Crafty Chica Cruise 2016

The last week of April, 2016 I went on a cruise with 50-ish creative folks and crafted with... The Crafty Chica!  {You can learn more about Kathy Cano-Murillo, aka The Crafty Chica, here.}  The cruise was 8 days, 7 nights to Mexico.  We stopped in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas.  On the 3 full days we had at sea we crafted our guts out!  This was my first time on a cruise ship and such an amazing experience!  I hope Kathy offers the cruise again, as I would sign up in a heartbeat!

My Crafty Chica cabin-mates!  Bex {on the left} and I work together and Jany {on the right} is Bex's fabulous Mom!
Our first meet up for the cruise... boarding at SFO for our flight to LAX!

Autumn & Dias de los Muertos

 

I love Autumn; it is one of my favorite times of the year!  I love the leaves falling, the crisp air in the evening, the jewel tone sweaters, but most of all the Mexican tradition of Dias de los Muertos has always captured my heart.  It is so vibrant and reflective - I particularly love to see the altars that people create for their loved ones.

Bohemian / Mexicana Budget Dining Room

 

 

I'm a thrifter.  I love scouring craigslist's FREE section, visiting second-hand stores, and finding new ways to decorate with random things.  My style is eclectic, colorful, boho.  I'm enamoured with religious iconography and Mexicana.  All of this is reflected in our little cottage, which still doesn't have a name.  I want to call it Cherryland Cottage because we live in Cherryland, but Dave has taken to calling it Mockingbird Heights - partly because we have a mockingbird in the palm tree in the front yard and partly because that's what The Munsters' home was called.  Whatever we end up calling our cottage, more and more it's beginning to reflect our style.

Mexicana Kitchen

I love Mexican-inspired decor.... especially with the Virgen de Guadalupe! Religious iconography has always been a thing for me. I bought this candle holder at our local dollar store.... for, well.. a dollar! I was so excited to see them that I bought 3.. one in every color they had. I also found this vintage California map tablecloth on etsy. Love it!

You can see more here: Our Mexican Inspired Kitchen.

Betseyville... or in my dreams... The Vagabond Villas

I have just discovered Betseyville.  An amazing cluster of palapa roofed bungalows on a beach, in a little village, just a couple hours north of Acapulco that THE Betsey Johnson owned and designed.

And yes, this amazing little slice of heaven.. it's for SALE!

Let me tell you, if it were 20 years down the road and the old man and I were ready to start retiring and living the dream, I would seriously consider this.  $250,000.  How could I not?

It's been my dream since I lived in Puerto Rico a decade ago to have a bed and breakfast, a hostel, a something where I could invite wandering souls to sit a spell.  On a beach.  In the Caribbean or Mexico (but mostly Mexico - how I LOVE Mexico!).  And well, I'm eclectic as all hell, and Betseyville is already a bohemian paradise!

Well.. Betseyville, if you're for sale again in 20 years... I will be changing your name to The Vagabond Villas.


Oh, and if you're interested in buying it - click here.

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Update!  Someone bought it and you can now stay there yourself!
http://www.haciendalarusa.com/p/blog-page_4.html?m=1

Our Mexican Inspired Kitchen

For years I've been collecting things here and there...  a cross in OK on a road trip, a print of the Virgen de Guadalupe from a friend, a shadow box for Christmas from my husband, a Frida from my neighbor... and I've also been slowly crafting....  sewing the chair covers, after painting them red and blue, making an oilcloth table cover... and now it has finally all come together - with our new wall color - Goldenrod!

I absolutely love how our kitchen finally feels like our kitchen and no longer feels like a rental we're just inhabiting.

Before Painting, but with most of our decor.