32

The last post until the new year.

My family and I are leaving to Las Vegas tomorrow morning. I was really excited at first because Tim was going to come along but things dont always work out as planned. This will possibly be my 50th trip to Vegas, seriously, but for the first time ever I will be able to drink and gamble. I want to be more excited but I am disappointed that my boyfriend wont be able to go...at least I didn't get my hopes up that much this time.

This leads me to my,
New Year Resolutions:

1. Don't depend your happiness on anyone else besides yourself. Be more independent.
2. Get my driver's license. I got my permit two days ago, passed on my first try!
3. Work on Wreck This Journal everyday, at least one page per day.
4. Decide on what school to transfer and figure out if I want to do.
5. Get a job.
6. Volunteer at the Humane Society.
7. Keep working out. Don't be lazy!
8. Participate in more snail mail activities.
9. Get out of my shell a bit more and dont be afraid to meet new people.
10. Road Trip.

That is all I have come up with so far. 2011 is going to be a year of change. January will already be a hard month to get through (I didn't intend for this blog to get really personal but I figure it may be okay to vent my feelings a bit) ...In January, I will get to meet my half-sister for the first time. I have always known about her but never thought the day would come that I will meet her but I guess that day will be January 13th. It's a really strange feeling that I have not come to terms yet. 

Anyways,

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

31

Today was an amazingly good day.

I received a very nice big package for the Costume Jewelry swap on swap-bot. The lady was very sweet and included lots of extras, one being an envelope filled with die cuts!


I also received my soap making book that I bought on Tuesday. YAY for free 2-day shipping on Amazon.
I cant wait to get started!


Some random mail art I created and has already been sent off to someone.


Postcards received from IUMA,



reverse side,



I went looking for some Pomona postcards today but I guess my town isnt so exciting because they had almost every city in the Inland Empire except Pomona!
These are available for trade if anyone is interested,

30

I haven't seen the sun since sometime last week. Weather reports say this is only the beginning...so much rain! There isnt much to do right now since I am off from school and stuck at home. Post office trips are being postponed until I stop being lazy so Im hoping to start something new but I am not sure what. 

Any crafty ideas? I have a whole week of nothing to do and I feel like I am just wasting them away. I love winter but I dont like how short the days are...especially for someone who wakes up at 1pm, I only get 2/3 hours of daylight! 

Random ATC that I made last night. 

"My Grandmother's Flowers" 

Would be happy to trade with anyone!

Our christmas tree this year that is half done because everyone got lazy and gave up on it. 

California's current weather, blah:

29

So things have been getting better and I have finally found my Christmas spirit and right in time! Christmas is in ONE week!
It has been raining nonstop here since Friday which has everyone freaking out because it's Southern California and that never happens but I think it makes it feel christmasy for once.

I participated in a few swaps this month, one was Little Tote Bag Christmas Swap and it was by far one of my favorites ever!
This is what I sent:


My package included, lip gloss, crafty project things, key chains, socks, candy, stickers, christmas tags, beads and other random stuff I thought my partner  might like. In return I received this,


She sent a cute little purse instead of a tote bag which I thought was very thoughtful. Some of the things were hello kitty markers, gloves, candy, notepads, blank note cards, pens, a hello kitty watch! plus some other cool things. Just amazing.


I received this package a little while ago and I think it was for a give away your junk swap. I was way too excited about the package itself. I love when people pay postage in just stamps...especially international ones.


Speaking about stamps, I cant believe postage is going up again next month! I need to stock up on my forever stamps. Postcard postage is about to be the same price regular first class postage was about 3 years ago. Ridiculous.

28

Life is a little sad right now so I have been lacking motivation and holiday spirit.
weekend was spent keeping my mind off of things and sorting buttons with my mother. We have opened a button shop on Etsy! http://www.etsy.com/shop/botoncitosbonitos


I hope once the storm blows over I will get back on track with all the fun stuff.

27

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Hope everyone is spending it with the ones they love. 

Be careful with the turkey! A few years ago, my dad was taking it out of the oven and he slipped and dropped the turkey all over the floor. He picked it up before any of our guest saw it though, haha. 

It's been a running joke in the family now.

...also, who's going Black Friday shopping? I know I am :)

By the way, my Etsy shop, A Peachy Life, is having a Black Friday sale too!

20% off on any order,

Use coupon code: BFR20

26

Today I am just catching up on uploading pictures, rating swaps, putting away my Halloween stuff and arranging all my mail. I think its time to buy another container to keep all my incoming mail. Where do all of you keep your mail? I keep mines in those photo boxes, I currently have two and they are packed.

I have decided not to get involve in any big swaps at the moment, other than greeting card and postcard ones. November is going to be a busy busy month. 20 days until I turn 21. WoOp WOop!

Tim and I had our 2 year anniversary on Sunday. It was really nice :)



Some of my incoming mail this past week or so,

Trick or Treat Goodie Bag - received from Italy



some Halloween postcards that were received,




Halloween postcards that were sent, I am not so proud of these. Made very last minute and rushed :(




ATCs I made for Halloween ATC swap. I really liked these.


For a November Birthday Card swap, I received a little extra package from Australia. oh the cuteness!


I have received other letters, postcards and packages but I just dont have the motivation to scan and take pictures of everything.

Here are some pictures from this weekend and the last couple of weeks,

Cal Poly Pumpkin Fair. They had a corn maze this year!









Halloween Weekend,
Day of the Dead celebration at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Flickr wouldnt let me upload all the pictures without upgrading account. The rest of the pictures are on my Facebook.










For Halloween, I dressed up as the SunMaid Raisin Girl but didnt really get any good pictures with the costume on other than this one. Tim was an 80's lumberjack. lol

Halloween night, I stayed home and gave out candy with Marvin. I threw random stuff on and somehow became Minnie Mouse lol

My awesome Totoro pumpkin!

I hope everyone had a fun Halloween this past weekend!

25

I am running behind on swaps! oh no..I think I took up too many this month. Halloween is just around the corner and I havent even found my costume yet. October is going by way too fast!

Lots of pictures I want to share but it is 12:30am so I'll just post a picture of my future husband (I wish).

24

Whimsey Jar received...full of awesomeness!




My first altered matchbox. It was so much fun although I had a bit of a hard time deciding what to put in it.




ATC received,




This weekend I had to go to Santa Monica for a field trip. The actual "field trip" was a bore, didnt find the teacher so Tim and I just wondered around the art gallery. Then we hit Santa Monica Pier. It was his first time there! Back in high school I used to ditch class and go get drunk at the beach. oh memories.

We found a theater that plays Rocky Horror Picture Show..I really want to go!

Heading back home, Downtown Los Angeles,