english blog

By Alan Caruba We all know that the “sanctions” Obama has placed on a few of Putin’s pals thus far and those Obama wants the European Union to impose will have no affect whatever on Putin’s decision to annex the Crimea from Ukraine. One of Obama’s solutions to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty includes giving it a billion dollars because Russia has raised the price of the natural gas it sells to the Ukraine. This means Putin just made a billion while reacquiring Crimea. One way to bring Russia to its knees would be for Obama--if he could--to  impose the same things he is doing in America on the Russian Federation: # Require Russia to adopt Obamacare. # Ban the mining and use of coal in Russia. # Do not allow any drilling on Russian publicly-held land. # Redefine the Russian work week to 30 hours. # Raise the Russian minimum wage. # Mandate overtime pay for Russian government workers. # Demand that Russia pay welfare benefits to its illegal immigrants. # Require Russia to enact the...

The Simple Things is a beautiful UK based magazine, and I'm so happy to have one of my projects featured in its latest issue. Soon it will be time to hang the clothes on the line, and nothing is handier than one of these burlap peg bags.  And for those of you non-sewers, I'm putting them on my list for my next shop update... along with stamped pouches, since it seems like those are clear necessities for many of you! Here's how The Simple Things describes itself: It’s about slowing down, enjoying what you have, making the most of where you live, enjoying the company of of friends and family, and making simple food for friendly gatherings. We like to grow some of our own vegetables, visit local markets, rummage in thrift shops, and decorate our home with the plunder. And we like to think that the small things we do will make a difference in the long run – whether that’s making, upcycling, growing, cooking, entertaining, escaping or relaxing. Perfect, right!? You can view som...

The blogiversary giveaway was a delight for me in so many ways. Thanks for your wonderful sharing- LOVED hearing all of the projects that you've enjoyed throughout the years and was fascinated by the favorite stamps people chose. Congratulations goes out to: Karen L R March 26, 2014 at 2:52 PM Love your ethereal feathers, but your scissors get me every time. A good pair of scissors can change the world! Congratulations on your blogiversary. I've been a fan for years. Thanks for a chance at this generous giveaway, Maya! I'll contact you for your address Karen! Yay- scissors it is!

Colby Sharp and I hope you're able to participate in the next Sharp-Schu Book Club meeting on April 22.  I am giving away a copy of Marty McGuire Has Too Many Pets!  and Water Can Be...   Rules for the Giveaway  1. It will run from 3/31 to 11:59 p.m. on 4/2.  2. You must be at least 13.  3. Please pay it forward.  Loading...

This week marks 6 years of maya*made! It has offered so many tremendous gifts along with an unexpected career... True confidence in my creativity, dozens of publishing opportunities, a new lens to view my world, inspiring collaborations, loving friendships, and a connection to all of you amazing folks that stop by regularly to see what's new. I think we need a little celebration, don't you? Every party needs a treat... these congo bars have been a huge success. Three batches in 4 days (ok one was for my son's bake sale, but still!) means they meet my standard baking criteria: they must be quick and easy... and of course make my kids ask for "just one more, pleeeeeease". I used this recipe but tossed all ingredients into one bowl, beginning with wet and ending with dry. I omitted the nuts and made my own brown sugar. It seems like good base recipe for fun adaptions. How about a present... what's a birthday (blogiversary) without a gift? I would be delighted to...

In honor of this new season and all the inspiration it brings to get organized, I bring you... The Spring Bucket Sale! (and more) All of those feathers must have made me light-headed, because I couldn't stop sewing. I went a bit wild in my studio. This is the biggest shop update I've had in years! Everything was made lovingly and infused with happiness just for you. Come visit me in my Etsy store and see what I've been up to...     designs maya made p.s. I'll happy ship internationally, just convo me on Etsy and will set up a listing for you.

ON 31ST MARCH 2014 DASH TURNS ONE!! I know a lot of you have requested a meet and greet with Dash! Since I am hosting a birthday party for him and people have requested that they wanted to pass a present to him, I decided to also organize a meet and greet!  For the first time ever, if you wanted to see Dash in real life, you have the chance to. :D If you are planning on coming, I have to make a few things clear: The party itself is not for the public , only the Meet and Greet, held outside Hokey Pokey Indoor Playground is. Please understand as I also have friends and family attending and the indoor playground will not be able to accomodate everyone. Millenia Walk has a big-ish corridor and it is air-conditioned, so the queue will form outside. The Meet and Greet will only last for half an hour . Dash is very impatient and likes to move around a lot. I think half an hour is the maximum amount of time he will stay still in a high chair perhaps to pose for photos.  The photo ses...

In a word, it's the human condition – we fall, we fail, we sin; each of us, all of us, more often than we'd like to admit... But now, the Lenten journey begins, offering the chance of a fresh start.... To mark his first full turn at these 40 Days on Peter's Chair, Pope Francis has issued a formal message  for the season, drawn from Paul's 2 Corinthians depiction that Christ "became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich." With the 266th Bishop of Rome set to preside over this Ash Wednesday's traditional evening rites on the Avventine Hill at 5pm local (11am ET), though, the gist of Papa Bergoglio's Lenten wish for the church was given in an even more conversational form last August, as Francis sent a video-message to his hometown faithful in Buenos Aires as they queued up at a local shrine for the feast of San Cayetano, the 16th century Italian cleric revered in Argentina as a patron of the poor and unemployed: This [season] speaks of the ...