32 things to do in my 32nd year - Results

My birthday is tomorrow, so I thought I should update on last year's goals. Things change a lot over a year and a some of them didn't get done, but I may bring them over to this year's list or add some totally new ones.

1. Go to Paris - I have the trip all booked and ready. I leave on August 25th!

2. Put on my own craft show

After months and months of hard work and collaboration with my Handmade Miami girls, we had our indie craft show, The Craft Carnival, right here in Miami. It was a great experience!

3. Get myself a Mac--this was my bday gift to myself! 
This was last year's birthday gift to myself a new iMac. My Mac rocks and I'm so happy to have her!

4. Update my ipod to sync with my MacBook
I finally synced my music in January. I know it took me long enough.

5. Make myself 6 items of clothing to wear
This is one that will definitely make it onto next year's list. I want to start making myself more clothes, I just have to set my mind to it and get it done. I ended up making:

my Halloween costume (a skirt and cape... which is technically 2 pieces, LOL)

and this cute dress

6. Get a man mannequin
I'm not really concentrating on shows right now, so this is something that can wait. I might be changing my store's direction too, which might make this obsolete. But you never know, so we'll see how it goes.


7. Have nice pics taken of me for the website/business stuff

In February, I went to a pinup pictures event that was held in Ft. Lauderdale and had some pics taken.

8. Learn to make my own patterns from grandma
I have to get on this one soon. I want to be able to see something and whip up a pattern. I don't want to have to wait for a pattern sale at JoAnn's

9. Incorporate one of my businesses (probably Handmade Miami)
Right now, this isn't the right time for us to do this.

10. Learn to give myself a decent mani on my left and right hands
I can at least paint on a decent light color on without it looking like a disaster. But I recently found a new nail salon in the area, and I'm loving that they get the color perfect for me. (I am adding some topcoat every few days to make the mani last!).

11. Blog more regularly (about once or twice a week)
I try to at least post twice weekly on here if not more. I have lots of ideas that you'll be seeing on the blog soon too. I'm really loving writing on here. I'm not sure how many people actually read, but I love having somewhere to share my stuff.

12. Get a massage
I always take full advantage of the free massages at work. ;) I'm hoping to schedule a full massage soon, probably in July after the craziness from work and life in June is over.

13. Learn some French
Bonjour madmoiselle... Je voudrais... Un fourchette en plastique...
I'm not where I'd like to be before the trip yet, but I'll be practicing.


14. Get a new tattoo

I finally got the new tattoo I'd been wanting in April. I got the word dream on my left wrist. I love how it came out.

15. Learn to take better pics
This is in process. With the combination of getting pics for the blog, getting Instagram and borrowing Mom's DSLR for a few weeks, I think my pictures are steadily improving. I hope to get better and better.

16. Karaoke
No yet... But I'm hoping to find a place to go soon.

17. Go to a museum (thanks for this one Kerry)
Another not yet :( But I know once I get to Paris, I'll be museum hopping.

18. Get a pair of awesome beautiful shoes that go with everything
I'm currently on the hunt for an awesome pair of super comfy flats. The hunt continues.

19. Get back into being green like I was before (no more plastic bags!!)

I'm doing my best to take my bags with me. I take them to do groceries on the weekends. I made this bag, that I can tuck into my purse, and it's helping me be green more of the time too.

20. Get my toes in the Atlantic & the Gulf this year

This one is only half done. I got my toes in the Atlantic this year.

21. Throw a big, pretty, themed party (something is already in the plans… ;) )

I threw Mom an awesome Beatles inspired 60th birthday party. I had a great time putting it together and more importantly Mom loved it.

22. Send out my designed by Diana newsletter monthly
This didn't happen. I'm a slacker and also I have no idea what to write in the newsletter. Any ideas would be appreciated.


23. Create something totally new for the shop

I made headbands for the designed by Diana store that debuted at Odd Duck in April.

24. Finish reading the Harry Potter books (I’m on #4)
I'm still on Harry Potter #4. But I did get hooked on the Hunger Games and read all 3 of those.

25. Go country line dancing again (I haven't since college)
This hasn't happened yet.

26. Go to the keys
I will make it down there one of these days.

27. Make new curtains for my sewing room

I actually have something bigger than just curtains in store for my craft room. I think a full makeover may be coming.

28. Go to a concert 

 While I was in Vegas in April, we went to see Elton John. Man can he put on a great show.

29. Go to EPCOT

I did go to EPCOT with Meli in December. It was a blast, though it got cold the day we went to the park!

30. Make pie crust from scratch.

I didn't make pie crust from scratch. but this year I did learn to make cake frosting from scratch.

31. Vote in all of the elections for my district (not just the big ones)
Since I'm an absentee voter, I voted in the primaries earlier this year. I have no party affiliation, so that meant, I voted for the other measures, not the primary.

32. Try macaroons
Another thing that I'm sure I'll be doing in Paris.

So I completed 17 of them and partially completed 2 of them. Not too shabby I think. Let's see what I can dream up for this year.

WIP Wednesday

Most of my work in progress this week is laundry and my half packed suitcase. But I did finish up my last week's WIP.

Here's my dress! I didn't have time to make my own pattern with grandma (she had a lot of work come in), so I scoured my pattern boxes to find a pattern that would work. I used New Look 6557. I had this pattern forever and it wasn't even cut out. It had the same straps as the Sundress of My Life, and after really looking at the fabric, I thought the buttons would be overkill. So I went with View E and made the skirt way shorter.

Grandma did help me with a few alterations the dress needed. She helped me put in some bust darts, cause the top was just too gaping without them. She also helped me adjust the "talle" in the back (I have no idea what this is called in English, but it's the length of the back). After those few adjustments, it fit like a glove.

The dress was pretty easy to make, and I'm probably gonna make one of the other views too. It really does have a vintage vibe with the fabric and the silhouette. I can't wait to wear it and show it off.

Mom's 60th Birthday Beatles Party

So it's finally done! I've been super busy the last few weeks with work and secretly planning my Mom's 60th Birthday Party! Mom loves the Beatles (and so do I) so a 60s Beatles themed party was perfect!

Last minute it got a little hectic, since Mom stopped by my house while we went to pick up the cake and saw some of the food. But luckily, we got it under control and she was still surprised when she got there.

But let's start at the beginning. First was the invitation. I took the album cover (yes album, not CD!) of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and altered it. I covered all of the faces with my Mom's pics. The Beatles in the front are Pop (as John), Angel (as Ringo), Mom (as Paul) and Richard (as George). Now I couldn't let my brothers have all the fun, so I put Grandma and myself in there too. I also added Grandpa, Angelito (my Mom's brother) and Mama and Papa in the background.

The invite wording had to be Beatles-y too, so I incorporated 7 song titles (and some lyrics at the bottom) to let everyone know about the party. Even the people that weren't able to come were totally psyched about the invite.

I themed out the food to all have Beatles song names as well. This got kinda hard when it came to the croquetas, but I figured it out. We had: Let It Brie, Chips & Glass Onion Dip, Octopus's Garden Potato Salad, Wild Quiche-y Pie, Cheese Please Me Taquitos, And Your Bird Can Wing, Piggies, Because the World Needs Croquetas, Something Bocaditos, and Happiness is a Warm Meatball.

The decor was pretty easy, just making sure my colors (teal, red, orange and yellow) were out there. I floated some balloons in the pool (which all got caught in the tubing for the vacuum), and with $2 worth of tissue paper, I made tissue paper tissue paper pom poms. You can see a couple under the slide.

 

I also placed a few pom poms underneath the tables on either end of the pool area. These tables got yellow tablecloths, which was a bit of a mission, since I had to cut them to get around the unbrella poles.

I pulled out the pop-up tent (to protect us in case of rain) and put the food under there. I had initially planned another table for the desserts, but the threat of rain all day on the news had me scared, so I kept it to one table. I did use the lanterns I bought for the cousins party on the tent again. I also put up some streamers behind the food table, but the humidity made them droopy.

The favors were fun but simple, love beads and buttons. I had buttons for each Beatle and ones that said Rosie's 60th too. Having a button maker does have its advantages. And everyone got into it and put on their buttons and chose which beatle they wanted to represent.

Of course it wouldn't be a Beatles party without the music, so I had all of my Beatles music on repeat throughout the party. Everyone loved hearing their favorite hits. And I had my Mom's (and some of my brother's) original Beatles records out on display.

I asked my guests to come in Beatles chic/retro 60s attire, and they didn't disappoint. I had some hippies, greasers, preppies and awesome mod girls. I went for the girls waiting for Beatlemania look. I even brought over some clothes for Mom, so she could change and be in fashion for the 60s!

One of the highlights of the night was the photobooth. I found this great free software on Curbly.com that made the photobooth super easy. Even my great aunts and uncles had a great time in the booth. The pics are so awesome. The software is for Macs, but all you need is a printer and a computer and you're good to go.

After we had all the photobooth fun, it was cake time! I had some desserts in addition to the cake: Apple Records, Strawberry Fields Forever, Marmalade Skies Cookies and Marshmallow Pies.

The Birthday cake was so fun. I had it made at Publix and it came out so cute. I wanted something more than just the regular cake we usually get to make it special.

 

After the cake we watched a video I made of Mom's pictures, from when she was a baby until now. Everyone loved seeing the pics. Then, like they did in New York back in the day, Mom opened all of her presents.

It was a great party. Mom loved it, she told me she just wished she could have helped with the planning. I'm so glad she had a good time and everyone else did too. 

I gotta thank everyone that helped me: my assistant photographer and sneak Mom around guy, Pop.

My beer and ice procurer, as well as sneak around the house and get stuff before Mom notices partner, Angel and my sneaky partner-in-crime, Abuela.

Happy Birthday MOM!! Here's to many many more!

New music, at last

So the awesome cold weather we had in Miami this week apparently decided to bring a massive cold with it too.

It was lovely (please note the sarcasm). I stayed home from work for a day, but felt so bad I didn't even get any sewing done. Before the illness took over my body, I was working on a really awesome new bag for myself. I'm hoping to get it done this week, now that I feel human again.

Today, since I finally am able to breathe freely through both nostrils again, I was able to get some stuff done. I took down the Christmas decorations and cleaned up the craft room a bit. But best of all,  I finally got the music synced on my Mac to my iPod! I'm so psyched to have the new music to listen to in the car now.

I downloaded the new Lady Antebellum "We Own the Night" forever ago, but haven't listened to anything but the first song. I can't wait to jam to some new Lady A. I know everyone knows about Lady Antebellum after their song "Need You Now" became a huge crossover hit. I really love this group. Their first album is just amazing. I know a lot of people, especially here in Miami, say that they don't like country. But just listen to it. It's a great album, regardless of genre. And don't think of it as country, think of it as great music with awesome harmonies that uses slightly different instruments (an occasional fiddle or steel guitar won't kill anyone, I promise!).

I'm so happy that the iPod is ready to work with the Mac now, so I need new music suggestions. So shoot over anything you just can't get enough of right now, I'm in the mood for some new tunes.

Epcot time

Earlier this week, my friend Melissa and I took a little mini-vacation up to Disney World. I love going to Disney World! That was usually our family vacation when I was younger, and I just never get sick of that place.

We stayed on property at the All Star Movies Resort. We were in the Love Bug building.

in the winner's circle outside our hotel building

When we got there on Tuesday, we went to Downtown Disney to shop a bit and then went over to the Boardwalk for dinner. The Boardwalk is another resort on the Disney property and it was so cute. I had only ever been there years ago when I was in college to go to a swing dance at the dance hall there (it was the time that swingers came out). The restaurants were so cute and the atmosphere was great. It was so nice out there.

on the Boardwalk

The next day we want to Epcot (or Epcot Center, as old school me likes to call it). I'm geeky, so I love the sciencey-ness of Epcot. And we saw it all. All the future world attractions and then we hit the world showcase. We traveled around the world in an afternoon. And even though it was raining, we enjoyed some pastries and wine and saw all of the countries. We got to all of the attractions, well almost all, since theMalestrom was broken when we got there.

Epcot at Christmastime

talking on the phone in the "UK"

on the streets of "France"

having some sparkling rose wine

at the Fez House in "Morocco"

more hats in "China"

on the streets of "Germany"

meeting Jasmine & Aladdin

It was freezing when we left on Thursday morning (freezing for this Miami-an is 40!). So we bundled up, had some breakfast and got on the road back to Miami. I had such a great time, it was so much fun. I wish we could have stayed longer.

p.s. This one gets marked off my "32 things to do in my 32nd year" list!