A 50th Birthday Celebration for our Dear Auntie!

Back in 2003, my sisters and I started a party business in Oxnard. 
We named our business "A Glance of Elegance" LOL!! 
At that time, with no social media and minimal marketing, we were hired to decorate two major events, for which we charged $2,000 each. It was a lot of work... but for three young girls with no real income at the time, it was nice to put cash in our wallets and most importantly, to see our clients appreciate our work. One of those events was a Cinderella-themed Quinceañera and we LITERALLY built a Pumpkin carriage with our dad's help!!!


Anyway, this party business was very short-lived because I was on my way to my first out-of-state job as news reporter and my sisters had to finish high school and would eventually move to San Francisco. Needless to say, we still love party planning & event styling!
We've had so much fun putting together such events as 

Benjamin's Baptism
Frances' Pin-Up Themed Bridal Shower
Irene's Chanel Themed Bridal Shower
Dad's World-themed 60th Birthday Party 

and this past weekend, we styled & decorated my dear aunt Ofelia's 50th birthday.

Cakes were from the Bread Basket in Camarillo

We also included desserts from Porto's Bakery and caramel apples as party favors.

We placed a Eucalyptus branch on each place setting to add a touch of greenery to the gold, silver and white.

My aunt has a gorgeous Tuscan style home with an equally beautiful backyard. So we wanted to create something that matched her home decor. We went with berry and mauve colors. We used a lot of eucalyptus and amaranths for the cake table and decided to stick with formal place settings for dinner.

Our flowers of choice were pink Peonies and wine colored Ranunculus

I made her "fifty" cake topper and glitter words by using a pretty font, gold paper and some tiny scissors!It was all too fun. 

Funny thing is, we're once again thinking of getting back into the event planning business with a strict focus on birthday parties. 
Life's too short to have a boring party, don't cha think?

Happy 50th Birthday to this lovely lady, Ofelia Godinez. The youngest of eight siblings and a wonderful person with a heart of gold and a deep faith in God!

Thanks for reading!

Cuteness & Cultura -- Baby Gifts That Embrace Latino Culture

I didn't have a baby shower for Toby.
Early in my pregnancy, I told my mom and sisters that I didn't think one would be necessary because I kept all of my first son Benny's baby clothes, accessories and nursery furniture.
Imagine this: I had two baby showers for Benny,  I received tons of gifts and even then, I still splurged on baby stuff for him. There are outfits, shoes and toys that Benny outgrew before getting the chance to use them! Having a baby shower for my second boy would've been excessive.

Nevertheless, I did want Toby to have a few items intended just for him, so I focused on purchasing gifts that highlight our Mexican Culture. With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, I thought it  made sense to bring them out and share. 

Here's my little Toby boy sleeping comfortably... sigh. i love my chiquito.

There are A LOT cute items out there and I'm sure there are plenty of vendors whose culturally-influenced baby products I haven't had the chance to explore but here are eight of my favorite things for bebé. These things are cute, affordable and have cultura written all over them:

1. Lil' Libros
This awesome collection of children's books is designed to make your baby familiar with popular Mexican themes  and characters, like Frida Kahlo, Emiliano Zapata and Virgen de Guadalupe, among others. The text is simple enough to engage younger audiences and the illustrations are so dynamic they give parents the opportunity to offer visual explanations for the older kids. Best of all, they were created by two LA-based mommies who are currently working on adding to the collection with upcoming titles, including "Cuahtemoc" and "Un Elefante"... I can't wait!

2. Guayababy 
I saw this Guayabera onesie and my heart skipped a beat! How charming is this clothing item for wee little cuties? It's available on Mexico-Collective.com, with various colors available in sizes 6 - 24 months. And in case you want one for your chiquito too, you'll be glad to know certain colors are on sale!
The Guayababy is just one of many unique products sold online by the creative husband and wife duo that is Robby and Samantha Vient. Their company bio says their "curiosidades y chingaderas range from humorous veladoras...to an array of irreverent Taco-Tee's..." So have your credit card handy cause you'll wanna buy everything!

3. "Fuchi Face" Onesie
Now here's something that cleverly highlights that line your mother repeated whenever you gave her a look of disapproval. "No hagas cara de fuchi," is what my mom would tell me when I didn't want to eat her Lima bean soup (sopa de habas).  This "Fuchi Face" onesie sold by Ellie Elote was way too reminiscent of my childhood to pass up. Now I'll just wait for Toby to get a little older and have my phone nearby to snap the perfect fuchi face photo in his perfect Fuchi Face onesie...yay! 

4. "Dreaming of Tacos" beanie
How can I explain the coolness of having a tiny taco beanie on my baby's head!? He doesn't eat solids yet but I can arrange to eat tacos on his behalf when he wears it. Seriously though, I found this beanie on Etsy. It accurately describes what my son will probably be dreaming about in three years or so... TACOS! The design is a creation of LeftRight, which has a variety of other styles designed for babies who want to make a statement. This one makes Toby's little head a few notches cuter, doesn't it? And it makes mommy's belly a few notches hungrier and ready to ask the taco man: "Deme tres de al pastor!" 

5. Sarape Bib

There is nothing more colorfully reminiscent of Mexico than a bright & loud Zarape. So when I saw it as a bib, I made the executive decision that it was exactly what we needed for Baby Toby before he gets his first taste of Fideo while I play 'El Son de la Negra' to my baby boy.... (If you don't know it, Google search the song and you'll get me). This bib was also an Etsy find. The shop that sells it, Finney, also has teethers, blankets and an array of cute things for babies, but nothing quite as colorful as this bib! 

6. Uncle Goose's Spanish Wooden Blocks
Here's a great take on the classic children's toy-- a classic children's toy en español. These neat wooden blocks made in the US from fast-growing sustainable basswood are also printed with child safe non-toxic ink. What's more is that they weren't kidding about getting the Spanish alphabet right-- I was ecstatic when I found the "Ñ" and all the accent marks in the right places. What a great way to start your kiddos on that bilingual tip at an early age... And they come in an adorable brown box perfect for storing. The blocks are also available in several other languages. 

7. Baby Poncho/Jorongo
What better way to cover up my baby when he's cold!?!
Any time a blanket seems too cumbersome, it's baby Jorongo to the rescue! This is the tiniest little Jorongo that I ever did see (often confused with a poncho, which is similar but a Poncho is traditionally from South America whereas a Jorongo is exclusively from Mexico). This was another Etsy find. It arrived from LoveSofiaShop based in Texas and its cute enough to literally make a mother go gaga over it. The slit is big enough to fit any baby's head. True story: the first time I put it on Toby, my husband Paul got the itch to wear one too. He wanted a picture of father and son twinning...Lol. There are several colors available.... You're welcome ;-)

8. Lucha Libre plush
This may very well become Toby's favorite toy. The little stuffed Mexican wrestler is soft, cute and handmade (a stark contrast to the real luchadores but that's ok). Its button eyes are adorable and the shoes with yarn laces are sooo cute! It's a necessary gift for your baby if you grew up hearing about "El Santo" and "El Demonio Azul" or if you simply love the concept of men in masks kicking each other's butts, inside a ring, in Mexico. The girl who makes these also makes fun greeting cards and sells her stuff on Etsy.
And now to watch the most adorable wrestling match between Toby and his plush! 

Thanks for reading. Hope you consider supporting these cool vendors...AND please, by all means, leave a comment with other suggestions!
Hasta pronto and Happy Cinco de Mayo! 

Note: I did not receive compensation for writing about these items.

Farewell, February 2016!

February came and went in a flash.

I guess that’s how fast time flies.

That’s how fast we see our children grow and start feeling the sneaky little signs of aging (grrr).

For me, February 2016 was all about staying home (and my parents were right here to help in any possible way...they're the best), satisfying cravings, working on small projects and completing the baby’s nursery, even though the baby will probably not sleep in his room until we start sleep training, several months down the line!

Valentine’s Day was fun. I made some Conversation Heart Mini-Cheesecakes and celebrated low-key with my husband, son and parents. 

At this point, I am BEYOND pregnant.

I can’t even walk from the backyard to the kitchen without feeling tired.

I am exhausted and ready to meet Baby Toby.

He’s supposed to arrive one week from tomorrow, God willing.

My last day of work is Friday and then I’ll be off to Mommyland for a few months.

Once I get over the hormone deal and sleepless nights, I will share tidbits of my birth experience and other mommy blogger projects scheduled for the spring!

For now, here are some snapshots of life in February.

Thanks for reading!

My husband has been so helpful during this last month of pregnancy. He has taken care of Benny like no other, cooked for us, made us laugh, cleaned the house and even managed to have an art workshop at home to teach us how to use charcoal for prints!

Paul's mixed media piece titled: "Ashes"

By now, I'm sure you can tell that we went with an animal theme for Toby's nursery.

Food cravings-- On a recent steakhouse outing, I sat down, looked at the menu and couldn't convince myself to eat steak! Even though it was me who had requested steak for dinner, I couldn't have any. Instead, I went for asparagus and a stuffed potato...go figure! Below: February cravings, including: strawberries & cream, delicious homemade lasagna from my mother-in-law, one pound of my favorite Sees Candies chocolate: Apricot Delights, Walnut Squares and Toffee-Ettes. Not shown: Pineapple juice and chips and salsa...LOL

Made some papel picado streamers for a blog post coming up this spring!

En español

¡Hasta pronto, febrero!

Febrero llegó y se fue en un instante.

Supongo que así es como se pasa la vida tan rápido.

Así de rápido vemos a nuestros hijos crecer y comenzamos a sentirse las señales del envejecimiento (que coraje!).

Para mí febrero del 2016 fue de quedarme en casa, satisfacer los antojos, trabajar en proyectos pequeños y completar la recámara del bebé, a pesar de que el bebé probablemente no dormirá en su habitación hasta que empecemos a entrenarlo a dormir solito!

El día del amor y la amistad fue muy sencillo. Hice unos postres con forma de corazón y celebramos en casa con mi marido, mi hijo y mis papás.

En este punto, estoy DEMASIADO embarazada.

Ni siquiera puedo caminar del patio a la cocina sin sentirme cansadísima.

Me la paso súper agotada y ya muy lista para que nazca Toby.

Primeramente Dios, llegará de mañana en ocho días.

Mi último día de trabajo es el viernes y parto para Mamilandia durante varios meses.

Una vez que tenga recupere la estabilización de las hormonas y me acostumbre al nuevo horario de noches sin dormir, les compartiré mi experiencia del parto y otros proyectos que tengo programados para esta primavera con un niño y un recién nacido en casa!

Por ahora, aquí hay algunas fotos de febrero.

¡Gracias por leer!

Six Fun Gift Ideas for Moms-To-Be

Every now and then, I come across a cool, fab and quirky pregnancy-related item, and I decide to treat myself to it.

I thought it would be a good idea to compile a list of maternity items I'm currently crushing on because I know how hard it could be to shop for a loved one who's expecting.

The following products were purchased by me (no compensated promotions here). I love them each and totally recommend them for mommies and mommies-to-be!

  1. Lulu Lemon Perfume by Beehive Cosmetics.

I’m a perfume lover and I collect perfume bottles but there hasn’t been a more appropriate scent during this pregnancy than my Lulu Lemondrop perfume, an exclusive item from popular Manhattan Beach shop, Beehive. It’s a fresh, delicious, honey-vanillaish, citrus scent that seriously cheers me up. Even though I have yet to experience nausea or queazy feelings, this scent just balances everything out for me. I like to spray it in the morning and before bed! It's not too strong and even Benny approves, frequently stating: 'Mama, you smell good". The bottle is $35 and you can purchase it at the Manhattan Beach shop or on the shop’s website.

    2. Gold Fetus Necklace.

As soon as I became pregnant, I wanted to buy a piece of jewelry that represented this stage of my life. I found the most adorable jewelry shop on Etsy and purchased this lovely necklace created by Israeli jewelry designer Meytal Bar-now. Her shop “Jools” is too cute with unique and dainty items like balloon earrings and gold ice cream cone pendants. I wear my necklace frequently and it’s a great conversation starter.

$52   https://www.etsy.com/shop/meytalbarnoy

    3. Book— Oh Baby, the places you’ll Go!

When I was pregnant with Benny, I used to do all kinds of things like play music from all different genres, have my husband talk to his son in the womb and read out loud. During this second pregnancy, the reading out loud part is no longer awkward because I read to Benny regularly.  Still, somewhere along the way, I discovered Oh Baby, the places you’ll Go!, which is a take on the famous book by Dr. Seuss, Oh! The Places You’ll Go. This little book though is meant for expectant moms to read to their unborn child. It’s really fun because you get to tell your unborn baby (in Dr. Seuss style, with sing-songy rhymes and plenty of whimsy) about the many Dr. Seuss characters and funny stories that await. $10 Barnes & Noble.

    4. The BEBAND

After giving birth to Benny, I saved ALL my maternity clothes, put them inside a large box and stored it in the Attic. Well, with our move, it took me forever to retrieve my pregnancy wear because the unmarked maternity clothing box went from an attic in our old house to the garage in our new house along with about 200 other similar boxes! Luckily for me, I was able (and still can) wear my regular pants…but that’s only because I discovered the “Beband” by Ingrid and Isabel at Target during my 1^st trimester. It’s a simple, but genius idea. You put on your pants, which in my case, definitely don't zip up anymore and the Beband goes over your unzipped jeans. Then you wear a regular pregnancy top and nobody can tell your pants are being held together by a comfortable elastic band.  It’s wide enough to cover the entire belly area so you don’t have to worry about people finding out your fly is unzipped!

     5. Knocked Up Nails 

I know many women who continue with their regular mani-pedi appointments at nail salons throughout their pregnancy. Heck, even I did it during my first trimester! But something about the baby being the size of an eggplant with lungs in the middle of development makes me feel like there is no need to continue inhaling chemicals that may not be pleasant for little Tobi. I’m a nail polish lover so fortunately, I discovered “Knocked Up Nails,” a special nail polish intended for pregnant mommies who love their nails “did” but don’t want to visit the nail salon! The polish itself is not cheap (about $10 a bottle) but it leaves nails looking great and it’s made with all natural ingredients. Best of all, the nail polish colors are total mommy material! There’s ‘Preggers in Pink”; “Oh-Blue-GYN” and “Mum in Plum,” among others…Too Cute  http://www.knockedupnails.com/

     6. House of Leyton.

I’m so excited about discovering this online pregnancy dress boutique, based out of Los Angeles (woo-hoo)! When I first saw their gowns, I honestly couldn’t decide which one I wanted first.  They’re all so simple and gorgeous, I went nuts. Now I’m just waiting for a special occasion (maybe Valentine's Day!?) to buy my next dress, which is exciting because I love their formal gown varieties.

$150. House of Leyton. 

There are other pregnancy items I’m currently loving (like my body pillow, maternity teas, stretch mark cream, a stylish top that zips down for breastfeeding, a great book on cesarean birth.) I’ll try to put together a second list of recommendations soon.

 Thanks for reading!

A Wild & Fabulous Zebra-Themed Holiday Season!

I like to give holidays a theme every so often.

I do this to keep my brain thinking of creative ways to come up with crafts and projects. 

Sometimes I do it to stick to a certain look or color palette or concept.

This year I went with zebra theme because 2015 was a wild year (full of blessings, of course) but I thought a zebra would really encompass a little wild flair, a unique feel to something traditional and not to mention, I had quite a bit of zebra paper and other trinkets that would flow with my theme...LOL

So as I did last year, with our "Beary" Merry Christmas theme, here's a rundown of how our wild and fabulous holidays played out.
I will mention, the house is still under construction, we skipped on all big family parties and we didn't even send out Christmas cards this year... but that's what made it fabulous...no pressures, no hurries, just Paul, Benny and I, at home alone, without a worry, extremely grateful and with plenty of zebra decor to go around!
Cheers to a wild and fabulous 2016!

I bought us zebra sweaters to keep warm...LOL!

I made many of our tree ornaments.. 

I added touches of gold and rose gold to give my tree a little bit of glam...The rose gold snowflake looking ornaments were made with small wooden ice cream spoons.

Our gingerbread house had a zebra pattern on the rooftop, of course!

And the Christmas Tree topper was a family adventure. Benny and I made it and Paul was in charge of securing to the top of our tree.

The best we could do to get a family Christmas portrait. Don't you love my antler crown and all the zebras looking down at us!?

I made a zebra pancake breakfast for the boys on Christmas Eve. I used black dye for some of the pancake batter and just drew the zebras freehand, on the griddle with squeeze bottles.

The chimney mantle even had the picture of a pin-up doll in a zebra frame...ha!

En español

De vez en cuando me gusta darle a los días festivos un tema.

Lo hago para mantener la creatividad y darme ideas sobre posibles artesanías y proyectos.

A veces lo hago para seguir un cierto ‘look’ o patrón de colores o un concepto.

Este año fui con el tema de cebra, porque el 2015 fue un año loco (lleno de bendiciones , por supuesto) , pero me pareció que una cebra realmente abarca la idea de algo único dentro de una fecha muy tradicional. Además, me di cuenta que tenía bastante papel impreso de cebra y otras cositas que fluían muy bien con mi tema ...

Así como lo hice el año pasado, con nuestro tema de Un Día de Navidad muy Curiosito, aquí está un resumen de cómo decoré  y lleve a cabo la temática de cebra durante esta navidad del 2015. Voy a mencionar  que la casa aún está bajo construcción, no fuimos a ninguna de las fiestas de la familia y ni siquiera envíe tarjetas de Navidad este año ... pero eso es lo que hizo nuestra Navidad fabulosa ... una experiencia sin presiones, sin prisas , solo Paul, Benny y yo en casa, sin ninguna preocupación y rodeados de cebras (y con un nacimiento claro) y agradecidos con Dios.

Saludos a todos y les deseo un año 2016 loco (en el buen sentido de la palabra) y fabuloso!