Fill in the Blank Friday

1. Giving is the best ever! I love coming up with practical and one of a kind gifts. In previous years, I have gone out shopping, but this year I'm doing a strict handmade Christmas. So everyone is getting something either handmade by me or someone on etsy.com

2. Receiving is nice, but if I don't get anything it's also not the end of the world.

3. The best gift I ever received was my espresso machine. Yes, that's right, my espresso machine! :)

4. The best gift I ever gave was  the earrings I made for my sisters.

5. Something intangible that I wish I could receive is sewing lessons. So then I can really whip up my own creations faster than I do now.

6. Something intangible that I wish I could give is the joy of being by oneself. Yes, really, I don't think people learn how to be happy by themselves and go about being miserable.

7. The one gift I wanted as a child, but never got was an Easy Bake Oven...hmmm...I think my joy for being a domestic began as a small child.

Much love Monday

Loving my 2011 agenda I bought at Marshall's! Its the perfect shade of teal! :) Adding that pop of color.

Every calling is great when greatly pursued.”

- Oliver Wendell Holmes

“Whenever a warrior decides to do something, he must go all the way, but he must take responsibility for what he does. No matter what he does, he must know first why he is doing it, and then he must proceed with his actions without having doubts or remorse about them.”
- Carlos Castaneda

Sorry, new Gap jeans

I’ve had my eye on a pair of jeans from the Gap, sadly, I can’t seem to budge with their price tag of $69.50!!! Especially being on a tight budget nowadays that’s almost a month worth of gas, a few meals and even a major trip to Target. I, however, do have about 4 pairs of jeans in my closet that I haven’t worn in the past few months due to a weight gain. Now this is where I am determined to not succumb to my itch of “wanting a new pair of jeans.” I’m going to weigh myself and set a running schedule up for myself and my goal is to be able to fit back into them. I mean, not just those jeans, but I have a whole closet full of clothes that I can wear and restyle & refashion with my handy dandy sewing machine. So here goes: newest resolution: to lose enough weight so I can fit back into my jeans & skirts.
In case you were wondering, here are the jeans I’ve been dying to get (it’s so hard too, since I even have a 40% coupon for the Gap!!!)

Asking for help does not mean that we are weak or incompetent. It usually indicates an advanced level of honesty and intelligence.”

- Anne Wilson Schaef

Fill in the Blank Friday: Holiday Edition

1. Holiday spirit makes me all giddy with excitement! I can’t wait to decorate the house and my room!
2. The holidays are incomplete without a peppermint hot chocolate, going up to Hastings Ranch to take in all the gorgeous houses decorated in holiday lights, and a trip to go pick out our Christmas tree!
3. My favorite things to do around the holidays is to hang out with my sisters and have a good ol’ time!
4. A holiday tradition my family and I have is to gather around the table and eat so many tamales that we cannot physically move!


5. Holiday music is lovely! Yes, I am that person that is obsessed with it! I play it constantly in my car, but only in my car. It would drive everyone else at home nuts!
6. This year, I’ll be spending the holidays with my dad and older siblings. My mom and younger siblings will be traveling out of the country to Mexico (as is customary) for the holiday season.
7. Holiday wish list
- Anything from Anthropologie
- A pair of bow leather flats from J.Crew
- Sports bras, high compression please!
- Anything from Rugby
- An airplane ticket to DC or NYC :)

mhmmmm another one!

This takes me back to Georgetown when I used to go for walks through Rock Creek with Amelia or go out to Holy Trinity to play in their school yard with my besties at 2am.

A pocket for your wrist

I just love this amazing pocket watch made as a bracelet. I can just imagine the history it has and the potential it carries. If I can only find a pocket watch to convert into a lovely wrist watch!
(via Hilda Grahnat)

Renegade Craft Fair: Holiday Edition!

For everyone out wondering what to get your loved ones and friends this holiday season, look no further!! Quick grab your calendar and block out December 11 and 12!!! I promise it’ll be a good weekend!!! The Renegade Craft Fair: Holiday Edition is coming to LA!!!!! Yay!!! :) It’s once again at the Cornfields. I think this time I’ll take the Gold line down to the event, rather than drive. :) Thanks to Paper Pastries for the tip! 

Parka + Leopard

I just absolutely love this combination of a parka, stripes & leopard print flats! I will definitely be trying out this combination on my upcoming trip. (I won’t share any details yet!! I’m just really excited to take my first vacation in 2 years!) Via. classiq

"A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow."

- Charlotte Bronte

A/W Resolution

Despite living in sunny Southern California where it never heats below 32 degrees Fahrenheit ever! I am taking it upon myself to bring out  my sweaters, tights, and everything else that I love to wear in the winter. Granted I’ll probably be really warm in them. Perhaps I might have to wear sheer tights so that I let me legs breathe. Not sure how this will work out, but I’m determined to wear what I love to wear this autumn and winter season. SoCal is no DC or East Coast for that matter, but I can at least try to bring of the fall dressing on over to the West Coast. :)

Not like I need another one...

As a good shopper on a budget, I’m once again virtual shopping and then putting back everything. Another gorgeous wool dress that caught my eye!

A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.”

- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Ekkk! What a steal!!

 I took a trip to the Marshall’s that’s by my parents house in search of a new agenda for 2011. I found one and its a gorgeous teal green textured leather agenda! I only paid $9.99!!! What a steal! Then I came across a Lilly Pulitzer notebook for $6.99 over 50% off! Not to mention I found some gorgeous folders to organize my papers and add some color to my desk. Here’s a quick peek at my newest agenda and notebook. Marshall’s has so many neat and great things for a good price. I love shopping there!

Querido Papi:
Thank you for everything!!! Thank you for having the patience to sit at the library with me when I was in high school. Thank you for being so understanding in letting me spread my wings and fly when I went away to Georgetown. Thank you for raising me with values and morals that I one day want to pass on to my own children. Thank you most of all for always being there and being so supportive.
Te quiero mucho Papi!!!
Sinceramente,
Christina

[ Posted Sun, 20 Jun 2010 23:22:00 ]

Jeffrey Campbell “Prospect” Oxford
I have absolutely fallen in love with these!!! Sadly the biggest they go is a 10 :(
I really do wish I wore a smaller size in shoes. Still a gorgeous pair of shoes.

[ Posted Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:45:51 ]

Coffee date dress

Next pattern for me will be the Coffee date dress found on Burda Style. I’ve actually been tackling this dress since my last year of college, but needless to say I’ve failed at it miserably time and time again. However, this time I will not fail and I will be successful! I found this really useful tutorial over at Grosgrain and I will pass on this very helpful tutorial. :) I recently bought some Michael Miller fabric on etsy in navy polka dots. I think it will turn out to be a gorgeous summer addition. I’ve been spotting lots of cute dress on modcloth.com and shopruche.com, but sadly student loans are crepping up on me so I can’t really afford to spend my extra cash on clothes. So my solution is to make more dresses myself, of course that also means buying muslin, because I always seem to mess up somehow. Actually now that I think about it I might just make a muslin mock up of the bodice since I seem to get stuck on that part a lot. Hopefully this goes smoothly and I can have a new dress by Friday.

LMU

After taking a whole year off from school, well not really since I took a few child development courses last fall, I’ve decided to take the plunge and apply for graduate school. I’ve been so hesitant, mostly because I keep changing my mind every other day. Due to the fact that I have been scared to take the next step in my life. So today my application to LMU is due, which brings me to my next point. If you have ever lived in LA or visited LA you know that you have to leave at least an hour before your scheduled time of arrival because traffic is horrendous. Case in point: I had to leave my house at 615 in order to get to Westchester by 715am, so I can be at LMU by 7:45. Yes, I know its ridiculous, because I still have to duke it out with morning commuters to get to work asap!!! Hopefully I won’t be too late. At this point, I am exhausted!!! I cannot wait to get home tonight and rest for a bit.

Cruising along...

Cruising Along Dress, I just absolutely love the dresses on Modcloth.com. I always find gems and sometimes they are sold out, which is a huge bummber. However, I’m definitely adding this dress to my list of dresses that I wanna buy, but I really don’t have the money to do so all at once.

[ Posted Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:00:00 ]

Local church festival

Friday turned out to be a fun day. I came home from work and went to the local church fair with my mom and little sister. We actually bumped into a friend of mine with her daughter and grand kids. Lots of good food, music & rides. I also realized that I cannot ride anything that spins too much without getting nauseous. Sadly, I think this means I’m getting old. My mom even had a beer!! My mom never ever really drinks, so I had to just take a quick picture of her with her beer. We also played a round of loteria (Mexican version of bingo) and I lost. My mom won the first round, and she got a toy car as a prize, its for my nephew.
Fun times!! I cannot wait for the rest of the summer to bring more fun and good times :)

Afternoon Company Dress

Afternoon Company Dress
I just love this dress from modcloth.com, definitely my next dress to add to my wardrobe.

Oh kate spade how I love your clothes!!! Just gorgeous in every single way. I have just absolutely fallen in love with your beeline benedicta cardigan. Too bad, its way out of my budget, but hey a girl can dream, can’t she!?

Another lovely dress...

I just absolutely love this dress from Anthropologie. I love the yellow, they even have a gorgeous navy color as well. I just really dislike the price tag, but I love the dress. Perhaps I’ll get it if its in stock at my local Anthro store.

As you ruminate the hopeless sands of time,
Do you wonder how your life has been defined?
- Bad Religion

Frida, a New Look

I just absolutely love, admire, idolize everything about Frida Kahlo. I still remember the day that I discovered her vividly as if it was yesterday. Now the Ford Theater in Hollywood is having a lecture presented by Gregorio Luke on Frida Kahlo. I’m very excited to get tickets and attend the event. I just can’t wait for the lecture which is focused on rare images of the late artist along with personal letters. I’ve never been to the Ford Theater either so this should be a good time. I can’t believe the summer is fast approaching, but I’m looking forward to attending all the music events, art events, and festivals that come with it.

Cafe de Camacho

So my mother suggested we drive on down to Olvera Street in L.A. I was very hesistant at first, especially since I had already driven to Silverlake earlier in the day. I’m glad that I decided to make the drive down. We discovered a new cafe on Olvera Street. Cafe de Camacho has an incredible atmosphere and a Mexican hot chocolate to match it. The decor is amazing! All the chairs and tables are mismatched but work together wonderfully. There’s so much art on the chairs it brings conversation to Cafe de Camacho. They even have cafe de olla, which is traditional Mexican drip coffee. Essentially, you boil the coffee vs. letting hot water drip down through the coffee grinds. My mother was very satisfied with the cafe de olla that she even bought another cup to go. Best part of Cafe de Camacho: free wifi! I will definitely be going there again to enjoy another drink from their menu and try their food selections.
Here’s an amazing article on Cafe de Camacho from yelp.com

Rien ne développe l’intelligence comme les voyages. -Emile Zola