Ornamental Mandala

I feel totally lost with this addition, remodeling, renovation...or whatever it is that's happening to my house! What was supposed to be a 3 weeks job has already turned into 3 months... and I can see spending Christmas in this mess, no one deserves this!

It has drained me of all the energy and enthusiasm for all my projects have had to be put on hold, and haven't progressed much since all of this, even blogging hasn't been possible....I can't think or feel inspired with all this dust and mess around!

Also this probably will be the saddest Christmas ever...and so I love this season, for what it represents to the Christian world and for the traditions and memories of family gatherings. It is a very sad thing when there is a riff in a family, even more so when that it happens in the bosom of your own family and that's what has just happened for us! A much loved son who has just gotten married, and who after such an event decided that his own family is not good enough and decides to cut himself off it...his family now is his new wife and all else that came before is non-existent. Needless to say that I am broken heart... a son who was always loved and cherished and for whom many sacrifices were made and many dreams put aside!
So what is left for me to do is to hope and pray that maybe, just maybe, he will come around... the feeling I am left with is of a great loss similar to that of mourning someone's death!
So indeed it will be a very sad Christmas.

But on lighter note, for I refuse to well in self pity and sorrow, I have taken up crocheting quite a lot, since it is something I can just sit and do...regardless of the mess around!

Besides the fact that crochet items are high in fashion now, and it lends itself to so many projects and ideas, it doesn't require any special tools or space to be worked plus it requires little investment...
And what a surprise, it has been great therapy, it soothes me and takes my mind of this ugly mess, and I find myself enjoying it quite a lot (haven't done much with it in years)... need to take some pictures to post my projects, but in the meantime I found this tutorial on a pattern I have been seeing a lot lately and it is just beautiful...it has great effect with the changes in color.... so here is a link for the tutorial...

I think that those of you who like this craft will... Enjoy it!

“Ornamental” Pot Holders! | Crochet with Raymond

Ruffled� | Casual City Hall Handmade Pastel Oregon Fall Wedding

Ruffled� | Casual City Hall Handmade Pastel Oregon Fall Wedding

Ruffled� | A wedding blog for vintage, indie and DIY brides

With wedding plans in order,  my future daughter shared this link... what a blessing to be a part of the planning and to have the visual of life in motion...

This blog has lots and lots ideas for a country, outside, nature lovers wedding planning....so many it actually gets to be a tough one...to decide on one things, to narrow down possibilities, and yet how great it is to be able to choose and decide!

Go in for a visit and enjoy!

PS... still slow as a snail in my building renovation...gosh!!! hate to think that I will be in this mess for Christmas!  can't do a thing...it is dirty and dusty ....


Ruffled� | A wedding blog for vintage, indie and DIY brides

cute little gifts

This is a place for cute inexpensive ideas for Christmas gits made by you...

flowers

DIY Bodega Flowers with Blossom & Branch � 100 Layer Cake

DIY Bodega Flowers with Blossom & Branch � 100 Layer Cake

a nice tuto on flower arrangement!

DIY Bodega Flowers with Blossom & Branch � 100 Layer Cake

Tis the Season to Be Jolly

So we are in December again, wow!! Where did time went to!?  Here we are at another season to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, for those of us who are Christians.
This has always been my favorite time of the year!... decorating and preparing for the times we spend in family, when most make an effort to be together!

Family is what comes to my mind, memories of special times spent together! of loving fun and activity, of comings and goings, each involved in being family. Taking care of one another, of supporting one another!
Some get lost along the way though, family becomes a burden or something not to bother with! Well such is with lots of families...it really saddens me, people suffer and yet do not give in or give out!!
The message is clear, we are to love one another, for better and for worse, we are to be there for each other!

After so many years Christmas always renews in me the desire to be better than I was last year! To work on being an updated person, more loving, forgiving, humble, accepting!

As we prepare for the grand opportunity let's rejoice in Him !

On another note my remodeling is going really slow....it was supposed to be done by now... it's frustrating my plans for Christmas and a bazaar I was planing on!  My house is a MESS, can't keep it clean with the men working here everyday, and now to complicate things worse, it's rainy reason...oh well...!!have to live with live with it!!
I haven't had time to blog much either, and so many of you doing so many beautiful things!

But helping with my future daughter in law wedding plans is fun...we are talking of dresses and things and I found a beautiful blog on planning for a wedding,,, Jane Austen like..beautiful I love the fashion of those days, and the flowing of soft fabrics and ribbons and little details!...so is your planning on something like that this is a place to be inspired by and for many great ideas!

http://www.100layercake.com/blog/archives/4857

their recent post is making a flower bouquet or arrangement... good for a wedding of for any festivity... Christmas for example !

Tis a Time to Be Thankful

It isn't a thing to celebrate Thanksgiving in Brazil, although we do have the day in the calendar!  But after living in the States for a long time, this is a holiday I've learned to appreciate.  Especially because there isn't the pressure of gifts or shopping around.  It is almost more Christmasy then Christmas itself.  It is a time for family and gathering, for being thankful for all that we have been blessed with!  And we all have something to be thankful for!...
I'm thankful for family and friends, the atonement of Jesus Christ, for freedom and the liberty we can enjoy in this part of the world, for the abundance of sun and rain, for the abundance of resources we all blessed with, for the beauty of nature I can enjoy around me... all the lush vegetation and beautiful flowers in the midst of which I can feel closer to heaven and feel the loving hand of God!

I don't know how many of you celebrate Thanksgiving, and certainly many are not  even Christians... but I am also thankful for diversity and wish you a good thanksgiving as well... to whatever you might be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

and work is still going on

Doing things, innovating and creating are all things I love doing, but sometimes I wish I could have the strength of men on order to be able to do it all myself... but I think this is a universal thing... construction workers are all in a class of itself; they work whatever way they want... and we depend on them.  Something that was supposed to last 3 weeks is going on 3 almost months now!  My house is a mess, Christmas is around the corner, and we are not finished!  Hopefully it will be finished by the end of the month!

Having a bigger kitchen and living area altogether in one environment is worth it though!

Soon after it's finished comes the painting and cleaning up ... then we can think of Christmas...

I will take some more pictures today, after the men leave... windows are being put...and the roof has been all aligned...we should be covered tomorrow... with raining season arriving this is a must #1 priority!

as life goes!

This last month has been stressful, this year has been very stressful, so much has happened and there has been a lot of pain and disappointment!  Bur I am trying to develop the resilience quality of not letting these challenges to overcome and take over my strength and mark me for life...it will take awhile to be over it all, but with faith and hope I keep treading on and it will bring experience!

Therefore, many things didn't go as well as I had anticipated, but as the new year approaches I am planing to be more organized and not let myself be so affected by such things again!  Blogging world is wonderful and it has helped me in putting things into perspective.  It hasn't been but nearly 6 months and I have been everywhere and visited so many of you being truly enchanted with the wealth of creativity and beauty all around, people, places and things.

As Thanksgiving approaches I am reminded of the many things I am obliged to be thankful for!  I stand amazed for all the blessings poured down from heaven, for the comfort and love bestowed from up above.  Everyone  I have encountered along the way, even those who caused some grievances have contributed to my growth as I've pondered and prayed about these challenges.

As we prepare for celebrating my favorite season of the year, Christmas, It is my wish that we may all find the peace and happiness that we can enjoy in the service of our fellowmen, thus rendering reverence and adoring Our Master and Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's celebrate life, families, friends, opportunities to learn and grow, serve and help one another!

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas to all!

leisure arts

A wealth of information an resources in all crafts!! I love it

25 de março Bon Marche

 

We have here in São Paulo city the best shopping experience in this one street called 

 25 de março-- March 25th--- 

it was the downtown business area established in the turn of the century in the 1900 by immigrants who took up the trading business after they arrived in Brazil-- Lebanese, Turcs, Jews, Syrians.... 

all very good in the textile, notions, and the likes!

 The business is now well established, and it is the stage of daily journeys for people from all over Brazil.  Everybody buys there and take the products to be sold in their local businesses.    Well... I am not immune to it at all... I go bonkers when I am there, I want to buy everything !!!!!

Last week I was there and here are some of the things I acquired for preparing for the coming holidays!

I am sorry I forgot to take my camera; it is such a peculiar, active and vibrant place with lots of people in the streets... you can barely walk in the streets, the stores are always full; and if you want to have an enjoyable shopping experience it is necessary to arrive very early before the crowds fall in! And let me tell you in the summer it is an excruciating  experience... the stores get very hot... no cooling system is enough in full crowded stores.... You can find anything you want!!

house remodeling

As life changes we need to change and adapt with it, and so had to adapt the cottage... my little house to fit the changes.  Kitchen is being expanded and veranda is being closed up; it will look like a winter veranda... As money was and is short, we decided for using all demolishing material. The only thing we couldn't find were the shingles, so had to buy them new

the roof is being layed out a bit higher than the veranda's

 old windows and doors found to fit just right were we needed them--still need some prepping!

 doors frames to be used as window frames and railway ties as colunms

an old iron window will fit perfectly in the little halfbath

 I found these glass blocks that weren't even used up...will make a perfect light wall in the kitchen

 old windows that will be used in the kitchen as well

 the kitchen will have a bay window to make better use of day light as well

 closing up the veranda with a sliding door and glass in the top part, also to have better lighting

I m really hoping this will be done and finished in 2 weeks... we need to be finished and be ready for Christmas!

A Portuguese in England

This is a beautiful site and a beautiful blogger... very creative and charming...I truly enjoy her blog...pay her a visit!