WHAT News

How was your weekend? :)

I had a pretty productive weekend in that my husband and I talked through what we needed to do to prepare for baby. Luckily, I'm blessed with so many friends that have been helping me out with information so I'm starting to feel more confident in what's to come.

I also planned the dates for the next My Dear Darling Contest! :) It'll start next Monday and all the details will be shared then. I'm super excited and hope people will participate so I can give away more than one prize!

Alrighty, since I started a bit late today, I'm off to work. ;) Have a lovely rest of the day!

OFF Topic: Will You Be My...

Back in January, I received a lovely package from who other than my BFF. :D I opened the box to find a gift box and opened that to find a cup and saucer candle she had made and a petite card asking, "Will you by my co-Maid of Honor?" Hehe, we realized later that her other best friend would keep the title Maid of Honor and I would be Matron. :) She used the directions that were in Real Simple November or December 09 issue and said it was fairly easy. It smells super good and looks beautiful and they're such great gifts for any occasion. I haven't lit it yet... I'm waiting for a special moment to do so. ;)

I'm so excited about this weekend since I'll be having lunch with my friend Gwen, from Everyday Fairytale, along with a few other friends from back in the day. :) It's so nice to get together with old friends and catch up!

What will you be doing this weekend?

Shout Out - Pipapiep

Yesterday, I came across one of the cutest soft sculpture shops on Etsy: pipapiep! Esty Gerztman creates these colorful stories with her plush needlefelt creatures. I love how each one has different characteristics with cute facial expressions in their own environment.

As if these weren't cute enough, she's got a website with her past works too! :) I'm totally diggin' her wooden sculptures from there.

Photos: Monster Catch, Badger, Picking Oranges

Which is your fave? :)

Darling Moments: Bear Keychain

My sister recently came back from a trip from Taiwan sharing all her exciting experiences. She got to eat tons of yummy food and take lots of pictures, which I'm hoping she'll let me share? :) While she was out shopping, she came across this cute handmade bear (?) keychain/cell accessory and got one for each of us sisters. Hehe, I'm not too sure if it's a bear 'cuz to me, it looks more like a hybrid between a frog and a pig. But she claimed it's a bear, what do you think? ;)

Mini with his new friend

p.s. - Spring Breeze

source: choihokil

Hello Monday! This weekend I had the energy to step out of the house and enjoy a lovely walk with Brandon and Katsu. It was the perfect weather: the warm sunshine and cool breeze. I love how the plants are starting to grow and the greenery is met with a few early blossoming flowers. Just a simple, relaxing weekend. What more could I have asked for? :)

How did you spend your weekend?

101 in 1001: #80 Learn A Good Soup Recipe

Hello Friday! :D I haven't worked on my good 'ol list for some time now and times a ticking. I made this delicious soup before I found out I was pregnant and before I knew I was not allowed to eat Brie cheese. :P Unfortunately, I don't have a link to a recipe since I got it out of a cookbook. Our friend Josh gave us the Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook for Christmas and it has tons of amazing recipes! If you happen to have the book, or maybe stop by Crate & Barrel to jot down the recipe (hehe, sneaky sneaky), it's on page 73!

Creamy Mushroom Soup with Brie Crostini

made on 01.25.2010

Looking at my list now, I think I'd like to start getting other things crossed off this weekend. :P Wishful thinking? What are your plans for the weekend?

OFF Topic: Freshly Baked Bread

I hope you've been having a great week so far. :) If not, just one more day till the weekend! The weather's been beautiful around here: warm and sunny. It makes me want to take a long walk, stop by the park and layout on the grass just to watch the bright blue sky.

On Tuesday, my week really warmed up when I opened a box of freshly baked bread from my sister in Rhode Island! I could smell the yumminess from the box even before opening. How lucky am I to have a sister going to school to become a bakery chef and having her send me left overs from class?? :D I was trying so hard to wait till my husband came home to taste any of them, but I sneaked a bite of the croissant and within seconds I realized I had finished the whole thing! :x Delicious! I can't really say which bread is what so hopefully she'll comment just in case you're curious. We don't have any more croissants left and I'm sure by the weekend, all the loaves will be eaten. :P

What baked goodies are you craving right now?

MDD Personalization: Irish Rugby Penguin

What better way to say Happy Saint Patrick's Day than a penguin in a Irish Rugby uniform with a Guinness beer in hand? :D

Irish Rugby Penguin with Beer and Rugby Ball

from E to his gf on St. Patrick's Day

WHAT News: What's In Store

During my disappearing act, I worked on a few exciting new orders and entered a small logo contest for my SF Etsy Street Team. I found out last week that my design won and will be used as our new team logo & banner! :D I enjoyed creating it and it made me realize that I miss designing graphics. I also became part of their blog team and will be helping out with the redesign of the blog. Very exciting! :D

In February, we participated in the Valentine Craft Fair for New People & Bazaar Bizarre SF. Brandon helped me with everything since I kept having to run to the restroom. :X I wish I was more present. If you haven't checked out New People in Japantown, SF, you should! There's lots of great shops with unique Japanese niknaks.

So what is there to look forward to from My Dear Darling now? There will definitely be a few changes in what we originally had scheduled, due to a number of big events going on this year with our family and friends. I'll be focusing mainly on the online shop since Craft Fairs will be on hold. It takes me a bit longer to work on orders so I want to focus on those before I begin to think about stocking up for fairs or shows. :) Also, we had to take a break from our podcast since Brandon's been quite busy with work. I'm hoping He Said She Said will be back in the next month or two. Other than that, I'm sorry I have yet to release the promised Let's Get Personalized Penguin tshirts as I shared in last month's newsletter! (>_<)" BUT on the upside, Brandon and I decided we'll be holding a contest very very soon and giving away lots of prizes... well, the more folks who enter, the more prizes we'll be giving out, including the not-yet-released tshirts! :D So look out for that coming soon!!!

What've you been up to lately? :D

OFF Topic: Let's Get Personal

It's about time I formally explain my absence from my blogging and other online activities. A couple months back, we were surprised to find out we were expecting! :D We had been trying earlier but stopped after my best friend got engaged since I didn't want to have a belly at her wedding. But of course, they say it happens when you stop trying! The thought didn't even cross my mind until after I missed my very regular period. Sorry, this might be a bit of a girly post, just to warn you. ;)

My BFF sent us these beautiful flower arrangements along with the teddy bear below, the same day I told her the big news. :) I LOVE the bright bold colors! Every time I looked at them, it'd make me smile. (Note: The ribbons on the teddy bear were not pink when she ordered them online. I think they ran out of the unisex color. We still don't know the sex.) It seems most of our family and friends think it's going to be a girl except my best friend and husband. Brandon really wants a girl but thinks it'll end up being a boy. Me? I seriously have no preference and I really just can't tell. :P

As we started sharing the happy news to our closest friends and family, the excitement slowly faded and turned into lots of questions and anxiety. Not because we weren't looking forward to it, but because I started to experience some uncommon symptoms of a healthy pregnancy. Along with every symptom in the book, I was experiencing spotting, mild bleeding (the bright red kind), clots, severe abdominal pain and other red flag signs of a miscarriage. Bedrest was number one top priority. Thankfully, every doctor's visit so far has had a positive outcome with what looks to be a healthy baby growing in my belly. But even then, there's always something unnerving about not knowing what will happen next. My mother went through three pregnancies with no symptoms whatsoever so she can't relate to anything I'm experiencing. At this point, I try to take each day at a time, excited of all the wonderful things that may be and still worried of possible problems. Although I may have unexpected days on bedrest, I hope I can get back to my regular posting schedule and update the shop as much as possible! :D I definitely miss working on orders all day and being a busy bee. Bzzz!

MDD Personalization: Mini Penguin

Mini in Cafe with Red Bow

I usually don't do any personalizations on the Mini Penguins, but this was a special request from K to her bf who had his childhood keepsake penguin destroyed by a dog. I hope this Mini put a smile on his face. :)