Craft: Ribbon & Pearls Necklace

Finally my HOW-TO..

So Ann Taylor is selling this necklace for $85 and I figured we could do something that had the same feeling for cheaper

I used pearls from two old bracelets I never wear, the thread and needle I had in my sewing box (you could use a strand or two of embroidery floss as well) and so the only part I bought for this project was the ribbon at $1.47.

Loop some thread in you needle and make a knot, you will just be using a running stitch like in the picture.

When you bring the thread through string a bead on the thread and pull your needle through.

Then insert your needle again giving the bead space on the ribbon and doing another running stitch with the thread on the ribbon on the other side of your bead. You are going to repeat steps 2 and 3 to make the necklace. After a couple beads are strung It should look like this:

After every couple beads make sure to pull your thread to create the loops in the ribbon- it's harder to do it all at the end.

When I was done stringing all my beads I just knotted the string at the end , stitching it to the ribbon so it stayed, and tied the ends of the ribbon into a bow.

You could make this with other types of beads or different colors ribbons and maybe add some flower clips all to make a great gift!

Hello Reading Day

Did I study, study, study today for finals??? NOPE!

Today I finished scarf and sent it, along with two other packages, to it's new owner (s). Spent about $25 bucks in shipping at the post office (OUCH!) because I'm lame and wait until AFTER things are supposed to be at their new home to ship em...

cleaned, picked up supplies for my homemade holidays.

Yes you heard me right I'm going to try and make all of my presents this year. I'll let you all know how it goes (either everyone will get something made with love and care or gift cards with a bow depending on how everything looks)

Finally got around to making this beauty today... I got all supplies at the dollar store for $6!

Now to crochet some more (scarf for brother?? Merry Christmas?!?!) and watch the last episode of GLEE for the year!

How was your Wednesday?

Imagine

"Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today"

On last week's episode of Glee they did a cover or Imagine and it got me remembering to when I sang that song for the first time.

I went to a camp that promoted social justice, tolerance, and diversity called Anytown when I was 15. That week up in Prescott changed me. I met amazing new people with completely different stories to tell, I laughed, I cried, I cried. I cried. We got to the heart of the feelings felt by completely different people that had experiences.

At the beginning of my stay there I was shy and out of my element and not really knowing what I was supposed to be learning or going through. I wasn't sure what I should be feeling until one amazing man got up and told his story to everyone. He told us how hard it was for him to come out to his family and tell them he was gay. He told us how it was devastating when he found out about a plot his brother was involved in to have him killed for being gay. Right then, seeing the pain such a good friend of mine was going through, such a kind and amazing person, I got it, what anytown was about, and I pretty much just broke down. It killed me that people could do this to one another. That we would go around hurting each other because "it's not right". From then on I really try to be a warrior in the war for social justice- and yes that means gay rights.

I know many of my friends and perhaps readers have political ideologies that lean to the right but this is something that was just on my mind...I hope I don't offend anyone, but...

I dream for the day when people can marry each other no matter their race, religion, or sex and the only thing people will care about is the love that that couple share. Where "good parents" aren't defined by the presence of a mommy and a daddy but any couple who will love their children unconditionally.

I dream about a world where men and women are really equal and a glass ceiling is term to describe the CEO office of MS. Jones- which just happens to have wall to wall windows, where domestic abuse is an unheard of thing from the past and where rape is nonexistent.

I dream about a world where skin color is observed in ways to see how many beautiful hues of people are in this world and not to discriminate and hate people who are a different color.

"You may say that I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will be as one"

what are you dreaming for?

ps. I'm also dream of a world where sweet, loving, amazing people get what what they dream for in their lives. Please go over to sweet Summer's blog and send your love.

SHE'S ALIVE!!!

Yeah so I had a self-imposed hiatus from blogging these past like two weeks. I've missed you all and sadly didn't even really have to time to comment on all the lovely blogs I read but look out- I'M BACK!! My three major essays for school are done and hell week is over. I now just have 3 finals but I don't have to worry about those until Friday at around 7:20 am.

Here is what has happened the past two weeks.

My AMAZING pumpkin cheesecake along with a full turkey dinner for Thanksgiving. Did I make everything from scratch? yes. Did I spend all night and day on two turkeys, six sides, four pies, and fresh dinner rolls? yes. Did I let the stress of cooking and kids get to me and yell my older brother (who deserved some of it)? sadly yes. Thanksgiving was a drama filled delicious day, but as my dad put it we at least it provided the entertainment for the evening.

My sister Brenda, SIL Ana, and mi Madre!

I also participated in a gift exchange with the lovely Mitzi (she has the cutest little baby boy!!)

This little package came in the mail and the sweetest ornament was under all those packing peanuts

I decided to name him Fitzwilliam (yes my copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was on the table- so what?!?)

Here's Fitz living in his knew home! I love him so much =)

Thank you Mitzi, this is my favorite ornament ever.

And just because I spent 83763796914 hours trying to fix my blog layout and find a decent background...

While me week is pretty much over now...I definitely had a case of the mondays. I'm off now to try and be productive but instead end up reading City of Ashes or one the other 10 books waiting for me.

Come to mama!

Anyone else with a case of the Mondays?

Red and Green

I got tagged in Red and Green by Caitlin over at Candyfloss & Persie

What you do is you pick 7 thing in your house that are red or green.

I went in search of green things and this is what I found!

1. 12th Night by Shakespeare

2. a storage box I have for crafts

3. brand new peacoat from Old Navy

4. Harry Potter Slytherin scarf

5. fabric for future christmas quilt

6. my mom's flower garden

7. Virgin Mary (yes my family is that Catholic and that Mexican!)

I'm tagging

Rasha at and this is what she said

Brittany at xoxo Brittany

Laura at Lets Go Away For Awhile

San Francisco Fudge

I remember making this recipe when I was about 12 for Thanksgiving. it was probably the first recipe I had made on my own and probably the first time we had fudge too. So here is round two if simple delicious recipes with

San Francisco Fudge

2 1/4 cups chocolate chips (semi sweet)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

dash of salt

Microwave chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, marshmallows for 4 minutes, remove and stir till creamy. Add vanilla, nuts and salt. Stir till all mixed. Have 9 x 13 or dinner plate ready and buttered. Poor out onto plate or pan and refrigerate until hard. Store at room temperature.

On another note my birthday is in about 3 weeks and seeing that it is so close to Christmas I've come to the realization that it's a pain to really do anything so I've decided to cancel it this year.

Instead of any festivities I will be getting myself a birthday tattoo! I've been thinking this past week of what I would want (I have an ongoing list of what I'll one done get day) and finally though of this:

It would just be the world part (not the stand to look like a globe but more like a sketch drawing of the earth) done in black outline with perhaps a line from a certain Muse song wrapping around my arm just above my elbow.

I'm still not sure on anything except the part where I will for sure be getting something done for my birthday. I think this might be the idea I pick but what do you think??

I do always have my back-up plan of just getting some brass knuckles and "thug life" on my shoulder...but that seems so overdone ; )

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Chocolate Cake

I love to bake. Like sometimes it become a massive problem because all I want to do is bake and then we end up with four different kinds of cookies and my parents mad at me for giving them heart disease or something like that . One week when I was on vacation I'm pretty sure between the toffee cheesecake, apple pie, chocolate flan and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies everyone gained at least 5 pounds.

I just really like to bake.

Since I love to bake so much I LOVE the holidays because its the one time a year I can bake all I want and no one can yell at me as long as I through in some santa cookies. What makes it even more special for me is that this will be the first year I get to be 100% in charge of Thanksgiving dinner!! My mom has to work and since I've helped her with it from about the age of 8 or 9 she felt she could trust me (that is until she comes home to 2 turkeys, 10 side dishes, and like 14 desserts).

In the spirit of mass cooking, baking, and eating that is gonna be happening this week I though I would share with you all some of my easiest yet most delicious recipes that I always seen to fall back on.

Today will be my highly requested chocolate cake! With only 7 ingredients it's one of my simplest recipes yet for every birthday party and family get together I get at least three request for it.

Chocolate Cake

1 Box Devils Food cake

1 Package Chocolate Pudding Mix

1 cup sour cream

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup warm water

1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 and mix all ingredients except chocolate chips with a hand held mixer for abut 4 minutes or until everything is well mixed. fold in chocolate chips and pour into desired baking pan (that is either sprayed with Pam or buttered and floured or has some crisco spread around) Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick come outs clean (the chocolate chips will be melted so watch for those)

Watch out this one is rich and delicious... has magical powers too... kept my ex-boyfriend very happy during our relationship (before I kicked his sorry cheating butt to the curb) has got me like two marriage proposals (from married men?? hahha) and the title of chocolate cake queen in our household!