Christmas Tree 2010

As I get older I have come to realize I do get wiser. One thing that I have learned is that, That Christmas Decorations need to go up on Thanksgiving weekend! If they don't they sometimes don't make it up at all, or they make it up late, because everyone is gripping about the fact that they are not up.

This year we took my nephew Keegan with us to go pick a tree. He was a little confused over the whole thing. He seemed kind of dazed. Then I brought out my 3 large plastic boxes full of Christmas Decorations and he woke right up. He opened all three and started pulling things out, 'What is this?' A decoration for the tree. 'What is this?' It goes on the wall. 'What is this?' It's baby Jesus, it's part of the nativity. 'What it is?' it continued - gotta love a 3 year old.

One of the big reasons that the Christmas Decorations have to go up on Thanksgiving Weekend is because of the Advent Calendar. I made it the Christmas I was pregnant, so it's as old as my daughter. Most years it has made it up in time to start counting, some years it hasn't. On the years that it doesn't make it up in time to start counting (mostly because it has been a bad year) that year only gets worse.

On the years that it makes it up, the Christmas Season starts off wonderfully. I'm happy to say 'It is up!'

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas Season.

Thanksgiving 2010

I really do need to write things down before going to bed. Here it is less than 2 days later and the feeling has moved on. Not that I'm not grateful anymore but the excitement the happiness to have family around, I guess it's just the focus has changed. This Thanksgiving was a million times better than last year, as a family we are in a better place. We have grown together through our trials. It was also the first time in a while that we were back at Mom's (well those that could attend).

I am Thankful for My God, My Church, My Family, My Brother's and Sister and their families (oops just realized I forgot to return some phone calls, man I'm bad, I blame it on early Menopause!)

We tried to take a picture at the table with the timer on the camera - We didn't get one good one:

My brother Rigo is the cook. We had tons of food:

My little sister made this yummy gobblers for her babies daycare class and she posted them on Facebook and the whole family turned the post into a mile long thread asking for our gobblers. Well she made them!

We are a family of Monkey's - Monkey see's Monkey doo's:

Then we all plopped on the couch - like the rest of America I'm sure. We watched Karate Kid (the newer one) it was good. The kids thought it was great!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

QuinceAñera Dress Muslin

As a Mexican member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints it's sometimes hard to do some of our Cultural things, because the Culture is so tide to the Catholic church. A Quinceañera for example, is a Catholic Religious ceremony, were one actually takes and makes covenants at the church with the priest. Or something like that. I was baptized Mormon when I was 10 years old, so I really only know what I here from the rest of the relatives and what I sometimes am curious about and research.

As you all know I love making Special Occasion dresses. So when I asked my best friends daughter when she turned 15 and if she was having a Quinceañera, she replied no Mormons don't do that. She's a wonderful young lady, very righteous young woman. Her mom then asked me why I would ask. I replied that my mom just gave us girls a big 15th birthday party, big dress, big dinner in the back yard invited all the family and friends. She then convinced her husband that that is what she wanted to do. She had wanted to do something but didn't know what to do. (Sorry Sal, it will all be ok!) I of course said GREAT Natalie you call me 3 months before your birthday and I will make you your dress.

Well the time is here. We are in the middle of the dress. Today she and mom came over and made replica dresses for a cake topper and a give away doll. She also cut the netting and arranged the lace on her test dress the way she wanted it. She did all my hard work for me. THANK YOU Nat and Erica!

COD Street Fair

I found my mojo - well sort of, it's getting there. I just had to come to the realization that this is my new normal, and I can't keep waiting for thing to 'get back to normal.' I even think I'm getting used to only sleeping 6-7 hours a night, mind you I used to sleep 9-10 hours to be productive.

I set a goal last month to attend our local Street Fair that is put on by our local Community College. I had set 2 dates previous and procrastinated and didn't go because I didn't feel prepared. I realized that wasn't working I had to set a date and go no matter what.

We went yesterday. I would like to say it was a screaming success but it wasn't. For many reasons the big one is that we were supposed to have our first big storm of the season - it was supposed to rain. Some day people will realize it doesn't rain in Palm Springs no matter how much the weather man says that those clouds coming from LA or San Diego are going to make it over the mountains, they aren't. Unless it's already been raining in LA or San Diego for a couple of days, then it's strong enough to make it over the mountains. Even though one little cloud that could did make a liar out of me for about 5 seconds.

I do feel really good about going. Only by doing it did I remember everything that is involved in setting up a craft booth. I was not prepared our booth did not look professional I didn't like our set up. I came back with a long list of things to do, this time I think I'll set up in my drive way to make sure I am prepared. I've set a new date, and have planned and drafted 2 new bag patterns.

My daughter Stephanie displayed her Jewelry - she also learned a lot.

But the big success was My husband and his doll houses. Everyone stopped and admired. I need to make him an order form.

We did pass out plenty of Postcards with our information on them.

Spring/Summer 2011

Designers work several season's ahead of actual time. So in my preparation to create a new Me, I pulled out my old plans and one was to put out a 5 dress collection each season. This is really going to be pushing the envelope for me so I think I'm going to change that goal to 1 wedding dress, 1 Bridesmaid Dress and one Mother of the Bride dress.

That seams like an achievable goal. It is similar to doing one dress a month, which I was doing and still working a 'Day Job Full Time'. Can't quit the Day Job it pays the rent, Plus 75% of the time I actually like it. (And I'm not just saying that because the Boss sometimes reads my blog).

So in order to work ahead Designer's sign up to Forecasting companies. There are many Forecasting companies out there. Specially specialized Forecasting companies. I would love to Subscribe to a Wedding Forecasting company but it is not in the budget.

What is in the Budget is FREE. I love Infomat it provides some Free information and small glimpses that help a lot.

There Spring/Summer 2011 Forecasting is online now.

Here are some Runway images you can see the rest HERE: 

I love the Color Forecasting you can view it HERE:

You'll want to go see it there - there are tons of images for each color.

My focus & a Wedding Dress

I seem to be having an identity crisis. I never thought I would be where I am at 40 years old. I've been feeling a bit trapped. My truck keeps braking down and I never thought I would be in a situation were I'm having to figure out the bus schedule, because I have no money or recourses to fix what needed fixing.

Lots of flat out wrong decisions and some not so good one's on my part and the part of those around me have landed us here.

I don't like the feeling of being trapped, I run out screaming. Literally, I've had a truck since my senior year of High School and more than once I've put everything I owned in the back of it and disappeared, just moved on. I can't do that this time, it would be irresponsible, not that it wasn't before, but this time it really really would be.

So I have decided to decide Who I am! and What I want to be! I think I lost my path a while back, and I'm getting back to it. I printed off the local Community College Spring course catalogue and have chosen a few classes. I'm going to meet with a counselor and see what needs to be done to move on to the local University and get my Bachelors Degree, and then start hiding some money to move back to San Diego or maybe Los Angeles (my family doesn't like LA) and continue with a Textile or Fashion Degree.

I want to have a Fashion line to specialize in Modest Wedding and Formal Attire! I was on that path once, and then lost that focus. I'm getting on that path again.

Here is a dress a did a few years ago - that I just found the pictures to. 6 years ago I was doing at least one dress a month. I want to get back to that. It gives me Joy!