I checked myself and I almost wrecked myself….

I've been away for two weeks but it feels like months. I apologize, but I thought I had cancer. (how's that for an attention grabber?)

So I'm taking this opportunity to tell you ladies, check yourself. Self breast exams are vital. I did one two weeks ago and found a lump four centimeters in diameter. I almost went crazy with anxiety that first night. I cried. I hugged my husband. I call my sister. I called my mother-in-law. I made my husband feel. I went to the doctor on Tuesday and she referred me to a breast specialist who I saw the following Tuesday. She did a biopsy there in the office and Friday I found out that it must be removed. I'm not sure of all the medical jargon, but I know the meaning of surgery.

I know that this seems a little dramatic for something that is most likely not a huge deal, but if I had just ignored it… I don't even want to think what it could turn into. I was told that if I just left it, it could quite possibly turn into cancer.

I am 24 years old with no risk factors what so ever and I have a pre-cancerous lump the size of a large grape sitting in my right breast. My doctor did not find it, ladies. I found it. Please check yourself, if for no other reason than to familiarize yourself with what your normal is so when something is not normal you can take the next step.

Virtual Vacation

I have not been on a vacation since 2005. My wanderlust is overcoming me with visions of far off lands, winding side streets and unexplored woods...

I officially have Spring fever, so today the first day of my spring break, in order to satisfy my nostalgia for the places I've been, take a virtual vacation on me...

Prague, Czech Republic




This is the hostel I stayed at. Nice people, clean rooms, and had a bar in the basement. What more could you ask for?











One of the many lovely cobble stone streets that beg to be explored...







Now we travel east to Hungary, I have very few pictures of Budapest since we were there for so little time and the city is much more urban and less whimsical than Prague, but no less amazing.




A small view of the Parliament building. This building is almost so grand it was overwhelming.



And this is where we end our virtual vacation. One of the loveliest and most comfortable streets I've ever had the pleasure to walk down. If I had my way this would be the street I live on forever.
I hope you have all enjoyed a walk down my memory lane.

All pictures taken by me in Prague, Czech Republic and Budapest, Hungary (and surrounding towns).

Tattoo inpiration

I've been watching instant netfilx episodes of LA Ink and have been craving a tattoo…. I have so many ideas for the tattoos I want so I thought I would share a little inspiration for what I've been wanting...

This will probably be my next tattoo when I save up the scratch. I want a low stomach piece that combines a little lettering I already have in a banner and Dia de los Muertos or Sugar Skulls with all sorta flowery lovely things something like this…



I want to start at least a half sleeve devoted to sewing with the cap on the shoulder being the sewing machine I learned to sew on. My mother's Singer
I need to think of some other things to include, scissors? Spool of thread? Pin cushion? I don't know yet?

I also want a Mom tattoo… cheese? Yes, but I love her dearly. Something like this…


but just the text(no background) that turns into a string that threads through a needle that pierces my skin. My mom has always gotten under my skin :D


I have a lot of ideas that need to be inked!

Where I find the spark…

I've always kept inspiration in a lot of different places, sketch books, file folders, on my computer, bulletin boards, notebooks… I'm a pack rat, can you tell? I've tried to keep things in more definite and distinct locations. I have a sketch book for imaginings and doodles that I used for print making. I have an idea book for pattern drafting and clothing sketches.Over time I've collected more and more images and my tastes have changed and it's hard to keep track of images I've pulled out of magazines, so this is my most recent attempt to reign in my fashion addiction/ADD. I've recently started consolidating my torn out magazine pages into an inspiration book complete with doodles and musings...

Shoe Lust

A reader of mine has asked that I share the contents of my shoe collection. At first I thought "oh yay! An excuse to talk about shoes!" But as I got down to the task of taking pictures of all the shoes that I own, I quickly realized I had underestimated what I had gotten myself into. I recently purged my collection of all the ill-fitting and out of date shoes, so this is my collection a bit smaller than it used to be. Also, I did not even try to dig out and photograph all my summer sandals that are in my off season trunk. So dear readers here they are, (almost) all of my shoes... I photographed them in groups so as not to overwhelm you with a million pictures. They are numbered and I have written up captions to tell you were I bought them and what brand they are… I told you it was a collection! :)

First, all my scummy flats...

1:Forever21 2:Lower East Side/Payless 3: xhilaration/Target
4: Tuk/Hot Topic 5: Mossimo/Target 6: Anne TaylorLoft/Buffalo Exchange

1: xhilaration/Target 2: xhilaration/Target 3: xhilaration/Target (are you seeing where I spend my time?)
4: No Boundaries/Walmart 5: Torrid/Torrid 6: Micheal Antonio/Buffalo exchange

1: Rouge Shoes/5-7-9 2: Mossimo/Target 3: Gianni Bini/Dillards
4: Classified/Shoes on a Shoestring 5: Shi 6:Buffalo Exchange
7: Micheal Antonio/Buffalo Exchange 8: Anne Michelle/Charlotte Russe

1:Unlisted/ Shoes on a Shoestring 2: Wanted/Shoes on a Shoestring3: Soda/Shoes on a Shoestring
4: Mossimo/Target 5: BCBGirls/Piperlime (online)
6: Jessica Simpson/Shoes on a Shoestring 7: Nine West/Macy's

1: Nadora/Shi 2:Vans/online 3: Nadora/ Shi
4: Classified/Shoes on a Shoestring 5: Target/hand painted

1: Chinese Laundry/ Ross 2: xhilaration/ Buffalo Exchange 3: Isaac Mizrahi/Target
4: Steve Madden/ Savers 5: Candies/From a friend 6: Splash/Ross

These boots are made for walking

And this is where I store them... Top of the closet left...

... And right.

... and the door hanger. I actually used to have two of these door hangers until I got some plastic bins.
I told you it was a lot! Whew! that took forever. While I was doing this my husband actually asked me how many pairs of shoes I had... I dare not count all of them, like I said, I didn't get out my summer shoes. So I think that puts me up over 50 pairs... I try to get rid of the old pairs when I get new ones but the pack rat in me hangs on!