Hansa Plush Toys for kids

Now that I'm a mother, I keep my eyes open for interesting baby toys. 

One toy company I love is Hansa.  It was originally created for exclusive European collectors & each Hansa plush animal is handcrafted from portraits of real animals. What I love about the Hansa animals is how realistic they looks. I know many interior designers who use these wonderful plush toys to create one-of-a-kind spaces for kids! From the VERY large ones to the smallest.  My little Noah is about to get his own space soon, right before his birthday in mid February.

I love the idea of adding a Hansa toy to his collection! As if you couldn't tell, the face & body of each animal/toy is carefully sculpted & sewn inside-out to create its unique features, minimizing visible seams.Making each animal unique, just like in real life!  Every Hansa animal comes with a "Toys that Teach" tag describing each animal's lifestyle, habitat,  gestation period, care of their young & eating habits. The company uses this to try & educate children about these beautiful creatures, & appreciate the importance of our co-existence with all animals!   

Pretty cool - huh? If I had to choose, My favorites are the little zebra & the baby giraffe.  How about you? Any Hansa Faves?

 

-post by jen ramos

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GIGI NYC : My New Phone case

I have been a fan of GIGI NY for as long as I can remember.  They offer handbags, clutches, phone cases, wallets & more...all made with the highest quality leather.. I really love their brand for many reason, one is, they offer personalization on almost any of their products.  They are super stylish & come in a variety of colors as well!

I recently got an iPhone 6 and wanted a case that would match my personality... but also be functional. I remembered the ones that GIGI NY had and I really loved the this black embossed python one + their iPhone wallets. The wallet cases are super cool & come in a variety of styles & color! I admit, I  was hesitant at first...thinking that my phone would just fall out when I opened it. But no. The phone somehow stays on with a strong piece of velcro, that almost seems like a magnet. But it def holds, so that's good news.  I would highly recommend the wallet cases for all the working women out there.

In case you're wondering,  this is the one I have.

So, thank you to GIGI NY for sending a few pieces my way.  I'm quite happy with my cases. In fact, I've gotten many compliments on my embossed hard shell case when I'm using my new iPhone. If you're in the shopping mood, they are currently having a HUGE sale 30-40% off.  Check them out here.

My iphone case + wallet case

-post by jen ramos
-images of phone cases by jen ramos

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Painting More Art

Hello!

Just a quick update to let you know that we are still working on the new re-designed Made By Girl site! In the meanwhile I am also painting a bunch of NEW art - available soon!!  I have lots of new Larger pieces too...! Here's another sneak peek! 

Have a wonderful day! 

-image by jen ramos

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BEAUTY: DIY LIPSTICK PALETTE

Hey everyone! Today, I wanted to share a little something I learned. 

During a photo shoot last year,  I noticed my make-up artist, Mayela Vazquez using a makeup palette with lots of colors for my lips. At first, I didn't know what to think. It looked like a painter's palette and a bit MESSY...Hmmm. I knew she did AWESOME work, so I wondered in silence where she got this palette from. 

When she was finished applying my lip color - I looked in the mirror & WOW! They looked fabulous & smooth! Perfection!  I somehow knew this palette (& her skills) had something to do with this. I asked her where she got the palette from...& this is what I learned from her.

After she told me, I decided to DIY this. So, if you want smooth, neat, long-lasting color..... keep reading.

• Buy an empty make-up palette.  I bought the 35 well-pro lipstick palette from The Tanning Store.  It has 35 deep compartments, 14 large & 21 medium. This particular palette also includes a white center divider attached with a long hinge. The brand is by MITSUYOSHI. 
• Purchase several of your favorite lipstick shades. I haven't filled up the palette yet, but I plan to. Right now I have about (12) of my favorite shades. From brands like Nars, Yves Saint Laurent, Burberry, Bobbi Brown, MAC, Givenchy & more. 
• Once you purchase all the lip color,  add one color at a time by slicing the lipstick into rounds. It's easier this way, trust me. Maybe cut 2-3 rounds at a time into the palette compartment of your choice. The reason for starting off with 2-3 slices of lipstick color is because it is easier to mash the lipstick into the compartment with fewer rounds.  You can use any flat or rounded object to mash the lip color.  This part can get messy if you rush it. So, be patient & make sure your mashing object isn't too large.. 
• Continue down the lipstick & cut 2-3 more slices off.  Repeat the mashing into the palette. Once a lip color is done, feel free to move onto the next lipstick shade. 
• Once you have all your colors in the palette - it should look somewhat like mine - you can start testing it out on your lips. 
• For trying the shades -  I recommend using a lip brush like the Sephora Pro Lip Brush #81 or the Make Up Forever #302 Precision brush.  Folks, using a brush to add color to your lips makes a HUGE difference!!  For one, the lipstick appears to look neater & your lips look more defined. Also, the color seeps into the lines in your lips & that allows the color to remain on your lips longer!!  Trust me, once you try this -  you will not turn back. 
• A benefit of using a make-up palette for lipstick color is that it allows you to mix & match colors.  I've found that having all my shades available to me (at the same time) makes it easier to blend the perfect color for my lips!
• Another item I added to my palette was lip gloss. I love Tickled Pink by Lancome it adds the perfect finishing touch to my lipstick!

-post & images by jen ramos

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REAL LIFE: "Our Day" Together

Hey guys! Hope you're having a good end-of-week so far!  My day is busy & dealing with some in-law family issues, but mostly all is well.  I posted this on my instagram, but also wanted to share it on my blog. Scroll down to read... 

One day a week, I am home alone for 10-11 hours straight with my son. It's one day a week because I still work & run my business (from home).. the other 4 days. Every week on "our day" together...I wonder if I can make it through the entire day without collapsing. Maybe because I'm an older mom & don't have as much energy or maybe because my mind wants to do MadeByGirl work or maybe just because being a MOM is hard stuff! 10-11 hours straight devoted completely to someone else... when it used to be "just me", is definitely something new Moms have to get used to. I'm still getting used to it. There isn't much freedom on the day I spend with him because my time is his. I like freedom, but it is a sacrifice I've made to raise this beautiful boy.

I'm not going to sugar-coat it and tell you BS......It's exhausting being a mom! On the day we spend together (all day).... I wish I could just sit down uninterrupted for 20 minutes straight ....doing nothing. But I can't. I don't know how other moms who have more than 1 child do it... Props to you, really. I am TRULY grateful that I have a (p/t) nanny 4 days a week..(while I work), because at my age (42), it's def challenging. But, I'm ready. Exhausted, but ready for the challenge. Today on our day together I took him out in his stroller... Getting an 11 month old ready to go out into the cold, is a job in itself. Moms, you know what I mean. He doesn't like to put on his coat... So... a little bit of crying & resistance happens. Once his coat is on & he knows we are headed out, I know I have like 4 minutes to hurry & put all my layers on before he starts getting agitated again!!

As I sit here... Going thru all these "mom-moments" I can't help but love him & still be grateful for him. Being a mom is hard. So, YES....I appreciate Moms with more than one child & nannies MORE THAN EVER now.......you are all HEROES.


 -post & photo by jen ramos

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Nespresso: A Cup Above for Breakfast

One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is have a nice breakfast at home with family... & that includes coffee. There's something special about taking the time to cook & enjoy food together that creates memories.  In this particular case, maybe it's the hot pancakes stacked high, or the warm blueberry sauce dripping off the sides, or maybe it's the crispy bacon on the side.

One thing's for sure, a hot cup of foamy cappuccino with breakfast is always a must! Personally, we love Nespresso.  Not only do they have the best coffees with every level of intensity to suit your tastes, but the VertuoLine Evoluo machine from Nespresso takes it up a notch. The Evoluo makes superb American-style coffee as well as Espresso, and with the centrifuge technology, the rich crema on top makes every cappuccino smooth and frothy even before you add the milk.  In my case, I use soy milk, which is just as tasty. Breakfast without coffee would feel incomplete & I love how the aroma fills our apartment and really peps me up for the day.

If you don't remember,  this past year Nespresso welcomed George Clooney as its new brand ambassador in the U.S. & they launched their new campaign "Experience A Cup Above."  I enjoy Nespresso & their premium, single-serve coffee and if you've never tried Nespresso, it's time to experience 'A Cup Above' and Nespresso's elegant lifestyle - head over to a boutique and try all the different tastes they have until you find the one that's just right for you. Then take it home and create new breakfast memories.

Currently, my recommended capsules for breakfast would be:

Diavolitto - a surprisingly powerful espresso
New Intenso - A dense coffee with brown sugar and strongly toasted notes.
Melozio - Smooth & balanced. Rich in sweet cereal notes, giving a sensuous, smooth texture.

-post by jen ramos

-In partnership with Nespresso

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New Year: Changes are Coming

Hey guys! Sorry I've been a bit MIA, but as I said, I will not be updating my blog on a daily-basis anymore. To tell you the truth, I just don't have the time.  But I'm hoping to update 2-3x a week. For now, we've updated the look & feel of the blog, hope you like it!  - Speaking about updating, I am STILL in the process of re-designing the MadeByGirl shop. 

We are working on a few things & these are some of the changes to come:

• New paintings being added without a flash sale.
• Larger paintings added.
• More color series art.
• 98-99% of the art sold will be only my original paintings. 
• We will probably ONLY keep 2-3 MBG prints (prob the most popular ones)
• The ones we do keep, we will be selling framed. 
• You will still have option to frame the paintings.
• I will still be accepting commissions, so you are welcomed to email me. 
• New photos will  be added of the artwork & more.

If you hadn't heard, please read this post on why I'm shutting down a portion of my business. Stay tuned - it's a whole different ball game running a biz and being a mom. I'm sure some of you can relate & know what I mean! - Have a great week!


-post & photo by jen ramos

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Made By Girl Featured

Hello everyone! 

Hoping you all are having a great Monday so far! Just a quick note to let you know that I'm currently featured in the new issue of Casa e Jardim - a popular Home Decor magazine from Brazil! 

You can also see more of my home featured on their website - real soon!

-post by jen ramos

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Made By Girl News

Hello everyone, Happy New Year! WOAH it is super cold today in NYC! -  Like 14 degrees. Good reason to stay in & write this important post.

I've been in the process of selling a few things in my home & making way for some BIG changes. A baby-space/office (if you can believe that).   Our son is growing quickly & needs a little more space to move around.... so, I've decided to sell a few things including my white leather daybed. (pictured below).  In the process of all this... we are also working on a new blog design + new site design....and I've been painting a bunch of new ART to add!

Now for the BIGGEST news....after 10 years in business as Made By Girl, a portion of my business will be partially closed down.  What I mean by that is - the prints/poster section of my company will no longer be available.  So basically, 98% of the ART on Made By Girl from that point on, will be original paintings.  I've thought about this change long & hard & contemplated on many things. To be honest, it feels like the RIGHT CHOICE for me at this time.  Perhaps this is the beginning of something more meaningful?? I don't know.  But what I do know, is that new beginnings make room for others things to grow.

THANK YOU for all your support throughout these years with my art-prints portion of my business.  I can't even begin to tell you how HAPPY it made me & how much I learned from it.  Unfortunately, the ART PRINTS business has become terribly saturated & EVERYONE is now a designer of prints/posters CREATING prints with every quote in the book!  Sadly, the uniqueness has died.

So, on I go to the NEXT THING.....to innovate & create new work. And in the meanwhile, my Original paintings come with me.  That +  a bit more is what I will be showing you with the new site (for the most part).  Stay tuned, as we will have a HUGE sale soon .....on... ART PRINTS.

-image & post by jen ramos

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