I feel good

Whoa-oa-oa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now
I feel good, I knew that I would, now
So good, so good...

OK, so what's with the James Brown reference? I just wanted to jump in here and proclaim to the world that ever since I've been working out regularly and eating better I feel like a million bucks! No more tired episodes for me.

So, what have I been doing, you ask? Well, aside from stretching, doing some light weights and running on the treadmill every day, I have cut sugars completely out of my diet and I can't believe what a change it's made! As I have mentioned before, cutting carbs was completely out of the question for me (I'm Hispanic. I'm pretty sure I'd be disowned!). But I've been satisfying my carbs craving by eating whole grain table crackers & such. I figured that's better than reaching for a half-baguette like I used to, right? eeek!



But back to the sugars, I knew this would be hard for me, being the sweets freak that I am, but something had to give and this was it! I read a few articles on the internet, like this one, to help me out with my choices. My first move was to stop drinking Coca-Cola altogether. I did this way back... probably 8 months or so (I think the last Coke I drank was around X-Mas time). Then I gave up coffee drinks... no more spontaneous trips to Starbucks for my Iced Mocha fix. That was really hard! I switched to drinking unsweetened, unflavored iced tea just to get my caffeine fix while I went through the painful withdrawals. But now, I don't even drink the tea anymore... I just drink water with lemon all day! :)

Next up was to give up desserts. I don't keep sweets in the house anymore... well except for the good kind: fruits! This is how the girls and I satisfy our sweet tooth. And let me tell ya that we don't even miss the ice cream sandwiches or Oreo cookies. A cup of mixed berries or a scrumptious fresh mango are just as satisfying!

So, I thought this would be a great segue to a Cook It. Blog It! segment. I'll share with you my typical meals. I went to the World Gourmet Foods and stocked up on some yummies: I found this "all natural whole grain crispbread" from Norway. They are like large crackers but chock-full of good stuff and they totally satisfy my craving for bread. I also got some Raw Natural Almond Butter (don't even get me started on how much better this is, in every way, than peanut butter!), and some organic Blueberry Honey. Don't you just love it when the ingredients panel only lists 1 thing? Almond Butter's ingredients: raw unblanched almonds. Blueberry Honey's ingredients: blueberry blossom honey. No preservatives, no added sugars or salts or oils. Just plain goodness.



So, for breakfast we've been eating a Kavli cracker, with about a teaspoon of Almond Butter and just barely drizzled with the Blueberry Honey (just for a dash of natural sweetness). I eat mine without the honey, but the girls like it with.



For lunch I got creative with some phillo dough cups. I filled them with albacore white tuna and topped them with fresh cubed tomatoes and a sprig of fresh cilantro. I mixed my tuna with just a dash of mustard and a dash of fat-free Italian dressing (no mayo!) Oh, and of course, I squeezed some fresh lemon on top.



I love this close-up:



The girls (and I) devoured them!



For our mid-afternoon snack we had a fresh mango... my favorite fruit. Sorry, we ate it all up before I remembered to take a picture. LOL!

And for dinner I kinda cheated a little but I figured I deserved to treat myself after being so good all day. I decided to try making this Tortilla Española (kinda like a Spanish Frittata) recipe that I found over on this blog from the Cook It. Blog It! blogroll. I used only Olive Oil, which is actually good for you (MUFA), so I didn't feel too guilty. ;)

Again, it was consumed before I remembered to take pictures, so I borrowed this photo off the Home & Cooking blog (mine looked exactly like this!):


OK, so switching gears a little (well, maybe a lot! LOL!) I just wanted to let you know that I listed 2 large lots of my Baby Gassy Gooma modeling samples last night. As some of you might know, Sydney has been a BGG model for the past 2 years, so from time to time I offer her modeling samples up for sale. Her contract is now over, so I won't be offering these anymore.

These lots are PRICED TO MOVE at waaaaay below wholesale value, so whether you are buying these for your little girl to wear or for resale, you will be getting an amazing deal!!

First off, we have a LARGE LOT of 8 pieces sized 2T from their adorable SPOT & KITTY Line (click the photo or HERE to visit the auction!)



Then we have another LARGE LOT of 8 pieces sized 3T from their beautiful YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS collection. (click the photo or HERE to visit the auction!)



Check out Baby Gassy Gooma's website at http://babygassygooma.com/id110.html for more information on these clothes or to double check retail values and availability!

I also have several items from their upcoming Fall/Winter 2008 Collections but I am not supposed to sell them on eBay until after they have hit the stores, so if anyone is interested please email me and we can "talk." ;) LOL!!

OK, so that is it for this lazy Tuesday afternoon! Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that as part of my "I Feel Good" movement, I decided to refresh my blog graphics. I gave them a bit of a Fall/Winter twist, since it's been in the 70's outside here... a very welcome change. Ya like? I think I might mess with the sidebar graphics a bit but other than that, I like. ;)

P.S. Sorry for the super long post. I guess I'm feeling chatty today. Thanks for visiting!

Free to a Good Home...

I recently ran a bunch of auctions for my Baby Gassy Gooma modeling samples (off their current 2007-2008 Winter Collections) and this particular item did not sell. I don't know why, because I think it is TDF cute, but nevertheless I am feeling generous and will give it away to the first interested person who leaves a comment below this post, if they cover shipping + paypal charges ($5.00 for Priority Mail).

It is a White Cropped Corduroy Jacket with white fur trim around the collar and on the sleeve cuffs. It retails for $48.00! It is 18M size and it runs true to size. I do not have any pictures of Sydney actually modeling it because she was wearing 2Ts at the time they sent this to me and it was waaaay too small. But here is a picture of the lovely Chaislyn modeling the exact coat that I have here. Click HERE if you'd like to see more pictures. So, if your little one is wearing 18M (or 12 -18M or even 18-24M) this should fit perfectly!

And, no, I do not have ANY of the coordinating pieces for this line... literally EVERYTHING sold except for this lonely piece. But I think it would look fabulous with a plain white turtleneck and a pair of jeans... or over a cute red dress for V-Day. :)

***UPDATE: BGG Jacket is SOLD! But... If you are interested in any Gymbo clothes I do have A TON of EUC (pre-owned) pieces that I'd like to offload ... all in sizes 12-18M and 18-24M. I won't bore you all with all the pictures, but if anyone is interested, just leave a comment and I will contact you. :)***

Cover Girl

In the midst of dealing with my bum leg, plus finishing up "Autumn Blooms" and "La-Di-Dots," I also had the task of shooting Baby Gassy Gooma's Spring 2008 collection. Nope, it was not fun trying to follow a bouncy two-year-old while holding a digital SLR, leaning on crutches and keeping my right foot off the ground... but I managed to get some decent shots nevertheless. And I was so happy when I got the email from Gretchen at BGG telling me that Sydney made the cover of their "Spot & Kitty" line. WOOHOO! I guess all that hard work paid off. Here's the cover of the catalog.


We shot the "Spot & Kitty" line and the "Yellow Rose of Texas" line, but their entire Spring 2008 collection is now viewable on their site, so check it out here. Below are a few of my favorite pics from the photoshoot.

Blog Sale!

As promised, I've gathered some items to sell here on my blog. And since I save on eBay fees, I will list them at a lower price AND you receive FREE shipping. A win-win situation. :)

The first few pieces are samples I received from Baby Gassy Gooma that were never modeled or even taken out of their original cellophane bags... these are NWTs (new with tags!). These items will be available to you at a first come-first served basis. Either post a comment below or email me directly at info@modkidboutique.com. I will accept payments via paypal to that same email address mentioned and items will be shipped to you within 24 hrs. of payment receipt.


First up, this adorable lightweight coat from their Summer 2007 "Oodles Of Poodles" line. It is a size 5T, NWT, 100% cotton, fully-lined in white satin. Perfect for those breezy nights or an indoor event. Sells on their website for $64. I will offer it here for $49.00 plus FREE shipping!

Second in line is this gorgeous ruffled sundress. It is tagged as a 12M but sized more like a 24M / 2T. Will easily fit a 2 year old or even a small 3 year old. Measures 20" from shoulder to hem. Sells for $60, I will offer it here for $40.00 plus FREE shipping!


Next I have these super cute bermuda shorts. I have these in a size 24M AND in a size 5T. 100% Cotton with black accents... very chic! These sell on their website for $40. I will offer them here for $25.00 each. Please let me know which size you prefer (24M or 5T). **UPDATE** The size 5 is SOLD!


And last but not least, from the "Oodles of Poodles" line in their beautiful corset top, which looks great with the bermuda shorts offered above! I also have these in a size 24M AND 5T. Sold on their website for $40. I will offer them here for $25.00 each. Please let me know which size you prefer (24M or 5T). Also, if you'd like to purchase the corset top & bermuda short as a set, I will sell them together for $45. **UPDATE** The size 5 is SOLD!



Next, I will offer up a few hairbows made by my friend and fellow eBay designer, Erika of Abby-Doodles. These were all modeling samples and worn only for the photo sessions. Erika's bows are perfectly sized, and beautifully made. I guarantee you will not be disappointed! :)

I will sell each pair for $8.00 plus FREE shipping! Just tell me which pair you prefer and if you want more than 1 pair, I will knock $1 off the second pair price. :)

BOWS "A" --- made to match my "Euro Funk" set from Fall of 2006. Colors: red, pink, orange & green w/ white polka dot. Attached to French clips. **UPDATE** This item is SOLD!





BOWS "B" --- made to match my "Fleurish" set from Spring 2007. Colors: dark pink, medium pink, white and lime green w/ white dots. Attached to alligator clips.
**UPDATE** This item is SOLD!




BOWS "C" --- made to match my "Serendipity" set from Fall 2006.
Colors: red, turquoise, orange, green & white. Attached to alligator clips. **UPDATE** This item is SOLD!




BOWS "D" --- made to match my "Framboise" set from Fall 2006.
Colors: dark pink, medium pink, purple and "denim". Attached to alligator clips.
**UPDATE** This item is SOLD!





BOWS "E" --- made to match my "Wild Child" set from Fall 2006.
Colors: dark pink, purple, orange, white & black with flowers. Attached to alligator clips.






BOW "F" --- this is a single "LARGE" hairbow made to match my "Sorbet" set from Fall 2006.
Colors: dark pink, light pink and lime green. Attached to a large 2.5" French clip. **UPDATE** This item is SOLD!





And last, but definitely not least, I will offer up one of my very own samples. This skirt was never worn (not even modeled) because I made it too small by mistake. I had to sew a whole new skirt for Sophia to model so this one has never been worn. :) It measures 20" wide at the hips and 13.5" long from waist to hem. The elastic at the waist has not been finished yet, so I can adjust it to your preference, but it will not go any bigger than 20" because that is how wide the fabric is. So mind you, this skirt needs to go to a very slim child, LOL! Probably best for a 18M or 2T but might fit a very slim 3T. I will sell this skirt for $25.00 and FREE shipping! **UPDATE** This item is SOLD!

Oh, and this skirt is a perfect match to BOWS "B" offered above! :)

Again, you can leave a comment below if you want one of these items. I will check it regularly and you will be able to see if you were first in line or email me directly if you prefer at info@modkidboutique.com. THANKS and happy shopping!!! :)

BGG Winter '07 Catalog is out!!!

As some of you know, Sydney is my little Baby Gassy Gooma model. This is the second season she has modeled for them and we still have a few to come, since we signed a 2-year exclusive contract with the company. We shot their Winter 2007 collection last week and I've been dying to share because the pieces were so gorgeous. We just had a blast shooting these! Now that the collection has finally been unveiled on their site, I can share here too... hee hee. Sydney modeled for the "Shades of Winter" collection and also for the "Autumn Carnivale" collection. Here are a couple of my favorite shots from those 2 lines, but to see the entire catalog, you can click on the links above.

Busy Bee

I can't recall the last time I was THIS busy. Well, actually I can. It was around Sophia's b-day last year and I had so much on my plate that I almost had a breakdown. So I guess this isn't so bad since I don't have a b-day party to plan as well. But I do have a vacation to get ready for. But I can handle it!

In addition to the customs I already had to sew, I sold 2 new pieces yesterday, unexpectedly... those are the best kind! First, a nice lady I met recently at a kids expo came over to check out my sewing studio and she ended up ordering Petit Jardin for her 13-month old super cute baby girl. I can't wait to make this one... it will be by far the smallest outfit I have ever made... HOW FUN! Then, just a few minutes after she left, I get an email from a random ebayer asking me if I could set up a private Buy It Now auction for La Dolce Vita. She apparently was "watching" it and forgot to bid at the end and now "had to have it" hee hee. SOLD!

In addition to the customs and new orders, I also received a HUGE (and let me repeat: HUGE) box of samples from Baby Gassy Gooma for Sydney to model. 17 pieces altogether including a pair of super cute euro boots. WHOA! It was like X-Mas time here when we were taking everything out of the box. It's gonna take me forever to photograph it all, but I am so excited. Their Winter 2007 collection is TDF and I'm just so thrilled to get a sneak peek at it. Wish I could share here, but I can't... I'm under contract! ;)

Oh, and I almost forgot: I also have to design 2 logos and get at least one full outfit sewn, photographed and listed before I leave for Florida on March 6th. I am the leader of the Designers' Notion "Spring Fashion Event" launch that starts March 1st... so I HAVE to list something, right? What kind of example would I be setting if I didn't? LOL! It's a wonder I even have time to come here and write this, but I promised myself I would do at least one entry a day, so here it is! Gotta go work now!!! Until tomorrow...

PS... sorry no photos on this post. I know, I'm a visual person and love seeing pretty pictures too, but I haven't had time to download any photos from my camera today... promise tomorrow I'll show something pretty! Keep checking!!