mamazilla vs 2011

so everyblogger and their aunt sarah blogger are posting all these really inspiring recaps of 2011... i started to get all kinds of glum thinking about all my personal failures this year, but for some reason, i took a quick look back at the blog and some unpublished pics & realized, "hmmm... it (i) wasn't all that bad!"

*pats self on back*

turns out i made a whole lot of stuff!!! and despite not reviewing nearly as many books as i read - it turns out i read 15 books in 2011!! *insert rekkid scratch*

i KNOW, right!!?? :)

january:



restyled brown skirt, restyled jean skirt & house slippers

february & march:



restyled brown dress, violet dress, restyled sweater into cowl scarf, more girl n doll dresses...

april/may/june:

i didn't make anything but i think it was because we had just moved to our new apartment. we'd also gone on a spring vacation in april.... in may, we were preparing for paloma's first communion, end of the school year parties/performances and porkchop's kindergarten graduation... we were busy bees... :)

july:



restyled shirt into skirt, bunnies!

august:



restyled t-shirt, restyled bike helmet

sept:



market bags for my very first craft table, another restyled tee...

october:



halloween costumes - spider princess & harry potter

november & december:





made some aprons & girl n doll dresses...

lastly, i read (& reviewed some of) these books in 2011:

1) the girl with the dragon tattoo by steig larsson - i waited so long to read this book. i was worried it was overhyped. i wasn't disappointed. a very compelling read... i even sat thru the new movie... yowza. not for the faint of heart...

2) angel in my pocket by ilene cooper. & my goodreads review.

3) fresh off the boat by melissa de la cruz - i really should write a review of this lovely YA book about the filipino immigrant experience viewed from the eyes of a pinay teen.

4) city of fallen angels by cassandra clare. although i love this series, this book was actually a disappointment to me... hoping, clockwork prince, from the infernal device series, is better... #TEAMJEM WOOT!

5) girls for breakfast by david yoo. & my review.

6) norwegian wood by haruki murakami. & my review

7) thanks for the memories by cecilia ahern. i read this hoping it would help me to restart a book i was writing... it's a heartwarming love story, much like her other book, p.s. i love you.

8) the radleys by matt haig. i think this book about a modern vampire family blew me away so much. i was rendered speechless.... fer realsies.

9) battle hymn of the tiger mother by amy chua. & my review.

10) the anybodies by n.e.bode. & my goodreads review.

11) where the mountain meets the moon by grace lin. & my review.

12) the graveyard book by neil gaiman. & my goodreads review.

13) naamah's blessing by jacqueline carey. i was so sad to see this series come to an end... i think i'm in denial about writing a review... :'(

14) naamah's curse by jacqueline carey. & my goodreads review. by far, one of my fave books this year... i am a HUGE fan of the (HOT) chinese warrior, Bao!

15) the girl with glass feet by ali shaw. & my review

for 2012, besides the obvious (challenging myself to be a better me, friend, mother, wife, etc...) resolutions, i would like to continue to challenge my creative process by sewing more (and altering less - i find i've been altering more clothes (not recycling, restyling or upcycling) for friends & friends of friends. i hope to cut back on that...), crafting more, writing more and drawing more.... being more consistent about these challenges, stopping the procrastination & ignoring the fear of failure....

i don't really have too many other resolutions... i'm rarely at a loss for finding fault with myself... so, maybe another resolution should be to reflect and find more things about myself to be proud of...

best wishes to you dear reader for a bright and memorable 2012!