Comment and Membership Instructions

Ok, so there has been some confusion about how to post comments directly on the blog and how to become a member of “Life’s Little Clevers…and unexpected endeavors.”

Here’s how ya do it:

Comments:

1.       Click on the blog post title (it will turn a different color when you scroll over it and your cursor will change to a pointing hand).

2.       Scroll to the bottom of the post and click in the big white box that says, “Post a comment” above it.

3.       Type your comment and then click on the little arrow to the right of the box that says, “Select Profile.”  A menu will appear, at the bottom of the menu you can choose either Name/URL and type your name (if you do not know what URL is, then leave it blank…you don’t have one, I assure you ;0)…heehee) or you can choose anonymous.

4.       Lastly, click the button that says, “Post Comment” and you are all set!

Becoming a Member:

1.       On the left-hand side of the blog there is a bright blue button that says “Join this site”, click on that.

2.       A box will open that has logos for you to click on (Google, Twitter, Yahoo, etc). Click on whichever icon you have an account with (if you have an email account with Gmail click on Google).

3.       This will take you to a page that looks the same as when you log into your email or twitter or chat account. Sign in like you normal would.

4.       You will see your name appear and you have the option of adding a picture of yourself if you would like that to appear on the blog.

5.       Add your pictures, if you so choose, and then click the box that says “Follow this blog.”

6.       You are done! You should receive updates when a new blog post as has been posted.

Hope that is helpful! I have to admit I was new to all of this not that long ago and had to figure it out so hopefully the directions are clear and concise. Thanks again for checking out the blog!

A Hint

Good Saturday afternoon!

I have received some wonderful guesses on the project pieces from yesterday’s challenge, through Facebook and email but no one has guessed it yet! Here’s a little clue for today and watch for a post later this afternoon on how to leave a comment on the blog and how to become a member for those of you who are new to blogs! ;0)

Hint: A removable piece of this item has a waterproof side.

A Guessing Game

Hello!

So, I decided to take a momentary pause from my diligent work on the fall line and finish up this little project before heading home on vacation next week. I'm about a third of the way done but everything still looks a bit chaotic. The first person who can guess specifically what this will be when it is done will have a little surprise coming their way! =0)

The project should be complete in the next few days, so do not wait to get your guesses in!

Metamorphosis

Today I would like to share with you a glimpse into the design process that each bag endures. When I decided to start working on a website I realized that I needed some new bag patterns and so I set to work sketching out ideas. Some of them ended up not resembling the original in the slightest and others were an identical replication. Here are the two most drastic designs on each end of that spectrum and the metamorphosis that happened between the initial idea to the finished product on the first example and the mirror image on the second one! These are two more peeks at the fabric options that will available this fall!

A Few of My Favorite Things...

Espresso:

Anyone who knows me knows that coffee is my one addiction! I love the smell, looks, taste, feel, and sound of coffee…even the mere word elates me. (Shoot… now this is giving me a craving!) However it should be noted that I detest drip coffee, it’s all about espresso for me. There is nothing better than a strong cup of espresso with nonfat milk and a good book. My wonderful husband bought me this Nespresso espresso machine for Christmas last year with help of my parents and I love it! It is the gift I use the most in life. Now I can feed my addiction EVERY DAY!

Outdoors:

I am an outdoor kind of girl! I love summer and being able to get out and live life outside. That is one thing I have found difficult about moving to New York where the summers are hot and humid and you have to pay to get to the beaches...sigh. On a brighter note, being just a short flight from Puerto Rico sort of makes up for that. The Caribbean is the essence of paradise to me: warm, clear-blue water, and sandy beaches. It just does not get better than that!

Repurposing:

I love thrift, bargains, and budgeting; I also love repurposing an old thing to become a new, unique piece with character, history, and charm. I think these two things are a match made in heaven. My husband and I have spent the last two years creating our small condo into a display of memories and monuments to the things most important to us… all on a conservative budget. Our dining room light fixture is an ivory, linen drum shade (purchased from a local home décor store), with a brown, twig drum in the center (made from two placemats given to us at our wedding wrapped around  an embroidery hoop). My husband wired a bulb and cord, changed out our switch to a dimmer and voila, we have mood-lighting and décor. The candle holder hanging on the wall is one of my favorite pieces. It is a part from an old plow used on my husband’s grandfather’s farm. We found it in an old barn during a work day at the farm and I’ll never forget the chuckle he gave me when I dug it out of the garbage pile asked if I could take it home. As for the glass candle holders, we bought them from an online discount store; the rope, string, chain, and ribbons are all left over pieces from our wedding and other projects we have tackled. It feels great to have a piece of our family history as such a unique sculpture on our wall. Oh, and don’t think that it stops there… I didn’t even mention the day bed made from an old red front door, the old farmhouse window hung on our guest room wall, or the giant outdoor pot reinvented as a side table. We love these unique pieces.

Family:

In my life, family is the most important thing to me and now I am blessed to have two wonderful families! I have married into a truly incredible clan. All together I now have two daddies, two mamas, three brothers, four sisters, and four nephews. Growing up very close to my small family consisting of my dad, mom, and brother, it has been so much fun to marry into a big, tight-knit family full of siblings and commotion.

Medicine:

No doubt about it, the human body is the most intriguing element to study. Even after thousands of years of investigation there are still mysteries no one can fathom! I would have loved to go into obstetrics; however I am happy I ended my education as a pediatric nurse where I have been able to couple compassion with knowledge and love every moment of my work with tiny little humans. My nursing career will also allow me to, in the future, be a full-time mother while still satisfying my professional and intellectual appetite at the hospital. Gotta have the best of both worlds. And who knows maybe someday I will go back to school!

Razmataz:

Yes, I am a cat person. Although I love dogs as well, they are not conducive to New York condo living. This is Razmataz. (I take no responsibility for his name as he was named by my husband when he was in 8th grade.) Raz is more of a dog in personality and loves to play tag and wrestle with his daddy. He's 14-years-old now and has become a total love, picking me as his favorite cuddle buddy!

Travel:

I am fascinated by different cultures, languages, foods, smells and terrain. I have traveled all over the world and hope to never stop experiencing new places. In nursing school I had the opportunity to study in India for a month and on a venture to the north part of the country we stopped to try on some native, Nepalese attire! I have to say we do look pretty cool! ;0).  I would love to see the seven natural wonders of the world before I die as well as the man-made ones if I have time.

Health and Fitness:

I love all things active and have recently fallen in love with Pilates. I like a challenge that is between my mind and body and enjoy pushing myself to do things I could not a few months ago. I have also always enjoyed cooking, and lately have been converting my recipes to healthier options without sacrificing flavor. It has become a fun game to me and I love a good challenge! Less oil, low fat substitutes, brown rice in place of white, and healthier portion choices like vegetables have become a regular part of my cooking.  (P.S. – in case you didn’t guess, this picture is more healthy cooking than fitness)