Unexpected Christmas Gift

While we were in Utah with my parents for Christmas I recieved the most awesome unexpected gift! FABRIC!!!
My Mom and I had been walking through WalMart, and I stopped to look at fabic, 'cause their WalMarts have way more and for way better prices than in AZ. But I didn't want to get any right then.
When we got back to the house my Mom pulled out a huge tub of old fabric and scraps that she'd been keeping. Actually almost all of it we bought because though my teen and even pre-teen years I was planning on making stuff with it, but never ended up doing it. So, she told me that I would most likely use it now so I should take what I wanted!!! Yipee!
Look at all this goodness! :D

How cute it this?! They are cut-out fleece teddy bears!

You just sew the two pieces together and stuff it, like a pillow. Fun!

And Check out all the patterns she gave me too. Some of them I used when I was younger.

Check out these two on the right. My Mom got these for my siblings back in like the late 70's or 80's.

I love look'n back at these oldy styles.

And here's my favorite, the one in the middle, so cute! I can't wait to make this for Rowan when she gets a little bigger. But of course I'll put my own little fashion twist on it ;)

Oh and that cute sun and moon denim that was underneath all the

rest of the fabric...yeah I've got great plans for that! Can't wait to show you!

Another giveaway notification

Alexis from My Mama Made It is having a New Year's giveaway. I totally want this cape that she created. It's the giveaway item. Check it out! She's got incredible style, and I love following her blog. Take a look!

My Big Brother Robert

Since we were in Utah for Christmas, and having fun with family, and showing off the new baby...you know how things get when you're on vacation. The blogging world just seems to go on hold. Especially since it seems that we are all family oriented people. For which I'm super grateful for. I love reading others blogs about their family events, or what their kids are up to, or what they made for their kids, etc.

So, while doing fun family stuff in Utah over Christmas, I didn't get a chance to write a birthday note to my brother. And his birthday was just before Christmas on the 23rd. So, to catch up...here goes!

This is my brother Robert. Robert has done everything! He used to do modeling (as if you can't tell), and has been a flight attendant for about 10 years now, so he has truly traveled the world! Brazil, Japan, New York (like a mill-ee-on times) he even lived there. Gosh I don't even know where all he's been. But I sure ended up with some great souvenirs! ;)

My brother is the kind of guy that doesn't even know how special he is. He is sincerely kind, loving, thoughtful, and giving. And he's a true defender of what is right as well.
One memory I have of him is when I was 17 and I broke my back and compressed three vertebrae. I had to wear this really long turtle shell back brace that covered from just below my neck down to my hips, like a huge girdle. Well, after a little while I didn't want to wear it anymore, of course what 17 year old girl wants to work and live in that thing (especially while being a waitress). My Mom kept telling me that I was going to have serious lasting damages, and that I better wear my brace, but no dice, I just didn't want to. I know, I was dumb, what can I say? Robert found out and came to talk to me about it. He asked me to 'please wear it', that is was 'important'. And because I always looked up to him, I listened. And no, I'm not paralyzed, my back (although now perfect) is much better than it would've been. Thank you Rob!

Another time he really helped me in my life, and probably one of the most important, was at the end of senior year of high school. I had slacked off that year, and as graduation drew near I didn't know if I would graduate. I had all these extra 'packets' to do, and assignments to catch up on. I really felt like giving up because it really became SO stressful. I remember very clearly how he really wanted me to graduate with my class, and it became a motivation for me. There was one especially stressful time during all that when I had about 3 places to be at once, tons of homework to do with nearing deadlines, and he was going to give me a ride somewhere. Everything had just become too much that day and he took me aside and gave me a big hug and told me things would work out. This is an excerpt from an online journal I was keeping back then. "I knew that he really wanted me to graduate with my class, and I had just needed someone to give me that hug that he did, and it really meant so much."
Robert you're awesome! I'm proud to have you as my brother. Happy Birthday!!!


Love,

~Crystal

Julie and Julia

I just finished watching 'Julie and Julia'. The movie with Amy Adams and Meryll Streep. Two great actresses! I have to say that the movie inspired me to blog more and not worry about it so much. I tend to over-complicate things, if you haven't noticed. So, I'll have an idea for a blog, but wait weeks, maybe a month to write it...or just forget it entirely. But not anymore. I have been inspired!
As for the movie. I thought it was great, but I didn't like the end. Then I went researching the two real-life people (who were the main characters), and was sadly dissapointed with one of them. Hmm.
But I'm still inspired. Blogging here I come!

~Crystal

Giveaway at Beneath My Heart!

There's a Lisa Leonard Designs giveaway over at Beneath My Heart! Check it out HERE!

She has some amazing stuff!

It's Birthday Time!

December is a fairly busy birthday month for my side of the family. Well, there's three, so not that many I guess.
But today I'm wanna write about the first two birthdays that, funny enough, fall on the same day. December 12th to be exact...Dia de la Virgin, if you're familiar with Mexico you'll know all about that. It is also my Mom's and my niece's birthday. And I dedicate this post to them :)

My niece Savannah turned 8 this month. She is such a fun girl, with a very sweet spirit. She's a wonderful sister to her three other siblings, and acts as Mommy #2 in the house from what I hear ;)  She's responsible and dependable. Not to mention she's ADORABLE! She likes to talk on the phone, but mostly listen to the person she's talking to. Savannah makes for a great helper. She's always willing to help out by getting something for you, or going shopping with you. Sometimes she acts quiet, but don't let that fool you, she's got her eyes open and knows what's going on everywhere! She's very observant! From what I remember she likes to be tickled by her Dad, as most of my sister's kids do ;) And she has a smile that brightens up a room! Happy Birthday Savannah! I can't wait to see you when we finally make it out to KY. :D

Mom and Rowan. Just after Rowan as born.

Also a Happy Birthday to my Mom! I know everyone says it, but I'm still going to say it 'cause it's true: My Mom is the Best Mom!
I don't even know where to start. Mom has always been my very best friend. When I was younger we lived in Mexico, and she took the time to home school me. Let me just say that she has some SERIOUS P.A.T.I.E.N.C.E.  Putting up with me is something that I know has made her qualified for heaven on it's own. When I was in high school I was having a hard time keeping up with my assignments and getting the work done, (okay I was a slacker) but I was also on the Yearbook Staff. Well, there was a mandatory day when we would be putting inserts into the yearbooks, and I also had assignments I HAD to do in order to graduate. Needless to say Mom came to the rescue. She has always been willing to help in any way, and since she couldn't do my assignments for me, she went to the high school and sat with a bunch of teenagers putting in yearbook inserts on a Saturday. I'm sure she had many better things to do that day, but she put it all aside for me. And that's just one of a ZILL-EE-UN examples.
Mom is a complete angel and everyone knows it. When my Uncle got sick many years ago she went with my Grandparents to a special hospital in Texas to help. And when my Grandparents needed a new place to live she offered our home and has taken care of them so diligently all these years. My Grandma ended up getting cancer and my Mom became her nurse and my Grandpa's helper. When Grandma passed away she gave a talk at her funeral saying that she could only hope to be like her one day, because my Grandma was a complete angel herself. All I could think was "You are. You are just like her!" She is my everyday angel.
After the funeral my Mom spent a lot of time keeping my Grandpa company, as well as being a Mother to us all, a wonderful wife, Grandma to her own grandkids, and always fulfilling a calling in our church. Not to mention working as a translator and interpreter. I'm not sure if my Mom knows how to just sit and relax because it seems like she's always working on something. Another thing she took upon herself is the Taylor Talk. It's a family newsletter for all of our extended family, that my Grandma started, but since she got sick my Mom has been doing it, and keeping track of everyone's birthdays...she also puts that on there. One day we were talking about how some of us don't read the family letters that are written in the Taylor Talk in Spanish and she said "Maybe I should translate them all." We all just smiled and said "Don't you have enough to do?" She is amazing.
From her I learned selflessness, compassion, service, hard work, leadership, love, and so many other great qualities. If I am just the least bit like her as a mother, friend, daughter, neighbor, sister, aunt, or grandmother (eventually), then I will be able to die happy. Happy Birthday Mom, you're my hero.

~Love, Crystal

My New Ruffle Necklace

My first project with my sewing machine was an easy one, but I loved it!
A ruffle necklace! They're the latest rage all over blogland, and I wanted to try one. I used a tutorial from Happy Together.

I had some fabric I found that I bought on sale last year, It's like a brown/golden organza.  Very cute!
Cut a piece that is 20x3 inches. My edges weren't perfectly straight, but I didn't care 'cause once it was ruffled no one would be able to tell.

Fold it in half and sew a seam with a long stitch, and leave lots of excess string on both ends. The seam should leave a pocket just big enough for your chain to go through. Actually I pulled my chain through with a safety pin, so big enough for that, if you're going to use one.

Then grab one of the long strings from the end of the fabric and start scrunching the fabric down to ruffle it.
Pull a necklace chain through the pocket and there's a fancy new necklace! Since mine was made of organza I used the burn method to singe the edges to keep them from fraying. Here's the result:

I don't really like taking pictures of myself...but there you go. :)
~Crystal