2009 Homage
January 6, 2009
Posted by raya 8:14 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Labels: Family Life
2009 :: Goals
January 2, 2009
We don't call them resolutions around here, but goals are always good to have. Looking back on my 2008 goals I am only 1 for 3.
1. Grow my business by 50%. This might seem like a lot, but it's a really small business and this should be totally doable. DONE & then some!!!!
2. Open an Etsy shop. I want to keep it pretty focused - selling my paper on canvas collages and paper products printed with my Gocco. So many people do it and...I wanna play too!
3. Start a compost pile. Just because every time I cook and throw away scraps of vegetables I feel horribly guilty. We could reduce our waste by so much if we composted and maybe this would finally get me to learn something about gardening and stop my plant killing spree.
I thought setting only 3 was being nice to myself, but I underestimated what this first year of having a baby would be like. Oh well, the Etsy shop may never happen & the compost pile? I could have done that at the last minute I guess, but I feel like it would have been cheating. Good thing my goals have roll-over capability.
I am so amazed & blessed by what has happened with my work & it feels great that the year my life got turned upside down was also the best year for business. Pretty cool. I have set a few more this year. For some reason I have a lot of hope for 2009 & I feel that with my friends as well. Here's my list of hope-to-dos:
1. Find balance between work & home (ie. hire some help) I thought I could just be a mom, work from home and do it all at the same time, but news flash to me: I can't! Time to bite the bullet & find a nice girl to watch B a few days a week so I can keep my business running & stay sane.
2. Make a new friend (or two) in Ventura. Sounds funny, but most of my friends live outside the city limits & are at least a 30-minute drive away. Not so conducive to day-to-day park dates & walks. I have been feeling a longing for that girlfriend you can just call up & have over all day without having to actually be doing anything. I really, really miss that part of my Santa Cruz life.
3. Re-design my photography website. I had my logo & branding re-designed already by the talented guys at The Decoder Ring Design Concern so this one is already in the works. I can't wait to launch my new look!
4. Landscape our home. Have you been here? It's been three years, we need to do this.
5. And, start a compost pile!!! I mean it this time.
2009 feels good already. We enjoyed a slow life between Christmas & New Years, cleaned the house & are feeling ready for this new year. Thanks to all of you who visit my blog - I really feel like I have a wonderful community of friends in this online world. I just wish y'all lived closer.
xo,
Raya
Posted by raya 1:10 PM 5 comments Links to this post
Labels: Family Life, Nice to Meet You
Christmas Wrap Up
December 29, 2008
B's first Christmas was wonderful, but we don't have one photo on our camera to show for it! They are all on my mom's camera so I will have to grab some from her. He cared more about the boxes of course & didn't really get unwrapping, but it was still fun. He is a very blessed kid to have so many generous grandparents, aunties & uncles.
I'll be continuing my blogging break until the New Year. I have been feeling really overwhelmed & chaotic lately, so for a few more days I'm going to regroup & refresh my spirit. Get it all ready for 2009.
Hope your New Year's Eve is fun-filled & bubbly. Here we are in 2006, when B was just a twinkle in our eyes:
This year may be a little different, but at least the bubbly part will be there, I know that : ) And maybe the fun hats.
Posted by raya 10:36 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Family Life
Frivolous Wants 2.0
December 24, 2008
It's a little late in the season, but Just For Fun here's my Christmas wish list this year:
Posted by raya 2:37 PM 2 comments Links to this post
Labels: Link Love
Home for the Holidays
December 22, 2008
A few weeks ago I had to go home for a few days & it just happened to coincide with a home tour in Los Gatos, CA called "Home for the Holidays". Two wonderful designers that I know each did a room & I was able to photograph their work for them. The rooms are very different, but equally lovely.
The tour was a lot of fun & so many designers participated. The whole thing benefits PACE - Pacific Autism Center for Education & it looks like about $125,000 was raised during this event. Awesome!Posted by raya 11:00 AM 3 comments Links to this post
Labels: Link Love, rayaphotography
DIY: No-Sew Tree Skirt
December 17, 2008
I fully intended to post this last year & I almost let it slip this year too! I was determined to get this on here though & maybe there's one or two of you who don't have a tree skirt yet. Or, you can always file it away as an off-season project & come Christmas '09 you'll have a skirt all ready for your tree.
After looking at tree skirts last year in the range of $50 - $70 from Target & other retailers, I resolved to make my own & do it without a sewing machine (because I was about a week away from getting mine). I was inspired by the felt poodle skirts my mom used to make me as a kid (big circle + little circle in the middle for the waist=hours of dress up fun). Here's a little dress up fun for your tree:
**This is my first tutorial of any kind so hopefully I did not just sabotage my good intentions. I hope this is easy to understand & helpful. Have fun!
Supplies Needed:
1 3/4 Yards felt in color of your choice (72” wide)
1 3/4 Yards contrasting color felt for embellishment (if desired)
Fabric scissors
Chalk or fabric marking pen
String
Circle template for scallops if desired (approx diameter 2”. A spool of thread works well)
Ribbon for ties
Individual hole punch
Yardstick or measuring tape
1. Measure out a piece of string equal to the length you want your tree skirt. The length would be how far you want the circle to spread out around your tree all around. I decided on 30".
2. Tie a piece of chalk to one end of the string. You'll use this to draw your circle.
3. Fold your felt in half so that it is still 72" wide & measure from the fold 2" longer than you measured for the string. Cut your felt along this line, then fold again so that you have a square (like folding a piece of paper in quarters).
4. Now you'll draw a line from which to cut a circle from this square. You'll need to borrow a friend, spouse, little sister, etc..to help you with this part.
Find the corner that is on the fold (no cut edges) & line up the string along one edge. One person holds the end of the string on the corner while the other uses the chalk end to draw a quarter circle. See images below:
Make sure you keep the string pulled taut to draw a perfect line.
5. At this point you can cut along this line, or you can embellish the edge like I've done. I wanted a scallop border so I used a spool of thread & drew half circles all along this line.
If you would rather not do the decorative edge DON'T OPEN UP YOUR CIRCLE YET. YOU STILL NEED TO CUT THE INNER CIRCLE TO FIT AROUND THE TREE TRUNK.
I didn't measure very precisely for this - just did it as quickly & carefully as I could. It helps if you end up with a half circle at the end so the two will match up, but not really necessary. It's going to be at the back of the tree & who really looks there anyway?
Remember: DON'T OPEN UP YOUR CIRCLE YET. Continue to step 6.
6. Now measure for the inner circle the same way you did the larger one. I measured 5", but this gave me a 10" diameter hole & something smaller would have probably been better. This just needs to be slightly larger than the base of your tree.
Trace a line using the same method from step 4 (you can probably do this one all by yourself using two hands) & cut out the corner.
7. Now unfold your piece of felt once so that you have a big half-circle. You'll need to cut up one end to make an opening so you can get it around the tree.
**At this point you'll have a very basic tree skirt & you can skip to step 9 if you don't want to make the overlay. I wanted to give mine a little extra something special so I did a 2nd layer of contrasting felt to go over the top.
8. To make the 2nd layer measure out your felt just like you did for the first layer in step 3. A quick & easy way to get recreate the outer edge is just to lay your 1st layer over & trace with chalk.
Decide how wide you want your 2nd layer to be & use the chalk-string method to draw the inner line. If you did the scalloped edge you'll have to use your template to draw scallops along this line. Cut along the lines you've drawn.
9. To secure the ends around the tree use a household hole punch & punch three holes on each side of the open end, making sure the holes match up across from each other.
If you made the 2nd layer you'll want to line it up before you punch the holes. You might not be able to punch through both layers, but you can at least make sure you punch in the same place.
10. Now to the tree! Drape the skirt around the base of the tree & secure at the back by threading ribbon through the holes & tying in bows. Spread out the skirt so it is nice & even, cover with presents & you're done!
Posted by raya 6:00 AM 13 comments Links to this post
Labels: Do-it-yourself, My Home, She's Crafty
Christmas Flickr Faves
December 13, 2008
Due to my travel schedule this month our house did not get much holiday decor love. I'm pretty sad about it, but that's just how some years are. To get my fix I spent a few hours on flickr & wanted to share some of my favorites. Be merry, be inspired! Next year I'm starting my decorating the day after Thanksgiving : )
Posted by raya 10:58 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Family Life, Link Love
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