Beautiful day

Yesterday was beautiful. We did enjoy the sunshine and warm breeze a lot.

Wzg was really busy working in the yard, mowed the lawn, prepared the garden with fertilizer, and watered newly planted trees.

Sophia had some playground fun at Blueberry Park in the afternoon. Unfortunately, there were two boys playing soccer on the slide, which annoyed me very much. Sophia was not happy either, and was fine to leave in less than 30 minutes.

The bubble mower was a hit, it looks so real, even makes noise which just like the real one daddy has. Sophia pushed it around the neighborhood and laughing all the time.

With such a beautiful sunny day, I had lots of cleaning done, especially our bedroom, now looks like magazine.

A new favorite

Books are so magical. Children can fall in love with the characters on the paper, can read the same book every night, not get bored. That's why I love to buy books for Sophia.
This week her favorites is Pat the bunny. She reads this book to all her stuff animals. I love this book, too.

I want this!!!!!!

Does this look familiar? I've seen some tutorial to make a similar smock, will try to find it and make it.

Shopping is scary

I'm a shopholic.
Before I was a mom I shopped clothes for myself like crazy. I go to Banana republic more than once a week. I know the best route to go through all my favorite stores in outlet. I received mails from JCrew more often than receiving my paycheck.
Since we got the house, I found tons of excuses to shop, because we need everything for the house, furnitures, decors, etc.
Now, as a mom, I'm no different than other moms, addicted to Gymboree. Sophia has more than 10 pairs of jeans in size 2T, 5 pairs of tennis shoes in size 6 from baby Gap. I'm 100% sure she doesn't need that many, but I just can't help, they're too cute. As for toys, I used to buy all little people play sets on the market, I even searched garage sales for discontinued sets because I love them just like Sophia. But all a sudden Sophia lost interest in little people, however fell in love with dolls and doll house. Now my mission is to search doll house furnitures and figures.
Crafting is another outlet for me to enjoy shopping, my scrapbooking supplies has been growing from one box to one shelf, then to one walk in closet, but I only had one full size scrapbook finished. My collection of fabric maybe just a fraction of some other crafters but they will definitely last long enough for me.
Everyday, I drive an empty car to work, come back home with a car full of stuff. I don't know why we need all those stuff. I just feel happy when shopping.
Today was a big shopping day for me. I went to 4 B&M stores and made two online orders. Don't get me wrong, I work full time, I didn't take a day off or leave work early. I was just very quick. I got this trike for Sophia, this will help me losing some weight while using that handle.

This is very inspiring

Monster mates

Just sent it again!!

Hope Storme can receive this in 2 to 3 days. It has been a really long wait for her.
After traveling to and from AZ, the original box is very beat-up. So I repacked everything and redecorated the box. I was inspired by Kah Mei 's mail to Ali. I did it inside out. It's very easy and quick to make.

Button Swap Goodies

I received the button swap package a couple days ago, but was too busy to take time taking pictures. Finally I found some time after putting Sophia in bed.
The package I received from Storme is amazing. I love everything about it.

The wrapping is very cheerful. When I first saw that fun tape on the shoe box I just knew that I would love all things inside.

I love the rainbow buttons and threads, they're my favorite colors. I'll definitely use them for my coming summer projects. Actually I've been thinking how to use the buttons and trims in my project while driving to work.

The white pouch Storme made is beautiful, it will hold my treasures. Love the fabric card, too.This whole package made my day, especially the flower loom, which I've been thinking of buying one for a while.
Overall it's very inspiring. Thank you Sally for doing this swap.
Sorry about the bad pictures, everything I received is way better than it looks in the pictures.

Purple Skirt

I made this skirt a few weeks ago. Then Sophia didn't like it, but she's happy to wear it today. I'm happy, too because it's great for potty training. It doesn't get dirty or wet when she has an accident. (She has accident every time she's not wearing diaper).

Learning Flip Flop

How many pairs of flip flops do you own? I addmit I have many, not even want to start to count. Sophia got her first pair last night. She was very exited and couldn't help putting them on. I got them for herto wear at beach or very hot summer day to play water. But last night I just realized that people is not born to be able to walk with flip flops, you have to learn and practice.
Sophia must have thought it was very easy to put on those cool shoes, she ventured herself without asking any help. However it wasn't so easy as she thought, she was very frustrated after trying and trying. So I jumped in and helped. I felt like teaching her riding a bike, I helped her putting those shoes on, held her hands walking, going down and up stairs (she insisted), practicing walking in flip flops. I'm sure we need to do more practice until she can confidently walk in them on the beach.
By the way, her little feet look very cute in those pink flip flops.

Mini vacation

Last couple weeks were the worst time of my life. I had been trying really hard to find a way to get out of it. Finally I think being busy is the best way to cheer up. So I planned a thousand of things to do on weekend. But I didn't have any work done.

Wzg suggested we went to Canada for a mini vacation on Friday night. He wanted me to relax, take a break. I was happy and ready to go out and get some sunshine. Our trip was short, but we had loads of fun, sunshine, good eats, and more...

Last time we went to Canada was about 7 years ago. Then Wzg and I were just friends, and we were in school. I just feel it like yesterday.

This time we didn't go to downtown Toronto , instead we headed to the Pacific mall in suburb. The whole area is like a little Hong Kong . I had never been to Hong Kong , but I could tell that the people, the shop, the fashion style, the language, the food, everything looked just like what I've seen in Hong Kong TV shows. Seeing real things are much more fun than seeing those in TV. I got lots of inspirations from all the people walking by, love their handbags. Sophia enjoyed looking at people, too, but her favorite part was Hong Kong style snacks, not only tasty but also have cute packaging.

Our focus was food. We tried different types of restaurants for each meal. All were great, food were tasty, with great presentation, great service, great environment, and great price, too. I couldn't even tell which one was my favorite, coz, I love them all. We sure brought back lots of good eats with us.

The thing that made me really happy was a Hong Kong style haircut. The salon I went wasn't very big but the stylist was so nice, she did everything that I wanted, even better. With a new haircut, I feel my head is finally working well. I have to come back to Canada every couple months for a haircut.

When we passed Niagara falls , we stopped a couple hours for some water fun. It was amazing to see tons of snow and ice at the falls in a summer like day. When we got closer to the falls, the temperature fell very fast, I guess 5 degrees a block. The rainbow over the falls was the most beautiful one I've ever seen. Sophia was very exited with falls, and the horse ride on the street.

What Sophia learned during the trip? She learned things about the bathroom (it's called washroom in Canada ). Now she can recognize the bathroom sign, but still not able to distinguish lady's room and men's room. Another milestone is that Sophia pooped in a public toilet for the first time. Now when we step into a public bathroom, Sophia will start to say "Not touch, pee right here ...", because I always warn her not to touch things in the bathroom since they're dirty. Now she gets the whole thing about bathroom, even asks paper towel after washing her hands.

Now we're back and will have a week of good eats from Canada trip.

Today's inspirations

I love this doll house
This kid's space inspires me, too.
And love in air.
Giraffe is hungry made by pixie blossoms
A cube bean house and beautiful doll cradle, princess and pea.

Feeling great

Just because of the sunshine! This weekend will be 70ies which is super nice. I have a long list of things to do for weekend.

I want to take lots of pictures with natural light;
I want to bring Sophia to the park for some fun;
I want to clean up our patio and just hang out to enjoy the sunshine;
I want to go to the outlet for summer clothing and sewing inspirations;
I want to shop Joann for their great spring sale;
I want to go garage sales tomorrow morning;
I want to spray paint some frames;
I want to get rid of old furnitures and get new one;
I want to have a haircut for a change;
I want to do nothing but enjoy the spring breeze……

To do list

It's spring time, truly spring because the temperature is going up today, hopefully we don't have any more snow. I have lots of things to do, lots of projects in my mind.

Garage sale cleaning: this is a hard one, I need to clean up all of our closets and let go those things that I love but not able to fine a use. I hope my great stuff find a great home. Also hope I can do garage sale and have some extra money coming in. I had fun last year.

Doll bed: I just got some inspirations from Heather and Tree Fall. They are both lovely. Since Sophia is very into her cry and drink baby doll, and loves to put baby in bed, she will definitely enjoy a beautiful bed for her baby. I'm still not sure if I should make a wood bed from scratch, or buy one from Ikea, or try to search a vintage doll cradle. If I have extra time I may make an outfit for the baby doll, her current one is too hard to put on and take off.

Making: I have tons of things to make: BBQ apron for wzg, patio furniture seat cushions, summer shirts for Sophia and me, lots of bags, table cloth and placemat. I want to make a set of table linen for Sophia's play table. So she can have tea party. Inspired by this, those fabric foods are nice, too.

Painting: Wzg made a set of eight 15" by 15" stretched canvas for me to paint to hang on the playroom wall. They have been sitting in garage for weeks. They're crying: paint me!

Wall art: we have piles of empty frames everywhere in house. I had lots of ideas to use them, but never had actions. Now it's time to design, paint and hang them. Our house will be turned into a gallery when I'm done.

Decorating: We want to get Sophia a set of big girl bed room furniture this summer and redecorate her room. I love this room, especially the strips on the wall.

Scrapbooking: I need to finish our last fall album, which has been on my to-do-list for the longest.

Cards: If there is still time left, I want to make some cards with my big paper scrap pile.

Selling: I hope I can have my own ETSY shop to sell my handmade stuff someday.

Organizing: this needs to be done everywhere in the house.

Planting: Like I said, it's spring, lots of planting needs to be done. Wzg just planted 40 trees in our back yard. Yes 40! Now I'm dreaming of woods view in our kitchen window. We have all kinds vegetable seeds curing in the garage, dreaming a fruitful garden in summer, too.

Baking: I have bought lots of baking supplies during the year, some are still brand new, I need to put them in use. Searching recipes now.

Shopping: this is the thing I can do best on the list. I need spring and summer clothes for myself. But I'll wait a little bit and see if I can shed a couple pounds before summer comes.

Sophia's kitchen Grand opening

Sophia's kitchen Was open last night. I was her first customer. She cooked mostly vegetables, she asked me to eat more and more vegetables (that was what I do to her in real life). When I was done, she offered soup, pots after pots of soup because soup is one of Sophia's favorite. Sophia didn't forget about serving drink, I had a couple with her pink princess cup. The sweetest thing was that Sophia asked if I wanted some ice cream at the end. Of course I did, I even asked more and more (this is what Sophia does in real life). Sophia said no to me just like what I said to her in real life.

It was so much fun for me to play Sophia while Sophia played mommy.

Birds

Sophia is addicted to birds right now. She's not only interested in the real ones, but also everything that looks like a bird. She loves how birds sing, she sometimes pretends to be a bird and sing chirp, chirp, too.
I never paid attention to birds until she fell in love. Now I can't make anything without thinking about spring birds.
This is the second painting I finished, of course with lots of birds.

Vintage Button Swap

This is my first swap experience, very exited. Here is a peek of what I sent to my swap partner.
Update: still patiently waiting, lots of people have received their button packages.

TMS

= Tickle Me Sophia

I haven't written about Sophia's new stories for a while, because there are too many to write. Really, she has changed very much.

She is such a sweet girl. She asked me to tickle her last night. Her weakest point is the neck. She laughed so much, and still kept asking "more tickle". If you have seen TMX Elmo, you know what I'm talking about, she was just like that Elmo, keeps asking more and more tickling because she just wants to laugh. She could laugh for anything, even just a little bump on the road.

Sophia loves reading books. Her current favorite books are "It's potty time" and "Green eggs and ham". Even though she's still not ready for underwear, she enjoys reading potty book and keeps bringing her baby doll to potty. We bought the "Green eggs and ham" book last weekend. It's a long book, I read about 4 or 5 times total. She answered with "yes" and "no" to all questions in the book while I was reading. Amazingly, I found her read that book herself yesterday. And she can even recite lots of things by looking at the pictures. By the way, I bought almost all books by Dr. Seuss. We'll have a great time reading them for sure.

She starts to sing maybe one or two months ago. At the beginning her singing was just "lalala". Now I can tell which song she's singing, not the complete one, just one sentence. She likes to sing "ABC" song and "Twinkle, Twinkle little star" song. She did her solo the other night with a sing along book, she held the little microphone and sang the whole night "lalala".

I enjoy watching Sophia pretend play very much, because she is very sweet and funny. Yesterday morning she lined up all of her weebles dolls, while holding a little plastic box. She used her hand as a spoon, pretended to feed all dolls, and asking "more? Ok, more." After feeding all of her dolls, she went over again and again, and asking "who's the next?". I know she learned that from her teachers. She plays with her cry and drink baby a lot, too. I know she learned this part from me. She pretends to put her baby doll to bed, she asks her to be quiet, she puts on a blanket on her, she kisses her good night. She doesn't let me hold her baby doll for her and told me it's her baby. She carries her diaper bag and pushes her around the house. It's just so sweet.

Tonight I felt proud of Sophia for the first time.
We decided to go out for dinner and told her we were going out. Sophia was sure happy and said bye to all of her dolls, to her shoes, her clothes, her toys, almost all her stuff which were not going with her. Since she didn't eat much at lunch, she was very nice at the restaurant, she ate almost all by herself without making any mess. I saw a little girl sitting at a table pretty close to us, the girl is about the same age as Sophia, but was held by the mother all the time. While the father walking by our table he said some good words of Sophia's nice behavior, and asked the mother to straighten their girl. I felt proud at that moment.

Just finished...

another black canvas tote bag, it's a bird bag. Loving it now.

A corner of our home (10)

This is the little world.

Happy easter!

Made a little something for easter today. I used some scraps, made a liner for an old basket, what a face lift!
Also did alter a canvas, "Miffy at the gallery".