Be-A-Goddess Kit

I find the present-opening segment to be the best part of a bridal shower. Not only does the bride-to-be get to feel loved and cared for, but close friends and family get to embarrass her with scandalous/hilarious presents and silly stories... which is exactly why my present for Cynthia - a green one-piece swimsuit - morphed into a full blown "Be-A-Goddess" Kit.

Coffee & Tea Reversible Cup Sleeve

Who would've guessed - my cup sleeves were a hit! Several friends asked if I could make one for his/her personal use or as a gift for someone. Of course I couldn't say no, and I couldn't resist taking the opportunity to perfect my method and create new designs.

For the beverage connoisseur who enjoys both coffee and tea:

And then a few more of a design you may recognize:

NYC Taxi T-Shirt Pillow

My sewing machine skills are pretty mediocre - and that's me being generous. I can barely sew straight let alone thread my machine correctly. The only way to improve is through more practice!

While I was brainstorming project ideas, I glanced over at my trusty New York Taxi t-shirt lying on top of my "DONATE" pile. Not wanting to part with it, I came up with the ingenious idea of turning it into a pillow - practice AND preservation.

This picture was taken in college when I was studying abroad in Europe - Ah, memories!

Pop-Up Piano Thank You Card

My uber-talented piano playing friend Wenhai helped me with a singing competition by practicing the instrumental part and recording a countless number of times. As a thank you, I wanted to take him to his first San Francisco Symphony concert. So, how did I plan to tell him?

With a card of course!

K&M Wedding Dessert Table

I had the opportunity to help Kathy at a wedding as a food stylist. I must say, it is a little stressful when your friend says, "I give you complete control over the look of the table - I trust your judgment."

Thankfully Kathy's desserts were already awesome, so all I had to do was arrange them on the table in a pleasant fashion.

Despite the craziness during setup, the experience was a lot of fun. I learned a lot that afternoon.

All photos courtesy of Mike Bautista