Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Let's Talk About My Bag

There is a lot of excitement and news and moving and packing and things to tell. But for just one moment, let's talk about my bag. My new bag. My beautiful handbag given to me by my sister, The HPP, over the weekend as a thank you.

While two people technically hosted this shower, myself and my sister's sister-in-law (say that ten times fast) one was really in name only, and that was not me. It appears my sister noticed this unbalanced hosting and provided me with an extra thank you gift. I was completely shocked, as well as happy she did so in private.

The Love of Sisters
Before revealing my beautiful bag, back-stories are necessary. I have yet to discuss Easter and the fabulous time The Professor and I had with the beautiful, 8-month pregnant HPP and her husband. During this time we went into small town Georgia (and when I say small town, I sincerely mean it is a village) and ducked into a cute shop featuring many, many Vera Bradley items.

Java Blue
 Up until last year I was not so much a Miss Bradley fan. However, my mother-in-law gave me the large duffel in Java Blue. I fell in love with Java Blue and received many more items at my three, (yes, count 'em) three bridal showers. So when we came across the Vera Bradley collections I did not turn away as in the past. And I fell in love, as many do I'm sure, with a new bag. I swooned and I'm awwww'ed and I sadly explained that we simply could not afford for me to frivolously purchase this bag, even though it was me personified into a handbag (don't judge.) So I walked away.


Fast forward to that evening when my sister put a plan in place. She called my mother-in-law and asked her the name of the store. Not knowing, my mother-in-law then drove to the shop and picked up a business card, telling my sister this info. The HPP then called the proprietor of said shop, described to her where this bag was (picture this, she had the woman stand at the front of the shop by the doors and told her about how many paces to go in which direction!) and send it to her, so she could wrap it and give it to me as a gift. What a fantastic sister this blessed little Defunct Curator has!

I opened it and could not believe it, there was the Boardwalk Handheld in the Sittin' in a Tree pattern! The photos do not do it justice. It glimmers and displays love birds, one of my FAVORITE design elements in anything. The silver pattern is taken from the original Sittin' in a Tree:


I'll admit, this pattern in its original colors is also quite amazing. Upon further searching I found this tea for two set, and MUST.HAVE.IT.

Unfortunately, I'm on a bit of a spending freeze until we get settled in D.C. But then, this beauty shall be mine!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

A New Day

Thank you for allowing me a bit of hopelessness. It was a hole I dug myself into, but some days you just have to allow yourself to feel exhausted and finished. Thank you especially to T from DSS for all her sage advice. I know it will be OK and that we'll be settled soon, it's just the waiting I can't stand!

So fear not, I've come out of the sorrow pit and am trying to be positive once again. I'm busying myself with The High Power Pregger's baby shower (whatever will I call her when she's no longer pregnant!) The theme is Toy Story and here is what I have so far:

Guests will come in and choose a character badge (a circular badge with a print of one of the Toy Story characters on it) and pin it to themselves with a baby diaper pin. They won't know it, but whichever character they chose will determine what teams they'll be in for the first game, which I'm calling Potato Head Baby. I've printed out silhouettes of a potato head as well as packets of photos printed on regular paper of the future mommy and daddy. Some of them have them making funny faces, ect. Teams will have five minutes to cut up these photos and paste them to the potato head, making it sort of a "if they mated" game that Conan O'Brien used to play. But super-duper more mature (because you know, I'm all about maturity!)


We will also play a trivia game based on questions concerning The HPP's pregnancy (cravings, aliments, ect.) and baby bingo, which The HPP specifically requested. I've made it Toy Story themed by creating a Toy Story bingo board, which I'll share on here when it's completed.

Favors will be "Oh Baby It's the 80s" 1981 pop song mixed cd as both the future mommy and daddy were born in 1981 and the cover will be adorned with their baby photos. I found the Billboard top hits of 1981 and can't wait to pick and choose what to include. Any favorites from the list?


Other Toy Story touches include the fabulous Toy Story invitation, seen above, a cowgirl hat headband that I'm making my sister wear throughout, red and yellow decorations, cupcake toppers (possibly these!) and special gifts such as a Jessie-themed blanket I'm actually crocheting. Do you know how hard it is to crochet a cow-hide pattern?

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Rock-a-Bye-Nursey

I won't even go into all the baby drama in my life. The fact that since The High Power Preggers has become, well, preggers, almost all our family talks about is babies. Or the fact that my in-laws want babies, from me, like yesterday. Or how I can't even count on one hand how many close friends/family members are having babies. Or the fact that I have very, very vivid nightmares about being a bad caregiver to babies. Or being pregnant. Nightmares, not dreams.

But I'm here to focus on something positive, the nursery for Baby H, who will be arriving in June. My sister, though talented and skilled in many, many ways, has not always had an eye for design. She wants a Toy Story themed nursery (sidebar, she had a Toy Story themed room as a highschooler.) And to her this means buying up every Toy Story brand item and shoving it into one room. Then, a hitch in her plans. The baby is a girl. There are practically no feminine toy story nursery items out there.

Enter, me. I try to explain to The HPP that once she picks a character on which to base the nursery, we can deconstruct that character and use inspirations from the texture and color of their clothing, and of course their theme, and create a cohesive space. This she simply could not wrap her little pregnant mind around. Enter, inspiration boards. I created two, one more traditional and one sort of weird looking to be honest (the board itself, not the theme.) The first is based on Jessie, the cowgirl. I was told by The HPP, "I want a Jessie room, but not a cowgirl room." Well, that's impossible as Jessie is a cowgirl.

Here is Jessie, our cowgirl from Toy Story.

Here is the inspiration board I deconstructed from Jessie.


The centerpiece for the room would be some sort of artwork featuring Jessie, possibly this wall cling. Then denim or red crib bumpers and yellow curtains, tied back with robe curtain ties. Cowhide elements would pop throughout, such as a faux cowhide rug, or this fabulous red and cowhide blanket. I would buy an official Jessie cowgirl hat and place it on a shelf. Other western elements could be introduced without being overwhelming, such as horseshoes as hooks, distressed red picture frames, and rope spelling out Baby H's name. Other decorative elements could be created using the red/yellow/denim/cowhide color story and incorporating other aspects of Jessie's appearance, such as a sheriff's badge. Red polka dots work well in this space, either by adding a red polka-dotted crib skirt or simple pillows throughout. I would also suggest a small lamp with a red lampshade accented by a light yellow ribbon.



Here is our friend Bo-Peep.

Here is the quirky inspiration board I created for a Bo-Peep inspired nursery.

With the Bo-Peep room I focused on our shepherdess' clothing, her pink polka dots, blue ruffled bloomers, and patterned blue top. Also I went a little wild for the sheep, they are just too cute and perfect for a nursery. I accent the blue (possibly Toy Story clouded) wall with pink polka dot letters spelling out Baby H's name. Pink crib fabrics would be offset by a blue and white patterned crib skirt. I found light blue, ruffled baby blankets and other fabrics which could be used as textiles in the crib or as curtains. The sheep bumper and pillows are also a fun alternative to the pink polka dotted crib. Finding an actual Bo-Peep lamp or figure from the film would tie this room together. The fun sheep rug would add some whimsy.

Here are some more detailed photos of Bo-Peep inspired nursery items.




Which room do you prefer?

Monday, February 14, 2011

Tea for Two

Tea4Two-trade-adHappy Valentine’s Day, late night edition (if, like me, your late nights start at 8:00pm.) This last weekend was a whirlwind. We only recently got back to our little cottage and I’m only now catching up with you all.

IMAG0157And, it’s Valentine’s Day. As I said before, we’re not big Valentines people, but I do love chocolate and an excuse to have surprises. The Professor left me an adorable handmade card-like-thing on my pillow when we arrived home. I gave him his telegram, which he loved, as well as some Earl Grey and some almond syrup. Why? Because almond earl grey is our new favorite guilty pleasure without the guilt. I discovered it at a small coffee shop one trip into university city and have been sold on them ever since. I introduced The Professor to it just last week and he, also, fell in love. So now we can make them at home, there has already been a mention of almond tea becoming our “house drink” of choice.

IMAG0155Another V-Day surprise? The in-laws came by the cottage while we were away, always a bit terrifying for me as they technically own this place. They dropped off some wine, wine glasses, and chocolates in a pretty display, as well as a pork and apple pie in the fridge (from a recipe I gave, which I’ll surely post eventually.)bron936l

How cute. Also, a bit creepy? Just me who thinks so? (However, also strangely reminiscent of the honeymoon basket they gave us, read: lotion, bath oils, candles, wine, subtext: have.sex.with.our.son.)

Well, instead of the wine we opted for two cups of the almond tea tonight, mainly because I’m still nursing a wicked cold that, shocker, a 10 hour car trip twice in four days did not cure.

IMAG0156The chocolates were the Dove hearts, which I love because not only were they dark (the only way to enjoy coco) but also when you open them there are little expressions inside, and with them, my sage wisdom for you. So far we’ve opened:

“Trust with your heart, not your head.”

This is very wise, oh Dove chocolates. Dive in every once in a while. You have a gut instinct, trust it. This goes both ways, meaning kiss that cute guy you just met even though social graces may be shocked, but don’t climb into cars with strange boys.

“Linger over chocolate longer.”

I could not have said it better myself, tiny delicious chocolate I shall now eat. Enjoy things more. And, enjoy things slower. Too often we want a quick fix, something for right now, that we forget that snack we just popped in our greedy, little mouth was actually delicious.

“Be a little mysterious.”

Don’t give it all away. I love being a bit mysterious, with something unknown just under the surface. It’s difficult to turn this tid-bit into advice, because it already states it perfectly, be a little mysterious.

“Exercise your heart today.”

Love hard. Love today. There is someone in your life you can turn to right now and say, I love you, do it. It’ll make you feel good.