Monkey and Squirrel

back in business!

2012-01-30T12:47:00.000-05:00

after almost one whole month away, Monkey & Squirrel is now back open for business! it's time to really test this new mama's multitasking skills!

3 weeks...

2012-01-27T12:45:00.000-05:00

i can't believe 3 and a half weeks have already flown by since miss penny came into the world. in some ways it's gone so quickly, but then in others it also feels like she's always been here. it's kinda crazy just how natural it all feels. i thought once she was finally here i might be somewhat freaked out about being entirely responsible for this fragile little life, but it's true how they say your instincts kick in and you really just know what to do. i had a moment the other day when i was walking down the hallway in our house holding penny, and i passed a mirror. i had to stop and just look at us, "i'm a mom!". i actually said it out loud...

it's naturally taking us a bit of time to work out our routine around here. evan is back at work, so it's just penny and i during the day. i've had my etsy shop closed since she was born, and i'm actually thinking that i'm ready to reopen for the weekend and see how it goes. it's crazy that i've had it closed for this long. i haven't taken a real work break for more then a day or two since opening my shop back in april of 2009. it feels weird and i think it may take me a little bit to really get back in the swing of things. i miss it though, so that's definitely a good thing, and i look forward to making and creating lovely goodies again! we'll just have to see how much penny lets me get done during her naps. be good to momma little lady :)

i know i haven't been keeping up to date here as much as i would like, and hopefully i'll get a little better about that as we settle into our routine. in the meantime though feel to keep up with me on twitter, or intagram (monkeyandsquirrel) for daily updates. oh, and here are a few of my favorite penny moments from the past few weeks...

for your lazy sunday morning enjoyment...

2012-01-15T10:36:00.003-05:00

i don't want to ever forget when she was this little...

she's here!

2012-01-10T16:34:00.001-05:00

exactly one week ago today, at 7:50pm, our lives were changed for the better...

miss penelope june came in weighing 7lbs 10oz, and a whopping 20in long. she's the most perfect, snuggly, silly baby ever. yes, i may be biased, but i'm a mom now and i have every right to be!

weekly bean update

2012-01-01T14:57:00.000-05:00

happy new years friends! we are officially on baby watch 2012 over here. my blood pressure has been a bit high as of late, so i've been put on modified bed rest until penny arrives. so that means lots of reading, naps, and episodes of lost. really not all that bad when you think about it. i'm hoping she comes all on her own some time in the next couple days, otherwise they're talking about inducing... which i really don't want! penny will be here soon though one way or another, and i can't wait to meet her!

i hope everyone had a fabulous new years eve and that your 2012 is off to a great start. now back to kicking up these feet for me. hopefully i'll have a baby update for y'all soon!!!

weekly bean update

2011-12-28T13:47:00.000-05:00

ok little lady... you can officially come any time now :)

boy oh boy has this week got me exhausted! with all the christmas activities, evan's family all being in town, and trying to prepare for penny's arrival, i am absolutely wiped out! i'm taking today to lounge around, drink lots of water (gotta get these swollen feet in check), and nap whenever i see fit. i'm enjoying these last days of "somewhat tired", before the days of "oh my god, we have a newborn, i'm so tired i can't think straight" set in. and now that i think about it, i do believe a little nap is calling my name right now!

crickets...

2011-12-23T12:17:00.000-05:00

there has been some serious silence over here on the ol' blog, and for that i apologize! thing are getting to the home stretch of this pregnancy and i've been taking it easy these past few days. i was actually told that my blood pressure was a bit high at my last check up, so i was given orders to drink water like a camel and kick up my feet whenever possible. so that i did, and at my check up yesterday all was back to normal... thank goodness!

so here are some peeks at what i've been up to in between the water, the resting, and the rewatching of lost from the very first episode...

*a wee bit of decorating for christmas*

*sipping warm beverages from my new santa mug*

*eating delicious noms*

*a little trip with the mr to a local general store*

*baking sweet vegan treats for a christmas gathering*

*lunch with friends and their adorable kids*

*snuggling pups... lots of snuggling to be exact*

*realizing that this is our last christmas with just two stockings. next year we'll have a wee one to share it with*

i can't believe that today is christmas eve eve. i've never had a christmas away from my fam in NY, so it's feeling pretty odd not being with them this year. it just doesn't feel like christmas. thankfully evans family is here, and more are coming into town, so we'll be spending the next few days getting some quality time with them... and waiting for penny's arrival of course!

weekly bean update

2011-12-19T18:21:00.000-05:00

it's a two for the price of one kinda week!

we've got ourselves a full term baby over here. little miss penelope june, you can come anytime you'd like now :)

dwell for the kiddos...

2011-12-14T18:20:00.000-05:00

i'm so in love with all of the toys for babes over at dwell. i can't tell you how badly i want that animal shape sorter for penny! oh yes... one day it will be mine!

kitty safe plants

2011-12-10T10:47:00.000-05:00

kinda in love with this hanging plant idea. with 2 cats, and 2 dogs, we have zero plants in our home because they've gotten destroyed any time we've tried. this looks like the perfecto solution for us!

*source*

weekly bean update

2011-12-07T16:40:00.000-05:00

check that belly... booya!

and because i found it impossible to find a 5lb honeydew melon in the midst of winter for my current fruit baby, this is what you get...

and for weeks 33-36 according to the bump...

THE STATS...

HOW FAR ALONG- 35 weeks 6 days. 9th month, i've got you in my sights!

SIZE OF BABY- 18in and 5.25lb

MATERNITY CLOTHES?- yup, in these photos both the shirt and pants are for preggos!

STRETCH MARKS?- not yet!

SLEEP?- i now wake up about every hour to pee... so that's fun. i'm just thinking of it as practice for when i'm getting no sleep at all very soon.

FEELING ANY MOVEMENTS?- yes, penny still enjoys doing her karate in my uterus.

ANY CRAVINGS?- french dressing. weird, i know. i've been choosing my lunches based around the fact that i would love to put french dressing on it.

ANY FOOD AVERSIONS?- not a one!

VISIBLE BUMP?- ha!

BELLY BUTTON. IN OR OUT?- still holding on and staying in!

STILL WEARING RINGS?- nope. looks like swollen fingers are here to stay.

BEST MOMENT OF THE WEEK- getting through the last big event that i wanted to still have energy for, the big crafty last weekend. from here on out i can do as much as i'd like, but also take it easy when i need to.

WORST MOMENT OF THE WEEK- braxton hicks have started, and they seem to only come at night. yet another thing to keep me from getting a good nights rest. sometimes i actually have to get out of bed and move around until they pass. just a little reminder that we really are so very close to meeting our little lady. they're really not that bad over all though, and i'm sure they are NOTHING compared to the joy of real contractions. i'll take these while i can!

the big crafty holiday edition

2011-12-06T19:46:00.000-05:00

this past sunday evan and i toted all of my handmade goodies over to asheville, nc for the big crafty holiday show. i was so super stoked to be a part of it this year. i've done the summer one a few times, but this was the first year i was accepted to the holiday one, and let me tell you, it was worth the wait!

at 35 weeks pregnant i was a bit apprehensive as to how i would hold up at such a busy craft show, but penny cooperated perfectly and the day went smooth as can be. i took all of your basic preggo precautions, drink lots of water, sit and relax at any down points, and be sure to snack on all the vegan nibbles that were being offered up there. no joke on that last one. we started by having breakfast at the green sage cafe which has my most favorite breakfast burrito on the planet. with a green monster smoothie on the side, it was quite a way to start the day! we then moved on to snacking on goodies from the firestorm cafe. they were actually at the show and were walking around to each vendor with trays of snacks to choose from. so smart... and certainly appreciated guys! we got a brownie and a blueberry muffin and each made for a happy baby belly! as if that wasn't enough, we then celebrated a successful day with some chocolate shakes from the hop. we were happy campers...

the only bummer on the day for me was that i didn't get to walk around the entire venue to see all the vendors. what i did get to see was amazing, and it's probably best that i didn't get to browse. it would have been so very easy to spend all of the days profits in no time. aside from that though, it was a perfect day full of crafty goodness, great nibbles, and fabulous people. i've said it before, and i'll say it again, i love you big crafty!

gooooold!

2011-12-01T18:50:00.000-05:00

i just found out today that one of my little retro embroidered wall decor pieces was in an etsy gift guide on tuesday! that's me... right under the "holla" :)

kinda feeling the love this week. you can also spot some of my goodies HERE and HERE. happy holidays indeed!

weekly bean update

2011-11-30T17:18:00.000-05:00

this is a slightly under the weather bean update for ya as i'm not quite at 100% today...

last night i had a terrible nights sleep, and it left me feeling, well, pregnant today. tired, a little cranky, and just not quite as fabulous as i've been feeling up until now. i'm hoping it's just this one day and that tomorrow i'll be back to my normal self. we shall see...

i'm keeping this short and sweet because i still have tons to do in preparation for the big crafty this weekend, but can i just add in here how much it looks like i'm smuggling someones forgotten thanksgiving turkey under my sweater. i know i'll probably be saying this every week, but really, how can this belly still have a month of growing left?!?! i'm quite short (just shy of 5'2") so i know she doesn't really have anywhere to go except out, but this thing is getting pretty darn impressive if you ask me. i surprise myself every time i walk past a mirror.

another side note... i've had this sweater since before i was pregnant and i only just found out the other day that you could button up the sides and make it into a little wrap. i think it looks like a funny little belly holder, and i like it!

here's to growing a healthy little baby in there!

sometimes it's the little things...

2011-11-29T17:19:00.000-05:00

like the tiniest vintage christmas tree ever, that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

happy (cyber) monday!

2011-11-28T13:03:00.000-05:00

i'm back... and so very happy to say that i survived the 12 hour drives to and from NY! i must admit it was a bit uncomfortable at times, being 34 weeks pregnant and all, but i'm so glad that i got to spend the holiday with my family. next time i see my brother and sister, i'll be a momma! such a surreal thing to think about, but so so very exciting too. it really is the home stretch now!

with the thanksgiving holiday behind us, it's now time for me to focus on busting out some work in preparation for this weekends Big Crafty. it will be very interesting being the size of a house, and doing a huge craft show like this. luckily evan is the best helper, and i know he'll be an amazing right hand man... and sometimes probably my left hand too. i love that man-o-mine :)

i hope everyone had just as wonderful a thanksgiving as we did, and that bellies were filled to the brim! we ate until we were stuffed, and then did it all over again with leftovers. man, i love thanksgiving!

oh and just a little side note... Monkey & Squirrel is having a Cyber Monday sale today. just my little way of saying thanks to you! just enter HAPPYHOLIDAYS at check out to receive 20% off your entire purchase.

weekly bean update

2011-11-22T17:05:00.000-05:00

33 weeks... yeehaw!

tomorrow morning evan and i, along with my parents, are taking the long 11 hour drive up to NY to be with my sister and brother for thanksgiving. i can't even tell you how excited i am to be with my fam. my little lady is due just after christmas, so that means i won't be seeing any of them then. my first christmas away from my family... i will be a sad preggo that day! but enough about that, for now i'm dreaming of tofurkey, mashed potatoes, blueberry pie, and quality family time. thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and just the sight of cranberry sauce gets me giddy! so i'll be gone for a few days, but i wish everyone a very happy, ideally turkey friendly, thanksgiving holiday. time to fill this baby belly with delicious treats!

see you guys soon!

a peek at the nursery...

2011-11-18T09:50:00.000-05:00

i'll definitely be doing a full nursery tour once we've got penny's room all set up, but i couldn't help but share these few bits of decor we've got up thus far...

lots of vintagey goodness for this little lady!

oh happy day!

2011-11-17T19:04:00.000-05:00

remember just a couple days ago when i said all i really wanted in life was to be able to make granny squares? well looky what i just completed! i introduce you to my very first ever granny square...

happy day indeed!

weekly bean update

2011-11-16T16:50:00.000-05:00

we've got ourselves a squash baby!

and for weeks 29-32 according to the bump...

THE STATS...

HOW FAR ALONG- 32 weeks 6 days. man i'm getting these posts in just under the wire!

SIZE OF BABY- 16.7in and 3.75lb

MATERNITY CLOTHES?- well non of the above outfit is maternity, but i go back and forth. this shirt used to be quite large in the midsection on me, and i actually thought it would last through my whole pregnancy. however, it now seems to be darn near stretched to capacity, so i'm thinking only another week or two for this bad boy :(

STRETCH MARKS?- none as of yet!

SLEEP?- it's amazing how little sleep one really does need to get by. i wake up to pee every hour or two, and i have a stretch between 4am and 5:30am where i just can't sleep at all. i'm surprisingly not tired during the day though. i'm constantly surprised by it!

FEELING ANY MOVEMENTS?- penny has found herself a cozy spot just under one of my left ribs that she finds especially fun to kick. i love ya to death little lady, but you're bruising my insides!

ANY CRAVINGS?- nothing really new, just still loving me some cookies!

ANY FOOD AVERSIONS?- nope

VISIBLE BUMP?- really? do you see the above pictures?!?!

BELLY BUTTON. IN OR OUT?- it's in... but barely!

STILL WEARING RINGS?- sadly no. they've moved on to a necklace. my fingers are like little sausages these days.

BEST MOMENT OF THE WEEK- it has absolutely nothing to do with pregnancy, but learning to crochet has got me pleased as punch!

WORST MOMENT OF THE WEEK- feeling like somewhat of a pregnant leper at times. i think every first time preggo goes through a period where you realize that the life you had before is now over, and you feel kinda lonely and left out. priorities shift, and though i absolutely welcome this, it's not easy to have your whole life change in a matter of a few months. being extremely weepy and hormonal on top of this is a bad bad mixture to boot! luckily evan will just let me cry to him when i'm feeling sad, old, and large, until the moment passes.

another week down... just a few more to go!

crochet school

2011-11-14T11:23:00.001-05:00

over the years i've discovered one very important trait about myself. i need to learn a new skill at least every year. my body actually craves it, like a drug, or perhaps like a chocolate chip cookie when i'm pregnant. i find myself drooling over crafty blogs, until i settle on the one thing that just MUST be learned. (you may recall, last year it was embroidery)

well i was in one of these moods recently, and i set my target on crocheting. i've lusted after enough snazzy etsy ladies items (namely 1, 2, 3, and 4), to know that i just finally needed to get myself a hook, some yarn, and dive in!

so yesterday i sat myself down in front of this here computer, and started with lesson one of the craftyminx crochet school. if you've ever thought about learning, i definitely recommend this series. it's a video turtorial for each day of the month of october. they're super easy to follow, and they start from the very begininning. for someone who has never even held a crochet hook, this was a must!

here are my very first stitches. one little length of chain stitch, and i was happy as a pig in poo!

and here is my first swatch. i was practicing the single crochet here. my edges are a bit rough, but apparently that is something that just gets better with practice.

i really just want to make granny squares all day long, but i guess i have to crawl before i can walk. any crochet folks out there with some tips and tricks, feel free to leave them here for this newbie. i'm just a beginner, but i'm already in love :)

christmas swoon!

2011-11-11T11:54:00.000-05:00

i've recently become slightly obsessed with the works of Danielle Thompson, and her flickr photo stream. though some may think it's still a bit early to start thinking about christmas, i couldn't help but share this little gem. this retro festive setup just warms my insides and makes for a happy me! now i know we need a pink christmas tree, and i've got to get working on a pom-pom wreath stat!

so cute!

photo dump...

2011-11-10T16:48:00.000-05:00

i realized today that it's been awhile since i've shared what life through the eyes of my iphone looked like lately... so have at it!

this craving was a serious one!

puppies behaving very well for halloween treats!

color combos that make for a happy me :)

penny's shelves, up and stocked!

2 puppies snuggled under the blankets

breastfeeding class with the mr.

stitching new goodies. all day every day!

my swollen fingers no longer allow me to wear my wedding ring :(

finally found the perfect display solution for the mr's dice collection!

stealing the last cookie

autumn in our front yard

a night with hank williams III

and today... rainy day attire means stealing your hubby's flannel and sporting a knit hat. so very pearl jam of me.

these weeks have been busy ones with it being the final crunch time before penelope's arrival, and the shop revamp that i decided now would be the perfect time for. but we're truckin' along, and getting things done left and right. and now in true preggo fashion... i need a nap.

later friends!

weekly bean update

2011-11-09T15:25:00.000-05:00

holy belly batman!

this baby is growing daily and i can definitely tell! i had my first experience with braxton hicks contractions the other day. it was exciting, and weird, and nerve wracking... but it all means that miss penny will be here soon, so bring it on! these next two months are going to fly by i'm sure. we've got thanksgiving, then i'm doing the big crafty which takes a lot of prep, then it's christmas... and then BAM... she's here!

and now, as though she knows i'm talking about her, she's kicking me in the ribs and requesting a snack. i hear ya girlfriend... and i'm on it!

finally!

2011-11-04T15:18:00.000-04:00

after days of computer issues, i've finally got the Monkey & Squirrel shop makeover going on in full effect! i invite you to take a little peek at what's there so far and let me know what you think...

i've still got lot's more brand new goodies to share, so be sure to check back in and see what i've been up to :)

another sneak peek for ya...

2011-11-02T13:11:00.001-04:00

just wanted to give one more little glimpse at what the new Monkey & Squirrel will be bringing to you later today. brand new embroideries, wooden jewelry hangers, and a whole new take on my cast iron pieces will all be introduced very soon. eeeeep... can't wait to share everything!

*update* of course our computer decided that today would be the best time to go on the fritz, so now the full shop revamp will have to wait until tomorrow. a few goodies made it in today, so feel free to have a peek if you like!

weekly bean update

2011-11-02T01:38:00.000-04:00

it's currently 1:30am, so i'll keep this post short and sweet!

i wanted to get this 30 week belly shot up before 31 weeks arrived. the weeks are flying by so fast now and i can hardly believe that we've only got 10 weeks (technically 9.5 now) until my due date. this week has been a crazy one. as i've said in previous posts, i decided that a shop overhaul was in order and i've been working my buns off repainting, reshooting, and designing lots of new goodies. this has made me one busy busy preggo. luckily i've still got boat loads of nesting energy, so this makeover is the perfect thing for me to focus it on. i think evan's probably pretty darn happy too that i'm giving him a break from home renovation projects for a bit... i love ya hubby, and don't you worry, we'll be back to home projects soon enough :)

ok now really, i've got to get me some sleep, but i'll be back tomorrow with some more reveals at all the work i've been up to. nighty night friends!

sneak peek...

2011-10-31T10:36:00.000-04:00

hello monday!

after last nights late night photo shoot, i thought i would stop in for a bit just to give you a quick little peek at the new look of Monkey & Squirrel. i've got so many more exciting new items to share, but i took this little shot with my phone and i just had to share. can't wait to show y'all the rest!!!

closed for business...

2011-10-30T15:29:00.000-04:00

Monkey & Squirrel (the shop) is officially closed for the next few days for a complete overhaul! i'm so excited about the new look, and all the new goodies i'll be sharing once i reopen. i'll be sure to post a few sneak peaks here to share what i've been busting my buns on... but the official reveal will be Wednesday Nov 2nd. now back to work for me...

happy sunday friends!

the pups...

2011-10-29T09:55:00.000-04:00

lately these two have been even cuter then usual. i think they know someone else will be coming into our home very soon and stealing a lot of the attention. for now though, they get ever bit of my snuggles!

flensted mobiles

2011-10-26T11:17:00.000-04:00

i've been in love with flensted mobiles for a number of years now, and i knew that when it came time to get a mobile for penny's room, flensted was the no brainer choice for me. which one to choose was the only problem...

finally yesterday i opted for this one. i get a kick out of that little black sheep, and the black and white shapes should be very intriguing to her little newborn eyeballs. i just can't wait until it gets here!

here are a few of the other amazing options...

we may just have to upgrade to the hot air balloon once she's a bit older... it's flippin' amazing!

pregsomnia...

2011-10-21T16:24:00.000-04:00

it has begun... the pregnancy insomnia that i've heard oh so much about. for the past two nights i toss and turn, waking every hour on the nose, and then eventually have to give up and turn to netflix. i'm currently obsessed with the tudors and it's making those sleepless nights much more manageable...

the scenery, the clothing, the history, and not to mention jonathan rhys meyers... yeah it could be worse. so until my sleep returns to a more regular pattern, you can find me and the pups snuggled up on the couch at 4am, gettin' our henry the 8th on!

weekly bean update

2011-10-19T17:06:00.001-04:00

hello 3rd trimester!

and for weeks 25-28 according to The Bump...

THE STATS...

HOW FAR ALONG- 28 weeks 7 days. i'm catching this update right at the tail end of 28 weeks :)

SIZE OF BABY- 14.8" and 2.25 lb

MATERNITY CLOTHES?- indeed! i can still sport non-maternity tops, but the maternity ones are quite comfy now too. the shirt in the photo is a maternity one from target and it's just the softest material ever. super cozy on this rainy day!

STRETCH MARKS?- no sir, but my belly is starting to get a bit itchy and from what i hear this is the time when they would start to appear. bring on the lotion and oil!

SLEEP?- i seem to have a few good nights of sleep, followed by a night of the pregsomnia where i'll be up for about 3 hours in the middle of the night. keep in mind though that even "good sleep" still involves waking up every few hours to pee, or get comfy again... it's all in preparation for zero sleep i guess.

FEELING ANY MOVEMENTS?- good lord, this little lady is an active one. sometimes i'll get a punch in the side that makes my whole body jerk. it also looks like an alien is in there sometimes when my whole belly jumps to one side. so crazy!

ANY CRAVINGS?- me and cookies are best buds these days. i actually won't let myself buy any to have in the house anymore... it was getting ugly! guess penny's got herself a sweet tooth. that's my girl!

ANY FOOD AVERSIONS?- not a single one!

VISIBLE BUMP?- heck yeah! i'm not even sure if it's still fair to call it a "bump" at this point. more like a mound!

BELLY BUTTON. IN OR OUT?- it's in for now... but we shall see for how much longer that lasts.

STILL WEARING RINGS?- surprisingly yes. the cooler weather is definitely helping with that.

BEST MOMENT OF THE WEEK- just hitting this 3rd trimester mark has been so satisfying. knowing that i'm able to keep her safe in my belly, and let her grow healthy and strong is a great feeling!

WORST MOMENT OF THE WEEK- i'm been kinda weepy these past few days. i can cry at anything... and nothing at all. i'm mostly set off by songs (like THIS), or movies (like THIS, which destroyed me!). it feels good though to get a cry out. cleansing i suppose.

so here's to another week of pregnancy! it's going so fast now i just want time to slow down!

if at first you don't succeed...

2011-10-19T11:26:00.000-04:00

yesterday i spent the entire day redoing a job that was already done. ever since i first posted my new autumn goodies on etsy i've been somewhat unhappy with how the photos came out. they just didn't scream festive fall goodness to me at all. so finally i bit the bullet and reshot them.

take a peek at the before and after, and let me know what ya think!

"feast" before & after...

"gather" before & after...

"happy harvest" before & after...

"give thanks" before & after...

with holiday items you really only have a small time frame to make an impact and get your items sold. also, with selling on etsy it's really important to have your photos be as "treasury friendly" as they possibly can be, so as to get the most views. i'm feeling a whole lot better now about the autumn vibe going on in my photos. that's not to say that they'll be flying off the shelves now, but at least i know i've corrected something that was bothering me.

i was actually so pleased with how the white on white set up looked that i started reshooting all of the embroidered items in my shop. i finished a little more then half of them yesterday and i'll be working on cleaning up the rest in the coming days. i'm also toying with the idea of reshooting EVERYTHING on an off white background in the coming weeks. i get bored easily with my shops appearance and i'm always looking for ways to better it. that's what being your own boss is all about i guess. never settling for what you've got, when you think there are improvements you can make. i also know that if i don't do this now, in about 2.5 months we'll have a new little addition in our home that will probably keep me from getting much of anything done at all. it's crunch time!

heart melting all over the floor...

2011-10-19T10:21:00.000-04:00

these days one of my favorite things to do is go peek inside Penelope's closet at all of her sweet cuddly clothes just waiting for her to fill them up. it's still so surreal that one day... very soon... we'll have a baby here to share our days with.

little miss penny, your dad and i CAN NOT WAIT to meet you!!!

a dresser makeover...

2011-10-17T18:48:00.000-04:00

just a bit ago i put the final touches on Penny's new dresser, and i must say that i'm pretty pleased with how it came out!

here's a peek at the rough state it started off in...

and here's its pretty new self...

gotta love a makeover!

i found the dresser at my favorite salvage spot, and with just a fresh coat of paint and some new hardware, it's ready for a whole new life! we've still got quite a way to go with the nursery decorating, but this feels like a big thing taken off that check list!

life in iphone pics...

2011-10-16T13:10:00.001-04:00

pretty pretty fall flowers for the table

tea time!

a sweet little stray that we found running down the road. don't worry, we found his home!

vegan pumpkin french toast... this was incredible!

the sweetest kind of laundry ever... tiny baby clothes!

a little somethin' special for Penny's room

serious face smoosh!

hello toes! hope we get to continue having these visits :)

lazy nights with my mr. and one sleepy kitty...

it's the most lovely of autumn days here, so i plan to take full advantage of the outdoors and finish up a little furniture revamp project for the nursery, and maybe take the pups for a walk (read: waddle) later. these weekend days are jam packed lately with all the home projects we would love to get done before miss penelope arrives. not that i expect her to come out of the womb complaining that the crown molding in the kitchen isn't finished yet, but ya know, that whole nesting thing is pretty powerful stuff!

happy sunday friends!

weekly bean update

2011-10-11T17:59:00.000-04:00

oh me, oh my... these weeks are just flying by now!

this past weekend we had our baby shower and on top of getting loads of lovely baby goodies, we've now got leftovers for days... i might be a bit excited about that! i spent the other day washing baby clothes and organizing them into sizes. it's all so surreal still and i can't believe just how soon our little penelope will be here. i absolutely can not wait!

my belly is growing daily, which means so is my little lady, so i say bring it on! i'm also kinda stoked that the weather and my growth seem to be directly related to each other. the larger i grow, the chillier it gets. that means lots of big cozy sweaters (like the one pictured), along with tea, hot chocolate, and soup... hello favorite things!

giveaway score, and stuff...

2011-10-07T18:35:00.000-04:00

EEEEEP... i couldn't possibly be more stoked about this giveaway i won last week. this super cozy doily blanket arrived in the mail today, and was awarded to me by the ever fabulous Goodknits who was doing a giveaway over on The Dainty Squids blog. ya enter these things never thinking you'll actually win them, and then surprise surprise... sometimes ya do!

the package also came with the sweetest little goodies inside. two little pins and an adorable mini journal too! i've been pleased as punch all day because of this!

hope y'all have a fantastic weekend! it's supposed to be lovely here in charlotte, and we've got family coming into town, so it's sure to be a fun filled time here. see ya monday!

early nesting...

2011-10-04T16:48:00.000-04:00

welp apparently the nesting phase of this pregnancy has kicked in. i've been cleaning and rearranging our home like it's my job... and getting evan on board for this obsession as well! just in the past week, evan built us a bookcase, we painted it, i scored us a new kitchen table, painted our kitchen window trim as well as our bathroom cabinets, and we hung up some new curtains. somewhere in between all of that i managed to find time to also rearrange our living room, magic eraser all the walls in our home, clean the baseboards, and bleach our back door. it was kinda crazy around here! i'm loving this energy though, and i'm hoping it sticks around through most of the 3rd trimester as well. we've still got lots to do in preparation for the babe... as if we could ever be fully ready!

new autumn goodies!

2011-10-03T11:27:00.000-04:00

i've been a busy little bee this past week adding lots of new festive fall goodies to the shop...

(click on the stars for more info)

***

hope you like 'em... and happy autumn!!!

white painted floors...

2011-09-26T14:00:00.000-04:00

as you may recall, a few months ago i was drooling over some white walls. well the mr has put a veto on that idea, which is a bummer, but marriage is all about compromise, right? so anywho, i've focused my white obsession onto floors now. lets see if we can get him on board for this one...

all of these images were found simply by searching "white painted floors" on pinterest. go ahead, see for yourself and get your drool on!

weekly bean update

2011-09-23T15:56:00.001-04:00

no change in the fruit baby this week, but here's a belly shot for ya!

this little gal has hit her stride this week! there is a noticeable difference in the width of my midsection if i'm not mistaken, and my lower back is starting to notice it too! the past two days i've woken up feeling a bit like an old lady, but i think that just means i really need to step up my prenatal yoga game. more stretching and strengthening exercises are just what the doctor ordered!

let me also just take a minute to tell you about the jeans i'm wearing in this here photo. you can't really see them, but they deserve mentioning none the less. did you know that on forever 21's website there is a maternity section?!?! i have refused to spend any serious amount of money on maternity clothes, but i was missing jeans like crazy, and no way could i survive the fall/winter season without them. so i was giddy when i saw these bad boys for just 14 bucks on their site. they seem to be sold out of them right now, but if they come back in i highly recommend them! they're a super stretchy skinny jean, and they're uber comfy to boot!

hope you all have a great weekend friends. the mr and i are off to dinner tonight with some of our newly parenting friends, and it was pregnant ladies choice on where to eat, so vietnamese is what's on the menu! i might be a bit excited about it :)

annual beach trip pics

2011-09-22T10:24:00.000-04:00

and finally back home with our pups...

nothing quite like a little beach getaway to clear out the cobwebs and freshen up the mind! this years trip was a bit calmer then some of the past trips, which was just fine by this preggo! it was chilly most days, and pretty down right freezing the first day, but that just gave me plenty of time to catch up on pregnancy books, eat lots of delicious treats, and kick it with my feet up for much of the day. no complaints here, really! there were some glorious sunny times mixed in too, which led to morning beach walks, and an italian ice so yummy that i'll be thinking about it until next year.

it's time to get back into the swing of things here on the homefront though. i missed our pups like crazy and i'm now ready to start prepping the ol' etsy shop for the christmas rush ahead. one can never start too early on that, especially when someone will be 9 months pregnant come christmas time. should be an interesting holiday season this year!

so happy to be back!

beach bummin' it!

2011-09-17T08:28:00.000-04:00

it's that time of year again friends! the mr and i are off to the beach to meet up with 30 or so of our closest friends. it's an annual tradition and i am so very much looking forward to kicking up these preggo feet, lounging around, and doing absolutely nothing!

so i'll see you in a few days... have a great weekend!!!

weekly bean update

2011-09-15T16:36:00.001-04:00

24 weeks and moving right along! let me just preface this post by saying technically this weeks fruit baby should have been a papaya, but i was having a heck of a time finding a large papaya this time of year for some reason. so i saw on another fruit baby chart that little miss penny is also the size of a spaghetti squash... that i could easily find!

in addition, the updates will now be in 3 week increments from here on out. so this here squash is for weeks 21-24. i just can't believe how fast it's going now!

THE STATS...

HOW FAR ALONG- 24 weeks today! that's 6 months folks... WOOHOO!

SIZE OF BABY- 1.25lb and 12.5in (my squash is a little on the short side)

MATERNITY CLOTHES?- pants, for sure! i'm still lucky enough though to be able to wear a lot of my pre-preggo dresses thankfully, and now that it's getting on to cardigan weather i'm becoming much more of a happier camper too!

STRETCH MARKS?- nope! it's getting to the point though where i now knock on wood whenever i have to answer this question.

SLEEP?- sleep has been a bit of a bastard to me lately. i'm tossing and turning a whole lot more then i used to, but i always fall back to sleep rather quickly. it's definitely getting harder to stay comfortable though.

FEELING ANY MOVEMENTS?- oh yes indeed! penny has figured out the joys of kicking my bladder recently. so that's fun. all of a sudden i'll have the extreme urge to pee, and then just like that it passes. this little lady probably thinks she's quite funny in there!

ANY CRAVINGS?- nothing too strong... though the thought of an ice cream sundae is never far from my mind!

ANY FOOD AVERSIONS?- nope... and i even got over my broccoli aversion finally! i actually had some in a stir fry for lunch today. so glad that didn't stick around!

VISIBLE BUMP?- yup yup! now other people can tell that i'm actually pregnant too... not just fat :) that's certainly a good thing!

BELLY BUTTON. IN OR OUT?- still in, but it's getting quite stretched out as of lately

STILL WEARING RINGS?- still on!

BEST MOMENT OF THE WEEK- being able to now watch penny move from the outside. i'll just lay down and stare at my belly and watch her poke around in there. it's probably my favorite thing to do now. she's such an active little gal!

WORST MOMENT OF THE WEEK- being so very hungry last night, but too damn tired to do anything about it. i could hardly peel myself off the couch to make something to eat. evan kept offering to make something for me, but i couldn't think of a single thing i wanted. note to self... don't let yourself get to that extreme hunger point again. it does not make for a happy you!

bits & pieces...

2011-09-13T10:31:00.000-04:00

just a few peeks at our weekend...

1- morning belly rubs for mirabelle

2- lunch

3- squirrel hanging in the sink

4- my current favorite sweet snack. trader joe's cat cookies!

5- afternoon walks with barkley

6- backyard sunset with my lady

7- HUGE pot-o-veggie soup!

8- cooling the pups in the creek after some serious dog park time

9- banana muffins for our bellies

10- sweetest doggies ever!

11- comfortable birth? yes please!

12- someone's always stealing my pregnancy pillow!

thanks to miss james for the bits & pieces idea... love it!

vegan ice cream cake

2011-09-07T11:13:00.004-04:00

i've had some questions about the making of evan's vegan ice cream birthday cake, so i thought i would just go ahead and share the recipe here. it's really so super easy, it just takes a little bit of patience, and maybe a dash of restraint as it's pretty tough not eating the ice cream as you're making it!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED...

1- spring form cake pan

1- gallon of ice cream, or 2 half gallons if you'd like 2 different flavors

1- package of oreo cookies

1/2 cup vegan butter (i used earth balance)

1- bottle of magic shell, we used the reese's one cause it's super delicious!

1- large ziploc freezer bag

TO MAKE THE CRUST AND MIDDLE LAYER-

put all oreos into the ziploc bag and mash the heck out of them! you want a very crumbly consistency here. the crumbier the better! next melt the butter and dump it over the oreos in a large bowl. mix it all up so that everything is coated. there ya go, the crust is made!

THE ASSEMBLING-

take half of the oreo mixture and press it into the bottom of the spring form pan. try to get it as even as possible. finger tips work best here folks! now stick the pan in the freezer for about 30 mins to harden. while waiting on this, take your ice cream out of the freezer to soften. if you're using 2 different flavors you only need to take one out now.

remove pan from freezer and dump your first flavor of ice cream (or just half of the gallon if you're using a single flavor) over the oreos. spread out as evenly as possible and stick it back in the freezer. freeze for 45 mins to an hour.

remove pan from freezer and dump the rest of the oreo mixture in. spread evenly, and yup, you guessed it, stick it back in the freezer. this time for about 30-40 mins. take your second ice cream flavor out now to start softening.

remove pan from freezer, add your second flavor of ice cream (or the rest of your gallon), and spread evenly. put back in the freezer for 45 mins to an hour.

remove pan from freezer. run a knife all along the inside edge of your pan to release the ice cream from the sides. unlatch your spring form and remove it, while leaving the cake on the bottom piece. grab your bottle of magic shell and get messy! i dripped it all in one direction first, and then crossed in the other direction. i also made sure to get it to drip down the sides too. do this on a large piece of wax paper, or tin foil so that you won't care about it dripping everywhere. then stick it on back in the freezer!

freeze for at least another hour, a minimum of 2 hours is probably best though.

lastly, cut it up and enjoy the heck out of it!

side notes- if you're impatient like me, you can microwave your ice cream for a few seconds to soften it up. this makes for easier spreading if it hasn't softened enough sitting out. i used trader joe's cherry chocolate chip for the bottom layer, and vanilla on the top. this was a delicious combo! i've also done it with the cherry on the bottom and chocolate on the top and that was super yummer too!

evan's birthday bonanza!

2011-09-06T13:52:00.018-04:00

evan and our friend steph have birthdays that are 2 days apart, so each year we throw a dual celebration in honor of two of the most fabulous people in the world! the party always has some sort of ridiculous, non-sensical theme, and this year was no different.

here are some pics from this years zombie/disney/superhero bash!

the day was started with a serious breakfast of tofu scramble & cinnamon rolls. we needed our energy!

the birthday kids...

the bounce house!

my costume... preggo zombie

some thought this may have been in poor taste. psssh... what do they know!

taking a bouncing breather...

there may have been some roof dives into the bounce house...

snazzy superheros!

captain america was no match for spiderman!

party favors!

preggo zombie hanging with zombie amy winehouse

oh yes, there were wholesome lawn games too!

and a snow-cone machine!

mmmmmm...

birthday boy!

and we ended the night with a homemade (by me!) vegan ice cream cake. not to toot my own horn or anything, but goooood lord was it delicious!

happy birthday again evan & steph. your the best hubs, and the best bud, a gal could ask for :)

hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!

puppy snuggles

2011-08-31T16:50:00.004-04:00

just in case you needed a dash of ridiculous cuteness to get you through your day...

don't say i never gave you anything :)

weekly bean update... x2

2011-08-29T16:20:00.008-04:00

last week i was a fruit baby slacker... there, i said it! i took the pictures and then for some reason just never got around to posting them. so lucky you, you get 2 fruit babies for the price of one this week!

first here are last weeks 20 week photos... that's right, i'm now half way there!!!

and here's this weeks 21 week photos!

this bump is getting legit i tell ya!

and this week according to the bump...

HOW FAR ALONG- 21 weeks 5 days

SIZE OF BABY- 10.5 inches and 12.7 oz

MATERNITY CLOTHES?- i've been doing a lot of non-maternity leggings this week. i found a few uber comfy pairs and i now don't want to wear anything else. and don't tell anyone... but i've even fallen victim to the jegging! luckily i have the pregnancy excuse.

STRETCH MARKS?- none yet, and i will keep lathering up with lotion to help keep it that way!

SLEEP?- i've been doing a lot of tossing and turning this past week, but i always fall right back to sleep, so i'm not complaining just yet.

FEELING ANY MOVEMENTS?- penny is really hitting her stride this past week. she gives some really good jabs and upper cuts to my inners. i love it! it feels like popcorn popping in my belly. evan finally got to feel her kick last week too. i'm so excited to be able to share that with him now because for weeks only i could feel it and it's so amazing that it must be shared!

ANY CRAVINGS?- oh boy, yesterday i do believe i had my first really preggo craving. i convinced evan (let me just say that it didn't take much work) that it would be a great idea for us to have chocolate milkshakes for dinner. he obviously agreed, so we got ourselves some soy delicious chocolate ice cream, and topped them off with some soy whip whipped cream. it was vegan heaven!

ANY FOOD AVERSIONS?- still can't eat brocolli

VISIBLE BUMP?- oh yes yes! finally it's a real baby belly. i've even started to experience people reaching out and rubbing it without warning. we'll see how quickly that loses it's charm :)

BELLY BUTTON. IN OR OUT?- still in

STILL WEARING RINGS?- yup, so far so good!

BEST MOMENT OF THE WEEK- that milkshake is right up there, but another favorite moment was taking a nap a few days ago while playing some music to my belly for penny. she kicked a bit at first and then fell right asleep with me. heart... melt!

WORST MOMENT OF THE WEEK- it was totally not pregnancy related, but our shed was broken into friday night! 5 or so other houses on our block were hit as well. it was a real bummer, but luckily they didn't really get anything from us. just having people creeping around our backyard while we slept totally freaked me out a bit. bastards!

a few peeks at the nursery...

2011-08-25T19:13:00.010-04:00

this past week has been spent making over our guest room into a new little nursery for penny! we haven't really gotten very far yet, but it already feels like such a huge change. here's a peek at our progress thus far...

the walls were a deep mauve sort of color to begin with. this isn't the best picture, but silly me forgot to take a bunch of "before" shots...

we decided to repaint the room a lovely shade of antique white... which meant it took 3 coats to cover up the old color. pain in the neck, but so very worth it!

the mr. gettin' down to business! he and i have our painting method down pat. i do all the trim and edge work, and he rolls it all out. we're quite a team!

mirabelle was a bit nervous about all the action...

i scored this vintage lace curtain for $4 at a thrift store. it's absolutely perfect!

and a close up of those sweet sweet ruffles!

and this amazing rocker was a gift to us from my friends parents. i've known them since i was about 13... crazy!

so that's it so far. this is my favorite thing to work on and think about lately. one might say i'm obsessed, but i LOVE doing room makeovers, and to be doing one for the little lady in my belly makes it more special then i can even tell you.

i'll be sure to share more baby room goodness as it develops!

vintage goodness!

2011-08-24T15:31:00.004-04:00

EEEEP... i just scooped penny up her first bit of vintage clothing! she's gonna be the coolest kid on the block with this bad boy!

i can not wait to see her in this!

purchased HERE!

four eyes...

2011-08-23T14:14:00.004-04:00

there is a high probability that our little penny will have to wear glasses at a fairly young age. i started wearing them in 8th grade and evan started wearing his somewhere around the age of 5. with that being said, this little girl makes me totally ok with the fact that we may have a tiny glasses wearing lady on our hands...

she's painfully cute!

originally spotted HERE...

rustic decor

2011-08-22T10:39:00.003-04:00

love this idea! an old rustic ladder used as a shelf... brilliant!

*source*

the past week (or so) according to my iphone...

2011-08-19T11:17:00.015-04:00

consider it a highlight reel if you will :)

sorbet with fruit and carob chips... nom nom nom!

reading natural birthing books like it's my job!

puppy cuteness never gets old!

see, i told ya... never gets old!

vegan strawberry pancakes. delicious!

this beautiful beast was the size of my hand!!!

serious slip-n-slide party with friends!

snuggling other peoples pups.

bath time for mirabelle :)

rainy night = friendly mushrooms in the morning!

mirabelle got spayed on tuesday and barkley was just lost without her. what a good big bro!

previously mentioned spayed puppy has been taking lots of snuggly naps :(

we started painting the nursery yesterday! this is the before picture. you'll have to wait for the after as it's taking 3 coats to cover up this dark color. patience my friends :)

and what better way to finish it off then a picture of the best bud, riding a triceratops wearing a grass skirt and hula gear. i'm mean come on, does it get any better?

thank goodness for iphones, otherwise i wouldn't have pictures of anything these days!

i love you Mr.Glass!

2011-08-19T10:36:00.002-04:00

guess who just got tickets to see this guy on oct. 2nd...

i heart you big time ira glass... my heart is all a flutter!

weekly bean update

2011-08-16T15:27:00.006-04:00

i'm a little bit late with this post... but we've now got ourselves a mango baby!

and this week according to the bump...

i decided to switch things up a bit and add this fun little weekly questionnaire that i found online to each weekly bean update. so here goes...

HOW FAR ALONG- 19 weeks 6 days. i told ya i was late with this one.

SIZE OF BABY- well the website says 8.5oz, but at my last dr appt penelope was already 9oz. so who knows :)

MATERNITY CLOTHES?- maternity pants are heaven sent. not sure why i waited so long to scoop up a pair!

STRETCH MARKS?- none

SLEEP?- sleeping MUCH better at night thanks to my pregnancy pillow, and a mini-afternoon nap is now a requirement.

FEELING ANY MOVEMENTS?- penny is kicking like a pro! she gets very excited after i eat a good meal. perhaps that's why she's already 9oz!

ANY CRAVINGS?- nothing so strong that i feel like it's a true pregnancy craving. certainly not sending evan out in the middle of the night for anything.

ANY FOOD AVERSIONS?- still broccoli. i haven't touched it since getting knocked up.

VISIBLE BUMP?- nothing huge, but definitely looking round!

BELLY BUTTON. IN OR OUT?- still in

STILL WEARING RINGS?- as of now, yes. there are definitely times during the day though when i wonder if i'll be able to get them off. summer heat doesn't help that at all!

BEST MOMENT OF THE WEEK- eating lots of cake at our friends slip-n-slide baby shower. check out the smilebooth fun that was had... HERE!

WORST MOMENT OF THE WEEK- having a minor meltdown when i couldn't find something to wear that i liked... or fit anymore. it happens every so often and i just have to get passed it and move on. these clothing freak outs are getting old!

a splash of girlie!

2011-08-16T11:54:00.003-04:00

we definitely plan to have little miss penelope's room be mostly gender neutral... but come on, a little splash of pink never hurt anyone!

a can't wait to try this out!

a few new goodies!

2011-08-09T10:47:00.005-04:00

just a little peak at the newest dreamcatchers up in the shop...

that top one is my absolute fave and it's getting super hard for me to not claim it as my own... eeeeek!

meet our little lady!

2011-08-05T09:41:00.002-04:00

we can't wait to meet you little penny!

and please note the one hand on her forehead and the other on her heart... it's a rough job being oh so cute for a photo!

guess what friends...

2011-08-04T14:03:00.008-04:00

and we are beyond excited about this little lady of ours!

everything looked fantastic at our ultrasound this morning, and after much waiting for this bashful gal to show us the goods, she finally did! we are seriously over the moon today!

today is also my 18 week mark which means the bean is now a sweet potato! grow baby grow!

and this week according to the bump...

so here's to sugar and spice and everything nice... and throw in the frogs, and snails, and puppy dog tails too, cause our little gal can have it all!

my new pregnancy pillow!

2011-08-03T18:53:00.003-04:00

woooohooo... i gots me a pregnancy pillow!

my best bud, who is currently staying with us, gifted me this bit of amazingness today. i've been having some serious hip pains while sleeping the past week or so, and she felt my desperate need for a good nights rest! this bad boy promised to make if feel as if i were sleeping on a cloud, so we shall see tonight just how true that statement is. as you can see in the picture, the kitties are already in love with it...

oh and guess what... tomorrow we find out if bean is a boy or a girl!!! i can't flippin' wait to know if it's a little lass or laddie i've got in there. you can take your guess as to just what it may be over on the side bar there---> and then be sure to come on back tomorrow and find out if you were correct! EEEEEEP... even with this new pillow i'm not so sure i'll be able to sleep tonight!

must have sparkles!

2011-08-01T17:08:00.002-04:00

love love love this!!!

weekly bean update

2011-07-29T22:04:00.005-04:00

and this week according to the bump...

things are starting to get all sorts of real these past few days. my belly seems to be growing daily, and it's official, my pre-pregnancy pants no longer fit! i actually purchased my first two pairs of maternity pants today. baby gap had some amazing clearance deals going on and i got one pair for $14 and the other for just 7 buck! i refuse to spend big money on clothing i'll only wear for a few months, so this was considered quite a successful day indeed! i think i will give one exception to a good pair of jeans though. if any mama's out there have a favorite maternity jean that got them through the big belly months, i would LOVE to get some recommendations. jeans are a huge part of my wardrobe and i'm feeling kinda lost without them :(

in other preggo news, i've also become a bit of an emotional mess this week. i can cry at the drop of a hat! i'm considering it a pretty impressive skill as of now... we'll see how i look at it if it continues for longer then a few days. i know it's all hormones, and that it tends to be at it's worst when i'm trying to figure out something to wear. it's a tough thing suddenly not knowing how to dress yourself, and on top of that not feeling attractive in anything you do happen to still fit into. it's all part of this fun process, i know. i'm hoping this mini shopping spree i had today will help with some of my clothing issues. let's keep our fingers crossed shall we!

here's to a weekend of no tears... hopefully!

life... according to my iphone

2011-07-28T08:56:00.010-04:00

these have been some very exciting, very busy, days this week. my bff since 10th grade is in town staying with us for a bit while she works out some visa issues before moving overseas. she and i hardly get to see each other anymore, so i'm soaking it all in before she is living way out of my reach.

here's a bit of what we've been up to this past week...

i gots me a new ride! very safe and bean friendly :)

we made some amazing vegan banana pancakes using this mix here, which those of you living in charlotte can get HERE... so flippin' good!

i painted the inside of my shed all white!

working on new dreamcatchers!

snuggly critter #1

snuggly critter #2

evan and i taught shereen (previously mentioned bff) to ride a fixed gear bike. don't worry, she did change into sneakers shortly after this pic.

so that's a little taste of what life around here has looked like. we've got a few other friends coming into town the next few days too, so things are about to get even busier. timing just all happened to line up and all of our closest friends will be here at the same time. amazing!

hope all of you lovely friends are enjoying some quality summer time too. can you believe it's already half over?!?! that makes me sadder then i can even tell you. i live for summer and just want to hold onto it forever!

room inspiration

2011-07-26T10:28:00.012-04:00

here's a little peek at the images i've been collecting for the beans room inspiration...

(click on the *** for the sources)

***

and while drooling over this nursery above, i notice that the momma of the little baby who lives in this room is one of my past Monkey & Squirrel buyers from Australia! it filled me with more happiness then i can even tell you to see my horse hook hanging with those precious baby shoes on it. seriously small world we have here friends!

***

weekly bean update

2011-07-22T14:08:00.008-04:00

and this week according to the bump...

16 weeks... hot dang! happy 4 months to you bean! ok perhaps it's just me, but doesn't this weeks avocado baby seem smaller then last weeks orange baby? anywho...

this week i've been hit with the super mid-day sleepies. anywhere between noon and 3pm, a zombie like exhaustion hits and i must give into a nap. i can't complain much though because i'm lucky enough to work from home and be able to indulge in such pleasures. otherwise i imagine you would have a very cranky preggers on your hands!

in other homefront news, thanks to a heads up from sami, i now have plans to paint the inside of my little shed workspace white and model it after this amazing hubby and wife's adorable shed studios. i fell hard for them when i checked out their blog and now my shed has shed envy. so this weekend will hopefully involve painting the inside and outside of my new space. it will probably take 8 times longer then it should because it's supposed to be in the high 90's this weekend. me and the bean don't handle heat well these days, so many many lemonade breaks will be involved. i'm talking like every 15 minutes. southern heat and humidity is no joke people!

hope everyone stays cool and comfy all weekend!!!

having a kid is gonna be sweet...

2011-07-20T18:17:00.002-04:00

especially when i can dress it in badass things like navajo print leggings!

and speaking of the bean, i've now got a little poll going on over on the sidebar there ----->

we find out the gender on august 4th, but until then i'm curious to know what you think it will be!

New Monkey & Squirrel Dreamcatchers!

2011-07-19T19:02:00.009-04:00

the Monkey & Squirrel hand embroidered dreamcatchers are now live in my shop! these babies have been a labor of love for me and i'm pleased as punch to finally be able to share them with you friends.

may they protect you from bad dreams every night...

i had the idea for these a while back, but it wasn't until this weekend that i was finally able to plant myself on the couch and stitch away for hours on end. i absolutely love the way they came out, and you can definitely expect to see more of these popping up in the shop.

and PS... not only are those feathers not real feathers, but they're acrylic felt to boot! let's hear it for vegan friendly home decor!

the shed... still a work in progress.

2011-07-19T15:17:00.013-04:00

a few pics from the weekend build...

as i mentioned last week, we're putting up a cute little shed outside so that i can move a lot of my work supplies out of the house and make more room for the little bean on the way. it'll be part storage, part work space, part fort hideaway and i can't wait to start moving stuff in! it's still not quite done yet, obviously, but it's in it's home stretch stages!

i didn't get to paint the little nuggets room last weekend like i had originally hoped to because i soon came to the conclusion that there were even more pressing things that needed to happen first. things such as clearing out, and cleaning up, my current studio space so that we can start making that into the new guest room. our current guest room is what will soon be the babies room. so first thing first, move the guest room stuff out before painting. i know eventually i'll get to start working on the beans room, i'm just so darn impatient!

the bean says hello!

2011-07-18T12:40:00.004-04:00

looky what we just got to hear this morning...

they said he/she was moving all over the place and sounds nice and strong. go bean!!!

weekly bean update

2011-07-15T14:19:00.007-04:00

and this week according to the bump...

holy naval orange batman!

holding that orange while taking these pictures was kinda surreal. it's so much more substantial then the fruits that came before. i guess that's how it will be from here on out. evan actually asked the other day how i was going to handle it when we got to the week of the watermelon, and honestly i have no idea!

i'm still feeling really good these days, with the exception of passing the heck out at the end of the day. i mean like no recollection of anything after my head hits that pillow. it's intense! the past two days i've been waking up quite a bit during the night though because it's starting to get a little odd figuring out a new favorite sleeping position. i've been a life long stomach sleeper and that is no longer an option. in addition to that i have to start practicing not sleeping on my back as well. i guess once i'm a bit larger there is a chance that your uterus can squish a big ol' artery when you lay on your back. so that leaves me with side sleeping, which is generally ok, but i have to switch sides often. just par for the course i suppose.

i'm kinda big time excited for this weekend. i purchased this little shed for our backyard, and this weekend evan and his bros will be assembling it for me (such an amazing fam i've married into). my plan is turn it into an outdoor workroom so that i can get most of my gear out of the house. i can make quite a mess in here, and with a little one on the way we need all the space we can get right now! annnnd, while the boys are doing that i think i'm going to paint the little beans room!!! i'm so stoked to get started on that, and painting is the necessary evil that must come first. oh and don't worry, i'll be very careful with lots of ventilation, and rest breaks mixed in there too. gotta do everything with extra caution these days :)

so hopefully all these plans will go off without a hitch and i'll have lots to share on monday. have a great weekend friends!!!

365 project

2011-07-14T13:25:00.009-04:00

some of you may have already noticed the 365 box over on the sidebar there, but i've never mentioned anything about it. lemme tell you a bit what that's all about! on my birthday this year, march 28th, i started the 365 project. that involves taking one picture, everyday, for a year, to represent your past 365 days alive. today is day 110 and it's already like a blast from the past going back to first 20 or so days and seeing what was going on then. this is, for obvious reasons, a big year for us and i know i'll be so grateful when i've hit day 365 to have this little collection. here are a few of my favorites so far...

1/365- my 32nd birthday. so it begins

10/365- the day we got mirabelle. she was so tiny!!!

20/365- the day i saw my horse hook in Southern Living Magazine!

31/365- the day we found out that we're having a baby! i picked these few little flowers from the yard and just sat the pregnancy test next to them for evan to find when he got home from work. it was pretty exciting, emotional stuff.

71/365- mirabelles first vet visit. that face breaks my heart!

83/365- just a sweet moment with my two favorite boys!

89/365- the day our friends welcomed their twin baby girls into the world!

there are so many other pictures that just remind me exactly what i was doing on that day at that time. it's amazing how much one picture can just bring an entire day of memories right back to you.

anyone else ever do the 365 project? i would love to hear if you did anything special with the pictures afterwards. i'm thinking about getting these printed into a book so i can have my little collection all in one spot.

you can see all the pictures by either clicking the 365 box to the right, or by clicking HERE.

The Big Crafty sum up!

2011-07-12T10:32:00.011-04:00

(above photo taken by my crafty bud ashley of this paper ship)

the big crafty was great this year! evan and i originally planned on heading to asheville saturday afternoon, staying over night, and doing the show on sunday. however i got a bit behind schedule with my prep work and decided it would be a better idea for us to just go on sunday morning. it was so much less stressful, and doing that also saved us the cost of a hotel and boarding the dogs for a night, so that kept my profits up. always a good thing!

it was a hot and muggy day, but that certainly didn't keep the shoppers away (hey, that rhymed!). i got to come back home with a lot less then what i went with, and for this preggo, lugging less things was happy news!

we started the day off by dropping off my stuff at the event, and then immediately headed across the street to The Green Sage for a bit of breakfast. evan got some vegan sausage biscuits and i got the vegan breakfast burrito, which by the way was THE BEST breakfast burrito i've ever had!

then with full bellies we headed back across the street to set up. i've used a number of different table setups in the past, but so far this one is easily my favorite. i worked out some of the placing of things the night before, so i got this all up and ready in about 40 mins. not too shabby!

bottle openers are always a big hit at shows i've noticed, so i always to try and stock up before hand. old cigar boxes make the perfect little display cases for them :)

about half an hour before it was pack up time evan hit his wall. i gave my helper permission to catch a few Z's behind my table while i handled the home stretch. by this point we were both exhausted, but he was doing the driving home so he got to score the nap.

we then celebrated my successful day with an amazing dinner at The Laughing Seed Cafe. we've been there for brunch before and it was fabulous, so i had high hopes for the dinner. let me tell you, it did not disappoint. everything is super fresh and absolutely delicious. after that we were ready to get our buns on the road and head on home.

overall it was a great day. i sold lots, ate great, and got to see some crafty friends. i will definitely be applying to this show again next year, and would absolutely recommend it to anyone else in the area for selling or even just some amazing shopping!

a wee shop update...

2011-07-08T12:05:00.013-04:00

lots and lots of new goodies popping up in the world of Monkey & Squirrel lately! i've been busting my buns all week because this weekend i'll be toting my wares to asheville for my favorite craft show ever, the big crafty. i took part in it last year and in addition to being profitable, it was so so much fun! the amount of fabulous crafty goodness available is unbelievable. it's pretty much all i can do to not spend all my earnings right there. so if you happen to find yourself in asheville this weekend stop on by my booth (i'll be inside) and say a little hello!

here's a peak at some of the newbies up in the shop, and a few that aren't quite there yet but will be with me at the show...

golden deer key hook

sparrow wall hook

country piggy wall hook

golden feather wall hook

lucky horses wall hook

this guy is my favorite! big ol' golden deer wall hanging

long horn door knocker

turtle door stop

and my other fave... the elephant bottle opener!

and now it's back to work for me. i've got so much to do before we leave tomorrow. tagging, packing, finishing painting a few items, and billion other things... but i'm good under pressure, so now to get to it!

weekly bean update

2011-07-07T17:45:00.008-04:00

hello second trimester!!!

and this week according to the bump...

lemons are my favorite thing in the whole wide world (well pretty much), so i'm pretty darn stoked to have my little bean being compared to one this week. is it wrong to want to eat your fruit baby? anywho... i've been feeling really great lately. no more morning nausea at all, and the afternoon zombie spells are a thing of the past... well, at least for now.

my belly seems to be feeling bigger by the day. suddenly it's looking like an actual preggo belly! you still wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at me (most of the time), but i think those days are coming to an end and i can't wait! i wanna waddle around, and be able to rub my belly in public and not have people think i'm just a wierdo.

after this weekends out of town craft show, evan and i will be getting down to business here on the home front. we've got a list a mile long of projects we need to finish (or start) before bean gets here. i've got the need to organize constantly and evan's going to be feeling the brunt of it... sorry darlin' :) i figure i have somewhere around 3 months of feeling great so now's the time to get those ducks in a row. i'm so excited to make over the nuggets rooms i could bust. we already know that we're going pretty gender neutral with the decor, and we'll be basing it on the montessori thoughts on children's room design. i'll be documenting that whole process too, so i'll share more about that as we move forward. exciting days ahead indeed!!!

have a great weekend friends!

blabla...

2011-07-07T11:32:00.006-04:00

i am kinda ridiculously in love with every single item from blabla. i think i'll allow myself to treat the bean to one goodie... but how do i choose just one?!?!?

ahhhh... my heart melts for these!

weekly bean update

2011-07-01T13:45:00.007-04:00

and this week according to the bump...

my goodness did this week ever fly by! i guess that's what happens when you spend most of your days out of town hangin' by a pool. man it was a good one!

well the bean is progressing along just lovely. we're at the end of the 1st trimester and now at the peach stage, which is funny because while in atlanta i was eating peaches like they were going out of style. i actually had 3 yesterday! the little nugget is also starting to push it's way forward and become a bit more noticeable these days. i can't wait until i actually look preggo and not just fat and bloated. it's a fine like between looking like you've just had a few too many beers, and looking like you're with child.

last night we went out to dinner with a few of our couple friends who've recently had children and it was comforting to see that people really can still socialize with the living, even after newly becoming parents. it's also really great that so many of our friends are now having kids and that we're not the first in the bunch. i would imagine that that's a hard spot to be in. so it's looking like our little bean will be happily surrounded by buddies, and as one of evans friends put it, kindergarten is going to get a whole lot cooler in about 5 years!

some family time in ATL!

2011-06-30T10:47:00.021-04:00

welp i just got back from my little getaway to visit the fam in atlanta. when i say just, i mean like an hour ago. i had such a good time with my parents, my sister, and her kiddos that i just couldn't help immediately browsing my pictures as soon as i got in. there was just enough relaxation time, mixed in with fun activity time, to leave me feeling refreshed and ready to catch up on all the work i'm now behind on. totally worth it!

here's a bit of what this little road trip looked like according to my iphone...

it was almost a full week of delicious eats, quality kid time, lots of poolside lounging, and we even squeezed in dinner with some friends that live there. overall a successful break in my book! ohhh and exciting news... as you can see in one of the pics, the little bean is starting to make his/her presence known. i now have a little bump that doesn't go away, woohoo! today i'm officially 13 weeks so i'll be back with a bean update later on.

hope everyone had just as great a week. i'm happy to be back in our little home with my snuggly puppers. i missed those doggy faces!

barkley's 2nd birthday!

2011-06-24T12:20:00.007-04:00

as mentioned a few days ago, wednesday was barkley's birthday! we had a lovely little party for him here and i think he rather enjoyed being king for the day. here are a few moments captured from the day...

doggy party hats!

mirabelle got her big brother a present!

a cake just for the pups!

party time!

the man of honor himself!

we also took the pups to the doggie park for a bit of running around, sniffing butts, and getting muddy. it was mirabelle's first time to a dog park and she was a bit nervous. you can see for yourself...

have a great weekend friends. i'm off to visit my fam in atlanta for a few days. i'll try and check in while i'm there, but we'll see how that goes :)

weekly bean update

2011-06-23T14:36:00.007-04:00

and according to The Bump this week...

so not much change as far as the belly is concerned. it's starting to feel a little harder these days, and my jeans are feeling a bit snugger, but definitely not looking preggo just yet. after weeks of nausea my appetite has come back... with a vengeance! breakfast and dinner don't really thrill me at all, but lunch, now that's where i really hit my stride!

favorite things this week...

grapefruit

my new body pillow

blueberry bagels

my beband (for the days of serious bloat!)

franks hot sauce

not favorite things this week...

becoming suddenly clumsier then i usually am (and i'm never one for gracefulness)

lower back pain

being turned off by broccoli (this actually started as soon as i became pregnant, bummer!)

i can't believe i'm already 3 months in! 1/3 of the way there... ahhhh! i'm juggling 5 different pregnancy books and reading a ton of blogs and so far the best advice i've gotten is from a friend of ours. she's the momma of a lovely little lady and she said "it's much less about learning, and much more about listening to your gut!" i've always been a good gut listener so i'm feeling pretty good about that advice!

full of love!

2011-06-22T15:05:00.004-04:00

thank you so very much for all the love and sweet comments yesterday. evan & i are super stoked about these new roles we're about to take on. it feels so good to finally be able to talk about it here now. i've had this huge secret for about 2 months and it was so hard to not say anything, so i found myself just holding back on everything. no fun at all!

in other exciting news, today's barkley's birthday! my little boy is now 2 years old. check out his first appearance on the ol' blog. this weekend we spoiled him rotten as an early birthday present. he did some hiking, some new dog sniffing, some swimming, and even had his very first boat ride. barkley is the first dog i've ever had, so naturally his birthday is a big deal!

tonight we're having a little doggie birthday party complete with party hats, presents, puppy pizzas and even a birthday cake.

happy birthday barkley. we love you tons!!!

guess what, guess what, guess what...

2011-06-20T12:06:00.005-04:00

WE'RE HAVING A BABY!!!

a little baby bean of our very own!

due to enter our lives jan 5th 2012... and we can't wait!

friendship bracelets like it's 1989!

2011-06-17T11:07:00.005-04:00

a few weeks ago steph brought me back a friendship bracelet from her trip to mexico and since then i've wanted to make a bazillion of them! so when i saw this tutorial HERE it sealed my fate. back in my elementary school days my friends and i used to spend all summer making these. we'd wear them until they got gross & dirty, then they would fall off and we'd start again. i already know how to make your basic friendship bracelet designs, but some of these look intense and i'm ready for that challenge. bring it on!

happy weekend friends!

best buds on ruffled!

2011-06-15T12:47:00.007-04:00

if you hop on over to ruffled blog today, you'll see our friends adam & steph gracing the front page! i can't say enough fabulous things about their wedding, and just how honored evan and i were to be a part of it every step of the way.

a glimpse at the adorable couple!

i made this little goodie for them as an engagement present and if fit in perfectly at their wedding!

there were quite a few late craft nights stitching up these for the big day :)

this is my favorite picture of the two of them just as they became mr. and mrs!

we love you guys tons!

good eats!

2011-06-14T18:37:00.007-04:00

i gotta say, i'm kinda proud of myself these days. i've been cooking! now, to be clear i love cooking and i do it all the time, but lately i'm actually planning meals out. which never happens! evan and i usually stumble into the kitchen around 8pm to see what we can create out of what's in our cabinets, and while it's always delicious, it's rarely creative. for the past week though i've been prepping in advance and making actual dinners... kudos to me!

you already saw last weeks stuffed pepper night...

then there was zucchini boats and israeli couscous. these rocked my face off!

i even did dessert. warm brownies with cherry ice cream!

and tonights meal... a 10lb lasagna!

this beast is cooking as we speak!

it feels really good to switch things up a bit and add some delicious new vegan goodies to our routine. let's just hope this trend continues, cause it's making my belly happy!

happy friday friends...

2011-06-10T09:55:00.013-04:00

here's a few of my favorite pics from the week...

i want to live in this maxi dress all summer!

mirabelle had her first trip to the vet for her rabies shot. oh that face!

so delicious coconut fudge bars are going to be a staple in our home for awhile!

yup, she's one vicious pitbull!

i finally got a frame for my favorite print from This Paper Ship!

barkley is easily the most handsome boy in the puppy world!

tempeh stuffed pepper night at the Pierce's. these were stinking delicious!

oh and ps... our best buds wedding, that evan and i were in a few weeks ago, now has some amazing pics posted on the ever amazing matt miller's website. i've been drooling over them for a few days now. that day was such an incredible one filled with best friends, laughs, lots of crying, dancing, and tons and tons of love! matt's been a friend of ours for awhile (he did our wedding photos too!), so he knew just how to capture ever moment perfectly! hop on over and check out steph & adam on their big day...

other things i've loved this week around this here interweb...

the little birdie is getting so big!

kaylah's craft room cleanup makes me want to get down and dirty in my own!

elsie & jeremy's wedding video is too sweet for words!

somehow i only just discovered this blog the other day, but it's one of my top faves already! she's so stinking adorable and would you ever be able to tell here that she's preggo? so tiny!

a couple weeks ago maru turned 3! here's to another year maru!

i love that this artist took a $39 rocking moose from ikea and turned it into a custom work of art!

i think i know what my dad's getting for fathers day! thankfully he doesn't read this so i can spill secrets all i want :)

this little lady is just too awesome for words!

in honor of les paul, today google is doing something super fun on their home page. go play!

hope everyone has a wonderfully fantastic weekend. i've got a bunch of work to catch up on, and evan is finishing up our new fence that he started last weekend, so it's looking like we'll be pretty domestic around here. just fine by me!

redecorating ideas

2011-06-08T12:18:00.011-04:00

i've got a bad case of the redecorating bug! ya see, we have plans in the near future to rearrange two of the rooms in our home. one being my studio, the other being the guest room that we never finished in the first place. i'm getting impatient though and i just want to start NOW! so until we get to the point of actually being able to decorate, i'll just keep on collecting inspiring pics to hold me over.

here is what i'm currently coveting...

adorable organization!

just one single wall of amazing wallpaper is all i ask for!

a place to put all our freakin' books!

RANUNCULUS! i guess technically i don't have to wait on these... hear that hubby :)

a cozy inspiring work nook!

some sweet sweet wall decals!

lots of granny goodness!

and while i'm at it why not throw in a swing! when i lived in brooklyn evan put one up in our loft apt and i miss it all the time. nothing like swinging in your living room!

ahhh, just putting these down here makes me feel as though i've already accomplished something!

introducing new party packs!

2011-06-07T15:47:00.008-04:00

well looky here, shop updates two days in a row! i'm really super excited about the newest additions to the Monkey & Squirrel line up and i had to share it with you! i've had the idea of "Party Packs" in my head for a bit now, small collections of hooks that each have a specific color theme. shoppers can then easily pick whichever theme best fits their home decor needs, and be on their merry way. welp, i've finally gotten around to checking them off my to do list. here's to productivity!

i'd like to take a moment and introduce you all to the new Monkey & Squirrel party packs...

*the industrial pack*

*the pastel pack*

*the bright pop pack*

*the shabby chic pack*

i love love love coming up with different themes and then choosing 3 colors that best represent that theme to me. i can guarantee that this party pack idea is going to expand beyond these 4 choices. i've already got some thoughts floating around in the noggin of mine :)

it really feels so good having all these new goodies to share!