About Me

At Huntington Library and Gardens, 2005

Introduction
Hello. I am a part-time stay at home/ working mommy. I have one child so far and am planning for one more later this year. By trade, I am an elementary school teacher, but getting a job in California is difficult right now. My part time work includes substitute teaching, which I enjoy. I am employed by a couple different public school districts and have done work in private schools as well. I earned my teaching credential in 2004 and have been working in the field of education since about 2000.

On the other hand, I also enjoy staying at home and watching all the progress my son is making from day to day. I am always amazed at how capable children are, and even more so, seeing my son grow from birth. One of the major decisions I made as a mother was to cloth diaper him. I chose that for several reasons, the most important of which are money and living green. By reusing my diapers, I keep plastic and human feces out of the landfill. I also do not have to overpay for the price of convenience. It is a little more work, but most things worth the extra effort are usually worth it.

Pasttimes
My hobbies include photography and sewing. I have been doing photography since 1995. My favorite photographic subject is natural still life pictures. I bought my digital SLR while working in Japan. It is not the most fancy or recent bit of technology, but it gets the job done. I can use it to document my other hobby, the sewing projects I do.

So far, I have made diapering supplies like wipes and diaper pail liners. I own 3 vintage machines, one student model and a serger.  My favorites by far are the vintage machines, except the Touch and Sew. I also purchased a vintage dress form. I enjoy using the serger, as well, because it makes things really easy and more finished looking. I have been sewing off and on for about 15 years. I would very much like to turn it into a business of some sort, but I simply don't know how.

The Outcome
Lastly, my hobby of sewing has helped me become more eco-friendly, which I mention a lot in my blog entries. My husband, son, and I survive on my husband's income, and I am always looking for ways to save money. Making my own diapering supplies has helped a lot. Shopping at thrift/second-hand stores has also helped me contribute to the planet-friendly movement. I believe in the reduce, recycle, reuse mantra and try to practice it.

I hope that I can help inspire someone to be more eco-friendly by writing about the topics that inspire me.

Huntington Library and Gardens: Japanese Garden, 2018

P.S. In case you are wondering about all the Hello Kitty, my addiction to cuteness incarnate began with Christmas just after my 8th birthday. My parents were struggling with money, so my mother bought my Christmas present from the local Sanrio Store. Thus began what is turning into a lifelong addiction.