photo. I just like how close they look; is a "brother & sister" photo I love!
Oh, and now this is one of the cozies I love to make for the Ikea mug! The pattern is available at Etsy! I made also the button with fimo! I love making little buttons!
Oh, and talking about buttons! Look what I got for a great price at Etsy!!!!! I felt like dreaming when I received the package!!!!!!!!! Thanks to Art by Heather Supplies!
And now, I am sooooo happy I did read about the CK sale in one of the blogs I reaad every day. The prices were just outstanding and I am so happy everytime I get into my flower bed!! lol...
Just for dessert look what we got for my Dad's birthday dinner!!!! The cake in the center was the one I made with mocha buttercream and almonds!

Neighbors

When I married I moved from my parent's house to the next door house. Lol... I moved from street nº15 to 17. So I always say I have the best neighbors in the whole world. And the proof is my dinner, just right from my neighbor's home

MIA

I can't explain how guilty I feel because my "lack of posts" in this blog, lol... I really been crafting a lot but forgot to take pictures most of the times or didn't have natural light for them. And then Blogger has been sooooo slow to upload the photos that I always found an excuse to stop the photo uploading process. 

Also there was the Carnival in my town and it was so much fun to be in the streets with the kids! I have lots of pics of the main Carnival events, etc... But will only post a few of the children because I want this to be short, lol...

These first ones are from the festival show where the kids played a rock song all dressed up like rockers! They were so cuteeeeee!
Well, and have you ever since anything like this?, lol... She's so special!

That girl painting the faces in the square was amazing... and not because she was so good painting but keeping the kids calmed while painting their faces!!!! That was the magic thing, lol...
Hulk and the Little red riding hood! lol... They were so cute!
Isn't she lovely???

And yes, this is me as punky! SO fun! The real me! lol...

This is what I made to my dad for Father's day and also I baked a chocolate cake with mocha frosting! 

Oh, and now a bit of cooking... I love poached eggs! And one of the ways I love to make them are with tomato soup or sauce... I usually add some mozzarella cheese, olives and oregano!

And in this time of year don't you just love eggplants??? I truly love to cook them just with onions and fried tomato sauce! 

And more crafty things... These are the little gifts I made for one of Henry's teachers. I made first the necklace and earrings set and then made also the little children earrings too. 

And finally decided to put them all into a small crochet pouch... I think it was nice! And she liked it! lol...

Well, now I hope it won't take so long to get back here! lol...

Happy Valentine's Day!

This is what my DH baked for me for Valentine's Day. He baked it with his own two hands, lol... And filled it with cream and strawberries! Isn't it just gorgeous? Loved it!
We went to a riding club with the kids and my cousin Carlos and all the family! We had a blast there!
Henry was thrilled with the horses, Celita was a bit afraid tough!
They organized it so funny! And the kids were so excited while the horses and the show was getting ready!
Fanta, coke, chips, ..... lots of fun!
Celia's chocolate face says about how they enjoy being there waiting for the horses to arrive, lol...
Look Elmita and Elma wearing the same blouse! Weren't them just gorgeous?
Aren't horses just pretty? I hope Henry would like to join the club!



Woww! And then, after all the excitement, is there anything better than a good ice cream at Giana's???
And then we got home and had a little bbq picnic!

Today I had a light cappuccino with panettone that I still had from Christmas to enjoy the cold afternoon!
Happy Valentine's!

Henry's bed

In my last post I talked about Henry's birthday gift; his bed! I wanted to show you some more pics of the bed. We're so happy with the results! We hacked the Ikea Kura bed just adding one more "mattress zone" and make it like a bunk bed, but it isn't as tall as regular bunk beds are, because we were afraid of the big beds!

We just painted all the wooden pieces of the bed with Agatha Ruiz de la Prada's paints that has amazingly fresh colors to use for kids or modern homes. The color we used was "agua" (water). Then we asked our friend Javi from Looping if he could put some photos in the bed blue panels, and he did that fantastic job! And then it was just hard work from Henry trying to assemble all the pieces and cut the parts where the 2 beds had to join.

And this is the result!!!


For the large front I used one of Rina Kroes sets to make the panels called "Oh night divine!"


Oh, almost forgot that the steps were painted with a regular crafters paint in bright colors to add a bit of more color to the bed. Oh and also all the bed has a top coat of "outside" barnish just in case the kids go to the higher bed with shoes on or whatever... You know with kids the "just in case" is the most important part of the project! lol...


ANd now all the Pokemons are enjoying their life in a higher place, and had occupied the blanket Henry's Grandma made for his birthday! lol
And also Hulk, Iron Man, Lighting McQueen....

Henry is 5!!!

This February 6th was Henry's birthday!

We asked him many times what gift he wanted and he only said he wanted his grandma to give him a new bed. So we went with him and Celita to Toys'r'us to see if he wanted also any toy... Of course, he did want some too!; lol... 

On Friday he went so excited to school because he knew he would have a party there. Here they are on the way...
I prepared some cookies and muffins for the kids.

And a juice of course and then put these all inside these kraft little bags so that each kid could have his own "meal"; lol...
They're 30!!!!! lol... Both bags were full!
But look how happy he was in his class blowing his candles! God, I am so grateful to his wonderful teachers. They made a great day for him and also allowed me to enjoy it taking these pictures!!!!! I am sooooo grateful!
Look Henry's gift! He just wanted for his birthday a bed where he could sleep in the upper side and his sister "downstairs" lol... And here it is!!!!! We bought the Ikea Kura bed and we painted it with some Agatha Ruiz de la Prada colors. Then we asked our friend Javi at Looping if he could transfer some photos to the panels that came with the bunk bed and look what a great work he did! We are still amazed how cute the bed looks like! Now we have to make some changes in the room but Henry is so happy with his new bed and Celita is too!



Tadaaaaaa!!! Rainbow cupcakes!
I made the party favros bags with plain kraft bags and just add some stickers to it with his nae and date. I think they looked cute!; lol...
This is the inside of the bag, isn't a cute pic? lol... coloring paper, crayons, and tons of sweets!
He was sooooooo happy with all his friends during all his birthday party!!!!!!! Here's blowing the candles of his chocolate Spiderman cake!
Look what I found at the magazine counter of the British market!!!! I love Jamie's food and now I have got addicted to his magazine! Lovely!
In my crafty side of life I am crocheting grannies for a blanket I'd love to make for our tv room. I have many already finished and now I just have t make around 20 more and start finishing it that's the part I really don't like about blocks!, lol...

Migatitamica me ha enviado un meme!!!!!!!!!!

Mi colega de blog migatitamica me ha nominado con un meme!

BUeno, tengo que decir ahora cuáles son mis propósitos de belleza para el 2009. Cinco deben ser. Ufff, a ver cómo los resumo porque es tal mi desastre que necesitaría 20 jiji...

1) Me propongo para este 2009 desmaquillarme todas las noches!

2) y también maquillarme todos los días para poder llevar a cabo el propósito nº1

3) Bajar todos los kilos que me sobran (no los digo, por supuesto!)

4) Ponerme la crema todas las mañanas antes de salir de casa y no en la perfumería justo antes de empezar a maquillarme con el primer probador que encuentro.

5) Y finalmente, y lo más difícil; me voy a proponer en este año gastar un bote entero al menos de anticelulítico (gesto que significará que me lo he puesto todos los días al menos durante un mes seguido, jiji...)

Y seguiría, y seguiría! Pero las normas son de 5 propósitos y aquí están. 

En el siguiente post pondré a quién nomino porque no se me ocurren ahora blogs en español que lea que no sean los de cocina, jii...

At last!

Tattoo

I can't believe I finally did it! I am tattooed! 

I can't even remember from when I've been dreaming about my tattoo! I think it was before I was 18 years old! And I have always wanted to have the same thing done. This sign is what I always draw when I am stressed, or just talking at the phone. I have all my college books filled with thousands of this sign all together making weird forms, lol...  That's why I wanted to make this sign for me, in my skin. It's my sign and now will be with me forever, even when I won't be able to hold a pen and draw one; I'll have it in my skin!!!!!!!

First, I wanted to make just one, big one. But then I decided I'll make more, just like in my books. And then when I got to the studio the "tattoo man" told me we could do it exactly like the sketch I was showing him... So it's my own design, in my own hand writing! He scanned what I draw for him! Oh God, I was delighted! lol...

It's fun to have it though. It was so easy, painless that I think won't be the last... lol... Maybe the same thing in my right hand... lol...

I made it in a great place here in Tenerife; Santa Cruz Tattoo. Check their site, it's great. And they're so warm, you can feel the good energy there, lots of friends coming to see them, lots of customers, lots of great energy! Lots of art! I can't remember if I ask the boy his name because I was so nervous I just remember he doing it so perfectly!, lol... But if any of you go there I am sure everyone will make great works!

Well, hope you like it! I am so happy with it!

Decorating ideas lately...

I feel like I have been posting a lot about decorating and home things! And I think it's because we need a makeover here as the children are now bigger and we're in the middle of the "baby turning toddler and toddler turning a big kid" phase. So we need big beds now and lots more of storage space.

And even in the kitchen we need to start wondering how will make it when Celita leave the high chair and starts seating with us in the table! 

I received this email form Country Living and I loved all the kitchens there but one that stole my heart was this one in the pic. I love the colors but most of all I like so much hor the small kitchen is all around the table. So cozy!

Wish I had a similar space in my owns kitchen!, lol...

Been crazy with all the Christmas thing!

In the Christmas day photo I forgot to add these pics of the costumes Santa brought for the kids. Hulk was soooooooooo real and even had green lights in the eyes! lol...

And Celita was adorable dressed like a princess, even she didn't like it so much (and really wasn't the best ever quality costume, lol...) And she has ever never (read like Lola, lol...) liked to have anything in the hair!
When, Christmas holidays always have many "outings" and one of them was to see the Monster trucks show. Henry and Carlitos had a blast there! Look at the size of the wheel!; lol... And also see the sunny weather!!
ISn't Celita gorgeous dressed like this? And the ponytails are just adorable!
This tree in Safari mall was so cute and the kids liked it with all the lights!
Just days before New Year's Eve we went all together to the city to make the final purchases and we had a walk and stopped in front of the Guimerá theatre with this great face! I love it!
Celita was so excited! We had hot chocolate with "churros" (I don't know the name in English) and enjoyed it so much as in the south of the island where we live is not easy to find them!

And then the bad weather started December 30th!!!!! And the big party for New Year's Eve was in the town square (and it hasn't got any type of "ceiling" lol...) Henry and Celia were delighted wearing their coats and boats!!!! Look how they look to the feet!!!! lol... We're summer people here... lol...
ANd the big night arrived! And we were getting ready for it. The kids were adorable all dressed up with their posh looks, lol... Don't they look like a wedding couple???
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers!
God, how difficult was to take this pic!!!!! lol...
So imagine this one here.... lol....
Celita was so tired after the dinner but when the bells started and we ate all the lucky grapes my brother took off his guitar and started playing and singing and Celita was like a robot switched on, lol....
Gorgeous!
Didn't I tell you??? She didn't stop dancing and singing all night!!!!
Finally after 2:30am Celita fall asleep and we all came back home and Henry and me we enjoyed watching the people dance and have fun from our balcony! lol...
The morning after Celita saw my boots in the room and just wanted to put them on!!!! Hopefully she couldn't make it possible!; lol...
January brought us Diana home!!!!! Henry couldn't talk about anything else but his sister!!!! "Diana is coming!, Diana is coming!!!!" When he saw her in the airport his face was the description of happiness!
In January 6th is when we have our gifts here. The tradition is that the Three Kings comes from the East and bring all the gifts for the good children. I made this cushion covers for my cousins...

In this pic we're in the town square waiting for the Three Kings to arrive and see if they brought any gift for the kids. Then we must go to bed and wait for them to come to our homes and bring the rest of the gifts!
Here's King Melchor!!!!!!
And here's what I made for my cousin Neni. I made the fabric basket from Ayumills
And the morning of the January6th that was how our tree looked like!!!! It was full of gifts for everyone and we still got to go to Grandma's to look for the rest of the presents!!!!!
Here are Henry and Celita enjoying a ride in Henry's gift, that he called "The 3000 machine" lol... Don't ask me why!
And guess what I received from the Three Kings?? The camera that took these great pictures!!!!!! lol... I'll post about her and the cozy I am making for her later....

January 16th

Nie's blog will be back!

She's so fine now that she thinks it's time to come back. Her sister also announces it with a sweet letter she wrote in her blog.

I won't miss the date and you must save that date too!

Who said prayers doesn't count?

¡Fiestaaaaa! Party!!!!!!!

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

I wish you all a very happy New Year's Eve and the best 2009 possible!!!!

We'll be having party tonight at home with the family and hope you'll all enjoy it too!

Have a save party night!

¡Feliz Año Nuevo para todos! Espero que tengan un año 2009 de cine y que la crisis no se note, jiji... Mucho cuidado esta noche y ¡qué viva la fiesta!

The party winter people up here are friends of Mary Engelbreit, lol...

Christmas Eve

This Holidays has been sooo crazy and I haven't been posting so much but the kids are like crazy! And even to write this post I have been almost all day, lol... Writing a bit each second they let me upload the pics, etc... Well, but let's go to Christmas in my family!

This is how my Mom's house looks like every Christmas Eve! Always the same linens, the same china, everything... lol... So classic!

This year Henrito and me we made these little gingerbread boys for each one. We were 12 at the table. Next year we'll be again 14 because Christian and Sandra comes with us. They live in Barcelona and they come one year and the next they stay in Barcelona with Sandra's family.  We love when Christian's here because we love them soooo much, but also because he's my Mom's favorite nephew (she will always deny it but trust me...) and she always buy the best shrimps, etc... when he's with us and she even serve them pealed and with the best sauces, lol... It's funny but it's REAL!!! lol...
Look at this! My Mom was like a little girl with this salad. It's only lettuce and so but with .... gold!!!!!
And... tachaaaaan... When it was 12 am we started hearing a diling, dilong... by the patio and when we went to see what was going on we saw.... SANTA!!!!! He threw a bag full of gifts to us and told Henrito he was going to his house later, while he'll be sleeping...
There's no need to say Henry was with his mouth ooooopen! lol....
And that's what was inside the big bag; Hulk's smashing hands and a micro for Celita!

Yes, it's true! We took pics of Santa while putting all the gifts in our tree! Henry was soooo excited when he saw the pics on Christmas morning. Even he saw him on the Eve, he couldn't believe Santa was at home and he didn't hear him!!!!!

That Mickey is really cute while dancing and singing, lol... And it has also doodles with him! 
Ponyville! I can't describe how proud I feel when I see Celita with a doll and not a car in her hands... lol...
Ironman is in action at home!!!!! Wowwww
Look what Santa bought to me! My cozy mauve Crocs! Love them! Henry, I love you too! lol...

Corners of my Christmas home 

(I know it's late but they're still here soooo, lol...)

My Mom calls this "cupboard" The Royal Crown Derby (kidding...) The Royal Crown Jewel! lol... I just got in love with it when I first saw it and I'm still deeply in love! And that's why I choose it to put the advent calendar I made last year. This year it was filled of chocolate coins that every day the kids opened and eat them... That's why the envelopes are open; Henry was so confused sometimes with the day he was in that decided that the first one he found closed belong to the day he was in, lol...

A closer view
And this is the little part in the "phone table" lol... Santa and a nativity! lol... God, isn't Christmas time just crazy? Oh, and at the back you can see one of the treasures I found this year; an advent book; you can read one little tiny story each day and complete the story of Christmas!
Look at this. The postal service company sent this little card from the Three Kings with a carols CD saying that the letter was already sent! It was so sweet of them!
Here's how the entrance of my house looks like. WIth the Belén with 2 Jesus. I just have 2 and Henry couldn't choose between only one so, we have 2. lol... It was a gift my Mom gave to us the first Christmas we had as a married couple. I adore it! And Henrito does love it too. He was so excited when we put it all together with the "snow", etc... and then he filled the "pesebre" with everything he liked from the Christams decorations; some made by him and some Christmas cards too.
He made this little Santa at school with an apple and nuts
These are the singing angels and on it we have Christian's greetings that was the first one we received this year! We love you sooo much Christian and Christmas Eve is not the same without you! (you  and my Mom know why, lol...)

¡Feliz Navidad!

This year with all the crisis thing, we decided to make the Christmas greetings just a postcard so we'll save up the envelope... And with the email and blog we will even save on stamps, lol... But what we won't ever save up is in wishing you the best health and work for you and all your beloved ones! We want to give you gazillions of that!, lol...

Merry Christmas and the best wishes for the next "hard" year!

The Guevara Escuela family

p.d. Enjoy all the tasty food, wine, champagne, etc... tonight and don't forget to buy the Alka Seltzer for tomorrow morning! lol...

School's finished!

Oh yes, I know that I am a bit behind, lol... But this house has been so crazy after school finished and during the last week too. Last December 17 Henry had his school big Christmas party. It was so pretty with angels, snowmen, etc... 

Henry and the kids had a blast there! After the show it was a buffet also and all the moms brought anything to eat. I made some peanut butter snowballs and also decorated-by-Henry sugar cookies (I can't believe I forgot to take pics of them!).

Look how cute the kids looked like with their fancy clothes on, lol... Despite how charming was my Mario Bros fabric backpack with all the toys and candies possible to keep Celita calmed during the show...
Wasn't it cute there? The teachers made a huge work with all the decorations!
Oh, and look Celita here; seconds after this pic she fall down the chair and it came over her too, lol.
Now tell me these balls doesn't look yummy!!!

They didn't want to pose for the photos but finally could make some fun ones, lol...

Oh, I haven't neither posted the pics from the Christmas-cards-making-process. Here is Henry eating his cousin Carlitos sent to us, a wonderful and yummy gingerbread man! What a tasty card! lol...

The kids getting ready for the card making process... Glues on hand, pens on hand...
I did printed a card with a wonderful pic of Henry and Celia together and then add some glue to it and Henry add the glitter... Celita was in the destroying process so she was a bit aside, lol...

Here's the card and Henry added some glitter to both buttons. It was so cute!

Christmas is here!!!!!!!

Christmas is already in my home! We just need to put the outside lighting and we'll be done! lol... It's so fun!

I made some photos of the Christmas tree that's full with ornaments made by my sweet boy henry last year at pre-school. He made that much we have the tree almost full and we haven't put the ornaments he made this year yet! I think we're going to need another tree in the house! lol...

Look at this Santa he painted! This is one of the few he has already took home from school...



And these snowballs I amde them using the recipe from Bethany Actually at Etsy. They're incredibly easy to make and look gorgeous! I made some for the kid's frieds and also for the teachers at school.
And these little bags are somehting I invented for this year and I am soooo happy of it... I think it will be a Christmas tradition from now on. There's one for each kid and every night the spirit and magic of Christmas leaves there a candy for them so they get up every morning and go to see what they have... mostly chocolate coins and little bomboms! They love checking them every morning. Well, Celita likes ot check them every single minute, lol... This morning she went to the tree and got her chocolates and when she finished eating them she went again to the tree, took the bags and started running through all the house shouting and asking everyone to open it for her. Henrito told her they were empty because it was just one magic per day but she didn't mind, she kept runnin all the way and singing with the bags in her tiny sweet hands, lol... 
Look at her face and you'll understand what I'm talkign about, lol... And Henry trying to stop her with no luck!, lol...

Oh, I love this pic! Yesterday we started the day also with the Christmas theme and we were taking all the ornaments and decorations out and DH took also htis fun hat he once bought for himself at Disneyland. Celita loved it and wanted everyone to see her, lol... Again running  all the house with the hat on and shouting! lol...

Oh, and look at my "Handy Henry"We bought this box at Ikea long time ago and I was going to paint it but never find the time as I have to do it alone and alsways the kids are with me when we have spare time, lol... So we "made" it with no paint until I find the time and meanwhile it will store Henry's toys boxes. I don't know why everything comes in boxes... I made some bags to carry toys but there are things that have to be stored in their own box and we didn't have space enough for it. Now we have and Henry is so proud of his work!, lol...

We want to  finish today all the Christmas decorations but henry's a bit ill so we'll see what we can do. I'll show you whatever!

Elizabeth Holcombe's corsages

Oh my God, how fun was to make this corsage...

Elizabeth's tutorial is so easy I didn't have any trouble to make it! Go enjoy making one for yourself!

I made it with dark green and black velvet ribbon and then was going to add some smaller ribbon like the tutorial says with a lace ribbon I have that is so pretty but then thought of making a little crochet flower to the center and then it was too much the lace, the crochet... lol...

And finally I could use my pretty green cabochon I have from long time ago and didn't know know how to use it!!! I sewed it to the flower and then to the corsage and pin. 

I love it!!! Hope you'll like it too!!!!

Thanks so much Elizabeth!!!! Was so much fun to join your challenge!

Love Kids!!!!!!!!

Check these two posts in Bling on my sewing machine blog and the cutest french girl in Every little thing blog. It was so kind of them to share such fun posts!

Enjoy!

When you don't know what to cook...

... mostly in weekends. And this is a long weekend in Spain as we have school holidays for Friday and Monday.

I just peeled some potatoes, onions and cooked some bacon, chorizo and honey ham. Have to say it was so yummy, not healthy at all, but so yummy! lol...

Onions and potatoes peeled and cubed
In a hot skillet add 1/2 cup bacon and cook until a bit golden. Add 1/4 cup chorizo, and 2 slices of honey ham.
Then add the already fried potatoes & onions together
And tadaaaaaaa!
I loved it and much more in my Johnson Bros bowl. I like so much this china!
Before all this, in the morning I had to do all this fun, fun work. These are pieces of jewelry, head things, etc... from the shop that got in bad condition because of the sea salt ( I'm sure everyone living near the sea knows what I mean... lol...). I started looking at them as vintage treasures and finished keeping for me many rhinestones pendants, plastic buttons, etc... It was fun and so much work!; lol...
Aren't them just a treasure?
Look at these cute buttons????? I see now even more than my eyes can... lol...

I've done it!

I have re-opened my little tiny Etsy store with a crochet pattern for a cozy I love and I think can make a wonderful gift for this Holidays!
Go take a look!

Thanks so much to Stacey for this wonderful pic of the cozies she made when I asked her to test my pattern. I couldn't have made it "readable" without her help!, lol...

Christmas is coming!

That's what my kid is always asking me; Is it Christmas yet?, lol...

He wants it to come right  away. We made the Christmas tree last weekend and today we had a little Christmas-is-coming lunch, lol... 

Oh, I thought the pics showed the tree but it's only in the back side so I have to make more pics of the tree itself, lol... 

This is a closer view of my all time favorite Christmas table linen. I bought it the first year we had Christmas as a married couple and had used it since then. It's so special for me and soooo beautiful! I live in a street called "Flor de Pascua" that means Poinsettia so I adore having my home filled with them during the holidays, but now the plant itself but everything related (I am soooo bag with plants!)
My table setting during the holidays. Haven't got a holidays full china so I love to use my wedding one. I adore it and everytime I use it I feel like newwed, lol... It's Rose Garland from Royal Albert and I am so afraid now because it's out of stock now and hard to find one. But love it even more because of it, lol...

Lol... I love this enamelware from MacKenzie-Childs! I bought them in a huge sale they had and I LOVE to cook in them, even if it's a simple soup like we had today. It's so cute to put it in the table!

We had some "Secret" meat. It was called secret by the butchers as they always kept it for themselves because it was sooooo good. It's so greasy but sooo tasty too, lol... As always not the healthier is the tastier, lol...

And some Swedish potatoes with onions

We tried this malt-Christmas-beer from Ikea, but only Henry was brave enough to finish it, lol...

And, since I've been not blogging so much lately I have many pics to share. Here they are some of them...

First is this makeover I made with a twin set I liked so much but that doesn't fit me anymore, at least not like before, lol... I made the top smaller and the cardigan too but didn't make the sleeves properly, lol... I'll have to remake them but love how Celita looks like with it. There are some pics of her wearing it too.

Here's Henry and Celita trying sunglasses in the shop, lol... They always have a blast in the shops, the girls love them so much they make them feel so special all the time!

Isn't she lovely with her matching dress and coat? lol... She's here playing with this set of Carolina Herrera's new perfume. She opened and closed it all the times you can imagine... She spent half morning playing with it... 



Oh, and yesterday Carlos celebrated his birthday with a barbacue party and I can't tell how much I ate! lol... Elma made the hamburguers with Jamie's recipe, also oven baked potatoes with fresh romero, OMG everything was so tasty I couldn't stop! (you can see me behind Carlos the first in the queue waiting for my burger, lol...) 

HO, and here's the presentation page of the new Christmas Marie Claire Idees magazine. I found it so cute I had to share... I did read it while having one of the most expensive breakfast I have ever had! It was a shame to pay almost 7 euros for a coffee and a sandwich!
And this pic I just don't know why I like it os much but I truly do, lol... It's my baby with her sweet face!