Deaf Center of Idaho - Deaf Event

My good friend, Kristi Dorris will be my salesperson at the Deaf Center of Idaho's 2nd annual DCI holiday Bazaar. At the event, Kristi will sell my HANDSHAPES products.

If you are interested in attending this event, here is the information:

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Time: 10am – 4pm

Place: 1720 Westgate Dr. suite D
Boise, ID


Website: www.deafcenteridaho.org

I am so excited about this as it is my very first event! I will keep you all updated about the event and how well it works out after November 8th.
“Commercial” by Thunderoaphy

My good friend, Storm Smith has developed a new business called "Thunderoaphy," which is a photography and multi-media video company. She showed me her projects and her work is so AWESOME!! I am so thrilled and looking forward to the "by MARA" commercial that Storm will make some time in 2009!

Good bye to my hearing aid

IMPOSSIBLE! Where is my hearing aid at? I can’t find it! It should be somewhere in my house and I still cannot find my hearing aid. I feel sad and I will have to pay for a new hearing aid from my own pocket. It’s very EXPENSIVE! I miss hearing sounds. I haven't heard anything for about one and a half weeks. I hope my new hearing aid will be ready by next week.

HANDSHAPES Models


My photography partner, Rachel Tan and I took pictures of four wonderful models. I wanted to thank Chris Peters and his roommates for allowing me to take pictures at their place in Northridge, California.











Chris Peters… My models, Rachel and I showed up at his place at 6 AM. We waited outside his door while Chris was sleeping. Nobody heard us. We rang the doorbell and banged the door and windows many times! So I decided to break into his house =X However CP locked his bedroom door. My hub Jon provided Krispy Kreme donuts and orange juice for breakfast. Later, Chris finally came out of his room and said "I am D**K" and told us that he will change his clothes. CP went to his room, he locked his room and fell asleep again. I cannot wait for him. We just moved on and took pictures of the models individually and then as a group. I asked Jon to join the Handshapes group with the other models since it was an emergency. Chris finally woke up at about 7:30 AM because he said that his alarm clock woke him up at the wrong time and he had gone to a party the night before. Tsk tsk.

Many thanks to my partner, Rachel Tan. She helped me a lot! I am so grateful to work with her. She did a great job!

Models: Chris Peter, Josh Josa, Amy Conway, Caridad Reyner
Thanks to all the models for taking the time out of their day for me! I hope they had a good time and good experience as a model.

Final Handshapes photos will be posted on my official website and advertisements as well.

I LOVE POKER!


One of our good friends introduced Jon and I to the Texas Hold'em game. I have played poker for more than five years. I usually play poker at friends' houses and casinos as well. Poker is my hobby. Sometime I play honest or bluff my way through a game *wink*

SoCal Deaf Poker hosted a poker event last Saturday. Twenty-two deafies attended the event. I was at the final table, however I was out of the game on King and 10 - same diamond suits - and the flop cards did not match my cards. Another player got pocket. I got 7th place but, Jon got 4th place with a small prize.

Jon and I like to play poker at least once a month. If you are interested in joining, please let me know!

TAX TAX TAX


Jon and I recently took the California Board of Equalization Seminar. We learned a lot about taxes and it was very interesting! If you want to be an accountant or a business owner like restaurant manager, photographer, designer, constructor, etc. -- I highly recommend that you go and take the Board of Equalization seminar. There, you will learn very important information and how to protect your business. And the best part? Its FREE!



I wanted to thank my Mom who helped us by interpreting the seminar for us. We are very lucky to have her. She did a great job! I love you, Mom!

ONE LOVE fashion show






On September 6, 2008, my good friend Sheena, the Soup Event planner, hosted ONE LOVE fashion show. We worked together as a team. It was SUCCESSFUL! I will post it again when Kiss-Fist Magazine's third issue is coming soon!





SPECIAL THANKS


Sheena Mcfeely-Johnson, the Soup Event Planner
Barbara Montan, for allowing us to use her home for the One Love fashion show event.
Manny Johnson, CVSDR sponsor
Jonathan Reyes, Supporter
Jessica Sanchez, Assistant designer

Beautiful MODELS:Bethany Gehman, Adriana Mendoza, Crystal Eusebio, Jenny Choi, Nancy Ngo, Didi Pelletier, Kaitlin Fleming, Rachel Tan, Jessica Sanchez, Chris Peters

I also want to thank everyone who supported our ONE LOVE fashion show.

I will keep you updated on my upcoming fashion shows.

Sweet Embrace Dress







I made this custom dress for a customer.
It is a dark chocolate embrace dress.
She loves it!
She wore this dress for her sister’s wedding.

My Domain Name

I was excited to post my official website www.byMARA.com as my domain name. However, my website developer told me that byMARA.com is already taken. I couldn't believe it! I was so disappointed. I did not have any idea what my alternative domain name would be. It took me two days to think about it. I thought I would make a minor change to the domain name I wanted, such as "byMARA.net". But the website developer recommended that I use ".com" because it is more professional. It's true. My family and my best friends helped me by giving me their feedback on alternative domain names.

The possible alternative domain names were:
byMARAshop.com
byMARAsigns.com
byMARAcollection.com
byMARAcreations.com
CollectionsbyMARA.com

There were so many options! I am thankful to my family and best friends for taking the time to help me decide on an official domain name.

I finally decided on "byMARAcollection.com." To me, it sounds good. So, my website developer is working on the domain name right now, and I hope "byMARAcollection.com" is NOT TAKEN!

Mini Fashion Show at CSUN 08


Almost a year after graduating from California State University, Northridge, an organization at Cal State Northridge named Deaf CSUNians, asked me to join their fashion show and to debut my fashion line to the public as a deaf designer. I had five models that modeled the five dresses I chose to showcase in the fashion show, and Jessica Sanchez as my assistant. The models were Crystal Eusebio, Adriana Mendoza, Amy Conway, Kaitlin Fleming, and Rachel Tan. The show was great and I got great feedback from the audience. They all loved my dresses and shirts!

Fashion/Trunk Show – May 2007















Instead of the usual pomp and circumstance march at California State University, Northridge, I hosted my very own, first fashion show at my parents' house in Pasadena, California. I invited all of my family and friends to my fashion show in lieu of a graduation ceremony. The fashion show showcased ten of my dresses - all of which I made throughout my college years. The fashion show was a success!! It was more than I had imagined it to be and everything that I wanted it to be. My big sister Melissa, flew from New York City to support me and to help me. One of my close cousins, Joi helped as my stylist assistant. My best friend Reeann Hosein flew in from Florida for my graduation and to model one of my dresses. Another best friend of mine, Jessica Sanchez, helped me so much as my assistant. My professional interpreter was Jill Melendes and two friends from my sorority, Jennifer Spensieri and Becca Nelson, helped me as hairstylists and make-up artists to the models. My ten beautiful models were Amy Conway, Sheena Mcfeely, Crystal Eusebio, Adrianna Mendoza, Jenny Choi, Bianca Walker, Kristin Leete, Rachel Tan and Reeann Hosein, all wore the dresses I made. I am so thankful to all my family and friends for being there and for their support. One of the dresses named "Sweet Embrace" was a big hit at the fashion show; and everyone loved the shirts I created with my logo on it. It was very stressful planning the fashion show but in the end, it was all worth it and I was so happy to share my creations with all of my family and friends.