July 9th, 2008
Ella Faye’s crib comes in today! Here’s what we’ll be off to pick it up as soon as the workday’s through.
Ant had found a very similar, very expensive version by a very upscale company called Oeuf. We knew we couldn’t foot that bill so we hunted around for a modern looking crib in our own price range. We found a nice white convertible crib at Babies R Us, not too mod looking, but not a big hunky sleigh design that seems to rule the baby bed world these days. Well when we went back to buy it two weeks ago, we discovered it had been recalled. So! All for the better! Our hunt continued, & we came across this lovely thing. We swooned.
Then hit a snag. It’s manufactured by BabyMod, a new line at WalMart. I faced a dilemma. I do not concur with the way WalMart functions. However, I am not one of those people who, at mention of WalMart, goes into a rant & preaches against its unpolitical, unethical ways. I worked at WalMart for a summer (maybe almost a year? I’ve blocked it from memory somewhat), & it was pretty depressing. I felt like a sellout, & I experienced first-hand how poorly the blue-vested were treated. I have my own reasons for not wanting to step foot inside one since the day I stepped out of cashier status. And though it may be silly, I’ve secretly prided myself on taking my shopping list elsewhere.
But today I will relent & walk through the sliding doors, greet the aged face before me with an equally wrinkled smile, & dash as fast as I can to wherever I need to go to pick up that crib. As WalMart tyrants are my witness, I am visiting for the sole sake of affordable style!
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June 23rd, 2008
I have newly fallen in love with Joel Dewberry’s beautiful fabrics. My sister has volunteered to construct a baby book for Chickpea, & I’ve been in search of the perfect fabric to wrap the cover in for months. I want it to have a kitschy feel, & I am loving the burnt orange/tan/brown/buttery yellow color scheme. Something vintage…that’s the genre I associate with the wee one. Something that matches her name.
Here are some fabrics from Joel Dewberry’s line that have made the ‘possibilities’ list:
We are aiming for a nature-y theme in the nursery & I want to incorporate birds as much as possible. This print completely fits the bill…this with the woodgrain or sunburst prints above…YEARN…
Now if I could find a crib bedding set made of one (or a collection) of these, oh it would be perfect. I’m not up to the challenge of making a set myself, but maybe the nursery could have a little touch of Joel Dewberry. Perhaps my first quilt attempt is in the future?
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May 21st, 2008
Hello lovelies! Just a quick note to check in…I’ve been meaning to sit down & write a blog for a few days now. Sadly all I’ve really been doing is the sitting part. Exhaustion all the time. I was looking forward to the second trimester & the boost of energy I hear so much of. According to the internets & other mothers, now is the time I am supposed to be feeling back up to par, feeling my mental & physical spirits lift, & experiencing the twinkles of a home freshly cleaned, brought on by my instantaneous bouts of nesting. This last part is what I looked forward to the most. I think I’ve always been a nester of sorts…I’ve always preferred staying in & making things cozy…crafting & creating. I was hoping that washing-the-walls bit would kick in. My home probably wishes this, too. I’ve come to realize that perhaps the reason my second trimester has not brought a huge relief is because my first trimester was not all that bad. I had evening sickness, queasiness, but not once did I actually get sick enough to expel anything. I didn’t really (& haven’t as of yet) experienced any aversions to food or smells. Tiredness was pretty much my worst company. And so she has decided to prolong her stay, it seems. I think I should prepare myself to be tired from here on out. I shared this consciousness with a friend the other day, a fresh new mother of one year, & she replied, in a rather positive tone, “Yes, but there will be times when you won’t feel as tired.” I think this is the honest-to-goodness truth.
Although my nesting efforts have been a bit sparse, I did manage to squeak out a tiny dress last week. I used this pattern & cut it to fit a 1 to 3 month old.
Yes, I taped it to the wall. I need to buy some of those teeny tiny hangers for infant threads. I think they excite me more than they should. I can’t wait to acquire several teeny tiny accessories.
Anyhow, the dress turned out very cute, I think. I was pleased with my ability to sew an actual wearable garment. I’ve only sewn one shirt for myself as an adult, & it was very simple. I remember my sewing ambitions sprouting during my pre-teen summers. My mom would take my sister & I to the fabric store & let us pick out a pattern for a simple top or pajama pants…we were supposed to find something we liked enough to hold our interest & encourage us to sew up ourselves. Without fail, I’d feel all gung-ho about it, then as soon as I hit a snag, my mother would find herself seated at the sewing machine to finish (& pretty much start) things off.
I find myself quite intimidated by patterns. I just don’t understand them for some reason. I see one & I shut down. This tiny dress did not make me work from that dreaded brown tissue. Nice simple directions & an easy to follow diagram…that’s my kind of model. I have plans for several more dresses, some jumpers, & pinafores. And I want to make them reversible! Oh the ambition. Hopefully I can muster the energy.
In other news, more businessy-like, we set our first record for Seek Connect Love! We sold 5 shirts last week! Five in one week! That’s a lot for us at this point, as we’ve been making about a sale every 2 or 3 weeks. It was very inspiring & we’re set to list our new line of baby apparel very soon. I will update as soon as we can muster a date. I think part of our sales are attributed to this:
The treasury was aptly titled “Men in Trees.”
We were in a treasury & apparently it made the front page of Etsy! I missed the spectacle, but excitement abounds regardless. We’re so grateful to our customers…it’s an amazing feeling to make something with your own hands, especially to create it with someone you love who genuinely shares your interest, & have a positive response from people around the world.
Speaking of around the world, we are thinking of launching a group on Flickr dedicated to those buyers who’d like to sport their new apparel for others to see. Sort of a ‘happy customers’ spot. And we’re also working to get together a mailing list for interested peeps.
Things are a bit stand-still on the Kismet doll-making front. I’ve taken an overly extended break from them, pretty inappropriate & very sad in my opinion. Not for lack of interest in them, I just haven’t had much of that e-word & when I do, I find myself focusing on other things. I’m set to get back to sewing them up now, & I hope to have an update on those soon as well. Their shop debut is long overdue.
I suppose that is all for now…my quick note turned into quite an entry. Have a wonderful day, & please send me some positive vibes so I can start getting things accomplished again! 
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May 9th, 2008
The three lines confirmed it, there’s a girl in there! She was stubborn at first, keeping her legs clamped shut every time the ultrasound technician tried to find the goods. Finally we were successful & the tech told us, ‘It’s a girl!’ I cried, like I knew I would…I just knew our Chickpea was a girl, from the day we found out she was in there waiting for us.
The tech didn’t show us any ‘proof,’ except that we didn’t spot a peenie, so when the doctor came in to review I asked him to check again & he pointed out those three important lines. That’s what I was waiting for. I didn’t want to go out & stock up on dresses & girlie things only to go in next trimester & find the little ‘weenus’ (for you, Elyse).
So there she is, our little girl. We are thrilled. We’d be thrilled if she was a boy as well, but a girl just feels right this time.
Tonight we are off to Joann’s for some cutesy fabric. Let the dress making commence!
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