Hello July!

So, we all tend to make new year's resolutions, but how many of us actually follow through? To help me stay on track (and be more accountable), let's see how I am doing this year, shall we? After all, I only have a little over 6 months to accomplish all of my goals. Original post here.

1. Visit my family more often: I am so happy we got to spend 6 weeks together this year!I do hope I can make this happen every year. Seeing my family is kind of like pressing the reset button if you will. I always feel more positive and full of energy after I spend time with them :)

2. Spend some quality time with my grandparents (they are getting old and I feel I have so much to learn from them): I got to spend lots of time with my them this year. Grandpa is a strong willed Italian man who has so much to teach. I am so proud of him and everything he has accomplished in one lifetime. I also got to spend some time with my Grandma who is not doing too well unfortunately. She is only 75 but has been suffering from dementia for a couple of years now. I am glad that she still recognizes me.

3. Volunteer at a kids hospital or a convalescent home: Not yet and this has been on my to do list for a few years no. I need to work on this...

4. Grow Ooh Leela! and make it a profitable business by the end of the year: Work in progress. To be honest I have not made as much progress as I would have liked, and I need to focus on marketing my products outside of Etsy.... Any tips???

5. Learn how to make candles and soap: Candles check! Soap, not yet. Any recommendations?

6. Add gift cards to the shop: Check!

7. Offer gift of the month club membership options: FAIL! Well, I have joined Wild Olive's pattern of the month club.... Does that count?

8. Post more regularly: Sorta kinda happening, but not yet where I would like it to be.

9. Travel (Italy, Greece and Spain are at the top of my list): South America check, Europe not yet and it doesn't look like it will happen this year.

10. Read more books: I have read sewing books mostly. My favorite one is Vintage Notions by Amy Barickman. A-W-E-S-O-M-E!

Source

11. Keep my self-criticism in check: no comments.......

What about you? How is that list of yours going?

Oh, and just to remind you, I will be announcing the All in Detail, the Embroidery project giveaway winner tomorrow evening, PDT. If you would like to enter, go for it.

And if you haven't visited Crafty Nest, you really need to! It is an amazing blog and you might just win one of my leather coffee sleeves.

Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend!!! Ciao Bellas!

Another lovely surprise (and giveaway)!

Some of you may know that I am one of Wild Olive's sponsors. Mollie chooses a story every month, and encourages her sponsors to participate by either sharing a few lines every month and telling how we relate to it or by sponsoring a giveaway, that is somehow related to it.

When Mollie wrote about her story choice this month, I was thrilled. I knew exactly what I wanted to share with y'all.

After all, everyone wishes for improvement in their lives. Not too long ago, I wished for better embroidery skills and more creativity. And my wish came true. I am taking Mollie's wonderful class: All in the Details, the embroidery project. Mollie shares a new project each and every day, and I must say that each new project is cuter than the last. To be able to learn new skills while collaborating and exchanging ideas with different people has been an amazing as well as enriching experience. And this is what I want to give you today: the opportunity to take Mollie's class: All in the Details, the embroidery project. 

To enter to win, simply follow the steps below:

Mandatory entry:
Become a follower of my blog and leave a comment here (make sure there is a way for me to contact you)

 Additional entries:

Leave a separate comment here for each one you do!

-Like Ooh Leela! on Facebook
-Follow Ooh Leela! on Twitter

GOOD LUCK!!!

It is time for a giveaway!

I told you this week would be full of surprises! This is the first one: 

I am hosting a giveaway (and sharing a cool tutorial) at one of my all time favorite blogs: Crafty Nest. Crafty Nest is an inspirational, do-it-yourself home decorating blog, featuring one new craft each week. Monica offers step-by-step tutorials for pretty and practical crafts on a budget.

I met Monica through a mutual friend, at Sportivo Coffee Bar (yes, the same place that carries my sleeves :) Monica is a super talented and creative crafter and an amazing human being. I can't even begin to explain how excited (and extremely flattered) I am to have been asked to prepare a tutorial for her blog.

And to share the excitement, I am giving away this beautiful upcycled leather coffee sleeve:

To enter to win, visit Monica's blog and leave a comment. The deadline is in one week—Monday, July 4, 2011. 

And if you are visiting for the first time, a warm welcome to you! I hope you come back often. 

Like me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter

Have a wonderful day!

Any fabric detectives out there?

I need some help.... I bought this fabric at Joann's 6 months or so ago. The problem is I only bought 1/2 yard (lesson learned: need to be less stingy in the future) and I am about to run out. I really love it and I went back for more, but surprise surprise, they no longer carry it. No one was able to tell me who makes it or which collection it belongs to. It was like they had never seen it before....

I have looked online, and I have also been to 4 different stores, but no luck so far....

Have you seen me?

Have you seen it before? Do you know where I can find it? Are there any websites out there that provide this sort of service? Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated. I may even send you a thank you gift ;)

Sunday chuckle

This is going to be an exciting week here at Ooh Leela! Be sure to check back often. For now, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. May your week be as amazing as you are! Thank you for stopping by.

Meet Lola, Leela's mousy

Do you ever feel like being creative and making something when your to-do list (containing mostly non-arts-y stuff) is a mile long? Well, I am in that kind of mood today.

So to celebrate my laziness lack of productivity in the day-job department, I made Lola, a cute little mousy, who is very girly and spoiled, much like her owner, Leela.

Leela loved it so much, it was almost impossible to take a picture before she took Lola..... And.... She has been playing with Lola for the past hour. Mission accomplished I guess ;)

Ignore the dust bunnies please :)

Would you like to see a tutorial? Leave a comment, please and I will be happy to prepare one for you!

XOXOs and thank you so much for stopping by and celebrating lazy Tuesday with me!

To a Dad who inspires me so much

 
Dear Daddy, Happy Father's Day. It is such an honor to have a Dad like you. You are kind, gentle, humble, hardworking, giving, loving, honest and an all around amazing human being. I just love how you can find happiness in the littlest of things and how you give your best to everything you do. I love you so much.

Father's Day gift ideas

OMG! Time is just flying by this year. Can you believe it is June already?!?

Although I won't get to spend Father's Day with my Dad this year (love you Pop), I have been looking for ideas to entertain both my fathers-in-law. I got this amazing gift for Papa (love love love the recycled wood - Papa is originally from Chicago).... Now, I was having such a hard time deciding what to give Hubby's Dad..... Until I came across this that is. Can you say YUMMY?!?

Source

You can find the recipe here. Here are some cool project and gift ideas!

Source

I know my hubby would love this. He is into old cars, and he loves to take care of his babies. I don't think he has taken any of his babies to the car wash.... EVER!

I may even throw this delicious bread pudding into the mix... Ok, so this will be for me, but my father-in-law will probably enjoy it too, right?!?

Source

How cute are these ties? Mollie from Wild Olive designed them. I am sure you could whip these up in no time.

Source

SEW cute, love the apron idea.

Some other ideas:

• Homemade BBQ Sauce
• Tickets to a baseball game
• Photo collage
• A basket with his favorite candies, food, snacks (you can probably save a ton of money by doing this yourself, instead of ordering it online)

What about you? Are you making something for Dad? Buying something perhaps? If you have any cool ideas, post it in the comments section and I will be happy to update this list.

Happy Friday everyone!!!

A special baby shower for sweet baby Camila

Hello everyone! This.week.has.been.absolutely.insane! Mainly because of my day job (boo-hoo)...

We saw our dear friends Mr. and Mrs. H last Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. H are expecting their first baby! Baby Camila is due in October. Mrs. H asked me to help her with the baby shower preparations. Mind you this is all new to me, since I have never thrown a baby shower before, not even for my dog baby Leela.

But I think I am up for the challenge: I love to throw parties and making arrangements is one of my fortes, so to be able to help coordinate Camila's baby shower is a dream come true. I truly feel so honored. So, in the spirit of keeping things as organized as possible, I have decided to break it down into 4 sections:

1. Decoration: Mrs. H wants to incorporate purple. I was thinking purple and a light yellow or green....
2. Food: simplicity is key
3. Party favors: handmade!!!!
4. Games: something fun pleaaaseeee!

The party will take place at the end of July, so that gives me roughly 5 weeks of planning time. As I come up with ideas, I thought it would be great to share them with you. I know this is not what the blog is all about, but I really want to use handmade items whenever possible. Plus we are on a serious budget, so I will probably end up doing some of the things myself. What say you? Will you join me on this journey?

If you have any ideas, tips, online resources, etc, I would love to hear from you! Hey!!! Who am I kidding?!? I would LOVE to hear from you no matter what! Your comments make my heart sing.

XOXOs!!!

A very cool giveaway

Hello lovelies!

If you have some free time today, Thursday from My Girl Thursday is hosting a super cool giveaway. Check it out: 1st post, 2nd post, 3rd post.

Oh, and it seems as though a bomb went off in my sewing room.... It is a total mess!!!

Some Leela love (as you can see today is her day off):

That is all I have time for today. Will be back soon, I promise.

Have a great day!

I just can't help it....

I know I know, I am already falling behind on things I have to do, but I just could not help myself when I found this awesome blog. I am participating in a handmade gift exchange!!!

Oh my Oh my! I am super excited and already have tons of ideas in my little head.

 

Apart from this, I am also participating in another scrap swap (I still owe you some pictures from my last swap, sorry about that). This is so addicting!!!I absolutely love giving gifts, but the rush I get when I get home and see a box waiting for me... it. is. inexplicable!

I go through each and every piece of fabric and all the other goodies my swap friend has so carefully and thoughtfully selected for me. Everything is so neatly packed and every item tells a story. I even get butterflies in my stomach. I am that crazy... lol!

I am also taking 2 crafts courses this summer. I will keep them a secret for now..... More on that later, pinky promise!

Hubby and I are hosting a dinner party this eve. Off to the kitchen I go!!! Do you have anything fun going on this weekend? 

Love always!

Feeling a bit overwhelmed today

http://www.marktoon.co.uk/blobs.htm

Today is just one of those days that I have to do a gazillion things (that were supposed to be done yesterday, and the day before yesterday, you get the picture) and I just don't know where to start.

Here are some of the things that are on my to-do list:

1. Finish a tutorial;
2. Respond to emails and messages on FB
3. Catch up with my team on Etsy
4. Update my shop
5. Craft, craft, craft
6. Finish some projects
7. Finish working on my website
8. Go to the bank
9. Do laundry
10. Organize my sewing room
11. Mail the giveaway goodies to the winner - CONGRATS by the way and thank you to all of you who participated!!!! I love you all!
12. Organize Ooh Leela's FB page
13. Package & mail 3 dish towels
14. Add more pages to the blog
15. 1000000000 things that I have to accomplish at my day job

Do you feel like this sometimes?

Thanks for stopping by!

Shrimp Ceviche recipe

 
Hello blog friends!

First and foremost, I hope everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!!!

Hubby and I have been trying to be a bit more frugal (is it even possible?!?) lately. We both love going out to eat, but lately, instead of doing so, we have been trying to replicate our favorite restaurants' recipes.

One of our all time favorites is ceviche. "Ceviche is a seafood dish popular in the coastal regions of the Americas, especially Latin America. The dish is typically made from fresh raw fish marinated in citrus juices such as lemon or lime and spiced with chilli peppers."

Today, I would love to share our very own Ceviche recipe. I hope that you like it as much as we do.

Ooh Leela's shrimp ceviche

Cast of characters (as the Pioneer Woman would say):

**clicking on any of these pictures will make them bigger.

1lb of shrimp, peeled and deveined. You may also choose to use fresh fish. If using fish, skip steps 1 and 2.
8-10 limes, juiced (or enough to submerge the shrimp)
1 lemon, juiced
2 tomatoes
1 yellow onion
1 cup of cilantro
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
salt & pepper, to taste
hot sauce

Directions:

1. Place the shrimp in boiling water for a minute or 2. Although the beauty of this dish is the fact that the acid in the lime cooks the seafood, it is a good idea to pre-cook the shrimp to kill any bacteria. Don't overcook it though, or else it will become rubbery.

2. Drain. Shock the shrimp in an ice bath to stop it from cooking further. Drain again and place it in a bowl.

3. Submerge the shrimp in lime juice. Cover it and put it in the fridge. Let it marinate for 2 hrs. (this is when the magic happens). Thoroughly wash hands after working with lime. Otherwise, it could burn your skin, especially if you go out in the sun. **Tip: I love the smell of lime! Instead of throwing them away, I throw them in the sink and run the garbage disposal. The scent it releases is amazing.

4. Dice tomatoes, onions and cilantro. Dance and sing a song......

5. Cut each shrimp into small 1/2 inch cubes. Return it to the bowl with lime juice. Sing again.... Make those shrimp happy!!!

6. Stir in tomatoes, lemon juice, onions, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Don't forget to add some love too. Put bowl back in the fridge and let it marinate for 1 hr.

7. Avocados tend to turn brown after a while, so I always wait until right before I serve it to add my avocado. Same with the cilantro. Aren't these glasses precious?!?

8. Serving: I usually serve ceviche in a martini glass, garnished with cilantro or lime/lemon wedges. Enjoy!

Leela's tip: if you like it spicy, feel free to add finely diced jalapenos or red chilly pepper flakes. Adding a little bit of garlic works really well too!

If you have any questions about any of the steps mentioned above, please don't hesitate to email me! I would love to hear from you: oohleela{at}gmail{dot}com

Have a blessed week!!!

Beautiful treasury I'm featured in.

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a great Memorial Day weekend!

Just wanted to share this beautiful treasury with all of you!

It is time for a giveaway!

If you are visiting for the first time, welcome! I am glad you are here and I hope that you come back often.

As you may know, Mollie from Wild Olive is having a huge tea party this week. When she told me about it I got all giddy! I love tea and I love to par-tea!

So, to help her celebrate, I am sharing this cute cross stitch pattern:

And to top it all off, I am giving a $30.00 gift certificate to Teavana to one lucky winner. How cool is that?!? Perhaps you can bring your embroidery supplies along and whip this up while you have a cup of tea? What a TEAlicious way to spend a Saturday afternoon, don't you think?

To participate, visit Mollie's blog, and leave a comment (in my guest post) to let her know you are one of Ooh Leela!'s Facebook fans. 

For bonus entries, leave a 2nd or 3rd comment if you follow me on Twitter or are one of my blog followers.  

Have a lovely day!!! XOXOs

Coming soon: www.oohleela.com

I took the plunge and purchased a domain for Ooh Leela! For now, I will keep it simple and use it to point to the blog and to my Etsy shop.

I am also working on some new content for the blog. Stay tuned!

What have you been up to?

Mother's Day gift bags & free cross stitch pattern

Mother's Day is just around the corner. I am so happy that I will get to spend it with my Mom. A little sad though, that I am not going to be able to give my Mother-in-Law a big hug.

With these great women in mind (and with great help from my aunt) I put together these cute gift bags. I will bake some sugar cookies and put it inside the bag and give it to these lovely ladies on Sunday.

Ooh Leela's Mother's Day gift bag

Materials:

Aida cloth: this piece is 16''x15'', but feel free to use your own measurements
embroidery floss in black, yellow, red and orange
embroidery needle
sewing machine
red ribbon
ceramic rooster (optional)

Step 1: Fold aida cloth in half; sew 2 sides (1 long side and 1 short side)

Step 2: Fray top edge. To do this, take the strands out of the edge; feel free to take as many strands as you'd like, to create the desired length of fringe effect. In addition, also fray 1 strand (1 block tall) approximately 3 inches from the top (this is where you will insert the red ribbon to close the bag).

Step 3: Using this cross stitch template, embroider the rooster. Make sure it is centered. For help, click here.

At this point, your bag should look like this:

Did you know that displaying ceramic roosters in the kitchen is a very traditional Portuguese custom? It is supposed to bring good luck. I found my rooster here.

Step 4: Insert the red ribbon.

Then insert some goodies (chocolates, cookies, jewelry, or whatever tickles your fancy), the rooster and a tag. Lastly, be sure to hug your mom. Hug her, hug her, hug her.

And to make it easier for you, I designed a gift tag that you can use. You can download it here.

If you come across any other Mother's Day projects, I would love to hear from you! Thank you so much for stopping by!

Have a lovely day!!!