Sophia Carolina

Time is flying! ...

2010-11-19T23:18:00.000-08:00

Yikes! No posts since June, so it's probably time to admit I can't juggle two blogs at the same time. So if you want to catch up on my latest adventures you can check out the website for the little shop of handmade wonders that I opened up a few months ago, called Make Good. The photo up top was taken during the last South Park Walkabout, it's a super huge neighborhood party where all the shops stay open late and put on quite a party. We'll have live music, tasty drinks and treats and the artists will be here to mix and mingle as we celebrate what is good about this little corner of SD. The Holiday Walkabout is coming up fast, it's Saturday December 4 from 6-10pm - you've got to experience it at least once.

Also some pretty exciting stuff is happening. Yesterday local station Channel 6 just announced that the shop was picked by Yelp.com, an online review forum, as one of San Diego's hottest mall-ternatives this year. And one of the top three boutiques for gifts in San Diego. What??? That's so cool, I sure didn't see that one coming.

And here's the news clip if you'd like to check out what aired last night.

We also have another big event coming up the Saturday after Thanksgiving, here's the poster with details. We were invited by The New Childrens Museum downtown to curate an event with the Make Good artists. So, if you are in SD next weekend please stop by, you don't need to pay to get in, the show is in the lobby BUT this is the only comtemporary art museum for kids in CA, so it would be fun to check out with the kiddos.

All this to say, I'm thinking maybe the most exciting part of the adventure lies ahead, stay tuned.

Hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving with your family next week!

The Girls Are So Lucky ...

2010-06-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

I've been super busy with opening up the shop that I've really had to rely even more on Jon to hang with the girls, feed them, go shopping, take them to dance classes and just about everything else. The upside is that the girls get to spend even more time with Daddy and that's a good thing. My three girls are so fortunate to have Jon as their dad and I'm super grateful too.

Happy Father's Day Jon, you are amazing!!!

And here's some of my favorite recent pics of the girls & daddy ...

Hope you are all enjoying a great Sunday with your family!

And one last thing, I saw this cute little video (Sprite commercial) and totally remember these days ... Enjoy!

Grand Opening Party TOMOROROW! ...

2010-05-28T22:56:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe it was just a little over a month ago that we heard that Citizen Video was closing it's doors and that we might have to move. But after careful consideration, I decided to take the plunge into retail shop ownership, so now it's my space - so weird, huh?

Colleen, Rebecca and I had already been selling our handmade wares in the Citizen Video shop by trading space for work hours and had already fallen in love with this little corner of South Park. We realize that there is a huge appreciation from our customers about how careful we are in handpicking the best resale clothing we can find and then hand-making our recycled/upcycled goods, so we are so glad that we are going to stay in the hood.

One big change is that since the space is so large, I've been able to add all the Handmade Revolution girls AND many other local designers, craftsmen and artists to the Make Good shop, so there are lots of fresh things coming into the shop right now. And we will be adding more daily, so it's good to check in often. Also for my friends afar we will be offering selected items for purchase online, more info on that coming soon.

Well I'm off to get some sleep (a luxury for me the last few weeks), we've all put in a lot of time getting the shop ready and it's so cool to see it's turned out great. And in case you've not been able to stop by yet, no worries. Even though we've been open a few weeks, our Grand Opening is tomorrow Saturday May 29th from 6-9 pm, maybe you can make it to the party. I've got some great tunes, tasty treats, awesome sangria and lots of handmade goodness!

Check out more details and to learn more about the shop at the new website; www.themakegood.com

So there you have it ... The start of something "good". So goodnight all. No overnight crafting this time, I've learned my lesson. I don't wear 2 hrs sleep very well :-)

Starbucks Recycling? ...

2010-04-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

I just bought some coffee beans at my local Albertson's and got all excited at first thinking that Starbucks was finally going green with their coffee bean bags because they had an offer for a free tall if you return the used bag to them, BUT no, they are just doing some smart (albeit sneaky) marketing.

So here's the deal. If you buy the 12oz bag of coffee at a grocery store there's a code printed on the bag for processing a free tall, the code is rung up at the register as "514". The SM's (store managers) tell the employees that when a customer redeems the bag, they can just throw it away because they don't have time to bother with recycling the bags.

The truth is there is no recycling going on. The airtight plastic/metallic bags that coffee is often packaged in is very carbon-intensive and not recyclealbe and will last up to 500 years in a landfill. The plastic comes from petrochemicals, and the metallic components are often aluminum, one of the most energy intensive metals.

I remain hopeful that Sbux will do the right thing and hire a company to develop more sustainable packaging for their product. But until that day, I'm going to continue to make purses, wallets and such out of them to save them from being in a landfill and contaminating the planet.

The reason I think it's smart marketing is because if you buy a bag of coffee from anywhere BUT the grocery store (such as at a Sbux store, you CANNOT bring it back for a free tall coffee). There is no code on those bags. The idea is to get you to buy Sbux coffee over the other bags that are sitting on the grocery shelf. Smart marketing with faux green-ness.

And in case your wondering, here's a peek at what I make with the used coffee bags. In this shot I have a purse, a few women's clutches, a guy's wallet, a checkbook cover and an eyeglass case. If you want to buy something just stop by the next Handmade Revolution Show on April 24th, more details here.

So all that to say, this particular bag is not going back to them to put in the trash. Even though it has the code I'm turning it into a wallet where it will have many years of usefulness. So if you come across one of these bags, don't take it to Sbux to put in the trash. Maybe you can mail it to me and next time you're in San Diego, stop by and I'll make you a free cup of coffee =)

Follow Your Sign ...

2010-04-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of Etsy. And on today's "Quit Your Day Job" feature is a story of overcoming hurdles. Colleen of loopyboopy makes these beautifully sad and amazing dolls and is a great example of someone who, with the help of Etsy and hard work, has turned a basket of metaphorical lemons into a sweet pitcher of lemonade. Colleen previously owned and operated a barber shop, but after a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis she found herself unable to continue with the position she had on her feet. Colleen took the circumstances as an opportunity to work out of her home by making and selling art dolls and fulfilling her artistic passion. She's once again bringing in the second income her family needs, says she wouldn't change a thing, and advises that her best marketing strategy is in being true to herself in what she creates. I just love inspirational stories like this and thought you'd like it too. Enjoy!

To read the whole story click here.

On The Edge? ...

2010-03-22T10:28:00.000-07:00

Since it's Monday and you've probably got a packed week too, I thought it was appropriate to share. I say, "Bring It On!"

How Many Shoes??? ...

2010-03-17T12:00:00.001-07:00

I shot this picture last week with my cell phone. These are NOT my shoes. These aren't anyone's shoes. They are part of an abandoned estate that my mother in law is having to sort through. The woman that moved away had to abandon all of this, let's just say it's a "riches to rags" story.

This woman left thousands ... yes, thousands of mostly new items in the house and in the front and back yard as well. In the back yard were hundreds of wet soggy boxes (it's been raining on them for months) containing family albums, brand new linens, fur coats, vintage camera's and so much more. At first, I was saddened by all this but then I moved on to gratitude. Truly, I'm grateful that I'm not bound by what I own, or what used to own me. I'm so glad that I already did my own massive purge when we moved from OC to SD about 18 mo ago. This was a surreal reminder to me of what could happen when you look to "things" to make you happy. Seriously, most of this stuff didn't even have the price tags removed yet. I think it was just the shopping high that led to this sad ending.

I suppose if you have a bunch of stuff and you're not really attached to it and can easily give it away or use it for good, than it's OK to keep some stuff around. But if you have way more than you need, and then you let it go to waste and don't help anyone with it, then that is tragic. That's probably one of the biggest teachings of Christ that makes so much sense ... He tells one guy "Great, you want to follow me. Sure, just go sell everything you own, give the money away to the poor and follow me", the man went away sadly because he was a man of great wealth. The reality is there's a bit of this guy in all of us.

So, in my quest to digest all the "stuff" that I saw being trashed, dumped and given away. I found myself thinking about another person that had a bunch of shoes, actually way more shoes. Her name was Imelda Marcos. Remember her? In case you don't, Imelda Marcos is the widow of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos who was ousted in 1986 and the family exiled to Hawaii. Outside the Philippines she is often remembered for symbols of the corrupt extravagance of her husband's dictatorship and political reign, such as having over 3000 pairs of shoes.

The story of Imelda's shoes has something to teach. She could never wear them all. And when she had to abandon her palace, these 3,000 were tossed and it was discovered that the money that bought them had been stolen from the poor people of the Philippines - what an injustice. But really, Isn't this one of the great mysteries of life? Why do we always want more? ... more money, more power, more of everything.

I don't have the answers but I do know that I should be asking myself this question everyday. I need to remind myself to be grateful and use what I already have. We already have all we need to be happy, we just need to chose to believe it.

Oh, and as usual I have a few things that I came across while researching all this. Here's my favorite Imelda Quotes. She definitely was drinking her own Kool-Aid.

"Filipinos want beauty. I have to look beautiful so that the poor Filipinos will have a star to look at from their slums."

"I hate ugliness. You know I'm allergic to ugliness."

"I did not have three thousand pairs of shoes, I had one thousand and sixty."

And the grand finale, here’s a video for the Santigold track "Please Don’t." It contains some actual news and archival footage of Imelda. Most of the lyrics on this one are from her interviews and quotations. Imelda believed that she could help Philippine interests by charming world leaders into seeing things her way. She called it “Handbag diplomacy”. I guess it's how she rationalized that she needed all those shoes. Enjoy ...

ps. If you are viewing this via Facebook, you'll have to visit my blog to see the video

Lost Things ...

2010-03-06T15:08:00.000-08:00

Happy Saturday everyone! I just stumbled across this amazing little video and I just had to share it with you.

It's a brilliant short stop-motion film, written & directed by Angela Kohler and starring the gorgeous and talented Alison Sudol from A Fine Frenzy.

I really LOVE stop motion and envy people that have the kind of creativity and patience to make something this beautiful. Hope you enjoy it!

'

ps. If you are reading this on Facebook, you'll have to go here to watch it

Happy Birthday to my friend Sharon ...

2010-03-01T14:35:00.000-08:00

Hi Sharon! I hope you are having a fabulous day. I figure I could have just emailed you OR post a birthday greeting for you here. But since I'm pretty sure you've probably read every post I've ever done, and for sure you've commented the most, I decided to go public with my message =)

And for all those times that I wondered if anyone out there was reading my random thoughts, I thank you for commenting and especially for telling me what your really think, I love that about you and I consider myself fortunate to know you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, MI AMIGA!!!

ps. Couldn't resist posting this cute picture of you and your little one, that was such a fun day in Barrio Logan, que no?

Oh, and of course I'll end with a little video ... Enjoy!

Some musica de amor ...

2010-02-14T18:04:00.001-08:00

You might not know this about me, but I have an addiction to searching for good cover music, and in celebration of the Valentine weekend, I wanted to share my latest finds.

These are all dedicated to my amazing husband, Jon.

Jon, I've had a really great weekend celebrating the Valentine holiday, but way more than that, I'm celebrating my good fortune and thanking God for you. I'm one very lucky girl to have you by my side for the rest of my life. Happy Valentine's Day Mi Amor.

Hope you enjoy these ...

And what would Valentine's Day be without a little cheezy goodness.

A Pretty Cool Review ...

2010-02-09T00:09:00.000-08:00

I just happened to find this review online tonight, it's really great to be getting such awesome feedback. I better start making some new stuff for our next show in May, I'm thinking the crowd will be even bigger =)

http://www.fashionstreetsd.com/2010/02/handmade-revolutions-valentines-day-show.html#

Beautifully Flawed ...

2010-02-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

I just watched this awesome video by 25-year-old singer/songwriter Caitlin Crosby. And especially as a mom of 3 girls I love this message: "Love your flaws." Caitlin's got a studio album Flawz and a new website, loveyourflawz.com, and it's striking a chord with young women in a big way.

When asked about her inspiration for her Flawz album, Caitlin says that self-image is only part of the big picture that she's trying to tackle. Some songs on Flawz address more upbeat topics, while others take on weighty subjects like racism, homelessness, and social hierarchies. Either way, the main agenda of Crosby’s message is what she calls a “re-brainwashing” effort.

She explains it this way: Young women are largely accustomed to gauging themselves by physical attractiveness; but through her work, she aims to help them reverse the damage done by years of media messaging.

“Find those things that make you feel alive. When you’re doing what you were made to do, you’ll feel a confidence that has nothing to do with outward beauty.”

Gotta' say I love that last quote the most! Hope you enjoy watching this as much as I did ...

ps. If you are coming through FB you'll have to watch the video on my blog, by clicking here or hop on over to www.sophiacarolina.blogspot.com

Some New Art For Saturday's Show ...

2010-02-02T14:49:00.000-08:00

Jon's been busy making his awesome vintage album cover re-do's with a Dia de Los Muertos spin. He's got a "Love" (or should I say "Amor") theme going on. Here's a sneak peek, you can see the finished version this coming Saturday at our 2nd Annual Handmade Revolution Valentine Trunk Show. Hope you can stop by!

ps. details/map/etc @ www.thehandmaderevolution.com

Art, Art I Want You ...

2010-01-21T11:36:00.000-08:00

The girls have been inside most of the week because of the rain. I love it! We've done our lessons, some cleaning, playing, eating and a whole lot of creating. This picture reflects a bit of the girls' creativity from the past week. The girl on the left is by Natalie, and the girl with puppies on the right is by Stefani. I envy what they can do with a pencil and paper. I didn't have a drawing for Emily, she's mostly be writing and doing video and photography stuff. But here's a link to the video Emily made for a contest with her new Pullip Doll. Some fun stuff happening at the Hall place these days.

I also wanted to share with you a fun little video that might inspire you to make some art of your own on this wonderful rainy day. Enjoy!

ps. If you are reading this on Facebook, you'll need to go to my blog at; www.sophiacarolina.blogspot.com to watch the video

Holiday Trunk Show 2009

2009-12-07T20:54:00.001-08:00

Finally, a moment to sit and write ... what a busy and great weekend!

The girls of the Handmade Revolution really had it going on yesterday. I'm so inspired after hanging out with these wonderful & talented women. It was also a great way to get to know my neighbors and local community. I can't wait until we get to do it again.

In case you are wondering, this first photo is of some mistletoe coffee cup warmers (which were purchased by a super fashionable girl who wore them right out the door as wrist warmers - wish I had thought of that!) And then with the leftover sweater scraps, Natalie and I made "Christmas Buddies", I think they came out cute. We have a couple left at $10 each, so let me know if you need a buddy =)

And in case you were not able to make it to the show, Jon's put together a great slide show of the day. Take a peek and if you'd like to check out our upcoming Valentine's Show click on over to our site at www.thehandmaderevolution, there's a link at the top right with a super easy way to sign up for notifications so that you can be the first to know what The Handmade Revolution is doing in our little corner of San Diego.

I hope you are enjoying and sharing the holiday cheer!

Yikes! Almost 30 days ...

2009-11-29T21:02:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how many days have passed since I've lasted blogged. Life's been a little busy, but it's been full of great things and time spent with family and friends. One of the things that has kept me busy is partnering with a local business, Citizen Video in South Park. Citizen Video carries an amazing selection of foreign & independent films and is NOT your typical video shop. So when the opportunity came up to join forces, Rebecca, Colleen & I (we were already friends and members in The Handmade Revolution) were totally ready to give the retail world a shot. We've now have about 50% of the floorspace to sell our handmade jewelery, accessories and gently used clothing. Part of the arrangement requires us to each work in the Citizen shop 9 hours a week, and so far I'm learning a lot about movies and making quite a few friends in the neighborhood. Here's a picture of me with the girls on our opening night on November 1st, it was on Dia De Los Muertos so we totally went with the theme, it was a really fun night!

The other things that have happened since we launched the shop, were that The Handmade Revolution participated in a fundraiser at McKinley School, and now this weekend on Saturday night we'll be working during the South Park Walk-A-Bout, a huge neighborhood event where the local shops serve drinks, snacks and have great sales, if you are in the area you might want to check it out. Additionally, my home is open to the public for our Second Annual Handmade Revolution Holiday Trunk Show. It's on Sunday Dec 6th from 11am to 5 pm, hope you can stop by and see all the unique handmade items made right here in our little corner of SD.

So, that's me this past month. Hopefully, I'll have more time to check in but if I don't, now you'll know why. Happy almost December!

Dia De Los Muertos ...

2009-10-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

The Hall family has been making lots of cool stuff for this upcoming weekend's festivities. I've been really fascinated with this holiday ever since moving to San Diego. I suppose the closeness to the border and the cultural immersion I've experienced since moving here has inspired me to understand more about my heritage and the "Day of The Dead" celebration.

In case you don't know what the holiday is about, I'll give you a quick little history lesson;

The observance of El Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) dates from Pre-Columbian times. It is believed by many that this is the time when those who have passed away are allowed to return to earth to visit with their families and friends. This occasion, on November 1 and 2, ceremonially honors those who have died.

El Dia de los Muertos is celebrated in Mexico by decorating shop windows, cleaning and decorating the cemetery, creating special flower wreaths, making small and large toys and figurines featuring the calaveras (skulls and skeletons). Zempasuchitl, a type of marigold, is the traditional flower of the occasion and altars are often covered with the bright orange petals. It's no wonder that the baker, cook, florist and artist are essential to the celebration of Los Dias De Los Muertos.

The objects and symbols used in the rememberance of loved ones during the Day of the Dead are usually hand made and sold in local markets by individual vendors. The items are typically made of natural products, which makes so much sense to me.

And, if you know me well, you've probably seen me in a skull shirt more than once. I've always loved them. So it's probably no surprise that this holiday is fast becoming one of my favorites!

I also wanted to share this great quote by Bobbi Salinas-Norman that sums up my feelings on the holiday;

"What is the difference between Halloween and the Day of the Dead? Halloween is based on a medieval European concept of death, and is populated by demons, witches (usually women) and other images of terror -- all of them negative. The Day of the Dead, in contrast, is distinctly different. It is a uniquely Indo-Hispanic custom that demonstrates strong sense of love and respect for one’s ancestors; celebrates the continuance of life, family relationships, community solidarity and even finds humor after death -- all positive concepts!"

And in related news, I've been in a crafty mood getting stuff made for my new little boutique shop that I'll be sharing with my friends. It's located inside Citizen Video in South Park. I hope you can stop by this Sunday, anytime between 4 - 9 pm. We'll be serving Sangria and Pan Dulce .... and having too much fun with a Day of The Dead Theme. Hope you can stop on by!

Speaking The Truth ...

2009-10-23T17:12:00.001-07:00

I just read a great blog post by my husband, Jon. Sometimes he makes me so proud! It's great to see how he's listening and learning about something near and dear to both our hearts. Great job Jon!

You can check it out yourself by clicking here.

Pretty cool teacher tip ...

2009-10-22T07:31:00.001-07:00

Stefani loves tracing and practicing letters and I found this great site that allows you to write a short phrase and generate a practice worksheet instantly. Enjoy!

Love Someone ...

2009-10-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty cool beat box video by Dub FX performing "Love Someone" on the streets of Bristol, UK back in the fall of '08.

The whole song is created live using just his voice with a Roland Effects & loop pedal. The main song starts in at about 2 minute mark but if you watch it from the beginning you’ll see him gradually build the layers.

Here's some of my favorite lyrics in the song; ENJOY!

Partial Lyrics for "Love Someone" by Dub FX

“It’s possible to change this world
revolutionize the boys and girls ...

…creating a world for the open minded
a unique perception a truth decided
I know we can find it
its a matter of where and when we collectively decide it

the world is not a vicious place
its just the way we’ve been raised
discovering time and space
I know we that could make a change
rearrange the way that we appreciate the world today…

… we’re here, we don’t come equipped with it all
half the fun is learning, I’m having a ball

the world keeps turning
my road is small but I make a change
I hope you’re feeling the same way
I’ll be sayin’ what I say”

It’s possible to love someone
And not treat them in the way that you want

*** IF you are watching this via Facebook, click here to watch the video on my blog ***

Sometimes we just need a hand ...

2009-10-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

I took this picture with my cell phone just a few mornings ago. It's a picture of my husband Jon, (he didn't know I took this picture with my cellphone, but I wanted to remember the moment). I'm so proud of him for so many things, but on this day it was because he's the kind of guy who's not afraid to care about someone that most people would avoid.

The day started out as a typical morning for Jon and I. It was early and we had walked to our favorite market & coffee shop in town, we were sitting out on the patio, when the lady behind us started having trouble. She was moaning and calling for someone to help her. So Jon went inside and alerted an employee of the store to call 911, and as we waited for the ambulance to arrive, Jon started to ask some questions and wait with her. She wanted Jon to hold her hand. Turns out her name is Jeanine, she is 42, has no family nearby, she has seizures and she doesn't have a place to live.

It seemed like the paramedics already knew Jeanine. She's probably been taken to the hospital more than once by them. We don't really know what was wrong with her except that she was embarrassed that she had to ask for help. Perhaps it was a medical problem, maybe it was something else involving some type of substance - not sure what it was, but what I do know is that it was an opportunity to show compassion to someone who probably doesn't receive much kindness, if any.

Every day, I pass people with nowhere to call home. Sometimes I notice them, most of the time I don't. But probably, every one of them has a story of how they got there.

In 2004, St. Mungo's, a homeless shelter in London conducted a survey on 1,534 people without homes. What they found helped explain the circumstances that send most homeless people to the streets.

The saddest & most common reason has to do with broken relationships that were destroyed by drug and alcohol abuse, behavioral problems, physical or mental illness.

One story I found online was about Ed Mitchell a 54 yr old business and finance TV journalist. Ed had been bringing home a salary of 100,000 pounds (about $200,000 US Dollars) a year. He had a family, a well paying job, and a great home. He's homeless now after his credit card debt went out of his control and he turned to alcohol. He got divorced, lost his job and home and now he lives on a bench. I guess you could call it a riches to rags story, not a happy ending.

I'll try and think about that the next time I see a man lying in the street with no shoes on. I'll remind myself that he has feelings. He was probably loved at one point in his life, maybe he even had dreams. For sure, he has memories.

I was thinking today about seeing Jeanine loaded into the back of the ambulance, and how life can be so hard for some people. I want to remember how alone she was. So in the future, instead of thinking that I know how a person like Jeanine ended up this way, I think I owe them the opportunity to let them tell their story before I pass judgment. And if I don't know the story, I'll remind myself that there is one and if I took the time to ask and listen it could be part of my story too.

I love stories like this ...

2009-09-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

When William Kamkwamba’s parents couldn’t afford the $80 yearly tuition for his school he sneaked into the classroom anyway, until his teachers found out about it a few weeks later. Without hope of being able to go back to school, William continued his education by teaching himself, borrowing books from the small library at the elementary school in his village. One day, when he was 14, he went to the library and came across a fifth-grade science book called Using Energy. In his autobiography, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (co-written with Bryan Mealer), William wrote, “The book has since changed my life.”

After reading the book, William figured out how to make a windmill out of found objects and how to harness the wind for energy. This changed everything for him and his family.

The fact that William overcame his extreme circumstances; starvation, a lack of education, life in a country plagued with drought, famine, poverty, disease, a corrupt government and low expectations gives me so much hope for people that can think creatively - this is so inspiring!

Forget the Stereotypes ...

2009-09-17T23:00:00.000-07:00

Coming up quick, on the first weekend of October, Tijuana will celebrate the arts, culture and music of it's artists at an event called Entijuanarte at the Centro Cultural. One of the goals of the event is to demonstrate another face of the city of Tijuana and to be a meeting point for the cultural and artistic diversity of the Baja California and the Southern California region.

By the way, I love the tagline they are using in their advertising;

Discover a new world of art and culture at your doorstep, but be warned; You will never think of this city in the same way.

"Arte es Poder" translates to "Art is Power". I think art has to power to give sight to the blind. What I mean by this, is I took a tour of the videos on youtube and more than 90% paint a picture that TJ is all about beer, hookers, drugs, violence and quite an ugly place. I don't agree with that picture. Sure it's dirty, yes it's a poor country, yes there's some violence, but name a place in the U.S. that doesn't have violence too. I think we need to be looking to see the beauty that is just beneath the surface. It's starting to boil up to the top now and I'm so happy to see events like Entijuanarte, that expose us to the emerging cultural revolution happening in Tijuana, Mexico. I'm hoping that Jon and I can make it down with the girls that weekend, I'll let you know how it goes.

And for the topping this little piece o' mexican pie, I have a wonderful little interview with Tanya Aguiniga. She's a Los Angeles based furniture designer/maker raised in Tijuana, Mexico. Tanya’s work is informed by border experiences: the interconnectedness of societies, the beauty in struggle and the celebration of culture.

I say "You Go Chica!"

** If you can't see the video from within Facebook, you can watch it on my blog at www.sophiacarolina.blogspot.com or you can just click here **

if you need a link to get more info;
Si hables español, click here
OR if you need an English synopsis click here to check it out **

What do you want? ...

2009-09-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Hmm, if that's true, which of course it is. Then why do I want what I think I need? Maybe I don't really "need" the things I want. Maybe if I saw it as; "I won't lack the important things God knows I really need" and the other stuff is just my human thoughts mucking things up.

Let me give you a little perspective on where I'm at with all this. Right now we're living here in San Diego as part of an intentional community. Oh geez! Stop rolling your eyes, it's not what you think. It's not a commune. We're actually part of a mentoring/coaching community that we are helping to lead, but that's even harder to explain, so for the sake of getting this blog post out of my head and put into words, I'm just going to go with "intentional community".

Last week, as a part of a book we are reading together, we were asked to list the words that came to mind when we hear the word "community". I must admit I struggled a bit with being honest. The first words that wanted to fly out of my mouth were bad hairdos and weird clothing (but that's just too much TV coverage of the wackos that had 400 kids taken away in a raid on their ranch), but what I ended up saying out loud was "challenging". A few years back, I would have ran away as fast as I could at the thought of living in a "community"; when I was in high school one of my sisters went off to live in a Kibbutz (that did not end well) and I had many pre-conceived ideas of what living in community might look like. So far, this experience is not stereotypical.

And now that it's been almost a year into the adventure, I am starting to see my role here a little more clearly and my definition of "community" is changing. One of the things I've struggled the most this past year is with giving myself away and keeping my love tank full. I saw a great quote recently, it went something like this:

"In order to receive love and acceptance, you only need to give it away."

Think about that for a moment. Isn't that so opposite to how our culture stockpiles away everything for ourselves? That's what I've been doing emotionally and relationally. I've had to dig deep to get to the heart of this one. I suppose it's a good thing to realize something isn't right.

The truth is that I need to be needed and wanted, but really, unless I need and want others I'm not going to get what I want. I'm still thinking this one through and as a part of that conversation with myself I'm going to re-read a great book that I went through about 10 years ago, called "Search for Significance", maybe it will help me remember who I am and why I want the things that I do.

So in celebration of my "aha" moment today, I share with you this fabulous vintage Cheap Trick song that I so can relate to today. Enjoy!

*** if you are coming in via FB, to see the video you'll need to visit my blog by clicking here OR just watch the video on youtube

Another movie on my must see list ...

2009-09-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Right off the top, I have to say I love the 60's setting and the soundtrack! It's received rave reviews at Sundance and now it's at the Toronto International Film Festival and continuing to create quite a buzz.

One reviewer said;

The story is adapted from Lynn Barber’s memoirs by British novelist Nick Hornby. Jenny is a top A-level student who has hopes of attending university at Oxford in the early 1960’s, but she meets a charismatic older man (Peter Sarsgaard) who offers an exciting alternative of seeing and experiencing life. An Education is a beautiful film about the loss of innocence. It’s extremely smart, sharply written, and almost feels like a of the classic films from the 1960’s.

I'm definitely going to just have to watch it for myself and see if I agree. Chances are it will be worth checking out!

This makes me want a Wii ...

2009-09-10T15:37:00.000-07:00

This is an awesome piece of advertising for a new Beatles music game. The site says the game is compatible with PS3, XBOX and Wii, but since I don't have any of them I'll just have to enjoy the video clips. How cool! Check out the Beatles Rock Band website for more cool stuff like free wallpapers and icons.

**if you are trying to watch this via facebook, you can click here to watch it on youtube or here for my blog**

Back to school ...

2009-09-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

The girls are back to their studies, and I'm back to teaching them. After being home-schooled for 7 years, Emily (my oldest) has moved up to middle school and is now attending a hybrid home-school academy. As a 7th grader, she attends twice a week and then does her studies at home the other 3 days. It's a pretty great program and the perfect size for easing into a more traditional school setting in preparation for attending High Tech High School in a couple of years. It's working out so much better than I expected, she really plugged in quickly and is already making friends and straight A's. Nat & Stef are still homeschooling with me, with the same goal to attend High Tech H.S. So far, we're off to a good start to the 09/10 school year. We're still doing Math, Grammar, Writing, and following The Well Trained Mind classical education module and enjoying a year of Early American History and lots of fun reading.

My favorite subject this semester, is Earth Science. In addition to some fun field trips and nature walks, we'll be watching lots of fun videos and performing our own experiments. As part of our studies we are covering geology. So as part of my research I came across this fun video to get the girls excited about understanding the periodic table elements. What a creative idea, I hope you like it and share it with your kids!

**if you are reading this via FB, you have to go to my blog at www.sophiacarolina.blogspot.com OR click here to watch it on youtube

Thank You Recession ...

2009-08-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty inspiring 30 min documentary on the recession that bottomed out in Argentina in 2001 and how the citizens banded together to make a future for themselves. I'm hopeful that as we face similar challenges with high unemployment and the uncertainty of the dollar and all the other "crisis" related issues that we all have to deal with, is that we embrace the idea that what will ultimately save us as individuals is learning to help each other.

Great stuff!

Lemonade ...

2009-08-12T10:26:00.000-07:00

This trailer is from the upcoming documentary movie "Lemonade" which tells the story of what happens when people who were once paid to be creative in advertising are forced to be creative with their own lives.

According to the movie's synopsis, some 70,000 advertising professionals have lost their jobs during this "great recession". Thankfully, my husband Jon, who is an Art Director at an agency, still has a job.

But since I've had so many friends lose their jobs recently and perhaps you or someone you know has been affected by unemployment, I thought we could all appreciate this encouraging snippet; because you never know when life might hand you some lemons ...

Raising Awareness ...

2009-08-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

I just came across this amazing video, the animation and 3D is spectacular!

“The Veiled Commodity” is a short film that uses various design and animation techniques to tell the history of slavery and the problems of its present day counterpart; the trafficking and victimization of people around the world.

It's been said “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it" and that’s exactly what’s happening. Slavery exists around the world at this very moment – sometimes even in our own backyard.

The Veiled Commodity HD from Vinh Dickson on Vimeo.

***if you are coming through facebook, you'll have to go to my blog to watch the video; www.sophiacarolina.blogspot.com

The Show ...

2009-08-10T17:29:00.000-07:00

In case you missed the show this past Saturday, here's a few shots of our fabulous day. We'll be having another show this coming fall, and if you want to be notified when we set the date, just send us an email at thehandmaderevolution@gmail.com or you can follow us at our blog; www.thehandmaderevolution.com

Handmade Show this Saturday 8.8.09 ...

2009-08-03T21:40:00.001-07:00

OK, you have been officially invited to The Handmade Revoution's Trunk Show. This time were serving up some fresh locally made, eco-friendly goods, cool drinks and live tunes. Hope you can stop by!

Countdown to Comic-Con ...

2009-07-20T09:05:00.000-07:00

Emily, Natalie and I are going to attend Comic-Con for the first time. I've always wanted to go. I've always been fascinated with anything related to anime, manga, tokidoki, blythe dolls and graphic novels. It's been fun to see how the girls also love this stuff too. So in honor of our upcoming adventure to Comic Con this Thursday, July 23rd I made a little collage of the things we hope to see while we are there.

Also, here's a short video from Danny DeVito regarding his upcoming visit to Comic Con ... Enjoy!

***Probably best to only have kids over 12 watch this***

Suzie's Farm Veggies ...

2009-07-17T11:08:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago we joined a local CSA and did a trial run with a $7 week commitment. After the trial ended we had to decide if we wanted to go for the bigger commitment of $25 week on the bi-monthly package. I'm so glad we did! We are getting a wider variety of organic locally grown produce and our family will be getting their greens and if I went to my local supermarket this stuff would cost over $40 (at least, and for sure it wouldn't be organic). So if you are in the San Diego area, you might want to check it out here.

Here's what we got this week;

Spring Mix
Mesclun Mix
Basil
Mint
Tomatillos
Anaheim Chiles
Beets
Baby Fennel
Micro Cilantro
Chard
Summer Squash Assortment
Cucumbers
Radish Bites

Well now I've got to go figure out what I can make with Mint ... it's so hot today, all that comes to mind is a Mojito =)

Happy Anniversary Time! ...

2009-07-16T13:30:00.000-07:00

Well, isn't that an exciting picture? You wouldn't know it from the outside, but it's very special to me, it's a scrapbook that Jon made for me about 12 years ago. It's actually the only scrapbook I own. And as a little treat for you, I wanted to give you a little peek at what's inside.

But first, let me tell you how I got it. Many years ago, 12 years in fact, a group of our friends were having a valentines dinner, and a few days before the party, the guys got together and secretly planned a night out and stayed up late making these books for us girls. Mine contains a great collection of photo's, valentines cards, love notes & such that I had collected over the years. It was quite a surprise and makes me happy to flip through it's pages.

It's great to see how we've changed and grown together. You can only tell so much from the pictures, but I can tell you that the biggest changes were from the inside out. We've been on quite a journey of opening our minds and hearts to calling, passions and convictions. It's not always been easy, but hey, who's life is? It's definitely been exciting, challenging and I've traveled in directions I never imagined I'd go. But that's the excitement, not knowing how the the story ends.

So here's your peek. Some of these shots are cool, and some silly ... but it's us, and I wouldn't trade "us" for anything in the world. Happy 21 years together Jon!

One more thing, what would my blog be without a little cheezy goodness??? Hope you enjoy the amazing vocals - Don't forget to turn up the volume!

I Had A Crafty Weekend ...

2009-07-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally got motivated and made something. Nat and I had so much fun making these cute little animal head hair pins. I'll be selling them at the next Handmade Revolution Trunk Show coming up Aug 8 in Golden Hill from 11 am to 5 pm (San Diego), if you're in the area, stop on by! And if you need directions, just send me an email =)

What I've been up to ...

2009-07-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

This image is pretty interesting to me, it was designed as a part of a contest in 2004 to forecast where we might be in 10 years with social media capital. For me, it seems to perfectly sum up our fascination and use of various types of social currencies that are becoming a way of life for most of us. In this tongue-and-cheek view of our future world, it seems easy to imagine that the statement of our future wealth might include accounting of our social capital by measuring what contributions you've made to places like Wikipedia or Flickr. Seriously, I think it could happen.

Ever since my last post was a couple of weeks ago, which was only a video because I was too busy with other stuff, I was thinking "oh, well" I've been busy with my "real" life and don't have time for updating my "virtual" life. I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like it's too hard to keep up with Facebook, my blog and all the other online places I contribute to ... but now I'm thinking maybe I should just try and stay on-board, instead of possibly missing the "virtual" boat.

One last thing, I came across this funny video that you might enjoy ... "What Would Twittering Look Like in Real Life";

***if you are viewing this thru facebook, you'll need to go to my blog at www.sophiacarolina.blogspot.com to watch the video***

I'm loving this song ...

2009-06-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

A Wealthy Man ...

2009-06-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

Isn't this a great picture? This was taken several years ago on one of our family adventure days. Nothing fancy, just being together and having fun.

So as I head out to celebrate Father's Day with the girls and their wonderful "Daddy", I was thinking about my childhood and when I used to celebrate the day with my "Daddy". I never did stop calling him "Daddy", even when he passed away almost 14 years ago, I still called him that. I think there's a difference ... Dad vs Daddy. I'll post about that some other time.

So I was thinking about my good fortune of having a father that spent time with me, who taught me to love God and the simple things in life and I'm grateful for that. And right now as I'm heading out to celebrate the day with Jon, who's an amazing father to my three girls, I wanted to let him know that I'm thankful beyond words for being a great "daddy" to the girls. And the truth is I'm bad with words, (even though it's my love language) and I struggle to put my thoughts on paper or in this case electronic characters to grace the world wide web for centuries to come.

So instead I wanted to share with you a gift that Jon gave me, something that he wrote for me almost 14 years ago. My tradition is to read this every Father's Day so that I remember the value of not only having a great father, but also of being one.

Thanks Jon for being a man I can look up to and a father that Emily, Natalie and Stefani love so deeply ... Happy Father's Day 09!

The Wealthiest Man I Ever Knew - by Jon Hall, Christmas 1995

The wealthiest man I ever knew wasn’t a man of many possessions. He didn’t have a fleet of cars, a big house, or attend expensive therapy sessions.

He was a man of simplicity, of gentleness … of servant hood and of thoughtfulness – with a fair share of caring, He had a character like no other … strong, but not overbearing. Of worldly things, he had quite few … that which he had tended to be recycled, used, and not very new.

But of earthly things, this man was beyond rich. The love of his family, and of his God, carried him through life without a hitch. Oh, he had problems, setbacks, and failing health like the rest of us. But the love of one daughter, she is the essence of love – represented in its simplest.

This daughters’ love, showed more than caring. It showed more than admiration, something far more daring. Her love was the essence of unconditional love. Something more than from herself, something more like from above.

This man showed his daughter this love, every chance he would … He showed it through the lessons, he showed it when they were fishing, he showed it whenever he could.

And from his example, she learned something quite valuable. She learned to love in a way that was gentle, but unstoppable. It showed in those hours, many a long hour, that she sat at his bedside, frustrated, but not sour.

For she knew that this man, tired, in pain, and near the end, was going to a place unlike any other … he was going to a place where his body would more than mend.

What made this man so wealthy, was more than money could buy. It’s worth more than anything … more than the world, bigger than the sky. It’s worth more than all the possessions of the world, more than all this earth could offer. His wealth was so staggering, greater than the world coffer.

For this man’s wealth was based on a love. The love of his God, the love of his daughter. An unconditional love, more than this world could ever offer.

And in the day, that she see’s her father again, she’ll give him a hug, she’ll share a tear, but she’ll know where he’s been. In the place he is now, in a place we can only imagine, this wealthy man’s there now, in a place called heaven.

Soggy Day Sale ...

2009-06-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

Our Handmade Revolution sales at the carnival this past weekend were pretty slow due to the rain. And because I have to send two kiddos to camp and really needed to sell these asap I thought I'd give you a chance to "help me help you", no wait it's the other way around ... I get so confused =)

Either way, I've got a great stash of men's vintage camera t-shirts that Jon designed for me, he first took pictures of the actual cameras and then did his magic on them. Both of these camera's were part of my dad's camera's collection that he gave to Jon a very long time ago. I especially remember my dad taking some great family pictures with the brownie, what a cool camera!

These shirts are a high quality 100% combed cotton. Super soft and light. Great for wearing in summer and would make the perfect Father's Day gift ... Only $20 and I'll pay for the shipping. If you want one just select which size you need in the pulldown menu; I have Med, Large and XL.

Just click on the paypal link to buy one and save yourself a trip to the mall =)

Green Shirt with Polaroid Camera

Gray Shirt with Brownie Camera

Starbucks Recycled Coffee Bag Wallet ...

2009-05-24T16:31:00.000-07:00

Today I slept in, then took a long walk and got a great cup of Costa Rican coffee at Grant's Market in Golden Hill. Spent time with Jon and the girls. And I made something new from something old ... it was a very good day!

Hot off the press ...

2009-05-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

My crafty sista's and I ... "The Handmade Revolution" will have a booth selling our handmade wares at;

The 11th Annual San Diego
The Old House Fair
Saturday, June 20th 2009
10 am to 4 pm

The event will feature a historic home tour, children’s activities and crafts, community booths, food vendors, and many local artists. The fair will take place over two blocks in South Park intersecting at 30th and Beech Streets. Entrance to the Old House Fair is free. Hope you can stop by!

Creativity ...

2009-05-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

I'm not Mormon, and I don't think it matters what religion you are to appreciate this beautiful message for all of our souls.

Invisible Thread ...

2009-05-05T16:51:00.000-07:00

Last week marked the end of Volume 4 of Heroes ... I was happy with the ending and am looking forward to Volume 5 "Redemption". I especially love the last voiceover by Mohinder. I've found the transcript and wanted to share it with you to ponder.

We are all connected, joined together by an invisible thread, infinite in its potential and fragile in its design. Yet while connected, we are also merely individuals, empty vessels to be filled with infinite possibilities, an assortment of thoughts, beliefs, a collection of disjointed memories and experiences. Can I be me without these? Can you be you? And if this invisible threat that holds us together were to sever, to cease—what then? What will become of billions of lone, disconnected souls? Therein lies the great quest of our lives: To find, to connect, to hold on. For when our hearts are pure and our thoughts in line, we are all truly one, capable of repairing our fragile world and creating a universe of infinite possibilities.

Blessed are the poor ...

2009-04-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

I was thinking today about the U.S. economic meltdown and how most people are coping. I wondered ... What does God see? What does He think about all our complaining about the loss of equity in our homes, the loss of earnings on our 401K & profit sharing plans, salary pay cuts and even cutting back on what we spending. Are you wondering???

I think that even now, in the midst of "the crisis", that God is calling us to go out to those in even greater need and to love them with the love of Jesus, who ate with tax collectors, befriended prostitutes, embraced the leper and cared passionately for the poor and marginalized.

So I wonder ... Do we still know who are we?

Ask the poor, they will tell you who the Christians are. - Gandhi

Also, I came across this interesting, in your face video about the excess of our mainstream American society. I mostly like the artistry and music in it, but still consider it somewhat thought provoking.

WARNING: Some of these pictures are not appropriate for kids

Who's Gonna Build The Wall? ...

2009-04-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

I recently found this on a blog somewhere, I wish I could remember which one;

As the border wall cuts the land, it cuts the communities of the border and tries to create differences among them. This wall, imposed upon us by those who do not live here, is said to be a form of “security” but there can be no security when division and hate are created.

Since I now live in San Diego, this is a pretty hot topic so I hear both sides of the issue regularly.

But, I was especially reminded today of the injustice of this line we have drawn between the U.S. and Mexico, when Natalie, my daughter, told me how unfair she thinks it is that her friend Karla who lives in Tijuana can never, ever visit her. Well, I think Natalie has every right to be sad about that, and I wish more people understood this issue beyond what what our media portrays.

So with that little exchange on my mind, I wanted to share this video from a few years back, but it's oh so relevant for today. I like that it's tongue in cheek and it's even a catchy tune. Enjoy!

Tea Wallets ...

2009-04-13T13:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple of shots of the tea wallets I've been dreaming up. They are $15 bucks each and come with 4 bags of tea for emergencies. BTW, in case you haven't you heard, tea is the new coffee =)

Handmade Revolution ...

2009-04-11T19:11:00.001-07:00

Well it's official, the creative group of women that I am a part of, is excited to announce that we finally have a name. We're calling ourselves the Handmade Revolution. Our next trunk show is Saturday April 25 at my home in Golden Hill (near downtown San Diego). You're all invited to come on by and shop for some cool stuff that's all locally handmade and mostly one of a kind, I hope you can make it!

Hurt, Healing, Hope ...

2009-04-08T10:55:00.001-07:00

I had very interesting weekend. I'm still processing a bit, but thought I'd share a little of what I've been thinking about with you.

Our relatively new missional community here in San Diego, took a few participants & road trippers down to Ensenada this weekend to meet another intentional community that is very similar to us that lives in Ensenada and together we visited a women & childrens shelter called Casa de Esperanza (House of Hope) in Ensenada. We prepared lunch for the women and kids and did some painting.

As our group prepared to go into Mexico, which many consider dangerous territory these days, I felt peace about going. I don't know about the rest of the group, but for me, once I crossed the border I felt freedom, absolutely no fear and somehow felt so much closer to God. Not sure why, but it sure hit me in a very real way.

I had also been asked to share my life story with the women of the shelter. Two of us were to share our story and two of the women of Esperanza shared their stories as well. I had said yes about a week ago and had been mulling it around but had not known what exactly I should say. I of course prayed for inspiration and direction, but did not hear an audible "aha! this is what I need to say". I continued to trust that God would show up. I was encouraged because my friend Laurie, who has an amazing story was going to be sharing and she really has done this before and knew what to expect.

I on the other hand was terrified. As I lay in bed one night last week, I realized that I had never shared my personal story with a group other than close personal friends. So as Saturday approached I became more and more obsessed with putting something down on paper. But the strangest thing happened on Thursday night as I lay in bed, I got a meassage from God, He said ... "Don't get in the way, I'll show up" ... so after that I really stopped worrying about it.

So now as I reflect on my insecurity of being able to pull this off, I was thinking about how time after time God calls on the least likely, they usually want to pass up on the offer, and then God has to exert His will on us, either that or we totally miss out on living out the good that can happen when we take risk and obey.

So my surreal moment was when I realized that all the physical, verbal and emotional abuse that I suffered at the hand of my mother and the healing that came from understanding unconditional love (God, Jon, my kids & my friends) cultivated the hope that I now have that God is using all of it for good. These women at the shelter are actually in parenting programs to learn how to be a better moms. Most of them are young moms, most were abused by their parents and then sometimes by their spouses. And even now some go on to abuse their own kids and then by the grace of God they end up at Esperanza. They are learning how to break the cycle, and I guess my story was relevant to speak to that need.

I also learned that when you speak from your heart, no matter how painful, God will show up and when people see how God has touched your life, they might want to experience that same hope and gain courage to carry on - at least that's what some of these ladies told me afterwards.

While preparing for this weekend, I developed a theme for my life story; Hurt, Healing & Hope. Catchy huh? I now understand that God took all the bits and pieces of my life, wove them all together and let me use them for this past weekend.

In my mind I think of it like this: Did you ever audition for a play? Usually you have to do a bit of acting or singing – then you leave and hope to get a callback. You have to be absolutely perfect or at least the best for the role you tried out for to get "the part".

But now I realize that each of us have a role in life that only we can fill. We don’t have to audition for it, because we are the only one who can do exactly what it calls for. God has chosen you to do a specific thing. And, the best part is, you aren’t in competition with anyone else for "the part”. And when God calls for you, there is nobody else who can answer for you. You have no contenders. It's only you that He wants. So think about that the next time you need to open up and share your journey with one or even 15 people. Trust me, God will show up.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Chasing Dreams ...

2009-03-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

Most Americans when asked which day of the week they dislike most will say "Monday". When asked the reason, most would say "because I have to go back to work or school". If a person dislikes Monday because of school or work, maybe they are in the wrong job or studying the wrong courses and probably should look for something that enables them to enjoy Mondays - and every other day for that matter.

You can spend most of your life doing something you dislike to bring in the money which pays the bills which enables you to go back to work another day to bring in the money which pays the bills ... or maybe you can get off the treadmill and go another direction.

Recently I had a conversation with one of my friends about what she really wanted to do with her life. After she told me I asked "why don't you start doing that", she said "I'm waiting for the right time." I said "Life is short. And life is not just about being comfortable - its about living out your passions." I wish I could communicate this better, but it's something that I think is one of the most important reasons why we are all so uniquely gifted and have such different interests and personalities. God wants us to use our talents for his purposes and to find fulfillment and happiness. And its so sad that many people get stuck and never do connect with the thing that will give them the highest sense of purpose & passion.

I often use this analogy; Life is a puzzle and we need to find all the pieces to our jigsaw puzzle. We don't always know what's going to go where, you don't know where the pieces are but you do know that you need to keep looking for the pieces and try and figure out where they go.

I'm in my mid 40's and know that I could live a long life or a brief one, there are no guarantees for any of us. So whenever my time comes, I want to ensure that I lived a life doing what I love most and loving the people in my life to the fullest.

I was watching a tv talk show the other day, the guest was P. Diddy and he said; "If you are chasing your dreams ... RUN FASTER!" I thought that was pretty cool. But I don't think it means "do more," what I think what it means is do what matters or at the very least, we should make sure we are running in the right direction.

So that concludes my little reality check for where I'm at. And here's a little treat for you as you journey on towards your dreams; It's a clip from The Pursuit of Happyness starring Will Smith from a few years back, I've posted a little snippet from one of my favorite scenes from the movie. Enjoy!

** If you came in via Facebook, you'll need to head over to my blog @ www.sophiacarolina.blogspot.com to see the video clip **

Thrifty Treasures ...

2009-03-29T16:45:00.000-07:00

I had a few minutes yesterday to stop by a roadside flea market, while I was there I picked up these cute little vintage treasures for only $1.75. The glass jar actually goes with a set I already have, so now I think I have all the sizes. The basket is in my favorite color of 70's avocado green and the crewel embroidery is dated on the back; circa 1974.

Now I have to decide what to put in the jar, maybe my loose cardamom tea leaves. Hmm, I think I'll go make myself a cup of tea now and think about how to spend the rest of my weekend. Hope you're having a good one too!

Thrifted Cashmere ...

2009-03-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

I have a soft spot for old cashmere sweaters. I often find these gems in my local thrift store hangouts. I love them for their comfy-fuzzy goodness.

So when find them for cheap (when they are new they usually sell for over $75), I take them home and add my own twist to them and sell them with a new lease on life. Sometimes they remain as a sweater, but I've also started turning them into purses and slouchy hobo bags. I've been selling on Etsy for a while now, but I recently sub-leased some retail space at the amazing Citizen Video store in South Park and have been selling a variety of clothing, accessory and stationary items.

I just added these new goodies to my retail space yesterday. I just thought you might enjoying seeing what I made this week.

Let the dance begin ...

2009-03-24T09:32:00.001-07:00

I read an interesting post on Jesus Manifesto today, the title is "The Global Crisis and the Violation of Beauty". I'm highly persuaded by this awesome perspective and call to action! Here's an excerpt from the ending ...

Let us invite beauty into our midst with parties. Let us give our most prized possessions away to the poor. Let us empty our homes of anything that remains unused and unstewarded. Let us repent when we merely consume but do not replace with something beautiful and precious. Let us be reckless in our gift giving. Let us envision a future where there is no lack because there is no hoarding.

Let us look for the beautiful in our enemies. Let us rename the flaw and the broken with magnanimous names of lavishness. Let our only debt be that of love and may we be reckless and wasteful in our welcoming of the stranger.

Let the dance begin!

Thrift Store Art ...

2009-03-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I scored a huge collection of original watercolors and pastels in a portfolio I bought at the Salvation Army. I'm assuming that it belonged to a college student who decided not to become a starving artist. Most of the art was "OK" but not really my "cup-o-tea" so I decided to embellish it with some of my very kitchy collection of vintage children's book illustration art. To experiment I took one of the landscape scenes and added my two cents ... I'm quite pleased with the result. Natalie was at first appalled that I would deface someone's art, but now that it's finished she's thinking that I improved it. If you want to buy some of the originals and save them from my gluestick, send me an email and you can buy a 15" x 11" original and unadulterated version for $15 shipped. Otherwise, once I add my spin they are going into my Etsy shop for $24 shipped. Thanks for stopping by today and visiting with Heidi and her forest friends =)

Nothing That I've Done Remains ...

2009-03-18T11:03:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share this song by one of my favorite Christian artists - Keith Green. I really needed this reminder today that I am completely loved by God - perhaps it's good timing for you too.

Keith had an amazing career as a Christian singer. His life, and those of his 2 small children, ended when his plane crashed in 1982, when he was only 28 years old.

How awesome, that although Keith is no longer on this earth, his music is still making a difference today!

** if you are viewing this message on Facebook, you'll have to go over to my blog at www.sophiacarolina.blogspot.com to see the video **

Craftastic! ...

2009-03-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

This is a hilarious video by my favorite craft diva, Leslie Hall - she's the cheesiest! ... Enjoy =)

**if you are coming in via Facebook, you'll have to go to my blog at www.sophiacarolina.blogspot.com to watch the video**

Art Therapy ...

2009-03-04T09:04:00.001-08:00

I'm feeling pretty crummy today - it's probably just a sinus infection, I'll be just fine after I get some drugs. So I thought I'd cheer myself up with a potent dose of cuteness with some original art by Natalie, my 10 yr old daughter and Emily who is 12. Natalie has been using Adobe Illustrator and she's getting really proficient, she made the kitty's and snail. Emily is really great at writing, she has a great blog at www.emilycarolina.blogspot.com and she is amazing with clay, she made the bunny and mini robot, the girls have shops on etsy, click here for Emily's and here for Natalie's, take a peek and maybe you would like to buy some of their creations, they are raising money to go to camp this summer.

The girls really inspire me with their creativity, so one day while they were "creating" I got in the mood to make something too.

I named my new doll "Mochi" and she's making me feel better already.

Do you need to get back home? ...

2009-03-03T09:17:00.000-08:00

I found this on Jesus Manifesto today and found it interesting. I think it's good to reflect on where we are and the more important question, is it where you want to be?

A PIRATE LOST AT SEA

It is hard to use a star chart in the city,

As a pirate in the age of SUVs.

The bills stack up, the pipes back up,

Your ship is sinking under all the weight.

It is hard to be a mystic in the milieu,

You seek a path, and then you rush right past it.

From the shore your captain waves,

“Come ashore and rest,” he begs,

But you’re busy with the map, too dense to hear him.

It is hard to be still when each sinew

Within you wants to scream and cry and grasp.

To force your own solution, to demand a substitution

When all you really had to do was ask.

It is tricky when the Wind is trying to send you

Where you want to go, but you refuse to yield.

You are tacking instead,

Backing up, lost in your head,

Looking toward those greener pastures,

Serving way too many masters,

Out of earshot of the calling of a friend.

Hearth and home are far away, around the corner,

You come home each night, but never really live there.

For you’re still out on the seas –

Missed the forest for the trees –

You keep taking, but you’ve nothing left to offer.

Cast your fate upon the shore of severe mercy.

The only way to get back home is burn your map.

Sail on back and get your captain.

Let him be the peace you’re wrapped in.

Turn around now, you’ve sailed into a trap.

Keep Loving Well ...

2009-02-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

Last week I had such a heart softening experience while attending a little mini concert performed by my new friend Kate White, (a gifted singer, song writer, violinist) at a local drug rehab shelter in my neighborhood. I was also there with my good friends & NieuCommunties team mates Laurie & Brittany. As Kate shared her music and her personal story she let these women know in such a beautiful and heartfelt way that they can make it through this time of struggle and that there is a God that loves and cares about them and with Him they can find endurance, hope and peace.

And because of this, an amazing event occurred in a little 300 sf foot room in Golden Hill. I can't possibly communicate to you the unforgettable and inspiring evening that it was. At the end of the concert, we were about to say our goodbyes when one woman asked Kate a question; "How can I be saved?" and within 15 seconds a circle formed of about 30 women who all wanted to give their lives to God. It was of the most spectacular things I've ever witnessed.

So after a prayer that these women so enthusiastically shouted we ended up staying a while to hear their stories and pray individually. There were lots of hugs and tears, and I was humbled and felt like God was letting us all have a peek into what He is already doing in this little corner of the world. A world that I knew nothing about. So now that I know, I have a responsibility to care.

So with this on my mind, I came across this song from the 90's by Tears for Fears and love the words that even include reflection on what's going on with the struggles that most of us have right now regarding our government & the economy. This song reminded me that what we are all required by God to do, even now in these uncertain times, is to keep sowing the seeds of love.

**if you are coming through Facebook, you'll need to go to my blog @ www.sophiacaroling.blogspot.com to be able to watch the video**

The Top Ten Reasons Why I Love Jon Hall ...

2009-02-13T23:10:00.000-08:00

First of all, have you seen him??? This photo is for all you guys that teased Jon about his goofy "80's" pictures. This one proves you all wrong - he is so not a geek. He's amazingly handsome, both inside and out!

So in honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share with you my top ten reasons why I love Jon Hall. There are actually hundreds of reasons, but I'll just share my Top Ten with you ...

ps. He'll be so appalled that I posted this for the world to see; but this is what he gets for marrying Ms. "I don't care" =)

!Feliz Dia De San Valentin Mi Amor!

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

1. He makes me laugh, a lot!

2. He really listens to me. (and certainly never falls asleep when I'm talking to him)

3. He has a beautiful smile & gorgeous green eyes.

4. He suffers through American Idol, Desperate Housewives, So You Think You Can Dance, Project Runway & What Not To Wear, just so that we can be together.

5. He plants my favorite flowers; hence the gardenia plant by the front door.

6. He makes me coffee almost every morning.

7. He is super intelligent, but doesn't flaunt it.

8. His love for God, his family and friends is immeasurable. He is unfailingly loyal, if you are his friend, you already know this.

9. He is honest, kind, thoughtful and full of integrity.

10. He is an amazing father! He loves his kids generously and his girls adore him. I pray the girls find men just like their daddy to marry someday.

And after 27 years, he is still my best friend and the man I want to grow old with.

So my hope is that even if you don't make a list to share with the entire internet, please make sure to let your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, etc. know that they are loved and appreciated; not just today, but everyday.

Oh, wait! One more thing. I have a song to share. It's remake of one of my favorite 80's songs. Enjoy!

Questions ...

2009-02-11T23:09:00.000-08:00

A good friend of our is dealing with some serious health issues and while I pray and ask God for a miracle, I also wonder why this friend? Why now?

When I was growing up, it wasn't O.K. to question God. Often I heard "It's God's will and we accept it." Occasionally, I did hear prayer for miracles, but when the healing didn't happen the blame shifted to either "you must have sinned and this is why you aren't being healed" OR "God just doesn't want to heal you." Neither sat very well with me. Maybe this is why the first 30 some years of my life I was terrified of God.

As I reflect on this, I think I've shifted radically in my beliefs about my relationship with God and how He feels about me asking "WHY?"

I think it's O.K., because as I look in the bible I see many examples of people asking why; For example, take a look at Job, like him I may have to wait for 40 chapters of my life to hear anything from God, and even then, it may not be what I ever thought I needed, but the 40 chapters of my life with God will have been worth it.

And then in Psalms, David questions God quite often and he was still greatly loved and blessed.

I suppose the sticky part is when we get lost in the question and never move on.

And another huge example; Jesus questioned God ... and that "Why?" didn’t keep him lost in the garden.

So maybe instead of just asking God “Why are things the way they are?” I need to say, “OK, because things are the way they are ... "what then should I do?"

True Love ...

2009-02-04T12:43:00.000-08:00

Since it's February and I've been thinking a lot about "love" and the upcoming Valentine holiday, I thought it appropriate to share this amazing eulogy written by Scott Edelman (a gifted writer & editor) on the passing of his father last month.

If only I could do half as well with communicating my love to Jon and the girls.

Scott Edelman spoke these words at his father's funeral;

I have known my father, really known him, for all of my life. Not every child is lucky enough to have been able to say that.

Some children miss out on their fathers because they decide to be physically absent, choosing work or hobbies over spending time with their kids. Other parents are emotionally absent, not letting their children see that they even have emotions, hiding who they really are, maybe because they are embarrassed by their feelings, or afraid that real men don't cry, or hug, or kiss their children.

With my father, I wanted for nothing. Dad was always there for me in both body and spirit, showing me by his living example what it was like to be a father and a husband, that it was possible for a man to show tenderness, to be unafraid of open affection with his children, and to be a loving husband. He was selfless with us all.

It is impossible to speak of my father without also speaking of my mother, because they were one. Together, they showed me what true love was like, taught me what a marriage should be. Dad loved us all more than he loved himself. When it became too hard for him to live on, the pain that was the greatest for him was never his own, but rather the pain that he saw in us.

At tragic times like these, so many families are worried about all the things left unsaid because they were not brave enough to say them and they ran out of time.

We were lucky, because of my father's openness, in that we always said to each other what needed to be said from the moment I was born. There are no regrets about that thanks to his openness, his willingness, his understanding and his love.

But the most important thing I can say about my father is that through our relationship he was able to spare me the void that so many men have in themselves.

The world is filled with adult men who never heard their father say “I love you,” who wonder throughout their lives whether they were loved. I talk to friends about this and see it in magazines and newspapers, and I have always been amazed by this. My father spared me from this wound that many men walk around with.

I never doubted that he loved me. He told me so whenever we spoke. We always hugged. When we were children, because he had to leave for work before we left for school, he would leave notes for us to find each morning to let us know how much he loved us. We kissed on the lips whenever we first saw each other, and when we parted. I never doubted my father's love.

That is the greatest gift that a father can give to his son. I consider it a miracle that he had the strength of spirit to be able to give to me what he was never given himself.

I will always love you and I will always miss you.

You are beautiful! ...

2009-01-21T16:31:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading a book about the secret life of the soul together with our new community of friends in San Diego. One of the things I learned from the book study is that we all hear things about ourselves that are not true. Sometimes from other people, but often times from ourselves. To know the truth requires much soul searching and listening to God to figure out what's true. It's a quest that I'm daring to venture on.

And today the girls and I started a new venture together, we are taking a sign language class. Our instructor is great and we are all looking forward to learning a new language that can cross all cultural lines.

As a class, we watched this beautiful video that is in sign language. It just really hit me that no matter what others tell us, or even what we tell ourselves. God's truth is that we are beautiful to Him. God loves you completely, without reservation, just as you are. You are enough and just what the world needs. Hope you enjoy the video!

** If you are reading this via facebook you'll need to watch this on my blog; www.sophiacarolina.blogspot.com **

Say amen! ...

2009-01-20T11:17:00.000-08:00

The girls and I watched the taking of the presidential oath and swearing in of Barack Obama this morning. What a historic event! Our 44th president, Obama gave an amazing reality based speech that was sobering but also inspiring.

But my personal favorite was the closing benediction by Reverend Joseph E. Lowery, an 87 yr old Civil Rights activist who really speaks from his heart.

*** if you are coming thru facebook, you'll need to watch the video on my blog at www.sophiacarolina.blogspot.com ***

Who are you "validating" today? ...

2009-01-19T12:12:00.000-08:00

I looked up the word "validation" on Wikipedia, and there it says;

"Validation is the reciprocated communication of respect which communicates that the other's opinions are acknowledged, respected, heard, and that they are being treated with genuine respect as a legitimate expression of their feelings, rather than marginalized or dismissed."

I think that our words to others and our ability to listen generously (that's another topic, from a great podcast I recently heard) can have a huge impact on those around us.

We all have value, God is very clear on this. So I wanted to share with you this great video clip by Viktor Emil Frankl M.D., Ph.D. He was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor and you'll get a good reminder of how we can make such an significant impact on the lives of others by how we treat them.

It also goes hand in hand with this great quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe:

I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.

Another movie I need to watch this year ...

2009-01-06T22:20:00.001-08:00

This looks like a great movie that has some star power behind it; Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd & Ray Liotta. Coming out in August 2009.

"Crossing Over" is about immigrants of different nationalities struggling to achieve legal status in Los Angeles. The film addresses the issue from the point of view of the immigrants, as well as the immigration authorities tasked with enforcing the nation’s immigration laws. I'm hoping that it lives up to the trailer.

Crossing Over - Theatrical Trailer

***If you are reading this on facebook; you'll need to watch the video on my blog by clicking here

Changes ...

2009-01-05T15:49:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted a thing for a few weeks, but you probably weren't online much either, right?

During this past holiday break I've had a chance to slow down and think about the present and future. The move to Golden Hill has been good, I seem to be doing good with urban living. The pace here is definitely different, faster in some areas and slower in most. This slower rhythm & pace has been good. Since moving here in October '08, I've taken more walks and read more books then I did in the entire past 2 years. I seem to be adapting to the move to SD in a positive way. Jon said to me the other day "you're in your element." I suppose he's glad that I transplanted well.

So for me the New Year brings reflection and a little bit of dreaming. I don't believe in New Year's resolutions. But I do believe in change. I came across this great quote and I'm going to memorize it and maybe even post it on my wall. Maybe you'll like it too.

We are all too much inclined to walk through life with our eyes shut. There are things all around us, and right at our very feet, that we have never seen; because we have never really looked. ~ Alexander Graham Bell

I think that my eyes are starting to see a little more clearly than years gone by. So as we enter this new year of change for us as a family, you as my fellow bloggers, us as a country, all of us as God's kingdom ... my wish for you is to look and see, and become what you were created for.

Also, today I was listening to this song by Finger Eleven entitled "Falling On" from a couple years back and thought it timely to share with you. One of the lines in the song is;

You've got to try to find what's right before your eyes

Now that's something to ponder. Hope you enjoy the video!

ps. They are the group that did the catchy song "One Thing" that got a lot of air time back in '03 - it's also a great song.

We made some cookies today ...

2008-12-19T17:34:00.000-08:00

The girls had a cookie exchange today with our new home school group. Every Christmas we try and make these cookies. You need very few ingredients and they practically melt in your mouth. But don't take my word for it ... you'll just have to try it out yourself.

So, consider this recipe my little Christmas gift to you =)

Traditional Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe

Makes 36 cookies

* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup powdered sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 1/4 cups sifted flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup chopped pecans
* powdered sugar (for rolling baked cookies in)

Cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy; stir in vanilla.

Whisk together flour and salt; add gradually to butter mixture; stir in chopped nuts.

Chill dough if it seems too soft.

Form dough into 1" balls and place onto parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or just until the cookies start to turn light golden-brown; remove from oven and allow to cool slightly; while cookies are still warm (but NOT hot) remove them from baking sheets and roll, a few at a time, in powdered sugar until evenly coated; then let them cool - and try not to eat them all at once =)

Enjoy!

The show ...

2008-12-17T09:35:00.001-08:00

Last weekend's Holiday Trunk Show was so fun! I didn't sell as much as I usually do, but had a great time hanging out with some other wonderfully crafty girls!

Here's some pictures of my table and goods. I made some men's & women's coffee bag wallets, embellished shirts, purses and accessories. The wallets are a new thing that I'm making. Since coffee bags are not recycleable I made sure to use every last bit in the process. Also, the picture at the top is a closeup of the little birds for my necklaces that Jon hand painted, they turned out great!

We'll I'm off to make some muffins for "my little muffins". It's a rainy day and it's almost Christmas, I'm going to relish these last few days of the holiday season with my family and friends I hope you'll do the same.

The Walrus ...

2008-12-09T16:53:00.000-08:00

I watched this today, it's a pretty cool animated version of a 30-year-old interview with John Lennon. It was produced recently by Jerry Levitan, who back in 1969, when he was 14 years old, snuck into John Lennon's hotel room in Toronto and convinced John to do an interview. This is during the time of John & Yoko's "bed-in" for peace. It's a great message even for us today.

***If you are trying to watch this via Facebook, you have to go to my blog to watch it***

Good In The Hood ...

2008-12-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

I hope your Thanksgiving was great! Here's a couple of pictures from our day. Natalie & Stefani made place cards for the table, Mimi made the napkin rings, Emily set the table and we all helped with the Thankful Tree. It was a very good day.

Be Thankful For What You've Got ...

2008-11-27T11:10:00.001-08:00

Life and love are precious commodities, I hope you are enjoying a very happy thanksgiving with your family & friends. In honor of the day, I wanted to share this piece of retro goodness, the song is by William DeVaughn from the mid 70's - Enjoy!

Dysfunctional Family Thanksgiving Humor

2008-11-26T11:34:00.000-08:00

If you know me well, you probably won't be surprised why I can laugh at this =)

I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!!!

Recycled Fabric Ball Ornament ...

2008-11-25T09:32:00.000-08:00

I got crafty with the girls yesterday. We made several of these and they are really fun and easy to do. You can check out my tutorial on the Make Something Day site.

Hope you have a great week being grateful with your family and friends!

Brown is the new black ...

2008-11-16T16:07:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't know, Latinos are now facing the same kind of discrimination that historically African Americans have been faced with. Apparently membership in the KKK has risen due to a lot of anti-immigration fear & anxiety with the immigrants coming from Mexico rather than other countries.

I also read an article this past week in the New York Times about 7 teenagers in Long Island, NY who went out looking for a "Mexican"to beat up. They found Marcelo Lucero, an legal immigrant from Ecuador who had lived in the US for 16 years. They beat him, stabbed and killed him. It's a horrible reminder of how racism is alive and well in the U.S.

According to government statistics, racism against Mexicans in the US is escalating steeply. The FBI reports that hate crimes against Latinos rose almost 40 percent between 2003 and 2006. And it's getting worse.

All this reminds me about an incident that happened to me about 2 years ago. I was shopping at my local grocery store in Orange County (before our move here to San Diego), and I was wearing an Aztec calendar medalion around my neck. While I'm standing at the checkout stand the latino guy bagging my groceries says to me in spanish, "Are you sure you want to be advertising that you're a Mexican, it's not a good idea". I guess he had the inside scoop about what was to come.

Growing up, my mother put a lot of effort into making me fit in. I suppose she was trying to protect me from the racism she received for being a latino. Her theory was that if I dressed the part and looked the part, maybe people wouldn't find out that I was a Mexican. When I was 12 she took me to get my hair dyed auburn red, I continued doing that until I was 18. The plan was to present myself as a "white" person. So whenever I went to a new school (lots of schools, 2 jr highs and 6 high schools), my mom told me when asked about my ethnicity I should say Greek, Italian or even Jewish, but never say "I'm Mexican". The other thing that she would always say is "make sure you say your name is Padilla like Vanilla". It should have been pronounced "pu-dee-ya", but if I did that then they might figure out I was a Mexican. I'm actually thinking of publishing all the creative tips used to assimilate me, or maybe I'll just call it "100 Ways to Pretend Your Not A Mexican" =)

The good news was that once I became an adult I realized I had the freedom to be myself and I stared to embrace my heritage, no matter what the reaction or consequence might be.

So, back to they story of Marcelo. Like many Latino immigrants, he came here to work hard, even for meager wages, and just wanted to make a living. It's a tradgedy that most American's don't understand what life is like on the other side of the border and that's why there's so little compassion about the issue.

During last weekend's Project Mexico trip, we took several groups of the home-building volunteers over to meet Marisol, my friend that lives in Colonia San Bernardo. I've observed that by spending some time with her and seeing her family and hearing a bit of her story opinions on this whole immigration issue can really be shaped, in a positive way.

So my hope for you, is that you get to know a hispanic, and you get extra points if they are undocumented. I know for a fact that it's an awesome experience to love someone that doesn't fit into your comfort zone.

On the roof ...

2008-11-10T09:17:00.000-08:00

We just got back from another great weekend of home building in Colonia de San Bernardo. Our Terra Nova Church team finished the home just in the nick of time before the rain hit. I'll soon have more to tell you about this past weekend in Tijuana, but just wanted to share this picture of Jon & the girls on the roof of the home ... we all had such a fun and rewarding experience. Hope you can join us on the next trip in Spring 2009!

Mankind Is No Island ...

2008-11-04T20:52:00.001-08:00

I thought you might appreciate this. It's beautiful and sad at the same time.

Halloween & Dia de los Muertos ...

2008-11-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

Halloween in Golden Hill last night was quite a surprise! This little corner of San Diego sure came to life. I bought 2 jumbo bags of candy and that certainly didn't last long. The streets came alive and it was so fun to see two diverse cultures mixing it up and having so much fun. The girls had a good time, and so did Jon and I. It was a great introduction to the neighborhood.

So after we got home last night, Jon and I started getting our stuff together for a Dia de los Muertos event we are attending this evening. We'll be decorating sugar skulls, walking the streets of Sherman Heights to visit some homes that are decorated for Dia de los Muertos, we'll also be decorating an altar/shrine and enjoying posole with friends. It's good to be celebrating my cultural heritage and traditions with the girls.

These two holidays in particular were taboo while I was growing up. It's good to able to make my own choices and share my values with my own family now. So we took the girls out last night to explore and connect with our new little neighborhood. I feel that Halloween is a PERFECT opportunity to walk around your block, peek into peoples homes and actually talk to your neighbors.

For me, my belief is that above all else we are commanded by God to show love to our neighbors, and not to judge them. And in the immortal words of Forest Gump ... "that's all I have to say about that".

Now for the really good stuff, this is a painting that Jon made for me last night. He hasn't painted anything in over 20 years, so it's good to see him get back into painting, he's got such amazing talent. So, we'll use it for a decoration tonight for the Dia de los Muertos fiesta. But it's certainly coming back home with me, I can't wait to hang it up above my computer table so that I can see it all the time, I just love it!!!

Interesting quote from Suresh ...

2008-10-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

Last week's opening sequence of Heroes"Dying of the Light" episode was narrated by Suresh;

"In every journey, the traveler must ask 'Was the right path taken?' Many roads are long and winding, filled with those who have lost their way. Some forge their own course, guided by faith, seeking not a location but a kindred soul. Others step together, finding safety in the arms of another. A few remove themselves from the trail to avoid the path of temptation. But those who watch the track too closely fail to see where it led them. And they're often all too surprised by their destination."

This season of Heroes is pretty dark, I'm still not sure what is up with all the "evil". Either way, I'm still a fan and I really liked the intro and I think it's a great reminder to take a look around every once in while and see where I'm actually headed. I thought, maybe you could use the reminder too.

The Fence ...

2008-10-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

Today I went to Friendship Park right at the border of Mexico and the U.S. Quite literally, I was able to touch the fence. This will soon end with the new impenetrable fence coming in. Right now families are able to visit with each other to a certain degree. But soon, even this will be gone. The picture above is one that I took while standing at the fence this morning.

The event was called God's Kingdom and Migration, and was with a group called U40, you can find them on Facebook. Other sponsors were The Ecclesia Collective and Subversive Magazine. It was a great day!

And while I'm on the subject, this video clip is pretty enlightening, take a couple of minutes and have a glipse of what is happening at the border fence here in California.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2008/oct/15/uselections2008-usimmigration-mikedavis

Recycled Metal Can Pencil Holder ...

2008-10-24T17:38:00.001-07:00

I got in a crafty mood, so I whipped this up. The cost, FREE! It only took a few minutes to create a little piece eye candy for my computer table. If you want to read the tutorial, check out my post @ www.makesomethingday.org - under the "ideas" section.

There's some other crafty stuff posted by some very talented recycling artisans. We are putting tutes together so that you'll have plenty to do on the day after Thanksgiving, so that instead of hitting the mall you can join us in using what we already have to give as gifts this coming holiday season.

There's also a link here on my blog (just to the left) so that you can sign up and join the fun =)

My favorite artist right now ...

2008-10-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

I have a new addiction, pop surrealism aka "low brow". Here's some of my favorite pieces by Mark Ryden, enjoy =)

A few of the random things I love ...

2008-10-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

I like! by sophiacarolina

Do they look Mexican? ...

2008-10-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

We had a great field trip today. The history of Old Town San Diego was explained in a fun and interactive way. The tour guide kept about 20 kids engaged for over 3 hours, that's quite an amazing feat.

While we were there, one of the other home schooling mom's came up to me and asked me if I was Native American Indian because to her I really look like one. I replied "No, I'm a Mexican" and the girls are 50% Mexican ... too which she replied "Well, they don't look Mexican, they are quite diluted, maybe only their eyelashes are Mexican". What the heck??? What an odd thing to say.

Well, at least she didn't ask me if I was their nanny, that happened at a park one day when the girls were small. A lady came up to me and asked me in spanish how much I was paid for taking care of the girls, now that was funny!

Anyway, here's a picture I took today at Old Town, proof positive that the girls are indeed Mexican, they even know that they were standing in front of an "ofrenda" altar to celebrate the upcoming November 1st & 2nd "Dia de los Muertos" holiday. Oh, and they ate pan dulce for breakfast today, they know all about Frida Kahlo art and they can handle eating my dangerously hot chile verde. Can you get any more Mexican than that?

Collage by John Ashbery ...

2008-10-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

“Chutes and Ladders III (for David Kermani)” (2008)

In case you don't know who John Ashbery is, his poetry has being officially declared national monuments. This month the Library of America will publish “John Ashbery: Collected Poems 1956-1987,” a 1,050-page volume encompassing roughly half of his output. He is the first living poet to be included in this series.

I find it cool that at the age of 81 he's having his first New York Art Gallery Show. Mr. Ashbery says, as if slightly surprising himself, that making collages “sort of stimulates my writing."

I love this particular piece of his. The background is the board game Chutes and Ladders, which originated in India ...

"Where with each toss of the dice, you either climbed upward toward spiritual bliss or slid down".

Cool stuff!

We had a little break from unpacking ...

2008-10-10T18:16:00.001-07:00

The girls and I ventured to Balboa Park to see the Botanical Gardens. What a nice break from ugly brown cardboard boxes. The afternoon burst of color sure perked us up!

Here's some of my favorite shots from today.

Sorry for the lack of posts ...

2008-10-09T22:55:00.000-07:00

I hope to be back to "normal" by Monday. We moved in on Sunday, should I be finished unpacking by now???

What is God's Plan? ...

2008-09-25T14:01:00.001-07:00

I read a powerful post yesterday at Jesus Manifesto. It's called "The Death of Evelyn".

(to read it, just click on the article title above)

I needed this reminder that God's plan involves active participation, and that I need to be watching and listening for the "Evelyn's" that God puts in my life.

You might also like listening to this song by Audio Adrenaline it sort of goes with the article ... enjoy and ponder.

I'm going to have to see this! ...

2008-09-20T23:23:00.001-07:00

Art by Natalie ...

2008-09-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

We managed to take some extra time this past week to get creative. Packing up boxes is not Natalie's idea of a good time - crafting is =)

Hope you like her latest creation!

Where did these come from??? ...

2008-09-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

I absolutely hate moving!

OK, maybe that's just an irrational response to the actual word "moving", rather then the actual act of moving. I can remember the first time in my life that I moved. I was 7 years old and my father had been transferred from pastoring his church in Los Angeles to a tiny church in the farming community of Sanger, up in the central valley of CA. It wasn't so bad, most days he just took me fishing and the rest of the time we did gardening. Then we moved again when I was 10, then 12, then 14, and the worst was 6 high schools in 4 years ... not such a great thing.

So, I suppose you can see where my loathing of moving came from. But the actual reality is that since Jon and I have been married this will only be our 3rd move, not bad for 20 years.

And as for this next move to Golden Hill in San Diego, we are surprisingly ready to go. Everything is coming together, I think we are going to really be ready for the move day that's only 2 weeks away. Once it's all done, it will be awesome. I can't wait ... for so many reasons.

In preparation for this move, we've had to downsize and dump so much stuff.

So here's my advice; based on what I've learned from my "Purgefest";

Get rid of it. Clean it out. Empty the drawers. Dump the stuff you're hiding from, that you've been uselessly protecting, that you've been scared to let go because it makes you feel safe and more clearly defined as a human when, in fact, it's doing the exact opposite.

"De-cluttering" will make you feel lighter and healthier and good the minute you start ... with no wine or nudity involved, but I guess that couldn't hurt =)

Oh, and if anyone wants these vintage Avon perfume bottles I came across in a box (that I have no clue where they came from) just let me know.

The Good Word ...

2008-09-06T17:28:00.001-07:00

These guys are so funny!

Shameless Self Promotion ...

2008-09-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

Ever hear of Etsy? Well if you haven't, Etsy is an online marketplace for buying & selling all things handmade. I've had a shop on Etsy for quite a while now. Mostly I like looking around to see what other crafters are doing, it's quite inspiring and so much fun to window shop.

Etsy is running a contest right now, and I'm a finalist in the Handmade Kids Eco-Friendly category. My entry is my Recycled Starbucks Coffee Bag, it can be used as a purse or diaper bag too.

You have to have an etsy account in order to vote, if you don't already have an account click here and sign up first - don't worry, it's super easy and quick. After you register just look on the main page banner for the contest. (or click here)

After you vote you'll be automatically entered into a sweepstakes to win one of fourteen $350 Etsy shopping sprees - once you look around you'll see plenty you can spend your $350 on. There are some amazing designers on Etsy and I'm honored to have been chosen as a finalist.

Voting closes September 8th, so please vote soon. And if you vote for me I promise to drink an extra cup of coffee in your honor!

He makes a good point ...

2008-08-30T21:31:00.001-07:00

I hope to remember this for the next time the subject comes up.

more about "He makes a good point ...", posted with vodpod

Door Knocker ...

2008-08-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

Last night I went out with a friend and her son to knock on doors in a neighborhood near our church that has many homes that have been sited for being an eyesore for the neighborhood.The idea was to see if anyone wanted help with yard work or anything else around the home. The plan was to offer this without strings attached; free weeding, planting of new landscape plants that we will provide for free, paint touch-up, hauling away trash, etc. Sounds pretty cool, right?

Well, it's a tough sell. I was surprised how it turned out. Many of the people ignored us completely; some pretended they couldn't hear us knocking, some ran inside their house to hide. One guy seemed pretty insulted. We did find one family that agreed, 2 more were maybes.

Basically I came away with the realization that most people believe that there is nothing free in life ... it's hard to do a good deed when nobody trusts a stranger. But at least some people are interested, I'm sure God will work this one out.

So while I was thinking about our little adventure, I remembered this funny story from a while back and thought it was a good time to share it =)

Two Jehovah's Witnesses were going door to door, and knocked on the door of a woman who was not happy to see them.

The woman told them in no uncertain terms that she did not want to discuss religion and then slammed the door in their faces.

To her surprise, the door did not close. In fact, it bounced back open.

Seeing the two witnesses still standing at the door infuriated her further. She stormed back to the door and flung it shut, but the door still didn't close. She grabbed the door with two hands and shoved it as hard as she could, but again, the door wouldn't shut.

Convinced one of these rude church members was sticking a foot in the door, she reared back to give the door a slam that would really teach them a lesson.

Just then, one of the witnesses said, "Ma'am, before you do that again, you might want to move your cat."

Twilight teaser trailer OFFICIAL HD

2008-08-15T20:01:00.003-07:00

A Reminder ...

2008-08-04T21:28:00.000-07:00

I saw this on a t-shirt and wanted to know where it came from. It originally appeared in 1939.

While Britain was about to go to war with Germany, it was feared that in the early months of the war Britain might be subjected to gas attacks, heavy bombing raids and possibly invasion. The posters were commissioned by King George VI and were intended to offer the public reassurance during uncertain times.

It's a simple message and still applicable almost 70 years later. The sentiment remains the same, and still feels a bit comforting during today's uncertain times. We can all use that as a reminder - no matter what we are dealing with. Don’t you agree?

My newest obsession ...

2008-08-03T17:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friend Monica, I spent 2 days of our vacation to Palm Springs last week "devouring" Twilight and New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. I'm reading Eclipse right now and Breaking Dawn is being delivered to my local Borders on Tuesday.

In case you have no idea what I'm talking about, save yourself. Don't become an addict like me. One book, and you won't stop. I'm counting the days until the movie premieres on Dec. 12, 2008. Here's a tempting sneak peek!

Should I laugh? Or be scared? ...

2008-07-25T10:33:00.000-07:00

This is the funniest and one of the scariest things I've ever read. It was published today on the Times online, UK version.

"He ventured forth to bring light to the world" by Gerard Baker.

Just for some reference for you. I have nothing personal against Obama. It's just hard to forget the brainwashing from my youth. My dad was a pentecostal preacher/evangelist, and in my home as a child I remember when my parents would read the paper and then turn to each other and say, yep! "Nixon is the antichrist" or then it would change to "Gorbachev is the antichrist". I grew up terrified that I'd end up with a "666" on my forehead ... I wonder what my parent's would be saying now if they were still around. Either way, I'm glad that I'm not so caught up in the whole "end times" drama of my youth.

I'm laughing about it for now. We'll see what happens come November.

Fence Hopping ...

2008-07-21T11:14:00.001-07:00

I recently read an interview in the NY Times with Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, so I decided to do some research on him. He is a neurosurgeon who teaches oncology and neurosurgery, directs a neurosurgery clinic and heads a laboratory studying brain tumors. Oh, and most interesting ... he is a Mexican fence-hopper.

Here's a video of him telling a bit of his story. Good stuff!