Peek-a-boo

I'm still here...



Someone's birthday is coming up. I can hardly believe that she'll be ONE at the end of the month. ONE! When did that happen?

Some part of me wishes that you would just stay little a while longer. An other part of me is excited to see what your second year will bring. I can't really call you a "baby" anymore, but you will always be my baby... sweet girl. Love you so, so much. x

Baby girls grow fast

They grow so fast I tell you... 

All of a sudden they don't seem like a baby anymore, but they crawl and walk around the outside of their playpen while their still tiny fingers hold on to the bars. 

All of a sudden they start to look like little girls. Even more so when their mommy dresses them up in cute pink scarves and hats. I hope you still like pink when you get older. You look adorable in pink.

Almost ten months

You crawl.
You pull yourself up.
You can point to my nose with your tiny finger.
You can drink from a cup when I hold it.
You feed yourself tiny breadcrumbs.

and, despite what everyone said, you do look like me when I was little. They had to see pictures first before they believed me.

Goodbye 2011

Goodbye 2011. You were a wonderful year: you brought us a little girl, so sweet and lovely. The whole family adores her.

You added length to her brother and sister, they seem to shoot up every day.  They enrolled in music school and seem to like it. Only notes this year, next year they get to choose an instrument. My son wants to learn the guitar, my daughter the piano (!).

I am so thankful that I am able to take time off from work to spend with my children. The future is unsure though. I have about 20 months of leave left but I don't know whether there will be a job to go back to in the end due to the bad economy.  With this in the back of my head I've already started making changes to our (already smaller) budget. Spreading it a little thinner so it can last a little longer.

That is also one of the main reasons that I started up Rocajo Studio. To see whether in that amount of time I can lay the foundation for a viable business. My aim is not to earn a lot of money but enough to contribute to the household in a way that would allow me to be a WAHM. For now I have set up a seperate blog for Rocajo Studio. Feel free to check it out and/or follow me there. Feedback and positive criticism about the blog and my shop are always welcome!

I love designing new items for the shop. I'm working on an Alice in Wonderland themed birthday party set which I will use for my daughter's birthday and of course I will list it in my Etsy shop too.

For this post all that I have left to say is: Happy New Year. I hope you will follow me on this new journey. Let's go and find out what 2012 has in store for all of us.

Merry Christmas

From our family to yours.

Our very first gingerbread house! My son worked on it the most (over 2 hours!). To assemble the house I used melted sugar as it said on the box. It took forever to melt!
Then we used icing to 'glue' on the candy. Well, it's not bad for a first time.



And a very special thank you to I. from Florida. A lady whom I don't even know but who totally made my day yesterday by placing an order in my shop!

I'm taking this first sale as a sign that Rocajo Studio has the potential to grow into something wonderful.

Baby shower anyone?

No, no, not for me. I'm good, thank you.
But I just listed these cupcake toppers on Etsy and I think they've turned out really well!

All with the help of my new best friend: Ms.Scallop Punch!

Making changes, taking chances

Excited, nervous, happy, doubtful, ... These are just a few words to describe how I am feeling right now. Launching the shop was a big thing for me and naptime and evenings have since consisted of designing, tweaking, worrying and researching amongst other things.  Still HAPPY is the feeling that is most prominent. I'm taking a leap, taking a chance, I'm working towards my goal and that feels so, so good.

Latest design

Do you have a dream? Take a chance!

Pushing ahead: shop opening!

Rocajo Studio is now LIVE!

And I'm already getting cold feet... Oh, how I know myself. It's so easy to start comparing yourself to all the other great Etsy shops that are already out there. How easily those feelings of self-doubt start to bubble towards the surface. I tell you, comparison is lethal!

But I did do it! (Thanks for kicking my butt, Tanya ;). I went ahead and listed some items. And everytime I get a 'view' my heartrate speeds up a little. There is still so much to do, so much I want to add, so much I already want to improve (add 'real' pictures, etc.).  I'm writing down a big to do list of all the things I have in mind for Rocajo Studio in the future. And I also have a "dream BIG" list where I write down all those things that seem out of reach now, but if I take little action steps towards those big dreams I might will realise some of them.

I used to have another Etsy shop where I sold handmade bookmarks, keychains and brooches. It was a wonderful creative outlet for me and so rewarding, but I don't think I ever considered it as a true 'business'. It allowed me to be creative while making a little money on the side. This time I'm determined to make it work since my goals have changed: I want to become a WAHM.

These last few post have been a little different. Very honest, very much sharing my deepest feelings, unveiling fears and hopes. I'm contemplating whether or not to start a new blog for Rocajo Studio. I'm torn: Little Sweethearts is who I am, Rocajo Studio is who I would like to become. Do I break with the past and just start over or do I marry the two and join my former self with the person I would like to become?

The Blogger template I chose so many years ago is still the style I like (white background, clean, bright), but there are some things it cannot do. If I change the template all of my older posts will go wonky and some pictures might go missing. Still very much in doubt.   I'll let it sit for a while, I think.

In the meantime: please check out http://www.rocajostudio.etsy.com/ and let me know what you think of the shop so far!

What I had in mind in order to become a WAHM

See also my previous post.

This is what I had in mind:

This is just an example (I have to start somewhere, right?). Placecards for the holiday/winter season.

I can't afford to invest in a fancy printer and decent cutting material right now so all my items would be DIY (= print your own).  Eventually I would like to expand to in house printing. I would start with placecards, gift tags, maybe even invitations in different colour combinations and gradually expand to all kinds of printable party items (probably focusing on children's parties in the future).

I am really stepping out of my comfort zone here by showing you this already, but I also know that I have to get a move on if I wish to open up my shop before Christmas (which is, well, like only 10 days away)!

And Rocajo Studio, well, those who know me will be able to understand why I chose that name.

I want to be a WAHM

There, I said it. I want to be a Work At Home Mom.

I'm very lucky to be able to stay at home right now to take care of my youngest daughter, but eventually, when my leave is up, I will have to go back to work.  Now, I like my job. It's a part-time job at a small company but when I am totally honest I would prefer to be a WAHM.  And also because due to the bad economic situation my job might not actually be there anymore when my leave is up.

So I have to start making up a plan now, see if it works, turn my dreams into something real. I'm already preparing something but I keep delaying: it's not good enough yet, I have to do this first, tweak some more, etc...

I'm getting this off my chest and onto my blog since I know that if I don't push that publish button soon, I would not tell you. But if I do tell you, you will expect to see something on my blog.  It's not that my motivation isn't big enough (staying home with my children while feeling rewarded for something that I made and contributing to the household financially). But I know I will work even harder to make my dream happen if I have your support.

So please, leave me a comment if you read this. Kick me in the butt (well,...).

(found this on Pinterest)

Love is

when he 'gets' you.

Given to me by my husband after his business trip to the States.

Love you so, so much.



A late Halloween post

At Halloween we had a Harry Potter inspired dinner with some friends.  I had made invitations for each member of the family with an owl printed onto the address label (since we don't really send things by owl in this part of the country ;). I don't have a picture of the actual invitation, but the true reason for this post is that I wanted to show off something my husband made. Or baked I should say. He made a "Monster Book of Monsters" inspired cake which not only turned out great, it also tasted delicious (sponge cake with whipped cream, pineapple and ganache (the top chocolate layer)).



Monstrilicious!

Adventures in Bali - Part II

On the very same day I wrote my 'Adventures in Bali' post there was an earthquake in Bali. At 6.1 it was no little one, but luckily the damage was only minor with only a few wounded and no deaths.  My sister is safe and still very much enjoying herself. She is heading for the Gili Islands now and will probably do something I'd never do like diving between sharks or something like that...

Adventures in Bali

No, I'm not the one who is currently backpacking through Bali on my own... but my little sister is!  Thank heavens for the internet as this seems to be our only way of keeping in touch during her three week long adventure.  She left last Sunday and stayed in Sanur for a few days and now she will be moving along to Ubud. 

Besides being slightly worried (maternal instincts seem to cover baby sisters too) I'm also very proud of her that she is following her dreams and traveling the world.  I would definitely not dare to travel on my own, with only a backpack as a companion at the age of (almost) 24. 

If possible, she would love to travel for a year in 2013 and visit New Zealand and Australia for six months combined with six months in South America.  Personally I would opt for the first two since they are on my wish (but-probably-will-never-get-there)- list.

Themed Birthday Party: "Alice in Wonderland " - preparation

For my children's birthdays I have always come up with a specific theme for their parties.  Cowboys, Indians, Princesses, Fairies, Pirates,... They have always been a LOT of fun, but also a lot of work. Timely preparation is therefore needed. 

In February my daughter is turning 9 and we've decided on an "Alice in Wonderland" party after watching Tim Burton's movie. I've been doing lots of research on the theme and my mind is already full of ideas.  However, turning those ideas into something tangible isn't always easy.

I would love to make her a dress, just as similar to the one Alice wears in the movie (so not the blue dress with the white apron as in the cartoon, though, an apron would be convenient... hmm, must think further about that).

I plan to use an easy pattern and I would love to find a light blue fabric that is slightly irredescent. There's a huge fabric sale in November that I would love to go to. (edit: just went through my fabric stash and came across 2 metres of blue satin, so I'll probably use what I have).

The rest of the family also dresses up for these parties (which means I've been a pirate bride, Pocahontas, a Queen, etc). I'm thinking Queen of Hearts for myself and there can't be a Wonderland party without a Mad Hatter of course (uhm, sweetheart...?)

And then of course there is also the invitation to think about, decorations, food, games... ooh, mustn't be late!!

6 months already!

At 6 months you

• are starting to sit up a little bit on your own (but if I leave you without support for more than a few seconds you topple over)
• have 2 teeth
• just started eating solids (as of 2 days ago)
• are still breastfeeding
• are not sleeping through the night yet
• can transfer your toys or your pacifier from one hand to another
• can put your pacifier into your mouth (with the occasional hit and miss)
• have had a few rough days falling asleep

Something in the making...

Gathering some supplies, thinking up a pattern, ooh, the fun. It's been a while since I did some sewing.

Adding a bit of lace by hand.

And soon my baby girl will have a new hat!

A day to remember

September 10, 2011: your first tooth

Almost too cute for words

You are rolling over onto your tummy more and more often. Your arms still give you some trouble though. You are also a master at drooling. And of course we can't get over your hair: it just has a way of its own (definitely a conversation starter and it makes you look very cute too)!

Close encounter

This weekend was the first time you sat up in your stroller. There was so much to see!
I also discovered a tiny white line on your gums, which seems to be the reason why you have gotten a little fussy. Poor you. Your first tooth will come along soon, probably by the end of the month. You are starting to pass toys or your pacifier from one hand to the other.

And some things stay the same: you are still sporting the mohawk look, it's just a little longer and breastfeeding is still going very well. Next month we'll start introducing some solids. I wonder what you'll think about that...