Handmade with love and lots of coffee!!!!

In a world of cookie cutter box stores it is refreshing to see that handmade still exist. See I have been buying from a few on-line handmade boutiques in the past year and I have two that are my favorite. I want to take a second from ranting and I want to rave about their quality and the fact that handmade still exists.Oh yeah and did I mention it is family owned and operated? Reminds me of days watching Mom and Gram sew Raggedy Ann and Andy by hand and all the fun stuff it meant to grow up a crafter's kid.

First I gotta talk about being a mom and wanting my little girl to look sharp...don't we all? So did I go to Wal-Mart and buy a bunch of dollar bows? Umm no...much to my husbands dismay I did not. I used a friend of friend. Last minute, the week before my daughter's first birthday I spoke with Crystal the first time and a day before the party this little box showed up and in it was such an amazing piece of work I knew I needed more! So I liked Bow Mania and I then started a Bow Mania Fund!

The only picture she would let me get with that first bow!

I now have lots and am patiently waiting on the week my  Christmas gift bows get made....I have to wait till the end of November, but I would wait for them as long as needed. See most that know me know patients are not one of my virtues, when I order from a company I want it like three days before I ordered it. Don't ask how that is possible but anyway I am digressing as usual. The point is with Bow Mania you place the order knowing up front the wait time and the order in which your order will be done. See Crystal is not only my bow maker she is now someone I am proud to call a friend. She makes bows that look like this

A previous order that she took on as well as nine other orders that week!

Beautiful Bow Bouquet!

while raising two kids, maintaining a household, and being a wife. That is where the coffee comes in. I have never been let down with her bows and all my Minion's bows are personalized to what she is into and I buy her outfits keeping in mind what I want for bows so they all coordinate. BTW: She also makes beautiful bow holders so you can never have too many bows! But she doesn't do this alone...everyone see the nifty bottle caps in the middle of the bows? Yup those came from TLC Handmade!!! Crystal's mom Teresa and her Aunt Lisa's business....yes see family owned and operated is not dead people!

With TLC I won a pair of Thanksgiving earrings last year and well I was hooked. They have taken all of my ideas, my hey I want that on earrings or necklace, made my own personal Glee Set that is not available in stores, and made them happen!

 This is probably one of my favorite pairs to date that I have gotten from there! We all know how much Nightmare Before Christmas merchandise is out there! But who else has a pair of these...I know a few have been ordered but not in my area I am the only one!!! Let's talk Awareness Ribbons. Everyone has a color and one they wear...mine is for fibromyalgia. Remember when I said family owned and operated?   Remember when I said they all work together....

My Awareness Ribbon Set

My Daughter's Awareness Ribbon

This is why I continually go back to the two companies.


Now that I have done all the pictures let me also explain something about these three women. Yes they make amazing pieces out of their homes, work in jammies on some days, and have amazing customer service but they are also mom's first. Their children are why they do what they do. They have set work hours and sometimes they adhere to them...They sometimes answer when they are supposed to be closed---spoils a customer ya know? They have kids in school, houses to clean, and dinners to cook just like you do so when you send a message to place an order or ask a question during non business hours and still get an answer...make sure you say thank you! When you place an order and they tell you it will be to you in three weeks, say thank you. You are not ordering from Wal-Mart and they have these items in stock and cookie cutter created. Each item is hand made with love, sweat, tears, and coffee!! When you get an item in the mail after the wait, post a review and say Thank you. Yes we are customers and we are supporting them by buying from them....they probably hot glued themselves a few times making you that piece...a Thank you goes along way.

In today's busy times we are always looking for the next big thing and the next great idea. These three are onto something. Yes they have others out there that do the same thing, many have stolen some of the images made personally by Lisa and now Teresa. But what they don't have is the friendships that Lisa, Teresa, and Crystal build with each customer. I have cried, laughed, celebrated, and wallowed with these three over the past year and a half. I have won as much jewelry from TLC as I have bought...still trying to win a prize with Bow Mania...but I also do win every time I open my box of handcrafted, personally designed, one of a kind hair bows lol.

I also need to mention....their prices are amazing!!! From regular to the the deals and the sales, and the giveaways....I am a couponing bargain shopping clearance rack scouring receipt checking mama.  I will always pay for quality. Do we remember my daughters emergency bow? Still wearing it a year and a half later. I have only had one bow get messed up from Bow Mania and that was not a defect in the making...it was my two year old I am not in a bow wearing mood today and I want to eat the bottle cap off the bow mood. One piece of ribbon came loose but the bottle cap held tight!! So they are virtually indestructible! TLC prices are top notch as well and beat the Red Line Clearance 10 for 10 sale at Claire's/Icings! The quality is so much better and you don't have to pick through bins of broken earrings and smashed eye shadows to maybe find 10 items worth having. All of their work is worth having. Remember the awareness ribbon...they also do medical alert jewelery too!

Now in true Pyscho Mama fashion I am going to rant here for one second:
If you place an order from any of these lovely ladies....please be prepared to pay for it. This is not Amazon where the order will sit in cart for days and it doesn't hurt anyone. See when you place an order with them their is precious coffee and time used as they sit and send you the invoice, put you on the list, tell someone else that their order will have to go with the next batch, and then order supplies to cover the use of the ones making your order. All of this is wasted if you do not pay for your order!!! And ummm there is no wasting coffee!!!!! Time is precious too but coffee is the fuel that runs this whole operation. You remember Ms.Kim from Gilmore Girls...You Break You Buy!!! Well with these gals please remember....You order You Pay! Also while we are ranting....the wait time is non negotiable!!!! The business have grown a lot since the Cars Hair bow Incident of 2013! Gone are the days of a week turn around. During the holidays specifically. We all have Calendars and we all know when the busy time of years are. Please do not try and order a week before Christmas and expect it to be there Christmas Eve...One they are closed and two YOU HAD 365 DAYS TO PLACE THE ORDER!!!! The shipping dates are given when the order is placed before the coffee is poured to sit down and do the invoicing, So if that shipping date is to late blame yourself apologize for wasting their time and say Thank You for talking to me and next time I will order sooner. Also you know when payday is...order then and do as I do...when making the budget add them in so you know you can pay when invoice is sent.

Now that the ranting is out of my system...click the links. Check them out, Like them on Facebook. Get ready to invite three of the most charming southern women into your life and be prepared to become friends with them. They will also be celebrating the holidays with you as you order for Christmas, Birthdays, Anniversary's, and Graduations. They do party favor packages, clocks, and so much more then hot glue a bottle cap to a piece of jewelry or a bow.  Also as the holidays draw near remember them just like you do your postman, newspaper delivery person, and all others who have given you excellent customer service all year....send coffee. I can definitely tell you it will be appreciated.

I just can't anymore....

*Disclaimer: This may offend a few...if you are easily offended or butt hurt hit the back button now. I am about to go just completely me and I am not in the mood to handle any whiny complaints...I have an 18 month old who is in the middle of terrible 2 tantrums so I deal with enough whining Thanks. Now if you can handle a difference in opinion...please read on.


Okay so in the last few days there have been a few things that have just set me off. First of all...The Phil thing. You handed a 67 year old small town southern man a mic and asked him his opinion on something of a religious nature and you are shocked by the answer...get the fuck outta here. I mean really I know a lot of people that have that same opinion  but because he is on TV and A&E is still pissed that they wouldn't cut prayer out of there show they found a way to persecute the family. Seriously we can watch Honey Boo Boo be basically groomed for diabetes and that is okay but we can't watch a family have a true family dinner and pray...yup we from 'Merica now people.

Second....I am done with people twisting the bible to fit their purpose and to make themselves look better. A true Christian is one who is human first, accepts the person and hates whatever "sin" they are committing, knows that there will be times they fall, and above all else you can see God move through their actions not the words....I am tired of certain people saying they are just holding christian friends accountable for actions when they are in fact judging. Let's play a hypothetical game to demonstrate the difference...Let's say I had a friend who was a Christian but I knew was doing unchristian like things....to hold them accountable I would call them and say hey let's have coffee and talk...and one on one talk to them about the situation. That is holding them ACCOUNTABLE...posting publicly on Facebook about the behavior is being JUDGMENTAL....you are putting their faults out there for everyone to see. When that is honestly between them and God. I also have read the bible and I am confused Jesus turned water into wine so where did it become an issue to have a glass, God himself was not perfect I am pretty sure we all remember the apology after the Noah's Ark thing, and above all else Jesus died on the cross so we would be forgiven and all it takes is a prayer for forgiveness and slate is wiped clean for us to try it again. And I am supposed to be the Pagan...wow.  

Third....in the midst of all this stupid stuff there was actual news but of course that was over shadowed by public figures...The pension of military retirees was cut, a man was killed by a driver when he stopped to help a stranded motorist in bad weather just hours after getting married, and a women in was arrested locally for abuse at a daycare center anyone of us could have taken our kids to.  How many people reading this knew about at least one of these news stories? I am just as guilty as the next about getting sucked into media stories but I have also started clicking on the link reading the stroy then taking it to bing/google and finding out the story from another angle which is what I did with the Phil Story...yes he has some backwards views...but they are his views and the actual wording was taken out of context.

To wrap this up...here it is 6 days away from Christmas and honestly if it weren't for the elf on the shelf pictures, holiday episodes of all shows on TV/winter finales, and pictures of people's Christmas Trees...you couldn't tell it from the Facebook news feed. Be thankful for what you have, the family and friends to spend time with, and that the true meaning of the season...which can mean a few things for different people. For me it is about the family being together as possible and the laughter and joy of a child opening the gifts on Christmas morning...whether it is 1 or 100.

Now I feel better...Merry Christmas y'all

The internet, parenting, and all that good stuff in between.

I know it has been awhile but things have been busy...move, school, a 16 month old smack dab in the middle of  teenage sleep patterns with a bad case of the terrible twos and I got 16 and a half more years of this...oww buying stock in Advil now and hoping like hell they start a buy 5 get one free club like the coffee from gas stations anyways this was not the point of my blog this morning but if you know me well yah you know I normally tell six stories to tell one and I am doing it again so let me just get to the point.

Prior to having my daughter I never tried to really offer advice unless it was something I was sure of. I knew a little from watching 3 little ones grow up my other sister and I grew up together. I could relate to some parenting things but I never did the discipline, I never decided to breast feed or bottle feed, when to turn the car seat around, and other important decisions. They always joke kids do not come with instruction booklets....well now according to some parents they do and it is called Google and Web MD for all questions. The internet now seems to be everyone's favorite place to get child rearing advice. Now don't get me wrong there is some (and I use some loosely here) info that when used CORRECTLY can be helpful I mean all these years of eating Chinese and we just learned the container folds out into a plate. The catch with the info is to read it and discuss it with professionals...you know the ones that went to school for the stuff not found a website that would give them a free page and infinite wisdom.

The hardest thing for me I guess is I came from a time where we couldn't shop at home, I rode in a car with no seat belt, car seat or booster seat, vaccines were not optional, and if you had a question or needed advice you asked your doctor, mom, or family member. It was faster to call the doc then it was to sign onto AOL and hope they had an answer somewhere.

I am not bashing the internet nor the internet parents...I would be lost without the net. I mean really if there was no candy crush what would I do with my time? My point is this parents are getting younger and first time mom's will always have questions. NO two babies are alike and no one's way is exactly the right way. IT is time for Attachment parents to stop bashing the nonattached parents, it is time for people to stop looking to Google for all the answers...I mean seriously if everything on the net were true Jakie Chan would have had more lives then a cat and everyone would have some of Bill Gates money just for sharing his picture 27 times in two days. If and when your little one is ready to start doing something they will let you know. The 2 month old  that is staring down your lunch while you are eating a slice of pizza is probably ready for something other then the bottle. Vaccines are not evil and even if you are not sure of some ask a DOCTOR or NURSE not the net.

And another thing....you know it is great when we can come together and have conversations and good old fashion healthy debates on what works best. But  here is a list of tips  for users that like to use FB for this:

1. You never know who you are talking to and puffing up your chest and saying well I have had x number of kids may be not be a smart idea (really if you are doing it to the grandmother/aunt/any female relative) until you know for a fact the whole story.

2.Again your way is not the only way and I could give two shits what Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil, Dr. I got my show cause I can has to say when I heard from Dr. Ledbetter (you know the Doctor who has actually seen my child and knows who she is) that it is okay to start, try, do. If you want your kid to stare at the car seat till they are 3 by all means have at it. I know they do it in England but they also drive on the opposite side of the road....you gonna try everything they do over there?

3.Learn to agree to disagree and if you are debating your feelings and standings on how you are raising your child and getting butt hurt by what is being said. Stop take a deep breathe, log off your computer, and REMEMBER it is only FACEBOOK!!!! Unless they are gonna pay for medical bills when your child gets sick, an uber expensive car seat for your child, or pick up your rent bill and groceries this month so you can go buy all the stuff you need to meet their standard of parenting...go parent your child the way you see fit and as long as they make to 18 healthy and happy and with all attached limbs they were born with you did good.

Work with what you have and invite Mom, Aunt, Grandma, Friends over for coffee next time you need parenting help and I bet it will alot more fun then searching Google all by yourself.

Military Wives and life in general

Yes I am an army wife, yes I know what my husband does for a living, and Yes I know that he may not be around 24/7.  Now do I wear my husbands rank, no.  I couldn't even half tell you what he does, I know he is one a boat and no I am not confused the Army actually has more boats then the Navy (One of the many things I have learned).  Am I Mom like everyone else?  Yes I am.  I take care of my daughter, attempt at cleaning house, make dinner, and three nights a week, I go to the gym for Me time.  Same things other moms do.  Do I feel like I should get special recognition, no I don't.  I think Single Mom's are the hardest working mom's out there and I know three very special ones.  My Mother In Law was also one for a bit and she raised three amazing boys.  But I swear to whatever God you wanna fill in the blank here with if I hear one more fucking time Military wives don't DESERVE the credit some women give them, please just one more fucking time.  Yes your husband may travel for work, please tell me more how your husbands two week business trip in a comfy hotel where he ordered room service and talked to you and the kids every night compares to my husband being gone from anywhere from 30 days to 2 years.  Yes he may come home for a 30 day R&R leave but do you realize how short 30 days is when that is all you got.  Please tell me more how hard it is for you to drop the kids of at Grandma's so you can get some alone time in that two weeks, when for some of us Grandma is a few hundred to thousand miles away, and we would kill for a 20 minute shower.  I knew what I was getting into when I married my husband, I was a navy brat.  One year I had my dad home for 32 days of a 365 day year and they were not 32 consecutive days either.  Yes your kids may act out a little but they know when Daddy is calling.  I never know when or if the phone will ring.  I also knew that in case of an accident I will be raising my daughter alone...with help from Family yes. I also know the same is true for non military spouses, but let me point out the difference.  I am again MILES away from family and only have 30 days to pack up my house, help the kids through this, bury my husband and find a place to live if I live on post.  If I live off post, I have to finish out my lease miles away from family.  Whenever my husband is gone I am a single Mom and then there is the readjustment period when my husband comes home because while he was gone Mom made all the rules and you expect things to just go back to normal.  Lets also mention here while your husband was away on his business trip...NO ONE WAS SHOOTING AT HIM!!!! He was not lulled to sleep every night by gunfire, explosions, and other loud things that go bump in the night.  He won't come home having nightmares and ready to fight at the slightest touch to his arm.  I have been elbowed in the nose, while he was in deep sleep because I touched him.

I am not saying all people think like this, I am not saying all women agree with the ones that compare a business trip with a deployment.  I also hold police officer, truck drivers, EMT/Paramedic, and firefighting spouses in high regard because also in these lines of work you never know.  You also deal with being swung at in the middle of the night.  I am just over hearing oh your husbands deployed/deploying well mine went on a business trip......eye twitching....cracking knuckles...please tell me more through gritted teeth.


And in closing again when I married my husband I was well aware of all the scenarios, I knew what I was getting into.  I deal with each day as it comes my way, and normally I don't snap about the women mentioned afore, but people break and when I came across someone calling a military spouse merely a side dish and we weren't that special and other people's husbands TRAVEL for work to...my little rubberband snapped.  Now to find the duct tape to fix that damn rubberband.

Tragic....

My heart goes out to the families involved with the Sandy Hook tragedy yesterday morning.  It is not right for a parent to bury a child who they have so many plans, dreams, and wishes for.  For a life to be cut short this way is just no right.  I am also glad the shooter was taken down whether it was his own hand or the police force.  I do not think that the community or the state should have to pay for his trial, prison time, and so forth.  I also feel for the families of the adults whose Mom, Dad, or other relative won't be home for Christmas.  It is a sad sad world we live in.  I am so glad my little one is napping on the living room floor, but know there is always a chance....just not going there at moment.

But I have two issues at moment...1...Violent TV, Movies, and Video Games caused this and 2...We should ban guns.  TV, MOVIES, AND VIDEO GAMES???? Really???? I am not a gamer, but in my years of watching I have never seen a game where you could kill children.  I have watched TV and Movies and again not really seeing much of children being killed except in cross fire from gun fire or stray bullets from drive bys.  With this said it goes back to raising your children, you raise them knowing what they see on that box in the living room is not REALITY!!!!! You can't go around pulling people from their cars Grand Theft Auto Style.  You can't run around with a sword slaying people because they have dragon breath.

Yes lets ban guns, because all the criminals and people who do things like the mall shooting and yesterdays tragedy will be the first people in line at police stations to turn them in cause guns are bad mmmkay.  FUCK YOU!!! I may not own a gun but my husband and I have looked into them and a lock box for it as well.  This is the society we live in.  Guns do not kill people, the person pulling the trigger does.  Once everyone who screams ban them realizes this....it will make things easier.  Also as a parent once the gun is in home and daughter is old enough to understand she will be taught respect for said weapon and that it is a no Abbie zone.

We live in a society of blame the next guy.  The one to blame for this is the man that walked into the school.  Parents I urge you go home, hug your kids, and then teach them the difference between reality and GTA.  Teach them there are consequences for actions, and above all else tell them it is not okay to be a fucktard and just do something because I wanna.  Tell them that it is not the gun that killed people it was the person holding the gun.

Hug your children, educate them in reality, and hope for the best.  But please stop for a moment before this is turned into something political.  Say a prayer, send positive energy, and remember the families,   the first responders, and the people who have to pick up the pieces of all this craziness.   

Now I am gonna go hug my daughter and spend every moment I can with her because again you just never know.

Thanksgiving and other random thoughts....

As the holiday season approaches and all that fun stuff I thought I would take this opportunity to kick off the other side of my blog.

My first thought is the fact that black Friday is no longer black Friday it is now gray Thursday.  I remember as a kid going with my Mom black Friday shopping and the thrill of being out early and the gift bags and free samples.  Now it is a mad house that starts Thursday night and continues all weekend and then what you couldn't get over weekend you can get amazing deals on Cyber Monday.  It is no longer fun it is now dangerous from the trampling deaths to the macing of the crowd.  Certain states have outlawed MMA fighting events because they are too dangerous, but they allow black Friday madness...umm MMA is refereed and behind a fenced in cage.  I see a malfunction in the system here.

I am a consumer as I have been told by a very dear friend, and at first I was wondering what he meant about that and I finally figured it out.  I do coupon and I try to find a better deal.  I will call a company and complain when a product does not do what it is supposed to do or fails to stand up to the quality of said product (reminds me I have to email fruit of loom kick off proof socks my ass but anyway).  I want my dollar to get me as much as it can.  Yes my stroller has Mp3 hook up with speakers and my daughters crib has a detachable vibration thing I used all of twice.  The Mp3 hook up I have used more, but again I digress.  With all this said I have better things to do on Friday.  I refuse to fight with someone over a $12.00 blender or risk being maced over the latest copy of whatever must have game/game system.  For once I have no interest in shopping at all.  Shocking I know but it is what it is.

As a new mom I am starting new family traditions for the holidays.  For starters Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all the things we have and be thankful for them, but we say thank you all year long.  We will be selecting a child of the Angel Tree and providing a Christmas for them when she is old enough to understand and we will be donating toys that are old before we open a bunch of new ones.

And as far Christmas goes can we please pull it back to December...people Christmas in July is an expression not an actual event.  Santa in the mall on November 8th?  I love the holiday but some of us do have birthdays in December and can we please celebrate them before they are over run with Christmas?

Enjoy your Turkey Day and time with your family and if you go out shopping Gray Thursday or Black Friday please be careful it is a jungle out there.