What I've been making-- part three and quite possibly four or five.

Assembly of a nursery is no small thing if you are most women-- especially so if you are me.
We have virtually no money at all so I have had to be careful about what I buy. Almost everything in our house has been bought secondhand or donated by loving family members. There are many things that I wish I could buy, but even so I find myself completely content with what we have. Our little boy will be happy and comfortable and I'm proud of the way things have turned out.

First, the cloud mobile.
I bought some felt from Hobby Lobby and some stuffing and went to work. I hand-sewed everything because at the time I did not have a machine on hand.

Next I made some blankets. I found some really amazing organic cotton prints from Jay-Cyn Design. I messed up the first one and so I turned it into a baby duvet, reverse side is ivy-minky.

I had to hand sew the buttons and buttonholes too because I did not know how to do it on my machine... once again, a huge pain, but cute!

This blanket was much easier.

And here is a partial view of the nursery! It's difficult to get the whole room with just my phone.

We are getting closer and closer to the big day-- hard to believe. I'm not done with everything that I want to do (bunting, perhaps?) but I feel like if my baby comes, we at least have the essentials for him.

It's a good feeling.

Wednesday Winston: a cattish talent.

Winston can sleep anywhere, at anytime.
With my growing discomfort, I only wish I could do the same.

How to make a toadstool.

I've been contemplating a nursery.
Because we are having a boy, I am trying to accommodate my taste with the understanding that I cannot design anything too girly.
My solution? Whimsical. I am going to design a forest nursery.
I have a few ideas I have not yet put into action, but this toadstool was the first to take a concrete shape. I haven't purchased a rocking chair yet, but this little beauty will rest my feet while I'm rockin' my baby.

I started with a plain wooden footstool from Michael's. It would be easy to make one of these on your own, but at $12, it wouldn't be much cheaper. I got a yard of plain red calico fabric, some white fabric spray paint, and a small bag of batting.

1. My stool was 10" in diameter so I cut out a 24" circle for my mushroom pouf.
2. Using a stencil (I used the inside of a roll of masking tape as my guide) paint the circles on your pouf. My circles splattered a little, so be careful!
3. Allow circles to dry. I also made a mistake here, only giving it about two hours. It probably needs 6-8 to dry completely. But if you're an impatient un-perfectionist like me, you can make do.
4. I don't have a staple gun, so I just used nails to attach my pouf to the chair. I started nailing, giving extra room for the stuffing. Put in a few nails and start packing that batting in there!
5. Nail down the opposite side of the fabric that you have already closed. Stuff the sides of the pouf and gradually continue nailing and stuffing until your pouf is rounded.
And that is it! Now you have a lovely little toadstool to rest your feet or for your toddler to perch!

Nesting.

This is what I have been doing, friends.

I made some lace lamps. And I wanted a crystal chandelier, so I made up how to make one.
(disclaimer: it turned out not to be much cheaper than buying one.)

I bought two wreath rings from hobby lobby and painted them silver. (You can find these in the flower arranging aisle. Roughly $3 each.) I also purchased 30 feet of fishing wire (maximum hold 30 pounds) from Walmart. The most difficult part of this project was finding crystals for a decent price. eBay and etsy are both bad choices for this. After several days of searching, the best-priced chandelier crystals came from this website.
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/

This website was the first I purchased from before I realized I would need more crystals. A lot more. I purchased 15 feet of the clear crystal garland but that was not nearly enough.

http://www.save-on-crafts.com/cr31.html

However, I found a slightly more expensive and prettier option here.

http://www.shabbyelegantdesigns.com/servlet/the-Chandelier-Crystals/Categories

This website was a relief to find. The crystals are fairly priced, and, even better, incredibly sparkly. The site also offers special discounts for crystals that are slightly flawed. I bought large teardrop crystals (25) and another 15 feet of bow-tied crystal rope. It was enough to cover my wreath hangers, but barely. Thus the expense of making your own.

Next, I hung the crystals on the wreath hangers. There are 4 wire slots on each hanger, so I alternated the crystals, being sure to mix up the two different kinds I had. The crystals are linked with bow clasps and wire, so I was able to divide them to achieve the lengths I desired. I hung the short chains on the little wreath and the long chains on the bigger wreath. I then attached the smaller wreath to the bigger one from the inside using fishing wire. This part was tricky as the crystals would slide out of position every time the wreath went off balance, so I recommend asking someone to hold it steady for you as you secure the fishing wire to 4 sides of your wreath so it can hang easily.



Voila! Hang a detachable light inside (ikea) and you've got yourself a super sparkly chandelier for about $55.

The lace lamp tutorial is here.
http://dosfamily.com/2011/01/lace-lamp/

I used an old curtain that I already had. If you want to use a bigger piece of material, be sure to cut it into the shape of small doilies to avoid bunching. My only other dilemma was being unable to find a large round balloon, as Logan does not have a party supply store. So my lamps turned out distinctly more egg-shaped. I would also recommend allowing your lamp to dry for two days before popping the balloon. These lamps were actually quite fun (and cheap!) to make, and could be a lovely party decoration replacement for paper lanterns.

25 weeks and counting.

I feel different lately.
At first it was imperceptible to me, but now I see the change.
My pants don't fit. My skirts don't fit. I ate six raspberry filled doughnuts in two days.
But I am bursting with happiness. With hope.
I already love this little boy. He is close to me, not just physically, but spiritually, emotionally. He kicks when my heart races. He relaxes when I lie down. He is a part of me.
It's a beautiful and terrifying thing.
I have discovered my little friend to be a very polite and convenient house guest. Considering the fact that I thought I had no room to harbor a child, he has wedged himself unpretentiously into my routine. I have been profoundly blessed to experience such an easy pregnancy.
I am getting very excited to meet him.

9 weeks

16 weeks

20 weeks

25 weeks

Wednesday Winston: Fashion Model

I couldn't resist. 

Wednesday Winston: Colorful Kitties

Winston is a he-she.

Did you know that?

This is information from our local veterinarian and some google research.

Apparently, the colors in a cat's fur are dominant in the female genes. Because male cats do not have the extra x chromosome, they are genetically unable to inherit more than two colors from their parents. This is why male calico cats are extremely rare. And when they do exist, they are usually infertile.

This is Winston.

He is black, orange, gray, tawny, white, and chocolate brown.
He is a rare XXY.
He is very beautiful.
He is a male, but he has female chromosomes.
Therefore, he is a he-she.

Good job, Winsty's mom. Good job, Winsty.

What I've been buying...

It's not much of a secret that I'm a shopping addict.
An online shopping addict, that is.
Every time a box arrives at our front door, I go into transports of delight.
Wheeeeeeeee!

Logan doesn't have a whole lot to offer my wardrobe or my home, but the internet certainly does.
These are my latest favorites.

Birdwatcher Knob from Anthropologie.

I got a whole dresser full of these little beauties for $3 each, retailing at $8.

This cardigan 

and this cardigan from Darling. 

I was so excited about these. I got them for $30 each, retail is at $80.

!!!

This cover for my phone, which actually works surprisingly well and gets lots and lots of compliments. 

$5 and fresh from Korea, my friends.

I found this Gianni Bini dress in the junior's section of our local Dillards. And it is still there at yours! It was $28.98, retail at $78. It's actually longer than it looks in this picture (barely, but still wearable with garments) and a lot cuter. And... it's a perfect maternity dress. 

Adorable Eiffel Tower Trinket flats from Anthropologie. $28, retail at $90. 

Yes, it makes your hair feel disgusting. And yes, it really works. I have used this lovely little bottle of hair powder on my hair's greasy days (and not-so-greasy days) with wonderful, clean-looking and voluminous results. Plus, it's all natural. 

That's all for now, folks. But there will be more.

Always.

A fresh pair of eyes.

I arrived home from work one day and took a pregnancy test.
I am not pregnant. I know I'm not. I said it over and over in my head. I shook from head to toe and sat staring at the positive sign on the stick for a whole five minutes before I was able to emerge and tell Jason.
I'm pregnant. We are going to have a baby.
I cried. He said it's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it will be okay.
I thought about this creature, this parasite, the source of my insatiable fatigue and constant nausea. I wondered how I would feel without it-- this second heart beating inside of me. Better than fine! I told myself stubbornly. You are not ready to have a baby. This baby shouldn't belong to you.
The next day I carried my secret like a dead weight. I felt it bursting from me. Fear, for myself and my health. Guilt, at my lack of gratitude. At any moment I felt I would explode and reveal everything, hoping to share the shock I felt with someone, anyone who would understand the complexity of my feelings.
Two nights later I had a terrible dream. In my dream, a tiny fetus opened its mouth wide and screamed.
I woke, my heart pounding, my mind racing. My baby! This is our baby-- mine and Jason's. It came to us, it needs us. Fear incited my more natural maternal instincts and for the first time since I knew of its existence, I wanted this creature, longed for it. And a confused Jason hugged me as I cried for fear of losing my little parasite.

We saw our baby for the first time when it was only nine weeks old and two centimeters long. On the ultrasound it kicked its legs and stretched its minuscule arms above its tiny head. Water ballet. An alien creature with a strong, healthy heartbeat.
It's real, and it's happening to us.
A miracle.
Things that are good and right have a way of timing themselves. Our plans for ourselves are often very different than what our actual future unfolds.
I feel peace and comfort in my burden. Excitement and anxiety at what it entails. Joy that I see reflected in my  husband's face when we see our baby. Comfort in the knowledge that I was never alone, and now I physically never am.
Now never seemed like a good time for us to have a baby, but it was always right.

Wednesday Winston returns!

Sorry about the serious lack of posts.
Serious lack.

Things have been more than a little crazy around here. A general excuse, but one that will have to do for now.
In the meantime...

... some exciting things are getting closer and closer.

Until then, my friends.

Wednesday Winston: Yo Quiero

It never gets old.

Wednesday Winston: Sleepy days.

Today is a rainy day. All I want to do on rainy days is nap, read, and drink gallons of hot chocolate.

Speaking of reading, I've been perusing some interesting books. I'm at the tail end of In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, and haven't been able to rest easy since I started it. Winston meowed at the front door last night when I was home alone (reading) and I nearly had a heart attack. I'm serious. Also on the list of books recently read? The Bell Jar, Girl, Interrupted, Catch-22, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, and Middlesex.

Those are some good books. Next on the list?

Cider House Rules.

Happy Wednesday!

Wednesday Winston: Sorry, Winsty.

Winston has a new sweater-- a woolly, green, buttoned frock that he hates almost as much as his purple turtleneck.

Meeting the Babes: Lola

Today I've been thinking about Lola's cheeks. Sasha is very proud of Lola's cheeks, and so am I.
I mean, look at this.

Absolutely a beautiful child.

Family Pictures

Over Christmas break we had our family pictures taken. The experience was not wholly what it could have been, unfortunately, as I had been throwing up violently the day before. Standing outside in heels was extremely difficult for me-- but boy am I glad I did! I am perhaps even more pasty white than usual, but it's so fun to have new family pictures since we have seven- SEVEN!- new additions to the family.

I love my family so much. They're a pretty fun bunch.