Pelhuaz Exquisite Friend of the Week: Dragonflight Dreams

So this is it! The last Exquisite Friend of the Week for this period prior my Maternity Leave. I wanted to share with you this amazing store that have so many great items, that I'm sure you will love as much as I do! 

Let's meet Amanda and her Store named Dragonflight Dreams.

Pelhuaz: What's your name?       

Amanda: Amanda


Pelhuaz: If you were on an island and could only bring 3 things, what would you bring?             
Amanda: Food, a hammock, and a satellite phone (because no one wants to be stuck on an island forever).

Pelhuaz: If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us?  
Amanda: Enchiladas if it's short notice. Pastitsio (Greek lasagna) if I have warning.


Pelhuaz: If you were a Star Trek® [or Star Wars®] character, which one would it be?             
Amanda: Tough question! Probably R2D2.


Pelhuaz: What's your superpower?         
Amanda: Procrastination

Pelhuaz: Who do you consider your sidekick?     

Amanda: My dog, Sienna


Pelhuaz: What do you do when you are alone in your car?           
Amanda: Depends on the day. Sometimes I just zone out and think/meditate. Other times I have music playing and sing along. There may occasionally be angry running commentary on the bad habits of other drivers.

Pelhuaz: What motivates/inspires you?  

Amanda: Stories (books, movies, mythologies) and nature.

Pelhuaz: What's the name of your Small Business?          

Amanda: Dragonflight Dreams

Pelhuaz: Why did you decide to open it?

Amanda: I wanted a creative medium that I made with my actual hands instead of just on the computer (like my day job as a graphic designer). And hobbies get expensive quickly, plus of course I thought my designs were cool, so a shop seemed like the natural course.

Pelhuaz: What do you wish you had known before you started? 

Amanda: Oh, lots of things. How to network with other shop owners more and how important that is. A few techniques and tricks I've developed to make my prints more consistent. I also wish I would have focused solely on made-to-order options instead of OOAK shirts.

Pelhuaz: When did you open your Store (anniversary)?  

Amanda: 5/22

Pelhuaz: Imagine that I’m planning to open Pelhuaz, and I don’t know a thing about managing a Small Business, what will be your best advice?         
Amanda: Make sure your shop photos are clean and clear and high quality. Hire someone if you need to. Get a Twitter account, and use it for more than just spamming product links. Invest in a postal scale so you can do all your shipping labels and packaging at home, and just have to drop them in the drop box instead of waiting in line.
Amanda has so many great designs to chose from...

But you all know I'm huge fan of dragonflies, so this is my favorite:

Like any of the designs available at Amanda's Store? Use code ALIST5DD for a 5% off on your entire purchase. 

If you want to know more about Amanda and her amazing store, you can reach her at ETSY, Blog, FB, Twitter, and IG. 

I need to thank all of you for your support since Pelhuaz Blog started back in April. I'll soon start my Maternity break, so I wont be able to be posting as often as I did before. 

Wishing you all the best!
Zei

Pelhuaz Exquisite Friend of the Week: Plum Papaya

This is a very important Exquisite Friend of the Week, as will be the last giveaway for this period prior my Maternity Leave. Even I'll be around, I won't be posting that often - for obvious reasons... :D

I met Tessa thru one of the crafty groups that I participate in, and felt in love with her creations. She made fabulous toys and cuddle critters - which are my favorites. All of them looks super adorable. 

Let's see what Tessa has to share with us.

Pelhuaz: What's your name?         
Tessa: Tessa                  

Pelhuaz: If you were on an island and could only bring 3 things, what would you bring?             

Tessa: Fresh water, family picture album, never ending supply of matches.        

Pelhuaz: If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us?  

Tessa: Steak, asparagus, & potatoes    


Pelhuaz: If you were a Star Trek® [or Star Wars®] character, which one would it be?             
Tessa: Beverly Crusher or McCoy                        

Pelhuaz: What's your superpower?         

Tessa: I can jump to conclusions in a single bound okay seriously...hmm I'm a DIY wanna be          

Pelhuaz: Who do you consider your sidekick?     

Tessa: My Daughter                  

Pelhuaz: What do you do when you are alone in your car?

Tessa: Roll the windows down, open the sunroof all the way, and crank up the music.     

Pelhuaz: What's the name of your Small Business?          

Tessa: Plum Papaya  

Pelhuaz: Why did you decide to open it?
Tessa: Being a stay at home mom I wasn't bring in an income in any more.  How was I going to support my fabric addition? The plan was to bring in extra money so I could buy handmade for my daughter and buy fabric.  I have a goal to start adding to my daughters college fund this holiday season. 

Pelhuaz: What is your favorite item available at your store?      

Tessa: I can't decide between Sherman and Storm.  I love the minute mice they are my favorite to create but Sherman is pretty adorable. Who doesn't love all those colors?

Sherman

Pelhuaz: What motivates/inspires you?
Tessa: My daughter is my main motivation, she loves soft and snuggly. Now I see creatures and critters I think to myself, I can make that. Hmm how can I make it my way? Colors inspire me too.  Gorgeous sunsets, color palettes, photography of trees, landscapes, sea life.        

Pelhuaz: What do you wish you had known before you started? 

Tessa: Go big or go home.  Social media is your friend, while very time consuming it is your best hope of getting your name out there.  
         

Pelhuaz: When did you open your Store (anniversary)?  

Tessa: 3/1/2013           

Pelhuaz: Imagine that I’m planning to open Pelhuaz, and I don’t know a thing about managing a Small Business, what will be your best advice?         

Tessa: Create a name for yourself. A business name with meaning, a logo, look & be professional.  Photographs are everything, don't fake it it doesn't look good.  Go big or go home.         

I really love everything about Tessa Store but here's my favorite. As I'm having a baby boy, I'm sure he'll love this blankie buddy! 

Tessa has grant us with a prize for one winner for a store credit. If you win you can use such credit to score one of her fabulous items! Isn't that great?

Enter the giveaway here:




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Note: Giveaway ends August 31 at 12:00 AM EST. Open to Residents of the US only. Winners will be notified on August 1 at Pelhuaz’ Blog. One winner will receive a Store Credit. The Winner have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. For details read the complete Terms and Conditions.

If want to know more about Tessa and Plum Papaya you can reach her at FB, Pinterest, IG, and Twitter.
 
Good Luck and thank you so much for reading about my friend Tessa and her fabulous store! 

Tomorrow, I'll have our last Exquisite Friend of the Week with a very talented Crafty Friend, don't missed it! 


Besos,

Live live to the fullest - My brain surgery story...

The exquisite friend of the week will be posted tomorrow, as today is a very important day and I wanted to share something with you all. 

Live life to the fullest! Live is too precious to be wasting it around with grumpiness and sadness. Some times it gets tough and difficult, but that's what make us who we are. 

It was the afternoon of August 22, 2001 and we were celebrating the birthday of my older daughter. That evening, I came up with a horrible migraine. Sleeping was out of the question as each time I found my sleep, the pain just woke me up. Next morning at 5:00AM, I got up, as I did everyday, to go to work and as soon as I stand up, my head felt like exploding and I went directly to the bathroom to trow-up. 

I called my supervisor and told her what was going on and she told me that I might be pregnant again. I didn't understood the joke at the time. I managed to get to our pediatrician's office, as was the only doctor I had near by. Luckily, the office was located just in front of an emergency room.

As soon as Dr. Sanchez check me out, he walked me to ER and asked them to run all sort of labs and test - including a Brain CT. The pain was unbearable, and as the time goes by I was getting to the idea that I had developed migraine and that one was the first episode... How wrong I was!

The results came and the technician - all too nervous - said that the Neurosurgeon will be with me in a second to disclosed the CT results. Keep in mind that I was under the impression that the headache was just a simple case of migraine. Well, an angel sent from heaven - Juan Vigo, MD, came to the room and stated that I had a Colloid cysts located at my brain, in the third ventricle - Foramen Monro. That type of cyst and due to the location can cause me a sudden death, and he needed to take it out intermediately.

Let me give you a moment to digest such news... 

Imagine a very young me, with a 3 years old little girl, with dreams and hopes for the future and with a death sentence in your brain that can kill you just like "right now"! So I screamed, I was in denial, I couldn't believe it... 

That outburst lasted just 5 minutes. I'm not sure what came over me... It was God or my Guardian Angel, but I said "Ok, Doc I trust you, and everything will be ok. Can I go home and say goodbye to my daughter?" 

And so I did. I went home, spoke with my girl and explained her that Momma needs to be out for a few days but that Grandma will take good care of her, while Momma was gone. Then the journey begun!

When I got to the Hospital, everyone was waiting for me. Vigo was the Head Chief Doctor of the Neurosurgery Department and a MD Teacher. He explained that my case was very rare and asked permission to bring his students to learn about it. Apparently, my diagnostic was so rare that most of the doctors only get to see it on books. I said yes and my room was full most of the time, with young future doctors and nurses. The story of my life... I'm a weird specimen! :D

They gave me meds to lower the inflammation, as the headache was just the accumulation of liquids, making an enormous pressure over my brain. The day of the surgery - August 28, 2001 6:00AM - came, and the doctor explained all the possible outcomes of the surgery, from brain damage, to paralysis, to amnesia, to death. He also stated that he can "go in... get out... and leave me a cute scar on my head..." And that's what he did. 

I wasn't worry. I knew that everything was going to be fine, and I'll be home in no time. I lost all my curls, I was a very cute bold girl. Thanks to Sinéad O'Connor for her style... I rocked it!

As a funny fact... The surgery was very long and complicated. I was in for 6 hours. They then took me to the recovery area, to be able to wake up from the anesthesia. As soon as I was able to move, I began the "inventory" of my movements. Don't forget that the doctor mentioned paralysis. I knew who I was, I remembered my family, I was awake... So, can I move? With my eyes closed, I started little by little... Fingers, feet, legs, hands, arms, head... I was so excited - but still a little druggy. My movements weren't that smooth, but hey? I WAS MOVING ALL OVER! Due to my excitement, I didn't realized that when the nurses went crazy, asking for the doctor to came as the patient was seizing -they were talking about me.

No longer after that, I heard the calm voice of the doctor asking "Zeide what are you doing?" I just stopped, open my eyes wide open, and said... "Making sure that everything moves..." He laugh and asked for a nurse to be at my side all the time, because "the next thing she will do is run out of here...". And so they did. I had a permanent baby sitter. They took me to my room, and I felt perfect. 

The next day when the doctor came to check on me, I was taking a shower. I don't have to tell you that the nurse that suppose to be watching me, received a verbal warning, but by the next day and due to the fantastic recovery, I was able to go home. The first thing we did when I got out, was to pick my girl. I was concerned that she wouldn't like a very bold Mama, but she just looked at me, cares my cheek and said "Mi mami" (My Mommy). At that point I knew that I was going to be fine!

I returned to work after 15 days, and everything went back to normal before the end of the month. Not all was peaches and cream. I had my days and I needed to learned how to communicate, as my brain work faster that my ability to talk. I couldn't understand why if I had it on my head I couldn't said it... I discovered that I had a 5 second delay (still have) :D So I reconfigured and learned to think... and then talk... Something that we all need to do, right?

It's been 13 years since that terrifying experience. And I learned so much from it. I appreciate the little things, my family is the most important thing, I love being able to just wake up everyday and be here. Being able to just breath everyday, makes me happy. I take this time of the year to recharge and celebrate life. We tend to forget about the little miracles that we experience everyday and how amazing we are. 

• The ability to dream and the perfect timing when your eyes open each morning
• The way your chest rise with every breath even without you noticing it
• The sensation of the cold floor under your feet, that tells you that you are up and ready for a new day
• The sound of your children calling your name as the first thing, when they open their eyes
• The warm sun in your face
• The dark circles under your eyes that are a reminder of how sleep deprived you are but how happy you feel

Today is like my second birthday. Those friends who lived it with me, knows how hard it was and how happy I am to be here and share my story.  

So, HAPPY SECOND BIRTHDAY to me. I made it! I'm here! I'm happy!  

Embrace life... Be grateful for the little miracles... Enjoy your time with your love ones... Everything could end "suddenly"!

Lots of love,

Zei

         

      

14 Truth About SAHM

This is a very important week, as soon I'll be starting my Maternity Leave. Even I'll be around, I wont be as active as before, as I'll be dedicated to the last minute things for the baby arrival. 

So, what's the plan for this week?

1. Sharing a very personal experience I lived in 2001 when I was submitted to a Brain Surgery (Thursday),
2. Two Exquisite Friend of the Week (Friday & Saturday), and
3. 1 Giveaway 

A very interesting week, don't you think? 
 
As I recently became a Happy SAHM, I decided to search a little about it and found this funny list that I wanted to share with you all:

1. You will never poop in peace
2. We don't have weekends.
3. We don't get days off
4. There is NO calling into to work sick.
5. Kids nap time is bust your ass cleaning time.
6. We may only get 1-2 showers a week.
7. Shaving our legs is a luxury.
8. Our home is never as clean as we want it to be.
9. We get stuck in high pitch baby talk mode.
10. We are paid in Hugs and Kisses.
11. We scarf our food down as if we were in training to be a navy seal.
12. We feel guilty when we do get time to ourselves.
13. We crave adult interaction.  
14. It is emotionally hard to leave our children in the hands of someone else, even if its family, when we finally do take the time to go out and have some adult time. 

Can you think about any other truth to add to the list? Feel free to share it with us!

Enjoy your day and don't missed the post that will be available on Thursday, Friday and Saturday!
Zei