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Wednesday, December 23

Happy Holidays from My Dear Darling

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I've decided to take the rest of the year off from blog updates since Husband gets it off too. :) Wishing you a warm holiday season and a happy new year!

Tuesday, December 22

101 Things To Do In 1001 Days

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After reading this month's Real Simple magazine (thank you, B), I decided to try the 101 in 1001 project with Brandon. :D So here's our list starting today!




FAMILY
1. Make an addition to our familyAccomplished 09.30.2010
2. Make Brandon 3 handmade notesAccomplished 09.26.2011
3. Have date night every Friday for a month.
4. Have a game night every week for a month.
5. Finish decorating the office.
6. Finish decorating the bedroom.
7. Make Katsu's scrapbook.
8. Make our family album.
9. Train Katsu to be friendly toward other dogs.
10. Move into a house.

TRAVEL
11. Visit a state we've never been to.
12. Visit a country we've never been to.
13. Go on a weekend getaway with the girls. (Akiyo)
14. Go on a trip with the guys. (Brandon)
15. Visit Disneyland.
16. Go on a road trip.
17. Go on another cruise.
18. Visit Yosemite.
19. Visit Akiyo's relatives in Japan.
20. Go to a tropical island.

ACTIVITIES
21. Take a dance class.
22. Go to a planetarium.
23. Go to a museumAccomplished 10.16.2011
24. Watch a show in Vegas.
25. Build a snowmanAccomplished 11.20.2011
26. Go on a picnicAccomplished 04.23.2010
27. Go kayaking.
28. Go hiking.
29. Go biking.
30. Take a helicopter ride.

SEWING PROJECTS
31. Make a dog bed for KatsuAccomplished 01.21.2011
32. Make a heart pillow for Aunt CAccomplished 01.30.2011
33. Put buttons on Brandon's shortsAccomplished 07.31.2010
34. Sew Brandon's torn shirtAccomplished 01.14.2011
35. Sew Brandon's torn umbrella caseAccomplished 01.14.2011
36. Make a couple pillowcases out of leftover duvet fabric.
37. Make pillows for outdoor furniture.
38. Make a decorative pillowcase for our bed.
39. Make a cover for the printer.
40. Make a cover for the ice chest.

OTHER PROJECTS
41. Hang wedding/anniversary giftAccomplished 07.17.2010
42. Create a small photo gallery in living/dining spaceAccomplished 01.22.2011
43. Organize old photos into one photo box.
44. Paint a paintingAccomplished 11.25.2011
45. Make a sculpture.
46. Make our wedding album.
47. Draw a portrait of each other.
48. Make a film together.
49. Make a handmade gift for a friendAccomplished 08.06.2010
50. Learn a new craft and make something with it.

BABY BRUCE
51. Make room for Bruce's items in the closetAccomplished 09.18.2010
52. Buy wooden letters and hangAccomplished 12.18.2010
53. Make a first years book.
54. Hang frames on Bruce's wallAccomplished 09.18.2010
55. Make a crib skirt.
56. Put the crib and bedding togetherAccomplished 07.20.2010
57. Write Bruce's birth story.
58. Print photos and fill out belly book.
59. Start filling out Bruce's baby bookAccomplished 09.01.2011
60. Hire a photographer to take family photosAccomplished 05.07.2011

SOCIAL
61. Help a stranger with somethingAccomplished 03.26.2010
62. Send an email to 5 people we've lost touch with in the past few yearsAccomplished 01.28.2011
63. Send out 5 birthday cards to friends on timeAccomplished 11.27.2010
64. Throw a dinner party.
65. Make a new friendAccomplished 03.26.2010
66. Attend 3 social eventsAccomplished 08.20.2011
67. Visit a distant friend.
68. Donate to charityAccomplished 01.26.2010
69. Participate in a charitable cause.
70. Host a BBQAccomplished 05.29.2010

COOKING
71. Make lunch for Brandon 25 workdays in a row.
72. Bake cupcakes once a week for a monthAccomplished 04.30.2010
73. Learn 5 new recipes. Accomplished 01.15.2010
74. Learn how to make pho.
75. Put favorite recipes into cookbook.
76. Bring a dish to a potluckAccomplished 08.20.2011
77. Bake cookies and gift it to someoneAccomplished 01.23.2011
78. Bake Bryce my famous muffin topsAccomplished 05.13.2010
79. Bake a pieAccomplished 04.04.2010
80. Learn a good soup recipe or twoAccomplished 01.25.2010

OTHERS (edited 01.11.2011)
81. Learn different settings on the Nikon.
82. Make custom designs on the embroidery machine.
83. Place photos in all picture frames.
84. Organize media display cabinetAccomplished 01.14.2011
85. Make a memory quilt for Bruce.
86. Handmade gift for CourtneyAccomplished 06.05.2011
87. Handmade gift for VearaAccomplished 06.23.2011
88. Handmade gift for SarahAccomplished 07.11.2011
89. Handmade gift for YoungAccomplished 07.25.2011
90. Handmade gift for SandraAccomplished 08.08.2011

MY DEAR DARLING
91. Vend at 5 craft shows.
92. Finish the shop website.
93. Make 5 new products.
94. Make a new booth display.
95. Organize images and files.
96. Organize computer work area.
97. Organize craft/packing area.
98. Place products in 2 store fronts.
99. Host 4 fan competitions.
100. Create an activity to interact with more fans.

LASTLY
101. Try something we both don't want to do.

Darling Moments: Pink & Blue Polka Dot Mugs

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During Thanksgiving weekend, we stopped by a shop in Japan Town and my dad bought Brandon and me these matching mugs. :) He also got a green one for himself, a yellow one for my sister and another green one for my other sister. A family of matching polka dot mugs!

Monday, December 21

WHAT News: Birthday Sale

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In celebration of my birthday, I thought to offer a sale in my Etsy shop. :) So today only, all plushies are 20% OFF and all stationery is buy one get one free. Enjoy!

(I'm feeling a bit under the weather unfortunately, so I'll be posting a couple photos of what I bought from the craft show later this week.)

Thursday, December 17

Shout Out - Martin Hsu

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Earlier this week, I promised I'd Shout Out to an awesome artist I met at Bazaar Bizarre. While my husband and I were going through our second round to make purchases, we realized we completely missed Martin's booth! "How'd we miss this?!" We were drawn in by his illustration style. And since Brandon was excited about the dragon boy illustration, I bought him the t-shirt. :) From what I got out of small talk, he seemed like such a chill, happy and humble person. (There was another vendor there that seemed too into proud of his work and that was such a turn off in a buyer kind of way.) In any case, his work at the craft show made me want to see what else he'd worked on so I went to his website and was blown away by all his illustrations, paintings, etc. He's the creator behind Ruby Gloom and currently, a character designer for the Nickalodeon show, Ni Hao, Kai-lan!



Check out his website to see other works or stop by his shop here! :) Which was your fave?

Wednesday, December 16

My Dear Darling Workspace Update

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Today, I present you Lori, my new iMac! :D Isn't she gorgeous and big?! I think I'll be making a cover for her this weekend so she won't get too linty and dusty from all the sewing. It's one of the biggest birthday/Christmas gift I've received. Haha, one of the best combo deals for sure (since my birthday is a few days before Christmas).

What's on your wish list this holiday?

Tuesday, December 15

Fan Moments: Elf Penguin Tree Topper

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Yesterday, I received this awesome photo from D, who bought the Elf Penguin to use him as a tree topper! How cute is that? I love how his stance is like a star and the way his hat is pointed. :) Thank you D for sending this in!!

Monday, December 14

WHAT News

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Good morning on a lovely, sunny Monday. We haven't seen sun in a while and it looks beautiful outdoors. And indoors, it's just as beautiful! Because... Brandon surprised me with a brand spankin' new 27" iMac for my birthday! (It's a week early but it's okay!) I've only been using it for a few hours here and there since we've been busy this weekend but I am so in love with it. The screen is so big and beautiful, the wireless mouse and keyboard is flawless. *sigh* I'm just in love with her. I named her Lori. Don't ask, the name just came up when I looked at her. :P I'll post photos of my *updated* workspace sometime this week. :) I seriously can't stop smiling everytime I walk into this room.

Okay, now on to the real news. The My Dear Darling: He Said She Said podcast has ended it's first season. I wanted to do another episode before we took a break, but Brandon's already in the holiday mode. We'll be back next year with a new season of He Said She Said so we'll keep you posted on that. Thank you to everyone who listened in on our conversations and all our special guests!

As I mentioned last week, I went to Bazaar Bizarre yesterday and saw some awesome works from various artists. I was able to buy a few Christmas presents but one stood out the most. I'll be giving a Shout Out to this artist on Thursday so stay tuned!

Have a great Monday! :D

Friday, December 11

WHAT News: Waiting List

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Happy Friday!

I wanted to announce that if you're looking to buy a personalized plush next year, I do have a wait list going. I'm booked until February, as of now, so if you'd like to be on the list, please email me at info at mydeardarling dot com. Thank you for your patience and I'm looking forward to working on everyone's special creations!

Also, this weekend, the husband and I will be checking out Bazaar Bizarre in San Francisco. I'm hoping to do all my holiday shopping there and seeing more lovely shops. :P

What are you up to this weekend? Have you finished your holiday shopping?

Thursday, December 10

Mill Valley Holiday Craft Fair Photos

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I finally posted my craft fair photos on my flickr page. :) Here's a few of them:

View more photos here.


I also showcased a video of some personalized penguins. Special thanks to my husband and his dear friend, V, for making the animated penguin! :D I LOVED it! We got so many compliments on it so thank you, both!


Tuesday, December 8

Fan Moments: Fotobie & Lemony in Thailand Part II

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Hello to a new week. I hope it's starting out well for you. :) As promised, here are the rest of the photos of Fotobie & Lemony in Thailand. Courtesy of H and her husband.

Lemony & Fotobie taking a stroll in the garden


Fotobie taking photos of a beautiful lotus.

Fotobie & Lemony in the outdoor bath tub

Lemony trying to open the door of the villa

Lemony sitting beside the pool trying to put her feet into the water but couldn't because she was afraid of getting wet and her legs aren't long enough.




Aren't they adorable? :D

{ Part I of Fotobie & Lemony in Thailand }

Monday, December 7

Episode 12.1: My First Craft Fair

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Show Notes:
  • Have everything ready and packed the night before.
  • Get there on time so you don't rush set up.
  • Practice greetings and be social.
  • Make sure you figure out the credit card handling before the show.
  • Products under $20 sold the most.
  • Next time, bring food & water! :)
Would you like to be featured on our podcast or share your thoughts with us? Please comment below or email us at HeSaidSheSaid@MyDearDarling.com! :)

Friday, December 4

WHAT News: Mill Valley Holiday Craft Fair

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Happy Friday! :)

I can't say I'm not nervous about tomorrow's craft fair, but I'm definitely excited. Hopefully, I'll meet a lot of great people. There will be a raffle during the fair in which I'll be giving away a Mini Penguin so I hope to see some of you there. ;) Have a lovely weekend!

Thursday, December 3

WHAT News: My Dear Darling eNews

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Starting January 1st 2010, I'll be sending out My Dear Darling newsletters via email! :D So sign up on the right, with your name and email address to receive the quarterly issue of My Dear Darling eNews.

Thank you! ;)

Shout Out - An Awesome Book!

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I came across An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton via poppytalk's post here and was immediately drawn. I loved the concept of reminding children, even adults, to dream big.


Awesome Book Tour from Dallas Clayton on Vimeo.


After stopping by Clayton's website, I found that you could read the book online here. I read through and at the end, had tears in my eyes. (Okay, I may be a little more emotional than the average person, but it was THAT good!) It was awesome! ;) So I bought two copies, one for myself and another for our friends' kids, the perfect Christmas gift. I recommend this book to anyone, really... at least read it online and be touched. "For every book we sell, we give one away." Now, that's an awesome project!

Photos: Mini reading An Awesome Book!

Tuesday, December 1

Fan Moments: Fotobie & Lemony in Thailand Part I

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Hello to my favorite month of the year, December! :) I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving for those of you who celebrated it and for those who didn't, I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We had a successful one full of fun and definitely overstuffed ourselves with delicious meals and lots of sweets. :P

Today, I'm excited to share another special Fan Moment post from H and her husband. They celebrated their one year wedding anniversary in Phuket, Thailand and took Fotobie, Lemony and a couple other plush friends along. Here are the adorable shots:

Fotobie & Lemony




Fotobie and friends lying on massage beds

one of the buddy giving massage to Lemony (so nice of her)



Happy anniversary to the lovely couple! :D Stay tuned next week for Part II.

{ past photos of Fotobie & Lemony }