lovely wishes

today was a super long day. after staying up at 1 am until 4 am to watch & enjoy the fabulous wedding festivities of william & cate i felt like a loooong nap was in order :) and after said nap, i woke up with so much glee & joy i just had to express it via my tummy. i kept wanting to create a little tea party all day but seeing as i was the only one home i thought that would be silly. but then again, when was the last time i really enjoyed a royal wedding?! And to think so many wonderful people worldwide were also watching & sending so many of their lovely wishes out to the royal couple too. So let's celebrate shall we?  i decided to bake a little something something for mr.handsome & myself in honor of the royal hip hip hooray today.

i hope you enjoy the eye candy xoxo

i google searched the royal flag & created a little mini flag version in photoshop to make the little flag. I simply free styled the cut and wrapped the flag around my pinkie to create the wave flow effect. added a little double sided square to the back left side of the paper flag & wrapped it around a wooden tooth pick. simple & sweet :)

i thoroughly enjoy a good upside down pine apple cake.  my mama makes the best. :P

i love the vintage style plastic flowers so much. while watching the royal wedding i found myself wishing to dress up in a pretty hat. when i was looking through my baking stash i knew this little pretty flower would be a wonderful "royal hat" topping off a very dainty cupcake. xo

and sometimes there are no words to express how much i love my own prince charming. 

i love that he makes my wildest dreams come true ( napoleon dynamite joke here)

for putting up with self portrait photo shoots his crazy wife insists are SUPER important and necessary while random people watch 1001 takes.

totally understands my need to bake a whole box of cupcake mix for just the 2 of us and not on a birthday. plus having to eat said cupcakes for breakfast lunch and dinner for the next week.

and coming home hungry yet waiting on me patiently to eat dinner together even though my impromptu photo shoot ( of cupcakes no less :) took longer than expected. 

setting up the tv upstairs in our bedroom ( i hate tv's in bedrooms... except on royal wedding days :) and staying up at the butt crack of dawn to watch a wedding we were not invited to together. 

never mind he went to work without a long nap. i took that for the both of us. *smiles* i love this man. as much as i love naps xoxo

good times

i've got extra cupcakes... come on over :)

xoxo

-d

peaceful

hello  :)

goodness it's been a while.
i've missed sharing some daily pics ( more than a few weeks :( so sorry ) i have come back to share a few from a perfectly lovely day with my handsome man.

my current loves...
flowers and peace.

just looking back at these photos makes me feel happy. i've been laying low, designing a few things and getting ready for a craft fair in early May. Thinking, pondering and creating kind of lead me to unplug a bit from here but I have indeed missed you. I hope your days have been filled with beautiful spring weather.

These were from a week ago along the coronado ferry landing. i love the skyline in the back. :)

pretty pretty orangey flowers + a sweet rose perfume = lovely xoxo

caught this little bee scurrying away inside a rose. completely content & happy.  so cute. 

I like bees even though i was stung once. 

My name Deborah means "Bee" and i seriously wish it meant something deeper than that hahaa.

oh and don't ever call me deborah. i freak out. my mom is the only one that calls me that and only if she's yelling at me *big cheesy smile*. 

and i only go by debee. 

never deb. 

never ever.

ever.

ever never.

no. no. no. deb. no. no. no.

ever.

pretty & please :)

i always tell everyone that line in "you've got mail" i'm sweet like honey but i sting like a bee!

i love that line.

and i always think of the episode of "full house" when stephanie tanner runs around the house with her honeybee costume. total classic. :)

i love this pretty rose. too bad i never can grow them quite so pretty. i can grow a succulent like nobodies  business though. green thumb up*

i think of mister handsome every time i hum the song "nobody loves me like you" by jars of clay.

i love this part:

No one loves me like you 

No one loves me the way you do 

No one loves me like you 

No one loves me the way, the way that you do 

in 3 days we will celebrate our 2nd anniversary.

and i'm so thankful for these 2 years all by ourselves.

he's helped find the best part of me. and forgiven the all the rest of the crazy parts :)

i love him from the bottom of my heart all the way to the tippy top.

i wish you a wonderful spring day
some fresh flowers
+ a big happy hug
xo
-d

hello lovely

{ photo 16 }

i've got the hots for wee little buttons & charms + crochet art

i would have never thought i'd get super happy & excited finding pretty crochet potholders and buttons.  

{ photo 17 }

a charming butterfly insecta

or butterflies in frames.

{ photo 18 }

 doilies & mini fancy butter plates

all these things have found there way into a happy home. oh how i would have LOVED to have lived "back in the day" when these beautiful pieces were the norm. Over tea & croissants i would kindly offer you a wee bit of butter served on this cute mini dish.  so very lovely indeed :) 

a girl can only dream 

xo

-d

good good day

{ photo 14 }

postcard+paper garland xoxo = sweet little inspiration

i had a few postcard prints on my desk and decided i wanted to hang them up. except instead of framing them ( i'm afraid to commit to a hole in the wall :)... i simply clipped them with a mini wooden clip to a garland i already had decorating a wall. i love simple. :)

{ photo 15 }

sweets for the sweet xo

remember me talking about my dear friend ro & her wedding? it was a blast!

for her bachelorette party just us girls got together to enjoy an early brunch. I decided to bring little presents for everyone. I purchased some of my favorite cupcakes from babycakes to treat the girls. SO good! i love the cream cheese frosting. it's so delicious :)  They were so awesome and boxed each cupcake separately for me. So i ended up taking a little on the go kit ( scissors, red twine, paper flowers, vintage silver leaf, dainty doily, tags & butterflies ) and added theses elements to each box. easy peasy. it was such a good day. giving sweet cupcakes to anyone i think makes them an instant friend hahaa!

( we've tried the red velvet, blood orange, maple & bacon, poppy seed, dark chocolate & chocolate dipped strawberry and all of the above are crazy good ). what can i say... sweets are a girls best friend *smiles*.

because there is always time for a cupcake + simple inspiration

xoxo

-d

thank you xo XO

{ photo 13 }

so very thankful tax season is over for us :)

finishing the day on a happy note.
today we paid a visit to our fabulous tax lady.
showered her with gifts ( this postcard set in the photo above ) in hopes to show her how wonderful we think she is.

as scatterbrained as i am i am very thankful for her. xo

i'm even more thankful for mr.handsome for putting up with me and my piles of receipts everywhere :)
because even though 2010 had some high highs ( teaching my first class both in person & online + working on a unique card range with an amazing card company + staying married ;P) the year also brought  some very low lows ( losing another job- yet again, finding my way, finding new direction... both change & growth really hurt + leaving the past behind) even still it was a good year.

despite the lack of money, the lack of work and the lack of self-confidence... mr.handsome always pushed me to believe good was just around the bend.  i love it when that happens :)

good is always up ahead xoxo

-d

every day beauty

{photo 12 }

seeking. 

working.

hoping.

loving.

beauty in the every day.

simple & sweet xoxo

i'm working on a few things. i have a big plan. a plan that includes another online class. and pretty things are happening around the studio to make it happen. are you ready for another class? just like last time I think it would be nice to see a show of lovely hands.  

Maybe a smaller class? Longer session? More videos? ( maybe i will dance for you this time? hahaa. no. i think i will just try not to look too nervous *wink*) New technique? Q&A is totally a go so if you have any questions or want to share a :" i think i would like to see..." thoughts.... i'm pretty much considering any and everything  :)

so lets do it shall we? lets have some fun!

this will be my second online class so i hope ( crossing fingers ) to offer you an improved version of myself :) last class was awesome & i definitely learned so much.  xoxoxo thank you to all the lovelies who took the class! xoxo

it's that time again... time to be brave & embrace the mess 

you wanna join in on the fun? 

xo

-d

gotta look good when you eat :)

{ photo 11}

bring on the pretty napkins. i mean really look at that fabric right?! delish xo

today looked like this. everytime i get a bit hungry and in a rush i make this soup. In spanish we call it sopita. it's simple and very pleasing. i remember eating it as a little girl. I love all the shapes. i would play with my soup spelling out words in my spoon. And looky there. i still play with my food :)

even though i was eager to share my breakfast with you i was so hungry. I didn't want to play stylist with my food too long. when i get hungry. watch out. throw whatever food you have at me and fast. srsly. mr handsome likes to call that my "grouchy pants" moments.
which are often.
but whatevs.
we can't all be perfect. ( i always assure him that it happens to most people right? does that happen to you?)

anyhoo, like my little nephew baby g says EAT EAT!
hahaa

off to make some dinner for the handsome man.
i hope you are enjoying some yummy food in your life too xo
-d

new favorite thing: sewing

{ photo 7 }

I think I might love collecting colorful  spools of thread more *heeehee*

lately I've been really enjoying my sewing class. Not just because it gives me a reason to leave the house and drive someone else crazy :) But also because learning something new is a welcome challenge for me. This year i made it a goal to learn to knit & sew. So far I've got the sewing coming along and hope to share some humble looking projects I've worked on :) 

{ photo 8 }

xo *hearts come in all shapes & colors* xo

I did take these while the teacher was talking :)

yeah, i will do anything for a cute photo 

and why yes... i completely think of jolly ranchers every time i see this picture. ( my favorite is the fruit punch mmmm :)

{ photo 9 }

{ photo 10 }

 the essentials all dolled up

So playing is also learning new things. 

It's figuring out you like to make your thread stand out from the fabric. 

It's therapeutic. 

It's eye candy. 

It's refocusing. 

It's believing in yourself.

It's accepting my own imperfections. 

It's finding patience for oneself is harder than i think.  

It's accepting that sewing is not so scary since I'm fully armed with a new seam ripper. :)  

learning is accepting the process... that just like everything else I've learned ( playing guitar, drumming, photography, crochet etc ) i can only get better. oh i can remember how defeated i felt when i first started learning how to drum. sitting there tears rolling down my face. just broken. with my whole heart i longed to "just get it". so willing yet not willing to give up "perfection". until i let go it was then i truly embraced what learning is about. learning is an everyday process. sucking for a little while is okay :) it's not forever. keep going. tomorrow you are a going to be AWESOME. 

so me and my seam ripper are buddies.

we're cool like that. ;)

here's to more frustrating things to learn.

and the complete thrill & hope for "someday" finally achieving it.

xo

-d

love in the mix

{ photo 4 }

a little piece of heaven xoxo

Today we gathered as a family and presented our lovable sweet new baby nephew Mateo to God.  We prayed beautiful blessings over his life and promised our own to his.  To always bless, love & support him throughout life.  A promise is a promise little one. We've got your back baby boo :)

Completely a lovely and tender memory xo

Afterwards we had to celebrate with a fun family gathering :)

{ photo 5 }

getting creative & playing with food. pretty & delicious :)

So Mr.Handsome and I made what we love to share with family & friends and that is the following Mango Salsa.

{ photo 6 }

Mixed in are mangoes, avocados, cucumbers, red onion, red & yellow bell peppers, jicama, jalapeños, lemons, limes, salt, pepper & lots of chips.  It's always refreshing & mouth watering, I hope you try it :)

this weekend has been a wonderful one indeed.
I hope you enjoy a little family & food love
*smiles*

-d

day no.2

{ photo no.3 }

today i felt this image captures the beauty of the wedding i'm about to be a part of. 

LOVE is a beautiful thing xo

one of my dear best friends is getting married today. i've known her since the 7th grade and have been friends ever since. Never did we think that out of all the casual friends we'd come to know that it would be us left standing. we never fight. never talk cr*p. never drama. i only have low key friends like that :) but it is what it is. it's simple. it's honest. it's a true friendship. it's love.

i love her like a sister.
i love her high pitched laugh.
i love her cute 5 ft. nothing stature and her 5 inch heels.
i love her faith in our friendship.
i love that when i look back on the most important events in my life ( playing my first rock concert as a drummer, showing my first one man art show, choir + music recording class, graduation etc.
i remember her.
she made those times good ones.

and i credit her for teaching me tagalog enough to say:

Mahal kita ro ro :)

i'm off to show my love & support as a bridesmaid :)
here's hoping i don't trip & fall walking down the aisle in the heels i haven't worn for 2 years.
or faint ;P

that would totally happen to me.
and ro for sure would bust out laughing. so i guess that's the up side. ha!

xo
-d

april love

happy april!
and happy friday :)
i'm full of excitement and energy for this month and I'm starting with one goal: PLAY

I'm attempting something i've never really done before and that is a photo a day kind of a deal. Just for this month though :)  So here is to posting more "creative-ish" photos. I firmly believe creativity in order to thrive must be played with :)  so today while moving things around the studio and preparing to spring clean and move furniture around to collect dust bunnies ( i have no shame- i have dust bunnies and cute ones ;P) i snapped these photos.

{ photo 1 }

moving my desk around to the corner spot... 

i might have to find another place for these guys but i thought i should give them one more snap shot just in case xoxo. helloooooo pom poms!

{ photo 2 }

this little guy is so cute on top of embroidery thread wound on mini spools xo

i've been keeping little bits and pieces in cubbies for a while and thought i'd share this cutie pie. I love the honey color and pretty purples. Lovely indeed. 

this month is going to be a great month. starting with today :)  Finding joy and happiness in the simple things. creativity + camera phone = awesome happy

i hope you take a little time this month to capture some awesomeness around you and in you xoxo

-d