Giveaway: Mistletoes Cupcake Toppers

This special giveaway prize comes from Snow Buddies Ink shop on Etsy. My friend Debbie, who made the sugar skull cupcake toppers for my 31st birthday, runs the shop and was generous enough to donate a set of her “Mistletoes Holiday Christmas Cupcake Appetizer Toppers.” These are one of my favorite toppers.

The winner will receive 12 adorable toppers in their Mistletoes Cupcake Topper package. Two Mistletoe signs, 2 High heels, 2 Santa boots, 2 Elf shoes, 2 stockings, and 2 Reindeer “toes.”

How to Enter:
1. Go to Snow Buddies Ink shop and tell me your favorite item in her shop.
2. Like her shop on Etsy.
3. Pin one of her items on Pinterest and leave me the link.
4. Share this giveaway on your Facebook. 

Each entry should be submitted in a separate comment with your email, to contact you in case you win. Contest ends Friday, December 12th. Sorry, this contest is only open to US residents due to slow shipping outside the US.

Now, you’ll not only think of kisses when you think of Mistletoe.

Good Luck Everyone!

Sugar Skull Cake & Cupcakes

For my Day of the Dead/Frida Kahlo themed birthday party in February my friend Amanda made me a carrot cake (my favorite cake flavor) in the shape of a sugar skull. She used a skull shaped pan. She also made the cupcakes and the flower tissue cupcake toppers. I commissioned my friend Debbie to make me some colorful sugar skull toppers. Everything tasted delicious and looked great!


My 31st birthday was a memorable one because I have great friends who were willing to use their
creativity and talent to help me celebrate another year of life, my way. It made me feel loved. I saved all the flower tissue cupcake toppers and the sugar skull toppers. I even dug some out of the trashcan to save. You can get your own sugar skull toppers (or holiday toppers) at Debbie’s Etsy shop, SnowBuddiesInk. Check out Amanda’s Etsy shop too, called ArtisticAmanda.

Today is the last day of Day of the Dead. Let’s not only celebrate and honor the lives of those who have passed away but remember to celebrate life with the ones you love everyday. Life is short. Enjoy it damn it!

Mrs. Bones Day of the Dead Ornament

Mrs. Bones is the new addition to my Day of the Dead tree. She came alive a few days ago as I stitched her together. It was a time consuming project especially since it was my first time using beads in a cross-stitch project. She is a flashy mama and I love her. She even glows in the dark. I got Mrs. Bones on ebay about a year or two ago. I can't remember. Mrs. Bones is looking for her Mr. Bones and I hope to play cupid and unite them next year.  

Permanent Altar to Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos in Spanish) is my favorite Mexican holiday. I love it so much that I threw myself a Day of the Dead/Frida Kahlo themed party this year for my 31st birthday. In my craft room, a shelf is dedicated to  some of my favorite Day of the Dead decorations.  It’s a permanent altar; it’s displayed all year round. Many of the items on my shelf are gifts from family and friends who know how much I enjoy this holiday. This year I’ve decided not to display all my Day of the Dead decorations but you can see for the links above pictures of my pervious Day of the Dead altars.

Do you display something that is meant to be displayed for a certain period of time but it's display permanently?

Day of the Dead celebrations starts today and ends tomorrow. Feliz Dia de los Muetos everyone!

If you like Day of the Dead as much as I do, you’ll love CasaArtelexia, a blog, which celebrates Mexican culture and is full of DIY Day of the Dead tutorials.

The Giving Tree Costume

When I was in my book club, The Bookies, we celebrated our first year anniversary by dressing up as a character from our favorite book. One of my favorite books is, “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein. If you haven’t noticed, I’m a big kid at heart. My favorite character in the book is the tree, not that there is many to choose from. I wrapped myself in brown construction paper and… okay, I’m kidding. I made my costume as simple as possible and it included everyone in the book, the tree and the boy. I won first place with this costume at book club.

Bag of Apples/Supplies: White shirt, black dimensional fabric paint, red, green, and brown felt, white fabric, polyester stuffing, hair tie, transfer sheets for ink jet printers, printer, scissors, small button, sewing needle, sewing machine, hot glue gun, embroidery thread, iron, scanner, and “The Giving Tree” book.

Apple 1: Draw your giving tree with dimensional fabric paint on your white shirt, with the leaves around the collar. Don’t forget the M.E. + T carved into the tree.

Apple 2: Scan the picture of the boy from the front cover of the book. It’s important to follow directions from the transfer paper. Print image on transfer paper and iron onto white fabric. Sew button on boy’s overalls. Cut fabric around boy.  Place it over another piece of white fabric, trace it, and cut the traced fabric out. Sew both pieces together with the image of the boy inside. Leave an opening to turn it inside out. Stuff your boy doll and hand sew the opening shut. Cut leaves out of green felt and embroider them with a lighter shade of green with embroidery thread. Glue the leaves to the boy’s head. Now, he has his little crown of leaves.

Apple 3: Make an apple with a leaf and stem using your felt. Sew the apple pieces together and stuff your apple. Cut a rectangular piece of red felt. Place it over the back of your apple with the hair tie between them, and sew it on the apple. Repeat this step if you would like to be a tree with many apples.

Apple 4: Put your tree shirt on, braid your hair (or wig if your hair is short) and tie your apple hair tie with it. Your hair will represent the tree’s branches with apples in them. Hold your boy and give him lots of love. Carry the book with you for those who need an extra hint to guess who you are for Halloween. If you have brown pants, wear them!

I don’t have a picture of myself in this costume. I don’t think I can fit into the shirt again and I’m rocking short hair now. I hope you can envision “The Giving Tree” costume put together by the pictures above. If you make this costume, I would love to see it. Please do share!