Eye Picture My Travels

Everything Must GO GO GO!!!

2011-03-07T14:37:00.000-08:00

store-wide sales. everything must go.

enjoy 25% off with coupon code sale25 at http://www.moosaka.etsy.com

enjoy 25% off with coupon code sale25 at http://www.zipidydodah.etsy.com

enjoy 35% off with coupon code sale35 at http://www.4craftsisters.etsy.com

sale wont last long so hurry and get yours. :)

The Independent Traveler Trip Reports: 10 Day Mexican Riviera Sapphire Princess Cruise

2011-02-16T10:47:00.000-08:00

The Independent Traveler Trip Reports: 10 Day Mexican Riviera Sapphire Princess Cruise

Everything is on SALE

2011-02-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

I need to make some room so everything in all 3 of my stores is 10% off!

just enter code "sale10" at check out and enjoy.

http://www.4craftsisters.etsy.com and
http://www.moosaka.etsy.com and
http://www.zipidydodah.etsy.com

hurry because it wont last....

HOLIDAY XMAS SALE

2010-12-24T19:17:00.000-08:00

check out the cool sale at one of my shops: http://www.4craftsisters.etsy.com

purchase anything from the "HOLIDAY" section of the store and receive 20% off when you check out. just enter code XMASSALE in the code section.

sale valid till January 3rd, 2011.

VOTE FOR ME!!!! PLEASE!!!!

2010-12-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

please vote for my photo so I can win a free cruise. you can enter your photo too and I will vote for you! go here and click on the thumbs up:

http://apps.facebook.com/halcontest/contests/64704/voteable_entries/10938378?ogn=facebook

thanks everyone!!!! :)

Alaska and the Butchart Gardens part 4

2010-08-11T00:24:00.000-07:00

I love you, Iris.

I love your blues and turquoise. the speckled white and yellow. the thickness of your petals. I love how you stand up straight and sway side to side. I love the blades of grass around you and how you hold onto droplets of water. I love your curves, your heart shaped petals. I love how you feel around my fingers but most of all I love your sleek demeanor.

Alaska and the Butchart Gardens part 3

2010-08-11T00:16:00.000-07:00

my version of poetry in motion.

the way thin tree branches sway and leaves whisper just as flowers blossom and petals open up and make room for a bee or two to how relaxed and peaceful everything around stands still and life moves on as it should.

Alaska and the Butchart Gardens part 2

2010-08-11T00:03:00.000-07:00

Alaskan weather during our cruise went down in history as the hottest 2 weeks on record! all the hats and boots I brought were rarely worn and best of all while we cruised Hubbard Glacier it got so warm that we wore shorts and were barefoot on our balcony admiring the views.

Before sailing away from Victoria a few seagulls decided to pay us a visit and demand cereal for dinner! it was an incredible show.

an orange poppy and a bleeding heart here. this was towards the end of our gardens journey and I was sad to go :(

the flowers I photographed inspired me to make handmade cards and now I wish I could be a photographer and shoot flowers like this all day for a living!

Alaska and the Butchart Gardens part 1

2010-08-10T23:34:00.001-07:00

Holy Shit I haven't blogged in a long while! to celebrate my bday and my husband's bday as well as our anniversary we decided to cruise Alaska again. there's a saying that if you visit Alaska when you're young you will spend the rest of your life wanting to go back. we certainly did.

our cruise began in Los Angeles aboard the Celebrity Mercury ship on a 13 day Alaskan cruise. our final stop was Vancouver, Canada where we ended up staying another 4 days which was not nearly enough time there.

Alaska was amazing for its nature, people, sights, history and weather. if I could pick a place to live I'd go for Sitka for its little town atmosphere, nature, Russian culture and calm seas.

one of the main ports was Victoria, Canada and we visited the Butchart Gardens. this is the most beautiful and most amazing jaw dropping gorgeous place! I was in awe of all the flowers, the scents that mingled in the air, the beautiful nature, trees, greenery, garden themes and ice cream :)

my camera was as much in love as I was. this was the first cruise where I had a digital camera and not a 35mm camera so I was armed with plenty of SD cards and I wasn't afraid to snap away.

as I cruised the gardens and took everything in from the Japanese gardens to the sunken gardens I met and fell in love with the Iris flower. I've never seen such bright, magical colors that transformed forever how I see the color blue. poppies and calla lilies and green grass, I touched and felt my way around these beauties as my macro filter penetrated each and every little curve.

Alaska is an amazing place to see and feel and just as I keep longing to go back for more, to travel deeper into Alaska's soul I am longing for the Butchart Gardens too. I long for the Irises, the hydrangeas, the sexy little calla lilies and the poppies in blue and orange swaying back and forth as a lullaby.

Domestic Goddess

2010-06-09T00:39:00.000-07:00

CRAZY $5.00 SALE

2010-04-03T01:04:00.000-07:00

in honor of spring fever I am offering over 45 items for $5 bucks each plus shipping. this wont last long so get yours today :)

The Art of Being Nice

2010-03-27T22:33:00.000-07:00

why do some people automatically assume that when they need something it will be done for them and that everybody owes them in their time of need? why is it that those same people are never around when you need them? is the art of being "nice" really such a difficult art to master?

the "one woman revolution" piece I wrote in 2009 cost me a friend, got me some extra confidence and has made things very clear for a few loved ones. I'm not fully there 100% but oh so close.

most people I know have told me that when they met me for the 1st time they thought I was a bitch because I looked like one. what does a bitch look like anyway? then, after they get to know me they tell me I'm the nicest person they know. I guess I have that art mastered pretty well. since I'm jobless I think I will become the teacher of "nice" and I'm accepting application now.

2010 is going to be the year of change. one must re-evaluate life, make their presence known, never be forgotten and just like with everything else the old must go to make room for new. the new will have to better than last year's new and everything must move forward and upwards. nice will equal genuine and not fake. bitch will equal get the fuck away from me!

Yoga Log: Pretzel

2010-03-23T16:55:00.000-07:00

Slowly but surely I am becoming a pretzel. If I'm not trying to maneuver my body and legs into a pretzel shape I definitely want to eat a pretzel from auntie Ann's! I've been at this yoga thing off and on for a while now and I don't feel any limber, haven't lost any weight, my knees hurt yet I feel stronger... or is it just my mind making excuses for myself?

currently I am tempted to try pilates and get that big, giant green plastic ball I simply call, the yoga ball, out of hiding from my dungeon. Last time I tried the yoga ball routine I fell off of it so hard my face smacked onto the floor in no time!

I wonder if perhaps I like the abuse.

Blog or no Blog?

2010-03-12T22:59:00.000-08:00

here's something I found on the LA Writer's page and have copied it here onto my blog. I only copied the parts I thought were important.

lately I've been debating if I should even keep up with my blog. I originally started it to put my photography out there and plug my etsy shops as well as my writing and experiences but when I read other blogs and see lots of responses or some sort of 2 way or 100 way communication I become discouraged when there are no live readers of my own. maybe I have all this all wrong? I view my blog as an online open to the public diary but aside from a giveaway I'm sure I'd have no followers and honestly... as much as I am generous and love giving away stuff for free I don't just want to be another one of "those" blogs.

here's the article

Dear To Blog or Not to Blog:

You shouldn’t blog. You tried it, like you might try sweet and sour soup, or snowboarding, or tinting your eyelashes and you determined that it wasn’t for you. It’s not a crime not to blog. It’s tempting in this rapidly changing world to think you have to cover all the bases: website, blog, facebook, tweet, and god only knows what’s coming down the pike. Some people are not temperamentally cut out for it. I think Robert Lowell would have blogged, not so Elizabeth Bishop. Walt Whitman and Alan Ginsberg would have blogged; Emily Dickinson might have tweeted. Sylvia Plath would have blogged. Anne Sexton would have been all over Facebook.

Look, it’s certainly an advantage if you have a huge presence on the web, especially if you are starting out and want to show a publisher that you have a following, a platform to use their word. Of course it is. But you can’t make yourself someone you’re not. As far as I can tell, Alice Munro, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Lorrie Moore don’t blog.

What do you think out there? How important is it to B-L-O-G?

Yoga Log: Savasana

2010-02-28T22:28:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I last wrote about my Yoga adventures. I think mainly because I feel no one reads this blog and that I'm just crazy for writing something that will be placed in cyberspace and just take up space.

Space. One of my favorite Yoga poses is Savasana because it means you get to relax and also because it's the end of the Yoga routine.

Lately, since school started and since I've kicked my weak week of bronchitis it's been hard getting myself settled into a strict routine. My gnarly coughing episodes have been pretty hard on me when I try to bend and stretch while inhaling my own phlegm!

Laying down, relaxing, breathing, my mind centered onto my body, that feels good. That is the kind of space I like taking up. That has meaning.

Sweeps Winners!

2010-02-14T23:08:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! thank you all for entering this sweeps and for the few recipes I received. I really appreciate the support! :)

my randomly picked winner for the organizer is Alice! Congratulations! please email me your information asap so I can send it out to you right away.

the winner of the special gift surprise for my favorite recipe is Gianna! you had me at marshmallow. the bars are freaking awesome! there goes all that yoga I started doing... please contact me with your information so I can send you your surprise right away. it has nothing to do with marshmallows but it will look pretty on you when you make the bars :) *hint, hint*

I will be posting another giveaway soon so check back... and if you want a few laughs read my yoga logs... more to come... *yay*

how depressing!

2010-02-06T12:17:00.001-08:00

is anyone out there reading this blog? I mean the whole thing not just this little bit. apparently I'm missing something.... *sigh*

Yoga Log: Bruised

2010-02-02T16:50:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure which is more bruised... my ego or my knees!

I am into my 4th consistent week of yoga and still cannot master any of the poses nor their names! I think I will be a beginner forever! I did notice, however, that my knees are bruised and hurt. not sure if it's because it seems like 90% of the poses always end up on your knees or if my yoga mat is not as thick as it should be for my virgin knees.

It might be that time when I tried my first balancing act where you take your right foot and lay it flat on your left thigh as you stand on one foot with your arms extended as high as possible towards the ceiling... I must have been in a yoga daze or perhaps praying to a yogi to let time fly by as I stood there extended, somewhat balanced and definitely not tall enough to touch the cottage cheese that is my ceiling. Well it must have been somewhere between the reach and the balance that my foot slipped and to remain in position (as if!) I started to fall like a timber in slow motion in my forest of yoga equipment when I decided to break my fall by grabbing onto the coffee table since it's the kind that's soft and doubles as a foot rest... well that was mistake #1.

Mistake # 2 came when I smacked my wrist against the tip of the coffee table/foot rest incognito and hit my right knee and leg as I harshly sat myself down on the yoga mat. thank god for the yoga mat! since it's designed to keep you from skidding I have a nice "anti-skid burn" on the side of my poor knee.

Of course the real shame of it all happened when Moosa was suddenly awakened from the start of his 18 hour nap and came over to sniff my leg then face to make sure I was still alive and that breakfast would be served at the usual time come next morning. then, as if that wasn't enough Moosa sat on me as if to say "there! you're fixed! now enough with the raucous let's go back to sleep!"

Valentine's Day Giveaway... Sweet!

2010-01-26T16:10:00.001-08:00

How awesome is this? Want it? It's FREE! Here's what you must do to get it...

This awesome organizer is perfect for grocery lists, coupons, reminders, appointments and just about anything you can stuff inside it. Fits perfectly inside your purse too and looks great.

I LOVE to cook but lately I've been bored with food. I browse the Food Network channel and online and have used many of their recipes quite successfully but lately everything I prepare seems like I've been eating forever! I have a crock pot, lots of cool gadgets, can cook just about anything and I love all kinds of foods from American, Italian, French, Asian, Spanish, Mediterranean and of course Russian. I love culture and am willing to try anything at least once.

GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES:
Share with me your favorite recipe and preparation guidelines. As long as I can find each ingredient at the local market I will prepare and serve it to my hubby and myself. I will try each and every recipe submitted and then choose my favorite for an extra free gift surprise. Make sure to leave a comment for each entry.

1 Entry per recipe submitted

1 Entry for following my blog

1 Entry for following my tweets (user name: moosamoose)

1 Entry for following my Etsy stores (3 entries total)
www.4craftsisters.etsy.com
www.zipidydodah.etsy.com
www.moosaka.etsy.com

5 Entries for purchasing anything in any of my Etsy stores plus you'll also receive a free gift with purchase. Holiday 25% off sale included.

I will pick a random winner on February 14th and male your Valentine's Day even sweeter. :)

Yoga Log: Development

2010-01-20T21:22:00.000-08:00

There's been a few developments.

The best one is that my body no longer aches to the point of squealing every time I move. That would be awesome news if my body didn't crack in the awkward positions of stretching with one knee up and the other one over and under then turn to the side and breathe... Namaste!

Change number two comes with a new purchase of a thick Yoga mat in one of my favorite colors, 2 purple foam blocks to help me stretch bend down as possible without hurting myself while I'm still a newbie and the scariest of all change is a stretch band or belt which is supposed to guide me in stretches and hold my arms and legs in position. I haven't tried the band yet because I'm scared I'll get stuck like a pretzel and have to call my husband to rush home and un-pretzel me! The good thing about the band is that I can also use it when I graduate to Pilates. :)

Development number three is that Moosa's curiosity and laughter (meows) have subsided and he now sleeps through the whole routine.

Yoga Log: Aching Pain!

2010-01-14T22:09:00.000-08:00

Day 2 of practicing Yoga.

This morning I attempted the 48 minute beginners routine on the Fit Channel. Boy was I way over my head! I guess I'm not even a beginner. I must be a pre-beginner! The routine was not complicated but when your body has never twisted in any which way and when your legs don't even cross all the way when sitting Indian style... well let's just say it was work! I aced the standing and breathing into center part real well :) the other stances were a bit trickier but I held my own till the body lifts came into play. First of all it's very difficult to balance half of your right side of the body and the left side at the same time. Who knew?

Some of the hip and back stretches felt great while my bones cracked into place and stretched in ways I never knew were possible. Moosa didn't laugh/meow much at me this time but he sure found it amusing when I'd yelp myself in and out of a position. Right now, sitting at my computer desk, my whole body aches. There's a section just under my shoulders and towards the bottom of the joint that HURTS!!! What is that? And then I found a muscle I must have stretched for the first time in my life that is on the inner thigh and towards the buttocks. That place HURTS!!! My knees and legs too and don't get me started on my arms... The only place that feels alright are my hips. I worked those babies and stretched them and twisted them into lion meets bear over-looking a mountain... Please someone explain to me the reasoning behind each position name...

In any case... today I bought my very first Yoga mat. It's dark blue, super thick and long and comes with its own carrying strap. I'm stoked. Now I'm on the lookout for a foam block and a stretch strap because apparently if your knees cannot touch the floor from above your head you need a stretch strap or band.

I'm committed but I HURT!!! Must be working then. Tomorrow I give myself a rest since I'm going to a ceramic craft show and over the weekend I'm sure my husband will want to join Moosa as I break in my new Yoga mat. Lets see who laughs the loudest..

}:-P

Yoga Log: Namaste

2010-01-13T15:22:00.000-08:00

Today is my very first day of practicing Yoga by myself while watching the Fit Channel on cable. I was so excited to try it out that I placed no thought onto acquiring a mat or moving the coffee table out of the way so that I could spread out.

My cat Moosa was asleep on the couch, covered by his favorite blanket since it's been raining here all morning. Moosa doesn't like to get involved in physical activity and neither do I, usually, but he was a social butterfly-cat watching me and meowing every time one of my bones cracked or my foot slid from position. I swear that my cat was laughing at me!

I got through the 30 minute routine huffing and puffing away but strangely enough felt really great afterward. My body is achy but whether psychological or not I feel stronger and proud of myself for trying and sticking to my very first New Year's Resolution to get fit.

Since I don't know much about Yoga I plan to start another routine tomorrow that is more basic and will teach me the positions as well as the position names. I found this On-Demand Yoga channel so I'm stoked to try it out. I am also in the market for a Yoga mat because if I'm going to do this I want to do it right.

I'm also planning to re-locate Moosa to another room so he wont laugh, I mean, meow at me. :)

Ceramic Sale

2010-01-10T18:10:00.000-08:00

the holiday section in my ceramic shop is on sale. everything is 25% off original price (shipping not included). check it out http://www.4craftsisters.etsy.com and get ready for the holidays early on in the year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2010-01-04T22:21:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010 everyone! I haven't blogged in a while because I haven't had the time, energy or desire to put words on paper...well... type them out. I'm hoping that 2010 will be a great year for everyone in all ways possible. my resolution for this year is to read more, think less, quiet my ego and better myself spiritually and mentally. also, I want to start practicing yoga.

what is your 2010 resolution?

thus far the year has been great. a few etsy sales, new ideas for painting and that travel bug keeps tugging so I am in search of my great California weekend destination getaway for awesome pictures. I'm thinking Big Sur... came to me in a dream.... I don't know why.

check out all the great vintage items I've added to www.zipidydodah.etsy.com and check back here soon for a new 2010 giveaway...

Happy New Year... *yay*

ETSY HOLIDAY SUPER BLACK FRIDAY SALE

2009-11-24T16:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!! In honor of turkey day all 3 of my Etsy stores are on sale!

everything in the store is buy one get the second of equal or lesser value 15% off, 25% off and 50% off depending on the store. Purchase the items you like and write "Etsy Holiday Sale" in the seller note box. I will do the rest for you and refund your $$$ via paypal the same day.

Sale is good till December 15th and all items will be delivered in time for gift giving. Convo me with any questions or special requests.

check out www.moosaka.etsy.com for 50% off photography and www.4craftsisters.etsy.com for 25% off cool ceramics and www.zipidydodah.etsy.com for 15% off awesome vintage...

Happy Shopping and Happy Holidays!

Reason Season Lifetime

2009-11-02T23:13:00.000-08:00

Reason

this last week I've been rather anxious and puzzled. I seemed to have lost a friend somewhere this year but actually realized it a few days ago. I've reached out to her every way I can and nothing. total silence. I've sent emails and bday cards which have received no answers. recently I found out that her phone numbers have all changed and I don't have the new ones since I was never given them. I know she's alive because I've received an amazon gift wish list email for her son and another recent email with pictures of her and her son. I replied and asked what the heck happened and still no answer.

Season

I've lost many friends throughout the years. some good, most bad but none without a warning or some sort of hint. seriously... how does one walk away without a word?
my friend lives in another state. maybe she's upset that I didn't send her son a bday gift form the wish list. maybe she's upset because it's hard to sit down for a phone call when everyday responsibilities constantly tug at you. maybe something happened and she's just forgotten me. forgotten all the good times we shared. forgotten the laughs we shared. forgotten the tears, the friendship, the devotion, love, music, life, our world, our 4 hour lunches at Chin Chin's and dessert.

Lifetime

I've known her since I was 16 years old. she taught me how to drink alcohol, flirt with men, the difference between a boy and a man. she taught me how to care for someone you love or really, really like a lot. she taught me the difference between a good rock band and a bad one. she taught me bad words in Spanish. she taught me how to be assertive and at the same time smile and appear shy. most importantly... she taught me the difference between strength and vulnerability.

I don't have many friends. it's very difficult for me to form new relationships and even keep the ones I currently have. I'm ashamed to say... even with family. I don't know why that is. I might be finicky or overly cautious. I'm too damn sensitive that's for sure and it takes time to get my guard down and trust. But I am a friend for life through good and bad. I give of myself fully with love, patience and the wisdom my heart has experienced. although I'm tired of all the bullshit in general that surrounds my life.. I am mourning this loss, this friend I've had for so long... this lost friend of mine.

SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE

2009-10-26T16:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.zipidydodah.etsy.com

for a limited time take 25% off the sale price (not including shipping) from the "Books, Cards, Paper" and the "Sew, Buttons, Supplies" sections. please write "Limited Sale" in the notes to seller at checkout and I will refund you through paypal the same day. Sale ends November 5th. happy shopping

http://www.4craftsisters.etsy.com

all Halloween items are 15% off until November 5th. just write in the message box at checkout "Halloween" and a refund will be posted though paypal the same day. sale does not include shipping cost.

1 Month in School

2009-10-01T23:14:00.000-07:00

OMG a whole month has passed by since my first day of going back to school! It gave me great pleasure to read all of the comments posted for the "back to school giveaway" and I have to admit that I was worried for nothing. I'm actually holding up well considering my ripe old age of 34!

I graduated with a BA in English/Creative Writing in 2000 and have done absolutely nothing with my degree. Never wrote that novel I set out to write, never finished my teaching credential and have lost all desire to teach in school and of course, you guessed it... never finished my masters either! I never enjoyed the few jobs I've held since graduating and this week marks 1 year since I've worked for an actual paycheck.

Going back to school for a Web Design Certificate gives me hope to someday not only make lots of money while at home in my pj's but also doing something I enjoy. I love my computer. I mean I love sitting at my desk starring at the computer screen and browse, chat, write, create, shop, update my etsy shops and my blog. I get lost in my computer. When I vacation I miss 2 things the most -my precious shit-head-Lucifer cat Moosa and my computer. Sick, I know!

So what have I learned thus far? Dreamweaver program is cool. Photoshop aggravates me because I'm old-school, I prefer to keep pictures natural and I even miss my manual 35mm film camera. Lastly, I've learned that in order to succeed in life one must invest time, effort and money in oneself.

Giveaway Winner yay

2009-09-25T00:31:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Suzanne for winning the pink Swarovski bracelet! her name was chosen this very early morning as the contest winner.

thank you so much to everyone that participated and was excited about the bracelet. keep checking back as I will be adding more giveaways soon.

Suzanne...
I hope this will bring a smile to your face.

*yay for Suzanne*

:)

SECRET SALE

2009-09-04T23:17:00.000-07:00

In honor of Labor Day weekend I am hosting a secret sale in my ceramics shop http://www.4craftsisters.etsy.com where everything in the store is 10% off.

at checkout type "Secret Sale" in the message to seller box and receive 10% off anything and everything in the store. I will refund you the money through paypal the same day.

the secret sale for 10% off purchase price is only good in the ceramics shop. Valid Saturday, September 5th to Monday, September 7th.

Happy shopping!

BACK 2 SCHOOL GIVEAWAY

2009-08-23T23:12:00.000-07:00

I heart pink. I heart love. I heart hearts.
I heart giving away free stuff :)

8 inch long silver plated bracelet with pink swarovski crystals is the perfect accessory that pops with sexy, dressy, casual and awesome style.

After graduating college 9 years ago I've decided to go back to school. The thought of learning a new career, meeting new people and doing something outside of my comfort zone is scary. I think that reading some of your stories about "outside of the comfort zone" experiences and how you dealt with them will calm my nerves and center me in preparing for this new chapter in my life. so here is a breakdown of the back 2 school contest guidelines:

1 entry for your "outside of the comfort zone" story

1 entry for following my blog

1 entry for following my tweets (user name: moosamoose)

2 entries for following each of my Etsy stores:

www.moosaka.etsy.com
www.4craftsisters.etsy.com

www.zipidydodah.etsy.com

5 entries for purchasing anything in any of my Etsy stores

please comment on each entry with your name and email address. remember that the more you do the more chances you have to win. I will announce a winner on September 25th. Thanks for playing and good luck :)

I LOVE SPAIN

2009-08-20T00:04:00.001-07:00

Montserrat

photo of the Spanish monastery just outside Barcelona, Spain. it was built into the rocks for protection and seclusion. to say that the views and place itself is stunning and spiritual is an understatement. look closely towards the middle and top. to get there you either drive a little winding road at the edge of the cliff or take the aerial tram. I drove and next time its aerial tram all the way!

Black Madonna in Spain

photo of the black Madonna located in Montserrat. there are only 2 black Madonnas in the world, Montserrat's is the 2nd. the first, if I'm not mistaken, is in Prague. These are the only 2 black Madonnas recognized by John Paul the second. people gather to this statue from all over the world to pray to her for fertility and health. legend has it that when she was discovered by the monks they could not move her so they built Montserrat around her. the statue is enclosed in a glass box so that no one will touch her. I couldn't help myself so I took a picture of her because standing in front of her felt good inside. I cannot explain the feeling and even today when I think about it I feel good inside from having seen her.

I LOVE GAUDI

2009-08-19T23:54:00.000-07:00

photos of the Familia Sagrada's inside looking out in Barcelona, Spain. the structure is amazing and being inside it felt slightly reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. most of Gaudi's work reminds me of Wonderland yet this particular structure is also very spiritual and moving.

Talk to the Hand!

2009-08-19T23:51:00.001-07:00

Photo of Salvador Dali surreal statue taken at the Dali revolving museum in Barcelona, Spain. Our hotel was in the Gothic Quarter next to this fab cathedral so I walked to the museum which was off of La Ramblas street. I named the piece "drawers" for obvious reasons... I just love Dali! He truly thought outside of the box. the sad part about this photo is that the museum actually sold a replica statue but it was 2,000 euros! When I win the lottery and become a millionaire I'm totally going to buy it and place my necklaces inside the drawers. Maybe even hang one or two on the drawer pulls and the hand of course. Have a mentioned I love Dali? *sigh*

Contest Winner

2009-07-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

congratulations to mom2anutball for winning the purple earrings! her name was chosen this morning as the contest winner.

thank you so much to everyone that participated and was excited about the earrings. keep checking back as I will be adding more giveaways soon.

yay!

Earring Giveaway

2009-07-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

It's time for another giveaway!
I've selected a beautiful pair of deep purple and lavender Swarovsky crystal earrings.

About the earrings:
super purple and lavender sparkle earrings are about 8mm round Swarovsky crystals which measure a little over an inch long and a little less than 1/2 inch wide. the earpiece and spacers are sterling silver as well. the picture does not do it justice as the color is deep and rich.
you'll be queen of the night with these!

How to Enter:
there's 3 ways to enter your name for your chance to win. the more you do the more chances you get.

one entry for each of the following:
1. follow my blog
2. follow me on twitter and tweet about my blog and giveaway (username is: moosamoose)
3. mark me as a favorite in any and all of my etsy shops (see sidebar)

a winner will be randomly selected on July 25th and notified via email
good luck and happy shopping!

Parthenon

2009-07-09T00:53:00.000-07:00

Stunning photo of a section of the Parthenon ruin in Greece, Athens. the columns are as massive as the heat and sweat dripping down our faces as we hiked our way through the Agora. Standing in front of the ruins and temples of gods literally took me back in time, made me feel closer to God and was one of the greatest accomplishments of my life to climb the 244 gigantic steps to the ruins.

Ponte Vecchio

2009-07-09T00:50:00.000-07:00

photo of the famous Ponte Vecchio (old Bridge), Il Duomo in Florence, Italy and Pisa. we listened to the bell tower chime as my husband Alex and I shared an original Fanta orange drink. The streets leading to these beautiful scenes are old rocky and uneven streets filled with markets, jewelry stores and lots of independent vendors. it's a bit on the dark side when filled with so many people, tourist mixed with locals and as you walk up towards the bridge the echos that fill your ears are released into the air as you take in the beauty and breath of old mixed into the new.

Pompeii

2009-07-09T00:31:00.001-07:00

Pompeii was one of our favorite stops in Europe.

This archway led to a typical city neighborhood. I found the cobble stoned street beautiful and the archway full of life. Naples is a beautiful, restless, full-bodied, crazy little place on the upper part of the boot. even the ruins and what is left of Pompeii has transformed little in the way the Napoletani live their life. best part of this cruise port was the pizza. seriously the best pizza is from Naples. what made it the best? the fact that we ate in the basement of a restaurant and had little to no time to sit and eat properly since our boat was leaving for the island of Capri and our group literally raced down a flight of steep stairs and into the unknown all the while Alex holding onto our cheesy thin slice of pizza as we rushed through the locals watching us savor this masterpiece to the last bite.

One Woman Revolution

2009-07-09T00:09:00.000-07:00

Fact or Fiction?

I HATE sensitive, ungrateful, mood-swinger people! since when has it become okay to get mad over the mundane like a misunderstood comment or the tone in someone voice? does age have anything to do with it? why are people so hurtful towards one another and when did selective memory become an excuse? what is wrong with everyone? really!

I'm sick and tired of keeping my feelings bottled up so that they may rot inside me. I've decided to re-invent myself. the new me will be even more straight-forward with a tell-it-like-is attitude. I can dish it but I can also take it. the new me is finished with allowing people to walk all over me and that includes friends and loved ones. I'm sick and tired of sugar coating it for the "sensitive" people and I'm done being nice to the "ungrateful" people. the new me will remind the ungrateful people that they should be grateful and show appreciation. I'm also done tip-toeing around the "mood swingers". go swing somewhere else!

the new me is a one woman revolution. I am not afraid of the consequences and I will live and learn from my mistakes. I've got ammunition and my mouth is cocked and loaded. the new me is not waiting for the new year to begin this revolution. it starts today, 7 8 9.

4TH OF JULY BLOW OUT SALE

2009-07-03T10:36:00.000-07:00

I'm celebrating independence day in all 3 of my Etsy shops until Sunday, July 5th.
Check it out... the perfect gift is a click away...

www.moosaka.etsy.com is free shipping on all purchases. just write the word "fireworks" at checkout and I will refund you the shipping through paypal.

www.zipidydodah.etsy.com is also free shipping on all jewelry, books, lace and doily. just write the word "fireworks" at checkout and I will refund you the shipping through paypal.

www.4craftsisters.etsy.com has a new SALE section where over 40 items have been discounted from their original price.

Happy 4th of July and happy shopping...

my way is the better way and the only way

2009-07-02T00:37:00.001-07:00

I like my music LOUD
the louder the better! I love to either sing along, drum on the steering wheel, day-dream and speed to a fast rock or dance tune...

no eating in the car
I hate people who make messes in my car. I don't like crumbs or sticky fingers. I like it neat and my way because my way is the better way and the only way.

don't touch anything
see the no eating in the car...

dirty hands, sticky fingers, throwing things on the floor when they should be thrown out of the car... I like it neat! no applying make up in the car either!

don't roll the window down
I have long hair. I love my hair. I hate my hair. wind, air from an open window makes my hair fly and become frizzy. I like the sun roof open. this way the air is distributed evenly in the car and my hair stays beautiful.

SHUT UP!
this needs no explanation... just respect me and my FoXy!

Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy

2009-06-29T23:37:00.000-07:00

photo of the columns on the right side of Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy. the architecture and texture of these columns is just as stunning in person. the columns are massive! standing between them on a warm day after an 8 hour walk around town and the cool breeze running through my hair felt romantic, rich and cold at the same time. I remember seeing the columns from when I was a child and the basilica is still overwhelming even after 20 years away. Rome is a romantic city full of love, laughter and pasta. I know it's crazy but the columns brought those memories back to me and I swear I could smell and taste all things Roma...

Castello Sant'Angelo in Rome, Italy

2009-06-29T23:23:00.000-07:00

photo of Castello Sant'Angelo in Rome, Italy. when I lived in Rome as a kid my dad rescued our German shepherd dog, Ciro, from that castle. the view is from a busy bridge. we walked almost 8 hours around Rome from Piazza di Spagna to Fontana Di Trevi and my favorite all time place in Rome, Piazza Navona. our day was spent walking through history as well as the childhood memories I've been sharing with my hubby Alex since the day I met him. sadly, the castle is not a very popular tourist destination but it is none-the-less a very beautiful castle with much history. our 2nd honeymoon we will go inside....

Government RANT

2009-06-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

I am not a political person. I do not enjoy debates, I don't care about who said what. I make my own decisions when it comes to believing what I see on TV and read on the net and newspapers. I vote. I follow the law minus an occasional "lead foot" moment and I respect other people's way of life even though I disagree with it. that said, here is why I'm so pissed at the government today.

I usually receive free birth control at my doctor's office. since they ran out of free samples I had to get a prescription and buy birth control this month around. there are 30 pills in a birth control round. 7 of these pills are water pills because they help signal to your body that it's time for that annoying friend to come by for a visit. technically, minus these 7 pills, there are now 23 pills in a round that a woman needs to take in order to avoid an unwanted pregnancy.

my pharmacy bill for this birth control came to $50! that means $50 a month for a year equals to $600 which translates to $1.66 a pill a day or $2.17 a pill a day if divided by the 23 pills actually needed and taken in a month.

my husband works hard to provide for our home, cars, cat, vacations, life in general and he also pays out of pocket a few hundred dollars a month for the both of us to have PPO health insurance which is supposed to be better than HMO insurance. we pay a high premium, yearly deductible and office co-pays plus 20% of what the insurance does not cover which believe me is a lot they don't cover.

I cannot afford $50 a month for birth control so my understanding of this is that the government would rather have a woman be on welfare and support her child for 18 years rather than give her free birth control and save millions of dollars. where is the logic in that? can someone please explain this to me? seems to me like the health care system and the government have all this backwards. and then we wonder why the economy is failing?

Get lost in 'If I Told You Once by Judith Budnitz' at the beach

2009-06-25T02:22:00.001-07:00

think Russian witches and monsters, travel and a bit of snow.

it's a fairytale, folklore, mythology, history, love and friendship, mystery, crazy wild ride of a story!

The Traveling Ring

2009-06-20T18:38:00.000-07:00

I drove about 100 miles this past Friday to attend a ceramic craft show in San Bernardino. I make this trip twice a year with my craft-sisters. The show was awesome and I came away with knowledge, new paints and brushes, a whole lot of projects and a very small blue ring.

I found a tiny little ring on the ladies bathroom sink. I can only assume that someone took it off while they washed their hands and then walked away without it. The ring is so small it doesn't even fit on my pinkie finger. I asked the tiny girl charging admissions at the door if it was hers and if she could place it in the lost and found but she didn't quite care for what I had to say. After keeping an eye out for either a small child or a very tiny woman with tiny fingers I pocketed the ring and took it home.

Starring at this little ring now I wonder about its history and story. I've decided that I will send this ring on a journey. My plan is to tie a little ribbon to the ring with a tag that explains its found origins and my blog address.

I will leave it on a random bathroom sink with the following directions:
if the ring fits and you like it, keep it and wear it in good fortune. If it does not fit or you don't like it then place it in another public place where it can be found easily. Then, leave me a comment on the blog about what you did and why.

The experiment will be to see how far the ring travels before someone makes it their own.

WINNERS for the Father's Day photo giveaway

2009-06-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to notworthwriting and the Lingo Family for being the second contest winners. notworthwriting choose "Pinky" and the Lingo Family chose the "Serpent Sun" as their favorite pictures.

Meant to be.... when all the contestants names were placed in a hat for picking 2 of the papers were stuck together so I decided that both should be winners.

Congratulations and enjoy your pictures!

Check back often as I will be adding another contest soon. Also check out my stores as I have been adding new listings daily. Remember that the perfect gift is a click away.....

Father's Day Giveaway

2009-05-06T14:49:00.000-07:00

A Father's Day giveaway winner will be announced on June 17th so keep those entries coming for your chance to win a free 5x7 photo of your choice from my www.moosaka.etsy.com shop.

Also, check out the new additions on www.4craftsisters.etsy.com and www.zipidydodah.etsy.com for ceramics and vintage items.

Mother's Day WINNER

2009-05-05T00:04:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to JanetFaye for being the first contest winner. She choose "Branching Out" as her favorite picture.

Keep those entries coming for the Father's Day contest winner will be chosen on June 17th.

Enjoy your picture Janet and thanks for playing!

FREE 5x7 Photo Giveaway!!!!!

2009-04-24T00:11:00.000-07:00

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In Honor of Mother's Day and Father's Day I will be giving away a FREE 5x7 picture of your choice from my Etsy shop.

All you have to do is visit my store at http://www.moosaka.etsy.com and let me know which picture you'd like to receive for free here on my blog by posting a comment with your email address.

Then do one or all 3 for an additional bonus: follow my blog, follow my twitter (username is moosamoose) and add me as a favorite shop on Etsy.

I will announce a winner on May 5th for Mother's Day and a winner on June 17th for Father's Day. Your picture will arrive just in time for gift giving.

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My favorite rooms

2009-04-02T16:57:00.001-07:00

Surrounded by memories and beauty these 2 rooms help me create more memories and beauty in many different forms

I have 2 favorite rooms for 2 different reasons.

I love my bedroom because the bed is so comfortable and the wood furniture is beautiful. I picked the wall paint color called "cream puff" because the furniture has these puffy like ridges which are my favorite part of the furniture. the ridges frame each piece as if it were a painting on legs displayed for my pleasure. I run my fingers along the ridges of my bedside table and when I wake up in the morning, right before Moosa the very hungry cat starts to go nuts and meow-howl, I stare at the ridges on the dresser and even though they are not perfectly 100% even or straight...as my mom likes to point out... I love them anyway. I enjoy lounging on the bed thinking about many different things. I mostly love it because I feel safe in my bedroom. I've always enjoyed thinking and living in my own world. I think about anything from grocery lists of what I will be cooking up for the day or week to books I've read, people I've seen, tv shows I like, conversations I've had and of course, my art. sometimes, during the night, right before I fall asleep I have visions of what I want to paint or color combos that would work for a piece I'm already working on. as much as I am conservative I have a very surreal nature to how I view things and I always dream in color.

I love my office because I'm surrounded by books and papers and I love how they smell. the office is the only room in whole house that does not match anything or even go together for any reason. we call the office the "blue room" because the walls were once blue but now are light yellow and spunky instead of just blue. each inch of wall space is covered with framed "The Simpson's" puzzle, clock and a talking power plant with Homer and Mr. Burns. the other side of the table which sits right next to the window are 3 large bookshelves with books standing horizontally and laying vertically. books on top of books and picture frames of family, friends, our beloved cat Moosa and our travel destinations along with boxes of pictures and travel scrapbooks held back by knickknacks and pottery I paint. that side of the wall and all the way to the window wall we hung suns and moons we've collected from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, my own painted ceramics and gifts. a total of 12. the table is a mess of papers, bills to be paid, a tree person I painted, a talking "deedee" from "Dexter's Laboratory" and my Anna Nicole Smith bobble head, a laptop, a desk computer, lots of wires, a ukulele we bought in Kona, Hawaii and 3 Hawaiian Tiki Gods of life, money and eternity, a pink piggy bank, an ugly black lamp since we have no light in the office, 2 printers, 1 color, 1 laser, lots of pens and markers, more books, journals, notes, a Rubik cube, 2 skull piggy banks, 14 mexican animal bobble heads, my hieroglyphic name and zodiac sign, a collection of mexican phallic pipes and a collection of little buddhas among a few giraffe statues, cow miniatures, rocks we collected in Pompeii, Italy, Greece, Mexico, Guatemala and France.

My bucket list starts with: eyepicturemytravels

2009-04-02T14:11:00.001-07:00

eyepicturemytravels
my bucket list consists of traveling the world at least once, settling in each place I found interesting, drive a race car and win, design and build my own mansion, win millions of dollars in the lottery and help everyone I know that could use a bit of extra mula and finally, job that pays me my worth wise... I'd love to be a photographer and writer of my travels and actually make a living doing so. life would be grand then...

it travels with me

2009-03-26T13:52:00.001-07:00

cell phone
duh! how did we ever live without one? very well actually!

keys
keys to the following places/things:
my house, my yard gate, Foxy my car, my mom's house, her mailbox and gate, 1 car remote, lots of keychains

pocket mirror
it's in the shape of an envelope and I use it after every meal to make sure I don;t have anything stuck between my teeth.... hygiene... I know!

5 wet-naps and 1 anti-bac gel
I don't like dirt and I have a slight germ phobia

pocket sized monthly calendar and mini notebook
I have a cell phone but not a blackberry or PDA or whatever it is these days. I'm old-fashioned somewhat... I like to write things down on paper

mini blue pen and best pen ever!
I love my Infinity pen. it writes so well... so fluid...

most important - the wallet
little fossil wallet with CC's and $, ID, change, pics and discount cards

travel tissue and a purse hanger
I don;t like to place my purse on the floor and if I can't hang it on the chair then I use my purse buddy to suspend it from the table. and when boogers attack you can never have too much tissue....

travel size tums and aleve
for when the stomach hurts and when the head explodes

female stuff
you can never be without

lipstick, lip balm, extra hair clip
lipstick for when the mood strikes, lip balm to keep lips soft and supple and a hair clip to keep my long hair away from my face in case the original pin breaks

band-aids and alcohol wipes
emergencies like paper cuts or for the feet when I wear new shoes and haven't broken them in yet

Fendi's
because I'm worth it

Zombies!

2009-03-26T13:30:00.001-07:00

depends on how attractive they are and if they smell bad or not.

Ditch the Ditch

2009-03-23T10:08:00.001-07:00

the cruise and most of the ports we visited had certain moments of beauty while overall the cruise was fantastic...little periods of reality like watching people starve and the poverty around us made me wish for the comforts and luxuries of home where I am safe and happy... this was certainly eye opening and made both us appreciate even more what we have.

Our last cruise we spent 14 days crossing the Panama Canal from Florida back to LA. One of the stops was Nicaragua and although I knew it was a poor country and the volcano and city tour was practically downtown San Juan Del Sur... neither my hubby or I were prepared for the high level of poverty, people living in ditches, starving horses and mules wasting away in the hot sun and most shocking of all... little kids begging for money, selling molded nuts while wearing little to no clothes. of course the city was beautiful for it's architecture, cuisine, our tour guide, the active volcano and the church/museum we visited but while we walked and tried to admire what was in front of us we could not move past the flock of kids trying to sell us something, the poverty we had seen, the dirt and the constant echo of " signora, ceramico?"

Gaudi and Tapas

2009-03-23T09:51:00.001-07:00

it's one of the most beautiful places in the world. the architecture alone is worth a visit. when I honeymooned in Barcelona after our Mediterranean cruise I fell in love with the people, food, Gaudi and Dali` all over again. The beaches are awesome, the arts, dance, flamenco and chocolate. :)

Santa Paula Chills on V-Day

2009-02-17T13:52:00.000-08:00

I decided I needed an adventurous road trip on Saturday to celebrate Valentine's Day by escaping the craziness of restaurants and such... so dumb-ass me reads about a place called "Santa Paula" -Ventura county's citrus capitol of the world -whatever! the pictures looked so cute and the little town reminded me of Solvang which I love so I figured it's close enough to home (we live in Woodland Hills) and we can go there for the day. I also read about the Fillmore train that takes their passengers to Santa Paula for the day. In any case, we decide to drive out after a yummy breakfast in T.O. and as expected we drive past farm land and into the "citrus fields" (about 1 acre of lemon and orange trees that I could see) and into Santa Paula... best described as the ventura capitol of fright! I felt as though we were in an episode of the Texas chainsaw massacre!!!
We drove on this tiny little road towards a beautiful snowy mountain with farm houses on each side and the more upwards we drove the scarier these farm houses looked. They literally looked like some of the scenery and houses in the movie. I kid you not! I even made a comment to my husband when we saw an old Victorian style farm house with broken glass, rusted cars in the yard and what appeared to be a guillotine or some metal torture device. I am totally serious!
At that point we decided to turn back and explore main street where all the people were. We parked my car and walked up the street to the train station where a whole bunch of people were recently dropped off. Picture this... it's Valentine's Day, day for love, flowers and happiness right?... Ok the crowd of people was not smiling and just about everyone was starring at us. Now it's very possible that the reason why people were starring at my husband and I was because of our good looks and charming smiles -but no! We quickly came to realize that not only is my beloved car the best looking one out there out of all the chicken trucks but my hubby and I are white! Especially me... I am so bright white I practically glow! Now you'd think that this fact or the 4th 98 cents store we passed by or the 3rd used clothing store advertising the coolest cowboy belts or even police on motorcycles and "off-road" SUV's on the two blocks of this main street gave us a clue... no. It was the very exciting half a block police chase we witness that made our brains click that we should leave this little Mexican hick town and be gone, far gone... needless to say we will not be visiting Santa Paula anytime soon... -more like ever!

The Hour is a Mechanical Sheet

2009-02-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

Kumaya stands transparent wishing
she could melt like white snow,
dragging her eight footed arms
against a plastic wall.
Crickets gather around jumping rope,
housing mosquito souls in
a cardboard box.

Kumaya used to be high on life
traveling in circles. A future
wife dripping meter, she
wheels her lover's squirrel to a fire room.
Pushing in silence scratching a big smile,
she thinks about the sea hour sailing
past her wedding gown.

Kumaya lost four sets of eyes,
two pairs of flaming hearts and
eight footed arms.
Kumaya subtly clumps her teeth,
sucking on her lover's molecules in
a feathered chemical soup.

my etsy shops

2009-02-06T14:56:00.000-08:00

I've got these 2 Etsy shops I'm trying to promote.

moosaka.etsy.com sells travel photos, flower photos, Mexican jewelry and cards. I try and add new photos weekly.

4craftsisters.etsy.com is a partner site with 3 other ladies I paint with. we paint ceramics... anything from traditional to abstract crazy... well I'm the crazy one in the group :)

let me know what you think.

Eye Picture My Travels

Everything Must GO GO GO!!!

The Independent Traveler Trip Reports: 10 Day Mexican Riviera Sapphire Princess Cruise

Everything is on SALE

HOLIDAY XMAS SALE

VOTE FOR ME!!!! PLEASE!!!!

http://apps.facebook.com/halcontest/contests/64704/voteable_entries/10938378?ogn=facebook

Alaska and the Butchart Gardens part 4

Alaska and the Butchart Gardens part 3

Alaska and the Butchart Gardens part 2

Alaska and the Butchart Gardens part 1

Domestic Goddess

CRAZY $5.00 SALE

The Art of Being Nice

Yoga Log: Pretzel

Blog or no Blog?

Yoga Log: Savasana

Sweeps Winners!

how depressing!

Yoga Log: Bruised

Valentine's Day Giveaway... Sweet!

Yoga Log: Development

Yoga Log: Aching Pain!

Yoga Log: Namaste

Ceramic Sale

HAPPY NEW YEAR

ETSY HOLIDAY SUPER BLACK FRIDAY SALE

Reason Season Lifetime

SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE

1 Month in School

Giveaway Winner *yay*

SECRET SALE

BACK 2 SCHOOL GIVEAWAY

I LOVE SPAIN

I LOVE GAUDI

Talk to the Hand!

Contest Winner

Earring Giveaway

Parthenon

Ponte Vecchio

Pompeii

One Woman Revolution

4TH OF JULY BLOW OUT SALE

my way is the better way and the only way

Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy

Castello Sant'Angelo in Rome, Italy

Government RANT

Get lost in 'If I Told You Once by Judith Budnitz' at the beach

The Traveling Ring

WINNERS for the Father's Day photo giveaway

Father's Day Giveaway

Mother's Day WINNER

FREE 5x7 Photo Giveaway!!!!!

My favorite rooms

My bucket list starts with: eyepicturemytravels

it travels with me

Zombies!

Ditch the Ditch

Gaudi and Tapas

Santa Paula Chills on V-Day

The Hour is a Mechanical Sheet

my etsy shops

Giveaway Winner yay