Cotton*Candy by Zaza Hardy

I have had a brilliant day today with my boys. Hardy took me for a drive to the countryside, drove into Belgium and had lunch at Tongeren. it was a nice saturday outing. and just before we put our son to bed, the little munchkin couldnt stop kissing me on the lips!

I had a few asking me - how do i manage your time? the truth is, you just have to make the best of what you have. you just have to be focused in all that you're doing. let it be housework or your craftwork. in other words, you just have to be present at what you're doing. i am with my son during the day, a hundred percent with him attending to him. and when he sleeps or when he's at his playschool, then that's my time to create.

Life is sweet. full of sweetness! i guess what dad said was right - when you fill yourself with love, you'll do everything differently, and willingly. you'll see things different, you'd react differently, you'll see people in a different light regardless what they did to you... and hopefully you'd create lovely creations (i sure do hope so dad!).

So now, i would like to share with you some of the sweet, yummy things that i have. i've decided to name my kelder (basement) and all my collection Cotton*Candy. took me a while to figure out a name. so what does cotton*candy means? well, as soft as cotton and as sweet as candy! ;) Cotton*Candy by zaza hardy, well, it just rhymes!!

I've created a page on facebook. if you'd like to join me, you can do so by clicking at the logo above. you can have a sneak peak at Cotton*Candy's Cupcake Collection. I'm still adding some finishing touches to my Cotton*Candy blog, will be ready sometime next week and will announce it then.

Zaza at Home will still remain as my main blog, that's for sure! thanks ever so much for hopping by! have a lovely Sunday and a good week ahead! i'll be off to Koln on Monday (yeay!). enjoy browsing those yummy cakes! lovely to see you in here again... take care now.. love always!

{Read All About It}

I have been a busy bee. a very busy one! I have been working very very hard these days! Remember i told you about my Cupcake Collection? Well, here's some good news! It's nearly done! I just cant wait to show you the cupcake stuff i have. they're so gorgeous and so yummy! Wait till you see them! They're all up for sale for all you crazy cupcake lovers!

I have been designing my own header as well....

And...

I have created a page on facebook so you lot can join me there!

I've uploaded some photos of my Cupcake Collection there and will announce the link of my facebook page by the end of the week, so that you can have a preview of some of the items i have. To those who join will be updated firsthand on my special offers too! so make sure you join me there!

In the meantime, i hope you bear with me.. as i am nearly finished with the listing! Keep on checking this blog of mine as i will be sharing with you the link!

It's almost half past one in the morning now (see! told you i've been working hard!) and i really should call it a day now... good night everyone!

A Bold Attempt

The best thing about having a blog is you get to make a lot of new friends! some will surprise you, and some will stay close to your heart. some prefer to remain silent, some expect a lot from you, while some, give their outmost trust on you. of course it has its downsides but its just so wonderful to know there's a few who likes what you do! always, always brings a smile and warms my heart when someone msgs or leave me comments.



I received a very sweet email from Ida one day. she wanted to give a card and something else to go with the card for her husband, giving me all her trust! i cringed! another challenge since flowers and butterflies are a must in almost all my cards! but i'm up for a challenge!


So here's what i did...



A notebook and a card with such bold brave colours! i'm quite pleased with how it turned out! and Ida liked them too! *sigh of relief!* Posted them and hope they'll arrive safely together with a little something for her ;)


Thanks Ida for the trust, and the incredibly super fast payment! i really appreciate it! good luck with your new house, i'm sure everything will go as planned and it'll be a beautiful house!





Hardy's back from Gothenburg so now Aidan and i are going to shower papa with all kisses, smooches, hugs and tickles till he beg us to stop! have a lovely weekend everyone!

*From a Mother and a Wife*

Here's the honest truth, i sometimes sit infront of my table not knowing what to do. there's just a million and one things to do and sometimes i dont know which one to start first! there are just some days where my mind just went blank! but not for this paticular case, nope!

I received an email from a friend of mine, K.Muna (whom i havent even met till today, but hope to meet one day..), who lives here in holland. asking if i'd be ok to make her a few cards for her daughter, and her husband. an order i just couldnt refuse! (especially when she mentioned that Elsa's such a girly girl!).

I got straight to work! i really enjoyed working on Elsa's cards.. both her birthday card and her valentine's card.

In one of K.Muna's emails, she mentioned that she was inspired by my mum's breadcraft and decided to have a go at jewellery making. i felt extremely happy and couldnt wait to tell mum! of course just by hearing that, anyone would be overjoyed! it's really nice to know that you've inspired someone. its just a warm feeling in our hearts ;) (i'm very proud of mum, so my heart's pretty warm too!)

Hope the 3 of them had a wonderful Valentine's weekend. thanks so much for trusting me to work with your cards K.Muna! here's sending you and your family loads of love all the way from Sittard!

Sweet Love

Some days are better than others. today, to be honest, i struggled with Aidan. he was somewhat showing his other side the whole day, while i, tried my very best to keep my calm and be reasonable and reason things out with him the whole day! (some successful than others).


But above all, despite the tiredness and the exhaustion, it is still very very rewarding. and i would do it again and again if i have to! (after a good rest, of course!). as i watch him sleep, clutching his favourite lion pillow his oma gave him when he was born, every tired bone in me was healed. every bit of it was worth it. i even felt guilty for saying no to him wanting another teeny bit of my sap (juice, which contains sugar!!!). i should have given him his 4th sip!


Love is pure. a mother's love is pure. by the way, a good friend of mine just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl 3 days ago. her baby's name is Eva. eva's half french and half malaysian, so just imagine how she looks like!! i cant help but to stare at her pictures everyday! to see a photo of a new mother and a newborn child is just pure bliss. we hope to go visit them in paris one of these days... such a joy!

I received a parcel today from a friend up north. it got me by surprise! i wondered what could it be inside! i know whatever it is coming from her, i knew she was sincere. the kind of friendship that one seek is a sincere one. it doesnt matter how many friends you have in this world, its what type of friends they are and what kind of person they are inside that matters.

I love the gift! with love (and water!), hopefully they (and our friendship) will grow and blossom well! thank you, you know who you are! something's coming your way! i know i've said it once, long time ago... but it will come! i promise!!

Dont we all question what love is at one point in our lives? i've questioned it many many times before i met hardy. it stopped after i met him. and after we got married, up until today,

our actions say it all.

Love is sweet! true, sincere, pure and simple love is even sweeter! it sure is! have a lovely weekend everyone! have a good valentine's day, a wonderful weekend. enjoy, love and cherish one another! good night everyone... tot volgende week! (that's till next week in dutch!)

All my love,

-Simple Love-

I lead a simple life here. and i have a simple love. they say, less is sometimes more, and i totally agree! so i decided to make some straight forward cards using less. thought i'd share some of them with you today. 

It's february and love is all around! shops are all in gear promoting their valentines gifts and such and this time round, florists will be at their busiest, after christmas! are you guys getting anything for your loved ones? i told hardy again and again NOT to get me anything. i was never really into Valentines Day, but i certainly do love seeing everyone all lovey dovey, girls dress in their best, out on a date, or to dinner and guys on their bikes with a bunch of red roses! *bliss*

Anyway, how ever way you wish to spend yours i hope it will be a special one. and i hope it will last throughout and grows even more each day!

love  (luv) n. 

1. often used as a term of endearment; strong affection for another

2. the fuel used for walking on air

Thanks ever so much to you lot for leaving me with a word or two, always commenting! i smiled reading to each and every one of them! i shall try my outmost best to reply to them.

Pastels coming up next! till my next post, here's wishing all of you love, and lots of love, not just in february, not just during valentines, but always! 

*Baby*Blues*

We were invited to our dear friend Alberto and Katrien's house in Leuven today to welcome their newborn baby boy Lorenzo. it was a lovely gathering with lovely people and lovely cakes and vlaai!

Baby Lorenzo was such a cutie, and not to mention so good and well behaved! he slept soundly as we all talked and giggled.



I just love making baby things! it is always a joy to welcome a new life into the world. and what more to shower them with gifts and love! and so i prepared them a bucket of gifts. i LOVE these buckets and i currently have a line of them on my shelf to store most of my itsy bitsies. added Lorenzo's initial to personalize it. perhaps later they can use to store his small toys, crayons or socks! i'm sure it'll come handy!







I made a banner for baby Lorenzo's room. very pleased with how it turned out. used loads of papers and ribbons as well as trimmings for this project.

Here's wishing both proud parents all the joy and love in the world with their new addition!

*************

A couple of cards i made last week. this time i decided to work with blue. red's been a little bit too much for me, and i needed the break! I used MM's metal charms, the one i have up on My Honeypot for these two pieces. you honestly wont see the beauty until you've put them onto your cards/projects.

I used some prima flowers and MM small white blossoms with brads and scattered them across the card.

Here's the second card with some MM's charms on them.

Love is definitely in the air! i keep on using hearts and "love" on almost all of the things i do these days! arent they cute?!

Anyway, that's it for tonight! i'm trying my best to reply emails and finishing up most orders in time. but i do hope most of you would understand that my main priority is my role here at home. home is definitely where my heart is!

So till next time, here's sending you lots of love!