ampablue creations

Beautiful Green Skirt

2017-07-20T09:23:00.002-07:00

My sister latest creation, a beautiful green skirt with a little splash of purple and blue on our friend Adneiphi.

Dr Pepper Anyone?

2016-06-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

As the story goes, it was her friend’s birthday party and she decided to surprise her with a cake. It was sooooo beautifully done, for an amateur, that the waitress at the restaurant chided them for having brought the bottle in and asked it to be put away, until it was cut open. Happy Birthday, yes it is a cake.

I have featured Ms Jenny previously and her beautiful work, she is the awesome creator of Le Petit Pie and many amazing creative things. If you would like to see more of her work or would like to contact her regarding her pies, they are delicious, trust me, hop on to Facebook: LePetitPie.

My Sister, The Designer

2016-05-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

Did you really think I was the only talented one in the family? Think again, so is my sister and, my niece but let's talk about my sister.

She lives in Switzerland, drove to Luxembourg for Christmas to visit with family. In between the fun, three bridesmaids dresses were commissioned. She takes their measurements, drives back to Switzerland and makes the dresses. They were mailed back two weeks ago and to my sister's amazement, they fit to precision with only minor alterations were needed. Mind you, no fitting was ever done. Fast forward past weekend, there they were, smiling and looking gorgeous at their friend's wedding. Moi?! I am one proud sister. In case you wonder where we learned the skill from, our mother.

The Great Graduation Cap Idea

2016-05-16T18:04:00.001-07:00

It is that time of the year again: graduation. The time when you go wild and nuts about "yes I did it" moment. The time when you think about traveling the world over, learn about other cultures, perhaps move to a new city and make new friends. It is graduation, the right of passage of I am on my own now, welcome to adulthood. It is graduation, the time you line up in formation with all your classmates, walk across the podium to get that coveted piece of paper, your diploma and hear the roar in the audience. It is graduation, the time to say goodbye to roommates and friends, be excited about your new stage of your life, begin anew and say, let the party begin.

And then there is the cap. I never understood the fascination with cap decoration. Perhaps, it is to explore and share your inner creativity, a competition of sorts between the graduates to see who comes up with the best cap idea; whatever it is, it is fun, entertaining. Mine was plain and boring.

A friend of mine forwarded me a picture of her niece's graduation cap and I thought I would share. She did a pretty good job, a meticulous one I may add. It conveys a story. It doesn't take a genius to know what her major was, teaching is a work of heart. Yes indeed. I love it!

A Bag In Colors

2016-05-11T15:35:00.001-07:00

I am always looking and finding beautiful things, interesting works of art, inspirations. I ran into this lady a few days ago, carrying a bag that immediately caught my eyes. Perhaps, I should have taken her picture since she was so gracious allowing to photograph her bag but I mean, this bag was calling my name, it had me at hello and that's all she wrote. I was mostly fascinated not only by its intricate work of art, color but especially by the hours it must have taken the artist to make this piece but who is counting?

It was purchased in South Africa, a gift from her husband three years ago. She so treasures it that she rarely uses it, afraid she might damage it. Trust me, I touched it and let's just say it was worth all its $150.00 and more. That's Art!

Papermate Has Gone Hightech, Colors!

2016-05-04T16:12:00.002-07:00

I don’t normally use pens, I don't like them and only use them occasionally so, pencils are my thing. So, it was to amusement that I found this, a rainbow. Pick whatever color your heart consent and run with it.

Goodbye!

Happy St. Patrick's day!

2016-03-17T14:05:00.000-07:00

I wasn't there this year, affairs of du jour but this is what we were able to put out last year for the New Horizons, an organization dedicated to the young at heart in the neighborhood, regardless of their faith and creed. The food was amazing and the Irish Coffee? Delish!. We had sooo much fun preparing and hosting but the most important part, they loved it.

Happy St. Patrick's day. May the luck of the Irish touch you today!

These were made with love

Carmen and her charm. Eighty three years old and counting. Strike your pose sister.

A friend and her husband playing the drum and the pipe, and our choir director with the children's choir provided the entertainment.

These Irish Coffees prepared by the team, were delicious.

Part of the team. The end!

Flea Market Findings

2015-11-09T18:17:00.000-08:00

I don't always hit the flea market but when I do, I try to find items that speak to me. I rarely find a think but check out what I was able to grab on Saturday and all for just seven bucks.

A vintage jacket that may or may not have a different journey once I totally lay my hands on it. I just like to change things and give me signature. I grabbed it just for its design and color, it is blue after all. Who would think a fabric used to adorn a home, could also be used for a jacket, how cool is that?

Not that I really needed a make-up bag. I am a minimalist in that regard but bought it to serve as a storage for my world of bracelets once they are completed and also as a added decor on many future projects. Art direction in motion.

I am a scarf person. I live for scarf. I have an assortment of them and just found a little corner on the drawer for it. I am pretty sure I will wear it sometimes but bought it mostly for what you will see below,

Voila, Eiffel Tower, Paris.

Call me crazy!

My Art, My Creation, My Work

2015-11-05T10:17:00.000-08:00

I am a woman show. I live in a schizophrenic world, no pun intended but my hands are like tentacles extending everywhere. They move around faster then birds migrating south. I am just creative so they say.

Once upon a time, I wanted to be a fashion designer so I began sewing, to the point I had my own clients, high school friends, a skill I learned from my mother at tender age of 16. I was riding high, I loved it but it all stopped when I moved to the States where you live and breathe ready to wear, and college took over.

I was creating and it felt great to see my work on others. Undone, I moved on, dreaming on becoming a fabric designer. So, I began sketching while innocently searching for factories with no way of knowing it would come to fulfillment.

As fait would have it, I ended up in the same city the factories were to be located but as it has happened with many factories, they moved to China. However, the world today is our oyster. We live in the digital age where anything and everything is possible as long as you try.

I thought about combining my two loves, well one of many, designing and sewing and create beautiful pieces for a long, long time but kept putting it in the back burner. I had ideas, may ideas and they were that, ideas until now.

It is without further ado that I present you my first installment of my two loves. The fabric you see, it is mine and the bags, I made them from head to toe. They are ©Ampablue Creations. Hope you love them as much as I loved making them.

Hazelnut Cookies

2015-07-22T14:24:00.001-07:00

One of the things I enjoyed doing while growing up back home, was baking. There wasn’t a cake or cookie I wouldn’t make, there wasn’t a sweet treat I wouldn’t sample, there wasn’t a day that would go by without me munching on something sugary.

I loved to bake mostly because just as I loved to make them, I also loved to eat them. Just as I finished baking them, as fast I had them on my mouth with no minute to spare.

It was a fun and relaxing activity around the house. It kept me occupied and out of trouble but the main objective, it reduced costs to a fraction of that of a shop, I could tailor the recipe to my liking, besides, it was the thing to do. We would rather make it ourselves then buying them. Hmm imagine serving your visitors homemade, freshly baked goodies? The aroma... I can hear the the tambourine playing.

So, this weekend I was hit by a baking pan. I had a urge and did something have not done in a long time, baking. I can envision the folks at my local supermarket rattled up, hands on their head saying "oh no" about the news.

With some time to burn and feeling domestic, I made some hazelnuts cinnamon cookies in a whimsy. Yes, I did and they turned out mighty tasty thank you. But something change on my way to in the process however with my munching habits; times have changed. The cookies did not square straight to my mouth but to a basket in my kitchen with tea and coffee looking fixedly at them saying “pick me, pick me”. They didn’t, I didn’t, we did not. I have it down now, I laid low. I was motivated not to upset the scale but watch it and not to appear in the love handles wall of fame. It was fun I may add, liberating and a delight. Loved it.

____ '' ____

RECIPE

- Courtesy of epicurious.com

1/2 cup hazelnuts (2 oz)
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 soupspoon cinnamon

PREPARATION

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan until fragrant and skins begin to loosen, about 6 minutes. Rub nuts in a kitchen towel to remove any loose skins (some skins may not come off) and cool to room temperature.

Pulse nuts and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor until nuts are finely ground, then add flour and a pinch of salt, pulsing until combined. Add butter and pulse until dough just forms a ball. Divide dough in half, then roll dough on a work surface lightly dusted with sugar and flour into 2 (11-inch-long) logs (each about 1 inch wide). Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 hour.

Cut logs crosswise into 1/2-inch slices and arrange rounds 2 inches apart on 2 baking sheets.

Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until bottom edges just begin to turn pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on sheet 2 minutes. Place remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in a small dish and dip tops of cookies in it, then cool sugared cookies on a rack.

Happy baking!

Mango Lime Pops

2015-07-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

It is so hot today that it calls for one of these. Yummy! Sorry I can't share it, I wish I could but in case you are in the mood for one and are too busy to run to the store, here is a fun, friendly and easy recipe I found on the Real Simple website. Mango is one of my favorite fruits and I can never go wrong with it, it melts in your mouth and lime just gives it that saddle quick it needs. Hope you like it. I loved it. Cheers!

_ _ _ _ _

Recipe courtesy of Real Simple

Hands-On Time:15 minutes Total Time: 255 minutes Serves:8

Ingredients

2 large mangoes, peeled and chopped (4 cups)

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/3 cup sugar

pinch fine salt

Directions

Puree the mangoes, lime juice, sugar, 1 cup water, and salt in a blender until smooth.
Pour the mixture into 10 3-ounce or 8 4-ounce ice-pop molds, dividing evenly. Insert ice-pop sticks and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 4 days.

National French Fry Day

2015-07-13T13:22:00.000-07:00

Yes, today is National French Fry Day. I mean what could be more Americana then celebrate a greasy but tasty food that can incite all the awful diseases and not caring because it tastes good?! Call it food, call it snack, call it whatever you want, it is one my favorites indulgences and I am not one bit apologetic about it. I can eat a whole plate and be happy for the rest of the day, greasy or non-greasy.

Since my eating french fries habit is such a rare once in the moon occurrence, I believe my blood pressure and heart can handle it then again, the last time I had french fries, it was a year ago; so, I am excused.

In case you would like to celebrate the day and do not have time to cook, rush to McDonalds, they have one of the best. Add chicken and vegetables to it, and you have a meal. I tasted them all but this one beats the cake.

Happy National French Fry Day!

Le Petit Pie

2015-07-07T12:06:00.000-07:00

As the story goes, Jenny was always interested in beekeeping because as she puts it, “it is really good for the environment and I think bees are fascinating!” Well, who am I to argue with that?

The first Christmas she and boyfriend Ben spent together, he bought her an apiary (bee hive) and all the tools she would need to bee keep. Courageous. In my little world, I run to Timbuktu when I see a bee but there she was, taking care of the environment.

By spring, she had it up and running, and the bees were producing tons of honey but by then, LePetitpie and nothing of the kind even crossed her mind. She had just found a hobby and was not thinking about turning it into a business. She enjoyed and was having fun.

She decided to join the beekeeping club for knowledge and experience.

By summer of that year, she was using honey in everything that for her friend Shannon's birthday picnic, she decided to make a pie.

Since it was a picnic, she thought a large pie would be hard to cut and share so, she made small pies in muffin tins, using her own honey to sweeten the crust and a concept was born. It was a hit. Her friends loved them. They thought the pies were cute.

Voila! Cuteness is always a prelude to something magnificent. Who better testers then your friends? They will always tell you the truth.

Her beekeeping club was having a festival for National Honey Bee Day so, she decided to bring out her pies to test the water and see what would happened… Drumroll please, touchdown. She sold out!

In the fall of last year, she started bringing the pies out to farmers markets and the rest is history.

You can find Jenny and Le Petit Pie in Winter Garden and Lake Eola, FL farmer’s markets but she will be taking a break soon, changing the scenery a bit by heading out to Denver, CO for the summer. If you around the area, check her out. Trust me, the tiny all American Apple, Strawberry and Stripes, Yankee Doodle Cherry and Red, White Blueberry Honey Baked into the crust from scratch with love are delicious and I am not even a pie connoisseur. They are made with love, individually for you!

Happy Birthday America!

2015-07-04T07:45:00.000-07:00

It Runs In The Family

2015-06-29T14:28:00.000-07:00

Meet Gorretti Pina, she is an author and designer in Lisbon, Portugal and also my cousin. Her brother who passed away a few years ago, was also a great and renowned artist. Yes, the arts run in my family - both parents side. So, even if I wanted to, I could not escape it. She has written two books, poetry and fiction and is making her mark across the Portuguese world. I hope to see her showcasing her collections one day in a major runway show.

With Anibal Cavaco Silva, President of Portugal at Palacio Nacional de Belem

Her first book

Her second book, a collection of poetry

On a TV show in Lisbon, Portugal

Glittered Out

2015-06-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

Its universal language in sewing world is, alterations but I like to call it “fixing”.

A friend of mine called me the other day with her up, she was going to a wedding but the dress she bought, was to big, if I could do "your magic". Well, I love challenges. I haven’t seen a fabric I haven’t conquered yet, so I was on but… hmmm, wait.

The dress was lovely, simple, cute and it beautifully accentuated her Latina body but there was a catch, an issue of major minor proportion, glitter. Glitter that din't know how to behave and had a mind of its own that by the time I was done working on the dress, I had 911 on speed dial.

There was glitter anywhere glitter could land. It was all over the table - thank you plastic cover for coming to my rescue, floor, my dress, my face, my hands and yes, shower was on the menu and came handy. I was glittered out in glitterland.

Needless to say, it didn’t matter. It was all about her. She is such a townboy, always in shorts and pants, and it was nice to see her all glamoured out for a change. She, second from the right, looked cute and adorable. I am glad she had fun and enjoyed her childhood friend’s wedding and I am glitter free. Oh well, until the next adventure.

WiFi, It Is Art!

2014-07-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

“Luis Hernan set up a system that turned the wireless signals around him into colorful, ghostlike images using long-exposure photography, allowing people to see the strength of the signals around them.” Yes, it is art. Have fun. The works of artist Luis Hernan. Click here for some more art.

Intimate With Soma

2014-05-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

Styling comes in different forms. Behind that perfect shoot is that perfect behind the scene. Everything has to look great, organized, stacked and placed to a fault, and someone had to do it.

Recreating the Soma Store

Bras stacked accordingly per color and style.

Underwear were placed by color and sizes.

Bring in the models and voila! See how it all turned out. Check the video below!

Starbucks and Moi

2014-05-15T23:46:00.000-07:00

Starbucks had a contest going until May 11 and it said, “design a beautiful cup and if we like it, we may feature it in our next tumbler.” So, I did. Here are pictures of the three designs I submitted. Miracles do happen, I heard. So, good luck to me I guess. #WhiteCupContest

Presentation #1

Presentation #2

Presentation #3

Working In Progress

2014-04-28T14:06:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned. It is going to be marvelous, interesting and fun. Just me using my creativity and pleasing mother nature. Recycling is the name of the game!

Just Another Fun Day

2014-04-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

So, I had another fan day the other day, just working!

No caption necessary.

Designer shoes at your disposal. Alexander Wang, Alexander McQueen, Manolo Blahnik, Fendi, Iro.. Can you dig it? Go ahead, take a peek!

Meet Michele, she is from Utah.

Action!

I look Better With Braids!

2014-03-14T12:24:00.001-07:00

Someone told me today, he is glad my braids are back on. He looked at me, gave me a kiss on the cheek and said I look pretty. I said thank you!

I look Better In A Fro!

2014-03-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

Someone told me today she likes my Angela Davis fro. She was happy to see me. Thank God, I no longer have the braids. She was thinking about the weight on my head, they must have been heavy . I said no and she replied, oh!

Happy International Women’s Day!

2014-03-08T10:55:00.001-08:00

The picture I have of women, is undoubtedly what I learned from my Mother, her legacy. She once told me that every smile of independence and rights in a woman’s face, was one less tear in her eyes. Today, I would rather just tell her that I finally get it! Smiles like these can take more than a day or a month. It will at least take my whole existence! _ Raul Jorge Neto

I look Better In A Ponytail!

2014-03-05T14:12:00.000-08:00

Someone told me today that I look better on a ponytail. Yeah, that's right, a ponytail. Case closed. The customer is always right, right?! But wait, hold your horses right there missy, who's talking to you horsy?! I heard the tail begging me to please not put him on a corner, oops my bad, on a pony. So, I didn't. I let him be, free as a cucumber to rejoice his glory. So there, he is a tail in a pony and feeling great about it. And... Because I am happy!