Scarf and Hat Giveaway

Scarf and Hat

I am hosting a giveaway for this hat and scarf set. Made by me. I used I Love This Yarn in the color light sage. Sorry about the picture quality. I couldn't find my camera. I used my cellphone. I'm trying to find my camera to upload better quality pictures. :)

Scarf up close

To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment below. Please, only 1 per person. Don't forget, to leave a way for me, to contact you in your comment. Or a link to your blog. Just a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. The contest will be open from December 2, 2009 at midnight until December 9, 2009 at 11:59PM MST. I just want to give everyone plenty of time to enter. Only people leaving in the USA are eligible at this time.

Hat up close

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to ask me. I will be using Random.org to pick a winner on December 10th. Good luck everyone!

Ciao!

XOXO
♥Lola

Giveaway Day

I originally found Sew, Mama, Sew! in May. Just after their May Giveaway Day. I was reading a blog and happened to click on a link to Sew, Mama, Sew! I began looking around and saw the post about the Giveaway Day. It sounded like such a fun idea! I started to tell a few of my "Crafty Ladies" about it too.

We have had some serious issues with mail around here. And then life just took over. But a month ago, I happened to be searching for some gift ideas and found myself back at Sew, Mama, Sew! I read a post that included a little bit of information about Giveaway Day. But there wasn't much on there. Just some basic rules.

I planned on making a scarf and hat set. Even me, who lives in the desert southwest, wears scarves and hats. I headed over to Hobby Lobby and picked out a pretty green yarn. To be honest, I had no clue what color to buy. I asked a lady who was also buying yarn. She really liked the green because it is a neutral color. You can wear it with many different outfits. And I planned on getting crafty when I went home for Thanksgiving.

It didn't take long. I had the set complete on Thanksgiving night. I worked on it off and on while making dinner. Then after we all ate, while we sat and chatted, I finished up the scarf. I was very happy with myself. I actually want to make a set for myself!

I had been religiously checking Sew, Mama, Sew! daily. That was until I made my way home for the holiday. Then it was all about family. I logged onto the computer to check work e-mails and to post a couple of tweets. But that was it. Until tonight.

When I came back home, I just got back into work and classes. I really hadn't had a chance to look at any of my favorite blogs or websites. But since I hadn't seen a revised post for Giveaway Day, the weekend before Thanksgiving, I just figured that all I had to do was post on my blog and send them a link. I didn't realize there was a deadline. But Gabi called me, a little upset. We missed the deadline. We were supposed to e-mail Sew, Mama, Sew! by this past Sunday. :(

I am still going to host my giveaway tomorrow. I will send them an e-mail. If I get added to the list...GREAT! If not, well it wasn't meant to be. I am trying to encourage the other 4 ladies that I know, to still host their giveaway. I was also planning on hosting a giveaway on my Craft Blog. So stay tuned. I will let you know about those other giveaways right here. Gabi has a cute apron that she made. You might want to come back to see when she decides to host a giveaway for it! And I am still planning my other giveaway. It is a Holiday Kitchen set, pot holders, dishcloths, and dish towels. If you are interested, check back in!

Ciao!

XOXO
♥Lola

Missing Posts

I don't know what is going on with my blog. As you know, I post every single day. I don't know where my posts are! I post. They show up for a few hours. Maybe a day. Then they disappear. I have been trying all kinds of things. I hope this actually posts!!!

When I go to edit the posts, it shows them as being posted. I can see them posted. But when I try to look at my blog from another computer, it doesn't work. :( I am working on it. Let's see what happens. I have all of my posts saved as word documents. I hope I don't have to repost everything! That is a lot of blog posts. I started this in July!

Let me know if you can see my entire blog. All of my posts. Oh, and if you want to follow me on twitter, just send me a request. I have gotten a lot of questions about that. I hope you have a great week!!!

Ciao!

XOXO
♥Lola

Craft Sadness

Every year, since it began, my mom and I have had 2 tables at our church Craft Fair. When it first started, there were not many people that participated. But we wanted to support our church. That was in 2000. It is one of the larger fundraisers that they do. You can get a table for $20. And you can sell anything but food. That is because the church sells breakfast and lunch. Really good food! But you can sell baked goods.

We take all of our crafts. Everything ranging from sewing to crochet. And everything in between! And we take a HUGE spread of baked goods. The money we make from the baked goods and candy, we donate back to the church. Just a little "Thank You."

Since 2001, I have made the 3 hour drive north. Sometimes, just for the day! But we want to support our church. We belong to a really good church. And everyone is like family. My mom and I don't do it to make money. If we make money, great. If not, we still helped the church. We never care where our tables are located. We have been everywhere from the front to right next to the door, in a corner! This is the only Craft Fair that we participate in. Some years, they have had 3 (Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Mother's Day.) Other years, there is just the Holiday Craft Fair. It just depends.

A while back, my mom got the information in the mail. And called right away. They were already out of tables! We couldn't believe it. Although, we don't count on the Craft Fair to make money, we really enjoy going. You get to meet new people. You see people that you haven't seen in months. The food is amazing. And I just enjoy seeing people happy when they buy something from us.

But after making crafts all year, this will be the first time we are not in the Craft Fair. One of the ladies from church, was really upset. My mom and her got to talking about a week ago. In fact, many people had been asking about us. Wanting to buy some crafts. Because we honestly don't sell our items for a lot of money. Sometimes, we just cover our supply cost. Patsy was so upset because we didn't get a table. She told us, that she didn't understand why they wouldn't set our 2 tables aside. We are the only people that participate in every Craft Fair. I'm not sure. But it got us thinking.

I heard on the radio, while stuck in traffic, that there was going to be a Craft Fair at a local school. It is 6 days later. And if all these people were counting on our crafts, why not try a new place. It doesn't hurt to expand, right? My mom called the number tonight. But we have to wait until Monday. If I am not mistaken, the tables are slightly cheaper. :)

This has also made me think, I need to open up an Etsy shop. I have been debating that for about 3 years. But it would give people a place to find us. I know my mom's Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls are so popular. And we are always being contacted to make Baptismo outfits. I need to open a shop already!

Ciao!

XOXO
♥Lola

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! There is so much to be Thankful for. For the most part, I have my health. I also have a wonderful family, that I get to come home to. We are able to go and buy food to eat. And we have a roof over our heads. With heat. Things that I don't always have in my own home. I have learned that there is so much to be grateful for! Things that I took for granted as a kid; food, heat, and having money.

But never in my life have I lacked for love. Maybe there were times when I would have traded someone else's love, for a bit more from my parents. But I have never been someone who has lacked in love. My Auntie Chuchie taught me so much as a kid. Much more than I have probably ever learned from another single person. About love, kindness, and giving. Not once did she ever turn you away, or was stingy with anything. Especially food.

On this day especially, I miss her. I miss my Uncle Al. I miss my grandma. But I also realize that these are the people that have shaped the woman that I am. Those experiences with them. The love they shared with me. I will forever be grateful for them. To this day, I find myself remembering the silly things we did together.

Thanksgiving is much more than a turkey and mashed potatoes. Even more than the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Much more than the pumpkin pie. It is about family and friends. About honoring old traditions and making new ones. It is a time to celebrate your family, and show each other how much you love one another. And although I will only see a very small amount of my family today, they are all in my hearts! Happy Thanksgiving!!!





Our Plan for the Day

I have been up for hours. I have 3 loafs of pumpkin bread in the oven. And Tom the Turkey is ready to go into the oven next. He is sitting on the counter. All stuffed with yummy veggies, herbs, and citrus. I also used 2 sticks of butter with tons of seasoning. Tom got a butter massage. :)

My mom and I baked pies last night. Oh, and we had to go to the store for some grocery shopping. The grocery store was a bit crazy! And we had to go to 4 stores to find a ham. It was kind of funny. To be honest, I would rather eat ham than turkey for Thanksgiving. But we cook both. All the running around last night, will pay off today when we get to eat.

Actually, we usually cook a ton and a half of food. But this year, my parents and I had planned to go to the mountains. They have property across the road from my grandparents. We were going to go spend the holiday out there. My grandparents are moving to my hometown in the Spring. This would be our last holiday together out there. But a HUGE snow storm is supposed to be on the way. And I have to be back at work this weekend. Total drive from the mountains to where I work, 6 hours. Not considering the snow. My mom thought it would be better to stay home. Their home. Still a 4 hour drive to work. Mostly through the desert though.

We usually have all our family over. But our plans changed last minute. Like Tuesday night. We are only expecting 40 people or so. My older twin brothers, one of their wives, and a few of my nieces and nephews. The rest are friends. And we don't expect everyone at once. But we are cooking a turkey and a ham. It will be more than enough. I can barely pick up either of them. I think we got the biggest turkey at the meat market!

Another big difference this year, I am not baking bread. I always make bread. My grandma gave me her recipe about 15 years ago. Since I was really little, we would bake together. Then as I got older, I became the baker. But this year, well there was no time. And honestly, I am wiped out from school and work. We bought a bunch of the crescent rolls in a can. I can almost guarantee, no one will notice! OK, maybe the trash can will. I have 10 tubes to bake!

I should get back to my cooking. My dad already left for the office. To do, who knows what. My mom is still sleeping. And my pumpkin bread has 10 more minutes in the oven. Maybe I can take a quick nap. I only slept for an hour and a half last night!

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!

Ciao!

XOXO
♥Lola

Writer's Block

I don't know if I have blogged about this. But I write for a newspaper. A local newspaper. In a city that is 4 hours north of where I live. The way I landed this job is really funny. But I pretty much owe it all to a good friend of mine. He encouraged me to write. I love to write. And that is an understatement! I probably should be studying that instead of medicine. But you know how that goes. Anyway, after reading some short stories that I was writing, and an article that I wrote for a local magazine, he talked to his dad. Who talked to my editor. Long story short, I landed the job!

I am in college. A medical student to be exact. And I do whatever I can to make money. I don't want to go into debt for my education. So I do whatever I can to pay for school. That includes writing for this newspaper. I write under a pen name. It's like the Chicana's version of "Sex and the City." Minus all the sex, but a 20 something year old's view on life. OK, there is a little sex talk too! I write about traditions, current events, generation gaps, etc. Topics that are central to the area and our cultura.

My column, is usually about whatever topic happens to pop into my head. Once in a while, my editor will give me a topic to write about. Like if there is something in the news. Or a specific event going on. Then sometimes, I have no ideas. I will ask my friends. Pick the brains of anyone I come into contact with. But I am beginning to not have any ideas left. And I don't know what to do.

What kind of things do you like to read about? Are you a serious newspaper reader like me? I read at least 3 different newspapers every single day! It's almost a little ridiculous. But I enjoy it. From a daily article standpoint, what is something you would like to see? I have noticed that my readers, really enjoy when I share recipes with them. I have only done this a handful of times. I might have to resort to that, until I come up with some more ideas. I also had a really good response to an article I wrote about life as a single 20 something. I called it, "Alone, Broke, and Climbing the Ladder."

I guess I am just out of ideas. I have been working so much, that my life seems a little boring to me. 100+ hours a week, at a hospital, does that to a gal! But I want to write some good stuff right now. With the upcoming holidays and such. I just think it would be nice. I want to write an article on my Tia and the amazing impact she had on my life. But I don't know how personal to get. Obviously, my readers don't know my name. But how much detail do I want to add.

My editor is really good about giving me so many freedoms. I write 10 articles, then send them in. So it is a tough couple of days, every 2 weeks or so. But that's not too bad. When there is less content in the paper, he prints longer articles of mine. Some days, I get to ramble on quite a bit! And after 4 years, I really enjoy this part of my life.

If you have any suggestions, please e-mail me. Or comment below. I just need some new ideas. Something more than my struggle in trying to live a balanced life. Which I am losing right now! I just need some fresh, new ideas.

Ciao!

XOXO
♥Lola

Learning to Smile

I'm one of those women, that was raised to not let people know when things were bad. I was told to smile and go on. I never got the chance to mourn the loss of loved ones. I never was able to just cry. Or to feel bad. When my world was crumbling down, I was told to smile. To put a smile on my face and to "Keep on truckin'." And that's what I did.

One of the things that I remember more than anything else, was when my dad would spank me. Then if I were to cry, he would tell me, "Do you want me to give you something to cry about? If not, stop crying and put a smile on that face." I was raised "old school." I was not a bad kid. But I knew, if I stepped out of line, I was going to get it. We had a wooden paddle. And I knew, if I was bad, I would get spanked.

I never feared being spanked. I just hated the fact that I was supposed to pretend to be happy. Even when I wasn't. I HATED that! To no end, I really hated that! But I have to say, I grew up a good kid. My parents didn't just expect straight A's, they demanded them. Because that was my job. To go to school and get A's.

I never had a curfew. We really didn't have rules. Most of my friends were older than I was. My best friend, Enzo, is a 3 years older than me. As an adult, that is nothing. But as kids, it was centuries. I was never the teenager that got drunk, or was a rebel. I was the one that helped out. I took care of nieces and nephews. I helped my grandma. Worked in our office. And did what needed to be done.

Years later, I still suffer from this. And yes, I said suffer. There are days when the bottom completely falls out from under me. Completely! I am in free fall. But I sit here with a smile on my face telling people I'm good. Inside, I am struggling just to breath. Willing the tears to go deep inside of me. Trying to make it through my day.

Then one day, I just lost it. I fell completely apart. It was ironic, I was in my family counseling professor's office. He just let me cry and talk. For hours and hours. My poor professor. He thought I was going to ask him about our upcoming final. Instead, everything just came pouring out from my soul.

He helped me to find a counselor. Someone I could talk to, multiple times a week, for years. I was diagnosed as not just clinically depressed. But severely, clinically depressed. The worst that you could get. I was put on anti-depressants and went to counseling. And for the most part, I was feeling better. I could deal with emotions. Instead of bottling them all up. I finally had someone I could talk to. And I tried. I pushed forward.

Then I started to feel the financial pinch. I was struggling to pay for basics, like toilet paper and bread. I stopped going to counseling. But I tried to pay for my anti-depressants. Then I went from taking the correct doses, to maybe every other day. To only taking them when I was having a really bad day. To not taking them at all. The bottom really fell out then. I could feel the downward spiral of my life begin, yet again.

School got harder and harder to pay for. I couldn't afford books. Then tuition got to be too bad. And the bottom just fell out. I didn't have books. I couldn't pay for Internet access. My computer blew up. And I wasn't working nearly as much as I had been. The music stuff, just wasn't paying off.

Like "Prince Charming," J came to my rescue. I had been working for my friend. For a few years by now. And I really leaned on him. One night, while I was working, I could hear him on the back porch. Because my office is in his house. And I just needed a break. It was the middle of July. And probably 105*F. No lie!

He just sat there. In his big 'ol rocking chair. Looking out to the fields behind his house. Dogs laying at his feet. And it hit me. I wanted more out of this life. More than I was allowing myself to have. I wanted to be happy. To be genuinely happy. When it comes from deep down inside. When you are so happy that you are jumping out of your skin! I hadn't felt that in years. Since before my Uncle Al passed away.

I sat in the other chair. And just rocked. It was calm. The heat of the night was suddenly stable. The stars felt calming. The constant sound of J's breathing a HUGE comfort. And I sat there. We sat there. For at least an hour, in silence. Before I broke down.

There are not many people that I feel completely safe with. Or comfortable with. I think that is why I distance myself from people. I'm not sure who I can trust. And how much of my life I can trust them with. Or if they will come back to hurt me. I don't know if I am a burden to them. Because my entire childhood, I felt like a burden to my parents. I felt like I could never go to them, when things got tough. That is a bad habit I learned.

But all of a sudden J came over to me. Scooped me up. And let me cry. Let me cry until the tears dried up. Until there was nothing left inside. The kind of crying that leaves you gasping for air. That completely drains your body of all it's energy. Then he let me talk. Never interrupting. Just let me talk. We stayed like that, well until the sun came up. Me crawled up in his lap. His arms wrapped tightly around me. Letting me know that I was safe.

That was the very first time, as an adult, that I have ever felt safe. I could sit there and cry and bare my soul. And I knew, he would never judge me. Instead, he just held me. Held me tight. The harder I cried, the more empty I felt, the tighter he held me. J is one of the very best friends that I have. I honestly, could not find a better friend.

That was the day that we promised each other something. When things got bad, I could just call him. No matter what was going on, he would be here for me. And I would let him financially help me. He is the only person I let help me. When something comes up, I go to him. And he puts up the money. And I work for him. Essentially, we have gotten to the point were he pays for all of my tuition ahead of time. Then I work the semester to pay him back.

For the most part it works out. And there are definitely nights when he finds me sitting on his porch crying. Like when we lose a patient. I work with kids, and that's tough. But he'll come and just let me cry. He tries to carry some of my burden. Making my life a little easier. Never trying to make my life better or easier. Just letting me get everything out. Letting me know, if there is anything I need, he is there.

To be honest, he is the only person, on this planet, that can just look at me and know when my world is crumbling. He can tell when I have had too much. Or when I just need to talk. J knows when I am just saying that I am fine, and when I am really fine. He knows the difference between my "I need to look happy" smile, and a genuine smile.

Sometimes life just gets tough. And sometimes you just need to fall apart. To just cry until your tears dry up. And you are red nosed. Until your eyes are swollen. We all need to know, that it is OK. We are not all made out of steel. There are times when the strongest of people need to crumble. We all need someone that will be here for us when we laugh and when we cry. And someone who can genuinely make us smile. Thank you J for being that person for me!
Right now, life is not at all easy. I feel like, not only is my back up against the wall. But I am stuck in a corner. Just trying to make it. I honestly don't know if I can financially go on with school like this. I can barely keep it together some days. Work is just killing me. And I don't mean working 100+ hours for no pay. I mean, seeing all these kids suffer.

But at the end of the day, I know I have at least one person on my team. One person that will love me whether I go on to be a doctor. Or if I end up working at Target for the rest of my life. I have one person on my team letting me know, that it is OK to be human. That we all have our weaknesses. And sometimes, it is OK to let them show. That it is OK to tell someone "No" or to find someone else to take care of a situation. For the first time in my life, I am understanding, that my dreams, MY DREAMS, deserve to be chased after. It is my life, and I need to be happy too! Thanks J! I know being on "Team Lola" can be tough. But I hope you know how much I love and appreciate that you are cheering me on. Regardless of how many times I stumble. :)

Ciao!

XOXO
♥Lola