Happy Halloween ...

(Me, having a little fun with Picnik)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Jodi

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See You at the Craft Fair!

Hi all.

I am hoping that all my local friends, family and readers (friends I haven't met yet) can come visit me this Saturday at the Annual Holiday Market by the Sunshine Club for Children. Here are the details:

Holiday Market

Sat, November 1, 2008

9am - 5pm

Anah Shriners Hall

586 Main Street, Bangor

Lunch / Supper served in Cafe

Door Prizes!

$1 admission to benefit the Children's Transportation Fund to the Shriner's Hospitals

I will be selling my upcycled vintage blank books, upcycled vintage magnets and pins, handsewn goodies, some photography, and various other lovelies. All at discounted fair prices. I will continue my "2 for $20" sale on upcycled blank books as well as my "2 for $10" sale on upcycled magnet and pin sets.

I look forward to seeing some of you there. Thank you for your support :)

Love,
Jodi

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Snow Goodies.

Thinking about snow? Not if you're in California, Australia, or Bermuda, eh? Well, here in Maine, we are nearly always thinking about it. It is coming soon, there is not doubt. But, it is not here yet. The snow that Isaac and his *future wife* are playing in was found outside of the UMaine Hockey Rink ... compliments of the super cool zamboni machine.

These photos got me to thinking about some more great winter related sewing and crafts tutorials (some to be added to the Alternative Gifting List to come). November is just days away ... and winter will soon begin ... so no time like the present to think about creating some of these great goodies ...

Patchwork Scarf Tutorial sewing

Soft Tree Pattern sewing

Cloth Shoe Pattern for Babes sewing

Snowman Snowflake papercraft

Winter Cardinal Tutorial stamping, painting, papercraft

Cashmere Cowl knitting

Trip Around the Wool Blanket sewing

Snowglobes basic crafting

ENJOY!

Love,

Jodi

P.S. For those who have been wondering, my friend Shannon had an amazing meeting with Isaac's birthfamily in Haiti. All went SO well and we have lovely pictures of their day together. We choose not to share them here for the sake of privacy. But thank you all for your prayers and well wishes.

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#08 and a Giveaway!

The above shot (my new fave) serves as my second entry in the Digital Photography School Scavenger Hunt . This fits category #8: Candid Portrait. It was taken at the Bangor Raceway this past Saturday (just as my first entry was).

Are any of you giving this scavenger hunt some thought? Please share your entry links here. So much fun.

ALSO ... I am so happy to share with you all that On The Dot Creations is hosting a giveaway from my etsy shop. We are giving away a sweet $25 Gift Certificate to my shop. This is my first "cross promotional" giveaway and I am very excited to see what traffic this may draw to my shop. So, head on over there to enter. And Good Luck!

As for today's Holiday Gifting Tip, you may want to check out this awesome tutorial: Quick Monogrammed Tutorial Gift by Nina Makes. So many uses!

Enjoy your day.

Love,

Jodi

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Photography Scavenger Hunt ... and some holiday gifting tips.

I have always wanted to participate in a photo scavenger hunt ... but never thought I'd have the time. Well, I still don't have the time ... but what the heck ... there is no time limit :) I saw it here and thought it looked like great fun.

So, do you want to skip some laundry and other household chores in order to join me on this photographic venture?

Please check here for the guidelines and here for viewing submissions by participants. There are 25 items/scenes to search for. I am submitting the above photo for #21 - "Something Moving". (I took this photo on Saturday when Isaac, Sydney and I enjoyed watching some horse racing in Bangor).

I am looking forward to #6, #7,#19, #23 and #24 .... but am dreading #14 (you'll have to take a peak at the list to see why).

And now those Holiday Alternative Gift Giving Tips:

I have been doing some research on all areas of alternative gifting ... looking for goodies that fit into any of the following categories: handmade, environmental, fair trade, locally made, recycled, economical, and gift deeds (frequently overlooked, but most appreciated). Each day, I will do my best to post some new & exciting tips for you all. And as I do, I will create an ongoing, frequently updated list for reference. (Please feel free to offer tips of your own).

To begin, here are some great links. Enjoy!

The Magic Cabin - wonderful toy company with environmental, locally made goods.

Family Fun Magazine - give the gift of a yearly subscription to a great family magazine. Just $10!

The Everything Bag Tutorial - a gorgeous bag that you can make for yourself or a loved one.

Clever Cape for Toddlers - make the littles on your list some capes that will turn them into super heroes!

Berkley Illustration - one of my fave etsy shops. GORGEOUS prints for very little dough. Handmade & inexpensive.

SO much more to come. Enjoy.

Love,

Jodi

P.S. If you would like me to check out your own shop for a possible feature here, please contact me.

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Cute pictures....

I got this really pretty wrapping paper with pictures of cute little boys and girls.....I just adore the colour they used for the pictures....the shades of brown, oranges, creams, black, soft green....just so pretty!

Then I cut them up along the lines....all of the pictures from the wrapping paper are not of the same size and it was really tricky to sort them and figure out how to use them in the best way. But I did a design for a card and some bookmarks too. I made a few paper beaded bookmark using those pictures as you can see above. Click here to view the bookmarks in detail in my bead blog.

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I really like this card for it's colours.....the mix of brown, mustard yellow, gold and dark brown just suits each other real well. The dots of gold completes everything else. I used the picture from the wrapping paper......it had to be cut this way because the picture was not square or rectangular in shape. So decided to choose this shape as it is something different from what I have done before. This card has a paper insert in it just like all of my other cards, to write on personal wishes. It also comes with a matching handmade beige envelope. :)

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Pure white and a touch of silver....

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I came up with this idea today when my aunt told me that she needed some cards made for her to use.......errrrmmmmm, a card design that would be suitable for all occasions.....she was specific about the the type of paper she wanted though....the white embossed swirling vines paper....she is in lurve with it! :) This card comes with a white handmade envelope and is left blank on the inside for writing in personal wishes. I wish I had a broader white organza ribbon for the card though....it would have been a lot nicer....but I just used what is available in my ribbon collection....I added a string of beads to the knot of the ribbon....just to add some sparkle to it hehehe :). And for the flowers....this time around I added the silver dots to them so that they would match the silver ribbon.... Such a simple card indeed! :)

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Mostly Wordless Friday.

Isaac and his best friend / cousin / girlfriend / future wife, Sydney.

Gotta love everything about fall. Really. What is not to love?

I am so excited about the enthusiasm for my last post. I look forward to organizing holiday gifting lists for the blog and will begin to post some great tips beginning Monday. Thank you all for your comments and e-mails.

Have a great weekend!

Love,

Jodi

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Confetti!

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Last Sunday I went to the hypermarket and saw some really interesting looking confetti sold there......I thought it would be cool to buy some for me to use for my new birthday card designs.....I finally had the chance to try them out today. The confetti are very thin but not so fragile and I find the thickness of it similar to some type of sequins I find in the craft store. So it's easy enough to work with. I just love the wordings as it does come in a variety of colours but the balloons and stars are only available in gold colour.....but it's ok, I love them anyways. It sparkles and shines really nicely on the card. Can't wait to use them again for another birthday card design soon! :) As you can see the card comes with a soft pink handmade envelope and is left blank on the inside for writing on personal wishes.

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Holiday Gift-Giving Alternatives.

If my family and friends are any indication of the mass population of Americans ... then it is safe to say that we are all thinking about the upcoming holidays. Many of us are thinking of ways that we can celebrate these holidays in less "commercial" ways. Others are thinking of how in the world they can afford to gift give and still pay bills. And some are thinking of ways to hand make their goodies, buy handmade / locally produced, or purchase fair trade goods that make a significant difference in the lives of others around the world (all wonderful goals to be sure).

Ever since our son came home to us, one of our priorities was to give him as natural and "greed-free" a childhood as possible --- leaving out the over abundance of toys, the commercial television, the pop culture, etc. I hand make many of his goodies, as he watches, so that he can appreciate the love and work that goes into a handmade product. We shop at thrift stores together so that he sees the value of purchasing previously loved items. We don't watch commercial television so that he is not bombarded with ads that tell him what he "can't live without". But don't get me wrong ... we have been known to indulge him ... believe me. He has every Pixar Cars metal car toy there is ... sometimes 3 of the same one. All bought new from Amazon ... and all made in China. Hey, we are trying ... but we aren't perfect!

Anyway, due to various economic, humanitarian, environmental and political circumstances, it seems that so many of us Americans are trying to change our consumer habits. We are beginning to examine the impact of our purchasing choices ... on our wallet, on our local economies, on the earth, etc. It is with all this in mind that I would like to use this blog as a means to promote some alternative gift-giving choices for the holiday season. I have done some research already, but would love to have readers input as well.

The holidays --- Hanukkah, Christmas, Ramadan, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa --- are all spiritual holidays. And though they all share a tradition of gift-giving, we would do well to remember that these holidays are so much more than that. Celebrating them should be a joy ... not a struggle.

I have already posted about some alternative gift-giving choices in the past, and will begin to assemble a convenient and ever-changing "list" ... please stay posted for tips and treasures.

Thank you all for reading & sharing.

Love,
Jodi

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Happy Diwali 2008!

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For the first time in my life, I have finally designed a Deepavali card this year hehehe.....it's not that big in size, just an A6 size card. Start small as they say hehehe......I chose the oil lamp as the main motif for the card......which is the symbol of light over darkness. I love the card for it's colours, sequins and it's simplicity I suppose......but the colour sure does attracts the eye. I chose those colours because they remind me of the fabrics from the Indian traditional clothes. I've seen some that uses these colour combinations before.....and I love them :). The background of the card does look like the patterns on fabrics....especially with the sequins on them....and the gold dots represents the beads.....most traditional Indian dresses incorporates lots of sequins and beads on them....so I guess I was inspired by them when designing a card for Deepavali.....

"Deep"/ "Dip" means "light of the dharma", and "avali" means "a continuous line". The more literal translation is "rows of clay lamps". Deepavali or Diwali is a major colourful festival for all Indians around the world.....and it is also a very signigficant festival for all believers of Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. It is also commonly called as the "Festival of Light". The lights or lamps marks the triumph of good over evil....and the victory of light over darkness.

HAPPY DIWALI to all!!!! :)

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Let it Be.

When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me,

speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,

speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be. For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see, there will be an answer. let it be.

Let it be, let it be, .....

And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me, shine until tomorrow, let it be. I wake up to the sound of music, mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, .....

In their youth, Momma was a "good Catholic", while Daddy was a "bad boy troublemaker". The perfect match (they have been married for over 35 years now). Lately, I have been revisiting both sides of my upbringing ... the French/Catholic heritage passed on to me by my Mom ... and the European/Agnostic heritage passed on by my Dad. Mom raised me on Elvis gospel hymns while Daddy raised me on the Beatles' White Album. Mom told me that Catholic faith was the only true way to God. Dad told me she was dead wrong. Mom laid down the rules on how to stay out of trouble. Dad showed me how to break them. Mom wanted to keep up with the Joneses. Dad thought the Joneses needed therapy.

"Let It Be" was my favorite song growing up. "Hey Jude" was my second ... and the rest of my faves were all Elvis ... for sure. But I think "Let It Be" is more than just a favorite song. I think it is more of my life's creed ... a sort of combination of my parents teachings.

Lately I have been attending Catholic Church in order to get back in touch with that side of myself. It has been a good experience ... and I think it has helped me to heal some of my Catholic school wounds. But, true to the nature of my ying/yang family ... I am still a member of the Unitarian Universalist church as well. (You know ... those heritics who believe you can choose your own path to God). Ahhhh.... tis funny when I think about it. We really can't shake our parents out of us, can we?

Let it be ...

Love,

Jodi

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First Craft Show.

This weekend, I finally set up my very first craft show booth at my very first craft fair! It was a great success. I sold several goodies, received lovely compliments, and took in a few special orders. My spot was great, the company of my fellow crafters was enjoyable, and the food that was served there was to die for (fresh doughnuts made to order ... seriously). So, I plan to do this again and again and again. I have at least 4 more shows lined up and am looking forward to more. I think this could get addictive.

Anyway, here are some photos of my booth. Please remember that I am an amateur at the whole "set-up" thing and have already begun improving my marketing style. I am trying to go for a vintage look, so will need to shop around the thrift stores for some ideas. (I would love to hear ideas from you as well).

Thanks for reading & sharing.

Love,

Jodi

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Easter bunny in basket 2

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This is the 3rd design I made.......another Easter card that I had to scan. Luckily nowadays I have the digital camera and capturing the design is made easier :) This design is made using one of my tall slim cards......and the bunny is standing upright hehehe....smiling away :). Probably because of all the Easter eggs surrounding it! LOL!.......

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New Meme Tag. Wanna Play?

I am not the biggest fan of blog tagging, but some of them are sweet enough ... and do help us to get to know one another, and sometimes ourselves :)

My friend Mitzi at Artful Spirit tagged me with a new meme. I have only known Mitzi for a few months, but feel like we might have grown up together. She is a lovely woman, super cool Mommy and devoted wife. She just started selling some gorgeous wares in her new Etsy shop and I know that I will have to pick up one of her felted items. This is a favorite. Anyway ... on to the meme...

Here are the tag rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.

2. Share 7 random or weird facts about yourself.

3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

4. Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here are my seven random facts...

1. I love to eat Spaghettios straight out of the can. No cooking needed. It is my comfort food.

2. I despise "play groups" and "play dates". Really. I just don't get it. I hang out with my son everywhere we go ... and we meet lovely people and have great experiences. I just don't get making a "date" for a bunch of kids to play together while their mommas try desperately to try to find eachother interesting. I have been told this is a bad attitude that I have. Oh well.

3. When I have high anxiety in any given situation (i.e. airplane rides, public speaking, etc) I repeat the following mantra in my head over and over ... "Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixon, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitxen" ... over and over until I calm down.

4. I LOVE airports. I could sit in one all day and just watch people come and go from their recent adventures. I love watching folks hug their returning loved ones ... or say tearful goodbyes. I love all the raw human emotion. It gives me hope for all of humanity. When soldiers come home, when babies come home from their adoptions, when a teen goes off to college, when a married couple returns from an amazing honeymoon, when an uncle drops in to visit his newborn neice ... its all good stuff. It's all real.

5. I would love to live in a world where everyone was naked. Total freedom. No judgements ... since beauty would not depend on body parts or clothing. Personally, I don't get why men can walk around without shirts, and women can't. Maybe we could just start there. A shirtless revolution for all woman kind. Then boobies wouldn't be so sexualized. Who's first?

6. Growing up, I always wanted my name to be Melissa. Now it is the name of my very best friend. Maybe I knew something growing up?

7. I want to own my own photography studio someday. Among other business ventures :)

Did you learn anything new about me?

Well, according to the rules, I need to pick 7 more unsuspecting victims to be tagged with this meme. Hopefully, they don't have a huge objection to such things ...

1. Betty Ninja

2. Sew Liberated

3. Two Straight Lines

4. The Last Bedroom

5. The Sparkling Martins

6. Perla's Parlor (when she returns from her trip)

7. You. If you have a blog, go for it :)

Enjoy.

Love,

Jodi

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Easter bunny in basket

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Ok....this is the second Easter card design I did for my customer.......I made 3 designs for her....so I will post the other 3rd one after this heheh......this design has the bunny in the basket filled with Easter eggs and flowers all around.

Actually the hard part of making Easter cards is cutting out the Easter eggs one by one....since they are so small in size....it can get pretty tricky! I wish I had a craft punch for that! hahaha.....it would make things easier for me :)

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Easter bunny

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This is my first Easter day card design....... :) I made this design for my first online customer in 2007. But I didn't upload the photos on my blog that year......in fact there are a lot more designs that I have not upload yet here! hehehe!

The design that I actually made for my customer had some little changes to the Easter egg.....the Easter egg was colorful unlike the one you see here........I didn't have the time to scan the final design huhuhu......at that time, I didn't have a digital camera and most of my designs were scanned by the printer.

The Easter bunny and the eggs were hand drawn and hand cut.....didn't have any special puncher to do all that.....so everything had to be done by hand....... :).

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Mom-Prenuer Shop-A-Thon: because the holidays are coming.

Chances are that since the weather has cooled and the days have gotten shorter, you too have thought about holiday gift giving. And chances are that since the economy is in big trouble and the corporations are receiving bailouts, you too have thought to make your purchases from hardworking "Mom & Pop" shops. And chances are that because you have heard so many horror stories about the horrendous manufacturing processes of all those toys that are made in China, you too have thought maybe it is best to buy locally made and/or handmade goodies.

Well good. I have an idea for you ... head on over to the Mom-Prenuer Shop-A-Thon to check out all the wonderful handmade, non-toxic, no bailout, goodies that these hard-working Moms (and sometimes Dads) have put together for your holiday shopping (me included). You will be glad you did. Yummy, yummy goodies galore.

And if you still need some holiday shopping help after that ... always check out your local craft shows. I will be presenting at one tomorrow in Eddington, ME. I'll let you know how it goes.

Enjoy your weekend.

Love,

Jodi

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True blue

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Halloween Goodies.

Hi all :) Here are some early Halloween treats for my bloggy friends. Enjoy!

Only Slightly Spooky Skeleton Cutout

Black Cat Mask

Halloween Coloring Pages

GIVEAWAY by Simply Joy Catering

GIVEAWAY Shenandoah Costume (to die for!)

GIVEAWAY "Eye"let Candy by Retro Cafe Art Gallery

Martha Stewart Pumpkin Carving Templates

Blogger Halloween Party

Any other links that you would like to share? Please leave them in the comment section.

Enjoy.

Love,

Jodi

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Good News.

I have great news. Really great news.

As you may remember, I have been quite worried about my son's BirthFamily in Haiti. After the intense hurricanes and floods that recently devestated much of their country, I had hoped to connect with them to find out how they weathered the storms. My current liason to the family, a wonderful man named Isson, tried to reach them on a couple of occassions only to find that the phone lines were down. It pained me deeply to worry about them. Deeper than I realized ... because one day, while talking to a stranger at Borders Bookstore, I went on babbling about my son's "missing" birthfamily ... and began to cry over it right there in the store. I am sure that my raw emotion shocked me as much as it did her ... as I had no idea that my fears were that intense ... and that close to "the surface" of my subconscious. But such is the nature of the connections that can be formed through adoption. As long as I am Mommy to Isaac (forever), I carry his BioFamily with me.

Well --- I am so happy to tell you all that Isson was finally able to connect with them. They are safe and well. Amen! And furthermore, they are going to be travelling to PetionVille this weekend to meet with my very dear friend Shannon --- who is travelling there with some of the Haitian Roots team to assist in enrolling several Haitian children into schools --- including my son's biological siblings! Halis and I were able to sponsor Isaac's biological sibs to attend school in their local community through the Haitian Roots sponsorship program and are thrilled beyond words that they are able to meet with Shannon in order to make this happen.

And because my dear friend Shannon is also an adoptive Mom, (and an incredible human being), she "gets" how huge it is for me that she will have the privilege of meeting with the woman who gave my son life. I hope to one day share this privilege, but until then, I am so thankful that it is Shannon who will hug and kiss her for me ... and tell her how much our Isaac is loved. Shannon will also be bringing Marjorie (her name) a photo album of recent pictures of Isaac as well as a gift from our family.

This all means so much to me ... it is a journey that has come full circle ... as Shannon was the woman who led me to Isaac. Several years ago, while Shannon was visiting Haiti, just before Isaac was born ... I asked her to whisper to the wind ... to my "Isaac"... that Mommy was going to find him soon ... and that we would be together forever. She did. I did. And we are. Of course there is so much more to our adoption story. But Shannon is in nearly all of it. And for her to meet the woman who gave my son life is just incredible to me. It is perfect.

(Halis and I visiting with Shannon in Utah, 2005)

I am SO looking forward to their meeting ... I am nearly crawling out of my skin with anticipation. I pray that Marjorie and her family are able to make it safely to the meeting. I pray that they are pleased, content and confident in the life and love that we share with Isaac. I pray that Isaac's BioSiblings will enjoy a wonderful school year. And I pray that Shannon's trip to Haiti will be fruitful and inspirational. Amen.

Love,
Jodi

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Black and white

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My Birthday.

I was born 35 years ago today. At 3:15 to be exact. On a Sunday. Daughter of an 18 year old girl and her 21 year old husband ... who are still married to this day :)

I love that I was born in October. I love that the day was beautiful, full of fall foliage, and crisp fresh air. I love that I was born on a Sunday (as is considered a special day according to my Catholic heritage). And I especially love that I was born to two young people who were very much in love.

Every year I like to enjoy the great outdoors in celebration of my birthday. Halis and I have usually travelled somewhere special the weekend before ...to Bar Harbor, Salem MA, Boston, and various spots along the Maine coast. But this year, we decided to stay "home" and play some soccer by the Penobscot River. Perhaps in my "old age", I am less of a wanderer and much more appreciative of all that is local.

So, we hung out at Webster Park in Old Town. We played soccer, ate goodies from The Store at Ampersand, and enjoyed one another immensely. Life is good.

And as I enjoyed my two favorite people in the world, I reflected on whether I was where I wanted to be at the ripe age of 35 ... and I decided YES, yes, yes. I am so enjoying my life right now, as a Mommy, as a teacher, as an artist, as a wife, as a human. I used to have such lofty expectations of where I would be at 35. I was going to be a world famous Marine biologist and photographer. My work would rival that of the infamous Jacques Cousteau. I was going to live on an island off of the Pacific Coast, spending my days watching the migration patterns of Orca whales. I would have one daughter, and a husband who lived away and visited when he could. I would write journals that would later become best sellers. And I would attend high class gala events in honor of my photography. Etc...etc...

And although I wouldn't mind living on that island, and watching those orcas swim by ... I much rather be there with Isaac and Halis ... without any desire to be famous ... or to have a title other than Mommy or Babe (aka Wife).

There are many things I still want to learn and achieve, many ways in which I still want to grow ... but I guess what I am most grateful for on this day is that I am able to appreciate where I already am ... and to embrace it. I have come to learn that that is where happiness lies ... in appreciation and gratitude for what you have, for who you are, and for who is taking the journey with you.

So, on my special day - the day of my birth into this world - I want to thank those who are taking this journey with me - and to tell you how much I love and appreciate you. Hopefully you know who you are ... because if you don't, I am not doing a good job of reminding you how much I love you ... and I will get working on that right away :)

Happy Day to All.

Love,

Jodi

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