半洋番的花生

“妈妈，I accidentally pulled down dad's shirt.  Can you please help me to get them up?"
（嗯，儿子会用"accidentally"这个字，肯定是在学校里经常犯错，道歉时学的）。

最近经常数数。。。
“twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, 妈妈，跟着的是什么？噢，thirty-one, thirty-two ....”

他这么一直数下去，自己也知道规律，知道thrity之后是fourty, fifty, sixty 。。。

然后到one hundred ，他也懂，而且特兴奋，继续数下去，one hundred one, one hundred two ... one hundred eight, one hundred nine, one hundred ten, eleven-ty, eleven-ty one, eleven-ty two, ... eleven-ty ten!

“花生，有eleven-ty 的吗？”
“yeah, one hundred ten 之后就是 eleven-ty!!!”

噢，可爱的花生。这就是童真了，就如Sam Sam说她女儿不懂得钱是什么一样！童真是我们大人想要也得不到的东西。

如果

好久没有到这里留下痕迹了。当时还兴致勃勃地要把北京广州之旅记录下来，谁知道 。。。 唉，很多时候情况都不受我的控制 。。。不是太忙就是太懒！

十二月份是圣诞的发烧期。家里的装饰，购买礼物（其实今年由于SG改革的交换礼物方式，在这方面已有所收敛 ），疯狂拍照，弄我的每日一页的相册，和两个小的去看游行，还有就是小网店的事 。。。忙！从新年到现在，一直忙小网店的事。我弄这小店，本意不是赚钱（夫君看到此肯定说：“那是你的想法！”），的确，这是我的想法，如果要真赚钱的话，花的时间和精力就远远不止如此了，但如今的情形也只允许我“玩玩”的心态。要鼓弄一赚钱的生意，这可是份比全职还要全职的工作 。。。但就只是“玩玩”，也从中学到了不少东西。我很是珍惜这经验，也感激夫君配我一起“玩玩”，当然少不了老爸的支持！

说起爸爸，其中也有一份无奈。就是那种很不想依靠他人，但又不得不依靠他人的那种无奈！两年前的四月份，我是挺着七个月的肚子，一个人忙前忙后的，又是照顾花生，又是照顾家，对于那段日子可以说“不堪回首”。两年后的今天，我又要一个人忙前忙后的了。不过这次为了好事（for the good），爸爸在四月份回中国旅游，什么无锡南京西安的。他本来是有顾虑的，一个负责任的爸爸，但我说你要去就去吧，这里我自己能搞定。我一向是个“船到桥头自然直”的人；夫君就更厉害，他说别人都如此（指的是别的在家呆着的女人都是自己带的孩子，别说两个，三个四个都是自己带），不会有问题！！

如果我只是带两个孩子 。。。

眉豆快20个月了，她的样子好像有点变了。

自从她一月份得过肺炎后，她的胃口好像大了，最近吃的比较好。今天我们出去时，是让她向前坐了（22磅以上的BB才可以向前坐的）。不过她 的说话能力就远远不及BB时的花生了。花生象她那么大时，几乎是什么都会说了。眉豆现在是最近才清晰地叫“爸爸”这两个音，而且是什么都是“爸爸”，连橙子也是“爸爸”。但她绝对知道什么是“街街”和广东话的调皮“yeh yeh”。

最近老想到妈妈，尤其是和爸爸产生不愉快的时候，那时候就总想如果妈妈在就好了。以前晒相片的时候，总喜欢晒两张，所以有很多“多余”的相片，相片中的妈妈身边总是有爸爸

很是羡慕他们的感情 。。。又快到四月份了。。。虽然总是忙，虽然总是往前看，虽然总不想想起那些不堪回首的日子，但。。。

有时真的是很无奈。如果。。。有“如果”就好了。

A Chic Mini with Restoration

With two LOs and a flower mini done, I still have some Restoration paper left (2 each paper from this collection were collected when I decided to try my hands on this line).  Looking at the die-cut paper that has a nice postage border reminded me of a tutorial by Ania (Anne Jo Lexander) on Crate Paper's blog not long after Restoration was released during CHA 2010 Summer.

Ania used patterned paper to create a mini without using any chipboard album. I was impressed by this simple yet chic way to create a mini, and now I wanted to give it a try ~

I followed closely what Ania taught in her tutorial from my memory (yes, I've got really good memory, lol) and also followed her choice of paper.  It's too bad that I didn't bookmark that tutorial.  Otherwise, I'd share the link here.  One and one third paper and some more scraps were used to create this 3.5" x 4.5" mini, a super economic way to create a mini, don't you think?  As long as the measurements are done properly, it's super easy to make one.

I put the album on the floor to take the pictures.  Next time to make better pictures, either I should put the object on the table or I lie down on the floor, too! :)

I especially love the quote on the first page ~ ~

It's from the Life Rub-On Quotes by Kaisercraft, which is NEW in the store.  Hmm, I'm happy with this simple yet chic mini.

Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to check back tomorrow for Kathy's post and peeks of new products arriving at the end of this week.

hugs,
Yolanda

The men behind Tiny Seed

Happy Valentine's Day!  Wish you all a very happy and sweet Valentine's Day!  When I was young (not that I'm old now, lol), in my mind, Valentine's Day was for couples only.  As I learn more, know more and experience more, I think this sweet day is for EVERYONE.  Therefore, today I'd like to spotlight the men behind Tiny Seed whom I appreciate a lot ... and ...

 and ... I'd like to say "I {heart} you all!".

Whenever people say to me "oh, I love your store!" ... "I love your site!", I think of two persons.

Justin, my dear husband, is the tech guy behind the scene.  Keeping the shopping cart software up-to-date, adding new functions to enhance the shopping experience, making sure the site is secure and the payment process via PayPal is smooth ... all these kinds of *technical issues* are handled by him.  I'm truly proud of him and proud of being his wife. :)  XO

This is Michael ... our super-talented friend who is a pro at graphic design, is a dedicated husband and dad, is a good *chef* (his cookies are so so yummy and good-looking) and is a good friend with incredible creativity and a big heart.  Any art work you see at Tiny Seed, from the web page headers to coupons handed out during events, is designed by Michael.  I bet by now you should have found this cross-eyed bumblebee familiar.  It brings you happy news from Tiny Seed!  This cute little bumblebee is my all-time fave.


Oh, by the way, I "stole" this picture of him to show him off here ... shhh, don't tell. :)  I absolutely think he looks super in this picture!


I have two little kids.  How do I find time to do "my" work?

My dad is the hero behind this.  He is the superhero in my heart.  He is the most supportive dad in the world.  And he is the best dad in the world!  Without him, I can't be who I am today.

Last, definitely not least, Charles, my little guy, is the inspiration of everything.

From him, I see life is full of energy, happiness, joy, imagination, and lots of other positive things.  He moved my life forward during difficult times, gave me energy when I was weak and made me laugh when I was sad.

Charles at 19 months old, about 3 years ago.

 "Thank you, my son!"  And thank you all for giving me support and strength!  I {heart} you all!

xoxoxo
Yolanda

PS.  If you haven't tried the Picnik provided by Picasa, you should really try it.  It's amazing ... and absolutely free for most of the functions.

Once Upon A Time ... *Restoration*

As promised last time, I'm here today to share the mini album I just completed over the weekend ... Once Upon A Time ~ ~

I put my heart and soul in making this album as it is a home for something dear to my heart - pictures of my parents taken in early 70's when they just got married.  Most of the pictures were taken during their honeymoon trip in 1973.

I've been "playing" this tiny black and white pictures that my parents have tons of since I don't even remember when.  My dad told me that they were the ORIGINAL size developed from films, and they developed them by themselves!!!  No wonder there are so many of them.

I love old pictures, not only the ones of myself but also the ones of my parents and even grandparents.  I have three pictures of my grandma when she was a little girl!  My mom used to tease me that I was like an old woman who enjoyed living in the memories by holding old pictures all the time.  Although I do enjoy my life now, old pictures give me something that I can't find in my daily life - the love from my mom and my grandparents, my love to my cat ...

Crate Paper's Restoration line is perfect for this project.  I love its colour scheme and the vintage look.  I also used the rub-ons (the black embellies) from DCWV's Street Lace and the ribbons from Graphic 45 Staples.  OK, I shut up now and show you what I've got here ~ ~

  

This "27" chipboard is perfect for this page as my mom was 27 when she married my dad. :)

I'm glad I made this, and I enjoy every minute, no, every second, of making it.  Hope you like what you see.  I did another LO yesterday ... it's the Restoration again.  It seems like I'm addictive to it.  Here is a peek ~ ~

The frame is by Kaisercraft.  By the way, they have more amazing Wood Flourishes released at CHA 2011 Winter, and you'll definitely see them at my little Shoppe soon!

I need to get things ready for tomorrow's BIG news announcement.  For now, you may think it this way - Yolanda took way too much antibiotics last month, and she's gone a bit crazy now. :) :) :)

Talk to you tomorrow then.
hugs,
Yolanda