A Farewell...

Wow! its been a long time since I have posted :) A lot of changes have been going on in my house (only good ones) so I haven't been on very much. When I do have free time I am out taking pictures and spending time with my kiddos. :)

On a really sad note, after much debate, I have decided to shut down Mamma Tortilla ...........WHAT!! i know mouth dropper! It's been an awesome time and I have enjoyed blogging here at Mamma T but its time to move on. I am not disappearing from the blog world though, I have a photo blog in the works and hoping that will take off soon :) I am focusing all of my energy on photography WOOHOO!

Special thanks to everyone who made Mamma T what it was (you know who you are), guest bloggers, Melissa West and everyone who loved Mamma T. I will keep Mamma Tortilla up for awhile just in case I want to come back :)



Farewell and Adios,

Mamma Tortilla

Guest Blogger: Jolyn from A Year Of Happy

I am so excited to have Jolyn from A Year of Happy at my house today. She has an amazing photo blog and a blog cafe that you must check out. We met through the 100 Photos Project and I have fallen in love with her pictures. So grab your cup of Monday tea and give a warm welcome to Jolyn.

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Hi! I'm JoLyn and I'm so excited to be visiting at Mamma Tortilla--what an honor it is to be here!

Leslie and I got in touch because we both love photography. Me? I'm really new to the photography game--in fact, I just got my "big-girl" camera for Christmas, and now it hardly ever leaves my side. I am hooked! And I think the internet/blogging world is the perfect place to learn photography, make friends, and share our photos.

For instance, Leslie and I are both participating in a 100 photos project. Every person who wants to play along chooses their own theme. Mine is "Simple Pleasures." This theme goes along with my Happiness Project, which is to look for the good things in life that money can't buy, and write about them on my blog. These two projects are really changing the way I look at life. They are making me notice things I had taken for granted--and the simple things have taken on much more meaning since I started focusing on life through the lens of my camera.

One experience in particular was an early morning when I was driving my son to school, like I do most mornings. I started looking at my world wondering what would make a good photo that day. And I saw this view--it's only about a mile from my home. I see it every single day. But I guess in my rush of activities, I don't really take the time to look. When I looked at it through my lens, I realized how breathtaking it really is!

I've also started taking note of simple things that I might not have seen otherwise. Like the day I was in the airport and saw these two birds sitting on the chairs watching the planes take off and land!

And speaking of birds, I've never paid much attention to them before. But having my camera in hand, I've become an avid bird watcher. On a recent humanitarian trip to Nicaragua, I spent an hour taking photos of the birds on the beach--and loving it!

Another fun project I'm participating in is called "Team Up Thursday". For this project, we are paired with another person, and each week we take a photo based on the week's theme. Then we create a diptych using our two photos. My partner is Arizaphale from Australia. I'm from Utah, so the two of us are having a blast getting to know each other and working together from opposite sides of the world. It's fun to see what our teammates come up with for each week's theme! Here's one of our diptychs--our theme was "Lunch".

As much fun as I'm having with my camera, I'm quickly learning how much I don't know. The method to my madness right now is to take hundreds of photos--and hope one or two get lucky and turn out good! You should have seen me in Nicaragua, madly snapping photo after photo from the window of our moving bus! Luckily, I got a few good ones that really tell the story of our amazing adventures.

I guess for me, photography is about two things: telling a story and finding the joy in life. And no matter how much I learn about how my camera works, that's how I hope it will always be!

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Thank you so much Jolyn for coming over today and visiting :) Don't forget to check out her photo blog and blog cafe.

Leslie

It's A Jungle Out There

My garden has over taken the corner of my backyard. I was happy to come back home from my trip to New York (you will hear more about that in the coming week) to have snap peas and little tomatoes. Austin and I were so excited that our daily watering and tending to the garden has paid off. He even called Scott and told him about the exciting news. So if you look at the first post of my garden and what it looks like now you will see what a jungle it has become :)

Summer Hair Accessories

Summer is here and all the cute outfits are coming out of my closet. The ones that I wasn't able to wear last summer because I was post baby :) Now that I am feeling a little better with my body I got myself in the attic to pull clothes down :) So exciting! So I was out there looking around and came across some really cute hair accessories that could really make an outfit. I am a true believer of the simpler the outfit the better because once you had those amazing accessories...you get that hot outfit :) I love these because they are funky and fun...isn't that what summer is all about?

Hair Wreath by Dedicated

Summer Feather Hair Accessory by Beautiful Mess

Flat Pattern Hair Band by Jezze Prints

Father's Day Gift Ideas

 Father's Day is just around the corner ladies (and gentlemen)! Lets start getting our ideas together and start crafting for the special guys in our lives. Here are couple of things to get your creative juices flowing.

 Father's Day Key Chain by Aly & Ash

 I love you Father's Day Card Template by All About You

Father's Day Tie by The Purl Bee

 Crayon on Etching Metal Tins Tutorial by Roots and Wings Co.

Leslie

9:Eat Some Berries

9:Eat Some Berries, originally uploaded by mamma tortilla.

Reminder and a couple of sidenotes

Don't forget to sign up for the Fabric Swap you have until Friday!! You can't possibly miss out the opportunity of getting someone's fabric treasures. I'm super excited to see what comes in the mail from my fabric swapper person (ok it just sounded good when I said it in my head and it made me giggle:) )

Sidenote: my "I Was Featured" button is not working. Sorry ladies who have it :( Please take the other button in the mean time. Planning to change the blog again so thats why I didn't panic when it went missing! If anyone out there does blog headers, buttons, etc. send me an email: mammatortilla@gmail.com.

Ok another sidenote: I'm ending this post with what was on my deck, in my backyard and IN MY HOUSE recently!!!!!!!!! I'm having a lot of animal encounters lately.

8::Sleeping Beauty

8::Sleeping Beauty, originally uploaded by mamma tortilla.

Fabric Scraps Exchange

My mom and I were trying to organize my crafting corner today in an effort to get me back to the sewing machine. As we are attacking all the fabric I have, I realized that I have tons of scraps and I would love to share. So why not do a fabric scraps exchange:) I love getting new fabric and you can do so much with fabric scraps!

Here Are The Rules:

1. You have to put together a bag of your scraps and send it to someone you have never met before. It can be in a small sandwich ziplock bag or a gallon ziplock bag. It's up to you on how much you want to giveaway :)

2. Post a comment below and leave an email address/blog address. You will mail your scraps to the blogger who posts a comment below you. Once a comment has been posted below yours, go ahead and contact that person to get their mailing address. You have until June 4th to post.

3. Please mail your item no later than June 7th.

4. If you are running behind NO WORRIES! Just be kind enough to email the person letting them know their scraps are on the way.

5. U.S. and Canada participants only please :)

This is going to be so much fun!! Tell your friends, twitter, facebook about it, whatever. The more people that participate the more fun! I will leave the first comment :)

Leslie

Cottage Collection By Bunny Lane Designs

Ok when I saw this Cottage Collection by Bunny Lane Designs..........I did my little happy dance because this dress is so stinking cute!! Every little girl should have one. I am so excited to see more of what she is going to have. She is just giving us a sneak peak of the new collection so if this is cute, can you imagine what the rest is going to look like????

Head over to her etsy store and have a look around. let me know what you think.

And on a even happier note, my May Flowers photo was featured here at the One Hundred Photos Feature blog. I again did the happy dance. Ok I did more then my happy dance :) I am very excited about it. can you tell? Head over there and check it out!

Leslie

7::100 Butterfly Wings

This beauty landed on my window last Saturday morning.

6::100 Thinking Big Ideas

6: Thinking Big Ideas, originally uploaded by mamma tortilla.

Pondering, constructing, analyzing and creating BIG IDEAS!

Summer Pouches

Summer is fast approaching, as I keep mentioning and reminding, so time to put away all the heavy purses and make something light and fun to use. If you have kids of course its hard to do because we always have to carry around all this stuff!! But once in awhile you get to go out kid free so why not go out with something light and super cute!! I love these! I had a lot of fun making this and want to make lots more!

Made by Me :) Pattern from Bend-the-Rules Sewing by Amy Karol

Made by Melissa. Pattern from Noodlehead

Have a Happy Sunday!

Leslie

First Place...NO WAY!

I just finished taking a six week photography class over at Bloom E-Course.  This is another class I highly recommend.  Rachel, the instructor, is super nice and so passionate about photography and this class.  She answers every question and gets you excited every week about your photography assignment.  You walk away from the class more confident about taking pictures and you make new friends along the way. 

The fourth week of class Rachel had a photo contest and we were each allowed to submit a portrait picture.  At first I was pretty hesitant but I said "what the heck, I have nothing to loose."  I submitted a picture of Chloe and I WON FIRST PLACE!! WOOHOO! I was shocked.  There were  many talented photographers in my class so I was really surprised.  I won a lensbaby, a discount to Mpix and a discount to Totally Rad Actions. AWESOME!  But in the end everyone won something, she gave away actions and textures she created to everyone in the class.

Here is the winning picture:

 

Take this class if you want to learn how to use your camera, whether it be a point and shoot or dslr!!

Leslie

5:100 May Flowers

had a picnic with the hubby and kids and we ran into these beauties :) love how this picture turned out.

Summer Time Is Almost Here

I think everyone is ready for the Summer because all the crafty people are going crazy. Found so many fun summer projects to do that I wanted to share. Hope this helps get your creative juices flowing and get you back to crafting. I've been slacking but this has just motivated me :)

Splish Splash Dress by Pea Pod Creations

Hampton Hooded Beach Towel by Prudent Baby

Tiered Terracotta Planter by Positively Splendid.

Comfy Natural Cushions for Wooden Chairs by Craftzine


Doesn't this make you just want to drop everything and start crafting??? love it. Have a happy Monday!


Leslie

A Sad Week

Last week was a tough week at my house from both the kids being so sick to a family loss on Mother's Day. My Uncle passed away and it has been the saddest week. I spent most of the week tending to my little ones and mourning a loss. The hardest part was seeing my grandmother hurt as much as she did. I couldn't post on MT last week or even write anything about it on any public internet page because it was so personal that I couldn't share with the world that I was sad.

But, I decided to share tonight because these are things that happen in life. I have to admit, and I have admitted in the past, that I love reading other people's blog and even wonder how they do it. They look like they have the perfect life, they craft, they have business, manage to take care of their kids, post everyday, seems like nothing ever goes wrong and have dinner on the table by five. PERFECT right? well...

I have come to learn that those are only snap shots of people's lives, not everything is perfect everyday well not at my house anyway. So when you come visit me here you only get snap shots and we do have real things happen :)

On a happy note, I am feeling much better especially since I know that my family has accepted our loss and that he will live on in our hearts:)

3::Dangling Feet

3::Dangling Feet, originally uploaded by mamma tortilla.

My friend Katie asked me to take pictures of her beautiful son Liam. Well as we are having fun taking pictures of him we decided to put him in the bookshelf. Can you find baby Liam? hehe

Square Foot Gardening

I'm really excited to show you guys my new garden.  I have never had a garden before and I was excited to get my hands dirty:)  Thankfully, I have friends that are willing to share their secrets about gardening and how it all works.  So they were kind enough to introduce me to Square Foot Gardening.  It's very easy to do and to maintain.  I have so many things sprouting at the moment: lettuce, pumpkin, tomatoes, marigolds, hot peppers, gourds, etc.  Everyday the kids go outside and see the progress.  Not only am I having fun gardening but Austin is really taking pride of his work and gets just as excited as I do.  Go check out the site out if you are interested in starting one. 

I would love to see other square foot gardening pictures so if you want to share email me at mammatortilla@gmail.com and send over your pictures :)

Leslie

Happy Mother's Day!

To all the beautiful mothers out there, enjoy your day :) You deserve it because we have the hardest and most rewarding job.

2::100 Pho-Tak

picture taken by me

For Christmas my beautiful sister gave me this Pho-Tak Reflex I camera. I jumped and screamed when I opened it. I always wanted to have a vintage camera. Thanks Nicole. I took this a couple of weekends ago with my new Nikon D300. It's one of my favorite photos.

"maybe im just like my mother"

"Dance like no one is looking" that's the motto in our house. Austin, Chloe and I have daily dance offs at our house. We crank the radio in our kitchen and dance. Its even come in handy when everyone is on the verge of a melt down and need a quick distraction. If you know me, dancing is something I have always loved. Nope not a professional or took dance classes. I just dance and love it. If I am good, well thats a different story.

Well, I guess all the dancing in our kitchen paid off because at my sister-in-law's wedding, Austin busted a move.....




And right before I posted this we had our morning dance off and an old Prince song came on "....maybe I'm just like my mother" and Austin sure is just like his mom.

Leslie

simple things in life: Play Dough

I love this time of year because all my kids want to play with is dirt, water and play dough. I mean for hours!! All I have to say is "oh play dough, how i love thee." Keep it simple and they will love you :)

Homemade Play Dough
by Mothering Magazine

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Combine ingredients in saucepan. Place on medium heat and stir constantly until a ball forms. Remove from heat and knead for a few minutes. Want to add some color? Paprika for red and cocoa for brown :) Store in airtight container.