ALL KINDS OF KAPERS

Well, I can certainly tell I'm back home from California. My allergies have been awful and it makes me really tired.  It sure hit me this week how the crazy climate here affects me. One day it's 40 degrees and the next is 70, and it makes my allergies flare up and gives me headaches. If I had the opportunity to move to Coronado Island I would have a  hard time saying no! I realized I missed California, especially the beaches, but I really didn't realize how much until I went back. Alas, my vacation is over and I returned home to issues with my manufacturer, who suddenly tripled the minimum order, so now I am having to start all over trying to find a different one or try to save up more money. And instead of walking on the beach all day and swimming laps I'm back to waking up before dawn to get kids to school and driving to track practice and cooking and cleaning and laundry, but of course I wouldn't give that up and I'd have those chores no matter where I lived! I'm also back to the grind at work, which isn't really so much of a grind since it's my dream job.

I had an order for one of my custom Kitty Kapers Barbie cat replicas and got right to work. This has been one of my most popular exclusive products for several years, ever since a customer requested one. The original cat, which is shown in the photos above, was part of the Put-Ons n Pets line of outfits with pets from 1972. These are extremely rare and valuable now. I've seen the sets sell for over $800 used as long as they have all the pieces. Collectors who can't afford an original cat like to display their dolls with my replicas. I felt the original cat looked pretty much like roadkill, so I tried to make mine a little cuter while still retaining the same look. My cats are needle-felted from Peruvian wool and jointed so they can pose so they are much higher-quality than the Mattel ones. Although I occasionally get hate mail telling me how ugly these are (I always direct the hater to the original!) they are extremely popular. I made one extra and have it for sale in my eBay store. You can order them from Etsy, too. Link to both stores from the Home page. If you search the internet for Kitty Kapers images you can see most of the past cats I've made over the years.

I finished listing my new Spring fashion line on eBay and Poshmark, including my new Infinity Raine and Baby Boden pieces. These are already selling out fast so you will want to hurry to pick up your favorites. Today I added several handbags as well.

Reviewing the photos from our trip I noticed my lips are much thinner than they used to be. Aging is something else; as soon as you take care of one issue another crops up! Luckily I had the ingredients on hand for all natural lip volumizer: Combine about 3 tbsp fractionated coconut oil with 8 drops each clove, ginger, cinnamon bark, nutmeg, and peppermint essential oils.  Mix in 1/4 tsp each cayenne pepper, hot sauce, and vitamin E oil. Apply with a cotton swab. Wait until you feel your lips begin to tingle and then wipe away the excess with the other end of the swab. Once your lips are dry apply lipstick or gloss as usual. Make sure to wash your hands after mixing and applying this and keep it away from your eyes!

​You can order my preferred brand of essential oils, Young Living, from the Home page. I concentrated hard on myself during vacation, fasting each day, walking 6-10 miles on the beach every morning, and swimming laps each afternoon. Yesterday I took a side-by-side photo and  I could really see the difference! This outfit, which is one of my favorites, will be for sale soon as the leggings are almost falling off. I was trying to get through winter without buying clothes but today I gave up and ordered myself some smaller things. I wish I had the time to workout for hours every day, but between the housework and kids and running my business it isn't possible. Still, I am moving in the right direction and if you watch the shops I hope for both our sakes you'll be able to pick up some lightly-used clothes as I transition through them to smaller sizes! You can follow my weight loss journey on my Instagram and Naturally Amanda Facebook page.