love me twice today

Feel like i'm fallin' for fall....

2011-10-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

we are excited about FALL!!! how about you!?

so long summer...

2011-08-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

i know we have a while before summer is officially over, but i feel the "end of summer blues" creeping in. the official 'back-to-school', i.e. back to work, letter arrived in the mail yesterday and i realize my free time is coming to an end. we have had a wonderful summer. so many adventures and good times. as much as i'll miss my time off with the family, i'm looking forward to fall. my favorite season and getting back into my productive groove.

Day 2::KCWC::Another skirt...

2011-05-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

i know, boring! i wish i could say i was lazy. unfortunately working and living don't leave me with a lot of free time for hobbies right now! even though i'd rather do something more involved, i like the instant gratification i get from whipping one of these up. and i like this little skirt, it's practical and cute. i sized this one for zoe although, she's so skinny i think it may be a bit loose on her right now.

as plain jane as it is, i see this skirt getting a lot of use. the neutral colors in the fabric provide a nice base for any season.

Day 1::Kids Clothes Week::Baby Skirt

2011-05-09T19:26:00.000-07:00

i did it. i completed day one of the kids clothes week challenge! and this is what i made. a teeny-tiny baby skirt. i followed the "rules" this time and only decided that i would work for an hour. if i finished something in that hour great. if not, oh well, i tried!

in any case, i finished this simple skirt using a tutorial from made it took me a whole hour to complete, which shows how long it's been since i've sat down at my machine. most of the time was spent searching for a safety-pin in order to thread the elastic through the waist. it is 10:42pm therefore i have no cute baby photos. but will hopefully dress my little gemma in this when the sun is shining so you can see just how adorable it is.

check out the flickr group!! so many awesome, talented ladies sewing out there!

these cheeks were made for pinching

2011-05-04T07:45:00.000-07:00

and that's just what we'll do!

le dans la

2011-05-03T08:54:00.000-07:00

beauty abounds.

away we go

2011-05-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

sometimes the days go exactly as planned. most often they don't. but my favorite days are totally unplanned. wind, sun, sand and a kite made this one of those perfectly unplanned days...

Kids Clothes Week Challenge::SPRING 2011

2011-04-29T06:20:00.001-07:00

it's coming!! yay. i couldn't be more excited that meg of elsie marley is hosting another kids clothes week challenge. you might remember that i participated in two prior challenges, here and here, and it was a great motivator to make some really cool things for my girl. this time will definitely be more of a challenge, since i have two little ones. but i'm ready to make some skirts and dresses for both girls' spring/summer 2011 wardrobes! stay tuned...

on the move

2011-04-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

coming around

2011-04-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

first there was this... then this...

and finally...

little gemma kate.

she arrived 9 days past her due date and was just perfect. i planned to have a different birth experience this time around and educated myself as much as i could about natural childbirth. it was a crazy amazing experience. and i feel lucky to have been healthy and strong enough to do it. labor spanned a few days, er... weeks but when she finally arrived, after four hours of active labor, i felt on top of the world! i just kept saying over and over, "she's perfect! she's perfect!" and "oh, my god, i can't believe i just did that!"

the adjustment from 3 of us to 4 has been a challenge. i prepared zoe for the arrival of her new sister and she is more than pleased with her. i did not however prepare myself for the guilt, pain and exhaustion that was about to set in trying to do it all for two little ones. i hated not having zoe with us the first night after gemma was born. we came home the same day, but zoe was sick and stayed with her grandma. even though we had this amazing new baby, it just felt like something was missing without her at home. i felt as though i betrayed her by bringing this new little one into a world revolving solely around her.

needless to say, there have been some trying days. but i will take them. because the joy that i get from these two little spirits is something that i've never experienced anywhere, ever. and i wouldn't trade that for anything.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T18:46:00.000-08:00

hope you all have a magical day!

3x3

2010-12-09T07:14:00.000-08:00

can't think to write. i'll give you images instead. my mind is overwhelmed with life right now... i'm sure it'll come back someday.

1. solid coasters, 2. Untitled, 3. stille-ein-lassen, 4. crochet ottoman cover, 5. cashmere baby bonnet, 6. Ikea "Bryne" net, 7. My Dresser, 8. Love This Wreath Idea!, 9. Untitled

it's been awhile...

2010-11-26T15:44:00.000-08:00

since i've done a post like this. here are some things that i've been drawing inspiration off of lately. oh, and a picture of the new floors my dad is helping me put in. they look great so far!

1. hanging cloud pillow, 2. MIKO DESIGN in my studio, 3. Untitled, 4. house block..., 5. Untitled, 6. yawn, 7. flag bunting, 8. Untitled {explored}, 9. Love This Wreath Idea!, 10. Untitled, 11. Untitled, 12. Starburst Pillow Commission, 13. ERMIE Shift Dresses in Fire Season and Fragment Prints, 14. Kitchen Perfection, 15. Welcome here!, 16. Wednesday Inspiration

a little spare right now, but we're getting there...

Wee Textile

2010-11-22T09:27:00.000-08:00

oh, my! this new blog of lena corwin's is just wonderful. and is giving me so much inspiration! below is a pendelton baby blanket, that she featured in her nursery. it would be just perfect for chilly february nights. a shot of her nursery, so simple and sweet. and finally, a few origami pieces. i've been making a few paper cranes a night and hope to have a sweet little mobile for the baby's room soon!

Last year of my 2nd decade...

2010-10-27T11:42:00.000-07:00

that's right. i'm 29 today. i thought it would be appropriate to reflect on my wants and needs on this first day of my 29th year on earth. often times we want so many things. but what do we really need? love. patience. health. happiness. freedom.

this "Want/Need" series from the Recovering Lazyholic pretty much sums up my thoughts. most of the prints are still available in the artist's etsy shop. so be sure to check it out.

oh, and happy birthday to me!

Costume ideas and Ohdeedoh feature!

2010-10-04T16:44:00.001-07:00

awhile back i entered a Homecrafted Halloween feature for Ohdeedoh. i completely forgot about it until today, when i got an email saying that they had used the costume i made for zoe's first halloween!! their feature today was about homemade chicken costumes. it's super easy to do and they posted my instructions on the site. check it out!

here are the other chicken costumes featured along with ours. zoe is the chicken butt in the middle of the bottom row! she was only 5 months old.

this is very exciting for two reasons: one, i LOVE ohdeedoh and two, i LOVE halloween! i've been brainstorming this year for ideas. i've tried asking zoe, but her answers are all over the place! she really likes firemen and this could be a really easy costume since we have a hat, jacket and boots already. but i think she would make a great Cindy Lou Who!

here is her picture last year as a squirrel, which i made in about 15 minutes by simply attaching the collar of one of my coats as her tail and hot gluing ears onto her sweatshirt. then i cut out a patch of soft fur-like fabric for the front.

what are you going to be for halloween?? do you still dress up or am i the only nerd? what about your little one?

Kids Clothes Week:: Day 5+Excuses!

2010-10-02T19:08:00.000-07:00

i have excuses! i realize this is over a week late and that there are 7 days in a week... and this is only day 5, so what happened to the rest of my projects, etc. etc.

well, for one, my computer decided to crap out on me and i had to wait to get a new one from work. two, my photo card was in said broken computer. and three we had a tornado watch at some point in the week. we all know that is excuse enough to just call everything off. throw your hands up. surrender! nature says so.

anyway, enough of my rambles... here is another little top i made for lil' sis.

it's another pattern from Amy Butler's book Little Stitches. i thought this would be a no brainer. easy peasy. and again, i was proven wrong. how can so little fabric become such a pain in the ass!? well, thankfully my flickr friends have assured me that i am not alone when it comes to Ms. Butler's patterns. they can be downright confusing! then again, we all agreed, that pictures help. so maybe it's just our learning style.

here are a few shots of zoe enjoying the fall weather! you'll notice in the first photo i have bribed her with not one, not two, but three! cookies in order to get her to sit still in the shirt i made for her. which was featured over on elsie marley as one of the favorites from the challenge!and the second one, well, she's just too cute.

Kids Clothes Week:: Day 4

2010-09-23T17:03:00.000-07:00

the sun was hot on my heels this afternoon! i had to make a stop on the way home to set up an account at our local consignment shop and didn't get home until around 4. i hadn't started this top yet, but thought that it would be really simple and wouldn't take that long to finish. actually, my intention was to make two of these! boy, was i wrong about the time and ease.

first of all, the pattern is from amy butler's book, little stitches. and while i'm a huge fan of her fabrics, and i think the book is beautiful, the directions were hard for me to follow. again, this is probably because i'm a beginner and it takes me time to figure things out that are probably simple for others. also, i think i'm used to oliver+s' patterns, which have illustrations for every step. i tend to be a visual learner, so this works much better for me.

i chose to make the size 0-3 months. since 'lil' sis' is due in feb, i figured i'd use a soft and warm flannel from anna maria horner's folksy flannel line. the pink fabric is from joann's and i like the way they worked together.

it think if i were to make this shirt again it wouldn't be so difficult. once i got going i started figuring things out pretty quickly. you may notice that the sleeves aren't hemmed. this is because zoe wanted to go for a bike ride. well, that was way more important than hemming some sleeves. so i snapped a few pictures and off we went for our evening walk/ride.

hope life is beautiful wherever you are!

Kids Clothes Week:: Day 3

2010-09-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

wow. i'm getting to this much later than i had anticipated. but i challenged myself to sew and blog about at least one item per day for this here little challenge. are there consequences for not doing this? no. will others feel let down if i don't post something? highly doubtful. would i be mad at myself for not holding up my end of the challenge? yes. wait, that doesn't make sense... does it? alright it's time for bed....

this is a tunic top that i made for zoe a while back, but never finished. i figured it was appropriate to use since my intention was for her to wear it last fall, but it turned out being a bit big on her then. and i hadn't finished any hems or added elastic. so i sat down and finished up the rest and sewed a little fabric squirrel button on the front left side. i just love me some little fabric critters, don't you?!

the pattern is from kitschy coo, which if you haven't heard about, you should go right over to her shop and buy all of her patterns!! they are great. affordable, easy to follow and versatile. she offers many options to most patterns and many of her items are reversible. this top, for example, calls for two thin rows of elastic at the top, but i used a 1" piece instead and like the mock turtleneck it created. it's a little mod this way and will be nice on a chilly fall day.

hope everyone is enjoying the challenge. thanks to everyone that has stopped in to comment and see what i've been up to over here!

Kids Clothes Week:: Day 2

2010-09-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

as soon as i got home today i started working on this little skirt. i'll be honest, i was very intimidated by this pattern and thought it was going to be a lot harder than it was. all together it probably took me 2 hours to finish. again, this is an oliver+s pattern and was so simple to follow. there was only one spot that i got stuck at and had to read the directions over and over until i understood what they were telling me to do. but that's because i'm a novice and simple things sometimes take me a bit longer than they should!

i bought this fabric with the intention of making a skirt for zoe last fall. i attempted to make one without a pattern and it did not work out at all. i had more of a bohemian style skirt in mind, but i like the juxtaposition of the bohemian fabric with the preppy cut. i chose anna maria horner's 'good folks' line to brighten it up a bit at the facings and i think that worked just fine.

then came time to choose buttons. i love making fabric buttons! it's so quick and easy and they really do a lot for your project. but this is where i ran into the biggest problem: not enough buttons! ugh. annoying. so the skirt isn't 100% finished, but i was not about to go out to the store during rush hour to get two measly buttons. so it will have to stay this way for a bit.

i'm loving all of the different things people are creating. if you're here for the first time, hi! thanks for stopping by!

Kids Clothes Week (Fall Edition):: Day 1

2010-09-20T18:07:00.001-07:00

this spring, you may remember, i participated in elsie marley's kids clothes week challenge. the turn out was great and there were many talented participants. it really motivated me to sew something everyday and the sense of accomplishment that i felt was wonderful. lets forget about the fact that the house was not cleaned that week and a child may or may not have been lost in piles of scrap fabric....

anyway, because there was such a great response, meg (author/creator of elsie marley) has decided to host yet another challenge for fall! i was able to finish a top for zoe after work today and i'm happy with the turn out. i used oliver+s' sailboat top pattern. i just can't say enough about their patterns. they're a little pricey, but well worth it, especially if you are someone that needs clear pictures to follow like me!

i decided to use heather ross' far far away fabric for the rich fall colors. her fabrics are beautiful. it's a thinner material than i'm used to working with, but i decided it would be a good weight for transitioning from summer to fall. i have a feeling we have a few warm days ahead of us, but just can't seem to wait for fall to finally be here and stay for a while. this should suit zoe just fine during her outings until then.

how about you? are you participating in the challenge? if so, leave a comment to say hi! i'd love to see what you've made too.

Happy little things

2010-09-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

sometimes when i need a little pick me up i head on over to flickr and browse through all the beautiful things that people have created or images of daily life that they have captured. there are so many wonderful members. another site is tumblr. which i'd like to join, but honestly i have enough online distraction as it is!

it's a really neat community of people from all over the world. i like how we all have so much in common, but all lead these different lives in different places, and are able to connect over a simple photograph. i've seen people start friendships over home interiors even though they live thousands of miles apart! funny, but it's nice to know, even when there is so much struggle in the world, people find ways to connect and try to make the world a happier place.

1. Machine binding, 2. patchwork pillows, 3. creative corner, 4. vintage sheet quilt top, 5. brunch table, 6. Vintage Bibs Plotting and Planning!, 7. A flock of cranes, 8. vanilla vanilla cupcakes, 9. My small West German Pottery Collection, 10. burp cloths, 11. IMG_5945, 12. Mushroom Top

Repurposed Vintage Sheets!

2010-09-15T17:53:00.000-07:00

i picked up this pack of vintage sheet squares from ironsea's etsy shop this summer and just new they would make the perfect little baby quilt. ironsea has a nice selection of vintage sheets, that you just can't find around these here parts, hon. so i was excited to find such a great collection already cut up and ready to go. and at a reasonable price!

i would not call myself a quilter. i've been too impatient to really sit down and read a book on quilting or follow any particular pattern. needless to say my quilts are all wonky and the binding around the edges is a bit... a lot..messy. still, it looks cute and it makes me happy when i see zoe with handmade shirts or dresses on, so i know i'll be so happy when i see lil' sis snugglin' in her new baby quilt!

*oh, and the little toy, if you're interested, is by haba toys. i love that their toys are made from sustainable wood sources and have great design features.

18 Weeks: "Lil' Sis" it is...

2010-09-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

the winner for the nickname contest, if there was one, is "lil' sis". so i guess that makes zoe, bub rub (google it...). thanks dad.

i can't believe we're almost halfway there. overall i feel great. a little tired, but that's my own fault! i stay up too late and need to get to bed earlier. i started to feel little baby kicks pretty early this time around. as a matter of fact, i can feel her right now! she must have known i was writing about her.

i've been running around the house like a crazy woman, organizing, sewing, cleaning, sorting... oh, i sound like an old-maid! but i don't mind so much. i like creating a home, i always have. and this time around i know what my limits are and when i can expect to not be able to do a lot of things i'm still able to do. so i'm trying to get things done now, so i can relax later. even in college i took a lot of time just making a place, no matter how long i'd stay there, my home. my mom always said, "you could make a campground look inviting" or something like that. referring to the fact that most places i lived were complete shit holes but still ended up being pretty cozy, thanks to a little tlc. well, off to get stuff done!

hope you're having a wonderful day where ever you are!

Shop Update!

2010-09-13T19:12:00.000-07:00

drumroll please....

it's the moment you've all been waiting for....

ok, so it's not that exciting, but i did just list some freshly made wares over on

my etsy shop! a whopping FIVE items are now for sale in the shop. so if you're looking for the perfect baby shower gift or a little something for you and your little one, head on over and check out the new stuff. i'm quite sure that you will love them... twice.

here's a little preview:

you know you want them all!!

Bootie-licious!

2010-09-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

if you are not a fan of reading about baby things then you may just want to give up on this blog all together. i have a feeling for the next few months i am going to be bombarding you with sweet images of hand made baby items and projects that go along with all things baby. so, i apologize in advance.

check out these amazing booties from Pleasantly Plump Knits!

Sew wonderful!

2010-09-12T17:37:00.000-07:00

sorry for the pun. i just love them...

this weekend was beautiful and busy. just the way i like them. saturday was so fun and today just kindof mosey'd by at "grammy and grampy's" house, until i shifted into full on organizational mode when i got home and sorted all of my fabrics. it feels so much nicer and i think a few more finishing touches and i will have a legitimate sewing room.

anyhoo.... sara and i hit up the patterson park flea market on saturday morning and took a few handmade things along. within minutes sara sold one of her three pinafores!! and about an hour later she sold another. not bad for a first try and only three items to boot! go sara! i, however, made no sales. i brought some burp cloths and baby blankets, but i think people are more into adorable dresses. that, or my stuff wasn't all that...womp womp.

either way, it was a beautiful day and got me motivated to start sewing some more things. so i've complied some of my favorite flickr items and i think i will be attempting quite a few of them. fingers crossed!

1. kids clothes week challenge :: day 5, 2. 2+2 Blouse for a gift, 3. baby booties, 4. flannel.love, 5. Kukkopilli" raglan-sleeve tunic top - mosaic, 6. New colors for my blanket, 7. in a little girl's room, 8. Diamond Playdate Front Details, 9. Puppet Show Tunic, 10. Far, Far Away Backpacks, 11. Lizzy House Nesting Cubes, 12. baby kimono

Progress...

2010-09-10T11:07:00.000-07:00

little by little, things are getting done...

sorry for the rant the other day, but i truly get overwhelmed. i know i'm not alone with these type of feelings and i know it's not the end of the world when things don't get done when i want them to, so i just have to take a deep breath and let it go. and do what i can! thanks, by the way, to those of you that sent me little notes of encouragement. it really means a lot!

so, maybe you're wondering what i've been doing around here. well, to begin with the kitchen floor finally got some grout. i'd say it is now 90% finished. a few more cuts, a little sealer and we'll be back in business 100%. i did some major clearing-out-of-stuff. which for some reason i really enjoy. why is it that buying things is so fun, but getting rid of them also feels really good? weird. but i have three bags of clothes, toys, and other junk i will be dropping off for consignment and can not wait!

my friend sara contacted me about a little flea market/craft sale up in baltimore tomorrow. her cousin has a space and is being so kind to share it with us. so that got me motivated to make a few things to try and sell. we'll see. it's not much but i'm happy with the results of some of the things i made. i'll post pictures tomorrow, since it's too dark now.

i also finished number two's-i need to think of a nickname for her, but "bean", "bird", "peanut", etc. all seem to be used too much lately...hmm, any suggestions? i mean calling her "number two" just seems wrong-baby quilt. which is totally wonky and imperfect, kinda like her mama. so, that's appropriate.

Head. Ache.

2010-09-08T19:31:00.000-07:00

my head hurt all day today. i don't really like taking medicine when i'm pregnant, but today i did. the pain was so intense i seriously had to close my eyes and massge my temples multiple times. i've been really stressed the past few days. not because of work, because of home life. i have so many things i want to accomplish and feel like i'm going nowhere fast. there is a pressure i feel to get things done (i.e. nesting?), the problem is i have no help. no one saying, "yeah, lets get this done today. we can do it!". and i'm alone. contemplating all that needs to be done and feeling 100% overwhelmed by this. it would be nice if i had a partner that was on the same page here. but i don't. and it's harder than it seems to get it all done yourself. his idea of getting anything done is to put it off for another day... 2 years later.... still unfinished... what's the big deal?.... losing my mind over here, anyone!!??

i'm not sure if the stress was causing the headache or if it's allergies or hormone changes. i read that it is common at 17 weeks to experience intense headaches and all of the things i listed could be possible culprits. either way, the headaches need to go away and i need to get some things done. i've made multiple lists for every room of the house, including outside. i just need to start checking things off and getting them done. slowly but surely. also, being a trained carpenter, builder, tree expert, painter, electrician, plumber, floor installer, etc. would really help right about now. oh, and the headache. please go away headache.

tomorrow i will begin again. wish me productivity.

Do Fun Stuff!

2010-09-05T20:05:00.000-07:00

if you haven't heard about this album over at ryan's highly addictive and wonerful blog, Pacing the Panic Room, you may just have to hop on over and check it out! it can be purchased on itunes and if you have kids, or even if not, it's worth every penny. some really fun songs on here!! all proceeds of the Do Fun Stuff album will be going to a charity that supports the ongoing research of Smith Magenis Syndrome.

two of my favorite bloggers kate, of sweetsalty.com and rebecca, of GGC have done interviews with a couple of the artists from the album. check out their interviews and i think you'll see right away why these two women are such powerful forces on the internet. smart, creative, and beautiful! also, why the bands chosen for the album rock! these people are seriously talented. don't you want your kid to grow up with good music?!

much luck to ryan and his family! hope you all buy the album and enjoy it with your kiddos!

if you'd like to spread the word or buy the album, click on the widget below!

Sorry, your browser does not support iframes.

This rocks! paper, scissors...

2010-09-04T17:26:00.000-07:00

wow! i stumbled upon Jen Stark's work over at sfgirlbybay the other day and was absolutely blown away. sometimes i think i'm creative and then i see something like this and feel, well, not so creative...

i dare you to try this at home. go ahead. grab a stack of rainbow cardstock and your exacto knife and go crazy! i mean seriously, where does she even begin? amazing stuff i tell you, amazing.

Little....

2010-09-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

sister!

yes ladies and gentlemen, we found out yesterday that we will be having another little girl in our lives soon enough. and she is growing along very nicely. now, the hard part will be choosing her name. zoe was a given (although i wanted it spelled zooey), so maybe franny for #2? i kid, although franny is a cute name. hmmm...

it's funny, i've always wanted kids. but i never envisioned having a girl, or two for that matter! i always pictured myself raising boys. i guess because i was such a tomboy growing up or because when i was younger i seemed to get along better with guys than girls. and just thought that girls were always so bratty and difficult. or maybe, i was bratty and difficult? or maybe, because i had an older brother. whatever it was, i definitely didn't picture this. but i realize i'm lucky to even get the opportunity to be a mom. so i'm grateful regardless.

i definitely couldn't wait to find out. and sometimes wish that i could be one of those people that waits until the birth. but to me it's just as exciting and i would've felt a connection to her regardless, so why not? anyhoo, just wanted to share the news!

much love to you all!

Nesting: the sequel

2010-08-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

**and just because i like you, i'm going to post twice in one day!**

i'm dying over all of these rooms. so cheerful, so bright, so fun... it's an inspiration overload!

1. Untitled, 2. Untitled, 3. Untitled, 4. nursery, 5. Baby Room, 6. Garland, 7. vintage sheet patchwork quilt., 8. 22118_0_8-9563-eclectic-kids, 9. Untitled, 10. Untitled, 11. Untitled, 12. meisjeskamer_zacht

Remember us? I know, I know...

2010-08-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

i know what i said! blah, blah, blah, life happens! anyway, i'm going to blame my four month absence on first trimester pregnancy. yes, i am happy to say i am 4 months along with baby #2 and feeling much better, thank-you-very-much. SO, there's that. and summer was full of bike riding, beaches, vacationing, a little painting (thanks dad), a LOT of napping, and very little sewing. oh, and my garden was an epic fail! apparently our backyard does not get enough sun. when i planted the garden the trees hadn't quite grown in yet and as summer progressed so did the shade.

so i'm back in my routine,that i mentioned before. interesting how when school starts back up i seem to be more motivated to get things done. it helps me prioritize my time. i know i only have X number of hours to do this or that, so i better not waste the time. and now that i have the energy to do things, other than nap when zoe is napping, i have already been more productive in the past two weeks than i was all summer!

first up, a new quilt for the new baby! i finished the front today and plan on having it backed and finished by the end of the week. we find out on wednesday if #2 is a boy or girl and i am very excited to find out. it would be fun to have a boy, but i am guessing girl. i just have a feeling... any guesses??

i am showing a lot sooner than i did last time and that is proving to be a challenge when getting dressed in the morning. i am still in that "sorta-looking-like-i-ate-too-many-ice-cream-cones-this-summer-oh-and-french-fries-and-fudge" as opposed to looking pregnant. although, the smoothie guy asked me if i was expecting the other day, much to his delight (he would've felt awful if i said no!) i said i was. so that made me feel like i'm looking pregnant as opposed to chubby.

anyway, i'm rambling. blogging is weird like that, i hate feeling self absorbed and talking about myself, but i also love reading about others and their day-to-day lives. anyone out there? oh, well. sometimes just writing helps me clear my head. i will be posting more often. so that should make someone happy, even if it's just me!

Routine

2010-07-10T11:22:00.000-07:00

during the school year i have a very strict routine. wake up at 5:30am-gym 6-7am-work 7:30-3:30-home-housework/errands-playtime-dinnertime-bedtime and sometimes yoga-then my bedtime. it's a very full day and at times i feel overwhelmed by the everydayness of it all. can not wait until the freedom of summer rolls around so i can sleep in a bit. exercise when i want. go where i want. except, when summer does finally creep it's way into my hectic life, i find that the lack of a routine makes me crazy!!

don't get me wrong, one of the perks of being a teacher is the 2 1/2 month long vacation. buuuut, if you don't have a plan, a set routine, the summer can be wasted very quickly. i'm finding myself in panic mode. feeling like i've gotten nothing accomplished. all the ideas i used to day dream about are slowly fading away in the haze of the summer days. things like, sewing, getting my etsy shop going, painting, exercising more, visiting friends, trying out new recipes. the list goes on!

we are going on vacation in 8 days and while i'm very excited to go, i know when we get back it will be very close to the end of the summer and the beginning of a new school year. so, i'm trying to get myself into a routine in order to make the most of the rest of the time off. waking up earlier. going to the gym as soon as i'm up and working up a sweat (this helps me to stay sane). then one productive activity a day. then something for fun. i hope this does the trick. i really do. because i don't want these few weeks slide by.

any suggestions!? what activities should i fill up my calendar with? or should i just throw this whole idea out the window and just take things day by day, not worrying what does or doesn't get done? what do you do when you feel unproductive/restless/unmotivated?

Have you missed us??

2010-06-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

sorry to take an unannounced break from this space for a little while. a lot has been happening! and i have many announcements and suprises for you in the near future!

summer vacation started and i have been super busy keeping up with my 2 year-old since then. which, as stated in the list below, is like being at a frat party. meaning i get absolutely nothing done and the house is always a wreck! if you have a newborn who just lies there all day, you probably can't relate to this. if your kids are older you (if you're lucky) have that parental amnesia that's allowed you to forget some of the chaos of your kids' younger years. but if you have one or more toddlers at home right now you likely need a laugh. a big one. Brenna, from suburban snapshots came up with the list, and her blog is one of the funniest i've ever read. check it out and maybe add your own reasons below.

Ten Reasons Why Having a Toddler is Like Being at a Frat Party

10. There are half-full, brightly-colored plastic cups on the floor in every room. Three are in the bathtub.

9. There's always that one girl, bawling her eyes out in a corner.

8. It's best not to assume that the person closest to you has any control over their digestive function.

7. You sneak off to the bathroom knowing that as soon as you sit down, someone's going to start banging on the door.

6. Probably 80% of the stains on the furniture contain DNA.

5. You've got someone in your face at 3 a.m. looking for a drink.

4. There's definitely going to be a fight.

3. You're not sure whether anything you're doing is right, you just hope it won't get you arrested.

2. There are crumpled-up underpants everywhere.

1. You wake up wondering exactly how and when the person in bed with you got there.

1+1=2

2010-05-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

as i was running around the house last night, getting things ready for zoe's second birthday, i stopped and tried to remember exactly what i was doing two years ago... i was so anxious. i was scared. i felt oddly alone.

i remember packing and unpacking my hospital bag. folding her little onesies over and over. rearranging furniture. wondering. pacing. thinking. dreaming. waiting. i had envisioned the moment of her birth for a long time and could not wait to hold her in my arms.

and then...

she was born. the most beautiful little cherub. i can still remember the warmth of her tiny body wrapped tightly in her blanket. the quick pace of her little breaths and her tiny sighs. so peaceful she was, that i had to put my ear next to her nose to see if she was breathing. i miss that. but i feel equally happy watching her grow into the little person that goes by the name "z-z".

may 23, 2008

may 23, 2010

she's still my little cherub. and always will be...

happy birthday, zoe mae.

Takin' a break!

2010-05-19T19:23:00.001-07:00

i'm going to take a break for the week on posting. school is coming to an end and i need to focus on some things. life gets a little fuzzy sometimes, ya know? zoe turns 2! on sunday and i'll be having a little party for her. just a few friends and family. nothing big, but much to do nonetheless.

i wish i were about to hop into the bus and go on a road trip, but those days are on hold for right now. soon enough we'll be road trippin'.... soon enough.

Kids clothes week::Day 7

2010-05-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

so i took off saturday. i just had too much to do and could not squeeze in an hour of sewing. by the time 8pm rolled around i was ready for bed! i'm proud of myself for making what i've made so far, so that's a good thing! this little top is something i whipped up in about an hour. i didn't use a pattern for this one, since i've made so many of these before it wasn't necessary. i added the little bowtie, which can be removed and used as a hair bow also. i didn't like the way the bottom hung, so i added some elastic to make a bubble hem, which is much cuter.

i said it before, but this little challenge really pushed me to try out the patterns that i ordered that i've been too scared to start. i don't know why that happens. maybe the fear of failure? or messing up? which, i mean really, wouldn't be a huge deal. but it somehow keeps me from trying new things sometimes. even if it's something as simple as sewing a top or dress.

it's good to try new things and push yourself out of your comfort zone. be patient with your mistakes and do it over if need be. that's a lesson that can cross over to all parts of our lives... even sewing or maybe fishing!

zoe was so excited when I, yes I, caught a fish... i know it's small, but her smile made it the best catch ever!

hope you all had a magnificent weekend.
we sure did!

Day 5::Kids clothes week

2010-05-14T20:40:00.000-07:00

hello friday!! what a great afternoon! today was a test day and work went by smoothly, but i could not wait to get home and do some gardening/yard work before zoe arrived. i was able to mow the lawn, rearrange some plants in the front yard (i have a strange habit of doing this), weed the edible garden, weed whack! the edges and pot a few new plants. it was a good day to do yard work and this evening we had a great storm. zoe woke up wondering what was all the noise and i told her, "oh, someone's playing the drums". she loved it and went right back to sleep. we really needed the rain. the plants will be happy in the morning!

anyway, so i didn't forget about the challenge. today is day 5 and i stumbled across this free pattern from Oliver+S for their "pop-over" dress. i printed it out and taped it together during my free period and couldn't wait to try it out this evening. it was so easy and fun to make. a very simple pattern, but it's one of those dresses that you know you'll get a lot of use out of in the summer because it's just so easy to "pop-over" and go. perfect for the beach too, which, of course i love! wait, this isn't my size!? i guess i'm going to have to work on making things for me. maybe i'll start a "Big Kid's clothes week".

but i didn't make this one for zoe. i made it for her friend who is turning 3 tomorrow. we are going to her birthday party and i decided i would make this little dress. i hope she likes it.

on another note, i finally got a few pictures of zoe in the "ice-cream dress" and it fits her just right! success! i am teaching myself a lot of new tricks and techniques. i'm so glad i decided to join this group. thanks again meg for setting this up!

Day 4:: Kids clothes week

2010-05-13T17:15:00.001-07:00

very very tired this evening. tomorrow is friday. thaaaaannnnk goodness! i ran home today after school** and made a pair of pajama pants for zoe. i wanted to make something quick and easy, so i decided to just wing it and not use a pattern. MISTAKE! they turned out way too small for her. hence the need to measure or use an acutal pattern. i'm an amateur people!... sheesh! but that's what i get for rushing. oh well, maybe they'll fit my niece anneka!

i am enjoying creating each afternoon. the problem with me is that when i start a project i must finish it! so an hour is never enough time. i work until it's done and that is the reason i don't start a lot of projects because i know how much time i will spend trying to finish it. anyway, i'm rambling... and sleepy... and better get some rest..

**edit: i am not IN school... i'm a teacher...i.e. work=school and vice versa

Day 3:: Kids clothes week

2010-05-12T20:13:00.000-07:00

wednesday. 11:15pm. i'm finished the second item... this is a labor of love! i'm actually glad i'm involved in the challenge, because otherwise i would've given up this evening. but i kept going and completed the ice cream dress pattern by oliver+s.

well, almost.... i kind of forgot to put the pockets on... and now it just seems like too much work to go back and put them on! plus, i like the way the dress looks without the pockets, but i may have to put an applique or something on the front just to break it up a bit. what do you think? should i add something to it? or does it look fine just the way it is?

instead of the circus this evening i spent the afternoon cutting and getting things ready, then i had to run out to a meeting that i almost forgot i had. stopped by a friend's on the way home and finally sat down to finish the dress at 9:30pm. took some photos and voila!

My favorites so far!

2010-05-11T21:12:00.001-07:00

this is so fun! i love seeing all of the participants creations and checking out their blogs too! click on the links below to see more from these talented ladies.

1. peach hoodie, 2. pocket smock on, 3. oliver + s 2+2 shirt made up in City Weekend, 4. kids clothes week challenge :: day 2

Sew by the glow...

2010-05-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

DAY 2:: kid's clothes week challenge

ok, so day one was spent cutting out patterns, washing and ironing fabrics. so day two is essentially my day one. anyway, let's not make things complicated!

rarely are there enough hours in the day for me. i have been piling on the work at school (only 12 days until finals!!) and of course when i get home i'd much rather play with zoe than anything else. but, i wanted to finish what i started yesterday and was able to successfully finish zoe's first "challenge" top!

i may have been a little ambitious at first, because the rules say to only spend an hour a day sewing and it took me about 3 hours total to finish this little top! now, the 3 hours also included: eating dinner while standing at the iron, keeping zoe from stabbing herself with my straight pins, feeding zoe chocolate covered pretzels while trying not to get chocolate on my fabric, keeping zoe away from the super hot iron, and trying to convince my ever so helpful partner in parenting to get off the couch and help out! wheew.

anyway, i finished and i think it turned out cute. tomorrow i will be making a dress.... hopefully! we'll see if i can squeeze it in to my schedule which goes a little like this: wake up at 5:30am. gym 6-7am. work 7:30. off work at 3:30. go to circus at 3:30 (still don't know how i feel about circuses, they've always freaked me out a little). be home at?? 5:30/6. zoe in bed at 7:30. sew until i can't keep my eyes open. again, i may have been a little ambitious thinking that i could actually sew one garment a day!

on a side note, i just got these little beauties in the mail for zoe yesterday! i love how the yellow patent leather matches the button on her new shirt. summer here we come!

***oh, and i SWEAR this summer i will take pictures in the daylight so they aren't always glowing orange!***

On your mark. Get set....SEW!

2010-05-10T11:07:00.000-07:00

i posted about the kid's clothes week challenge a while back and today is the first day! lucky for me my inlaws keep zoe a little bit later on mondays so i have an hour to sit down and concentrate on sewing! i'm really excited and will be trying out my new Oliver+S patterns for the challenge.

my goal is to get one item a day done. i hope to make her two dresses, two tops, two skirts and a hat. i'll be sure to post pictures of my projects as i go and hope you'll follow along. if you are participating let me know. i'd love to see your work.

here are some people that are participating:
art nest
woman's work
la vie en verte
through the looking glass

check out the whole list over at elsie marley! and the elsie marley flickr group!

wish me luck!!

I'm her mom.

2010-05-09T16:56:00.000-07:00

and it's really fun.

Skate.

2010-05-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

i have long admired skateboarding. i would say that i skate. but am by no means a skateboarder. i can ollie. i can ride a board. i can almost kickflip. i can ride on a ramp, but can't make a complete turn. it's something that is so fun and so extremely difficult at the same time. it's somewhat addictive. because the moment you make one right move, you just feel it. and when you feel it, you want to feel it again. if you've ever skated, you know what i mean.

these young guys are definitely feeling it. and they are putting to shame any attempts i've ever made at the sport. more power to 'em. and to you if you choose to partake in this addictive, adrenaline pumping, and yes, i think, beautiful sport. i can honestly say, i hope zoe rides a skateboard one day.

1. strenuous things, 2. sTyLe, 3. skateboarding is fun, 4. http://flickr.com/photos/37446862@N00/2275150044/

Cannelle et Vanille!

2010-05-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

Cannelle et Vanille is my new girlfriend! ok, not really, but i am really excited to have just found this blog. i just wish that by some small twist of fate she were my next door neighbor that invited me over for delicious deserts and fresh beautifully arranged foods! by the way, i think i might be the last person on earth to hear about this blog! i mean, she's one of "martha's circle". i love her blog so much and can't get enough of her wonderful recipes and amazing photos!

Aran is a mother, food writer, stylist and photographer. her heirloom tomato and quinoa gallete had me at 'hello'! and her cherry blossom macaroons... um, yea. amazing. her images are so warm and inviting. it's as if you've just pulled up a chair at her table and are about to dig into a delicious meal! oh well, guess i'll just have to try out her recipes for myself...

**All images and content are copyright of Aran Goyoaga**

Wed-nes-day

2010-05-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

i hope you're all having a wonderful week! keep on smiling and go find

something beautiful to enjoy....

1. Tas-ka, 2. Red Dala Horse, 3. Untitled, 4. chair, 5. bedroom, 6. black & white, 7. Untitled, 8. Little Folks Blanket, 9. Hexagon Sewing Machine cover

Happy Friday!

2010-04-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

enjoy!

1. Rosy Denim Tie Dress, 2. lazy&busy, 3. Mirror Me, 4. Spring cleaning., 5. weekend sneak peek, 6. Untitled, 7. 21 april. 2 pm., 8. Flowers & Frills, 9. Two ways bag, 10. clothesline quilt from vintage linens, 11. 0422, 12. rhubarb blintzes, 13. Untitled, 14. Untitled, 15. Untitled, 16. fox pillow

these are two amazing mini quilts which you can find here.

i'm loving the blog elsie marley! this super creative

and talented mom of three keeps the projects coming!

Case of the Mondays

2010-04-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

i woke up late today. i forgot to set my alarm. didn't make it to the gym. was rushed getting my quizzes (that i should have had copied already) done. got caught in a torrential downpour. in turn, had a bad hair day. had wet feet all day because i chose the wrong shoes. (womp womp...my life is SO hard...) needless to say, i definitely had a "case of the mondays".

wait, you had one of those days too?! you wanted to run home and get under the covers and go to sleep and not wake up til summer vacation!? good, well at least i'm not alone.

anyhoo, a little sunshine came in to pick me up on this rainy monday! and that little sunshine comes by the name Eugenia Kim for Target! i have long admired ms. kim's hats but have never brought myself to buying one. justifying it because even though i think i'm going to wear a hat that i buy all the time! it just never turns out that way and it would feel like a waste to spend a lot of money on something you hardly use.... man, i have way too much time on my hands. i can't believe i am spouting off to you all about hats. as if i were coming to you with all the hidden secrets of life!

anyway, i bought two!.... one, because i lllluuuurrrvvvv them! and two, because i just know how much my sister-in-law likes to make fun of me when i wear funky hats! just kidding...sort of. and two, because i was having a bad hair day. anyway, they're freaking adorable and i want them all! ok, not all, but some... gimme gimme. greedy consumer that i am!

hello, lover.

mike told me that he could not take me seriously while wearing this... more reason to wear it!

oh, and could someone please tell Target to stop hiring the best designers ever....!? i mean, the Liberty of London wares just about did me in. now Eugenia Kim? Zac Posen? and the Dwell Studio for Kids is to die for...

Sheesh.

Reusable Baggie Tutorial

2010-04-25T16:57:00.000-07:00

tired of wasting money on plastic bags that you just end up throwing away? looking for a way to carry your kid's "binky" with out getting it all crudy in the bottom of your bag? want to do something good for the environment?

if you said yes to any of these things then you'll love this tutorial for a reusable snack baggie! depending on the size you make and the fabrics you use, this little bag can be extremely versatile. it's washable and environmentally friendly. so, dust off your sewing machine and break out your fabric stash! oh, and if you don't sew, or think this is too time consuming, let me know and i'll make you some at a reasonable price!

full tutorial after the jump!

start with two pieces of fabric (here 8"x12") and velcro (7" shown)

the light yellow fabric is PUL,

which is waterproof and keeps veggies and other snacks fresh, even in a little cooler

attach velcro

make sure to stitch as close to the edge as possible

then fold your fabrics in half.

right sides facing eachother and stitch sides

using a 1/4" seam.

leave a 2 1/2" opening on the inner (light yellow) fabric

like this:

flip inner bag right side out.

then slip it inside the outer bag, like so:

pin around the top edge and stitch all the way around

this is what you should end up with

pull the inner bag out and then stuff everything through the 2 1/2" opening you left earlier

this is what you'll end up with

topstitch 2 1/2" opening closed.

this will be inside so it doesn't matter what it looks like : )

push inner bag inside outer bag and VOILA!!

reusable baggie!

now just use, wash and reuse!!

you can customize the size of the bag, just add a few inches here or there and make sure to increase the size of the velcro. you may also want to put little tabs a the top so it is easy for little ones to pull open on their own!
what do you think!? try it yourself and send me a picture of yours!

enjoy!

Plywood floors?

2010-04-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

sooo, back to flooring. let's just put it this way, the carpet in our living space was $1.38/sq ft. and we'll leave it at that. oh and have i mentioned i like wood floors? i told my dad i'd put some pictures on here of what i was thinking about doing to our house. so here you go dad (and anyone else that needs one more project to do...)

i found this room make-over on hindsvik.com. not only does this duo from canada have some fresh diy skills, they have a great online vintage shop. so be sure to check them out!

these particular floors are made with 3/8" douglass fir plywood with one good(finished) side. the plywood comes in 8'x4' sheets. they then cut the plywood into 12" wide planks and cut some to 4' long so that they could be staggered.

i love how simple and modern it looks. it has the look of expensive wood floors but the sheets of plywood are way cheaper than going for the real thing. this may have to be my summer project. and i think i like that idea. a lot. what do you think? should i do it?

Grow, get some food.

2010-04-22T18:03:00.000-07:00

i'm no farmer, but my great-grandpa joe had a green thumb like no other so i feel obligated/justified in trying my hand at growing my family some food. i was fairly young to remember visiting his house, but i do remember hearing stories and could just imagine how his garden/vineyard would have been. my humble 6'x6' square might not be producing a meal, but i sure hope it enhances some of them...

i have high hopes for this little square filled with brussel sprouts, kale, eggplant, bell peppers, strawberries, etc. i hope that we can reap what i have sown and enjoy it with friends in the coming months. in the land of fast food, it's nice to watch your food develop over a natural timeline and enjoy it slowly with purpose and meaning.

and for added enjoyment i've included some little friends growing in pots on our front porch

and the prettiest flower of all..... in her new shirt of course!

Love your Mother.... Earth

2010-04-21T21:33:00.000-07:00

happy earth day everyone!! i hope today is a special day where you take time out to appreciate all things that this beautiful earth has to offer!

every earth day the environmental club, which i co-sponsor, at the school i work at has a bake sale and all proceeds go to The Nature Conservancy. "The Nature Conservancy protects Earth's most important natural places — for you and future generations — through great science and smart partnerships." it's a great organization to donate to and we've been really happy to do a small part just by selling some baked goods!

anyway, i'm sure you'll get plenty of tips all day, so instead of bombarding you with any more of those i'm going to show you how to make TREE CUPCAKES!!

you'll need:

cake batter (store bought or homemade)
icing(preferably vanilla (because it can be dyed)
ice cream cones (18-24; preferably brown)
green food coloring

1. start with a box of cupcake mix or if you're feeling adventurous, make your own batter!

2. fill cupcake cones (found in the ice cream section, duh). the trick here is to make sure you don't overfill or under fill the cones. i use a 1/4 measuring cup and that seems to do the trick. or a large ice cream scooper, which makes clean up easier!

3. while the cupcakes bake i dye vanilla icing with green food coloring. this one happens to be called "leaf green"!

4. after blending the dye, i put the icing into a cake decorating thing-a-ma-jig. you can use a knife or spatula to spread the icing on, but the decorating tool adds cool texture! make sure the cupcakes are completely cooled before putting the icing on. also, i put the icing in the fridge while i'm waiting. this makes it easier to use when you're ready.

5. i then place the freshly decorated cones in the refrigerator to ensure the icing stays put!

and voila!! there you have it, TREE CUPCAKES!

Modernist Dollhouse

2010-04-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

it seems almost unfair that this house is cooler than mine! check out these photos and this article on the NYtimes.

Oh, happy day.

2010-04-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

1. cloud cake, 2. pikku teepee, 3. a shell, 4. the choice

Sewing for summer!

2010-04-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

zoe has enough clothes to fill the needs of a small village. but i still want to make things for her! these little tops come in so handy for the summer. they are easy to pull on and off and breezy for hot sticky days. i'd really like to partake in the kid's clothes week challenge over at elsie marley. whose rules are as follows...

On the second week of May (May 10-17) I challenge you to spend an hour each day working on clothes for your kid’s–or kids’–summer wardrobe. This challenge is great for those new to sewing and seasoned seamstresses alike–we all have trouble getting off the couch (or off the computer). Summer clothes are super easy and don’t take much time or fabric, so you might have a whole wardrobe by the time the week is up! edit to add: Sorry I didn’t mean to leave you southern hemisphere folks out–fall clothes are cute and easy too! You have three weeks to daydream about what to make and then after a lovely Mother’s Day where your children are beautiful and well behaved and give you very cute presents, you can sew some shorts or skirts or dresses or tank tops with some of that ridiculously cute fabric you have been saving.

anyway, i felt an itch and just had to make a little top for zoe this evening. i didn't use a pattern and the length ended up being a bit short, so i added a strip of pink fabric to the bottom which i think turned out just fine.

toddler peasant top

now, if only it weren't so late... i'd have her model it for you. maybe later. i really need to start taking pictures in the daylight.

Wood Floors

2010-04-15T07:24:00.001-07:00

i squealed a little on the inside when i saw this post on decor8! i love love love the wood floors throughout these homes featured on bolig, which is an online magazine featuring my favorite....wait for it.... scandinavian interiors.

i mean look at the black shiny smeg! the original use of materials! the colors! the wood floors!

perfect little woodstove

love

i love the bedding here and the light wood floors

ok, i can dream...

Whoa baby!

2010-04-13T19:26:00.000-07:00

ok, so i realize i just posted a bunch of pictures from flickr, but i just can't help myself and must post more!! i guess it's spring and it's time for a change. colors are brighter, the air is fresh, toddlers are climbing out of their cribs... oh, yes. miss zoe is a gymnast. the first day i found out she could climb out of her crib, i immediately took her back upstairs and made her show me how she did it. very gracefully she pulled herself up on the corner of her crib and gently slid down the side... and here is where these pictures come in....

1. Untitled, 2. Untitled, 3. Untitled, 4. play tent, 5. Art wall + new rug, 6. Untitled, 7. Sailing the high seas, 8. Untitled, 9. Untitled

so i've been in the mood to paint the house, as i mentioned before the outside, but also the inside. and since zoe has taken it upon herself to grow up over night, i started thinking of transitioning her room into more of a "big girl" room. meaning a bed. and maybe some new decor. preferably made by me. stupid-full-time-job-getting-in-the-way-of-my-hobbies!

anyhoo. here are some very inspiring spaces for big girls and boys, with a pleasing palate and some interesting elements... now let's see what i can do with this inspiration!

Inspiration: Home Ec.

2010-04-12T05:20:00.000-07:00

i've been in a quilting/sewing mood lately and i must say that my skills are improving. everything i know about sewing is from a 6th grade home ec. class. so, i've taught myself the rest through trial and error (or youtube) along the way. it's a nice hobby and i hope to have some beautiful things to hand down to zoe one day. the first three pictures below are my favorites! i am loving modern quilts, with fun fabrics and sometimes not-so-traditional methods.

on another note, i'm dying to paint the exterior of the house, though i know that is a task that will involve a lot of planning and possibly professional help since a lot of siding needs to be replaced all together. i've always had a thing for houses stained/painted black. i know, i know, that sounds dark and depressing, but NO, check out some of these pics and you'll see it can actually be quite beautiful and really makes the house blend into the landscape. which i think is nice. plus the style of our house is weird and i think we could pull it off. maybe.

my favorite house ever on the right...

1. jungle zig zag stroller quilt, 2. hipster baby quilt., 3. pink zig zag quilt., 4. YIP 365.215 :: Tutorial Sneak Peak, 5. eames side chair, 6. new old bookcase - with books, 7. little gallery in our bedroom, 8. renovating the bedroom (office corner), 9. Studio corner, 10. Chosen . . ., 11. Untitled, 12. hotel les charmes, 13. cover6-6, 14. Bunny Love Reversible Jumper, 15. 1st Phase Porch, 16. for the boys, 17. Israel's nursery, 18. mobile-3, 19. Upcycled game table or..., 20. Home & Garden, 21. Black houses in Marken, 22. black house, silver caravan, 23. beautiful black house..., 24. living room, 25. the doors

1. black house with red, 2. black house, wood doors

To DYE for!

2010-04-03T17:19:00.001-07:00

zoe and i got crafty today! normally i just buy the Paas egg kits, but i didn't feel like driving around town the day before easter. i had some fancy dyes that i bought awhile back and decided to try them out. i'm not sure if i did something wrong or what, but they turned out....mmm, ok? i guess. whatever, all zoe wants is to eat the hardboiled eggs anyway, so she doesn't really care what they look like, although she did say that they were "pretty" and "cool". so i guess that's a good thing.

inspired by martha's beautiful eggs, i decided to give it a go...

all set and ready to go

i used electrical tape, i think you are supposed to use waterproof vinyl tape, but i didn't have any. it sort of worked...

in their baths

swirl

one thing i can bet martha did not have at her side is a 22 month old (with a mullet at that)...

which made for an interesting, and very cute, egg-dying experience

she was happy to help!

and very pleased with the results!

they may not be magazine worthy, but they'll be fun to hide for zoe tomorrow!

Happy Easter!

Pretty Pictures

2010-03-29T05:34:00.001-07:00

tim walker takes beautiful pictures. i'm sure you've seen them, but if not.... enjoy.

via tim walker

Zo' Big!

2010-03-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

has anyone seen my baby!? seriously, this child of mine is growing faster and faster everyday! i can't keep up. zoe will be 2 in less than two months and i am still trying to wrap my head around that. these first two years have gone by so quickly and she has changed into this little person, with a great sense of humor and a strong wilful spirit.

i realized that i started blogging around this time when i was pregnant with zoe and it's been almost 2 years since then. i started with the idea that i would keep a journal of her milestones and happenings in her life. it's like the modern day photo album. but after a while i started to include things that i like: sewing, other blogs, style, fashion, art, creative kid's things, and so on.

so, since i haven't focused on zoe much lately (in my blog that is...), i find no shame in the brag list i am about to write. and i think i will write it to zoe and maybe one day she'll read it...

dear zoe,

today you are 22 months old. you are able to do so many things. you are beyond extraordinary in my mind! you can do so many things and say so many words it blows my mind. you answer questions and can talk in sentences. you can feed yourself, run, jump, sing, and are even starting to ride your tricycle all by yourself. you love to read bedtime stories and have even memorized some of your favorites, like "Small Pig" and "Mouse Soup". Mouse Soup was one of my favorites too. you love elmo and could watch sesame street all day!

but believe me, you're no couch potato. if you could choose the outdoors over an elmo video, you'd be outside in a heartbeat! you love to be outside in the snow, in the sun, at the park, you name it! you even cry sometimes when we bring you in. you have your moments of crying and little tantrums. but they never last long. a true angel you are. with your sweet cherub lips and beautiful lashes. you are the most beautiful child i've ever seen!

my favorite time of day is bedtime, when we sit and read together. you love to hold your animals and soothe yourself by rubbing your ear with a tiny wisp of your own hair. i'm so happy in that moment and you are such a good sleeper (thank you!). i can't wait to watch you grow and grow. what a wonderful life we will have.

love,

mama

Summerville!

2010-03-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

lucie summers is the creative genius behind Summersville. i am in love with her handmade textiles and the brilliant colors she uses to create them. she uses environmentally friendly water based inks and also features some organic products. she's based out of the UK and you can see more of her work here and here.

in her own words: "i'm a small town girl who likes to print on fabric and paper. i'm married to my childhood sweetheart and we've got two fabulous little boys. life is sweet."

so sweet!

Supercalifradigulous de expialidocious

2010-03-17T08:38:00.000-07:00

ACK! this is why i LOVE this woman!! not only is she the mother of four (4!!) beautiful children, talented photographer, super-genius-crafty-extravagabonaza! she is also super kind, giving, and oh so generous with her time!

recently ashleyann asked her readers if they had etsy shops and if so to leave the address behind so that she could post about them. i honestly thought she'd choose the best ones and then post those, but NO! she posted ALL of them. and i was one of them! my etsy shop is a sad little site right now, but i really love making things and if it weren't for my pesky full-time job that pays the bills i would sit at home for hours of the day toiling away at creative endeavors.... but alas, tis not the way. and i've got a little mouth to feed and debts to pay... (ugh to the latter...)

anyhoo! i just learned how to do "snippets" or screen shots! so here's a picture of her website featuring my lonely little burp cloths....

a closer shot...

TA-DA!! there i am! Love Me Twice Today

head on over to her amazingly wonderful blog and check out all of the other beautiful etsy shops she has featured!!

12 linden

2010-03-15T05:47:00.000-07:00

12 linden is my friend eliza's jewelry line. i've known eliza since middle school and although we lost touch for some time, the thing that made us friends when we were young is still there. and that is creativity! eliza is a truly gifted jewelry designer.

check out this pebble ring!

she has a successful etsy shop and a wonderful blog. we've both come a long way from the hemp macrame necklaces we used to make back in the day!! although my creative focus these days is primarily on sewing kid's stuff, i'm totally inspired and in awe of her handiwork with metal. regardless of our mediums, i think we both appreciate the time and dedication it takes to make something by hand. it's very fulfilling when you start with a square of fabric or piece of metal and end up with a dress or a beautiful necklace.

in a world of mass-produced fashion, it's refreshing to see individuals reviving a creative spirit. just think how happy someone would be to receive a truly unique hand-made gift! i know i would.

these earrings were inspired by shadows from branches!

this one is my favorite, inspired by fungi!

i actually saw one of these in bloom

when i lived in costa rica!

One For One

2010-03-12T07:31:00.000-08:00

"TOMS shoes was founded on a simple premise: with every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what we're all about. the TOMS One for One business model transforms our customers into benefactors, which allows us to grow a truly sustainable business rather than depending on fundraising for support."

these are some of my favorite designs, i plan on getting a pair for spring!

One For One Movement - A Pair Of New Shoes Is Given To A Child In Need With Every Pair Purchased - TOMS.com

day dream...

2010-03-02T09:01:00.001-08:00

last summer zoe would call to the birds.

"tweet tweet", she would say

and baron would hop down out of bed

and look for them with her.

i just love this picture...

dress: handmade with love, by her mama.

Forget spring, bring on summer!

2010-03-01T10:49:00.000-08:00

i love polaroids. i could get all hipster-y and cliche on you and tell you the kind of cameras i have and the film i use, but honestly i don't know some of them. i know, i know i could do a quick search and find everything i need to know online! but i have an almost 2 year-old people! if you haven't noticed by now, it gets harder to manage everything as they get older... oh, and i'm about to go off on a tangent. wait i just did. nevermind... ANYWAY, i do know that i traded one of the best one's while i was travelling in Peru. the worst part, i can't even remember what i traded it for! ugh...

summertime, california. circa 2005

anyway, these people did not trade theirs in and are either scanning old photos or have a huge stockpile of polaroid film that i don't have access to. i mean, does anyone know where i can find some basic 600 film?? if so, gimme gimme! please. i have some great shots from our cross country road trip a few years ago and if i can find a scanner or get some decent shots of them i'll post them here. in the meantime, while i'm trying to figure that out, you can delight in these beautiful images! some from the beach and some from things that just make me think of summer. like giant sliding boards and fields of wild flowers... just me? oh, well. enjoy!

1. playing on the beach, 2. Untitled, 3. Polaroid Holiday *5, 4. Beaches 'N Sun, 5. Polaroid: Beach, 6. polaroid yellow flowers, 7. superslide polaroid, 8. Paul Frank Building

Bread & Honey

2010-02-27T20:26:00.000-08:00

this blog's been around for a while, but i just stumbled on it and can see this will be just one more thing to keep me from organizing my house! it's a wonderful blog about food. in her own words, "Alicia Lynn Carrier is a 26 year old full time mother, part time service industry drone, and fine artist living in Portland, Oregon. She takes photographs, she does custom 10 dollar drawings, and she really, really loves food."

hilarious and creative. love it.

Organized Home

2010-02-27T16:22:00.000-08:00

what is it about an organized home that just makes you feel so good? or the opposite of that, what is it about an UNorganized home that just makes you feel so bad!? nothing makes me feel more frantic than when an unexpected someone stops by and my home is a disaster! i become a nutcase. apologizing to everyone, cleaning things up, picking up toys, clothes, shoes! when the visitors, could probably care less that there's a little clutter here or dirty dishes there, right? right!? here comes the inevitable statement: 'before i had zoe'.... you see where i'm going with this... i used to have a very clean house. i used to be moderately well organized. i used to do laundry and put it away. i used to do dishes and put them away. now, well, it's a whole 'nother story.

i want under my sink to look like this... sigh

i remember when zoe was first born. she was a great sleeper. she would sleep through everything. heck, i would wear her in the Bjorn and vacuum while she slept. the first few weeks my house was spotless and i felt like supermom! i thought, this won't be so bad. my house won't be a disaster! fast forward a few months and a lot of mobility later. even folding laundry became a massive chore that would take days! to finish. my kitchen table is a catch all for anything that comes through the front door: stuffed animals, coats, sewing supplies, fishing gear, mail, magazines, bags, bags and more bags. oh, and occasionally we eat there. if there's room.

you're probably wondering where i'm going with this and thinking, "maybe if you spent more time cleaning and less time rambling into space about how messy your crap is, it wouldn't be so chaotic". and you would be right. thing is, when i have a few moments to myself, i like to relax. and i'd rather not spend my relaxation time cleaning, which is why i wish i were more organized in the first place, so that i could truly relax when it's naptime or bedtime for zoe! someone once said, "good luck keeping your house clean with a kid" and they were right. but i thought, no. not me! never! my house will always be clean! but alas, 'tis not the way. i feel like i'm constantly playing catch up and rarely, if ever, do i.

back to the task at hand: organization. i need more of it. i need to spend a few days, gleaning the house of unnecessary objects, organizing closets, making lists and checking them twice, deep cleaning neglected spaces and try and catch up! so, here are some tips from Martha Stewart that i am going to try and implement. and i guess the timing here is appropriate, since it is time for SPRING CLEANING! click on the following links to get printable checklists of all the things i should be doing right now.

monthly cleaning

spring cleaning checklist

thanks MARTHA!!!

all photos and links via marthastewart.com

Me and my girl, the littlest trooper.

2010-02-26T12:17:00.000-08:00

so, here i am in my most slovenly attire. this is what you wear when you wake up and realize that the minor injury you thought your daughter had before bed is still bothering her. and it's 5:30am. and oh, you have to get up and go to work, and it's friday, and you're tired and you realize the gym is not happening this morning. and it's 20 degrees outside. and the wind is howling. and the dog is taking up the whole bed. and the fire, the only heat in the house (and yes we choose this) has gone out and you're freezing!... oh, i know. the problems of a first-world 20something.... life is SO hard! please sense the sarcasm there...

craziness at an un-godly! hour rules the roost around here. craziness, and an almost 2 year old, and a dog. not i. no sir. if i ruled the roost, we would wake up around 7 (yes, i'm a morning person). have a simple bite to eat. go to the gym or run outside for a bit. come home. do arts and crafts, have a little lunch. take a nap. play some more, maybe even take a little excursion. nice homemade dinner. maybe some wine and a movie. then bed.... now that is a good day!

back to the injury... so zoe is a rough and tumble kind of gal. she plays hard ALL DAY LONG. and then sleeps like a champ because of it. yesterday, she was jumping off a little stool, maybe 5 inches high, not the most extreme of cases. and all of a sudden she lands on her right leg wrong and i hear a POP! and then came the screams and the tears.

i thought for sure she broke her ankle, since i heard the POP! and she doesn't usually cry that long after falling. actually, she rarely cries when she falls. she finally calmed down and we decided we'd wait until morning to see if she needed to go to the doctor, even though she was hobbling around the house. i took her in today and she seemed fine, so the doctor said give it a few days, then get x-rays if she's still complaining. yes, she actually "complains" and she's not even two! she'll say, "leg/knee hurt"... pitiful i tell you, pitiful.

so, we're waiting... in the meantime, we'll take silly pictures with eachother!

oh!! and look what i found at the goodwill!! the best little bookcase ever, for $5!!! this may not seem like much to you, but it's exactly what i've been looking for. the legs are the best part. now the question is, do i paint it? or the wall behind it? i'm thinking of painting the wall black or a dark navy.

Inspiration Home: Amsterdam

2010-02-25T05:42:00.000-08:00

this is why i'm moving to the netherlands one day. ok, maybe not, but definitely visiting (again)! and hopefully i'll be invited into someone's home that looks like this. i know, i know... my home posts are all starting to look the same. but i can't help it. i'm a sucker for cathedral/vaulted ceilings, white, a mix of modern and traditional. ooh, i could go on!

since we have a loft style home i'm always looking for creative ways to use the vertical space. our house isn't very big. but if we think "up", like they've done here, space can be maximized. also, i'm definitely considering a swing in the living room... amazing! thank you to the very talented stephanie rammeloo for sharing her home over a bloesem. check out her website for even more beautiful creative concepts.

via bloesem

grow spring, grow...

2010-02-24T18:58:00.000-08:00

right here, right where i'm standing, grows the loveliest bleeding heart i've ever seen. i can't wait to see it come spring. for now, we must embrace the cold and save it up, like frederick, because summer is hot and sticky. and then, we'll be dying for relief from the heat.

i've been wearing lots of floral and spring items with my darker winter wardrobe. it's time to transition. and that means layers, hence the cardigan and tights, my winter to spring uniform. some people think that wearing a dress everyday is too fancy, but i find it quite the opposite. you don't need an occasion to wear a nice dress! plus, it's so comfortable.

dress-anthropologie

cardigan-madewell

boots-steve madden

belt-gap

blog lovin

2010-02-24T16:26:00.001-08:00

Follow my blog with bloglovin

cause, you know, all the cool kids are doing it...

flickr faves!

2010-02-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

i haven't done one of these in a while. there are so many amazing photographers/photographs on flickr. check it out, if you haven't already. i usually find myself sitting in bed, waaaay past bedtime, drooling over these beautiful images. ok, that was a weird image, but you get what i mean.

2. ze final garland!, 3. party garland 1, 4. Big dots and Butterflies, 5. the family room..., 6. Lotta Jansdotter sewing studio, 7. friday splurge, 8. lemon tree, 9. Living room, 10. saturday's finds..., 11. waiting..., 12. last night..., 13. a little 'cluster of happy'..., 14. Via Living Etc., 15. My Living room, 16. Untitled, 17. Hello Weekend!, 18. Fashion Friday: Rework, 19. Sew Liberated Schoolhouse Tunic, 20. Snug Hannover, 21. Untitled, 22. Via Living Etc., 23. cerf volant, 24. Untitled, 25. leaves, 26. Kitchen corner..., 27. mini kitchen, 28. kitchen shelves, 29. for me and my sister, 30. white + gray + black lamp

love the colors here. i'm so ready for spring. warm wind blowing in my face. pretty flowers popping up, taking zoe to the park... oooh, i can't wait!

DIYing to post this!

2010-02-23T06:28:00.000-08:00

i haven't posted anything that i've made in a while. but i assure you i have been creating things behind the scenes! for example, i just finished (well, almost, darn snow!) a custom nursery set for a friend. crib quilt, glider cushions, pillow, etc. hopefully, i'll have pictures of the completed room soon! i haven't been making as many clothes, but i expect to focus on that more this spring/summer.

as i've said before, i am sporadically creative. (you may have also noticed that i have a severe case of adult ADD, i am constantly doing something different! never satisfied!) i go through periods of creativity often, but have never been creative on a daily basis. i admire people like this woman and this woman. who can manage to have a family and still create something almost everyday!? how do they do it??

i recently ordered these amazingly beautiful, hand dyed, burp cloths for a friend who is expecting a baby any day now. when they arrived in the mail i was in love... but also thought, "hey, i could make these!" so i went out and bought some organic cotton diapers and cut up some of my scraps of vintage and new fabrics that i love, zig-zag stitched them on for extra strength, and voila!

another set of beautiful burp cloths!

*good job, mom!*

my first run making burp cloths (let's see how many times i can say burp cloth in one post...) wasn't as successful. these are much more absorbent and get softer with every wash! i'm thinking of posting them in my etsy shop, which is empty right now.... and see how they do. i think i will dabble in dyeing the fabrics this summer, when its warmer and i can mix up big tubs of dye on our porch. which should be interesting with zoe running around!

i also crafted up a little t-shirt for zoe with some left over pieces of vintage fabric. not too shabby, if i do say so myself. and it hides all the food stains that i don't have the time, nor patience, to try and get out!

YOGA

2010-02-22T06:22:00.000-08:00

i must say that amongst all of the "things" going on in my life, one thing that i am taking time to truly enjoy is yoga. i really love it and have, until recently, never been able to find an instructor that has helped me figure it out. go "deeper" as they say.

i've been a competitive athlete for as long as i can remember. i was playing soccer, softball, gymnastics, lacrosse, whatever, as soon as i could walk. you name it! i played it. my parents carted me around from practice to practice, game to game, and i would literally change uniforms in the car on the way to the next competition. needless to say, i consider myself an athlete.

yoga is different. when i first started, a few years ago, i treated it like any sport. i wanted to do poses that i wasn't physically ready for. now that i practice more often, i'm starting to understand that it's not a competition with anyone, simply an evolution into what you can do with your body. it's extremely intense, as any sport is, but different in the way that you can determine your level. you grow with yourself. the only competition is your own body and mind. careful, i'm about to get deep! normally, when i'm on the field i am very competitive. i want to score goals and stop others from doing so. be faster, stronger.

this article sums it up much better than i am trying to do...

while i'm practicing yoga, i don't feel this way. competition with others goes out the window. and i think that is why i enjoy it so much. it's helping me to focus on me. and while that sounds self-centered (no pun intended), it's not. everyone needs to focus on themselves a little more. appreciate their bodies. move through life intentionally. and yoga, of all things, has helped me to do that. so, if you haven't tried it. i recomend it. it can be difficult at first, but if you really focus on you, it can become a great experience and a truly beneficial workout for the body.

so there, that's my PR for yoga. try it, you might even like it.

fashion blogger?

2010-02-19T10:36:00.000-08:00

i'm not so sure about this...i can see my brother totally laughing at me right now.

at IFB, photographer Dustin F, snapped a few pictures of me to get his lighting right out on a freezing cold balcony. i mostly look terrified/worried/bored in these photos. i am so weird in front of a camera, well, i'm weird in general. but isn't the lighting beautiful? we both agreed that natural light is the best way to go, and i hope to see many more of his photos from the event soon!

doing my best "fashion blogger" pose

iphone hanging out of my pocket. it's the "in" accessory

duckface, always a beautiful look

ps.... this is so embarassing! how do you fashion bloggers do it?

Where to begin.....?

2010-02-18T06:50:00.001-08:00

let's see... i'm actually going to have to look at a calendar to help me organize my thoughts on this post. while i'm doing that, enjoy these photos from the 2010 blizzard!

annnnnd, i'm back....

so. it all started with the blizzard, which i'm sure you're all tired of hearing about/living with! however, in my profession it has it's perks, namely being that i don't have to work when it snows and when i say snow that actually means a "dusting" 1" or less can be made into a state of emergency in this town. i kid you not. so needless to say, 30" got us out of school for over a week.

our time off was filled with shoveling, igloo building, firemaking, snowy walks and a touch of cabin fever. thankfully, it also made my trip to Brooklyn/NYC much easier, as it was the first time i was leaving zoe for more than 3 whole days! she had plenty of love and attention while i was reliving my college life and staying up way too late and spending way too much money.

the trip to NY was very inspiring. i got to hang out with some amazing friends and met some amazing new people!

we'll do it like this, i'll show you pictures and links of things i did/people i met and you'll thank me later... maybe?

Beacon's Closet sepalcure at public assembly

yoga at Jivamukti

Independent Fashion Blogger conference :IFB evolving influence, gave me the opportunity to meet some fascinating women and chill with one of my most favorite ladies, kate sims of Market Publique.

this is my life people! a crazy mishmash of motherhood, work/teaching, living, being inspired....wheew. i'm tired thinking about it all.

Drifting through another space

2010-02-02T18:24:00.000-08:00

a scandanavian retreat

i could live in this little creative space

and i'll leave you with this...

my favorite print.

it reminds me so much of zoe at the beach.

she has the same little yellow suit and

she sat like that,

watching me swim in the ocean,

for a long time.

house via hindsvikvintage

print via etsy

So this is Christmas...

2009-12-24T17:21:00.000-08:00

zoe was going to help wrap presents, but realized that wrapping herself would be a lot more fun.

SNOW DAY!

2009-12-21T13:57:00.000-08:00

i love snow! i don't care what anyone says. i'll take it over freezing rain anyday! it makes me feel like a kid again. and with zoe old enough to enjoy it a bit, it's even better. we received an uncanny amount, almost 2 feet!

*The Blue Bomber*

we took zoe sledding today and it was SO fun! she had the biggest smile on her face the whole time. she took a couple tumbles but she is a trooper.

zoe and i ready to go!

this was a seriously big hill for a 19 month old, but hey we're fearless like that

hope you and yours are staying warm this winter. and if you had some snow, i hope you enjoyed that too!

Giving is Good

2009-12-13T17:21:00.000-08:00

...and giveaways are even better!

head on over to B:Kids

right now!!

they giving away so many adorable things it's hard to keep up!

these handmade booties are the latest giveaway.

aren't they adorable!?

Flickr faves of the month!

2009-12-09T08:52:00.000-08:00

1. Smlove, 2. Adding Some Color, 3. folded, 4. Ingrid and The Matching Car, 5. Radical Tree, 6. The Tree's Up, 7. White Christmas, 8. natural christmas sparkler, 9. Untitled, 10. Untitled, 11. Untitled, 12. yellow bed curtains, 13. olive's garland..., 14. baby bed, 15. trio, 16. a little in love., 17. Caramel Apple Party!, 18. Story Love, 19. eames rocker, 20. the new look., 21. Untitled, 22. Série Copacabana, 23. wednesday: orange, 24. reversible tie jumper, 25. Flower Cups, 26. Super Clarrie, 27. butterfly chair, 28. my home office, standing in entrance from the kitchen, 29. bathroom, 30. path and house, 31. Untitled, 32. attic, 33. poppies close-up, 34. .....tah - daaah!, 35. hmmm....too blue?, 36. Children's cups

happy days are here again! these are a few of my favorite flickr images. i hope their beauty brings a smile to your face as they have to mine : )

Everything's not always sunshine and rainbows...

2009-12-07T17:13:00.001-08:00

ice storm

broke down car

puffy eyes

flat hair

smelly house

messy house

chaotic house

muddy yard

broken fence

broken dreams

dirty dishes

smoked chicken (@#&%$*?!!!)

sour milk

dog hair

everywhere

dirty laundry

stained tub

dirty diapers

smelly spouse

trying really hard to be positive.

It's beginning to look a lot like....

2009-12-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

THE HOLIDAYS!

smile and wave featured these ornaments the other day and i am in love!

here's one on her christmas tree! so cute. and seriously making me consider a fake white tree... gasp!

i really love this time of year and hope to have some shots of our house once i get around to decorating!
pretty mantle

sweet little house

via smile and wave

Taking a Break

2009-11-30T16:36:00.000-08:00

ahhh, what a nice break! a very busy break, but i always find busy better than being bored. we were lucky to enjoy some beautiful weather here and there and made sure to take full advantage.

taking a hike through thomas point state park

beautiful crisp morning

searching

i love having breakfast on a weekday morning with zoe. we like to go to the Leeward Market in Eastport. if you live in the annapolis area, it is hands down the best breakfast joint. they make awesome lattes and serve great homemade food. bonus: it's hardly ever crowded.

enjoying breakfast with her mama.

(we were talking about how Oprah just up and quit! the nerve!)
oh, and they have a kid's corner. awesome vintage furniture. and magazines for the big kids!

since it was raining that day i decided to go home and have a little photo shoot.

zoe is my favorite model... duh.

baron had to be involved of course. they both wanted to go outside SO bad... me too.

and that's a wrap! yay!

oh, and somehow, i managed to make and sell twenty pies, drive to delaware, eat two thanksgiving dinners, go to my ten year high school reunion, hang out with more friends in four days than i have in four years and hold a friend's brand new baby! wheeew.

like i said... busy is better than bored.

oh, and here's one for good measure....

always wear your helmet when taking baby for a walk! safety first kids!

What's in your closet?

2009-11-24T13:50:00.000-08:00

don't know? neither do i most days. and sometimes i just don't have the creative energy to put together outfits. you too? well, here are some ladies that inspire me daily and help me reinvent clothes in my closet.

this time tomorrow

before zoe came along i used to spend hours perusing thrift stores, staring at my closet, paging through magazines, etc. searching for inspiration for outfits. i enjoy getting dressed and think of it as a necessary creative outlet. since i work full time and have lots of other things to do when i get home, i tend not to spend as much time shopping or playing dress up as i used to. that's where the internet steps in!

orchid grey

kansas couture

jen loves kev

my new favorite past time is looking at fashion blogs! these ladies are extraordinary-ordinary girls like you (ok, not you dad) and they have mad style. many of these girls work 9-5 jobs, yet still look incredibly stylish and for the most part it's done on a teacher friendly budget. i usually look at them before bed, once zoe is down for the count and get inspiration for my workday outfit. it's like a little shot of creative juice before bed and helps me put together outfits from my own closet without all of the thinking! these women are a few of my favorites.

I heart Bikes

2009-11-23T07:13:00.001-08:00

there's something about riding a bike on a nice fall day that makes me so happy!

i have a nice cruiser with a seat on the back for zoe and we take a ride just about everyday when i get home from work.

i love my bike, but these are just plain BEAUTIFUL!

Dutch Bikes

Madsen Cycles

via all the mountains

Succulent

2009-11-18T16:05:00.000-08:00

yet another place to visit in Brooklyn.

green art. what's not to love.

via mosstica

Inspiration for the Home

2009-11-17T09:06:00.000-08:00

wow! i just found this house tour over at bloesem and i LOVE it. Tania Patritti is a german based artisan that creates all kinds of handmade treasures, some of which you can see below.

check out her online shop and these images from her home!

i have been looking everywhere for a cabinet like this!

what a nice studio space.

No6 Boots

2009-11-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

a vintage collector and a stylist... these beauties are in their store.

next time i'm in NYC i must visit the No6 store for myself.

i caught a picture of my favorite dressing female wearing them and, yes i know they're clogs, i just LOVE them. bonus, they're weather proof!

Have I mentioned how much I love this kid?

2009-11-15T19:30:00.001-08:00

taking a bow for being awesome...

MiLK! la mode enfantine

2009-11-12T11:08:00.000-08:00

stealing candy from a baby would just be wrong, but stealing the clothes off these kids, may be justified....

via milk

Pregnancy Amnesia

2009-11-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

hi there. raise your hand if you've had a baby recently! raise your hand if you remember pregnancy.... really, do you? because if you do you'll remember that it's an emotional roller coaster, filled with vomiting, bloating, waddling, cursing, crying, exhaustion and frustration. in other words, pure *bliss*. the best time of your life. the happiest time of your life.

many women, myself included, experience "pregnancy amnesia", "birth amnesia", and "breastfeeding amnesia". Other expecting moms will ask you about your experiences and you will calmly respond "oh, that? piece of cake! it seemed hard at the time, but really, no big deal!" right? RIGHT? i mean, my pregnancy was really easy. no, really... it was!

there are many explanations for this pregnancy amnesia. for one, if we actually thought about it, no woman would ever put herself through pregnancy/birth ever again. but our biological disposition to populate this planet makes us forget about all of the "blissful experiences" i mentioned above. so we go on procreating, filling the world with little humans! and of course, babies are friggin' cute (see below).

Exibit A and D

i digress. i realize i'm scaring the shit out of certain people reading this blog right now. i can hear them now. DO NOT HAVE ANOTHER CHILD! WE FORBID IT!

do not worry parental units! i'm simply talking about this because i'm SO excited for my friends who are expecting their first (and second *hi jen!*) babies in the next few months. and i can't wait to tell them annoying things about how wonderful it all is and how little sleep they'll be getting and how it's the best thing EVER and and and.... oh, so excited for you ladies. i can't wait to steal your babies!

Simple Shoes

2009-11-10T05:37:00.000-08:00

i often get a lot of flack for enjoying fashion the way that i do. meaning, i have a lot of clothes! whenever i tell mike he's being wasteful with this or that he reminds me how wasteful i am when it comes to consuming clothing. i try, i really do, to be concious of my purchases, but fashion sometimes trumps my eco-friendly intentions!

alas, there are Simple shoes for kids! both eco-friendly, made from recycled/recyclable materials, and adorable! they were the first purchase i made for zoe before she was born and i've just recently purchased a pair of boots that she wears pretty much everyday. check them out here and get your little babe a pair, i promise you won't be disappointed..... and you'll feel good about purchasing something good for the earth!

also, i don't have a little boy, but these shoes make me wish i did! the boys are even cuter than the girls' shoes. and they say girls are more fun to dress...!

Reach for the Skyline

2009-11-05T09:46:00.000-08:00

Since Monday, Oct. 26, British artist Stephen Wiltshire has been filling in an 18-foot canvas at the Pratt Intitute in Brooklyn as he attempts to draw the entire Manhattan skyline from memory. Diagnosed with autism at the age of three, Wiltshire has an unusually powerful photographic memory that he has applied to rendering cityscapes, including London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Rome, Madrid, Frankfurt, Dubai and Jerusalem.

check out his website and see him via live webcam. wow.

via handmade charlotte

Trick or Treat!

2009-11-02T16:58:00.000-08:00

who me? oh, well, i uh. um. i've been really busy? yea. sorry about the lack of posts for almost 2 weeks! life gets so crazy. never fear, i am here to post cute pictures and update you on the projects i've been working on behind the scenes. also, every now and then i'll throw in some things i loved twice and hope that you do too!

i woke up to the pitter patter of rain on the skylight in our room on Halloween morning and almost got bummed out... that is until i realized that i HAD to make zoe a costume. and said costume HAD to be a SQUIRREL! i couldn't stop thinking about it, so i was on a mission to get her decked out as a squirrel from about 630am.

and here my friends is what i came up with....

a squirrel costume! it's one of her funniest sounds.... sounds? you say. yes, sounds. when you ask her what a squirrel says she'll go, "ssskkkwwwwiiiiiirrrrr!" and it cracks me up every time. or if she sees one outside, same thing.

so here is her in all of her "skkkkkwwwwiiiiirrrr" glory!

hope you had a happy HALLOWEEN!

PS.... NOVEMBER??? really!?