Spanglish

8 Uncommon uses for nail polish

2010-07-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning my bathroom's cabinets and noticed I have a bunch of old nail polish bottles that I'm not going to use anymore, and I started to think what I can do with all of these without throwing them away? then I remembered these old tricks:

Seal an envelope Worried about whether the glue will hold? or getting a paper cut? Brush polish on the underside of the flap.

Smooth a hanger If there are rough edges on wooden or plastic hangers that could snag clothes, don’t throw the hangers out. Just brush polish over edges.

Secure a screw Tighten loose screws on cabinets or pot handles by brushing some clear nail polish on screw threads. Insert the screw and let dry before using again. (Bonus - polish
also keeps them from rusting.)

BululuStudio

Treasuries!

2010-07-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

anadiazarte

tantancharms

Ceviche!

2010-06-18T09:58:00.001-07:00

By ClaudiaOlivos

ClaudiaOlivos

Ceviche

(use all ingredients 'to taste')
2 lbs fish such as cod, tilapia, salmon, Chilean sea bass or other meaty white fish.
1 or 2 purple onion
1 green pepper
Many many key limes, I used 1 and 1/2 bags...almost 1 lb
In blender:
place lime juice
sea salt
1 serrano type pepper
some celery leaves (fresh)
piece of ginger
sea salt

Chop the fish to about 1/2" pieces. Anything smaller than that and it will somewhat dissolve in the lime juice. Wash and drain the fish. Place in a long glass or ceramic dish and fully cover with key lime juice.
Marinate the fish in the lime juice for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature if you're in a bit of a hurry, or for about 3 hours in the fridge if you are not.

The fish is done when the lime juice starts to turn milky in color and the fish is no longer transparent.
Serve with avocado or pebre.

The Winner of Flower Giveaway

2010-06-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

And the winner is... drum roll

Number 6!

Here are the participants, the entries and the numbers that they got:

HannahSoy
MamaMichelle
Kimberly
Cindi
Gianna
alli
FDP 4 life

So our lucky winner is number 6 ---> Alli

Congratulations Alli and enjoy these lovely prizes!

Thanks everyone for the participation!

Spanglish Team!

Flowers Giveaway!

2010-06-04T09:14:00.000-07:00

Giveaway presents
Picture by Lolos

Flowers Giveaway!

Our Flowers Giveaway will be start today Friday June 4th till Sunday June 13th.

Our Flowers Giveaway consist in 4 gorgeous presents just for only one lucky winner. YOU!!!

Anyone, except team members can participate (US participants only). In order to win this Giveaway you have to follow us on Facebook Fan Page, Twitter or our lovely blog.

The raffle will be held on Sunday 13th of June until 10:00 pm East and the result will be published Monday 14th at 2:00pm East.

Now we invite you to see our lovely flowers for you!

Crocheted Flower by agmode

Two wonderful photographs by createev1

Phone Charm by tantancharms

Good Luck everyone!
Spanglish Team!

For a cool Dad!

2010-05-28T16:22:00.000-07:00

Father's Day is coming soon.

Check it out our suggestions for him!

Dali raw edge scarf by minimalista
At home under the trees by calabaza
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee Soap by SoapyBlessings
Tool Kit cookie favors by FunFavors

Cool Dad- fathers day or birthday card by InvitaPaperStudio
Vintage 80s Black Hills South Dakota Sweater by CositasSeriasVintage
The Harmonica Necklace by Lanyapi
Wrestlers - Luchadores Colorful Shadow Box by estudiomartita
The English by CricketandBear

vintage- striped ice bucket and tongs by nostalgictreasures
Greaser Mens Work Jacket 60's XLarge by fiinafiina
daddy and me by CardsBetweenFriends
Funny Merlot Wine Quote Wall Art (11x14 Print) by marlenedesigner
business men by ClaudiaOlivos

My Town: Jacksonville Florida

2010-05-26T11:42:00.000-07:00

By createev1

Jacksonville, FL

For Almost 20 years, Jacksonville Fl has been my home. I did not know much about it at all when I moved here, only that it was a huge city. Being a native New Yorker, it took some getting used to, but I have grown to love it here.With approximately 850,000 residents, it ranks as the 14 th largest city in the US ,and covers 841 square miles . It is a big city with a small town feel. Being here on my own at first, I met some of the most hospitable and nice people, and very down to earth.

I am also happy to say that Jacksonville has a growing Latin community, from Mexican, Colombian, to Puerto Rican and many others! The diversity is great. We even have our own Puerto Rican Day parade!

There is something for almost everyone, whether, it's a quiet day fishing or riding horses in the country, to museums, art fairs, to Country, jazz and rock festivals.

My favorite thing is definitely the beach, and just enjoying the natural beauty of North Florida. There are many nature parks and trails. One of my favorite places is called Huegenot Memorial Park, or as the locals call it: the Jettys. It sits across from Mayport Naval Station, and is a great beach, as well as campground. We spend as much time as we can here.

So if you are ever in Florida, don't forget to stop by and check out the River City. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

createev1

May Birthstone; Emerald

2010-05-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

By gabeadz

gabeadz

If you were born in May then this beautiful stone will bring luck to its wearer in the month and just looks great regardless of the month. Some people wear their May birthstone on pendants, other on rings or earrings, other simply keep them in a nice display.

Emerald is not only May birthstone; it is also the anniversary gemstone for the 20th and 35th year of marriage. Some people believe wearing an emerald brings wisdom, growth, and patience. It is perhaps this last attribute that may explain why a gist of emerald for an anniversary or any occasion…is symbolic of love and fidelity.

Here are some emerald items from team members:

anadiazarte
SoapyBlessings
Piruli

Lolos
needlepointnmore
Lanyapi

BelleCouleurJewelry
Sikiu
BululuStudio

Tips and Tricks: 25 ways to clean with vinegar!

2010-05-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

By BululuStudio

You know that I love learning new tips, that helps make our life easier. Well this time I found a a bunch of uses for Vinegar. Vinegar is a non toxic product, it has many many uses. It’s eco friendly. Very versatile and most important part is super inexpensive. Here are 25 ideas for making the most of vinegar:

1. Deodorize the sink: Pour 1 cup baking soda, followed by 1 cup hot vinegar, down the drain. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, then rinse with hot water.

2. Deodorize the garbage disposal: Make ice cubes out of vinegar. Run the disposal with a few vinegar ice cubes and cold water.
3. Clean countertops: Wipe down surfaces with a rag dipped in vinegar.

4. Clean the fridge: Use a mixture of half water, half vinegar to wipe down the interior shelves and walls.

5. Remove soap build-up and odors from the dishwasher: Once a month, pour 1 cup of vinegar into an empty dishwasher and run the machine through its entire cycle.

6. Bust oven grease: If you’ve got grease spots on the oven door, pour some vinegar directly on the stains, let it sit for 15 minutes, and wipe away with a sponge.

7. To make old glassware sparkle: To get rid of the cloudy effect, wrap a vinegar-soaked towel around the glass and let it sit. Remove and rinse with hot water.

8. Get rid of lime deposits on your tea kettle: Fill the kettle with vinegar and let it boil. Allow it to cool, and rinse with water.

9. Remove stains in coffee cups: Create a paste using of equal parts vinegar and salt (or in lieu of salt, baking soda) and scrub gently before rinsing.

10. Treat Tupperware stains (and stinkiness): Wipe the containers with a vinegar-saturated cloth.

11. Remove stains on aluminum pots: Boil 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup water.

12. Deter ant infestations: Spray outside doorways and windowsills, and anywhere you see a trail of critters.

13. Clean can openers: Scrub the wheel of your can opener with vinegar using an old toothbrush.

14. Remove stickers or labels: Cover the sticker with a vinegar-soaked cloth. Let it sit overnight—it should slide right off by morning.

15. Shine porcelain sinks: A bit of vinegar and a good scrub should leave them sparkling.

16. Clean grout: Pour on some vinegar, let it hang out for a few minutes, and buff with an old toothbrush.

17. Clean the shower door: Spray them down with vinegar pre-shower, or post (after you’ve squeegeed the glass) to remove hard water deposits.

18. Clean a grimy showerhead: To get rid of scum, fill a Ziploc with ½ a cup of baking soda and 1 cup vinegar and tie it around the showerhead. Let it sit for an hour, until the bubbling has stopped. Remove the bag and run the shower.

19. Make a toilet sparkle: Pour in a cup or two of vinegar and let it sit there overnight before scrubbing with a toilet brush.

20. Polish linoleum floors: Add 1 cup of vinegar for every gallon of water you use to wash the floor.

21. Clean paintbrushes: Soak paintbrushes for an hour before simmering them on the stove to remove hardened paint. Drain and rinse.

22. Clean grills: Spray vinegar on a ball of tin foil, then use it to give the grate a firm scrub.

23. Disinfect wood cutting boards: Wipe down wood boards with a wash of vinegar.

24. Clean the microwave: Fill a microwave-safe bowl with 2 cups water and ½ cup vinegar. Heat it on full power for 3-4 minutes until it comes to a boil. Keep the door closed for a few minutes longer to let the steam fill the microwave, loosening the grime. Remove the bowl (carefully!) and wipe down interior walls with a sponge.

25. Polish patent leather accessories: Give them a rub with a vinegar-soaked cloth. Buff with a dry cloth.

BululuStudio

Quick and easy Chili!

2010-05-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

By createev1

This is my variation of an easy chili recipe. Great taste with hardly any work!

1 lb ground turkey browned and drained (usually the turkey is very lean)
1 packet of chili seasoning mix.
1/2 tsp garlic powder (if you want)
add 1 can each: Red kidney beans, pinto beans, northern beans ( for color)I leave the juice instead of draining.
add 1 can of diced tomatoes (with juice)
Diced green bell pepper (I use about half, depends on how much you like
1 small chopped onion.
Let all ingredients simmer for 30-45 min.
Garnish with shredded cheese..

Hope you enjoy!

createev1

April Birthstones; Diamond

2010-04-27T12:25:00.000-07:00

By gabeadz

There are twelve different stones listed as birthstones for the calendar month of April, or as Sun/Star, Planetary, or Talismanic stones for the Zodiac sign of Aries or Taurus. But the most traditional stone is the diamond.

gabeadz

Diamonds symbolize purity, eternal love and faith. Diamond birthstone has a great suitability in jewelry, providing exquisite diamond settings. Diamond gemstone is judged by the "four Cs": carat, clarity, color, and cut. Diamond jewelry absorbs negative energy and transforms it into a positive one. Worn close to the body, diamond gemstone stimulates the intellect.

gabeadz

Mushver (Mucver)

2010-04-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

By tantancharms

I love zucchinis and the following recipes use them as the main ingredient.

The first recipe is a Turkish recipe. I make it as my husband’s family makes it, but I’ll also show you a variation:

Mushver (Mucver)

Ingredients
1 large zucchini
½ cup parsley (chopped) (you can use dried parley too, just use less)
½ cup dill (chopped) (you can use dried too, use less)
1 egg
Flour

Grate zucchini and squeeze to get the water out. Mix all the ingredients. Add flour until the mix is not too watery (usually I end up adding a bit more of flour if I fry the 1st mucver and it breaks apart while frying).

In a large skillet add vegetable oil and when warm, add lumps of the zucchini mixture (I use a small ladle for this) and fry for about 3 min on each side on medium high heat. Take them out and place on a plate with paper towels to dry.
Serve with plain yogurt on top.

This is another variation, I haven’t made it myself but I trust this lady’s recipes. They are the best! Link

tantancharms

St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Enjoy our green items!

GarageInc
SoapyBlessings
Agmode

Piruli
FunFavors
marlenedesigner

studiomartita
minimalista
anadiazarte

CricketsCreations
BululuStudio
Dropofsunshine

Lanyapi
Lolos
ClaudiaOlivos

tantancharms
Humanidad
Gabeadz

Treasuries!

2010-02-27T19:54:00.000-08:00

anadiazarte

agmode

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T23:34:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year for all of you!

We hope 2010 will be much better than the last one. Our Best Wishes from our heart!

The Spanglish Team!

Lolos
Bululustudio

mexiKITSCH

Our last treasury from 2009!

We hope to see more of them in 2010. We will have more promotions, giveaways, ideas, challenges, etc, etc. See you again in January 2010.

Birds... Water!

2009-12-18T09:38:00.000-08:00

By GarageInc

The other day I asked to myself what’s the one thing that will draw birds to our backyards like a magnet? And I said WATER! So I went to the library to investigate…

And found that just as important as food wild birds need water to drink and bathe. If you provide it, winged activity will surely follow.

But don’t think a traditional birdbath is the only way to take the plunge. Experts have come up with all sorts of unique and easy ideas to create a perfect watering hole-from using recycled containers as makeshift baths to building elaborate backyard ponds.

Try some of these hints:

- A couple of nestle terracotta colored plastic drainage trays, (the kind used under potted plants) placed in the rings of a tomato cage, use them as birdbath.
- Often spray water on the trees and shrubs, which keeps them healthy and also attracts ours winged friends.
- Most birds prefer shallow water no more than 1 or 2 inches.
- To prevent messy buildup , put a bucket of water aside for a few days before adding it to the birdbath, it seems to slow the growth of algae.

I hope you can implement any of these tips and I invite you to add any other hint by commenting on this blog.

Twitter

Spanglish Team Treasuries!

2009-12-13T23:46:00.000-08:00

Spanglish Team

agmode

The winner of our Piñata Giveaway!

2009-11-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

And the winner is...

Number 17

Here are the participants, the entries and the numbers that they got:

Digital Misfit ( two entries ) ( 1-2 )
va ( three entries ) ( 3- 4- 5 )
Liz ( one entry ) ( 6 )
Aestraea ( three entries ) ( 7-8-9 )
fairyland ( one entry ) ( 10 )
missknits ( five entries ) ( 11- 12-13-14-15 )
Cindy ( four entries ) ( 16-17-18-19 )
Carapace ( two entries ) (20-21 )
Clare ( one entry ) ( 22 )
Aik ( six entries ) ( 23-24-25-26-27-28 )

So our lucky winner is number 17 ---> Cindy :-)

Congratulations and enjoy your Piñata!

Thanks everyone for the participation!

Spanglish Team!

Piñata Anniversary Giveaway!

2009-11-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

Piñata Anniversary Giveaway!
Handmade by Lolos

We are celebrating our first year as a team ever. We are so happy to have such wonderful and friendly members. It was not easy for us to create this team. It was a huge challenge but we trusted our feelings and good energy to do it! We had the good luck to find amazing people during our journey and we thank you all for your support, trust and friendship.

So today is our celebration and we invite you to be part of this great and amazing day! Let's celebrate together! Go Spanglish Team!

Team Leaders and Founders

Lolos
BululuStudio

Piñata Anniversary Giveaway !

Our Piñata Giveaway will start today, Wednesday Nov 11th till Sunday Nov 15th.

Inside this great Piñata handmade by Lolos are 15 wonderful presents from our members.

Anyone, except team members can participate. In order to win this Giveaway you have to follow the rules, please.

Rules:

- Visit some member stores ( choose from some of the 15 members) and tell us what you like from their shop and copy the http code of that page :-)

-Follow our team blog.

-Make a blog post about this Piñata giveaway.

-Sign up for our e-mail updates with feedburner up on the right column. It’s free and if you change your mind later, you can always unsubscribe

-Tweet about our giveaway, shops and follow us on twitter. Come back and post it here.

-Make a treasury featuring our 15 members that are participating in this giveaway. Don't forget to post the link to visit the treasury. ( For the reserve you can add another team member to complete the list ).

-Bring a friend to our blog and have her/him leave us a note saying who referred her/him. Let us know here.

-Please leave an email or where to contact you, in case you’re the lucky winner.

Note: Limit seven entries per person.

The raffle will be held on Sunday 15th of Nov until 10:00 pm East and the result will be published Monday 16th at 2:00pm East.

Now we invite you to discover what it is inside the Piñata.

Red Brooch Flower : anadiazarte
Bracelet : estudiomartita
Key chain : Lanyapi

Cookies : FunFavors
Wood art : BululuStudio
Earrings : gabeadz

Scarf or belt : Humanidad
Soap : SoapyBlessings
Key chain and pendants : createev1

Necklace : CricketsCreations
Coasters : Yayahandicraft
Bracelet : Piruli

Bracelet : Lolos
Ornaments : missbutler
Pendant and ceramic business card : Sikiu

Good Luck everyone!

Dia de los Muertos Recipe!

2009-11-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

By Yayahandicraft

Day of the Dead Bread:

- 1/2 cup of butter
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of anise seed
- 1 1/4 teaspoon of dry yeast
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1/2 cup of water
- 4 eggs
- About 3 - 4 1/2 cups of flour
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1/2 cup with sugar
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoon white sugar

1. Heat the milk and the butter together in a medium saucepan, until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and add them warm water.
2. In a large bowl combine 1 cup of the flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Beat in the warm milk mixture then add the eggs and orange zest and beat until well combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of flour and continue adding more flour until the dough is soft.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
4. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This will take about 1 to 2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape it into a large round loaf with a round knob on top.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven let cool slightly then brush with glaze.

To make glaze:

In a small saucepan combine the 1/4 cup sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes. Brush over top of bread while still warm. Sprinkle glazed bread with white sugar.

Spanglish Team Treasuries!

2009-10-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

agmode
Stores
lolos, SumpinElse, needlepointnmore
anadiazarte, Piruli, PaperTreeStationery
BululuStudio, kutz, ChicBoutiqueJewelry
suenosdejmi, CardsBetweenFriends, GarageInc

English is similar to Castilian (Spanish)? Part III

2009-10-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

By Bululustudio

Did you know there are some similarities between English and Spanish? Yes it’s true...let me show you some examples.

Individual: Individual
Public: Público
Director: Director (Directora when is female)
Tutoring: Tutoría
Mathematics: Matemáticas

What to learn more about it? OK, stay tuned for more similar words.

Did you miss the previous words? Go here

Spanglish Team Treasuries!

2009-09-28T09:57:00.001-07:00

Piruli
Stores
tumbleweedstudios, BululuStudio, suenosdejmi
agmode, whimsypics, missbutler
SoapyBlessings, lolos, ChicBoutiqueJewelry
GarageInc, needlepointnmore, auclairdelalune

Our lovely member Piruli is hosting a great giveaway in support the Spanglish Team!
Just click here to win a wonderful necklace!

La Isla del Encanto!

2009-09-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

By createev1

La Isla del Encanto
Borinquen...
Boriquen...
P.R.

This tiny little island has many names, and a big spirit. The beautiful island that holds my heritage is Puerto Rico. I was born and raised in New York, but I am known to everyone as a Puerto Rican, (or Nuyorican to some.) I love and am very proud to have been raised as an American citizen, but to me there has never been any denial of the place from where my culture hails.

El Yunque!

Within its 3435 square miles (8897 km2), the island not only has it’s own National Rainforest (El Yunque), but also the largest radio telescope in the world: SETI Observatory in Arecibo.
There are so many different sides to this treasure in the Caribbean. Puerto Ricans are a beautiful mixture of Taino Indian, European, Spanish, and African. We come in all shapes, sizes and shades.

What I remember most about my trips to visit family, is how laid back and accepting people are. There is a huge trust that God will always take care of any problem we have.
Some of my favorite memories revolve around food (my favorite subject). Even if you listen to a lot of our Christmas music, it revolves around food:

I remember sitting at the kitchen table with my mami, helping her make pasteles. She would make the “maza” and filling, and I would put a spoonful in the wrapper and wrapt them, anticipating the moment when we could finally devour them! She would labor over these every Christmas, and sadly I have not taken the time out to make them myself, but I hope to this year. A lot of people compare pastels to tamales, but they are a little different.

On of the prettiest songs I’ve heard is En Mi Viejo San Juan. I used to see my mom get a tear in her eyes thinking about her homeland, and being so far away. Now I do the same, as I always say that one day I will return to visit my parents land, and mine.

El Observatorio!

To see createev1 creations just click here

A visit to Mt Rainer National Park!

2009-09-23T06:07:00.000-07:00

By AnaDiazArte

I recently moved to Washington State, I was surprised with his beauty! Washington is beautiful and I enjoy living here. One of the best places to go is Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park was established on March 2, 1899, and encompasses 235,625 acres, ranging in elevation from 1,610' to 14,410' above sea level. The "mountain" is an active volcano encased in over 35 square miles of snow and ice, surrounded by old growth forest and stunning wildflower meadows. The park is also rich in cultural resources and was designated a National Historic Landmark District as an outstanding example of early park planning and rustic architecture.
If you're looking for scenic drives or challenging hikes, or to enjoy historic architecture or mountain climbing, Mount Rainier has something for you. The view is spectacular!

This is only one of the hundreds of places you can enjoy mother nature here!, I would recommend it for a family trip, very peaceful place on Earth!

For more info visit here
and here

Mt Rainier

To visit anadiazarte just click here

New members in Spanglish Team!

2009-09-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Spanglish Team!

FunFavors

marlenedesigner

howbeadyful

Whimsypics

nostalgictreasures

Happy Day Chile!

2009-09-18T14:30:00.000-07:00

By Lolos

Cueca

Chile,

Land of the Mapuche warrior, of the good wine and the coveted copper. Long and narrow, from North to South, with its arid deserts and fertile green valleys. Land of songwriters and wholehearted poets that sing of illusion and hope. Dreamers and fighters with 200 years of living and thinking of love.

From the distance, I celebrate my 18th, cooking empanadas, and drinking my good wine while listening to a song.

Viva Chile M....! my missed land!

To see know more about Chile click here

My Empanadas

My chilean Teammates!

Stores
ClaudiaOlivos
needlepointnmore
lolos

Spanglish Team Treasuries!

2009-09-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

SIKIU
Stores
agmode, anadiazarte, CositasSeriasVintage
GarageInc, Whimsypics, BululuStudio
tumbleweedstudios, lolos, CardsBetweenFriends
kutz, suenosdejmi, naturalenazica

Labor day Sales!

2009-09-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

ChicBoutiqueJewelry
20% off everything.

PaperTreeStationery
BOGO Sale Buy one get one half off.

WhimsyPics
15% off everything in shop

anadiazarte
10% off everything.

Yayahandicrafts
15% off.

createev1
Buy 1 get 1 free in my shop as well as Free shipping. From now til Sept 20th.

Piruli
Free shipping promotion through to labor day.

Stitchingal
20% off all items.

Eco Friendly in Spanglish Team!

2009-09-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

Enjoy some eco friendly items from our members.

Spanglish Team!

AnaDiazArte

GarageInc

giandpindo

Cardsbetweenfriends

BululuStudio

auclairdelalune

PaperTreeStationery

Lolos

Whimsypics

English is similar to Castilian (Spanish)? Part II

2009-08-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

By BululuStudio

Did you know there are some similarities between English and Spanish? Yes it’s true....let me show you some examples.

Mosquitoes: mosquitos
Verb: Verbo
Family: Familia
Favorite: favorito
Service: servicio
Language: Lenguaje

What to learn more about it? OK, stay tuned for more similar words.

Did you miss the previous words? Go here

Spanglish Team Treasuries!

2009-08-20T23:22:00.000-07:00

Yayahandicraft

Stores

CricketandBear, lolos, dulcescreations
ChicBoutiqueJewelry, angelito313, BululuStudio
botanicalbird, ClaudiaOlivos, InvitaPaperStudio
CricketsCreations, HeartSpace, dropofsunshine

Lolos
Stores

botanicalbird, Cricketscreations, BululuStudio
agmode, auclairdelalune, Yayahandicraft
giandpindo, minimalista, needlepointnmore
missbutler, garageInc, Piruli

Spanglish Team
Stores

ClaudiaOlivos, southamericatraveler, auclairdelalune
agmode, ChicBoutiqueJewelry,Klassic
CricketandBear, minimalista, InvitapaperStudio
Lanyapi, CardsBetweenFriends, missbutler

New members in Spanglish Team!

2009-08-17T17:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Spanglish Team!

Lanyapi

stitchingal

MyMayanColors

anadiazarte

Klassic

CardsBetweenFriends
Spanglish Team!

English is similar to Castilian (Spanish)?

2009-07-31T12:04:00.000-07:00

By BululuStudio

Did you know there are some similarities between English and Spanish? Yes it’s true...let me show you some examples.

Coma: coma
Impossible: imposible
Parenthesis: paréntesis
Perfect: Perfecto
Similar: similar

Stay tuned for more similar words.

Xmas In July Sales last days!

2009-07-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

Spanglish team Treasury
Stores

auclairdelalune, BululuStudio, Yayahandicraft

ChicBoutiqueJewelry, CricketsCreations, Corinadotdash

missbutler, stitchingal, lolos
Piruli, agmode, whimsypics

Last days to get the chance to buy something original, handmade, beautiful and affordable.

Spanglish Team in xmas in July!

Spanglish Team in Orlando!

2009-07-22T14:43:00.000-07:00

BululuStudio and Lolos

Last weekend BululuStudio and Lolos decided to meet in person in Orlando for the first time ever. They had a really good time talking about their own lives and of course about the team.

They shared and discussed a lot of ideas about participation, promotions, members, etsy, sales, meetings etc, etc. Now they would love to share those ideas with you ( Spanglish Team Members ). They are planning to have a big meeting in Etsy Labs to get together to know you all!

We will let you know about the day. It's going to be fun and really useful for all of us.

Lolos and BululuStudio

Lolos and BululuStudio

Frida Kahlo Challenge Winner!

2009-07-20T19:48:00.000-07:00

The great Frida Kahlo Challenge was quite a success! There were eleven entries, five from the Spanglish Team and six from the Etsy Owl Team. Everyone had great fun interpreting this fabulous artist in their own way.

The winners were,

1st place: Lolos 27 ( 36% )
2nd place: squarejane 20 ( 27% )
3rd place: BululuStudio 17 ( 22% )

We thank all of you for your enthusiasm and in particular the Etsy Owl Team for working with the Spanglish Team in a joint challenge, let's do it again!

First Place

Lolos

Second Place
squarejane

Third Place
BululuStudio

Handmade Wedding!

2009-07-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

SIKIU
SIKIU

One of our members got married! her name is Sikiu, she contacted me to share her handmade wedding, it toke place in the beautiful Caribbean Island Aruba this past March. Her family and friend traveled to share that special day with her. She thought about giving favors that were small and unique for them to take back home. The best way to say thank you was making her own, artistic, handmade and personalized gifts. They all had an encription in Spanish and English in the back symbolizing the mix of both cultures, Sikiu is from Venezuela and Keith from New Jersey. The materials: Terracotta, Glaze, acrylic and love, how do you like them?

SIKIU

SIKIU

Blog
Photographer

Spanglish Team Treasuries!

2009-07-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

auclairdelalune

Stores

Lolos, SoapyBlessings, ChickBoutiqueJewelry
suenosdejmi, kutz, BululuStudio
CynContemporary, southamericatraveler, GarageInc
CricketandBear, agmode, CPMelo

Yayahandicraft
Stores

BululuStudio, lolos, tumbleweedstudios

agmode, CricketsCreations, whimsypics

stitchingal, missbutler, SoapyBlessings
Piruli, Corinadotdash, ChicBoutiqueJewelry

Viva Frida Kahlo!

2009-07-05T19:04:00.000-07:00

By Lolos

FRIDA KAHLO
On her 102nd anniversary

It is impossible to write about Frida Kahlo without creating a whirlwind of contradictory feelings mixed with admiration and horror. One of twentieth century's most important and revered artists, Frida literally embodied pain and tragedy and used art as a process of spiritual and metaphysical transformation

When she was a teenager, Frida was pierced by a metal handrail in a tragic trolley accident. The railing entered through her spinal cord and exited through her pelvis. She converted her ravaged body into some of the most memorable images that haunt our dreams. Her psychic and physical pain became a revolutionary metaphor of politics and feminism, of sexuality and subversion.

We think that her art is a lesson in artistic integrity, and the intensity of her emotions and fierce loyalty to her country has inspired women from all walks of life, but in particular Chicanas and Latin American artists, to create an alternative cultural expression, not constrained by gender but defined by artistic focus and a way of producing.

Facing her self-portrait, Frida acknowledges, "I have spent my whole life dying."

FRIDA KAHLO, /The Two Fridas/, 1939. Oil on canvas, 68 1/4 x 68 inches. Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City.

But that acceptance and sublimation of pain into art has given us, artists and craftspeople more that one reason to live and enjoy every minute of our work, making our obstacles and difficulties easier to accept and conquer. Thank you Frida.

Frida painted this eight days before she died. She called it “Viva la Vida”, an untranslatable play of words to Live and Life.

Challenge Items!

Spanglish Team
Participants:
Lolos, Piruli
tumbleweedstudios
ChickBoutiqueJewelry, BululuStudio

Etsy Owl Team
Participants:
lalala08
KatsCozyKrafts, hollystott, suenosdejmi
squarejane, taw0106

To vote for your favorite item just click here

Celebrating Venezuela’s Independence Day!

2009-07-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

By BululuStudio

Simón Bolívar

The signing of the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence on July 5, 1811.The anniversary of this declaration is celebrated as Independence Day.

The Caracas Junta was established on April 19, 1810, and it chose Bolívar to be part of a diplomatic mission sent to Britain. A congress of Venezuelan provinces declared independence on July 5, 1811, establishing the First Republic of Venezuela.

Simón Bolívar, El Libertador, is credited with contributing decisively to the independence of the present-day countries of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Panamá, Perú, and Bolívia and is revered as a national hero in them. Honorific title designed by his heroic continental acts.

Economy

The United States is Venezuela's leading trade partner although Brazil is expected to surpass the U.S. by 2011. During 2002, the United States exported $4.4 billion in goods to Venezuela, making it the 25th-largest market for the U.S. including petroleum products; Venezuela exported $15.1 billion in goods to the U.S., making it its 14th-largest source of goods.

Culture

The national musical instrument is the cuatro. Typical musical styles and pieces mainly emerged in and around the llanos region, including Alma Llanera (by Pedro Elías Gutiérrez and Rafael Bolivar Coronado), among others.

Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil “Simón Bolívar” de Venezuela interpretando El Alma Llanera

Venezuela is well-known for its successions in beauty pageants. Miss Venezuela is a big event in the country, and Venezuela has received 5 Miss World, 5 Miss Universe and 5 Miss International titles.

The World Values Survey has consistently shown Venezuelans to be among the happiest people in the world, with 55% of those questioned saying they were "very happy".

Tourism

Venezuela has beautiful landscapes like Salto Angel or Angel Falls the tallest waterfall in the world.

Canaima National Park has Precambrian geological formations that rank among the world's oldest. Just to mention a few places to visit.

Fireworks!

2009-07-03T13:20:00.000-07:00

By Lolos

Well guys and gals,

time to get that barbecue going, prepare your picnic baskets with some good bread, wine, cheese and other goodies of your choice and let's celebrate this weekend the American way!

4th of July with its fireworks and parades reminds us that hundreds of years ago this jolly bunch'a fellows Sherman, Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, and Livingston.

decided to put an end to the colonial treatment by Great Britain by declaring their Independence from the stuffy periwigs!

Viva el 4 de Julio! :-)

Stores
InvitaPaperStudio, auclairdelalune
calabaza
botanicalbird, suenosdejmi

Stores
Piruli, missbutler
agmode
CositasSeriasVintage, BululuStudio

Stores
SumpinElse, lolos
ChicBoutiqueJewelry
CricketsCreations, ClaudiaOlivos

So let's see...I am trying to think of a good soundtrack to celebrate such momentous occasion, oh! I know, how about the 4th of July by one of my favorite groups?

U2 of course.

Enjoy (and don't forget those fireworks!)

Frida Kahlo Challenge!

2009-06-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

Frida Kahlo was born on July 6, 1907 in the house of her parents, known as La Casa Azul (The Blue House), in Coyoacán, Mexico.

The coming July 6th marks the 102th Anniversary of one of twentieth century's most important and revered artists, Frida Kahlo, who literally embodied pain and tragedy and used art as a process of spiritual and metaphysical transformation.

The Spanglish Team and Etsy Owls Team have gotten together to jointly create a commemorative challenge to celebrate this important event and share with other members one of the inspirational forces behind some of the most important feminist and social movements of our time, both in the US and in the rest of Latin America and the many artistic expressions that it has inspired.

The challenge consists in creating unique items inspired by Frida’s work, life, times, influences etc.

The items will be displayed in our Etsy shops beginning the 3rd of July until midnight the 5th of July.

The voting to select the favorite will be conducted on the Etsy Owls team blog and will run for one week, ending Monday 13th of July at 10 pm eastern time.

Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird/
Autorretrato con collar de espinas y colibrí,
1940, (Nickolas Muray Collection)

Spanglish Yart!

2009-06-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

Spanglish Team

Stores

auclairdelalune, createev1,CricketsCreations
BululuStudio, sueniosdejmi, tumbleweedstudios
dreambirdphotos, Piruli, needlepointnmore
lolos, yayahandicraft, GarageInc

Yart Sale!

2009-06-10T12:18:00.000-07:00

Yart Sale in Spanglish Team!

Stores that are participating

auclairdelalune

createev1

CricketsCreations

BululuStudio

sueniosdejmi

dreambirdphotos

tumbleweedstudios

piruli

needlepointnmore

Yayahandicraft

Lolos

Yart Sale is coming soon...

2009-06-08T11:59:00.000-07:00

Yart Sale is aproaching... Wednesday 10th of June will be the first big day to promote everywhere our Spanglish Team Yart Sale!

Yart Sale from
June 10-14, 2009

Stores that are participating:

-auclairdelalune
-createev1
-CricketsCreations
-BululuStudio
-suenosdejmi
-dreambirdphotos
-tumbleweedstudios
-piruli
-needlepointnmore

-Yayahandicraft
-Lolos

For more information about the "Yart Sale" just click here

And the Winner is.......

2009-06-05T10:33:00.000-07:00

Number 4 is our lovely winner.

Number 4: Creations By Hand

Congratulations!

Thanks everyone for the participation!

Spanglish Team!

New Miembros!

2009-06-01T15:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Spanglish Team!

Bienvenidos!

dreambirdphotos

mexiKITSCH

PaperTreeStationery

cyncontemporary

Yayahandicraft

Baking Soda and your health

2009-05-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

By BululuStudio

Lolos

Several days ago I received a very useful email, which listed a number of benefits on the sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and I would like to share it with my fellow Etsians.

According to Dr. Robert O. Young (you can Google his name for more information):

"If we keep our body with an alkaline pH between 7.3 and 7.4 we will remain free of disease "

Take your baking soda every day ... TRUE PREVENTION

o Drink at least one liter of water per day to which it has added a tablespoon of sodium bicarbonate.

This will help flush your system and free it from the accumulated acidity.

o To reverse pneumonia, asthma, sinusitis, do some nebulizer with water and two drops of liquid sodium bicarbonate, 2 or 3 times a day.

o To prevent the buildup of bacteria in the mouth, make a mouthwash mixture of teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water.

o To remove chemical residues from your hair, add a teaspoon of baking soda to your shampoo bottle.

o To counter the effects of an acid intake, drink before or after it, a glass of water with a teaspoon of baking soda and. .. 2 tablespoons if you exceeded with alcohol.

Feliz Cumpleaños!

2009-05-26T08:54:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating BululuStudio Cumpleaños!

Happy Birthday!

BululuStudio

To see more of her work just click here

What is a Giclée?

2009-05-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

By tumbleweedstudios

Giclée (pronounced "zhee-clay"), taken from the concept of French verb "gicler" meaning "to squirt" or "to spray", is the process of making fine art prints from a digital source using ink-jet printer.

Giclée printing has been most commonly used for the reproduction of art. This is, by far, the closest piece of art to an original one. Different from the traditional lithographic print, which is commonly printed with an offset printer, Giclée prints are literarily squirted or sprayed with vivid color inks intelligently through the nuzzles of and ink-yet printer designed for that use. The quality of print results in a gamut of vibrant colors that penetrate the fibers of the media fusing into a perfect archival chemistry.

The advantage of a giclée print for art reproduction is that you are most likely to get a super close result to it's original (if the digital image comes from an original painting), not only in color fidelity but in medias as well. If you have an oil painting and you would like to get reproductions from it, you can get those giclée prints made on canvas! the same is with watercolor paintings, you can get the giclée prints of a watercolor printed on fine art paper with texture or smooth surfaces. The possibilities are endless and you will never ever, compromise quality. And the great news is that the inks and surfaces are 100% archival.

Fine art prints of original digital art and digital photography can be made using the giclée printing process. Products, such as, greeting cards, bookmarks and any other form of stationary can be also made using the same process but keep in mind that these will still be considered as a fine art prints and the cost of making them is higher than the same products printed with regular offset printing, and of course, the quality will also be higher due to the archival property of the materials used.

A true giclée print is made with archival inks and medias of museum quality.

Be aware that giclée printing is an extremely detailed and delicate labor and that there are many places who think they make giclée prints but they don't. Giclée printing is not "Fast Art" , it is not easy nor fast to make. I use the same concept of food quality to illustrate what I'm trying to say; fast foods are of less quality and poor nutrition compared to home made or slower cooking foods in restaurants, which ingredients are fresh, and the cook puts time into a great meal, different from fast food which is made in seconds with processed ingredients.

Giclée services are not cheap, therefore it is important to select a good source for this service to make your investment worth the money. If you ever own a giclée print well made, you will enjoy it for about 95 years or so. Due to the archival advantage in materials, giclée colors will look as vivid through all the years as when you first saw them; if proper care is given, that is. For canvas prints it is recommended to be either stretched or mounted on acid free surface and for prints made on fine art paper it is recommended to be mounted behind glass using Acid free materials as well.

The process of giclee printing may vary and can be subdivided into many steps due to it's complexity, but briefly and simplified, the big steps usually occur like follows:

1- Capturing the image - Digitalization

For the capture of an original art piece, devises such as, drum scanners, flat bed scanners, camera backs, can be used. Sometimes a professional digital camera can work fine. It all depends on factors such as, the size of the original art piece and the desired size of the reproductions. I would always strive for the most professional choice of input for best output results. The digital format of the capture can be saved as tif, jpg, pdf, etc. I personally prefer .tif For it's high digital quality.

2- Digital Imaging - color correction

This step consists in correcting the digital image in the computer against the original art piece (if available), making adjustments in color, dusting and cleaning up the image, and if needed or requested, retouching and enhancements can be also made. Color correcting is time consuming and can take many hours of interrupted work.

3-Proofing

Once the image is cleaned up and corrected, it's time for testing. This can be the most tedious and challenging part of all giclée making steps, specially if the digital artist and the client are too meticulous to let a small detail pass. Proofing means going through a series of tests prints in small scale with small color variations, then compared to each other and against the original (if available). This can take as little or as many proofs until you finally achieve the best match. In proofing we are looking for things like color fidelity, resolution quality and visual aspects that will give you a glance of the final print you are looking for.

As you can imagine, this process far from being tedious and time consuming is very expensive as materials such as, papers, canvas and inks are being used; but equally crucial and necessary if one wants to have a close result, specially in colors to those in the original art piece.

4- Printing the final prints

After the best proof is finally chosen, it's time to print the final. The best part of all, to my taste, not only for the fact that the best quality print is in place to get printed, but for the fact that an artists will soon be smiling seeing his or her giclée prints made.

After printing is complete, there are other tasks, such as, cutting, trimming and UV protection coating for canvas, but for the most part, these 4 steps are the most popular and the most relevant of the giclée making.

Great results are achieved with dedication and passion for what you do. A museum quality giclée print is one of those things you can't make without either of these.

Giveaway! Win a gorgeous pair of Earrings.

2009-05-22T12:48:00.000-07:00

Our Giweaway will be start today, Friday 22nd of May till Thursday 4th of June.

Our lovely member naturalezanica it's giving away a great pair of earrings.

In order to win this Giveaway you have to follow the rules, please.

Rules:

- Go to naturalezanica store and tell us what do you like from there and copy the http code of that page :-)

The raffle will be held on Thursday 4th of June until 10:00 pm East and the result will be published Friday 5th at 2:00pm East.

naturalezanica

Good Luck everyone!

The Need to Create- Cristina Spurr

2009-05-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

By createev1

The love of art has been inside me since I was a little girl. Back then I never really thought about it, but I spent hours sketching, writing, and creating my own little treasures for my dolls. I once sent off one of those “Art Tests” drawings, you know the one in the back of all the magazines, and actually got an acceptance letter at around age nine. Much to my mami’s surprise!

createev1

I even went to a specialized Art High School ( Art & Design , NY ) and planned on becoming a Fashion designer. My plans changed along the way, and life led me in a few different directions, but now I am renewing my desire to learn about and create new art.

createev1

My main love these days is photography, which I inherited from my dad. I find it very relaxing, and get excited if I can catch a rare moment in nature, or a certain look on someone’s face that you love.

My new love however, is learning to make my own jewelry, which is something I have always wanted to do.

createev1

In general, this is a way for me to express myself, and I feel that one is never too old to learn, and be creative. I’ve never believed that Art is a constricted view of rules on how you are supposed to draw, or make something. So what if it is not perfect? I believe imperfections can be very beautiful.

createev1

New Members!

2009-05-19T12:07:00.000-07:00

We are greeting our lovely new members.

Welcome to Spanglish Team!

ivonne3576

createev1

CricketandBear

SumpinElse

Miembro of the Week!

2009-05-15T12:25:00.000-07:00

createev1

I am a photographer in North Florida. My favorite form of relaxation is to capture nature at it's best. I love to photograph flowers, birds, ( all kinds of animals in general) and beautiful landscapes.

By createe1

createev1

createev1

createev1

To see more of her work just click here

Ricotta cheese gnocchi!

2009-05-13T13:20:00.000-07:00

Cooking with agmode

I learned how to cook watching my mom making us fabulous meals. I’m half italian and half spanish (Spain), so pasta is a common dish at family gatherings. Let me share this recipe with you. I hope you like it too!

Ingredients
* 15 oz (425g) fresh ricotta cheese
* 1 egg yolk
* 1 teaspoon salt
* ½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
* 1 ¼ cup of flour
* Extra flour, to roll gnocchi
* 3 tablespoon grated parmeggiano-reggiano cheese
It’s a 3 serving size meal, if you expect people over for dinner, double up the recipe.

How to:

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, the egg yolk, salt and nutmeg, and stir until all ingredients are evenly combined; add the flour and stir again, the mixture will be very soft.

Sprinkle the extra flour onto a large board, (I like to use a Glass serving tray, it is easy to clean afterwards), and working with well-floured hands and a tablespoon divide dough into 3 pieces.

Roll each dough piece at a time, into dowels, about ½ inch in diameter and cut dowels into ½ inch long pieces.

Separate the formed gnocchi slightly or they'll stick together when cooking. Apply flour again onto surface and hands and repeat process until finish.

Water has to be ready, if not, keep your gnocchis in the refrigerator until cooking time.

Drop gnocchi into salted boiling water. Cook them for about 2-3 minutes and remove them using a slotted spoon when gnocchi start floating to the top. Taste and adjust seasonings

Serving suggestion: olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil already drained, and basil topped with grated cheese or pasta topping of your choice.

My daughter Candela’s favorite topping is heavy whipping cream heated in a sauce pan, add cooked and drained qnocchis, stir a moment and topped with parmeggiano-reggiano cheese.

By the time the cheese melts everyone is seated at the table ready to taste them!!

Accompany with your favorite salad. Enjoy!!

A mother’s Love.

2009-05-10T00:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day a todas las madres de Spanglish Team!

By ClaudiaOlivos

A mother’s love is (most of the time) “unconditional… this is what makes it so very special. It is a love that will withstand transgressions of adolescence... plus whatever may come thereafter.

Hopefully everyone will be able to experience this kind of absolute unconditional love. It is the foundation of a healthy human being.

However, this is not always the case in real life- and it can prove to be difficult on Mother’s day to celebrate a relationship that has not been ideal.

From an early age, we know that when we do all the “right” things—when we are quiet, obedient, get good grades and otherwise “fit in” and are “good”—our parent will “love” us. However, when we misbehave or are “bad,” all those signs of “love” vanish. It is easy to learn from an early age that love is mostly conditional.

This is what makes a mother’s love so special; not many loves are as ideal as a mother’s love: and this is what we celebrate on Mother’s Day: the all consummate and unconditional love of a mother.

If you have not been blessed to experience that: know that you are worthy! You can hopefully have the opportunity to give this kind of love to your own children.

A mother's love is priceless. Our children should not have to earn our love. There is no love like a mother's love and there is no hurt like the hurt of a child, who is not loved unconditional by that very first and most important relationship: Mother.

In his book, Unconditional love, Dr. Powell writes that it is a permanent gift of the heart. He states: “this gift says simply: 'I want to share with you whatever I have that is good. Somewhere in the world there may be someone who is better for you or for me. That is not the point. The point is that I have chosen to give you my gift of love and you have chosen to love me. That is the only soil in which love can grow. We're going to make it together!”

As a mother, I know I love my son unconditionally. Forever. This unconditional love means that I cannot always predict my reaction or guarantee my strength, but I can guarantee that I am committed to his happiness, his growth. I will always accept him just as he is. I will always love him, deeply. My favorite book to read to him since he was a toddler has been “I love you Forever" I can still not read it without getting teary eyed. I mean every word of it!

Happy Dia de la Madre!

ClaudiaOlivos

Miembro of the Week!

2009-05-08T15:29:00.000-07:00

tumbleweedstudios

I am Susana, a proud mom and wife who works at home. I am a Digital Artist and I have had my studio for over three years. I have been into the arts since I ever remember. I grew up among artists which include my grandfather, my dad, my uncle, my sister, my cousins, etc. I come from a family full of painters, musicians, interior designer, art dealer and gallery owners and home decorating related business owners. I have spent a lot of my childhood, teen years and adult years in the art gallery scene, being my dad the owner of one.

So, I have been tumbling around the arts for a very long time.

I am now a professional digital artist who specializes in the giclée making for artists and galleries as well as for myself.

I am also a crafter and an explorer. I am elaborating my jewelry designs and I have started to add some of them.

I love to try new ways to make art, I always tumble around things that inspire me and make meaningful art out of them . So you'll be seeing more of me in the next days, months and hopefully many years to come.

tumbleweedstudios

Feliz Cumpleaños!

2009-05-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating needlepointnmore Cumpleaños!

Happy Birthday!

needlepointnmore

5 De Mayo!

2009-05-05T21:44:00.000-07:00

By Lolos

Benito Juáres in a mural by Diego Rivera

As the 5 de Mayo date approaches, Latinos, Hispanic Americans and Chicanos in particular celebrate this day as an opportunity to affirm our roots, our language and our customs as well as the richness and diversity of our culture.

The Spanglish Team would like to take this opportunity to celebrate sustainable crafts, and the artists in our communities who consider awareness and responsibility an indispensable element of our work by giving a short historical reference as to what this date is all about.

The French had allied with Mexican conservatives, the military and the clergy, to overthrow Benito Juarez, a Zapotec Amerindian and the first full-blooded indigenous national to serve as President of Mexico for five terms as president of Mexico, the first time a native ruler had led any country in America since the conquest. We think this date resonates even more today as an African American serves as President of the United States for the first time in its history!

Benito Juáres with his sister Nela (left) and his wife Margarita (right), 1843

Cinco de Mayo conmmemorates the day when the Mexican Army, outnumbered two to one, defeated the invading French Army's intervention of Mexico, launched by the French Emperor Napoleon III in 1862, with intent to establish a conservative regime. The conservatives wanted to abolish the Republic and institute a monarchy.

Napoleon III

Juarez defended the national sovereignty and established the separation of church and state, lessening the great power that the Roman Catholic Church held over Mexican politics and declared all citizens equal before the law.

One of the wisest and most significan quotes from Juarez, which is even more important today:

Entre los individuos, como entre las naciones, el respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz, meaning "Among individuals, as among nations, respect for the rights of others is peace."

Battle of Puebla

Miembro of the Week!

2009-05-01T08:59:00.000-07:00

agmode

Since I have memory I’ve being surrounded by fabrics, yarns, hooks, needles, buttons, lace, fashion magazines, and all the other things needed to develop and finish clothing. Since always I live with the design bug in my heart.

I have a BA in Fashion Design from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and I specialized in lingerie and intimate garments. I love the well constructed garment, the good fitting clothes, and the unexpected accessories. After working for years in the Fashion industry, I decided to establish my own company, self-publish my originals patterns and sell my own handmade designs.

I love to work with different techniques to obtain stunning results, rich colors and textures. Sewing, knitting, crochet, Tunisian crochet, and beading are my passion.

agmode

Stores
suenosdejmi, tumbleweedstudios, naturalezanica
needlepointnmore, auclairdelalune, dropofsunshine
BululuStudio, lolos, missbutler
SoapyBlessings, ChickBoutiqueJewelry, handbagcave

How to Attract Birds to Your Yard

2009-04-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

By BululuStudio

Here are a few tips to lure them there.

No Pesticides
First of all, do not use pesticides. The pesticides may kill the birds you are trying to attract.

Proper Trees
If you've landscaped your home for energy savings, you probably have a few trees in your yards. The evergreen trees make a great year-round home for birds, especially those that have berries and seed-producing cones. You'll also want to grow deciduous trees that have berries, fruits or other possible bird eats.

Reduce the Size of Your Lawn
A big lawn does not make a bird-magnet. A large lawn can also consume a lot of time, money, water and lawn-mower gasoline. Planting shrubs or hedges or anything that provides cover for birds is preferable. Bird houses also work as cover.

Water
Birds need water. Any shallow pool of water can provide birds water. A bird bath is a popular method of providing off-ground water to birds. Birds are vulnerable to cat and other predator attacks when they are on the ground. To keep the cats off your bird bath grow prickly plants along its base.

Bird Feeders
Birds are attracted to feeders. Feed them native seeds if possible. Exotic foods can give native birds digestion troubles.

Etsy Day Sales!

2009-04-24T17:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Etsy Day!

Esty Day Sales in Spanglish Team only for today!

Free Shipping!

Hurry Up!

agmode

BululuStudio

tumbleweedstudios

Lolos

Etsy Day is coming soon......

2009-04-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

Etsy Day is approaching...Friday 24th will be the big day to promote Etsy.com everywhere...What could we do as a Team??

Here are some suggestions

*Special promotions
*Promote Etsy in our blogs, twitter, facebook, MySpace, Flickr etc. etc.
*Leave stickers or ads in Supermarkets, shops, offices, workplaces etc.
*Make a treasury with the group's offer of the day.
*Tell our friends and relatives to visit us in Etsy.
*Make an orange color product or item.
*Take a funny picture with the Etsy logo and publish it in Flickr
*Put an Etsy sign in our cars.
*Dress our pets in orange..
*Decorate your Etsy banner announcing the big Etsy day.
*Make some handmade cards and pass them around.

Whatever comes to your mind to make this a successful day.

Now, lets get to work together and let our imagination fly...good luck and have Fun!

For more info just click here

Green Tips!

2009-04-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

By BululuStudio

Tip 1: Don’t leave a trail of plastics water bottles in your wake! Choose water bottles made from renewable resources or reusable materials, such as aluminum ***

Tip 2: Reuse
Carry a reusable bag with you for groceries, shopping, and take out food. But if you forget, choose paper and recycle it or plastic and reuse.

Tip 3: Recycle
Recycle whatever and wherever you can. The energy saved by using recycled instead of raw materials to manufacture goods ranges from 40 to 95 percent.

Tip 4: Save energy
Do not stop with changing your light bulbs! You can also set the refrigerator thermostat to maintain a temperature between 38 and 42 degrees.

Tip 5: Save energy
Start by turning off your screen saver and cut even more energy that your computer uses by putting it in sleep mode when it isn’t in use.

Tip 6: Switch it off
Plug electronic equipment into power strips that can be switched off at night or when not in use.

Tip 7: Buy toilet paper, paper towels and paper napkins that are made with post-consumer waste. Many brands are available in grocery stores, often at comparable prices.

Stores

giandpindo

auclairdelalune
CPMelo
Lolos

Stores
tercermundista
GarageInc
BululuStudio
naturalezanica

Earth!

2009-04-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

By Lolos

As if only one day sufficed to honor our Mother Earth, we wax poetic about her and rest complacent that we have fulfilled our obligation. The rest is up to others to take care of. Or is it?

We must all do our part in giving back to our community which is where it all starts. If we cannot help those around us we will hardly be able to help the world at large. And we know this blue planet of ours needs all the help it can get before it turns muddy gray and lifeless.

We can honor our Mother Earth in our own little way by recycling, giving new life and rescuing from obsolescence the cultural debris of our consumer society.

Here are some examples from our own Spanglish Team that go in that direction and that can inspire us to work and live in a sustainable way!

Stores
tercermundista
naturalezanica
BululuStudio

Stores
GarageInc
auclairdelalune
lolos
giandpindo

And the Winner is.......

2009-04-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

Our lovely winner is the number 10.... :-))

Number 10= heidisblog

Congratulations!

Thanks everyone for your participation!

Spanglish Team!

Miembro of the Week!

2009-04-17T16:42:00.000-07:00

handbagcave

I was born and raised in Costa Rica and currently live in NYC. My father has an upholstery shop and my mother is a seamstress. They are both very talented, but I never touched a sewing machine while living with them.

After the disappointment of being rejected by a fashion school here in Manhattan, just because of a delay with a document, I bought my first sewing machine and learned how to use it. I struggled enough until I got my first professional looking handbag, which surprisingly happened after my third attempt.

After that I started designing for friends and family, and it seemed like my skills were getting better and better. It wasn’t until 2009 that I decided to give my talent a shot and share my passion with the world. So here I am.

I make my own designs, patterns and manufacture every bag you will find in my shop.

By handbagcave

handbagcave

To see more of her work just click here

Spring / Primavera

2009-04-14T17:06:00.000-07:00

By auclairdelalune

I just love the transitional seasons. In an effort to embrace spring in a Spanglish way I thought I’d investigate what Spring y Primavera nos ofrecen en tandem:

En inglés, la palabra Spring is from spring (v.); the notion is of the "spring of the year," when plants "spring up" (cf. spring of the leaf, 1538). My research finds “O.E. springan "to leap, burst forth, fly up" (class III strong verb; past tense sprang, pp. sprungen), from P.Gmc. *sprenganan.” So, the image that comes to mind is definitely one of action – think time change, spring forward, water springs forth from a source...

In Spanish, the word primavera proviene del latín vulgar prima (primera) y ver, veris (primavera). El latín ver viene del indoeuropeo *ver- que se relaciona al crecimiento y donde vienen las palabras verde, verano, vergel, incluso verga. “La palabra primavera es por Ver Primum (a la entrada del verano) o estación previa del verano,” So, from this I think of looking forward to those first hints of summer, and of course images of verde (“Verde, que te quiero verde...”).

So, if we quit la lección de etimología, ¿Qué quieren decir spring y primavera para nuestras tiendas de etsy? We can obviously all find ways to look forward and take action, profesionalmente y personalmente. I will certainly be looking for ways to improve my shop both artistically and business-wise. What new ideas are waiting to germinate, needing attention to grow? Certainly team Spanglish is feeling the call of spring, energized with new marketing strategies y el cultivo de nuevas amistades. También podemos interpretar verde as eco-friendly. La primavera might be the right time to introduce that first bit of green into your business, whether it’s through the economy of using less or re-using more.

En mi pequeño rincón del mundo, aquí in Central Florida, we don’t have the dramatic contrasts of spring que nuestros amigos al norte get, but we do have a gentle whisper that hints at the scorching summer that is to come. It’s time to trabajar en el jardín before the arrival of longer, hotter days. I need to finish the spring cleaning and finally tackle that garment rack that collapsed in my workspace, making a disaster of all of my neatly folded and sorted fabrics. Yo leo Thoreau’s Walden with the Etsy Book Club, un texto que representa la celebración de la naturaleza, and is always a fitting choice for spring. Busco también oportunidades for volunteerism in my community with literacy & ESOL groups.

I encourage everyone to embrace spring/primavera, to look forward and take action, inviting both personal and professional growth into your corner of the world!

Reflexiones sobre la primavera:

Doña Primavera

De Gabriela Mistral

Doña Primavera
viste que es primor,
viste en limonero
y en naranjo en flor.

Lleva por sandalias
unas anchas hojas,
y por caravanas
unas fucsias rojas.

Salid a encontrarla
por esos caminos.
¡Va loca de soles
y loca de trinos!

Doña Primavera
de aliento fecundo,
se ríe de todas
las penas del mundo...

No cree al que le hable
de las vidas ruines.
¿Cómo va a toparlas
entre los jazmines?

¿Cómo va a encontralas
junto de las fuentes
de espejos dorados
y cantos ardientes?

De la tierra enferma
en las pardas grietas,
enciende rosales
de rojas piruetas.

Pone sus encajes,
prende sus verduras,
en la piedra triste
de las sepulturas...

Doña Primavera
de manos gloriosas,
haz que por la vida
derramemos rosas:

Rosas de alegría,
rosas de perdón,
rosas de cariño,
y de exultación.

I cannot meet the Spring unmoved

by Emily Dickinson

I cannot meet the Spring unmoved --
I feel the old desire --
A Hurry with a lingering, mixed,
A Warrant to be fair --

A Competition in my sense
With something hid in Her --
And as she vanishes, Remorse
I saw no more of Her.

blanco y negro

2009-04-13T15:12:00.000-07:00

missbutler

Stores
kutz, suenosdejmi, giandpindo
naturalezanica, BululuStudio, tumbleweedstudios,
knots, CricketsCreations, RobelParra,
ClaudiaOlivos, CositasSeriasVintage, tercermundista

Miembro of the Week!

2009-04-10T16:48:00.000-07:00

auclairdelalune

Au clair de la lune is when elves and busy mommies work on their projects -- and by the light of the moon, through the window of my attic workshop, is where you'll find me on most nights.

By auclairdelalune

Recycled Fabrics for Human and Habitat

auclairdelalune

To see more of her great work just click here

A bit of Art in Spanglish!

2009-04-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

Wednesday Art!
Just a few!
Enjoy them!

Corinadotdash

ClaudiaOlivos

MariaAragon

brochazo

Our First Giveaway ever!

2009-04-02T19:19:00.000-07:00

The team is happy to announce to you that beginning Friday , April 3th we will start doing Giveaways.

Our first Giweaway will be from Friday 3th till Saturday 18th of April. Our lovely member calabaza will be the first one. She is giving away a great custom monogram from calligraphics, her other store.

In order to win this Giveaway you have to visit her store and leave a comment in our blog about her work.

The ruffle will be held on Saturday 18th until 10:00 pm East and the result will be published Sunday 19th at 2:00pm East.

Here is an example of a custom monogram.

calligraphics

What you will win is a personalized custom monogram or name! I will draw your name or monogram by hand and then scan the image and digitally color it. You will get to choose the colors, file size and file type. These images are great for blogs, weddings, banners or to print through a printing service on personalized stationary! We can communicate via email or through etsy convos to make sure that the image is perfect for your needs. You will have all rights for reproduction over this image.

calligraphics

Good Luck to all!

Wednesday Tips!

2009-04-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

By BululuStudio our Queen of the Tips

Crafting tips and tricks

1.- After painting, set your brushes in fabric softener for about 10 minutes (I have left mine even over night) and then clean as usual. This works for brushes used for all types of paint, even oil based paints.

Then I tried the same thing with hair conditioner after using acrylic paint and it worked too. I was in a hurry and just dropped the brushes into the conditioner until I went back to the craft room... my brushes cleaned up faster and it worked well even after using gesso."

2.- If you have small items to paint that are hard to hold onto, try this... Make a loop using a piece of masking or duct tape and stick it to the back of your project. Now, tape the item to the eraser end of a pencil. Hold onto the pencil to paint the item - to dry, simply place the pencil in a cup!

Hello New Miembros!

2009-03-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

We got new miembros to share with you! Please welcome them by visiting their shops and leaving un saludo!!! Bienvenidos!

**************Welcome to Spanglish Team!**************

Stores
vanessaandcompany
tercermundista
tumbleweedstudios

Stores
lassenoritas
handbagcave
spidermonkeydesigns

Stores
auclairdelalune
gianpindo
kutz

Friday Tips!

2009-03-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

By BululuStudio the Queen of the Tips.

To maintenance semiprecious stones in perfect conditions

• Avoid perfumes, colognes; make up powders, cosmetics, hair spray, body oil, heat, and other substances that may cause damage to stones.
• Rub gems with a smooth, soft cloth to remove fingerprints and keep them shiny.
• Store stones away from intense heat and light.

Cleaning stone beads

• Immerse stones beads in warm, soapy water and scrub gently with a soap brush.. Then rinse the beads and place them on a soft towel to dry.

• Most stone beads can be ultrasonic cleaned as well. Please note: beads that are dyed or organic (amber, bone, coral, ivory, opal pearls or turquoise, for example) can be damaged if cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner. Also, dyed stones should not be steam-cleaned.

Treble Flower Tutorial!

2009-03-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

By Agmode

Treble flower
Designed by Andrea Graciarena

SKILL LEVEL: beginner

GAUGE
Gauge is not critical for this project.

MATERIALS
YARN
Worsted Weight - 4 ply
Shown in: Caron Simple Soft (100% Acrylic); 315yd/288m per 6oz/170gr: #9717, Soft pink: approx 8yd/ 7.33m
HOOKS
One size US H-8 (5 mm), or size to obtain gauge
Yarn needle

Stitch Explanation
Open Slip Knot: Form a lp, draw yarn through lp, insert crochet hook into the lp just made, keeping the knot lp open. Start your work with the lp just done.
Treble Cluster st ñ TCL st: * yo 3 times on the hook, insert hook in stitch or space indicated, yarn over, draw yarn through the stitch, [yarn over, draw through 2 loops on hook] 3 times *; repeat from * to * 3 times. Yarn over, draw yarn through 4 loops on hook, ch 1.

NOTES
There is no starting ring for this project. The Open Sl Knot is used as ring.

PATTERN
Make 1 Open Sl knot.
Round 1: Ch 10, sl st in sl knot lp; work *10 ch, sl st in sl knot lp; repeat from * 4 times, join round with a sl st in Open Sl Knot. Pull yarn tail, tighten the Sl knot lp.
Round 2: Work *Ch 3, sl st in next sl st leaving the ch-3 sp on the back; repeat from * 5 times in ring, join round with a sl st in 1st sl st.
Round 3: Work *ch 4, TCl st in first ch-3 sp, ch 4, sl st in next sl st; repeat from * around 5 times, join round with a sl st in 1st sl st.

Weave in all ends.

Abbreviations used in this pattern
ch(s): chain(s)
lp(s): loop
sk: skip
sl st(s): slip stitch
sp: space
st(s): stitch(s)
TCl st: Treble Cluster stitch
yo: yarn over

Agmode

Agmode

Copyright © 2009 by AG mode
Pattern is granted for personal use only, not to be used for commercial/retail purposes. Do not share, trade, sell, reproduce or distribute all or part of this design.. I appreciate and thank you for complying with these terms.

Feliz Aniversario!

2009-03-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating BululuStudio Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary!

Wedding Anniversaries
BululuStudio wedding anniversary is Bronze :D...
Which one is yours?

1st Year >>> Cotton

2nd Year >>> Paper

3rd Year >>> Leather

4th Year >>> Fruit

5th Year >>> Wood

6th Year >>> Candy

7th Year >>> Wool

8th Year >>> Bronze

9th Year >>> Pottery

10th Year >>> Aluminum

11th Year >>> Steel

12th Year >>> Silk

13th Year >>> Lace

14th Year >>> Ivory

15th Year >>> Porcelain
20th Year >>> Crystal

25th Year >>> Silver

30th Year >>> Pearls

35th Year >>> Coral

40th Year >>> Ruby

45th Year >>> Sapphire

50th Year >>> Golden

55th Year >>> Emerald

60th Year >>> Diamond

70th Year >>> Platinum
75th Year >>> Brilliant

BululuStudio

Moving Sale!!!!

2009-03-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

BululuStudio

Moving SALE! All items FREE shipping to the US and Canada, just wait for the revised invoice. Offer ends: March 26th.

To see more of her work just click here

Feliz Cumpleaños!

2009-03-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating Lolos and CositasSeriasVintage Cumpleaños!

Happy Birthday!

We want cake!!! ;D

Lolos

From BululuStudio

Happy Birthday!
CositasSeriasVintage