All Giggly Over This Mama

 I can not tell you how much I simply adore Shannon! She is a fabulous friend (even though we never officially met), an incredible stitcher and is just downright beautiful. Her outlook on life is amazing and even when she's grumpy-she's still divine!

Tell me a little bit about yourself?

I am a Central Coast of California native, born it Beverly Hills. I am mostly of Italian and German heritage. I am a wife, a mother of 2, a daughter and granddaughter, a sister, a cousin, a niece, a neighbor, friendly passerby, and a dear friend.

I am naturally anxious. I sometimes hold my breath for long periods of time without realizing.

I have a fascination with whales and I often have dreams about them.

I giggle at pretty much everything. Which can be pretty annoying to others, I imagine.

I love to eat anytime and anywhere and I always have to have something sweet after lunch and dinner.

I love to sleep, but can only accomplish that in bed with my husband sleeping next to me.

I am a plus size and love it. I have naturally curly black hair, full lips, tattoos, and unexpected hair in unexpected places.

I love tiny baby animals, reptiles, and amphibians.

I don't like dirty feet, or shoes in the house.

Okay, I'm done because this might be more than a little bit....

You are a baking master! What's one of your favorite recipes?
I wish I was a baking master! I do love to bake. :) My pumpkin chocolate chip cookies have to be the best cookies ever, but a runner up would be a Chocolate Cherry Cola Cake I once made. I got the recipe from a fellow blogger. It is the sweetest most sinful cake I have ever tried. Here is the recipe:
1 box Devil Food cake mix
# 1 jar (10 oz) maraschino cherries with juice
# 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
1 cup cherry cola carbonated beverage
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 container whipped vanilla frosting
1 cup marshmallow creme
24 maraschino cherries with stems if you want to decorate the cake

1. Heat oven to 350* degree. Chop up maraschino cherries and set aside

2. Take box cake (don't make it like the instructions on the back on the box), but take the cake powder and mix with cola, oil, eggs, and 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice. Then throw in chopped cherries and beat for about 2 mins. Pour batter into pan.

3. Bake 35-43 mins. Cool completely.

4. In small bowl mix frosting and the marshmallow creme together and frost the cake. If you want a nice decoration, then add some maraschino cherries on top or chocolate chips.

I love your new tattoo, can you tell me about it?
Oh, I just love my newest tattoo too! I really wanted an embroidery themed tattoo for my 31st birthday. I imagined many designs, but could not come up with one on my own. I knew I had to have each important embroidery tool in the design, but couldn't decide on an arrangement. Luckily my life long friend Scott Osburn, is a pretty talented and skilled tattoo artist and whipped up a freehand drawing right on my arm with no problem. I told him, "Just make sure you get the scissors right!" I had to have the pink Sublime Stitching embroidery scissors in the mix. I think the tattoo turned out beautifully and I will enjoy it for years to come for sure.

Your Pee Wee Herman embroidery is my favorite, what inspires you when you stitch something up?
I always stitch things as gifts for other people, so it has to be something that I know that person will enjoy or something that reminds me of them. This can be a challenge sometimes when scouting for the perfect image for a pattern. I am often inspired by work I see in the Phat Quarter group on Flickr. There are so many talented stitchers out there! I personally love original, emotional, vintage, or silly embroidery. and I am always so pleased and tickled to see new creations by Giddy Girlie, Beefrank, MrXStitch, (my heros) and of course I just love your work as well Miss KittyKill. :) We need to do a swap!

Any motherly advice you can give us?
Don't sweat the small stuff, I know this sounds cliché, but it is really better for your health and your kids, if you just look at the bright side of life. I know this a challenge to do and my mothering skills are still a work in progress. You can't be taught to be a mother. I learn by doing, just like my kids. Even parents make mistakes, so I do the best I can. Each day is a new one and I try to enjoy each and every precious moment I have with my kids, filling time with giggles and memories in between the 2 yr old tantrums, and prepubescent raging hormones. :)

BONUS QUESTION!
Happiness is......
...a warm bed.

Gah! Can you stand it? Shannon is able to warm anyone's heart with her kind words, amazing stitching and postive outlook. She is the  person you want in your corner to cheer you up and give you a hug when things just aren't going your way. She is truly a wonderful woman.  Thank you Shannon for being out there.