We made some cookies today ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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

Halloween & Dia de los Muertos ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

I like! by sophiacarolina

Do they look Mexican? ...

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 ...

“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 ...

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 ...

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? ...

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! ...

Art by Natalie ...

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??? ...

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 ...

These guys are so funny!

Shameless Self Promotion ...

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 ...

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 ...

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

A Reminder ...

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 ...

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? ...

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 ...

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!

Happy Anniversary Jon!

WOW! We've been married for 20 years, and I've got to say I wouldn't trade one single minute. I love you more than ever.

I found this wonderful rendition by Allison Crowe of one of my favorite Beatle's songs. It perfectly sums up what I feel today ... so very happy and fortunate.

Once you are real, you can't be ugly ...

This is a wonderful excerpt from the Velveteen Rabbit. I can't believe the wisdom here. Sometimes getting real is messy, but the payoff is huge!

What is REAL?” asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?”

“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”

“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.

“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”

“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”

“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”

The Story of Stuff ...

This is just a teaser, but the longer 20 min version at http://www.storyofstuff.com is a must see for the whole family.

What you can't say at church ...

I found an interesting blog that took on this "taboo" subject. The question was asked; "What is something you feel you can’t say in church, or around other Christians?"

For example … mine would be;

I don't enjoy traditional worship music. I don't like the new "let's wear a name tag" idea.

Here's a sampling of the one's that I enjoyed reading. I love the honesty!

I like this country club. The membership dues are cheaper than the ones with the golf courses.

I always look to see what everyone else is wearing at church and then feel happy when I am dressed prettier than my friends.

That sometimes when there is a dramatic pause in my message, and I look like I’m waiting on God to give me something really powerful to say, I’m not. In reality I’m just wondering if I zipped up my zipper before I went up on stage.

And one that I find so sincere;

I feel suffocatingly alone, almost all the time. I am politically apathetic, and can’t stand almost any true republican I meet. I am a pacifist. I don’t like Christian music. I don’t want to convert anyone. My greatest fear is dying. I love saying the word shit. I think women are absolutely equal to men. I don’t see anything resembling our modern church in the New Testament. I don’t think tithing (even though it pays our salaries) is a New Testament principle. I kinda think televangelists could be some sort of sub-human race. I think you can be Christian and gay. I am becoming increasingly irritated at God for how invisible He is. Sometimes the only thing that soothes this ache is a night drinking with friends. I wish we could quit the ministry and never look back, because maybe there is a church out there that I could love and that could love me and maybe we could figure this life thing out together.

Immigration Humor ...

Free Movies for Kids ...

Every summer I take the kids to the free movies on Tuesdays and Wednesday mornings at Regal Cinemas. If you go to the Regal website you can check out what is available near you, by the way they are in many states besides California.

I usually don't buy any snacks there, I just tell the kids we'll eat lunch right afterwards. Oh, and the best part ... the free air conditioning!

I like Helen Keller ...

Ever since I was a young girl, I've enjoyed stories about Helen Keller.

Her unique perspective, wisdom & positive attitude are so inspiring. I found some pretty cool wall papers for my computer at the Real Simple website, you might want to check them out.

This one was my favorite!

What is TV doing for you?

I just read an interesting article about the effect of television on our lives. I took the liberty of pulling out a few quotes:

"We are proposing that television as a simple, constant, repetitive and ambiguous visual stimulus, gradually closes down the central nervous system of Man."

Becker holds a similar view of the effect of television on American's ability to think:

"Americans don't really think, they have opinions and feelings. Television creates the opinion and then validates it."

Take politics for example; Television tells Americans what to think about politicians. The media tells people what has been said and what is "important." Everything else is filtered out. You are told who can win and who can't. And few people have the urge to look behind the images in the screen, to find the truth for themselves

"Are they brainwashed by the tube?," asked Becker of the interviewer. "It is really more than that. I think that people have lost the ability to relate the images of their own lives without television intervening to tell them what it means."

Here's the link for the full article ... it's very long but worth the time to read.

Oh yeah, "reading" ... now don't get me started on that long lost pastime!

http://www.fourwinds10.com/siterun_data/media/television/news.php?q=1213739143

In Honor of Father's Day ...

These were some great tv ads I found on an advertising website I visit on occasion.

I love the cheerleader one! Probably because I've seen Jon let the girls paint his nails, put barrettes in his hair and so much more. He's such an awesome Dad!

And since you probably have a great Dad of your own or may be married to one, I thought these would give you a smile.

I got flowers today ...

Jon was gone in the backyard for a few minutes, he came back with this. These flowers and banana leaf are all from either the front or back yard. I love the way they are arranged - some wildflowers in a vase wrapped in a banana leaf. They are beautiful!

It was a simple gesture that said so much.

Found! ...

I snagged this off a website called www.foundmagazine.com. They post notes and found objects; lots of interesting and sometimes very weird & random stuff.

Someone posted this and said they received this $5 dollar bill back as change from a store. It has the words "SPAY/NEUTER ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS" written on it. I found it ironic that they wrote it right under "In God We Trust".

I read through all the comments and was amazed at how much discussion there was on the subject of illegal immigration. These were a few of my favorites.

There are so many myths and sterotypes about undocumented immigrants that feed on racism and hate. We "Americans" are such a judgemental and self-centered country!

I'd much rather shake a hand that was calloused from swinging a hammer than one that was soft from pointing the finger.

Who can blame someone living in poverty or in a repressive country for wanting to come to the US to build a better life for him/herself and their children? Who of us would not do exactly the same thing?

I think it's even safe to say, we may ALL be opportunists in one shape or form, too. Yes??

Family Craft Time ...

Crafting is one of my favorite things to do with the girls, we try and include "the man of the house" when possible.

On a recent Saturday, the girls picked out some fun fabrics, I did most of the sewing and Jon painted the faces. They were so fun to make together!

The girls are going to camp this summer, they are trying to raise money by making and selling their creations. If you'd like buy a one-of-a-kind doll for $20, then just send me an email at sophia@sophiacarolina.com and the girls will get busy working on a custom-made doll for you.

Shhh ... Now don't go tell anyone that Jon makes dolls =)

Peanut Butter Cookies ...

My good friends know that I don't use cookbooks or recipes, but that doesn't mean I don't love to cook or bake. To make these you just need 3 ingredients;

1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Egg

Mix together, roll into balls, press down with a fork to make the criss-cross marks and bake for 10 min @ 350º ... yes really, it's that easy =)

What Would Be On Your Cardboard Banner?

Take a few minutes and watch this inspiring music video ...

"Be The Change You Want To See" by Kat Edmondson

I love this artist ...

I came across Seonna Hong's work recently, and I have to say I love her art and thought you might like to go take a peek at some of her other creations. This one is called "Self Defeating".

Hong says her paintings reflect her exploration of personal evolvement and how your environment such as family, friends, and society can shape one's existence. There's so much truth in that. I think we are shaped by our surroundings. Makes me think, what have I surrounded myself with and what am I becoming???? Something to ponder, I love it when art makes me think.

This one doesn't require much thinking to figure out, it's called "Happy Ending" ... the girls say this one is their favorite. Of course ... don't we all love happy endings?