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!

Tutorial: holiday/winter DIY centerpiece

Thanksgiving is almost here! I will be hosting it this year and unlike last year I will be doing all the cooking myself. Wish me luck. 

What will you be doing tomorrow?  

If you are in the US: May you, your family and friends have a great Thanksgiving. 

This was a very popular tutorial last year so I thought I'd share it again.

DIY holiday centerpiece

Material list:

Red maple tree leaves or any red leaves you manage to find in your yard
Pine cones (smaller ones are better): this can also come from your backyard
1 tall vase
Tree branches: I got mine at Michael's a few years ago

Directions:

1. Clean your vase, and add the pine cones to the bottom

2. Arrange the red leaves nicely, so that the red part actually shows. Mixing smaller and bigger leaves works really well.

3. Play with the branches. See what works best.

4. I chose to display a couple of candles on both sides of the vase because I think they compliment the design quite nicely.

And because the leaves are red, you can leave this up until Christmas. The only thing I would change is the candles. Perhaps use red candles, or Santa/Frosty?

Toga party costume re-style

Hubby and I were invited to a Toga party last weekend. Having never been to a toga party before, I started panicking right away. You see, jeans (and pants in general) contain my love handles and all that extra goodness I sometimes carry around my waist. Wearing dresses and skirts on the other hand scares me to death. The last thing I want to look like is a hot air balloon ;)

I also wanted something more creative than a white sheet wrapped around my body. So I decided to hit the costume and party stores. I found this awful looking thing on sale for $14.99 at Party City.

As it turns out, taking pictures of your own self is really hard!

Anyhoo, it was a step up from a plain white sheet, but not by much. It was a sleeveless, long white dress 3 sizes too big, with a diagonal sash looking thing-y.

So after a quick trip to my local Joann's and 4-5 hours in front of my trusty serger, I transformed it into this:

 

Here is what I did:

Shortened it
Made it a bit smaller so that the shape was a bit more flattering
Adjusted the shoulder seam (as you could see way too much when I moved my arms)
Added tons of trim
Total cost: $25.00 (I already had the sandals)

I got so many compliments at the party that I have decided to make all of my costumes from now on. I like being unique ;)

Happy Friday Friends!

Treasure Hunt time!

November is a special month, since it is this little blog's anniversary! I can hardly believe it has been a year since I've started blogging. 

I have learned so much and met so many wonderful people! More on that later though!

To celebrate, I have put together a little treasure hunt! Who doesn't like a good treasure hunt right?!? 

Etsy allows me to add up to 5 pictures to each one of my listings. I have added the picture above to one of my shop listings. Go to my shop, and click on all the listings until you find the treasure chest. 

**HINT: Look at the 5th picture....

The special: you will get 50% off the item in the listing! 50% is a huge discount! What are you waiting for?!? Check it out! 

AHOY MATEY!

Domestic Bliss: Vinegar

                                       Source: imperfecthomemaking.com via Ooh on Pinterest

So today we will take a closer look at what we can do with Vinegar, besides the usual salary dressing and marinade...

Speaking of salad dressing have you tried EVOO, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper and diced onion? D-I-V-I-N-E! And low in calories as well!

But I digress.

To make it easier, let's divide the uses into categories, shall we?

Kitchen

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Clean your dishwasher! The other day my dishwasher was a bit smelly I must say. This is caused by the hard water film as well as food debris. Simply pour a cup of vinegar in the bottom and run the dishwasher. 

Since we are cleaning why not clean out your coffee maker? Use equal parts vinegar and water and run it through the brew cycle. Finish it off by running through the brew cycle again, this time using only plain water.

Laundry

                                 Source: madebymunchiesmama.blogspot.com via Ooh on Pinterest

To remove stains, mix equal parts dishwashing liquid, water and vinegar in a plastic squirt bottle. Squeeze it onto stain and leave it for several minutes before rinsing it.

Remove yellow age spots by sponging them with a mixture of one tablespoon of vinegar and a pint of water.

Beauty tips

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Vinegar can do wonders for your hair! Mix a half a cup of apple cider vinegar with 2 cups of warm water and pour over your freshly washed hair. 

Apple cider vinegar is really good for oily skin too! Spritz it on after thoroughly cleaning your face and let it air dry.

Housekeeping tips

When mineral deposits build up inside your shower head, simply soak it in a bowl of vinegar. This will soften the deposits. Brush them away.

I have a pretty stubborn glass top coffee table. The only thing that will not leave streak marks is white vinegar. It smells so nice and clean as well! 

Pour white vinegar into your toilet bowl and let it sit for about 1 hr. It will be as good as new!

                                                               Source: tidymom.net via Ooh on Pinterest

Earlier this week (and you would know this if you followed me on Twitter) I had a clogged sink (it turns out you should never ever throw artichoke leaves in the garbage disposal). Pour 1 cup of baking soda followed by 1 cup of hot white vinegar down the drain. Wait a few minutes and pour boiling water. 

Attack and "kill" soap scum. Use 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar! 

Do you have any tips you would like to share? Or any household products you would like to know more about? Leave a comment below or email me at oohleela{at}gmail{dot}com. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Laptop sleeve

I have finally gotten around to finishing my laptop sleeve. Hey, it only took me 7 months, but I am proud to say that this UFO (unfinished project) is done! Woo-hoo!

I used Amy Butler's Temple Tulips in Azure/Soul Blossoms that I got for 7.99/yard. I lined it with some yellow flannel that I had on hand and to make it extra sturdy, I used fusible fleece. It was a bit bulky, but my 100/16 needle made it much much easier to get the job done. 

I used velcro for the closure....

Is this one of my own patterns you might ask? No, I used Sew Mama Sew's pattern. You can find it here.

A few notes about the pattern:

• I love the measurement part and how you can customize it to fit any laptop. The formula looks a bit daunting at first, but it is super simple and it works. 
• The pattern has lots of pictures and they definitely helped me since I am more of a visual learner.
• The instructions are clear for the most part, but I must admit that I got confused at times and ended up fusing the fleece to the wrong panel.... An easy fix, but a frustrating experience nevertheless....

I love how it turned out though! It took me about 2 hrs., from start to finish. A perfect "mind candy" type of project.

PS: have you seen my new blog signature?!? Andee Eve from Bearing Fruit inspired me! Check out her blog for awesome blogging tips and tricks!

Thanks for stopping by!

Domestic Bliss: The coffee filter

I was absolutely amazed to learn that coffee filters can be used in so many different ways!

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You can make beautiful light fixtures and wreaths....

                                    Source: thevirginiahouse.blogspot.com via Ooh on Pinterest

They make excellent covers when cooking. No more oily and messy splatters!

Why spend lots of $$$ in paper towels when you can use coffee filters to clean windows and polish your shoes? They are lint free!

                                                    Source: Uploaded by user via Ooh on Pinterest

How about those expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters.

                                                    Source: sp.life123.com via Ooh on Pinterest

Put a few on a plate and put your fried bacon, french fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease.

Use as a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliquéing soft fabrics. Now this is thrifty! Much cheaper than stabilizers too!

                                                            Source: google.com via Ooh on Pinterest

Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

Use it to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car. Good luck convincing hubby though! Guys can be so set in their ways!

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Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and to clean up small counter spills. I feel liberated! I am no longer the queen of paper towel land! Hooray!

Instead of using tons of different bowls (and having to wash them later) use it to hold dry ingredients when baking.

Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

                                                      Source: weheartit.com via Ooh on Pinterest

Needless to say they can also be used to brew your favorite cup of coffee, lol.

So what did you think? Did you know that these guys were so versatile?

Be sure to come back next week, when we will take a closer look at our dear friend Mr. Vinegar.....

We hope you have a great weekend!

Domestic Bliss!

                                                                       Source: Uploaded by user via Ooh on Pinterest

Although I love taking care of my home, domesticity doesn't always come naturally to me. Let's just say that instead of cleaning the bathroom or doing other household chores, I much prefer to spend my precious leisure moments watching the Housewives of {insert location here}, a night out, sewing, kissing my pooch, driving hubby crazy by criticizing his favorite football team.... You get the idea.

                                                                              Source: Uploaded by user via Ooh on Pinterest

But I must admit that a clean & organized house makes me happy and allows me to be more creative. So I am always thrilled when I learn about housekeeping tips that are cheap, creative and make my life a whole lot easier.

                                                                               Source: squidoo.com via Ooh on Pinterest

I have been carefully researching and collecting cleaning tips & testing said tips for about a year or so. Now that I have had a chance to test each and every one of them, I am ready to share them with you!

Thus the new blog series: Domestic Bliss! The first tip I have to share is how to look this sexy when you clean your house:

                                                                              Source: Uploaded by user via Ooh on Pinterest

Not really!

But seriously, I hope you will join me every week, starting tomorrow when I share uncommon uses for our beloved coffee filter!

Do you have any cleaning tips you would like to share? Email me! oohleela{at}gmail{dot}com.

Thanks for stopping by!!!