Bobbypin Bandit

It's the little things...

2012-01-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

If there is one thing I enjoy most in this world... it's sewing. It's so satisfying to take fabric and some notions like this:

And turn them into this...

My brother had asked me to make him an ipad case and when I stumbled upon a tutorial over at Fresh Lemons, I knew it would be perfect. He plays the drums, so I embroidered a little set on the front. The tutorial for this case is one of the best I have ever followed and is easy, as well.

On a different note: I have to send a huge THANK YOU to Jenn over at Broomsticks and Lace for giving me a blog award!

Liebster is German for "dearest" and this award is for blogs with less than 200 followers. Now, as a recipient I am supposed to give the award to 5 other blogs with less than 200 followers... but, it appears that all the bloggers I enjoy visiting have more than 200 followers... So, I am going to have to get back to you all on this.

Until next time!

xo,
K

A Valentine's Day Wreath

2012-01-21T10:37:00.000-08:00

I started making wreaths like this about 6 or 7 years ago (maybe longer, not sure) and even though I would make them in different colors for any time of year, they became my go-to Valentine's Day item to make.

They are very easy really, they take more time than anything. I finished mine in an afternoon.

All you need to make this wreath is:
- a styrofoam wreath
- some cardboard to re-enforce the back
- glue (I used Aleene's Original Tacky Glue)
- 2 yards of felt in the color of your choice (I always buy extra felt just in case)
- a pencil, chopstick, or something to puncture the styrofoam with (I used the end of a small paintbrush).
- a little cup
- ribbon to hang the wreath

I start by tracing along the outside and inside of the wreath on the cardboard, and then cut it out. You can trim as necessary. The cardboard will be covered, so it really isn't a big deal if it's a little crooked.

Add some glue all around the cardboad.

And stick it to what will be the back of the styrofoam wreath.

While that dries, cut the felt into 4x4 inch squares.

Now you can begin to add the felt to the styrofoam. Pour some glue into a cup. Take your pencil or stick instrument of choice. I used a small paintbrush end, and place it in the middle of a square of felt.

Dip the felt into the glue.

Then stab (sorry, couldn't think of a better word) that end into the styrofoam wreath.

Repeat the process all around the wreath, making sure to place the felt close enough to one another that they create a sort of ruffled look.

Once you finish, let it dry. I let mine dry for 24 hours, just to make sure it rests enough. Then I used some red ribbon and just wrapped it around the entire wreath and hung it up.

Hope you get to try this out. It's a lot of fun to have as decor... if I do say so myself.

Until next time.

XO
-K

Tell Martha I'm Mad at Her

2012-01-15T07:02:00.000-08:00

I was having a tranquil Friday afternoon, wandering around the grocery store when I spotted something out of the corner of my eye...

I dropped my basket of groceries and proceeded to flip through the new Martha Stewart Magazine... Martha's Halloween and Valentine's editions are the only things my life comes to a screeching halt for. I was flipping through the glossy pages of wonderment when I spotted it... the one thing Martha knew would drive me into a wild fit of obsession...

I woke up early this morning and hit up ebay and etsy in search of vintage heart lockets in order to try to re-create this charm bracelet... and as I was clicking and refreshing on a bid like a mad woman, that little voice in my head said... "Kristen, step off... you're out of control." I calmly signed out of my ebay account, stepped away from the computer, and shrieked, because Valentine's Day is in a month!

I gotta get to crafting! I have garlands in mind and handmade cards... I need to get a move on!

I kept thinking about what I would make to send to my family and friends for Valentine's Day, and heart felt items sound good to me... because they will be heart-felt... and hearts made of felt... hee hee!... I am a dork, I know...

I have felt ready for a wreath project which I will share in a few days, but I wanted to share a little round-up of freebies and tutorials that I have been saving for a year.

There is a great felt heart ornament tutorial over at Fave Crafts.

The Purl Bee has instructions for some super adorable heart felt pins.

The following links I stumbled upon solely because of the lovely person behind How About Orange. These are free printable templates for cards and a coffee sleeve!

Get these here.

And these here.

These are so stinking cute, I can't even handle it. They can be found here.

Off to get covered in felt, craft glue, and glitter!

Until next time...

XO -K

Settling In

2012-01-11T13:21:00.000-08:00

I am back in Albuquerque settling into my apartment and preparing for another semester of teaching, writing, and working at the library. I can't believe it's 2012 already... and we're 11 days in... I was trying to remember everything that happened over the course of 2011 and I am still surprised that I finished my PhD coursework, took and passed my doctoral comprehensive exams, accomplished some major archiving work at the library, and found time to craft, sew, and embroider...

I also had time to tend to my shoe addiction, but that story is for another day...

I had to clean up the crafting chaos I left behind prior to taking off to Arizona. I found this little contraption... I bought it at Hobby Lobby a few months ago because I thought it was interesting... then I just threw it in the crafting black hole that is my closet and forgot about it. As I was re-organizing fabric and notions, it reappeared. It's a French Knitter.

I am not a successful knitter or crocheter, so I had to read the instructions.

Once I got the hang of this thing... it was kind of fun...

It provides this very pretty pattern with the yarn. I didn't know what to make with it. After a little Google search I found out that this thing is used to teach children the principles of knitting... Sounds about right for me... teach the 30-year old child how to knit...

I ended up with a long cord and have no idea what to use it for now...

I think I want to decorate all my blouses and cardigans with my first initial... you know... like Laverne used to wear...

Then I thought I should try to turn it into a Valentine's Day craft of some sort. I just love Valentine's day. Red is my favorite color and I love hearts. All my friends say I am crazy for loving Valentine's Day, but I don't care... I love it... I love Halloween, too... those are my two favorite yearly celebrations.

Which yearly celebrations do you love?

Until next time!
xo - K

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T11:35:00.000-08:00

I wish everyone a very happy and healthy 2012. May this be everyone's best year yet!

I took this picture while standing in my parents' yard looking out into Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora. The sunset seemed just right.

I have had limited internet access. Well... who am I kidding, I haven't had internet access! I haven't had the opportunity to keep in touch with anyone over the web. I trust everyone is well and had a very happy holiday season.

Happy new year!

Elf Stockings

2011-12-20T16:44:00.001-08:00

I managed to get the heck out of dodge (dodge being Albuquerque) before a major snow storm hit. I made it to Nogales, AZ and am snuggling into my parents' house. I was able to unpack the stockings I made and hang them from the mantel. These are rather large elf stockings...

Hope your holiday preparations are going well!

xo,
K

Move over Santa...

2011-12-17T07:15:00.000-08:00

...there is a new elf in town.

Just joking!

I transformed my apartment into a holiday workshop right after Halloween. I have been crafting felt flowers (used as gift wrapping above), making gifts, and wrapping everything. I decided to make everyone's gifts this year, because handmade is just more sentimental, and affordable! Since I can't share photos of the majority of items I made, for fear of spoiling someone's Christmas... I am going to share one, because my Dad doesn't read my blog, at least I don't think he does... If you do, Dad, sorry... hope you like your gift!

I took a tutorial from Women's Day Magazine for a glasses case and altered it just a bit. I added lining and left it rectangular. The lining is my favorite. I don't remember when I got this Loteria (Mexican card game similar to bingo) print fabric, or where I got it, but it's one of my favorite fabrics to use.

I have two more gifts to finish, and then I am officially ready for Christmas. I am hoping to finish the last two gifts today. My quality control manager, Douglas, seems to be exhausted from all this gift making.

Off to the crafting table!

Until next time...

xo,
K

December to Remember, Part I

2011-12-14T06:57:00.000-08:00

Without planning it... Nick and I have turned this month into a December to Remember. There have been various holiday events around the city recently, and somehow, Nick and I have managed to catch the majority of what's been going on.

A holiday stroll in Old Town Albuquerque, with the tree lighting ceremony and various Folklorico dances.

I love the movement and colors of the skirts. I think I need one of those skirts...

We caught what we could of the Parade of Lights... the snow hindered our desire to stay outside.

We caught a hay ride at the Rio Grande Community Farm to see the Sandhill Cranes migrate south from Canada.

We topped all this off with a Holiday Mariachi Espectacular. (I was scolded by the usher for trying to take photos, so all I got were these two cell phone images).

Not too shabby for the first two weeks of December... I wonder what we'll do this weekend?

Glitter Addiction

2011-12-09T14:03:00.000-08:00

In order to celebrate that my prospectus is finished and I am ready to defend it before my committee, I decided I needed some Jeffrey Campbell Glitter Lita Platform Boots. The UPS man (who always knows ;) what gifts to bring me) delivered them on Monday and I realized, I have a bit of an obsession/addiction with glitter shoes...

I have some sequin skull ones... leopard ones with glitter embedded in the print... and some gold glitter flats...

Clearly, I enjoy the sparkle.

Have a good Friday!

Small Celebrations

2011-12-02T06:35:00.000-08:00

This week has been one where everything has fallen into place. I have a fellowship with the University of New Mexico Libraries and one of my major projects this year has been to put together an exhibit focusing on the U.S.-Mexico Border. I was able to dry mount all of the images for the exhibit, so I can install it next week. I even found some items that were exhibit-ready in our collection.

Having been raised on the border, in Nogales, Arizona-Sonora, one of the major reasons I decided to obtain a PhD, is to contribute to the amount of written history that is lacking about my hometown. Which is the source of the other small celebration this week, because I finished putting together my dissertation prospectus/proposal and the chair of my committee approved it to go out to the rest of my committee.

I was excited about the images for our collection, so I decided to share them with you. These are really just a few, because I have about 30 images total. This image is from an artist collective in Oaxaca called ASARO (Asamblea de Artistas Revolucionarios de Oaxaca), and they have a few prints that focus on the unsolved murders of women in Juarez. Their work offers a critique of the Mexican Government, and the pieces related to the women of Juarez are asking for an investigation into who committed the more than 400 murders since 1993... some say there have been close to 1,000 murders, but I am uncertain of the exact number... 1 is too many, in my mind.

This is a photograph of a migrant making his way to cross the border on the Northern Mexican Frontier by Elsa Medina.

When I stumbled upon an image of Pancho Villa during the Mexican Revolution, I knew our exhibit was going to be great.

I am still debating whether or not to include this photo, because I haven't been able to find the details of its creator and such. I love it, though. I don't know if it's all the sombreros that I love, or the shadows, or what... but I just love looking at this image.

Those are my small celebrations this week... the exhibit is almost ready and my prospectus is finished and ready to be approved... Now, if only I could apply enough effort to finish sewing up Christmas gifts, then this week would be perfect.

Until next time.
-K

Old friends...

2011-11-27T05:55:00.000-08:00

An old friend came to visit this morning... early this morning my dear old friend, Insomnia, dropped by to say hello and stay a while. We have been friends since I was a child and while I never understood why we remained friends, days or weeks can go by and we will never speak, but when we meet again, we can pick up right where we left off.

Insomnia and I organized all the fabric and sewing notions in my closet. Then we went through the fabric scraps box and found the first thing I ever embroidered (image above). I bought a stitching kit from Sublime Stitches somewhere between 6 or 7 years ago and used it to teach myself how to embroider. I then found some amazing green fabric that wants to be shantung, but it's not, and turned it into a large pouch/clutch for myself. It's a little larger than a standard piece of paper.

I am not sure why I couldn't sleep. Typically, I experience bouts of insomnia when I have something I am worrying about, but there is nothing going on in my world for me to worry about anymore. I took the time to finish the first of the five stockings I am working on for the family.

I got this amazing vintage looking fabric at Joanns a few weeks ago. I bought different fabric for each stocking, and each stocking is about 2 and a half feet tall. I wasn't going to make them this big, but at the request of Momsy, they are that big.

Once I had enough of sewing, Insomnia and I proceeded to surf the internet. I stumbled upon Rydeng's Blog, which I loved. It made me feel like redecorating my house.

I have almost gotten rid of all the hand-me-down furniture I acquired throughout my undergrad years. I have one piece left, a loveseat that my aunt and uncle bought when they got married in like 1988... They gave it to my sister in 1994, who had it upholstered in a very South Beach-type jungle print... Then I got it in 1999 and have since had it re-upholstered... twice... (first in Marimekko floral, and now in candy apple red). This might be the year to let it go. As I was eyeballing some leather chairs at the store the other day... they are pricey, but sexy, and I believe two of them should be mine.

Then I saw this at Rydeng's and I LOVED it. Although, I need sleep to be one of the options to take.

It's been an odd weekend for me. I finished all my work, as in work at school in the form of grading or writing and such, so I had no work to bring home with me. Which is good, because I have been in a bunting craze most of the weekend. I made vintage hankie bunting... then took a gander at making scalloped bunting...

Maybe it's time for a nap now...

Thanksgiving and What comes next...

2011-11-25T13:55:00.000-08:00

I trust everyone had a good Thanksgiving holiday. I am not really a fan of the day, for a variety of reasons (i.e., history, food options), BUT I am thankful that I have a good group of friends and family to celebrate the day off with! (Image from here. )

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go home for the Thanksgiving break. Aside from the flights being too expensive, it's too challenging to travel to Arizona, come back to New Mexico, and leave to Arizona two weeks later for the Christmas break. This is the second year I haven't been home for Thanksgiving, and it will be my last, as I am moving back to Tucson in May (and I can't wait!!).

I made it a new tradition to gather people (mostly grad students) together who are unable to go home for the holiday and cook us a good meal. This year, it was just me and Joseph, who couldn't go home to Texas. Last year, I took a gander at roasting a chicken and ended up having a shouting match with the neck and innards that I had to pull out of its body... it was nasty and left me traumatized. This year I made chicken mole (the butcher handled the skinning, boning, and removal of body parts for me) with rice, beans & corn.... Joseph put together the salad. I also made pumpkin empanadas and beef and potato empanadas (which I forgot to take pictures of).

Joseph took off and I decided some stitching a sewing projects were in order. I decided to make everyone's gifts this year... so I need to get a move on. Before I did that, though, I had to fix my favorite cardigan...

I bought this cardi at Banana Republic forever-ago. I love that it has elbow patches. I have worn it out, though...

I stopped by Banana the other day and they had a sweater with elbow patches, but it wasn't the same.

Then, during my usual online window shopping, I spotted the best star-shaped elbow patched sweater.

So, I decided to put my own elbow patches on my own cardigan.

I am still going to repair and wear my old one, but this new one is nice for staying cozy while it's cold out.

Ok, time to get to work on the gifts I need to stitch up... so far I have finished one... but I can't tell you who it's for, because she reads my blog... but here is a sneak peak. I used the hankies that I picked up at the vintage store last week.

Gotta get a move on... lots more gifts to stitch up while I finish out the semester while I take breaks from grading and my own work!

Spontaneous Saturday

2011-11-20T10:35:00.001-08:00

Have you ever had one of those days where you go with the flow and it turns out to be one of the best days ever? That's what happened on Saturday. My wonderful friend Nick called and invited me to walk around our neighborhood and enjoy the potential purchasing opportunities the universe had laid out for us.

There was an estate sale and a craft fair in my neighborhood... I found a Miles Davis record at the Estate Sale, and while everything was super cute at the craft fair, I couldn't afford the $250 quilt that I wanted that had teapots all over it!!! One day it shall be mine.

Our adventures took us up the road to some vintage stores where I found some great vintage handkerchiefs and a Culture Club record. I found this vintage cocktail shaker that I just had to have.All in all it was a great day for a vintage haul.

The evening ended with my friend Joseph and I heading over to the Apothecary Lounge on the roof of the Hotel Parq Central where we enjoyed some amazingly delicious caipirinhas.

He lived in Brazil and Paraguay for a long time, and was happy to find a place in the States that served South American cocktails. We ended up leaving the hotel all freaked out because it used to be an insane asylum and we heard some scary ghost stories that sent us running home right quick!

We met up with Nick and another friend, Maria, and decided a donut and a coffee would be a perfect ending to the night.

Joseph had that huge Apple Fritter... the one across the table... which kept making me giggle because he is over 6 feet tall and born and raised in Texas... and you know everything is bigger in Texas... so even though that fritter looked huge to me, it was tiny when he held it in his hand. I kept laughing... Nick almost made me laugh my way off the chair when he asked if anyone had heard about a blog called the Feminist Ryan Gossling. We talk about feminist methodologies in our academic lives, but this grad student from the University of Wisconsin is using photos of Ryan Gossling to explore and work through these theories that we discuss as scholars... it's just hilarious because we have these alternate identities where we use language like this all the time, but in our lives outside of the institution, we would never speak this way... it just made me laugh until I couldn't breathe.

Those moments are the ones I cherish the most... when I can laugh with my friends and just enjoy the people in my life who let me love them.

Some Holiday Spirit

2011-11-13T10:26:00.000-08:00

The one thing I have experienced while living in Albuquerque, is that fall really is beautiful, but I seem to have avoided paying attention because I didn't want to believe it was going to get cold again. In Tucson and Nogales, it's either hot or cardigan chilly, so to have moved to the high desert of Northern New Mexico... well, it's been difficult to adjust. I had been in denial that Fall had arrived, but clearly Winter is already knocking at our door. It's been cold and for a girl from the low desert of Southern Arizona, I never take to the cold well. The change in the environment that Fall brings, is very beautiful though. Some of these colors are simply gorgeous.

My neighbor's wall has this ivy crawling all over it, and I couldn't help but notice the variation in the colors. It boggles my mind that this just happens naturally... it's so beautiful!

In the spirit of the change in weather and the joining in with the holiday decorating going on around the neighborhood, I decided to get to work on some of my holiday decorations. I found this fantastic tutorial over at Purl for a felt wreath (the photo below is theirs).

When it comes to crafting, I love to work with felt. I always have, and probably always will. Which means that I always have felt in my craft closet. I went through my fabrics and found that I had enough felt in red, white, and green to make my own version of the Purl wreath.

I have been cutting flowers and making textured centers for them throughout the week and then used the weekend to stitch the flowers onto the back panel.

I used pins to hold the flowers and centers in place while I stitched them onto the back panel.

I was so excited when I finished, but then... I didn't know where to hang the wreath... so, now it's hanging on the wall behind my desk. I wish I had a fire place with a mantel to hang it on, but I don't :(

Until I find an appropriate place, this is where it shall stay.

Now I have to work on the stockings I am making for the fam. We moved when I was in high school and we seem to have "lost" these awesome stockings with designs in sequins. We haven't had great stockings since and I have taken on the task of making us new ones. I am going to accent each stocking with a felt mum, which I also worked on throughout the week.

I found the tutorial over at Everyday Art. Mine aren't coming out quite so lovely as the one in the tutorial, but I really like the handmade quality of mine.

I have a few more flowers to work on and then I can sew up the stockings. I'll share photos of the fabric later, but I found some wonderful fabric with vintage holiday and santa images on them.

Until next time!

The Vegan Option

2011-11-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

I never thought that I would be giving up eating some of the things I used to, but I credit my friend, Nick, for teaching me just how good vegan food can be. The stress of being a grad student doesn't translate to healthy eating... at least not for me. Nick offered me a vegan pick me up/comfort food in the form of chickpea patties with mashed potatoes and a corn gravy. The meal was so delicious and I felt good after I ate it. Because I liked that meal so much, Nick asked me to join him for lunch a few days later, at a vegan place near campus, Mint Tulip.

The place was absolutely charming. I ordered mint limeade and I couldn't get enough! Nick ordered some carrot juice that I didn't think I would like, but it was delicious, too!

I ordered a buffalo wrap and Nick ordered a burger. I wasn't too familiar with Gardein, but Nick said that's what was in my wrap. It was delicious and with the way the ladies at Mint Tulip fixed it up... it was packed with flavor.

Nick's burger had a beet patty... it was such a lovely color of pink/magenta.

Clearly, I enjoyed my meal...

When I got home, I decided to try making mint limeade...

I made a mint infused syrup, but instead of sugar, I used agave nectar.

I thought it was the perfect blend of sweet and tart.

I may not be a complete vegan, but I definitely took some things out of my diet that were bringing me down... no more dairy and I still eat chicken. I guess that makes me more of a flexitarian than anything. We'll see how this whole vegan thing develops for me.

Until next time!

Feliz Día de los Muertos

2011-11-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

I am happy to celebrate Día de los Muertos today. I send embraces to those of you celebrating the lives of those who have crossed into the spirit world.

For those of you who know me well, you know I wear my skull rings on a daily basis. I do this because I believe in the beauty of death. Many people always stop me and say, "Kristen, why the skulls?," and my honest response is that death is just as important as birth.

People have come to know me as the girl with the skull rings... My picture was in the newspaper, not of my face, but of my rings. I would almost prefer people consider the fact that I wear these skull rings on a daily basis because of the beauty of life and death, than remember my name.

I wear skull jewelry quite often, so for me, today is unlike any other day. I honor those people who I have lost in the world of the living, and look forward to encountering them again once I cross into the spirit world. I understand that el Día de los Muertos has become popular in the U.S., but I am hoping it doesn't lose it's real meaning and importance. It isn't just about skulls and flowers... it's about honoring our ancestors and elders who have crossed into the spirit world by making their favorite food and drink, and sprinkling the cempazuchitl or zenpasuchitl (marigolds), from the grave to our homes in order for the spirits of loved ones to find their way back home.

Te deseo un feliz día de los muertos y mando un abrazo fuerte a todos.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T11:32:00.000-07:00

My darling friend, Nick, and I spent some time over the weekend carving pumpkins for Halloween! I decided to share some of our new pumpkin head friends with you.

Pumpkin guts!

Jack O'lanterns.

The indifferent pumpkin.

Nick's fairytale pumpkin as Jack O'Lantern.

Hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween!

A Halloween Soirée, Part II

2011-10-22T18:42:00.000-07:00

As the second part to my time at my sister's Halloween party, I have come to share a tale with you.

This is a legend shared throughout Mexico and the Southwest United States. Anywhere you may encounter a person of Mexican descent, they will tell you that they know this story. This is the story of La Llorona (pronounced Yoh-RROH-nah)), in English, she is called the Wailing Woman or Weeping Woman.

Young children are told to come home before night fall and to stay away from open bodies of water, because La Llorona will get them. Wandering husbands are threatened with stories that La Llorona will come and steal their children if they cheat on their wives. Women who dote on their husbands too much and ignore their children are often told of La Llorona.

Long ago a young beautiful Mexican woman, Maria, believed she was the better than everyone else because of her beauty. She refused to even look at any of the men in her village. One day a very handsome Spanish man in very regal looking clothing rode into the village on a large beautiful horse. She decided that he would be the man for her. She acted as though she was not interested, and turned away any time the handsome man would look at her or try to speak to her. He even went to her home to serenade her and she ignored his advances. Maria married the handsome man and they had two children. One day he took too long to come home, and Maria waited, and waited. His trips out to the fields and prairies started to take longer and longer. Rumors arose that he had decided to marry a woman of his same class and leave Maria to fen for herself. The handsome man began to ignore Maria and would only pay attention to the children. One day, Maria saw him with another woman, and her children ran to him. He ignored Maria completely, and her rage led her to drag the children to the nearby river where she drowned them. As she watched their bodies float down the river, she realized what she had done and ran after them, but the river moved quickly and she fell to the ground, dead from the grief of what she had just done.

People in the village said they heard crying by the river since that night she was buried. Those who would stay out late, would often see her in the white robe she was buried in. She often catches some children who are never seen or heard from again. She manifests as a beautiful woman to men with wandering eyes, and if they follow her, they too disappear.

So, be careful, don't stay out too late, especially if there is water nearby, because La Llorona will get you...

A Halloween Soirée

2011-10-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

I received an invitation to my sister's halloween party.

I was happy to prepare for a marvelous day of tricks and treats especially concocted for today's festivities... so, please, sit for a moment with me at my desk, as I reflect on the witches and wizards of our past.

Not so long ago, my grandmother Josephine compiled photos of those in our family who had the "gift" of clairvoyance and the ability to make everything they thought or wanted manifest as reality. She calls this album, Nosotros, which is Spanish for we or us. And now... I share it with you...

This story begins with young Daniel, he never understood his powers and quite often tormented children on the playground. He would bring wind from his fingertips that could knock people over and his stare could paralyze you with a chill as cold as the arctic. He was evil, until the day he met Dolores... the next photo over is them when they are older. She never understood why she married him, but as much as she tried, she could never leave him... she would reach the edge of the front porch and couldn't seem to move them to take a step down, she would just stand there, frozen. Every time she would turn around to walk back into the house, there was Daniel, waiting for her.

Dolores and Daniel had one child, a son, Joseph, who married a woman very much like him. Together, Joseph and Emilia could predict the future and see things happen before they would. Emilia knew she would never have daughters, so she had to rely on her sons to bring her granddaughters.

Emilia had three sisters, Josephine, Bertha, and Alicia, and they realized that Emilia's husband had similar powers and abilities as they did. In Emilia's family only the women had the power to cast spells and see the future, while in Joseph's, it was only the men.

The three sisters decided that only the women would be the ones to earn the powers and they developed a spell to eliminate the powers that their children and grandchildren would have received. Two generations passed and the women were the ones who obtained the gifts from their ancestors while the men did not...

That is, until the great-grandaughter of Emilia, Carolina, met a dashing young man, Sebastian. She always said there was something special about him... she never could explain what it was, except that it sometimes chilled her to the bone.

That, my friends, is just a little bit about some of the women and men in my past. Every Halloween, I know they are around, I can feel the chill on the back of my neck, but anytime I try to turn around, I am paralyzed by a chill and when I can finally move, I look around and see no one there.

I have more stories for you... please visit me later... when the sun starts to go down...

Note: Nosotros album is the artwork and original idea created by Brandon Maldonado. Learn more about him and his art at www.brandonmaldonado.com.

Trick or Treats and an Update

2011-10-06T23:19:00.000-07:00

Halloween is one of my most favorite things to celebrate. I love the skulls and the treats and the spookiness of it all. I got a late start on some of my crafty ideas, but I am happy to report that I finished my most recent project with fabric left over. Now I need to figure out what to make with the leftovers, but it's such wonderful Halloween themed fabric, I am sure anything would be dandy.

My sister will be having a Halloween party soon, and I knew I had to make her something with this fabric. I decided some triangle bunting would be good... I thought I hadn't purchased enough fabric... boy, was I wrong!

I wanted to make her two strands of flag thingys... and I now have flags coming out my ears with fabric leftover. BUT, shhhh... don't tell my sister what I made for her... (Please excuse the photo below, had to take it with the cell phone and couldn't get the exposure right).

Speaking of gifts and not telling my siblings about it... my brother received his pillowcases. I had to take photos in a rush before I took the darn things to the post office to send to him. These aren't as great of photos of the end result, but I have to say, I love this whole embroidered pillow case idea.

Until next time!

xo,
K

Back in Black

2011-09-25T08:51:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been so long since I last posted here. Things have been busy on the work front, as I had to complete my PhD comprehensive examination. It took two weeks for me to produce a 53-page document to answer one question. I am still awaiting my results, but I am just happy to be over this hurdle. Now I can focus on some stitchery and WIPs I have been putting off in order to complete my school work.

My younger brother is turning 24 at the end of the week, and I wanted to give him something functional and fun. I decided to embroider him some pillowcases, somewhat similar to the ones I made for myself, but shhhh... don't tell him ;)

I'll share more photos after I finish them and I know he has received them.

I got the template for the design above from Urban Threads. They have an amazing tutorial this week... Tattoo Tights!

In honor of my re-joining the blogosphere, I have some music... because I am back...

Champy Thursday

2011-08-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

There is a tradition in my house that I reserve for Thursdays. I invite friends over, we pick a film, and enjoy a glass of champagne or sparkling white wine (whichever is readily available), and enjoy what he have dubbed, Champy Thursday.

This morning, as I was preparing for the day, I realized it was Champy Thursday, and I suddenly got the urge to hear French music.

Seemingly appropriate, I found this:

La Vie En Rose Music Box from Kiet Callies on Vimeo.

Happy Champy Thursday!

xoxo!

A little time to myself...

2011-08-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

I finally finished teaching a summer school class. I have to say, I am not sure what is worse, taking or teaching a summer school class... either way, I am glad it's over. I feel burnt out and just a wee bit too tired. I have exactly three weeks off before the fall semester begins and... er... wait... I just realized that I won't be taking any classes.... I will be taking my comprehensive exams and granted I pass, I can begin working on my dissertation.... whoa... time has gone by so fast.

Well, enough school talk... at the beginning of the summer I made a crafting to-do list and an academic to-do list... everything on the academic list is finished... SO, I have a list of 15 crafty items to tackle, beginning with this...

My mom had asked me to embroider her some towels that she had seen at a very over-priced home furnishings retailer... well, these may not be over-priced, but it has taken me longer than I like to admit to finish them.

Once i finish these, I have a whole lot to get to!

Embroidered Pillowcase

2011-07-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

I was watching Frida the other day, and I was totally inspired by the pillows she has in the film. I decided I needed to have my own.

I have been trying to keep up with the folks who participate in the Stitchalongs with Feeling Stitchy, and I finished just in time for the June Stitchalong.

I got the bird-heart embroidery pattern from Andrea Zuill over at Bad Birds. The tulip heart garland on the top right and left corners, and the rose at the bottom are from different patterns I have purchased from Sublime Stitching. The rest I free-handed.

Now to make the Buenas Noches case to go with this one.

Fresh Strawberries

2011-06-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

Maybe I should say felt strawberries instead of fresh.

I found this tutorial on Martha Stewart and decided to try making my own strawberry pin cushions. I didn't realize I would get so many out of two sheets of felt... but, now I have a whole bunch of strawberries!

My mom made me one pin cushion a while ago, but I wanted to have another one... but now I have 14 more!

I still have to finish the details on these... but I am on my way!

Feeling Stitchy

2011-05-26T07:30:00.001-07:00

I taught myself how to embroider a handful of years ago, and I have found that I simply am in love with anything and everything having to do with stitching things up. Here are a few recent pieces that I can share with you...

I can't remember whose blog I got this pattern from :( sorry! I put it on a handkerchief so I can use it after those bike rides that leave me a little dewy.

The following photos are kitchen towels...

I had taken up this project over a year ago... and still haven't finished... I will finish it by the end of the summer... I swear!

I have become a fan of the Feeling Stitchy blog. Whoever is in charge of that blog doesn't even understand how much they inspire me and keep me feeling creative everyday! I decided to try out their May stitch along... Clearly mine was not as clever as some of the others who stitched along, but I'm happy to have tried...

Feeling like a white rabbit...

2011-05-04T05:20:00.000-07:00

I am always in a rush to get to the next place, next step, next phase. Things got hectic with my last semester of PhD coursework. I am finally finished and never have to take a required graduate seminar ever again!

Reaching this next phase of my academic career is definitely bittersweet. I tend to feel a sense of loss when I reach a goal, but hopefully working on a dissertation will knock that feeling straight out of me...

Aside from completing coursework this spring, I also turned 30. Which got me thinking about the things I would like to accomplish while I am in my 30's.

Number one on the list is owning and operating a shop like this with Zapatista coffee and Mexican pan de dulce inspired cupcakes. Now if only I can figure out how to be a full time professor and own a pastry shop...

Cup & Cake, Barcelona from Peter Crosby on Vimeo.

Luck of the Irish

2011-03-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

Every year I am always late in preparing St. Patrick's Day goodies... but not this year. I used my Fancifully Twisty sister's tutorial for glittering up some shamrocks... It's quick and easy, as long as you have the right glitter.

Art by Explosion

2011-03-02T18:00:00.001-08:00

Addictions

2011-02-20T12:41:00.000-08:00

I have a few... shoes, coffee, sewing... There was a week where school was closed in order to assist in an energy crisis in Albuquerque due to frigid temperatures, some people were without power and gas. In an effort to save energy and try to extend services to those who had none, we got to stay home while campus shut down completely. I took it as an opportunity to feed into my addiction... sewing addiction, that is.

I bought this book, One Yard Wonders, a few months ago on my weekly visit to Borders. It has some super cute ideas for household items, clothing, kitchen, kids, even pets! I have used their pet jacket pattern and it fits my Min Pin, Douglas, quite well.

I took a trip to the fabric store and found some adorable items...

I used the One Yard Wonders book to make a messenger bag for my 10-year old cousin.

I also happened upon this tutorial for a boxy pouch and made a few...

Even though I have a lot of school work to do, I need to make time to sew... it makes me happy!

Snow Day!

2011-02-01T11:34:00.000-08:00

The new spring semester just got into full swing. I was so surprised when I realized we were already in week 3. I have been teaching at 8am and have to be up at 5am in order to complete all my morning rituals (i.e., walking the dog, drinking my coffee, creating a wonderful outfit). I haven't had time for much else... until today!

I receive text alerts from the University on my cell phone, and at 6am today, I received word that we were on a two hour delay due to the snow and icy conditions, which meant my class would be cancelled. I wrapped Douglas up and headed outside to give him a walk.

I also had to break in my new Sorel boots.

As we were walking, I noticed it started to snow more, and just as I wondered if they would close school for the day, my cell phone beeped with a new message... NO SCHOOL TODAY! Yippee!

My friend, Nick, brought over his Wii and we're streaming movies from Netflix while enjoy Vegan treats he brought with him!

I just love snow days, don't you?!

Just when you thought you had seen it all...

2011-01-14T08:22:00.000-08:00

I was enjoying my last day in Nogales... Mom was making coffee, Dad had left to run errands. My mom was lost somewhere in her rabbit hole of a closet when my Dad came rushing into the house... He dragged me outside in my pajamas with coffee in hand to have me look at what had startled him as he was coming up the driveway...

COWS! Typically we see dear, javelinas, skunks, fox, and mountain lions, but never cows on the loose! We don't know how they made it passed the barbwire fence that their owner keeps around their land... but, they made it to our house...er...well, to the garage at least, and were eating Prickly Pear Cactus!

They were so pretty in person... I may never eat a steak again!

Reconnecting with my Roots

2011-01-11T15:32:00.000-08:00

I am not sure if I have ever shared much about myself here, but I was born and raised in Nogales, Arizona-Sonora. I use both the U.S. and Mexican states, because I spent much time on either side of the Border. I moved to Tucson when I was 18 in order to go to the University of Arizona, where I finished my bachelor's and master's degrees. I am working on my PhD at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. As such, I get to enjoy holiday breaks just like I did in grade school. When I went home for the holidays, I managed my time between Tucson and Nogales, which is tricky without a car. I was spending a few days in Tucson before heading to Nogales on Saturday to join my family in a day trip to Patagonia, just north east of Nogales. Luckily my cousins, Marcela and Shiloe, were going to be driving down to Nogales, so I hitched a ride, with my little dog, and we went home.

As we were driving through my favorite stretch of West Tucson near Downtown and A Mountain, we heard about the tragic shootings that had just occurred across town. We didn't know how to process what was happening or even how to make sense of what was happening in our community. You see, part of my being in school is coupled with my passion as a social activist, and protesting hate and anger has become a major concern of mine. Not very many people understand why I went back to school when I did, but I did it in order to increase my consciousness and knowledge in order to combat racism, ignorance, and intolerance.

As we drove the 60 miles south from Tucson to Nogales, we all were using our phones to try to find out what was happening with Gabrielle Giffords... it wasn't until we arrived at my parents house that we caught the news and learned of all the lives that had been impacted by the actions of one vengeful and hateful individual. I received a text message from a friend who had said that at the same time the shootings had occurred, the department at the U of A, where I had received my master's degree, had been shot up, as well. Once the truth got out, we learned that there was not a shooting on campus, but the Mexican American and Raza Studies Department had been vandalized. Where was all this hate coming from? Where do we go from here? I was feeling sick to my stomach and couldn't hold back my tears.

The one thing I am certain of, is that people, like the person that committed the shooting on Saturday, while he is a victim of what we as a national society have become, he is also a criminal. His selfishness and ignorance was enacted on innocent people. He felt like he was a nobody, and wanted to become somebody, but did so in a convoluted and insane manner. He has to take responsibility for his actions, but we have to ensure that we are good to ourselves and good to each other so we don't allow anyone else to feel like he needs to kill people in order to feel like more of a man.

... We left the house to make the 20 minute drive to Patagonia and went to the Bird Sanctuary. It was nice to get away from the television and radio that was just recounting the tragedy over and over again. I felt like I had been hit by a bus.

It was nice to reconnect with nature. I was still in disbelief over what happened, but as fate would have it, life goes on...

We stopped for a late lunch/early dinner at this lovely place called the Velvet Elvis... amazing pizza.

They had an amazing drink called a Limonada Rosa (Pink Lemonade) made from Jamaica (Hibiscus and Limeade).

We stopped at a roadside shrine to say some prayers for what had happened that morning and went home.

Peace and love to you all.

11 for 2011

2011-01-05T17:48:00.000-08:00

I don't usually make resolutions... but here are 11 things I resolve to obtain or accomplish in 2011.

1. I think this ring, from Anthropologie is gorgeous.

2. These tights from Sock Dreams are sexy and funny at the same time.

3. These shoes are even more lovely in person.

4. A container garden consisting of heads. Very Labyrinth with David Bowie.

5. The 30th Anniversary box set of 15 Bad Religion albums, shall be mine and increase my collection of vinyl significantly.

6. I will create this calendar over my desk.

7. I definitely would enjoy this Trooper bust of Che Guevara.

8. I will learn how to make these pin cushions.

9. This bracelet from Anthropologie is as gorgeous as the ring above.

10. I'll spend more time with my 6 year-old pup, Douglas.

11. I always promise to sew more, which I do anyway. This year... I will sketch more... I drew my self portrait in 2008 and drew the sacred heart in November.

I am sure this list of 11 things will shift as the year moves on... I think I need a more meaningful list, bur for now, here it is!

xoxo - K

Where did all the presents go?

2011-01-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

The holidays came and went in a flash. I am not sure what happened. I didn't have internet access for a few weeks there, but I enjoyed baking cookies, making gingerbread houses, and riding the new bike Santa brought for me.

I found this candy cane cookie recipe in a Seventeen magazine over 15 years ago. It's a holiday favorite. Crushing the candy canes is a great stress reliever.

Sift it for some good powder to sprinkle on the cookies as they come out of the oven.

Then roll and form the candy cane dough.

Before I could take more pics of the cookies, they were gone!

Hope you all had a great holiday!

Squares 22 and 23

2010-12-12T10:24:00.000-08:00

Square 22 was inspired by the men of The Push Pens from San Antonio. They rap, sing, and knit. They are also new friends who made me giggle until my abs hurt.

Square 23

Taking a Break

2010-12-11T15:45:00.000-08:00

The last two weeks of school have been quite busy. I am still in the midst of finishing a final paper. I took a short break to stitch and catch a cute video of A Fine Frenzy....

Square 21

I fell in love with this video...

Lost Things from angelaandithyle on Vimeo.

Squares 15 through 20

2010-11-27T16:53:00.000-08:00

Clearly, I procrastinate... BIG time. In May, I started this project and was aiming to stitch 39 squares, although now I am realizing that I set myself up to make 42 squares. At any rate, I was supposed to stitch a square a day... which means I should have finished at the end of June, but since I am putting things off, I am barely at Square 20 today! I resolve to finish before the year is over...

I put a little stone on this shoe, but it's clear so it's a little difficult to see.

My gnome looks like an elf, and I am alright with that...

Giving Thanks

2010-11-26T10:47:00.000-08:00

This was the first time I spent Thanksgiving in Albuquerque. I awoke to snow on the ground... Douglas was not happy about how cold it was.

When I took Douglas out for a walk in the morning, I noticed that the fountain in the courtyard had icicles...

I decided to roast a chicken and have my friend Eric over. Neither one of us was able to travel home for the holiday, so I thought it would be nice for us to share a meal. Aside from that, I hardly get to see him because he is plugging away at his dissertation. I roasted a chicken, mashed some potatoes, roasted some asparagus and mushrooms, and baked some biscuits.

I decided to check on the fountain before I plated the chicken... the icicles were growing!

I got the chicken on the table and we had a nice calm meal.

While we waited for dinner to settle, we made pumpkin empanadas...

Overall, it was a great day. The empanadas were great with coffee this morning.

The fountain had more icicles today than it did yesterday!

Time to stay in and get some stitching done. Hope you all had a nice time sharing moments with friends and family.

Preparing for the Holidays

2010-11-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

I enjoy the holidays because of glitter and twinkling lights. Although, I use strings of lights all the time, this time of year, it's an excuse to use them everywhere and anywhere possible. I was looking for some embroidery floss and found a set of pink lights in the craft box, and decided to decorate my cruiser. I am not going to be able to get a tree this year, but that's alright... the bike will take it's place.

While I was searching for the embroidery floss, I found this small package of embroidery ribbon. It was one of those crafty things I bought forever ago and hadn't used. Since I decided everyone was receiving handmade gifts this year, I used the kit to embroider a handkerchief.

Now to decide on who will receive this hanky!

Falling in L.O.V.E.

2010-11-16T13:52:00.000-08:00

There are few things in this world that make me a happy twirling girl.... my dog, shoes, and large rings tend to do the trick... however, I have found myself with a recent obsession.

BICYCLES!!!!!
One bike in particular... the Alexander Girard "Madonna" version of the Electra Amsterdam bike. I have to have it. I have serious feelings for this bike.

I want this bike.... BAD!

Look into her crystal ball...

2010-11-15T06:53:00.000-08:00

My sister, the Fanciful Twist herself, has this uncanny ability to predict the future... of fashion. In the early 90's, her shoulder length earrings were ahead of their time. She predicted there would be a boom in the interest in Southwest style and that same year Kate Spade had an Arizona-themed advertising campaign. Before skulls hit the scene, she had already been wearing them for six months. When I decided to move to Albuquerque from Tucson, she said, "watch, everyone is going to start wearing those Santa Fe looking jackets".... sure as the sun comes up every morning, she was right. There are countless other occasions where she handed me an item of clothing or accessory and would say, this is going to be the latest craze... I would laugh and call her crazy, only to have Vogue or Marie Claire proving me wrong with trend alerts and style spreads.

This instance was no different. It was June of this year and I returned to Arizona. I took off through the hills and desert wilderness to get to my sister's house. When I arrived she began sharing her adventures and treasures with me. Then, she let out a shriek and said that I wouldn't believe what she had found... she ran off and returned with a genie-fortune-teller type turban on her head.... she thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread! Her opinion was that if we added jewels and feathers it would be "FABULOUS!" I was not so convinced. I laughed hysterically and thought, she had really lost her marbles.

First, I caught a glimpse of Rachel Zoe on her show in a turban. Second, I received the December issue of Marie Claire in the mail on Friday and finally had a chance to look through it Sunday night.... what did I find?? The jeweled and feathered turban that my sister had thought would be "FABULOUS!" Apparently, they were all over Jean Paul Gaultier's show and they are the latest way to look Burlesque...

Needless to say, my sister can predict the future... and now she can look fabulous in a matching fortune-teller style headdress.

Rocking Out

2010-11-13T09:55:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that I am an avid fan of rock music, punk rock, specifically. I hadn't been to a show in a while, maybe over a year ago... So, I threw on my new favorite lipstick, Fire & Ice, by Revlon... and headed down the street to the Sunshine Theater to catch my all time favorite band, Bad Religion.
(Please excuse the quality of the photos - I took them with my cell phone).

I was watching the band from the balcony and couldn't believe how many people were there.

I hadn't been to a show in such a long time that my ears are still ringing two days after the show. While I know I won't hear certain pitches anymore, all I want is for this whizzing to go away. Although, the show was well worth it.

A New Coat for Douglas

2010-11-07T15:31:00.000-08:00

Douglas, known as the pampered beast machine to his closest friends, needed a new coat. I didn't think that spending a fortune on a coat that really didn't fit was a good idea, so I made him one instead.

Someone Pushed the Fall Button

2010-10-14T21:14:00.000-07:00

As the weather in Albuquerque has cooled down a bit and Fall is amongst us, the sneezes and sniffles have decided to pay a visit, as well. I personally prefer handkerchiefs over tissues, and carry one on me at all times. Doña Martha's Craft of the Day on October 6th happened to be a Hankie Holder, so I followed her lead and made some for my friends, Nick and Veronica.

I also had some time to pay homage to the hot air balloons that have been soaring through the Albuquerque sky lately. Say hello to square 14. You can view some of the photos I took at the 2010 Balloon Fiesta at my flickr page.

Until next time.

xo-K

Where have I been!?!?!

2010-10-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

It has officially been three months since I blogged. I don't know if anyone visits my little space here anymore, but if you do, then I apologize for not being around.

It seems that teaching this summer and preparing for a large exam in August took me away from stitching. I didn't get to craft much in general. The department I am working on my PhD in, requires that we take a comprehensive exam after our first year in the program in order to demonstrate our knowledge of the discipline. After 42 books on the reading list, 27 pages to answer the exam, and the beginning of the semester, I had to take a break from a variety of things I enjoy doing in my life. The semester started two days after I submitted my exam and with 3 classes, 2 jobs, and 1 me, nothing has been easy. It's alright though, because life is beautiful regardless of the many things I have to do.

I was able to carve out a nice little area of my place for the loose leaf teas and record player (gifted to me from my brother), that I brought back to Albuquerque from Tucson. I had some pieces of artwork that I had been needing to hang, so I gave them a home. I even found a place for my teapot collection.

In the midst of all the schoolwork, I found time to make a cover for my file cabinet.

Uncovered

Covered

I needed a new laptop cover, so I took care of that, too.

I need to get back to stitching my squares, as I only got to 13 and wanted to get to 48, or was it 49, I forget! I have to commit to finishing the squares, because if I don't allow for creative moments in my life, then I will go CRAZY!!

Until next time.

xo,
K

Squares 11, 12, 13

2010-07-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

I have a deformed acorn, a bouquet of flowers, and a blue bird that looks more like a duck... I need to practice my stitching a little bit more. There is something to be said for expecting one thing and the outcome being totally different...

Simply Mad!

2010-06-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

My darling sis is having a mad tea party and I am super excited.

You see, I have a new tea set that must be used...

The handle of the teapot is a mermaid!

I have gathered the hibiscus tea and some tiny treats...

I have records to keep me entertained...

Let the madness begin and tea drinking ensue!

xo-K

Squares 9 and 10

2010-06-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

Square Seven and Eight-ish

2010-06-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

I know I have dropped the ball on my stitching. Mostly because I wanted a vacation, but I also had to help someone very close to my heart make a big move in his life.

My brother just graduated from college and moved to Los Angeles. I know he isn't far away, but he still isn't as close as he used to be. This is a new course in the path he is creating for himself and just as the landscape on the road from Tucson to LA is varied, so will be the challenges and celebrations he will encounter.

I am happy and excited for this new chapter in his life, but I miss him. My brother is 7 years younger than me, and for the greater part of my life, he has been my closest friend. He has the ability to know exactly what I am thinking just by looking at me. We can sit in a room in silence and be perfectly content. It's bittersweet to watch him move, but wonderful to see him reach for his happiness.

As we drove through Coachella Valley, I watched the windmills; some were spinning, some were swaying, and some were completely immobile. Just like moments in life, when we know how to move, we move slow, or don't move at all, the wind will guide us to the place we should be.

On that note, I haven't really moved at all with my squares...

I am an aries, so I am going to blame inability to finish things right away on that. I know I need to get on it and finish.

A Break from Stitching

2010-05-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

I took a break from stitching.... well, not really a break, I stitched more squares and forgot to take pictures because I was so excited to be doing something creative and non-academic. I will have to post those photos later. I did want to share something magical, though.

I decided to visit my sister, while in Arizona. I realized that when you stop by the home of A Fanciful Twist, the visit won't be your regular coffee and biscuits.... there will be creating and fun.

I decided to bring my sidekick and partner in crime, Douglas, the Min Pin wonder dog, with me. Now, let me preface the rest of this story by saying that my dog is not the kind to wear clothes.... I have one winter jacket for him to survive the snowy winters in Albuquerque. He doesn't wear Halloween costumes, clothing, boots.... and most of the time, I feel sorry for some of the dogs who are forced to wear some of the things their humans put on them, but I couldn't resist turning some of the fabric and ribbon my sister had into a fun something for Douglas.

The initial intention was a ring leader costume, as my sister had miniature top hats that I just had to have. So, I made Doug a cape.

Doug seemed pretty excited and willing to go along with the whole thing. Once I put the cape on him, he would pose for the camera. I had never seen him like this before, so he got extra treats and kisses for playing along.

The top hat wasn't ready in time, but there was some felt available for use that became Douglas' wizard hat...

I was excited for the final project, and Douglas' good behavior. Now to get back to stitching....

Square Six

2010-05-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

Free-handing a bicycle didn't come out quite as I had planned, but you get the idea....

Square Cinco

2010-05-21T23:17:00.000-07:00

Seems my sister is providing a lot of inspiration for me lately. Her Mister Lovee came across a large colony of bees. I had to stitch one in honor of the combs they brought home.

Square Cuatro

2010-05-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

A long time ago I heard my sister say "Hedgehog Love!", and for whatever reason, that stuck to me. I have always considered real love to be what hedgehog love stands for.

My little hedgy kinda looks like a porcupine, but I still think he is cute.

As I was stitching, my Douglas got real comfy sitting by me.

Now that, is hedgehog love.

Square Tres

2010-05-19T17:28:00.000-07:00

I knew I wanted to make a cupcake, but this one looks more like a muffin.

Square Two

2010-05-18T08:10:00.001-07:00

My sister sent me some photos of ladybugs in her yard, and I wanted to stitch one. My french knots need a little work, but I think I got the hang of it.

Ladybugs are supposed to be super lucky, right? Let's hope this one brings us all some luck.

Square One

2010-05-17T08:44:00.001-07:00

I have begun my stitching project. Inspired by Amy Powers. I have to say, thinking of things to stitch got overwhelming as I began to think of everything I love and would want to feature in a little square.

I started out with this little homage to the wish. Lately I have been wishing for things, but I know they aren't going to just fall into my lap. I have to work in order to obtain those things or places I wish for. As I saw the first stars appear after sun down yesterday and wished on the first star I laid my eyes on, I knew this was appropriate for the first square.

In Stitches

2010-05-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

I can't believe over a month has passed since my last blog post. In an effort to blog more, I have a little project in the works. I am thrilled to have a little time off for this project, as summer vacation came sooner than I realized. I had no idea what to do with myself after the semester ended. Sometimes I forget what it is like to have time off. I was checking out a few blogs and came across Amy Powers' "39 Stitches," and fell in absolute love with her stitching. I feel that Amy's blog has inspired me to try to stitch 39 squares for myself. I am not going to copy her squares, just the idea, because I know my squares couldn't be as cute as hers. I know that some of you might think it is horrible to copy someone else's idea, but in this case, I honestly mean for imitation as the sincerest form of flattery.

I have my main supplies, now I just need to scour the house for buttons, beads, and cute additions. I will share the squares as I go.

Until then - xo, K

Of Pride and Prejudice

2010-04-04T09:27:00.000-07:00

It seems that I have been infected with a certain appreciation for 19th century romantic fiction. I have always loved the fashion of women who spent the time and energy to get into their elaborate outfits, and sometimes they wouldn't even leave the house! I was having a rather quiet and enjoyable evening at home when Pride and Prejudice came on. I am most familiar with, what I like to call, the Colin Firth version of Pride and Prejudice, since he is one of my Top 5. (As in the top 5 actors/celebrities who, if given the chance, I would leave or cheat on my current boyfriend with).

I had not seen the version with Keira Knightley yet, so I decided to get cozy and take it in. I immediately fell in love with the landscape, fashions, and, of course, Mr. Darcy. I was smitten. I definitely found myself in deep smitt.

As I was searching for videos to share with you, I found that there was an alternative "American" ending of the film that included this scene.

The whole film was enjoyable, at least it was for me. It helped me realize that sometimes the feelings we experience about other people are similar to the feelings they are experiencing about us.

As I was watching the movie, I decided to work on an embroidery project that I had been wanting to get to. Graduate school definitely takes up too much of my time to be creative and do the things that I really love, like sewing and stitching. I visit Posie Gets Cozy quite often and downloaded the free kitchen towel templates.

I hadn't stitched in such a long while that I decided to practice some images I had filed in my memory.

As soon as I finish the kitchen towels I will post some photos to share them with you.

Until next time.
xo-K

The best boyfriend ever...

2010-02-21T16:41:00.001-08:00

...is my main man, Douglas. He is sweet, strong, energetic, knows how to make me laugh, and loves unconditionally. I am certain that I have the best boyfriend ever.

A very sweet someone once told me that I should write about what a great pup I have. Here goes, my top ten reasons why my dog is the best ever.
#10. He appreciates my shoe obsession. He has never chewed my shoes. My sister's shoes, yes, but mine, never.

#9. He helps me quilt.

#8. He can get along with anyone, even cats.

#7. He taught me how to relax, anywhere.

#6. He is comfortable with his feminine side. (He'll sleep rather well in pink and flowered sheets).

#5. He doesn't judge me for my bad habits.

#4. He is a very trusting partner in crime. He has never told anyone about our antics.

#3. He likes to give me kisses.

#2. He smiles, no matter the situation.

#1.He loves me no matter what.

While I know it is silly, he is still the best friend a girl like me could have.

until next time.

xo-K

It's not about Halloween

2010-01-16T18:42:00.000-08:00

It has been brought to my attention numerous times, that the skull ring I wear on a daily basis makes people uncomfortable. I receive some compliments, but for the most part, people look at me as though I am peculiar.

I was unpacking some Christmas gifts and trying to find the appropriate place for them, when I realized that I have skulls and skeletons just about everywhere in my house.

At first glance, you may not even notice them, but when you look closely, there are skeletons and skulls everywhere.

I have skeletons everywhere. More places than I could even remember in order to take photos and share with you: scarves, shirts, brooches, throw pillows, tote bags, they are everywhere.

The Picasso painting I picked up during his exhibit at the National Gallery in London last summer is one of my most favorite pieces in the house.

I received a painting of La Santa Muerte from David Tineo. For those of you who know about the Chicana/o Movement in Tucson, he was at the forefront of the mural work going up at that time. His work is still present throughout the city. He is still painting even though he is battling macular degeneration.

On Christmas morning I woke to this wonderful creation. My sister, A Fanciful Twist, made me the necklace to go with my ring. The skull is about the size of the palm of my hand. It is very beautiful. I do receive many compliments when I wear this necklace.

Even my water bottle has skulls on it. (I am not sure why the picture came out so dark.)

Someone once asked me why I enjoyed skulls so much. I couldn't really formulate an answer right away, but I kept thinking about it. I hate to make anyone somber, but our mortality is inevitable. The main reason I believe I surround myself with skulls is my own way to laugh at death. Many cultures see death as a bad thing, and in some cases, when lives end too soon, yes, it is a tragic event. However, when we have lived our lives and have a lifetime of memories to replay through our heads, the moment we take our last and final sleep, we can either be happy or be sad. I personally choose to be happy. I have come to learn many ways in which death is celebrated in my own Mexican culture, and I quite enjoy it. The skulls and skeletons have nothing to do with Halloween.

Until next time.

xo-K

It's beginning to look a lot like...

2009-12-12T22:47:00.000-08:00

the end of the semester....

I find it safe to say that I survived my first semester in a phd program. I may not be completely finished, but 4 days from now, I will be home for the holidays and ready to take 4 weeks off until the spring semester begins.

I have to admit that I have never lived anywhere that has received snow in the amounts that Albuquerque does...and it doesn't snow here that much. I had to drive to campus for 10 minutes in order to turn in a final paper, and I encountered this.

I never had to scrape ice off of a car before. I don't have an ice scraper. I had to call my mom for advice and she said that a kitchen spatula has multiple uses...she wasn't kidding!

I realized that snowflakes really are star shaped!

I was able to take a small break from my end-of-the-semester work to put up my christmas tree.

I hope the rest of this coming week goes by without a hitch.

Until then.

xoxo-K

Sparkle, and dresses, and shoes....oh my!

2009-11-07T21:48:00.000-08:00

I realized, quite quickly, that I need a wardrobe overhaul. I receive email updates from all these extremely fabulous clothing stored and design houses, however, a graduate student budget could never allow me to afford such fabulosities. So, what do I do to increase the fashion quotient in my closet? Well, it's nothing a trip to the fabric store can't fix...

I need to find some more fabric options for this dress, but I am thinking I might make the top royal blue and the skirt black, then I can add a belt for some flair.

Any ideas on where I can find some good online fabric shops? I am thinking about leaning more towards a silk shantung/dupioni fabric, but I am open to your input.

xo-K

A month later...

2009-10-14T11:54:00.001-07:00

I realized it's been a month since my last post! So much has happened that I decided I would share the photos from this last hectic month!

I have been in Albuquerque for over 2 months and I am trying to see as much as I can. As a new Lobo, I had to take part in the Homecoming festivities. This included burning University of New Mexico's rival mascot, the NMSU Aggie.

The thing went up in flames real fast.

I had to take a picture of Louie the Lobo, UNM's mascot, he was too goofy looking not to.

UNM's President has a partnership with Mexico's former President Vicente Fox. The former President founded El Centro Fox, a presidential library and museum. He came to UNM to give a lecture about immigration. Let's just say that this man was and is not thinking that immigration is a problem. I was able to watch his presentation and I wasn't too impressed. He is a capitalist and all that the word implies.

I am enrolled in a Critical Regionalism class that focuses on discussions of the Southwest. My professor took us out the Salinas Mission National Monument just outside of Albuquerque. We visited the Abó and Quarai Ruins. These are the remnants of the churches and missions that were built in the 1600's when Spanish Franciscan Friars came through the area.

Here is Abó.

This is Quarai.

Everyday I fall in love with Albuquerque more and more. The air smells like roasted chiles from the stand a short walk away from my house. The sky is always gorgeous looking.

Green Chile Harvesting

2009-09-12T10:39:00.000-07:00

It was the beginning of a pretty calm and quiet Friday night, when I received a phone call from my friend, Elisa. I answered the phone and she said, "I am on my way to pick you up, we're going to a chili cook-off." She was at my house faster than I could slip my feet into my flip flops. As we rode to the location, I had so many questions. Who is cooking? What kind of chili? Are we going to a farm? Do we get to help judge? She just smiled, turned up the stereo and drove.

In Albuquerque, local community organization, SWOP (SouthWest Organizing Project), had a chili cook-off to celebrate the beginning of the chile harvesting season.

We were able to taste all sorts of vegetarian and meat chilis. I even tried chili with buffalo meat! It was pretty good.

What I thought would be a boring night at home, turned out to be a fun Friday night!

xoxo-K

Shouldn't we rest on Labor Day?

2009-09-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

My bestest friend, Fernanda, came to Albuquerque this weekend in order to get a taste for my new life here. Usually, she and I travel to Las Vegas, England, San Diego...places with real tourist attraction. This weekend, though, we donned our tourist-gone-local hats and went exploring through the city.

We started with breakfast at Cupcakeology. We couldn't decide which to try, so we split four flavors: german chocolate; red velvet; s'mores; coconut creme.

We decided to attend Kalpulli Izkalli's community event to check out the Curandera/o (natural healers) booths. Los Niños del Sol(Children of the Sun) were dancing folklorico and it was super adorable.

I decided that a trip to the Botanical Gardens and Aquarium would be great for us to walk around and relax. Besides, the first time I went to the Albuquerque Botanical Park, I went alone. I thought it would be fun to show my friend around this great place!

The jellyfish were this strange combination of beauty and creepy.

We were entranced by the butterfly garden.

Later on during the weekend, we took a train ride 20 minutes north of Albuquerque in order to enjoy the New Mexico Wine Festival.

we got to taste some great wines. There was a red chile based wine and a chocolate based wine called Black Beauty. After a few tastes of wine and a couple glasses, I was feeling relaxed enough to get some henna.
The rest of the afternoon was somewhat hazy, but we sure did have a lot of fun.

Cheers!

xo-K

Back to School Week

2009-08-29T21:33:00.000-07:00

This week marked the beginning of my PhD career at the University of New Mexico. I have to admit, the campus is beautiful. There are huge trees and green grass. Something I wasn't really used to in Tucson. I mean, there are trees and grass, but they are forced to grow in that dust bowl of a city. In New Mexico, things seem like they want to grow. Sorry, I know I shouldn't be rude to Tucson like that. It's just a different kind of desert.

There is a decent sized pond near the building I spend the most time in. It's so refreshing to walk outside and feel a breeze and see students lounging on the grass near the pond. There are some interesting pieces of public art. I haven't quite figured them out yet. Makes me wonder who gets to pick public art....I mean, does the public really have a say?

I have walked by these statues everyday and, I have to say, they creep me out.

I somehow got caught up in volunteering to hand out free watermelon and ice cream (they were like those old school cafeteria ice creams with the little wooden spoons!). Apparently, it's tradition on the UNM campus for the school, alumni, and academic organizations to work together to provide free food everyday during the first week of classes. I know a couple of people who are heavily involved on campus, so it makes sense that I would be invited to help them in welcoming the students back to campus.

I am not sure who sliced that watermelon, but let me tell you what, they put that infomercial dude with the knives that cut through cans, to shame!

It even rained a bit during the week, which is always nice. I couldn't see out of my bedroom window. I never realized how much I love that smell after the rain. Not too many people know the smell, but for those of us who do, isn't it a great smell?

Aside from rain, I have decided that I need to do something with this hair of mine. I have curly hair, and with the rain, well, it turns into a frizzy mess. As the bobbypin bandit, I cannot afford to look a mess. I found this wonderful and beautiful girl, Iris, on youtube. She has a multitude of tutorials on how to comb hair. I must say, she has long and shiny locks, which I wish I had. I used to have long hair, but I used to dye it, A LOT. I let my natural color grow out over the past year and a half, and I had to cut my hair short because I was a dark brown brunette trying to be a blond. That color combo on a head, was not pretty. Well, now I have to wait for my hair to grow. I tried a couple of Iris' tutorials and they work well.

Aside from loving New Mexico and trying new hair styles, I have recently been able to learn of flash mobs or dance mobs. One of my Burque friends showed me a video and now I am hooked. Check them out if you haven't already. There are quite a few Michael Jackson tribute dances (there's one from my most favorite place in the entire world, Mexico City).

Until next time.

xo-K

And then, there was Love

2009-08-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

It has been a week since I moved to Albuquerque and I do believe I have fallen in love. I was in a long-term relationship with Tucson, Arizona for 10 years. Unfortunately, our relationship reached its expiration date, and now, there's a new sheriff in town.

For the past seven days I have been busy unpacking, reorganizing, and getting myself acquainted with my new digs. I have to admit, I am loving my new place much more than my old place. For 10 years I shared a place with someone else, but now, it's nothing but mine, all MINE!! I even cooked myself dinner to celebrate: Tilapia and brussel sprouts with a glass of my favorite, Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc.

I decided that I had to celebrate by going on a date with my new city. I mean, I have been here for 7 days and I hadn't really done anything other than run back and forth between my place and Target. So, today, I took myself to the Albuquerque BioPark. I went to the botanical gardens and aquarium. (Right as I was circling the lovely lake with lilly pads, the battery to my camera gave out, so some pictures were taken with the cell phone.) There were some lovely dragonflies resting among this pond.

I ventured through the gardens into the aquarium. My childhood dream was to be an oceanographer. I am not sure why I never pursued the dream, but aquariums make me a very happy girl. I was able to see the manta ray tidepool.

There were large fish tanks that were hard to see because of all the families, but I got to enjoy the fish in person.

After the aquarium, I had to make a quick trip to the Goodwill. When I looked across the street, there was the next best thing in town! An amusement park!!

I decided to finish off the day by walking down the street to the movie theater to watch Julie & Julia. It was such a darling film. My brother is a film guru and has taught me how to look at films and evaluate the cinematography, but when a movie is funloving like this one, all that film school knowledge goes out the window. One thing I loved about the movie, everyone in the theater clapped after the movie was over. I loved that people were vocal and willing to share their enjoyment with the film.

As I walked the few blocks home, I passed the train station.

I have never been a snow-type person nor have I ever skied before. Apparently Santa Fe is the place to do that. It just so happens, this train station just a few blocks from my new home, is the manner in which I can get to the snow. I might need to practice for this...

Well, there is still some exploring I need to do. If you or any of your friends have any suggestions on things to try or places to visit, please let me know. I have definitely fallen in love with Albuquerque and am looking forward to this budding romance.

Until next time.

xoxo-K

My life...in boxes

2009-07-29T18:29:00.001-07:00

No one said moving was easy, but no one said it was going to take so many boxes, either! It seems that I am living in a sea of cardboard. I kept thinking I might have a glamorous packing experience a la Carrie Bradshaw from the Sex and the City movie.

I kept thinking my friends would show up with champagne and some Run DMC/Aerosmith music.

BUT, no one showed up, because everyone has jobs. Which made the process even more grueling. I got the packing done. Killed a bottle of wine. Now everything is disorganized. I can't stand being disorganized.

Until I leave to Albuquerque in a few days, my house is a disaster! Reality can be such a buzzkill sometimes. Seeing an empty house is definitely shocking, but I can't wait to redecorate my new place.

Until I move to ABQ.

xo-Kristen

The End of the Affair

2009-07-19T17:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, I was having an affair. It lasted ten years. It was wonderful the whole time we were together. Never have I found a more dependable, sturdy, or colorful being. Whenever I needed someone, I knew I was never alone. We shared laughter, tears, and we both loved my dog the same way. Yes, it is tragic that the affair has come to an end. How ever will I find the same support? I guess I just need to find new upholstery for the couch I love the most.

I met my couch 10 years ago. It belonged to my Aunt/Godmother, who I believe purchased the couch when she first got married in the mid-1980's. It was maroon chenille. When my sister graduated from high school, she inherited the couch and upholstered it in a very vibrant Miami-style print. When I inherited the couch, I had it upholstered in Marimekko print. The print showed up everywhere after my couch came home - there were shower curtains, skirts, handbags, pillows, towels, bed sheets..anything you could imagine. I loved that couch, we shared ice cream, printer ink, movies, dog stains, basically, everything. The time has come, though, to say goodbye....

I got into a PhD program at the University of New Mexico and will be moving to Albuquerque very soon. As a gift, my mom offered to have the couch re-upholstered in a new non-faded, non-stained fabric. I said sure, but I was not prepared to see it go so soon. I knew it would happen, but when I saw my friend, Lue, put the couch in the car, I held back my tears. Now, I am aware that it is silly to cry over a couch, but it isn't the couch I was crying for, it was the sentiment attached to it.

Like most good things in life, this good thing has come to an end. When we meet again, things will be different-the chapter will be new. Just as I will bid farewell to my love affair with Tucson, I will welcome my new couch and new life in Albuquerque with bittersweet excitement.

Even though saying goodbye is difficult and change takes some time to get used to, I am ready for the next chapter in my life to begin. New city, new couch, new...well...everything.

Until next time.
xo-K

I'm Late, I'm Late, for a very important date...

2009-06-27T15:51:00.000-07:00

No time to say hello, goodbye, I am late, I am late, I am late. My fancifully twisty sister is hosting a Mad Tea Party today...and I am running late!

I am usually running late. You can ask any of my friends. I am late for a great party. I love tea AND I love hats. I was trying my best to figure out what to make to bring to the party. Maybe something with a graham cracker crust.

Or perhaps something with a whipped topping...

While I wait for the goodies to come out of the oven, I must get dressed!!! OH! But what should I wear!!!??!!

See you soon!
xo-K

City Girl or Country Girl?

2009-06-24T21:43:00.001-07:00

It seems that every conversation I have had recently has centered around the question, "am I a city girl or a country girl"? What about desert girl? I am from Arizona.

It has been up for debate recently, and I have decided that I am a combination of both a city and desert girl.

I grew up in a small U.S.-Mexico Border town. We lived about 20 minutes out of the town center, so wildlife was always abundant. It had been a long time since I had spent a good amount of time at my parents house. They have an amazing backyard.

Every morning I woke up early and let Douglas out. He loves to chase the birds. He has never caught one, but I love his unfaltering determination to keep trying.

As I sat and sipped coffee with my mom on Monday morning, I watched the birds.

She caught sight of something behind me. We immediately got a hold of some binoculars and I got my camera. There was a clearing across the way from the house. We saw something rustling in the bushes.

When we found what was moving, we counted 19 javelinas!!! There were four babies traveling with the pack. They were so adorable. We ran around to the front of the house in order to get a closer look.

I could hear them in the bushes near me, but I didn't realize that they had circled where I was standing. My mom had run into the house to get something and when she came outside she started screaming at me to run!!! The darn javelinas came charging at me from all angles. I felt bad because they were protecting their young and I was just trying to watch them. That feeling went away right quick as I ran into the house to get away from them. They ran so fast, too! Once we got into the house, my mom and I were giggling like little girls for like 20 minutes. She got all shaky and nervous, but I thought it was funny. It felt good to be around nature like that.

Until next time!
xo - K

The Traveling Bandit Part III

2009-06-11T10:31:00.001-07:00

It has taken me a while to sift through my photos from London. I took over 200 pictures and can't seem to pick the ones that I like the best. I do have to say that while the food was not the best, and I was rather weirded out at the Mexican restaurant that served pita bread in place of a tortilla, it was the sweets that got me.

Our visit to Harrod's broke my heart because there were fabulous items I just could not afford. I was able to afford this...

That was the best berry ice cream sundae I had ever tasted!! There were some hot Swedish guys sitting to my right that made the sundae even better!

Once we left Harrod's, we went in search of some items we actually could afford at Oxford Circus. I will never understand why there has to be 4 H&M's within blocks of each other, but if you want to visit them, they are on Oxford Street. In between some of the H&M's, there is a River Island and a TopShop. Both of which I have come to admire over the internet, but in person, well, I fell deeply and madly in love. I imagine that if I ever met James Franco in person, it would illicit the same physical and emotional response. So into River Island we went and this is what I found...

For those of you who know me well, you are aware of the love affair I have with shoes. I didn't know which way to turn and for a while I was immobile as I stared at all the gorgeous heels. *sigh* The quote on the wall captured exactly how I felt.

I wasn't able to decide on what I wanted until I headed into the shoe department at TopShop. I laid my eyes on these babies and they just had to come home with me.

As we wandered through London over the 2 weeks that we were there, I found cute items at street markets. We used a travel book, that did get us lost from time to time. I had some confrontations with that map...but it got us to Camden Lock Market where I was able to purchase this bad boy. Everyone that has seen this ring seems to think I dropped some mad cheddar to purchase it, but it was only 20£ (which is around $32).

Camden was an interesting place. If all the kids that shop at Hot Topic had a place to call home, Camden would be the place. It was wannabe punk with an edgy attitude. There was this chandelier in the Camden Lock Market that I just lusted after.

There were some good fruit and vegetable stands in Camden.

There was even a nice view of the river.

On a completely separate day, we ventured into Notting Hill. There was some great shopping there. I found some harem pants for 5£. Yes, they are like MC Hammer pants. Maybe I should write an entirely separate post about them...yes, that story will have to wait until another time because this story is better. What we found in Notting Hill was a delicious bakery with tons of cupcakes!!! Allow me to introduce, The Hummingbird Bakery.

They had these nifty plexiglass shelves in the windows with cupcakes in each space.

Fernanda and I had a hard time deciding on what flavor of cupcake to get.

We settled on carrot cake for her and red velvet for me. We tried to share, but they were so good.

There were so many other things that happened on this trip! We went to the National Gallery to see the Picasso exhibit. I was obsessed with examining a charcoal on canvas piece on display because I could see his fingerprints all over the canvas. We caught a showing of Wicked and I am newly intrigued by the world of the Wizard of Oz. We took a tour of the Fuller's brewery and some old men thought we had the H1N1 (Swine) Flu because they found out we are Mexican. Speaking of Swine Flu, I passed a wine bar and they had this on their sign:

I will share more later.

Until Then.
xo,
K

Traveling Bandit Part II

2009-06-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

Where has the Bandit been, you ask? Well, I graduated and left Arizona in favor of some clouds and cold oversees. I spent two weeks in London with my very good dear wonderful friend Fernanda. She and I met when I was 17 and she was 15. We have managed to remain friends for over 10 years! My father always jokes about how lucky I am to have someone that loves me regardless of who I am. In all honesty, I am very lucky to have her as a friend and enjoy life's experiences with her. When I look at pictures of us as youngsters, I am in awe of where we are at now, so many years later. I will begin work on my PhD and she owns a baking business, soon to launch a cupcake store...

Then:

Now:

So, like the jetsetters we are, we packed our bags and took off from Tucson to Los Angeles and then London. We were welcomed into the UK with rain, cold, and accents aplenty. Around the city we went. We managed to not get lost once and navigated the tube quite well. We saw all the touristy things there were to see...

Big Ben

The London Eye

The Royal Courts of Justice

The London Bridge

Notting Hill

Harrod's

Trafalgar Square

This will be the first of many posts to share my trip with you. I will include more about the shopping, food, and people we met.

Until Then.

xoxo,
K.

Adventures with Cell Phone Cameras

2009-02-08T08:12:00.001-08:00

For those of you who appreciate technology as much as I do, you probably have experienced a variety of cell phones. I love the technology of cell phones and everything that tiny device can do. I love the camera feature and have used it quite frequently. I just ordered a new cell phone and needed to extract all my photos from my previous phone before recycling it. Here are some of the things I take pictures of with my cell phone:

This is a peacock from the Reid Park Zoo

Puppy Lola is checking out the cat

Mario's ghettofabulous halloween costume

White Peacock at the Reid Park Zoo

Rotten Jack'O Lanterns

Dhalia from Marisa's trip to upstate New York

Monsoons coming into Nogales, Arizona

Sasha's apartment in New York

Douglas at home on the couch

On the street in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico

Bakery in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico

View of the Coronado Bridge from San Diego, CA

The Pacific Ocean

Douglas waking up from a crazy dream

Mario's Mini Manhattan

Margarita special at Bison Wiches in Tucson, AZ

Pink lights over the fireplace

My pink Christmas tree

Me

If Rainbow Brite wore heels, these would be it

Hotel Gadsden in Douglas, Arizona

Bloody Mary pit stop in Bisbee, AZ

Mikey's re-birth

Lion at the Reid Park Zoo

Llama

Green Snake

Laura and Me

Me and the largest iced tea ever

Those were my adventures in cell phone images. Hope you enjoyed them.

Until next time.
xoxo-K

It's 2009?

2009-01-18T20:11:00.000-08:00

It seems time flew by. I have to say, 2008 was a rough and tough year. I love celebrating New Year's and it feels so good to clean the proverbial slate. This is my last semester in grad school. I graduate in May and will only be working on my thesis for the next 4 months. Eeek! Say a prayer, light a candle, call the corners, do whatever it is that you do, but please pray for me. This is going to be a bumpy ride. But anything of worth, has to take hard work, right?

As I rang in 2009 I lost something. I tend to be sentimental and put my memories into things, by things, I mean inanimate objects. When I graduated with my bachelor's degree I took a trip to Mexico with my family. While there, I bought a hot pink clay lantern with tons of accent colors. I was so excited thinking about where I would put the lantern when I got back to the states and moved into my own place while I worked a 9-5 job. Well, out of everything that I wanted, nothing came to fruition. Which in a way is good. Sometimes when you get what you want, you don't want it. Or, as my friend Adilia says, that way we learn. I ended up hating my "career" and coming back to school. Which was the best decision ever. Back to the lantern...

As I was dusting my house, I knocked over the lantern. I almost started crying. I remember exactly how I felt when I bought it. I know I can buy another lantern, but it wasn't the lantern I was sad for. It was the memory I had attached to it.

Well, maybe now I can mosaic a garden tile or something.

Until next time.

xoxo-K

Traveling Bandit

2008-11-16T16:36:00.000-08:00

Maybe I should rename my blog, "disappearing bandit"...

Suffice to say, things have been quite hectic in the world of me. The semester is almost over. I have one semester left before I graduate with my master's degree. Eeeeeek! Getting my master's was not a goal I made for myself until recently, but I have to say, even though the journey has been ultimately rough, it has also been the best experience of my life.

I do need a break from time to time. What better than some time away with my two best friends in the entire world, Annette and Fernanda. A girlcation, if you will.

We met in high school. We have been friends for 10 years. I can't think of anything I have had in my life longer than ten years. Well, there is my skin, but you know what I mean. They are my girls. They have stuck with me through and through. Annette lives in San Diego, so Fernanda and I boarded a plane after a few cosmos at the airport bar and we spent a wonderful time together. Girls Only! We were able to celebrate Halloween and ring in the beginning of November on the beach. We ate tons of good food and hung out with funny guys. It was just the getaway I needed from the stress at school.

I couldn't find an ultimately fantastic halloween costume, but these lashes were wonderful.

Annette, Fernanda and I dressed as witches.

I have to say, halloween has definitely changed. We were the only girls wearing clothes. I never knew that Strawberry Shortcake and Rainbow Brite were sexy and only wore lingerie when they went out.

Annette took us to this amazing place called Extraordinary Desserts. They had elaborate cakes and pastries, excellent tea, and a very contemporary ambiance.

I had this pastry called a Raspberry Concorde. The base was like a flaky crunchy chocolate mound with chocolate mousse and the berries were set in the mousse. There was even gold leaf on this thing. It was muy delicioso!

The tea was amazing, too. I had Lovergirl tea. It tasted the way rose petals smell. So delicious.
Our last day in SD was spent on Coronado Island. I was raised at the Hotel Del Coronado during the summertime months. I have this strange love for this place. They also make the best glass of orange juice I have ever had.

We spent all day at the beach before our flight left at 9pm.

There is something very soothing about the ocean. I was only woman enough to stick my feet in the water. It was chilly.

I was sad to leave Annette, but Fer and I had to get back to Tucson. Back to our lives. I have to say, though, I can tell I am growing up. I had more fun in the hotel chatting with my girlfriends spilling coffee on the hotel beadspread, than out at a club or fancy restaurant. It was those moments of laughing that will make my time in SD with my two best friends, time well spent.

From left to right, me(Bandit Kristen, Fernanda, and Annette)

Until next time. xoxo-K

Being a Bandit

2008-10-25T02:25:00.000-07:00

I know I have been out of the blogosphere lately. Things have been very hectic for me with school. I am finishing up my coursework so that I can begin writing my thesis and, as many of you know, there have been university wide budget cuts. These budget cuts are inevitable, but I am trying to make sure I work hard in order to remedy the situation before the re-organization affects the Mexican American Studies and Research Center at the University of Arizona. So, if you hear about us on the news, please keep me and my colleagues in mind and send good vibes to Tucson.

So, where have I been? Well, I have been locked in the cellar.

No...I haven't...I have actually just been busy with school, but this weekend, I spent some time with my favorite people, Mikey and Laura. I met Mikey five years ago. Actually, I hit on him at a club on 80's night and we have been great friends ever since. Mikey and Laura live together and they had a few friends over at their place for scary movies and pumpkin carving. We had to get pumpkins first.

We made Mikey pull the wagon with all of our choices.

Once we made it back to the house, it was back to the cellar for this Bandit!

We decided to watch scary movies in the basement of the garage in Laura's backyard. It seems like a fall out shelter or something. Very strange, but very cool.

I had a great time, although, scary movies make me uncomfortable. I get scared easily with movies like Zodiac and The Strangers, that are based off true stories and display the psychosis of the murderous mind.

Just in time for Halloween I guess. Till next time.

xoxo
-K

Mexican Earrings: A Collection

2008-09-07T12:10:00.000-07:00

I have collections of various things: art, shoes, buttons, books. There is one collection I have, though, that I wish to share. I have quite a collection of Mexican earrings. This collection happened by accident and I barely realized that my collection is, well, wonderful. I know it's self indulgent, let me toot my own horn here, my collection is something I only recently learned to admire. So I am sharing it with you, hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I do.

These were my first real expensive pair and I only wear them on days when I feel ultra happy or I am going to a fancy party.

These I wear daily, which is why they are tarnishing at the tops. I love them and they have panels that move when I walk or turn my head. They are my super favorite of all time.

I like to wear these with the ones above. Two crescents look real good together.

These were a fairly recent purchase, I like them because they are real long and they dangle very nicely.

I just got these a week ago. I love them. They are of the newer style and the bronze pearls make them all fancy shmancy.

These are from Peru, they aren't quite like the ones above, but they are just as fun to wear.

Now if only I could figure out how to keep the tarnish at bay...

xoxo-K

I am in love.

2008-08-28T07:49:00.000-07:00

There is a man that travels to my neighborhood every day. He is strong and drives a big manly truck. He always brings me gifts when he comes to my house. He knows exactly what I like and brings me things I absolutely adore all the time. Just seeing him brings a smile to my face. I love him and all the wonderful things he brings me. He even wears an outfit to coordinate with his truck. Wait...what's that?...you know him too? Well, I love my UPS man no matter whose house he is visiting today!

School started this week and I wanted to buy some items for myself that would help me accessorize throughout the semester. I ordered this amazing hand hammered, hand etched ring from a store in Los Angeles called Teocintili. Then I decided I wanted some kick ass sneakers to help me as I walk from one side of campus to the freaking other. With the heat and the rain right now, Tucson is like a bloody sauna, so I need sneaks to protect my feet when flip flops just won't do. So, the UPS man delivered some packages today and I was so ecstatic. The new semester started on Monday and this Bandit is already exhausted.

Nothing like fabulous new items to keep me energized as the week comes to a close.

I will try and post more throughout the semester, but hectic times might prevent me from blogging as much as I would like.

xoxo-K

An Ode to Nadia

2008-07-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

I have a very wonderful friend, who I hold near and dear to my heart, Nadia. I had the pleasure of meeting Nadia a handful of years ago when I started working at a retail establishment in Tucson called Picante (a Latin American folk art store). The owner of Picante owns a toy shoppe next door called, Yikes. Nadia manages Yikes and keeps the toy business running smoothly. Now, when I say toys, I don't mean just any toys, these toys are awesome (like these freak show toys below) and a place this awesome, needs an awesome manager...that's Nadia.

Not only is Nadia an excellent friend, a good manager and fun to work with, she is a very talented crafter. She can felt, sew, draw, needle point, but what she does the ultimate best and with ultimate precision is paper cutting. I was very lucky to have received this paper cut out for my 26th birthday last year.

I don't work at Picante or the toy store anymore, but when they need re-enforcements to cover shifts for vacations, buying trips, or flaky employees, I usually come in to fill for them. I arrived on Thursday morning to help while everyone was away on a buying trip to find this lovely tiny paper cut design that Nadia had left for me. I shrieked with joy and delight. It's about two inches tall and one inch across. It is so lovely and wonderful and I just had to go buy a frame for it immediately.

Don't you all think Nadia should open an etsy shop and begin selling some of these wonderful works of hers? I certainly do.

Thanks, Nadia!! I love my new piece of artwork.

xoxo-K

When life hands you lemons...

2008-07-11T12:54:00.000-07:00

Make some lemonade. Basil Lemonade.

I decided to visit my parents for a few days and celebrate the 4th of July. Too bad it's monsoon season. We were hardly able to leave the house. My cousin, Marci, came with me to visit the 'rents and she decided that the only thing to make us feel better would be Basil Lemonade. She was right!

The clouds would come rushing in and then it was like someone was throwing buckets of water at the house.

There was lightning and thunder. The rain was surprisingly cold.

The rain would move on and then we could watch the sunset. If I ever leave Arizona I think that is the thing I will miss the most, the sunset. Nothing beats that view.

Being it that we couldn't leave the house, I had to come up with something to entertain myself with. Since I seem to be on an embroidery kick, I stiched up some cocktail napkins for my bff Marisa.

I came back to Tucson on Tuesday and have been working on a presentation for a conference at the end of this month. I decided I needed a day off and a manicure was in order. When I am in need of a minor pickup, I usually take $20, go to the drug store, and buy items that make me smile. On my recent trip, I bought some nail polish in "fuschia fever". I was looking for top coat in my drawer and found a box of rhinestones for nails. I decided the teal stones would look good on my nails. I might be crazy, but I think I am going to bring the trend back of rhinestone nail art. What do you think?

I just realized that up close, my fingers look very old and wrinkly. Eeeek!

'till next time.

xoxo-K

In Stitches

2008-07-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

Time is a wonderful thing, isn't it? I love having a summer vacation, I think I just might stay in school forever if it means I get to have time off in the summer. It has been very nice for me to finish up things I hadn't had time to complete during the school semester. I had been meaning to embroider myself some handkerchiefs. You see, walking or riding one's bike in the Arizona heat, well, it creates a very dewy situation.

A tissue or a napkin is not something a class lady would use to blot down her face and/or neck when she is dripping with sweat because she just walked 3 blocks to get to her building in the blaring Arizona sunshine in 107 degree Fahrenheit weather. No, a napkin or tissue would not suffice. SO, handkerchiefs it is. I completed all three this afternoon.

I need to go embroider more things.

xoxo-K

Back in Black

2008-06-29T18:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, Back in Black, like the AC/DC song, which I request on the jukebox at the District every time my friends and I need to get out and drink off our issues. Some people hugs things out, we drink things out. At any rate, so I was not so thrilled with how my blog was looking, so I decided to change it up a bit. I took a small vacation from the world after school let out for the summer, been doing lots of yoga and pilates, and I feel rejuvenated and relaxed now. I even decided to make myself my own bag for my yoga mat.

I used an Amy Butler pattern. I love her patterns because they are easy to follow and don't take too long to make.

Aside from being back in the blogging world, the summer rains are back in Tucson. I enjoy the water, because it means I don't have to water the yard everyday, BUT it also means humidity, which causes my hair to look like it got stuck in the wrong end of the blow dryer, and that just isn't pretty. There are also critters that come out to play. I decided to spend this weekend at my parents house and it was critter central!! First, there was a large toad in the pool with his toad girlfriend on his back.

Then, the tarantula. I found it odd that parents kept referring to the spider as "her". Very strange gender assignment, I thought.

I finished off the weekend by making some pistachio chocolate chip cookies. I have been meaning to make some pistachio cupckaes off the cupcake blog, but couldn't find the ingredients to finish off the frosting, so I used a recipe from the pistachio paste manufacturer's.

The clouds just settled in again, so I am off to curl up with a good book and enjoy the rest of my Sunday before my Monday that has been chock full of meetings for school. At least Tuesday will be a light day.

xoxo-K