Back in the saddle...

Thank you all soooo much for your sweet comments on my last post regarding my malfunctioning online shopping hand. It pains me to hear that so many of you are experiencing or have experienced this in the past... it surely is crippling! Well, I haven't seen the doc yet, but I'm beginning to think that it may not have been CTS after all because after some much needed rest and a long break from the computer (darn Twitter!) it is feeling much better. Maybe my mom was right...

Anyhoo, today marks the end of the 1st week of the Andalucia eBay launch, which means that a lot of the auctions will be ending soon! Hurry up and check these out before they're gone. A few of my favorite ladies have recently listed some amazing outfits and I wanted to share these with you. Not only am I in total awe of the cool stuff they made with my fabric (still pinching myself!) but I am also a sucker for great photography and adorable models, so I just cannot stop staring at these...

smallsomething has 3 gorgeous Andalucia auctions up right now! Here's 1 of them:

gigglez-n-grinz combined Andalucia with Elsie in this adorable dress! LOVE IT!

Adorable appliqued jeans and jumper by liltumblebugs

Check out silly*jilly's amazing sets (there's 2 of them that you can mix & match!)

I adore all the details & trims used in Cree's newest creation:

You have to see this listing by mamigirlboutique. A fantastic 3-pc. set!

Adorable peasant top & apron skirt by my friend Amie of princess*picasso:

How cool is this jacket & stripwork skirt from simplee*weea!?

mmmmm... are these great or what? I'm just so thrilled to see how everyone was able to get inspired in such different ways by Andalucia. There's still 1 more week left on the launch and more items are listed daily so please keep checking! Support handmade!!!

***THIS JUST IN!***
Above All Fabric is celebrating their 1 year anniversary in a BIG way! They are having an awesome GIVEAWAY on their blog, including some Andalucia! Check out their blog to enter. (Above all Fabric carries the entire selection of Andalucia Fabrics and ribbons.)
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Heat therapy or retail therapy?

It didn't take me long to break my promise of featuring items from the Andalucia eBay launch every day. But see, I have an excuse. I'm suffering from what I can only describe as carpal tunnel syndrome... or at least that's what I think it might be. I haven't actually been to the doctor (and I'll explain why in a bit) but I have this shooting pain that starts in the area between my thumb and index finger and shoots all the way up my arm almost to my elbow. It aches badly even as I type this but I just felt like I needed to do something productive after spending an entire day slouching on the couch with my hand slathered in IcyHot, wrapped in gauze and stuffed under a heating pad (I don't even know if these are the correct things to do but they seem to help!)

I haven't used a computer mouse in months. Since I got my new Wacom Tablet I've used the stylus exclusively and I used to brag to others that this was more ergonomically friendly than a mouse because you hold it just like you would a pencil or pen. Well, I've had this pain now for 3 whole days and it's only getting worse. I even switched back to a mouse, after Jon's insistence, but it's not feeling any better. Mom thinks it's my body telling me I work too hard... whateva!

To add insult to injury, the frigid temperatures in this frozen tundra we live in aren't helping my physical (or mental) condition at all! My kids have been out of school for 3 days now and it's driving us all batty. We haven't left the house since Tuesday and I've been living in my PJs this whole time. You know, sometimes a girl just needs to put on a pretty outfit and some make-up to feel ... well... girly.

Today (3rd day in the bunker, a.k.a. home) the kids were fighting and screaming so I had the brilliant idea (NOT!) to go outside and make snow angels & stuff. It took us 20 minutes to get into our snow gear! We layered up big time. I made sure my bad hand was nicely wrapped up. Well, as soon as we walked out the back door our noses turned beet red. We didn't even last 3 minutes before Sydney started crying because she was too cold. We ran back inside and soaked our hands in lukewarm water. I checked the temps and it was 0° with a windchill factor of -14°. All you Minnesotans are probably thinking Wimps!, but this Florida mama and her Florida baby chicks think these are inhuman conditions to live in. brrrrrr...

So, if you're experiencing sub-zero temps like we are, the best cure in my book is some good ol' retail therapy of the online variety (well, unless your shopping fingers are malfunctioning at the moment like mine).

Check out these cool items for women & the home I found while browsing the Andalucia launch on eBay:

Easter baskets (or cute purse or home decor) by *ladesigns*

Ribbon Key Fobs (many styles to choose from) by girlygirl*bowtique:

Custom Camera Bag by priddy*creations:

Original painting by sweetimaginations:

Mommy & Me aprons by one*boy*one*girl*boutique:

Decoupage Mommy Jeans by surfermomkelly:

Sewing Machine Cover by nanabobana!:

Incognito wallet by grahamcrafters:

Oh, and yes, I did list a couple of pillows (didn't wanna miss out on all the fun):

WOW, that was painful! OK, now I really gotta go rest my hand. If any of you know of any home remedies for carpal tunnel syndrome, please share with me. I'm going back under the heat for now...

Rest your eyes on this...

Today's been an emotional rollercoaster for me. Been chatting with several businesses who have had to shut their doors due to the CPSIA... mostly because their buyers won't accept their products without proper certification and this certification costs more than the products themselves do. Sad, sad times.

Which is why I want to give the ladies over on eBay as much exposure as I can these days. I am crossing fingers, toes, and eyes that this ill-conceived law gets repealed before Feb. 10th, but if for some reason it doesn't, this might be your last chance to get yourself some adorable handmade goodies for your child. (not trying to be dramatic here, just realistic)

Check out my features of the day: (more to come, I promise!)

Sweet Tea Boutique:

emerson*rose:

surfermomkelly:

growing*up*with*rosy:

kandy*kisses*:

takeabowcreations:

gumdrop*shop:

I hope to showcase different designs each day, if time permits. Tomorrow, I'll share some designs for women & for the home!

If you haven't already done so, please hop on over to Change.org and vote to repeal the CPSIA. Your vote can make a difference!

SAVE HANDMADE!

Today's THE DAY!

Last week I mentioned that a group of über-talented designers were coming together to showcase pieces made from Andalucia fabric and/or ribbons on eBay. I've been chatting with these women for a few weeks now (all 121 of them! WHOA!) and I simply cannot believe the day is finally here. It feels like old times for me, as this is the industry I came from and how I got my feet wet in the textiles world.

So, without much further ado, I present to you:



Search "Boutique Andalucia" on eBay to find these fabulous pieces by some of the most talented designers I've ever come across. You will find everything from children's boutique clothing, to jewelry for mom & daughter, purses, camera accessories (bags, straps, lens cozies), Easter baskets, hairbows, headbands, aprons, wall decor... and even dog collars!

I will be featuring items here hopefully on a daily basis, although if I skip a day here & there, please don't shoot me... I'm a busy gal! ;)

Finally I'd like to thank the leaders and moderators of this eBay group, who worked tirelessly to make this launch a reality. Thanks so much, Erin, Karen, Kristen, Jen and Jamie! You girls ROCK!

Below's a little taste of what you'll see in the next few days...



Awesome, eh?

The launch will go on for 2 whole weeks so keep checking for more Andalucia goodies listed each day!

Market Prep, Part 4.

I told you guys it'd be a teeny break. I want to thank everyone for your well wishes. Your comments, emails & phone calls warmed my heart more than you will ever know. It is just amazing to me to see the strong connections I've made with people I've never even met face to face. I love you guys!

But enough of the mushy-mushy stuff. I am feeling much better now after 3 days of lounging around the house doing nothing at all. I guess I needed the break. So now it's BACK TO BUSINESS!

It just dawned on me that we leave for Houston in exactly 4 weeks! Man, I have SO MUCH TO DO STILL! I've only just scratched the surface of my Market preparation. But, I just found out today that I will get all my Andalucia sample yardage from Michael Miller on Wednesday. YIPPEE!! So, I guess I should enjoy my last 36 hrs. or so of sanity because once that fabric gets here I will not have a minute to myself.

Luckily I have some amazingly talented women helping me make samples for Quilt Market so I feel I am in great hands. Oh, and I should mention that I truly appreciate all the offers that I've received lately to sew samples. Believe me, if I had a whole aisle of display area I would gladly take you all up on it. WOW, what a booth that would be, eh? But, unfortunately all I have is a tiny 10' x 10' booth area to work with and as it is, I will have to cram everything in there. Maybe next time, right?! :)

While I was lounging around at home I received 2 packages in the mail. I was so excited to see both of these items... at first. The first one was my second shipment of bookmarks. I quickly assembled a couple of them to see how they would look. Check them out... I just love them!



My second box contained my Andalucia MOO cards. Well... I was excited to get these at first until Jon got a hold of one of them, turned it around and said, "Whose phone number is this?!" Yep, you guessed it... I wrote the wrong number on the back of my cards! WAAAAAAH! Just when I thought I had one thing finished that didn't actually require manual labor!



I like this photo better because it doesn't show my big screw up! Oh, and whose foot is that on the upper right corner, you ask?



Well, that lovely foot belongs to none other than my new assistant! She is always there and always has an opinion on the matter. She is so used to being in front of the camera that she gets quite jealous when she's replaced... especially by some dumb cards...



I finally have something to put in my vintage-camera-photo-holder...



So, I should mention now that since my fabric is getting here on Wednesday, I will be closing my etsy store sooner than anticipated. So, I am announcing now a 48-HOUR CLOSEOUT SALE!! For the next 48 hrs. (so, until about 8 pm CST on Wednesday, Sept. 24th) everything in both my Etsy stores is 20% off. Write the code "GO ANDALUCIA!" at check-out and receive a 20% refund via Paypal after payment receipt. This sale is valid for both my MODKID store and my MODGREETINGS store and expires at 8 pm CST on Wednesday, Sept. 24th.

Oh, I also just listed a few samples and shoes on eBay... mostly teeny stuff. Just trying to declutter before the madness begins. ;)

Frantic Friday

I was awakened this morning by the sound of Sydney screaming her little head off Daddy, Daddy, Daaaaaaddy! as she pounded on the front door. I didn't panic because this has happened before, just usually not this early. It was 6:45 am and I was enjoying my last few days of sleeping in before the school year begins (I don't ask for much, people!) Sydney gets upset when she wakes up after Jon has already left. Jon works out in the mornings before going to work and sometimes Sydney wakes up before he leaves and they have a few minutes of QT before he takes off. That usually involves Jon playing with her, giving her breakfast and then setting her up to watch a movie so that Sophie and I can sleep in a little bit longer... and I love him for that. But not this morning. Apparently she had just missed him and watched him drive off from the front window, so I spent the first half-hour or so of my day trying to console my frantic 3-year old... waaaaaaaah!

Just to give you a glimpse of Sydney's personality... if you follow me on twitter you have already seen this, but for the rest of you who don't I thought it was worth repeating. This was her a couple of days ago:

Me: Sydney, could you please pick up your dirty dishes.
Sydney: Sorry, we're closed!

She's 3, people, threeeeee! Yup!

But aside from my rude awakening, the rest of my day promises to be just as frantic as the first few minutes. My 2nd strike-offs (a.k.a. restrikes) arrive today. And just like last time, I have a tracking number from Kathy Miller but I promised myself I would not stand like a dork by my door pacing for these all day. Maybe any other day would've been OK, but not today. And that doesn't mean I'm not excited about them. I am. Not like my loss of all bodily functions that occurred last time but still very excited! Can't wait to see the new & improved ANDALUCIA (the way I intended it)... I promise to share some pictures. :)

It just so happens that today I have a frantic day scheduled. Yep, I somehow managed to leave all things for the last minute and now it's all piled up. I have to turn in Sydney's pre-school registration papers as soon as the school opens (which should be in a few minutes) together with a check so large that my hand actually shook as I wrote it. Gulp! Then I have to drive across town to turn in my Gym registration papers because my Free trial membership is just about over and I don't want to go a day without working out. Only 7 days left till the wedding... I can't slack off now! And then I have to drive to the other side of town to register Sophie for the next session of swim lessons which starts in just a couple of days.

Then I have to meet a refrigerator repair man back at the house sometime between noon and 3. Don't you just love that? Jon tried replacing our water filter and just in the motion of him pulling the old one out and inserting the new one, it just decided to stop working altogether. Lovely!

I'm hoping the restrikes will arrive sometime between noon and 3 also so I can actually kill 2 birds with one stone, because at some point today I also need to take Sophie school supply shopping. Yah, loads of fun!

But before I leave you I did want to mention some awesome resells I spotted on eBay. If you have or know a little princess who wears 18M, 2T or 3T clothes and is in dire need of some adorable, pre-loved MODKIDs, don't miss these great deals offered by some customers of mine.


Off to start my day. Hope your Friday is less frantic than mine.

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!

Urban Jungle

I am hanging out on the bay this week with LimeVine and Friends for our first EVER Guest launch!

To celebrate this event, I have listed this sweet 3-piece custom set. I have been holding on to this amazing Lycra for over a year and I finally found the perfect opportunity to use it! The swim-cover up is made with 100% Organic Bamboo... YUMMY!

Check it out:



Search Boutique LLB on eBay this week to find the other ensembles listed by this AMAZING group of friends!

This item is NOT available in my Etsy store, but if you'd rather shop Etsy than eBay, click HERE to check out what items I have on there. :)

Thanks for looking! :)

Blüms and Blossoms

Oh, happy day! The sun came out today in our little corner of the world. It melted the snow and brought warmth to the air. And as a little miracle of Spring all sicknesses were banished at once from the MODKID household. Everyone, including my little Sydney, is healthy and happy today... we even went outside without our coats for the first time in months!

So, to celebrate the coming of Spring I have brought you guys some Blüms and some Blossoms. ;)

First, let's talk about the Blossoms. Today is the start of the Ginger Blossom launch on eBay. 75 custom boutique designers have gathered to honor Sandi and design some super scrumptious pieces with her debut line of fabric, Ginger Blossom.

My contribution to this launch is this One Of A Kind 3-piece set perfect for a 3T princess but may also fit a 2T or a slim 4T. I'd be glad to make some minor alterations to make sure it fits your princess just right... email me to discuss.

I have set up this auction as a 99-cent-NO-reserve listing... this means if you bid 99 cents right now and no one outbids you, you are walking out with an OOAK MODKID design for under a buck! What a deal!!


Click here to visit the auction.

Now on to the Blüms... I've been told by several of you that I needed to add some new Spring tops to go with my line of Yoga pants on Etsy... hmmm... why didn't I think of that? Actually I did, but since I'm a 1-man-shop right now, there is only so much I can do at once. I guess I could have waited until everything was finished to list all at once, but what fun is that? If you haven't noticed already, I am a super impatient person so as soon as I complete any design I just have to list it! LOL!

So... here you go... a few cute Spring tanks and halters for your yoga pants and flare-legged pants. If you see a design you like and would like it made in a different fabric (solid, striped, dotted, any) just convo me and I'd be glad to set up a private listing for you.


Click HERE for the Lime Green Banded Halter Top.

Click HERE for the Lime Green Banded Tank Top.

Click HERE for the Navy Blue Banded Halter.

If any of these designs come up as SOLD, just check my Etsy store. I will relist them for as long as I have fabric available. Oh, and for those of you who were inquiring about the solid raspberry fabric, I got more in today... WOOOOHOOO... so I have relisted the raspberry flare-legged pants and the raspberry tie-strap tank. I only have 2 yards of this fabric (that's all the store had left) so it will be first-come-first-served again. :)

I do have some dresses in the works made from a couple of new Marimekko prints I got in the mail today... those will be listed in a couple of days (I told you I was impatient!). If you want to take advantage of the shipping discounts ($1 each additional item) but still get these items before they sell out, you can go ahead and purchase whatever you want from my Etsy store now but don't pay yet. Then you can see if you want to add a dress to your order later on and then pay all at once. Just convo me to let me know what you are doing. :)

Happy shopping!

Hanging out on the bay this week

No, I am not backing out on my word! LOL! I mentioned here and most recently, here, that I would return to eBay from time to time for special events or prior commitments. After all... the bay is such a hard habit to break and I haven't had much luck elsewhere thus far. ;) Well, this is both a "special event" and a "prior commitment." I am thrilled to be participating in Anthology,Inc's guest launch, titled "REFLECTION". For this event, I have created a couple of sweet sister sets that are a reflection of our styles... both mine and my girls'.

I wanted to create something that was fun and colorful, utilizing patchwork and Euro brights. Sophie & Sydney wanted something that "looked like candy" hmmmm... surprise, surprise! So, after a long creative session that involved crayons, paper and lots of candy, I present to you... "Sweet Tooth" ... a perfect marriage of our styles.



Both sets are ready-made and include 3-pieces each.

Click HERE to view the size 2T/3T listing.

And click HERE to view the size 5/6 listing.

To make it simple, I have listed both sets with NO RESERVE and even added a BIN price in case anyone wants them in a hurry, for Easter or Mother's Day or any other special event. :)

If you are interested in a custom-made version of this set, I do have enough fabric for just ONE more, so please contact me to discuss details and I'd be glad to set up a private auction for you at an agreed-upon price. :)

*UPDATE* (03-09-08) The custom is sold! :)

I am gettin' my eBay fix this week... just hope I don't get lured back in. ;)