JEWELRY UPDATE: ETSY.COM SITE OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

I officially opened my Etsy store and within days had my first sale! Exciting times considering Etsy has over 100,000o crafters all over the world and selling their goods. I have some of my items listed on the right side of my blog that you can view.

Launched in 2005, "Etsy is an online marketplace for buying and selling all things hand made." You can very likely find anything hand crafted imaginable. If you are looking for a one of a kind something rather, Etsy is website to go to. It supports the crafters and their talent as well as an alternative to

A brilliant concept for folks who have a creative side to them and would like to make money from their hobby or talent. I have found some phenomenal stores with eye catching products and look forward to utilizing Etsy for future purchases.

Uber fashionable and fun!

Who could miss this magnificent ear piece? I found the picture on popgloss
and I am in love with the site. It has original/funky stuff to adorn every inch of your body and lots of cool accessories.

The website is well organized with specific categories for easy navigation and will take you directly to the manufacturer/business website to view the item.




How about these recycled denim shoes! Why didn't I think of that! All I know is that it is a small company in Thailand The listing says, "New Recycled Denim Shoes" ... a little puzzling but I know what they mean.

FREE PDF newsletters of creative arts and craft ideas for kids also written by moms!


Anewsletter written by an Australian "Mum" with numerous children's crafty activities. I only wish other magazines would catch on to paperless publications. The pdf and website is very pleasing to the eye and the craft ideas are brilliant.




Laugh - Make - Nurture - Organize - Play LMNOP

Focuses on reviews of brand products from around the world that are eco-friendly.



I came across Kids Off the Couch - KOTC - "is a free weekly newsletter for parents offering fresh ideas to get kids excited about film, culture, and family time." A great concept to combine the love of movies and incorporating activities associated within the movie.

I will post others that I come across.

Mabuhay Adeline Esme Crowder!

After many hours of waiting with anticipation (on Mother's Day) my sister in law delivered at 12:30 am on May 12th with my exuberant brother beside her throughout the 36+ hour ordeal.

Stats:
6LB 10OZ, 19" Long

Mom and I visited them in the hospital and joined my other brother with his wife. After Loralee warmed up Adeline I held her for a short while with trepidation because she was, unlike Noah much smaller. But then again, Noah's birth weight was more than average.
I couldn't help but give her a peck on her "pickled" cheek.

A new life, a new Crowder and many years of joy and some times pain as we watch our children grow up often too fast in front of our eyes. I have not given much thought to my role as the Aunt although know that I will probably be the spunky and energetic of the three that Adeline has.

You're not "LOST", I found you!

Ok, a little corny but I admit I am 'that' person who gets overly giddy when I see an actor, one of the highlights of participating at the 69th Coalition for Asian Pacific Americans
in the city.

CAPA has always been one of my favorite events because it showcases over 200 Asian/Asian American organizations in New York City. You can educate yourself in one afternoon by visiting the numerous booths that often offers hand outs and freebees. Other attractions are the line up of cultural performances, entertainers and cuisine.

I tabled at CAPA with an entrepreneur friend James who runs Arkane, a clothing distribution company that is specifically Filipino inspired. He is also launching his own Prince Giolo designs in the very near future. I always had an attraction to the fashion industry, how trends start, the marketing angle, and creating a distinct personal look.

In any case, a Filipina approached the table with Miles (Ken Leung) from Lost, Inside Man, Law and Order and other notable roles. As a follower of Lost and Inside Man I could not contain my excitement. He walked off shortly afterwards but during my free time I skimmed through the festival and saw him sitting on a bench. I could not help but approach him. I tried to keep my cool, told him I was a fan and asked if I could take a picture with him. Of course I could not pass the opportunity for Noah to miss out as well as Kevin and Tiano (the dog.) Oh happy day!

Maligayang bati Kevin! Pacific Grill at Pier 17, NYC

DIRTY THIRT(IES) -

My friends I've met in my 20's and a few who have withstood the test of our prepubescent years are slowly entering their third decade of life with positivity and realization that 'it ain't that bad!" As each birthday passes for me I don't 'feel' old and attribute it to my youthfulness and high energy.

I definitely spent a couple weeks in a depression about leaving my twenties, reviewing my accomplishments and wondering what I had to look forward to in my thirties. I came to the conclusion that I referred to second decade as the terrible twenties; a time of soul searching, making many bad judgments, feeling unsure of my career path and wondering if I would find meaningful relationships with people. All of which have defined me.

Reaching my thirties has been a time for me to reflect and also reinvent myself. Now as a mom, a far more drastic role than my earlier years; I do not have as much freedom to be carefree, to travel on a whim or be involved with the various volunteer organizations I was once affiliated with. Now it is a matter of balancing being a stay at home momma, integrating my other interests/hobbies and maintaining my sanity.

So, I am happy to celebrate the day my friends turn a new corner in their lives and look back at our yesteryears without regets!

Free Tibet.....

What will it take for the Chinese Government to allow religious freedom to Tibetans?
On one of our many jaunts through the city we passed by this window front of a statue adorned with the symbolic Olympic crown and medals around his neck. The eye catcher was the message written outside of the window.......

photo: circa 1996

Rekindling my passion....for Lacrosse.

Most of you may not know that lacrosse used to be my life until my second year at Ohio Wesleyan University (Delaware, OH). I prided myself in the fact that my agility on the field let me face girls that were twice as big as me. For reasons that were not necessarily in my control I decided to quit playing and for over ten years I "hung up my stick", until a recent opportunity arose.

On my way to an appointment, I stopped for coffee just outside of Central Park West. I saw two Asian girls with their lacrosse sticks stretching on the steps and was immediately drawn to speak to them. After a quick introduction I asked them if they were part of a team and how I could join. I shared with one of the gals that I used to have nightmares of myself being unable to catch the ball. With the quick exchange of conversation and jotting of notes I signed up to play with the Central Lacrosse NYC team.

I started to have flash backs of the many hours I spent in training, running 3-5 miles a day, going to spring training in place of spring break fun, traveling to tournaments and week long summer camps.

Flash forward, I realize other than carrying Noah up and down the stairs my work out regiment has been minimal. Let's hope my weekly West African dance classes will relieve some of my concern! My adrenaline ran high after meeting the girls and signing up for the lacrosse team and I wanted to immediately go for a long run. It came to my attention that today and probably for the last five years that it is mandatory that all women lacrosse players wear goggles, something I am not familiar with at all.

I have a week before my first practice in over a decade!

Do your part......or at least think about it.

For those not in the know --- The Freecycle Network is currently 5.5 million members strong, with over 4,300 groups and is active in 75 countries. FN also prevents 330 TONS of reuseable/good condition items from going into landfills. Already in its 5th year FN was brilliantly started by an AZ resident who proposed the idea to his closest friends, local non profit organizations and RISE - ",which provides recycling services to downtown businesses and transitional employment to Tucsonans in need."

Have you ever thought of where your garbage ends up? Living in Manhattan has depressed me, knowing that the city I reside in generates an astronomical 25,000 TONS of municipal solid waste a day while according to DOS - reports 13,000 residential waste pick up a day. Gulp, I need to be more vigilant about my intake and and outtake of product waste.

Yes, I recycle as much as I can - cereal boxes, all containers, unwanted magazines/catalogs and whatnot. I know our trash is exported to developing countries such as Haiti and the Dominican Republic along with our neighboring states. As residents we are paying for the transport of the garbage and you would be SHOCKED to learn how much is spent. Take a look at this NYT Letter to the Editor from 1989 on NY's Garbage Disposal. Bare in mind it was written almost two decades ago as a forecast of present day problems.

In 2001, Giuliani closed the Fresh Kills Landfill, the largest waste dump in the world, spanning 2200 acres and NYC's primary repository for 80% of its residential waste. Today, Fresh Kills in Western Staten Island is being developed into a recreational park, one that will be even larger than Central Park. With the closing of FKL - the waste was diverted to other landfills in UpState NY and international locations, on barges.

So with that being said - consider expanding the life span of your belongings and give something you no longer want or use to another person.

You can do a search here to find a local listing for FN or other recycle groups.

Baby Einstein

I have attempted to record Noah's developments but the closest I have gotten has been documenting them on this blog......sigh. I suppose it has also been a help that I photograph him as often as I can. That way I can look at the date at which the photo was taken!

His most recent achievement and our amusement has been to twist caps on bottles and containers. From a water bottle to the milk container he has become masterful at such a useful skill. It started with a Gatorade bottle; a cap that he could grasp easily when I inadvertently left an empty bottle on the kitchen floor. He spent as much as his attention span would allow him to fiddling about with it before he became frustrated. He would yell out at me when he saw me take sips from whatever I was holding and I would frantically chug down the contents before he shrieked.

He has since graduated from Gatorade bottles to water bottles; challenging because the top is so small. With his expansive dexterity has also begun to hold "his own fork" to feed himself scanty pieces of food as well as drinking from a cup.

It excites me to watch his small accomplishments as I know they will continue to become greater.

Shoes for a CAUSE - TOMS shoes

While shopping on Main Street in Celebration, FL I went into a store initially to buy flip flops for John. As I walked in, there was a display of light weight, casual, slip on shoes perfect for Spring and Summer wear.

The fit was perfect and did not pinch my pinky toes or press on my heals. I suppose what sealed the purchase was when the sales person told me that for every pair of shoes sold the Toms shoe company gives a pair to needy children. The cost was reasonable and I walked out with the Picnic Canvas pair.

The story behind TOMS shoes began in 2006 when a guy had a vision to design Argentinian inspired; simple, casual shoes with the promise to match every sale and fit a child with their own pair. So far 10,000 pairs in Argentina and 50,000 in South Africa. Shoes are available for men and tiny Toms - for kids. I think I am going to buy a pair for Noah!

We were doubly successful and both left with smiling feet.

Creative juices flowing abound!

As I blogged earlier this month, I began crafting earrings for a nearby boutique in my neighborhood a month ago. I am delighted and quite giddy to announce that not only have the earrings made a home in the store front and also have been finding a home with many content customers. A little money in the pocket but satisfaction that my designs have caught the attention of someone!

If you could only see my collection of beads. Sifting your hands through the plastic bags of beads is like going through your collection of candy at the end of the evening after Halloween. I have various sizes, shapes and hues of beads that titillate the eyes at first glance.


I am going to utilize the boutique a as a platform to
determine whether the earrings continue to be a success with the customers before I even consider expanding on line. For anyone looking for original, hand made items - take a gander at www.etsy.com - the oasis of all things crafty.


In the meantime, if you happen to read this and would like your own original Lorial earrings - feel free to message me your preferred color(s), gold or silver wire and any other details --- I would be happy to create a pair for you.

Helmet free.

After nearly six months, we went to our final Cranial appointment in Clinton, CT. The results were significantly better than expected considering Noah started at a later age than most babies that usually begin at 6 months. We are extremely happy with the results and even more thrilled that he can enjoy the summer sans helmet.

Noah had three molds made of his head and a series of pictures to document his progress. Photos were of the back, side and front view of his head. Hopefully, I can post the pictures documenting the before-during and after progress. They truly show the deformity, predominantly the right side that caused obvious squaring of his head.



Of course, he grew more aware of his surroundings especially when Cranial had to make a mold of his head that was covered with quick dry plaster. Above is the after picture of the molding process, which did not seem to go by fast enough. It took 20 minutes in which his head was covered by mesh (with eyes and mouth cut out) and layered with plaster strips.

With that being said, we are relieved that it was a positive outcome. His hair can finally grow naturally without the constriction of the helmet and he will no longer look like a footballer in training.

Bambu-zled - going au natural.

I came across Bambu's veneerware and utensils a couple years ago when I was shopping at the uber expensive Eli's on 3rd Avenue. I wanted an alternative to the disposable though not slowly biodegradable plates I have used in the past. I bought the dinner plates and felt good knowing that it would take a mere 4-6 months to decompose because they are made of 100% bamboo.

If you choose to reuse them, be sure to dry them out completely because they will peel away.

So, if you are hosting a small group of friends or a picnic in the park, impress them with your green sensibility - Bambu is a perfect touch of eco-elegance.

Creative juices

Very recently I happened to bring along a bag of earrings I was experimenting with a few months ago because I wanted to show them to this gal that works at Personal Affairs on the Upper East Side. The sales gal and I were talking about jewelry and I told her that I have made earrings in the past. It was an instinct at the time to carry them in my bag but I did not anticipate that it would lead to the possibility that my earrings would be sold at PA. I had a trial period with the first batch of earrings and to my surprise some of them sold at pretty decent prices.

My girlfriend Rudy got me interested in making earrings quite some time ago. Before she had chronic pain in her neck we would spend evenings fiddling with beads and bending wires to create what we thought were master pieces. I personally think Rudy had a more adventurous side when it came to designs.

I have found some wonderful bead stores in the NY Fashion District. After a couple years of collecting spacers, wire, clasps and many other little pieces to make jewelry, I finally found the inspiration and confidence to make pieces that can actually sell and that I am proud of.

Above are some earrings that I fiddled with in the wee hours of the morning the past couple weeks. I am especially proud of them because I feel like they are one of a kind and are an expression of my creativity. I tend to work with complementary colors and keep the designs basic, not to flashy. I have upgraded from plastic beads to semi precious beads of all sizes, types and shapes.

I have learned a lot about the origins of many semi precious beads - most of which, come from Brazil and Africa. I do have beads from Australia and the US though prefer ones from more exotic countries like Nambia, Australia and Russia. Hands down, my favorite beads have to be amethyst and I came across this amazing deep purple Lepidolite beads. I also enjoy Aventurine that comes in many colors and quartz.

The earrings below are particularly striking to me because they are unique and not generic. I used purple flourite beads that I bought on sale at Michael's and Brazilian Cherry Quartz beads.
I have to say that Michaels ever so often has amazing sales on their sterling silver and gold filled findings! Far better deal than some bead stores I have gone to in CT.


I am excited to find out whether the earrings sell in the coming weeks. For now, I continue to make a couple pairs a night and most likely will need to pick up my pace.

Journalistic instinct -
Always armed with my camera.


After an extremely satisfying dim sum meal with my brother, John and Noah we wandered downtown. We did not expect to witness a 25 ton construction crane leaning on the side of a condo. We later learned that the neck of the crane crushed a five story townhouse.

Being a thrill seeker, my eyes and ears are always wide open. I have always made it a point to also have my camera with me in hopes to get that winning photo.

Living in a city like NYC, hearing deafening sirens and helicopters hover above the sky scrapers is a common occurrence. But when you see more than two helicopters it typically is a sign of headline making news. We saw the emergency response vehicles along Second Avenue and 50th Street and a small group of people congregating behind the yellow tape were looking up. We overheard a man implying that a crane had collapsed from a construction site.

We were told the accident occurred twenty minutes before our arrival and a steady stream of on lookers began to flow towards us. My curiosity wanted to get a better picture so we walked to the next street that was closed off to traffic except to pedestrians who were using their cellphones and cameras to take shots of the crane.

At one point in my life I aspired to be a (photo) journalist; to follow in the footsteps of my oldest brother. It was wishful thinking but may explain why I have yet to object to writing articles for a couple websites like Newfilipina, Asians in America and presently FAN.

As a resident of NYC there will always be something to report whether it makes the news or not.

Homo Erectus - Upright Noah!

It has been a few weeks since Noah began walking. He has been cautious with his steps and quite aware of obstructions, though of course has had occasional stumbles.

Watching him learn how to navigate his body has been intriguing, particularly when he made his first round about. I think it excited him just as much as his parents!

These days he likes to flail his arms in the air and like a pinball bounce from couch to ottoman to his chest of toys and where ever else he wants to walk. We have had to block the television with the ottoman because with his newfound mobility he can traipse to the control panel and never grows tired of pressing the volume to maximum then casually walk off with a grin on his face.

Our first afternoon at the park (see picture above) in months has me looking forward to many more in the future. Noah was overwhelmed at the prospect of having so much open space and to poke through other peoples strollers. It's time to go to the thrift store and find toys for him to play with in the sandbox.

NY Chinatown - Ghost town

I laughed when I heard about the recent bust in New York's Chinatown over counterfeited purses and bags. I thought to myself that ALL of Chinatown would have to be shut down. I saw it with my own eyes. A usually bustling section of Canal Street was eerily vacant of vendors and seemingly willing customers looking for a knock off designer item. Damn, I even bought me a snazzy Hilfiger watch that never told time but it sure looked good on my wrist.

The store fronts were locked shut and glaring orange signs were posted in zig zag formation along the endless wall of metal. I am just wondering what took the NYPD so long to realize the illegal activities that seem to be the life line and tourist attraction of lower Manhattan. Thirty two stores were closed and curiously there were no arrests. If the counterfeit business was a "real" problem and considered a crime, then I would think the boys in blue would have cuffed them. The owners of the stores were slapped with an 'excessive fine.'

So why is it that I saw two women flashing catalogs of bags for sale? Is the black market truly crippling the economy of NYC? I doubt it.

A Filipino home cooked meal - in a slow cooker. Who woulda thunk?

I went home to Connecticut for a well needed weekend from NYC. I took Noah to his bi-monthly cranial appointment and my Mom returned home from her ski adventures in Montana, although with an additional cast from her hand halfway up her arm. (She tore ligaments from her thumb and a shard of bone was lodged in a muscle)

We are extremely close to completing Noah's treatment to correct the flatness of his head. There has been significant improvement with the overall shape and after all of my huffing and puffing it was worth the last 7 months bringing him to CT every two weeks. I am baffled when I look at his first helmet and realize how small he was when we started the process last August.

This evening my mom surprised me by making Pork Adobo, a traditional Filipino dish in her slow cooker. She found a recipe on line, added all the ingredients and let it simmer for 7 hours. I was touched by her gesture since it was the first time anyone in my family attempted to cook Filipino dishes other than myself. It was flavorful, even Noah enjoyed the pork pieces and adobo juice on the rice.

Sorrow

I was in utter shock as I listened to the announcement of the sudden death of Heath Ledger. What attracted me to the actor was that he was a non conformist in the grand scheme of Hollywood glitz, glamour, and fake a$$ people. Unfortunately he was attacked and scrutinized for it.

Other actors have gone under the radar and have succeeded in avoiding the often overly critical media such as Johnny Depp. We go on with our every day lives and something tragic like this happens. It is hard to process and make sense of it. He was becoming more recognized as an actor and was a young father. There seemed to be so much hope for him......

In any case, I went downtown to pay homage to the actor. Outside his apartment there were hundreds of colorful origami cranes sprinkled on the side walk. Notes were written in different languages, cards never to be opened, letters, candles and flowers all to be later forgotten. I left a green aventurine stone, the color symbolic of healing as a peace offering. Aventurine is said to be an 'all purpose healing stone' and helps with blockages. Of the chakra colors - green represents the heart/love. It helps one 'give love and also to love and nurture ourselves.'