I'm ready for 2012

Regardless of what the Mayans say about 2012, I am so ready for the new year! Don't get me wrong; this year has been good, but good ol' me always believes that a new year has the promise to be BETTER! 

Some of my accomplishments in 2011 (you can see last year's posts here and here):

Continued to work on and improve my sewing skills. Learned the ins and outs of screen printing! 

Visited my family & got to spend 6 weeks in Brazil and Argentina

Helped my Mom take care of my sick grandma for a week. This was such a humbling experience. 

Spent quality time with my grandpa. Have I mentioned that he is such an inspiration to me? 

Went horseback riding

Continued to go to the gym and maintained my weight. Even though I had to work hard to lose the 8 lbs. I gained while on vacation. It was sort of like an Eat Pray Love type of va-cay!

Planned my first baby shower ever! You can read more about it here. 

Made dinner on Thanksgiving (all by myself)

I am kicking off 2012 with operation happiness! I just need to be more positive and generally speaking happy. I know it is possible and I just need to train my mind to see that the cup IS half full. 

Here is the scope:

1. Control freak no more! I need to trust those around me and accept that everyone is different and as such, does things differently. I will try to be ok when hubz does the dishes and be grateful that the dishes are done instead of looking at the grease left behind. 

2. Be more disciplined: If I don't like the way those extra pounds make me feel, perhaps it is time to get up a little earlier and go jogging? The point is, I can't just wish certain things were different and don't do anything to change them. I have the power to change most of these things. It just requires compromise and sacrifice. 

3. Be more forgiving. Allow myself to be perfectly imperfect. Love myself for who I am. 

4. Work on my relationship: again, be more forgiving, less selfish, and believe in it again. This has been a very difficult year for me relationship-wise. We need to get on the same page. We owe it to ourselves to give it nothing but our very best and try to make it work. 

5. Remove the mental roadblocks: ok, this is a big one. I have huge dreams. But I am afraid of pursuing most of them because this crazy little head of mine comes up with thousands of excuses and reasons as to why making my dreams a reality will be hard and impossible. I've realized I am my worst enemy at times. Gotta change that. 

6. Realize/believe/understand that the grass is not always greener on the other side. 

I hate to be such a downer, but writing this all down helps me focus on what needs to be done. 

What are your plans for the new year? I would love to hear all about it. 

Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart, for stopping by. Thank you for coming along on this journey with me. 

I wish you and your loved ones a New Year filled with success! 

Merry Christmas!

Source

Dear Friends, first and foremost, thank you for visiting. We hope you and your loved ones have a Wonderful Christmas! We wish you lots and lots of happiness, health, family & friends and love, lots and lots of love. Because everything is so much better when there is love. 

Do remember the true meaning of Christmas, say a prayer and thank God for all the blessings in your life. 

Tis the season!

I feel a little weird this year because I am a person who loves Christmas and looks forward to it and yet.... I have not even gone shopping,  sent cards or finished decorating our Christmas tree.

This cute video might just give me the inspiration I need. How is the Holiday season treating ya?

Xo's,

Doggie tees

Let me start out by saying that starting my own line of dog apparel and accessories has been a dream of mine for years. 

I started sewing on a regular basis 3 years ago... Kind of a funny story actually... I had been eyeing a sewing machine at Costco for quite some time, but I could not sell my hubby the idea justify spending money on it because {back then} I never seemed to finish anything I started, when it came to hobbies. 

But I must say that I wasn't entirely happy with that rationalization..... I wanted a sewing machine period. So, I started looking for alternatives.... I had a {rather fat, thank you very much} piggy bank.. So I broke my piggy bank, found a coinstar machine, dumped all my change, watched the machine count my coins only to find out that I was still $25 short. Friends, all I can say is that persistence pays off. Seeing my disappointment, hubby kindly offered the contents of his piggy bank....

Well, let's just say that the rest is history. Many equipment upgrades, youtube videos, online tutorials, cussing sessions, and sewing classes later, I am still going strong. For the past 3 years I had one goal in mind: I wanted to improve my skills & learn garment construction. And learn I did. And it feels so good =)

So without further ado, I must tell you about Ooh Leela's dog apparel & accessories line! 

It is here people!!! For realz! 

I don't have any {human} kids yet, but I am pretty sure this is what giving labor must feel like. There was so much thought, love, sweat and tears put into this line. It truly feels like it is my baby. 

These awesome {and stylish} tees are now available in my shop. They were hand printed by yours truly, using eco-friendly water-based inks. They have fun little messages that portray your dog's attitude err personality. This {LIMITED EDITION} cutie says: This is ALL I got for Christmas! ™

These super soft, high quality 100% t-shirts were designed with Leela in mind. They are soft, comfy and were cut & sewn in a way so as to provide plenty of room for potty breaks. 

Now this is a two person and one dog show, so while we haven't added too many items just yet, we will be doing so throughout the month.... There will be polo shirts, hoodies & cute accessories. I can't wait to share them with you. 

Remember, Ooh Leela's Pet Collection™ is the ONLY one that contains a puppy seal of approval, issued by Leela herself! 

To show my appreciation for your support {thank YOU}, I am offering free shipping {and free upgrade to Priority mail} today. Enter SHIP2ME at checkout! These would make great stocking stuffers and your furry friend will love you for it! 

Happy Friday friends!

Puppy no-no's

If your puppy is anything like Leela, you need to be extra careful during the Holiday season. Leela likes to explore the depths of our trash can. Occasionally I will give her a "human" treat but it is important to know what puppies can and cannot eat. 

Garlic! May I have some food in my garlic please? Seriously I love garlic and it makes everything taste so much better! But garlic, in any form whatsoever (powdered, raw, salt, etc) destroy your best friend's red blood cells and may lead to anemia. 

                                               Source: flickr.com via Ooh on Pinterest

Raisins add just the right amount of sweetness to any dish be it stuffing or a nice spinach salad. Raisins may lead to kidney failure and no one wants to put their furbabies through that now do they?

Fat trimmings are pretty harmful too! Here I thought I was giving my baby a real nice treat! Fat trimmings may cause pancreatitis. 

So what to give your favorite child this season ?

                                                           Source: squidoo.com via Ooh on Pinterest

Well a dog treat goes a long way in making your loved one happy! 

And if you want to go all the way, how about something from Ooh Leela's OwnTM collection?

That's right folks, this cute bone shaped bed is the only one that contains a puppy seal of approval issued by Leela herself!

Cupcakes are very trendy right now and your baby deserves to be fashionable!

Check them out! Enter SHIP2ME at checkout for free shipping! They would make great stocking stuffers! 

Happy Holidays friends!