HOPE

The beginning of Advent.

When I was a little girl my Grandmama had the biggest nativity set I have ever seeing, it was really amazing.. she had a whole village set under her stairs, there were ponds made with blue foil and cellophane paper filled with ducks and fish, it had  bridges with  people crossing wagons pulled by horses, little children running all over the place, shepherds in different sizes and colors and of course lambs, lots of lambs and each of the grandchildren (12 in total)  was represented by one lamb, me being the littlest of my family I was the littlest of the lambs, and every day depending on how well we had behaved  we would move the lambs closer to the manger... I can still feel the excitement when walking towards Grandmama's house every night, (fear on those days that I wasn't that well behaved) but when that door was open ... the smell of all the lighted candles, the hot chocolate, the sweet bread, my Grandmama's open arms and the biggest smile that was waiting for us would make every December so very special.

At school we had an advent wreath, and every morning we would light it and prey, it was really beautiful. 

This year for my kids I was finally able to buy this advent spiral with  Mary and donkey, eventually and hopefully our collection will grow every year,  the girls are so excited.. we will read a chapter every night until Christmas, they love to move Mary on her donkey around the spiral and they love to listen to the story, I was afraid the chapters would be too long but they are just enough for the girls to want a little bit more so they are learning to be patient for they have to wait just one chapter a day.

And we bought also baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph and three lambs, little by little I hope to be able to resemble my Grandmama's nativity set,  probably not in size but in memories, for now I'm making sure all the candles in the house are lighted and the hot chocolate is always ready on the stove. 

OOAK mini paitings

Picnic!!

Gee what an intense past days, between the holiday and the elections no time at all... a very quick post this will be..

I left my camera with el dia de los muertos pics at a friends house so no pics for now I promise I will post them when I get my camera back!

The good news is that my hubby shared the old camera with me and I was able to take pics of the new items that I just listed at the shop. Just a little peek, and an update with more necklaces and candle holders by mid week.

(a smallish mountain giRl) 

(thRee winteR giRl's)

I grew up in ''La capital" or "el Distrito Federal" .. Mexico city ... the 2nd biggest city in the world with 22.8 million people.
We don't really have Halloween. Halloween is a borrowed festivity .. on that day you'll have a mixture and it really depends on what social class you belong too middle class and rich people would go trick or treating dress in costumes yelling through the streets in every house "Halloween queremos Halloween" meaning "halloween WE Want halloween" and that of course means candy. But depending on the area that you live and if you are from a lower class you wont ask for halloween you ask for your "CALAVERITA" this means little skull.. and the candy wont be candy it will be fruit, like tangerines, jicama, oranges... and this kids the ones that ask for calaverita, because they don't have money for costumes they only paint their faces with a skull... so we would have tons of big, little and even the adults with their white skull faces, at least all this was when I was a little kid, but then november first and second is el dia de los muertos!!! that is our real tradition and what a gorgeous tradition it is.. We believe that the dead come back to us for one day .. the vail from their world to our world is so thin on those days.
So we make altares to honor our death people, we make a lot of food, food that has a special meaning and food that we know the dead person used to like when she/he was alive.. we put a lot of fresh orange and purple flowers around .. a lot of candles to guide them, we write funny songs and poems, we decorate with papel picado, calaveritas de azucar and paper mache statues of the skeletons dressed up as traditional mexican women and men, anyway you can find a lot of information in the internet about "el dia de los muertos" it is a beautiful tradition one that I really love and every year I do my altar . So today in the morning I will be decorating and getting ready for "el dia de los muertos" with festivities through the whole weekend and I'll come back to share all the pics..

Blessings to all, have a great Halloween, Samhain or whatever you celebrate this weekend.. if you don't celebrate anything have a fantastic weekend.

The winds are strong and cold, a remainder that winter won't take long to arrive, two scarves finished... one more to go.

pumpkins!!!  I TOTALLY LOVE THEM!!!!  this is my favorite time of the year!!!!  

WE went to pick three pumpkins, one for each wee one, on Saturday we have two carving parties... and then next week we are having a little early Samhain tea party for the girls where after tea  we carve lanterns out of gourds and each of the kids  prepare a story to tell at night. we light the lanterns and we sit in a circle,   we put some nature music as backround and blankets all over the backyard.. the kids love it.  

a little peek of the new item that is coming to the shop.

So the girl's party was super fun.. we had tons of little kids jumping and running all over the back yard, all dressed up,  it was super cute, we had lions, bumblebees, little witches, super heroes, ladybugs, princesses and cowboys.. ohh and a frog!! 

the idea for this little dolls came from here, I think they are adorable and the kids loved them.

So the girls birthday party will be in a week, we did celebrate M's but the real party is still to come, we are doing one big party for both girls with 2 cakes and the theme will be ladybugs!! so here is the to do list:

1. invitations
   
2. goody bags
   
3. decorations
   
4. cake
   

Te invitations are already done here is a pick of the illustration I did for it, watercolor acrylic and pencil..

the goody bags are going to be little wooden boxes decorated with polka dots and inside a little wooden doll. I still have quite a few to finish and a little pouch with miniature color pencils if I have time (which I bet I wont) I would like to give also a note pad but that will be in my dreams.

Im still looking for an idea for the cakes. and the decorations I only need to do the bunting .. I know is still a lot to do so this weekend work work work... 

4 1/2 years ago...

and now she is almost 5...

My little one, 

every night when I lay next to you in bed I whisper in your ear.. Please stop growing 

 and you with that self confidence that is being with you ever since you were born responds to my plea...

Mama I have to grow, but that does not mean that I will stop loving you!!  

I know honey, I know,  and I want you to grow,  is only my selfishness speaking that I want you only for myself and it is the fear of the day that you will fly away from home. 

I am already missing you... time goes faster every minute every second of my life and its just not enough 24/7 that I spend with you because I know that I will blink and tomorrow you will

fly. 

And that is why my little one that  I don't want to miss not even a second of your life. 

When you were born you were born with your eyes open you didn't want to miss your big entrance to this great world... and since that day you want to eat the whole world with big spoonfuls..  I know you have to grow and I want you to grow... just do it a little bit slower will ya?

love,

Mama.

some Summer pictures ...