See what's new!

Wow, haven't check into the blog in awhile! Things have been busy, but here is what I've been up to lately...

Let me know what you think!I'll be back soon for a more proper update, cross my heart!

New to the shop!

I don't always share what I'm making for Bonita Bellita but I made what is one of my absolute favorite earrings! It uses Bermuda Blue Swarovski crystals and gorgeous silver in such an ornate design. Can you imagine how these would look on a bride for her wedding, or maybe her bridesmaids? These add glamour to simply everything!

*swoon*

What do you think? Love them?

Feel free to pick up your own here in my shop

Spiced Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

This week the weather has been cooler, so I decided to jump on the chance to make soup! I just L-O-V-E soup so I browsed some recipes and found this one. I made it last night for my family and am even enjoying some leftover soup today. So good!!

Spiced Butternut Squash and Apple Soup by WholeLiving

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 inch fresh ginger, grated (2 tablespoons)

1/2 teaspoons turmeric

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

Dash ground cloves

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 tart apple, peeled, quartered, and chopped

4 cups chopped butternut squash

Coarse salt and pepper

Directions

**I learned that it goes faster if you chop your squash, carrots, and apple first! Just thought I'd share that. =)

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add carrots, apple, squash, and 3 cups water.

Bring to a boil; cover partially and reduce to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree until smooth in a blender. Adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Pumpkin Patch

Hooray, it finally feels more like Autumn!! The overcast skies, cooler air, and my personal favorite: pumpkins!

We managed to get to a pumpkin patch this weekend, it was at this fantastic farm I had never heard of until I moved to Orange County. It's called Tanaka Farms and all year they have different events open to the public. Strawberry picking, watermelons, Christmas trees but right now it's pumpkins.

They also have a veggie garden where visitors can pick their own veggies.My kids picked green beans, carrots, radishes, and onions. Then we picked some pumpkins, walked the corn maze, and fed a few animals.

Hope your weekend was just as good!

Until next time,

~ S

Autumn!

Can you believe it's Autumn already? That happens to be one of my favorite seasons, only tied with winter. September was busy and October is much of the same. So far...

~ I've started planting a garden. Now, I live in an apartment so my little balcony is not good for too much, but I bought some containers and pots anyways. Oh, and plenty of seed too! So far there is spinach, broccoli, tulips, strawberries, irises, carrots, zucchini, peas, cucumbers, sweet basil, garlic, green onions, and some sedum varieties. Really though, it's looking great! Photos to be shared later...

~ Cooler weather has finally set in, after months of heat in the 100's range! This morning even had some drizzle. Who else is ready to snuggle into some sweaters and bring out the boots?

~ Autumn has come to the shop! Here's a peek at what you can find -

Until next time...

~S

Sweet treats by my sweet friend

This year has gone by so quickly, but this second half of 2012 feels like the part of the year things start happening for me. I was able to see my best friend in May for the first time in the last 5 years. As if that wasn't enough, I will be seeing her again this fall for her wedding! I'm also meeting with my etsy bff soon. We message every day multiple times a day, and after 2 years we are finally getting our creative minds and wonderful families together. Exciting!

Today was another amazing moment. I have a favorite bakery, Crumbles Cookies I know I've posted about her before. She is that amazing! But this morning, I actually got to meet the extremely talented La Nae in person! The woman behind these mouth watering treats!

Is your sweet tooth craving these darling french macaroons? What if I told you they are hazelnut with white chocolate filling? I know, so tempting! Did I mention the petite, dainty size? I love little desserts! They aren't in shop yet, so stay tuned...

Really though, her work is phenomenal! I always highly recommend her and keep going back! The flavors come through in a way that is distinct but not overpowering. She takes the utmost care in her packaging and shipping. The woman is astonishing! Today I also found out she does wedding cakes too! Consider my mind boggled! Wow!

So that is my shameless sharing of a talented friend. If you want to see more, go check her out here. La Nae at Crumbles Cookies I highly recommend the Campfire S'mores and the TwinkleCream Pumpkin Sandwiches

Until next time...

-S

Tuesday Tunes

It's been quite a while, and I am ready to slowly return to this blog of mine. To start it off, here are a few songs that I find running through my head and heart lately. Enjoy! - S

Late night thoughts

So I've been thinking a lot lately, just a combination of thoughts. Working on my etsy shop has definitely been a steady thought as well as action. Been adding a lot to it, and there's even a pretty neat surprise coming up for it as well!

Also been thinking about life in general. Not to suddenly get oh so philosophical but with my dear friend's recent passing I can't help it! I want to start moving in a way that is not just living with the idea of waiting for tomorrow, next week, next month... I want to be ready to embrace it.

The passing of a beautiful life

Hey all ~

I know I haven't been on lately, but I promise, I have good reason. You know how there is that friend of yours who you are close to? The one you meet up with for sushi and then window shop to plan how you're going to decorate your future homes once you've finished your degrees? The one who you call and talk to about love and broken hearts, or the lack of either? She lights up the room with her smile and when she cracks a joke with her dry humor, you can can't help but laugh endlessly. She doesn't know how beautiful she really is or how much she is loved. We spent a decade as friends, dear friends...

and it's over. She's gone. She passed away just recently, and I'm spending time with friends & family, and grieving. I'm throwing myself into working hard and doing a lot, but in the meantime she stays prevalent in my thoughts.

____________________


So many things were left unsaid
It's hard to let you go...


You were gone too soon
Oh I miss you now
I wish you could see
Just how much your memory
Will always mean to me
In a blink of an eye
I never got to say goodbye

Pazzo Bella Chic

Hi all, hope your Tuesdays have all been great so far!

Today I want to share with you something (or rather, someone) I just love! Jerra Jankovich of Pazzo Bella Chic does some lovely work in her shop, she has journels and notebooks galore! But what I love is her tags! They are beautiful!

She recently made these for me to use on my Autumn line, and I adore them!



Aren't they just gorgeous? That saffron yellow has me swooning! It doesn't stop there, she's made them in many more colors: teals, blues, reds, oranges, purples... you name it, and she has the color for you! And the shipping is fast too, I've never had to wait more than a couple days before they arrive at my doorstep!

I use them most in my line for children that is carried in some local shops, and they look stunning. There's just something about that sparkling crystal and the brushed edges that catches my attention.




So now you know how makes my beautiful tags. Each set I order from her seems to get better and better... which is amazing because I already am completely captivated! If you want to see more, visit her at Pazzo Bella Chic and fall in love yourself!

Music Monday

I needed some eclectic pick me up music this week, so here we go! Hope you enjoyed your long weekend.

Music Monday

Hope your weekends were full of rest and good times. Here's to Monday and starting the week fresh! *clinks cup of tea*

Music Monday

This week I've been feeling a little dreamy

Featuring: Artisan Gerard

I don't know about you all, but I love unique jewelry. The classic styles of sparkles are fantastic but to wear a necklace that you don't see on just everyone else gives that fun feeling of individual style.



Artisan Gerard has just that. Pieces you are bound to fall in love with, because I sure did. Here is a the story behind the shop...

-----

I started Artisan Gerard in high school and the name was a fluke simply because my initials are AG. I didn't have any cards or even have a web site back then and, in the day of MySpace, I would hassle my friends to look at amateur photos of small purses hanging in the plants that grew around my yard that I would post on my page, needless to say I got pretty good with Html code (thank God for Facebook where it does it for you). I only made tote bags back then and there wasn't a big market for it but every once and a while I would get custom orders from friends who would buy my totes sight unseen.



It wasn't until a friend of mine suggested I expand to Etsy did I even think of selling outside of my social network. I tried selling a few totes to try it out and didn't do so well :( Which was a blessing in disguise because I needed to study for my Private Pilot's License written tests at the time. It was a LONG time before I tried Etsy again simply because I was feverously working toward my Bachelor's in Commercial Aviation (yes, I AM a pilot).



I started my flying education in Arizona and last year moved to North Dakota for school. I've always had a love for aviation and I love flying but knowing the life style of the typical pilot as I get older and start thinking about starting a family and settling down (in a state with NO SNOW) I keep hoping my shop will take off and I can make my living as an entrepreneur but until that day I'll keep trudging through several feet of snow, fighting wind chill and the inability of my Toyota Yaris to go faster than 35 in sludge to my aviation classes/ the airport. Everyone has to have dreams and now that my Bachelor's degree is right around the corner and life just down the hall I hope I'll still be able to fly, start a family and keep my creative outlet creating inspiring pieces and utilitarian products as well.

A few days after I turned 21 I met my fiancee and he encouraged me to try selling my leg warmers, fingerless gloves and other crochet items on Etsy and after I moved from Arizona to North Dakota a year later I took his advice and started selling them on Etsy and they moved so fast I would stay up all night catching up on orders and sleeping in class (oops! Guess I didn't need that lesson on landing gear or mach tuck..) Over the long North Dakota winter I was grounded due to the harsh snow fall (normal snow fall to locals harsh to a Filipino from Arizona) and lack of flight funds. I tell you this because I want to clarify that I have NEVER fallen asleep in an airplane, that would be irresponsible.



At that exact time my fiancee was trying to get a promotion at work from running "the break" to running "the laser" but he didn't know squat about AutoCad and he needed to master it before getting the promotion at the machine shop so the bosses let him stay after work and make programs and run them on the laser on scrap. Right before Christmas season last year he sent me a hand full of mustaches and an array of other pendants just for me. I got so many compliments that I put them up for sale right away and over the Christmas season I earned enough to feed myself, since I only worked on the weekends at a local pizza joint for almost minimum wage, and take a vacation and recconnect with my best friend over spring break (we went to Mexico, it was snowing in North Dakota the day I left for spring break).



After about 2 months my fiancee got the promotion and it looked like the shop was going to take a hit since he wasn't approved to make things for "fun" anymore. He approached the owner and told him we'd be more than willing to pay for metal slabs if he could continue to make pendants from my shop. The owner agreed as long as he did it off the clock and it wasn't eating in to the owner's profits.




So slowly Artisan Gerard became a two person team and has evolved over time. My fiancee makes most of the designs now with a little bit of input from me (sometimes), however I sill have my roots and make crochet items and totes but usually sell them at craft fairs. Over this summer I didn't have a job for about a month so I started making cloth flower bouquets and I also took some sewing lessons so my customers can expect to see clothing and bouquets from me very soon ;D

And here are go, people: the two amazing people that make up Artisan Gerard


-----

This shop is so great, they even sent me a camera necklace to show that there are indeed a shop worth talking about. I even got to choose the piece that I fell most in love with, which happens to be this one:



My favorite part is the fact it's a camera (which speaks to the photographer in me), it's got a little star (my favorite shape!), and what I found to be different was the brushed stainless steel. It's a texture I don't see often but that's part of what made it stand out to me.

It helps too that this sweet little necklace came within just a few days of her sending it. After all, no one likes to wait forever! It arrived carefully padded in bubble wrap and in a sweet pink and green plaid bag. Honestly, it felt like receiving a gift! Thank you, AG!

The shop also carries earrings so don't worry if necklaces aren't your style. And just in case you wanted to treat yourself or someone you know, Artisan Gerard is offering a special discount! Just enter in "bonita" a the checkout and there's an instant savings of 15% for you! And just in case you fall head over heels yourself, check out their facebook for an occasional contest or updates.

Music Monday

What's been continually sung by my lips for the last week or two.

Music Monday

The tunes I am listing to this week!

Found a great giveaway!

Just found a fantastic giveaway over at The Ardent Sparrow. She's hosting a giveaway for the beautiful shop The Shabby Apple which has some lovely retro style dresses!

Here is the winning prize!

Enter Here!

Until next time,
<3

Music Monday

Have a couple songs that are sticking with me this week, and since I believe in sharing good music, here you go!

Beach thoughts

If you know me, you know that I love the beach. My love for it is second only to my love for my family! It is this untamed force of nature, full of mystery and beauty. Every time those waves hurl themselves against the rocks it's the most passionate explosion of sea and salt. Even when the tide is calm and just quietly kisses your toes and pulls back to withdraw itself, there resides a demure resplendence about it. *sigh* I just can't get enough!

So in honor of the hot summer currently going on and my intense fasination with the ocean, here are just a quick few of my favorite reminders...


Thrive by yellena


Clam Shell Rubber Stamp by norajane


Water Baby by solocosmo

Much Love,
<3

June Happenings

Good morning!

I already love today! Some people call it June Gloom with the skies full of overcast clouds and no sun, but I call it a nice break from the hot summer air. It's the perfect time to sit with a cup of tea and enjoy the morning breeze. Ahhhhhh....

So here are your June happenings!

~ You have a chance to win the Plumfield hair clip and brooch! ENTER HERE



~ There is a way to own a piece of Bonita Bellita (and some other great shops) while helping others! As you know, earlier this year some very nasty tornadoes swept through Joplin, MO leaving destruction and broken people. Handmade for Hope is a collection of various people who have all decided to put together items to raise money for Convoy of Hope or the Joplin Adopt-a-Classroom Fund. Every little bit helps! So please, try to take a peak and look at the amazing creativity and amazing individuals who are banding together to help! If you'd like to see the baskets with Bonita Bellita in them, go see

#12 The Trendy Girl Basket


and #16 The College Girl Basket



~If you live in the Southern California area, during the month of July you can see Bonita Bellita in a local shop! Itty Bitty's Closet is a fantastic little shop full of gently loved clothes, toys, bedding, and essentially all things children! It caters from newborns all the way to clothes in a size 12, and everything is so well priced and organized! The best part is that they are going to have a section where you can find my creations, especially for young girls! Here is just some of what you'll find there-




~Wow, a lot going on! Hope that you'll have a chance to check out one of those three happenings!

Until next time,
<3