Baby Steps

So I might have oversold my "nursery update," because although I feel like I have accomplished quite a bit...there is not much to show for it! I am at the gathering stage...picking up things here and there, starting to pull together my color scheme and such. I found these amazing drawer pulls at Anthropologie, and they will be used to spice up the Pottery Barn changing table that I bought off Craigslist for an incredible steal! I am also going to make my own basket covers for the changing table. I think the end result will be a very colorful, eclectic looking piece. Here is the piece pre-makeover....as pictured on the Pottery Barn website.
Next, I decided on a paint color and bought a tester. I splashed it on the walls and simply loved the color...it is the PERFECT blue.
When I was in Philadelphia, I bought some beautiful fabrics at Spool. These will be used for making flags, soft blocks and many other nursery projects. They perfectly match the paint color and drawer pulls!
Yesterday, I picked up a glider which I found on Craigslist...it looks identical to this. But am I content to let it be? No way. I am going to reupholster the cushions in a fun print, which has yet to be determined! And here is where I begin to dance, and celebrate the joys of Craigslist. The kind and generous mama that sold me the changing table also gave me (completely free of charge) two bags of baby clothes, from infant to 24 months. They are adorable, clean and in perfect shape. We are talking Polo and Gap brands here. AMAZING.
My favorite item of the bunch...these too-cute-for-words shoes. Can you imagine the tiny toes that will fit in here? Well, that's all for now. Next week we will paint, and soon after that, I feel like things will start coming together in a big way. Exciting!

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Philadelphia

We had an amazing time in Philadelphia this weekend, attending the wedding of our good friends, exploring the city and stuffing our faces with some good eats. When I first met my husband, he was living in Philadelphia, so the city holds many a fond memory for us.
Whenever I am in town, there are a few shops that always demand my attention. First up is Verde...a gorgeous gift shop and florist. I love the way that they display their goods...like these letterpress cards clothes-pinned to an antique birdcage...how creative!
Of course I couldn't resist checking out the fabric supply at Spool, an adorable shop devoted to all things sewing.
Their selection of kids clothing patterns was especially cute, and very inspiring for further-on down the road.
I even found some great prints for a few nursery projects I am starting...
We found an incredible burger joint in a rather sketchy part of town, aptly named Sketch Burger. We don't eat beef, or pork, so sometimes, burger joints don't have a lot to offer us, but Sketch had an incredible selection of vegan-friendly burgers, turkey burgers and even elk burgers. Guess which one my husband chose...that's right, elk!
He was in heaven, and I viewed it as his reward for shopping with me all day!
With a side of hand-cut fries...of course.
Despite the sketch factor, I highly recommend this place if you should visit Philly. Just be warned...it is WAY off the beaten path!
I will be back tomorrow with a sneak peek of the nursery progress! I can't wait to show you what I have been up to!

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Summery Gifts

It is officially the start of summer, which among many things, means the start of wedding season. This weekend we have a wedding to go to, and a baby shower (which we will be missing due to the wedding). I have been trying to get all of the gifts wrapped in creative ways.

I love the look of a plain box among all the boxes of (usually cheesy) wrapping paper...but of course it needs some embellishments! Using a simple ball of yarn, I made a few pom-poms (just wrap the yarn about 20 times around three fingers, tie in the middle and snip the loops) and a card using a pretty leaf stamp. I think it looks understated, yet festive!

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23 weeks!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day weekend. I am delaying my celebration until our upcoming trip to Michigan, where I can thank my dad, in person, for being the most amazing father on the planet. Those kind of things just need to be said in-person, don't you agree? It was exciting to congratulate my husband on his very first Father's Day...even though he hasn't had to prove himself yet!
I am now in my 23 week of pregnancy, almost six months...I can hardly believe it! When I was at Squam Art Workshops a few weeks ago, the lovely Thea Coughlin did a photo shoot with me, so that I would have some maternity pictures to remember this time by. I am not someone who is comfortable in front of the camera...I would much prefer staying behind the lens, but Thea made me feel so comfortable, so at ease. She is truly talented at what she does, so I am hardly surprised that I love the results (this coming from a girl who has never really loved a picture of herself!). I thought I would share a few of my favorites with you...which is a little scary, putting myself out there like that...but I know you'll be nice!

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Strawberry Shortcake

It's officially summer, in my opinion, when strawberries come into season. I am buying them by the carton full from the farm, and we are eating them as fast as I can get them home. I decided to spoil my husband tonight by making homemade strawberry shortcake. This is the perfect recipe, except instead of circle biscuits, I highly recommend trying them heart-shaped. I think they taste just that much better! I served them with a dollop of vanilla frozen yogurt, but since the biscuits were fresh out of the oven, the ice cream kept melting before I could snap a picture, so you'll have to use your imagination!Here's wishing you a sugary sweet weekend!

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Back in the Saddle

I have had a long and tumultuous love affair with knitting. I started as a young girl, begging my mom to sign me up for lessons at our local knit shop, and I quickly found that I loved it. The hours that I spent in the quiet, coolness of that little yarn shop would help me forget all of my pre-adolescent heartaches and dramas. I gave up knitting when I got to high school...my schedule was much too packed with sports and studies. All through college and my early twenties, I was much too busy (in my own mind) to take the time to get back into knitting, but every now and then, the thought would flare up, trying to pull me back. And now, with a little one on the way, I find myself drawn back to the needles, the softness of the yarn. I am starting with something simple...little baby booties in the softest pale blue. I am not the fastest knitter, or the most talented...but I am back, and it feels oh-so-good.

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Moody Blues

I hate to admit it, but at only five months pregnant, my nesting instincts are already becoming heightened. Oh yes, it is going to be a long third trimester! My poor husband...I made us scour the house from top to bottom this weekend on a hunt for any and all clutter that could be donated to Goodwill. Now, keep in mind that I am an overeager organizer and housekeeper already, so there wasn't too much to give away. I tend to do a large de-clutter every couple of months, but this one was a bit more earnest than previous episodes. I just want the house to be in a perfect, calm state for the arrival of our baby boy because I know that the months following the birth will not lend themselves to tidying up around the house. I think (hope) my priorities will shift during that time!

My other overzealous weekend activity...coming up with a mood board for the baby's room. We will be turning our guest room into the nursery, and right now it is painted pink, with red-stained wood floors. I really want a calm, peaceful, serene room with mainly soft colors, and the occasional pop of brighter colors. I am going to be painting the room a very soft blue, and hanging long linen curtains trimmed with red pom poms (to bring in the red of the floor). I am also going to try making my own crib bumper (inspired by the Serena and Lily one above), as well as a quilt, many soft toys and cute outfits. I hope that the rest of the decor will come from Etsy, Craigslist and friends eager to pass along their used baby goods! In fact, I already found the Pottery Barn changing table for a steal on Craigslist, so I am going to pick it up this week.

I know this all might seem premature to some, but with a book to write, a few article assignments, and a backyard redo in the works (more on that later), I feel like I want to start getting all of my ducks in a row for our big arrival!

So what do you think...any ideas, suggestions, thumbs up??!!

Linen Deer Head: Astulabee
Decal around deer: Shanna Murray
Lion print: Sarah Jane Studio
Crib set: Serena and Lily
Bunnies: Hop, Skip, Jump
Penguins: Flora and Henry
Bird Mask: Shakshuka
Zinc letter V (a hint at the name): Anthropologie
Book tree: Shawn Soh
Bubble print: Blanca Gomez
Changing table: Pottery Barn
Curtains: linen with red pom-pom tassel
Rug: Dash and Albert

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It's a....

I have been looking forward to today for... oh I don't know... about five months now! We went in for our ultra-sound today to find out the sex of the baby. We were so sure it was a girl, but to our surprise...it was a boy! Obviously we quickly recovered from the shock and started celebrating, and then I came right home to do a round-up of some of my favorite boy nurseries (I have to admit, I had been bookmarking pink, girlie nurseries!). Now that we know the sex, I can't wait to dive into all of the baby crafting projects I have been dreaming about...but for now, here is some nursery inspiration! If you have any favorite baby boy nurseries or inspirations, please comment with the link...I can't get enough!!

Baby image: Rikshaw Design

Nurseries:
1. Aubrey and Lindsay's Little House Blog
2. Style at Home
3. Shawn Soh Book Tree
4. Lifeflix
5. Source unknown...help please!!
6. Serena and Lily

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It was all a dream...

There is something about Squam Art Workshops that makes you feel like perhaps you imagined the entire, amazing weekend. Can you imagine waking up to this calm, gorgeous lake view?
Getting ready for breakfast, knowing you don't have to cook a thing...you could have waffles (oh yes, there is a homemade waffle station), eggs, cereal, french toast, oatmeal, or a plethora of other treats. Oh...and no doing the dishes either!
With a full belly, you wander off through the woods in search of your lakeside cabin, where inside, renowned teachers wait to share their magic. Embroidery, sewing, painting, book making, block printing, knitting...you can do it all.
The best part...everyone there shares your undying passion towards creating. I mean, where else can you tell a knitting joke and have people actually respond with laughter and not just pitying looks?!
When the day winds down, there is time to sit on the porch, gaze out at the lake and engage in stimulating, refreshing conversation with your cabin mates... all the while, you know that tomorrow will hold more of the same.
This is SAW, and this is why I am always pulled back for more.

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The Journey Begins

This week has flown by, and when I woke up this morning, I could hardly contain my excitement that THIS is the day I leave for Squam Art Workshops!
Is there anything better than three days devoted to creativity... in a setting as beautiful as this?
So I will leave you with these pictures, a few of my favorites from last year. I hope to see some of you at Squam today, and I can't wait to share all the beauty and creativity with the rest of you when I return. I hope your week is filled with all kinds of goodness!

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