Grandma's way is often the best way

Hello!
I have been going mail crazy with Swap-Bot, its a great site for swapping. The packages I sent today were for the "Quick Matchbox Swap". It was very simple, just decorate a matchbox with a theme and fill it with tiny goodies. Lucky for me both of my partners have similar taste! So I went with a "Kawaii/Hello Kitty" theme. I filled it with bows, tiny clothespins, stickers, buttons and other kick-knacks.
Im so exited!



I didn't have any decent matchboxes around, so I did what my Granny would do, I made my own. First I tried using a template and some instructions I found online, but they proved to be overly complicated.
Then I remembered how Granny made things, she started by de-constructing. Yes, crazy as it sounds it was like that. Her favorite shirt got stained? She would take it apart and use the old one to make a new one! So simple ad effective!
So I took and old matchbox, opened it up and traced it over heavy scrap-booking paper.
The wisdom of age proved itself once again, Grandma's way is often (always) the best way!
Love,
Maria Isabel

A Sea for a Sea

Isn't this such a grand idea? To see a sea you have never met before. To share your sea with a stranger. Luckily, I stumbled upon this picture via ImgFave. At first I was skeptical, who would go to all that trouble to do something nice? Then I answered that question: I would. So I sent my picture.
David Horvitz's blog: David's Blog.
                       Love,
                                Maria Isabel

The Queen

Last week I finally got a chance to see Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, sure it was not what I expected, but I still enjoyed it. I was smitten with The Red Queen, she was so funny and well dressed. And who was I not to fall with that big, bulbous head. For one of the 5x7 Painting swaps from Swap-Bot I  was asked for a portrait. And this is what came to mind. The Queen. I'm thinking about making a larger version to hang over my bed. Maybe even get her a King of Spades to accompany her into eternal solitude through Underland.

I want to thank you for the uplifting comments on the last post, especially to Felicity and Bumpo. Thanks for the support!
         
Now I'm off to keep working on some projects for Sofia's birthday party which is this Sunday! SO much to do, so little time!
                             Love,
                                      Maria Isabel

Honesty

There seems to be only two reasons why people stop blogging:
    a) There is nothing happening to post about.
    b) There is too much happening to make a coherent post without the risk of posting a rant.
As strange as it may seem. I have both of these reasons for my la ck of posting. I have mainly dedicated this blog to sharing the things I make and the things that inspire me. Lately however, I have been less than inspired, nothing comes to mind when I see my blank canvas. I don't feel like going into the craft room or look around in fabric stores. That thing, that energy that made me want to stay past any one's bedtime to finish off a project was gone. I tried to force it, but only managed to ruin some good materials in the process. So in a way, I had nothing to show. Nothing.
I still felt like writing, a lot. But not about crafts. Many times I started a new post, sort of like an update with the things that had been going on.Some were good things, but most were not. Still I faltered, it seemed to go against the blogs purpose to post personal things. Some bits even seemed like rants. My intention was not to lay a burden into someone when they read my posts. They were supposed to feel better after they came by, not the same or worse. So they never got published. I regret that. I really do. Because it seems that by omitting what was happening I was being dishonest. It filled me with guilt to just abandon the blog like that. I browsed for inspiration, and nothing came. I started other hobbies, but felt too guilty to write about it.
But today I woke up sure of myself. Things had to change or this blog would just die as surely as my other attempts at blogging failed. So things will change, some might like it, and some might not. I have made good friends from blogging, and I hope the like the change.
Its nothing drastic really, it will just be more personal and less strict. There will be no more schedules, things should not be forced. I will talk more about the things that matter to me: my family, my University and my other hobbies besides crafting. I'm also changing the look of the blog, its a work in progress for now.
     
   I really want to know your opinion about this!
                                 Love,
                                       Maria Isabel