Up and Running ETSY

http://mariasela.etsy.com/ Check out my site I have entered a few new pieces of jewelry....

Welcome FALL

My favorite time of the year, getting ready for the baking and cooking favorite fall comfort  foods... We had a lot going on this Month and Next. Just finished celebrating Hunter's 16th Birthday WOW can you believe my little peanut turned 16. Not to mention my 20th wedding anniversary is September 29th...

How time flies...  Are first date was the movies ,  "Cocktail" with Tom Cruise 1988 I still remember that scent of Carlos "my husbands' shirt. It wasn't cologne it was a natural clean smell.... And here we are 20 years later very much in Love.. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY too us....

I'm trying to get in the spirit of Halloween which by the way is really hard to do in this 105 degree weather " yuk..I'm ready to pull out all my decorations and decorate the house. I'm working on some Halloween projects with skulls I bought last year on clearance trying to make use of what I already have, I had an old candle stick holder that I used for the stand...  I'll post pictures when I'm done.. Here are some pictures of my jewelry that I just finished and I'm very excited about...I hope everyone else is too.

La Dama

My New Creations Nichos with vintage Medals Santos and crosses.

JALOS 2010 Fiestas de Augusto

We are back from I must say a very very eventful trip, First I must say theres no place like home.....

{MAY GOD BLESS THE USA} A Big Thank you, to all that serve our Country.....

It was a great trip, We started in Guadalajara Mexico, met up with the Primos from Northern Cal.

We saw Beautiful Churches/Cathedrals, Museums, Buildings, Art, People and of course good food especially at CHATA'S restaurant if you ever visit you must eat there,Great food and service.

There is so much history in Guad. we stayed in the historical central surrounded by old beautiful architectural buildings, The Ballet Flokorico is a must see, The cultural Institute Cabanas Museum is a master piece with its arches, Large Pillars Tuscany style large halls, long corridors and of course the display of outstanding Mexican Art by Jose Clemente Orozco. The cabana was once used as a orphanage ran by sisters of charity.      

After a week in Guad we left to Jalos to celebrate NinaGueda's 80th Birthday, what a beautiful spirit well deserved Celebration. During the time we were there Fiestas de Augusto was going on its when the Virgen de Ausicion appeared to the Pueblo, from August 5th through the 15th its full of festivities, From the early morning the Church bells ring and Las Mananitas start ,the people carry her through the Pueblo to the church, at night they start with a display of fire works in front of the church and people gather to celebrate, after the fire works we headed over to the plazita to watch the Boys and Girls do what they call vueltas/circles the boys line up in two lines and the girls go through the line around the plaza if the boy likes you he gives you a rose or throws confetti its a tradition it's a way of meeting , of course our boys had to ask the girl if she speaks English first ,Hunter has promised he's going to be more focused on learning Spanish! 

The people in Jalos really know how to relax, take it easy it's very slow there...the shops close everyday at 2pm and re-open at 5pm {maybe} that's if they feel like it sometimes later, no stress no traffic/freeways no hurry or worries... Its really a place to live if you want no stress in your life!  

Ready For Jalos

Well the count down is 3 days , All ready and eager to go, we can't wait!!! I am trying really hard to pack light and what I mean my packing light is one suitcase for me only, "NOT HAPPENING" I tried what can I say.... The problem is my shoes I of course need different shoes for different out fits,"RIGHT" so I'm packing all my shoes in one suitcase, every Beautiful vein Latina in Jalos dresses up, they wear high heels "stiletto's" which is very hard to do, the streets are cobble stone and very uneven almost deadly, which makes it very hard to walk but some how they manage, if you look closely their heels are tore up and I mean tore up.....they walk at an angle slanted its really something to see, of course the woman there are all skinny and beautiful, they walk every where, Jalos is very very "hilly" steep hills everywhere, if I lived there I'd be skinny in no time......hmmmm that's an Idea?

Two fantastic days of crafting,laughing and eating

What could be better two days of crafting, laughing and surrounded by fantastic inspiring woman, that's what this weekend was all about!

Another spectacular event hosted by the fabulous Kim Caldwell,

we not only had a beautiful venue but beautiful weather...

My favorite project was a Mermaid made out of paper clay created by artist/teacher Jennifer Hernandez from Flagstaff Arizona, we got to make one from scratch and then she had one ready to finish which I thought was great Idea so you didn't go home with a half finished project.
Thank you Jennifer.....

My Amiga Priscilla and I sat with 4 fantastic talented woman, whats fun and exciting about these events is you meet beautiful creative woman that all have the same excitement as you do and can relate to the passion you have for creating art!

Thank you lovely ladies for making my weekend even more spectacular I really enjoyed your company....

Pictures from Alecs Grad Party at Morenos

Familia, Friends, Fun, Dancing and Togetherness, that's what its about........

Alec's Graduation Party was at Morenos resturant in the city of orange, I finally figured out what to do for center pieces, well lest just say I've done better. Thanks to my good creative crafty friend Priscilla the hats that were hideous to begin with didn't turn out so bad after all, she came over and glittered them what a difference a little glitter can do. Thanks Priscilla!

It was really nice to see everyone! my familia from Redondo came, And my cuz prima, Linda and her family. We were missing Andrew my nephew that evening he was home recovering from being in the hospital for a week, he gave us all a scare but as my sister Rosana always says God is good and he truly is good.........

We danced laughed, drank and socialized all evening, it was a lot of fun,

We had a great time up north (Berkeley) I didn't realize how beautiful and historical it was, the architecture is incredible what a beautiful campus it's just breathtaking, the only thing that was disturbing was all the Homeless in the the streets, A lot of them were very young and on drugs. As a mother it broke my heart to see. After Alec's graduation it was very late and freezing we walked back to his apartment to open a bottle of champagne and toast in his honor, we stopped at a local pizza place, we purchased 2 extra large pizzas to take back, my the time we got to Alec's which is a couple blocks away, we had one and a half left, Hunter had handed out slices to the homeless all the way back. Very very Sad !

I posted some pictures of the festivities of the event, it was Chicano/Latino ceremony what a truly inspiring event, the speeches were very inspiring not only in English but in Spanish too.

As a Latina I for one was very proud that evening to be Hispanic, to listen how far some of these students came and how far there going.......

Jalostotitlan Jalisco

We are looking forward on finalizing our family trip/reunion to Jalos, we are planning a 13 day vacation in August, All of Carlos's relatives will be there , some of his cousins (primos) from
up north are going ,its going to be quiet the reunion, It's a big surprise celebration for Carlos's aunt's 80th.... birthday. "WOW" what a well deserved treat! She is an amazing lady, has always made me feel welcomed, and comfortable in her home, she is such a joy to be around, always laughing and telling stories.
This is my third trip to Jalos and I have to say I really enjoy it there, I was never raised really understanding my Mexican culture and I must say it's a beautiful enriched culture, as I travel to Jalos or any part of Mexico I become more and more enlightened with this amazing heritage,What I truly enjoy is how the people are not only so spiritual but dedicated to their faith. As they celebrate from the the 5Th to the 15Th of August; the feast of assumption, They decorate the streets in light blue and white streamers hanging from street to street, and do daily pilgrimage through out the town, you feel the spiritual energy from the people. The colors is a form of symbolism of Virgen de Asuncion their patron saint, as they carry her through out the streets the people follow behind all the way to the church, it's really something to see. Pictures posted are of Gilbert & Lecha Vallejo, I googled Jalos and they came up, how funny is that? they didn't even know they were famous in Jalos, the other pictures are of the beautiful church and of course some of the beautiful people....

Congratulations Alec