Happy 2012!

Lets make it the best yet!

New Christmas 2011 Cards

Here’s the new 2011 Christmas Card line. Coming soon (sometime today) on the website.

Free Vector Christmas and Lace

It’s been over a year since I have released a free vector. I was inspired by my favourite season of them all, Christmas. Christmas is in the air! I plan on getting my tree up soon (baby’s first Christmas as well!), and oh the christmas songs!!! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…..hot drinks and choco. Enjoy this new vector! Download here.

Chocolate Chips

Trying to live up to the Baker name, I decided to try making some good ol’ chocolate chip cookies. I did what any other person illiterate on baking would do, Googled a recipe.
I came across, Absolutely the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies by NICOLEFAUSTHUNT on All Recipes. It called for Mexican vanilla, but I used Dominican Vanilla instead. They were quite delish!

Now Larimar in the Dominican Republic

Just came back from a vacation we booked through Luxury Link. We stayed at Now Larimar in the Dominican Republic (DR). Luxury Link is a site that sells hotel pacakes of the “luxury” kind, 5 star plus. I’d rate Now Larimar as a 4. We had a great fun filled week. Dominicans are lovely people who LOVE kids, and the island is beautiful.

Now Larimar, falls under AM Resorts, I found was lacking because of the following,

- Luxury link stated in their ad that the package we purchased entitled us to “complimentary wireless in suite internet”. The same thing was stated in their “preferred club” package booklet. When I asked the “preferred club” concierge, we were told apparently its only for the ocean view suites as opposed to all “preferred club”. This difference was not outlined in the booklet. False advertising? I think so! After we showed them the print out of ‘luxury link’ that clearly stated wireless internet was complimentary, they gave it to us.

- This next point is pretty big NO NO in imo. Before we even had a chance to go to our rooms, we were cornered by a guy who spent a good 20 mins or so convincing us he wasnt trying to sell us anything, just wanted us to go to a “seminar” with free breakfast (but we’re in an all inclusive, isnt everything free???). Anyways, turned out to be a time share thing, from AM Resorts. Over the week we were asked by other people “not selling” anything, if we had just arrived and had been to the meeting. Not cool. Although we did get a free gift basket for spending almost two hours listening to them, while our 7 month old screamed her head off to be changed out of her poopie diaper.

- Our remote to our lovely flat screen tv didn’t work. And some of the channels were fuzzy.

- The walls were thin, you could hear things in the next room.

- We asked for a crib for our 7 month old, which we promptly got. The she fell through it. We got another more sturdier one, after I called.

- I decided to try the room service one night. An hour and a half and 5 phone calls later, it arrived. Bottom of the burger burnt to a crisp.

Despite these flaws, we had a good time. I just don’t think I would rate The Now 5 stars.

Back to School Event Pictures by Kids Changing Lives

Just got some of the pictures from KCL’s first event and they did a fabulous job! Love how the logo and other print material turned out (done by yours truly, but out together by founder Osmyn). Check it out…

Kids Changing Lives – A not for profit kids charity

Recently I had the opportunity to help out a new budding kids charity, Kids Changing Lives, based in Ajax Ontario. It started out as me helping a friend during the first talk with the founder/friend and then slowly became more of a long term commitment (which I have no issue with). I’ve always felt the need to use this talent toward the greater good in some way or the other. And this was perfect.

The logo and website were done in time for the first event! Back to School, was a circus theme event complete with cotton candy, popcorn, hotdogs, 3 activity station for the kids and the best part, it was all FREE! An amazing opportunity to show the kids a good time and have them learn how to be a ‘world changer’ and given the choice to choose if they want to help other less fortunate kids/making a difference in the world.

Can’t wait for my little one to be old enough to participate in this!

Gauri & Nainika – Dresses after my own heart

Listening to Mia Martina’s Latin Moon and browing through Gauri and Nainika’s 2011 collection of gorgeous gorgeous gowns.

Who are Gauri and Nainika? Two sisters that decided to pursue their passion in fashion and start, the now famous, Gauri and Nainika brand label. I am pretty proud to say such talent comes from India! Their work is nothing short of romantic, with influences from Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Marchesa (Love her! The 2012 collection is amazzzzzing! truly creative).

I am completely in love with their dresses. Pretty to look at and true inspirations! If you ever want to wear a flower….

Logo Contest For Yummy Mummy

So ShopSocials fashionable, Tamika Auwai, suggested I enter the logo contest for The Yummy Mummy Club. So I did. These were the results. I had a lot of fun doing these and am pleased with the outcome regardless if they win or not.

FBML

Lately I have quite a bit of time on hand which has helped me get myself up to speed with all the new “gadgets” available online.

FBML is one of them.

“FBML stands for Facebook Markup Language, and it is the code used in Facebook applications to reference items on the social network, like user profiles, groups, feeds, and other data. If you’re really looking to integrate your landing page and get interactive with visitors, it might be worthwhile to learn this language.”

Here’s a good tutorial on “How to Customize Your Facebook Page Using Static FBML”.