Hurricane Painting Party and a little BOY on the way!

I am hunkered down with the family today, feeling the baby kick, listening to the howling wind pick up and the rain come down in buckets.  Sandy is making herself be known...we've been listening to the wind and rain since last night grow stronger and stronger....hope everyone stays safe in this storm!

We found out on Friday that we are having a baby BOY!  Such a wonderful surprise....everyone thought this little nugget would be a girl.  It was a day we will remember forever, we had Leila in the room with us when they announced she would have a baby brother....she was just staring at everything in awe.  We were smiling so hard our cheeks hurt!

SO, our house is in a state of emergency in and of itself.....switching rooms, painting furniture, waiting for furniture to be delivered......basically getting ready for baby.  Our bedroom is packed up at the moment, we are actually going to make our room the kids room, it just makes more sense...so we are painting the entire room then making the big swap into our new room (crossing fingers) hopefully this weekend. 

This armoire acts as storage in our kitchen right now, but we are moving it up to our room for more clothes storage......and of course, I'm painting it.  It would be way too dark in our bedroom....still painting and work to be done and wax to be applied, but this is what I am working on today:

 

 

first layer of chalk paint:

It will end up being gray, cream and white when done.....will post pics when complete!

AND, I've finished my first custom etsy order!  I will post pics soon......have to ship it off as soon as the storm ends and life is back to normal.

Off now to make a lasagna and hopefully we don't have to eat it all in one sitting if we loose power : /

penelope parker designs

 

 

 

My friend, Jenny, has an incredibly talented sister in law.  One who can sew...and whip things out quick from what I am told.  I have always admired 2 of Jenny's handmade bags that she made for her.  They are just unique...down to the subtle details of the diagonally sewn pocket tops.

 

Jenny picked me up on Saturday so we could hit up Chartreuse (more on this in another post) and she was squealing she was so excited to give me (and the baby) our baby on the way gift.  The minute I saw the Penelope Parker tag I screamed.  My very own hand made bag....and it's pretty darn special.

 

Let me tell you...

 

This girl knows what a mom needs...tons of pockets, hooks sewn in on either side for keys, hand sanitizer...you name it, wide supportive straps.  But not your annoying, screaming diaper bag, bag...stylish and funky.  I just love it....

 

Jenny picked out all of the fabric and her sister in law took it from there.  Check out her Etsy shop here if you are interested in purchasing or having something custom made:

 

Penelope Parker Designs

 

 

I will be carrying around her cards and handing them out frequently as I'm sure I will get many comments on how lovely it is....what a great gift...thank you, Jenny :)

a sweet piece complete

My friend, Jenny, asked me if I could re-create these sweet paintings which Pottery Barn has discontinued.  Her sister is expecting a baby boy and she fell in love with them and her sister was disappointed to find she couldn't buy them.  Jenny is going to surprise her at her baby shower ....here is my version complete:

in progress:

I love creating things for people for a baby shower!  It is such a special, surreal, joyous time in your life and I hope these really make her shower that much more special.  Thank you, Jenny for thinking of me for this project!

Meanwhile, I have my first official custom order through Etsy.  This might not seem very exciting to you, but it means a big milestone for me!  Most, no all, of my custom projects up until now have been through word of mouth...but this now marks my first order from someone who strictly found my shop via facebook.  It really does take time to get yourself out there so thanks so much to everyone who has been so supportive of my work, "LIKED" my page, shared links....you name it.  It means so much to me! 

Looking forward to creating this for her....my customer actually wants this piece which I created a few months back for Jenny (mentioned above) and her little boy's nursery.

 

Not sure how to go about having something custom created for you through Etsy?  Contact the seller!  Here is what my custom order looks like for this particular customer: click HERE

Have a great weekend everyone!

Pregnancy: the good, the bad...and the ugly

 

Sit tight, this is a long one...

Let me begin by saying I really don't like taking to my blog as a forum for complaining....sometimes I think pure honesty can come across as complaining and that is certainly not my intention.  So, I apologize in advance if ever during this post you stop and think to yourself, "shut up already and suck it up!"....I cringe at the thought of being that girl.  So, this post is just pure and honest...I'm not complaining, I'm just sayin' it like it is.

If you are a new reader of my blog (welcome!)...I should give a quick recap of my medical history....I have been trying to get my thyroid (I have hypothyroidism) on track for over a year now and I am currently pregnant with #2 (heyyyy! so excited)........however, the combination of the two can be a bit, urrr, confusing.  Case in point:

I had an appt last week with my endocrinologist (thyroid dr).  The same doctor I see once a month....the same doctor who has a very thick accent of which country I still cannot confirm and speaks very fast. The same doctor who I have to wait over an hour to see even though I schedule the appts based on my daughter's nap time.  When she finally came into the room last week she starts talking fast in her really thick accent right away.  She then looks up and sees the look on my face.  "What's wrong?"...Me:  "Well, these appts are starting to become very difficult when I have to wait over an hour to be seen and I have a rambunctious 2 year old with me." She quickly apologizes and jumps into how my thyroid is out of whack (again) and asks me: 

"Have you been feeling, tired, anxious, moody?"  Um, why yes....as a matter of fact, come to think of it "Well, I AM 18 weeks pregnant...so, yes...that fits the bill."  She then tells me that I have gained A LOT of weight in the last two months...shaking her head as she is telling me as though she has never seen anything like it.  I began to shrink in my chair, I felt like a science project, embarrassed, not quite understanding...running numbers in my head from what my OB has told me I have gained compared to the 2 digit number she is throwing at me.

I was so flustered between waiting for so long, keeping my daughter out of the medical cabinets and processing what she was saying that I had a hard time understanding a word from that point on.  All I knew was she was adjusting my medicine (again) and to have my blood tested in three weeks.  okay.

Being pregnant means your hormones are all over the place.  You feel bloated and plain gross at times....stretch marks looming.  For me, even gaining a few pounds NOT pregnant is hard.....I only have 5' 2" to squeeze it all into.  So, during the car ride home....my girl fell asleep, I was tired, I have gained an enormous amount of weight apparently, however you can still barely tell I am pregnant, my legs now rub together when I walk and my back end has doubled in size....not to mention the girls upstairs, who are already large to begin with, are now being billed rent.  It's not cute.

I cried most of the way home.  I could not get that number out of my head...it just didn't make sense.  By the time we got home, Leila was still asleep...I tried to transport her to her crib but she woke up and now she was hungry.  I needed to feed her and get her back down for a late nap and still needed to get to the store and buy milk.  I called my sister in law to see if she could come over.  You know when you start talking and then your voice starts shaking and you start to freak out inside your head because you know a massive amount of tears and hyperventilating is coming next?  Yeah, that's what happened.....nice.

So, the more I thought about it the more I realized that my endocrinologist had to be looking at a very old starting weight number in my chart and I was going to go off of the weight I have gained so far based on my OB's number because that made a heck of a lot more sense.  And the more
I put it into perspective the more I realized a little weight gain while pregnant is nothing compared to what some people should be worried about:




YIKES!

I strapped on my sturdiest sports bra and got my pregnant self to the gym today.  And it felt great....I am going to relish in my pregnancy, slow down, enjoy it....breathe.  Last weekend I "popped" out so now there is a reason for my expanded waist line...thank you very much.  And, feeling my baby move every night when I lie down....priceless.

As long as I don't end up like Jessica Simpson and in a Weight Watchers endorsement deal by the time the baby arrives, I'll be okay with my weight gain.

Thanks for letting me put it all out there!

Annie Sloan chalk paint, I do like you! My pioneer piece is complete...

So, I'm finished!  And, I must say...I LOVE it....here she is before and after:

yikes!

right after I finished last night

 

gave the hardware a metallic gold paint finish

 

 

Overall, the Annie Sloan paint was very easy to use.  One thing I found is that if you are going to apply multiple layers (I pretty much applied 2 layers) then you should sand the first layer down as much as possible before applying the 2nd.  Because it is chalk paint and so porous, the first drawer I painted, I didn't sand the first layer down enough before applying the second and the paint would just get soaked up.  I would have also used our electric sander, it just would have done a better job at smoothing things out and been easier on me.  The paint is sooo easy to sand though, it really is like butter.

What I loved most about the AS products though was the dark wax.  Everywhere, except for the blue, I applied an SC Johnson clear wax (only because it is recommended before applying the dark wax and I happened to have the SC Johnson wax already.  AS has her own clear wax she offers).  Once I applied the layer of clear wax, I buffed it out some and then applied, very lightly, the dark wax.  Almost immediately after applying it I buffed the dark wax.

Believe it or not, the blue detailing was a BRIGHT blue before I applied the dark wax.  I made the blue paint by simply mixing a concoction of the AS paint with some paint I already had until I had the right chalkiness and color.  The blue paint being so bright was not a problem because the dark wax muted it so much. 

I love how the dark wax gives the piece a nice, aged look and you are in control of how little or much you apply.  I applied more in the corners and crevices and really like how it turned out.


So, thats that.....I have a lot of projects going on at the moment.  About to get started on painting these sweet ABC nautical themed letters for a friend whose sister who is expecting.  Unfortunately, Pottery Barn no longer carries these...so I will be making them for her:

 

And, after that...I am finally going to attempt my first re upholstery project (yes, I am certifiably insane).  I bought this chair many months ago when one of my favorite little stores downtown closed.  I found this fabric marked down and then 50% off on top of that at Jo-Ann's....score!

I love the caning on this chair and especially the back.  I'm thinking a fresh coat of white paint and this fabric will make it new again....crossing my fingers :)

What are you up to on this Monday morning?  It's a dreary Fall day and we are snuggled up inside....listening to some old school Sarah McLachlan, Leila has all her paint supplies out, sipping on a hot cup of coffee and eating Thomas's Pumpkin Spice bagels with cream cheese (have you tried these yet...um, delish!!!)


Have a great week, everyone!

Charleston Ch. 2: The restaurants on Bay...The Ansonborough Inn and what's kid friendly & what's not

(sorry in advance for the poor photos...I unfortunately took few pics when in SC...due to almost dying from a cold)

So, when we went to Charleston, SC a few weeks ago I was 11 weeks pregnant and hungry.  Can I tell you how excited I was to check out all the restaurants and eat 'til my heart's content with no guilt what-so-ever?  I literally counted down the days and did some pretty thorough research before we left on the places to hit.  Sadly, I became so sick with a terrible cold the third day into our trip that I could barely taste anything and even when I did try to eat, it was pretty uncomfortable given I couldn't breathe through my nose....a lovely image indeed, I know. 

But, a pregnant girl's gotta eat, right?  And, that we still did...

Our hotel was great....we stayed at The Ansonborough Inn.  Awesome, especially if you have kids.  It was large, with huge vaulted ceilings, kitchen, separate bedroom....this was my view a lot of the time as I would lay on the couch begging God to help me breathe again:

The Ansonborough Inn is walking distance to everything and we walked.  A lot...

 

Probably our very favorite place to eat was Magnolia's....AMAZING!  It was so kid friendly, we actually ate in twice and got take out another time.  They knew Leila by the end of it.  Make reservations...go for Sunday brunch and order whatever kind of fritter poppers they are offering under the appetizers...we had the peach fritters, to die for.  Great atmosphere, awesome art work, friendly staff...a must.....

(image via Magnolias)

 

If you need a sandwich quick, like if you are starving when you finally get to Charleston....go to the East Bay Deli....SO good, huge menu, friendly...we ate here a few times.

 

  

image via eastbaydeli.net

Poor picture, but Slightly North of Broad was a place we at one day after walking a few miles.  We had worked up an appetite and we waited outside until they opened their doors for lunch.  While very good, not kid friendly....sadly.  Exposed kitchen, quaint bar...very upscale.  Go here for dinner with your other half....

Believe it or not, one of our other favorite restaurants was a place I never got to see...my husband did though and said it was really nice inside.  Several nights I couldn't leave the hotel because of being sick, so we ended up getting take out and Cru Cafe was delicious....the food was amazing!  Order the Mac and Cheese.......the Thai seafood was also really good, spicy, but good!


image via:  crucafe.com

The last night we were in Charleston we had an early dinner at High Cotton.  We each had their filet and it was delicious....and fast!  I couldn't believe how fast they served us.  They are only open for dinner....make reservations and order their grits!  SO good.  Leila had a meltdown during dinner so we had to rush things.  A lot...but thankfully before we left, an old friend of mine who moved to Charleston 8 years ago met us there for a quick visit....

And, while my hubby brought Leila back to the hotel, Helen took me to the Market Pavilion Hotel's rooftop restaurant/bar which overlooks Charleston. It features a pool, amazing atmosphere....etc....a great end to an interesting week, seriously:

Photo via:  evangarland.blogspot.com


These were just a few places that stuck out to me....Charleston has incredible food, no doubt! 

easy diy cupcake toppers

Getting ready for our girl's 2nd birthday party this coming weekend, can't believe she is already 2, crazy!  And, I put the hubby to work on football Sunday:

So easy....I ended up using odds and ends I had on my craft shelf:  scrapbook paper for the hats and bright buttons and embellishments for the toppers.  Should be cute, especially with 40 cupcakes and 40 big smiles staring back...what's not to love?

Meanwhile, we have actually been potty training our little girl.  So far, the hardest thing I have done in parenthood.  And, I know it may seem too early, but she has shown serious signs of wanting to be diaper free...letting us know when she needs to go potty, (As Grover says, Don't Wait!), waking up in the mornings with a dry diaper and when we are at home, she pretty much roams bottomless with very few accidents. 

But, I am not brave enough to leave the house regularly without her diaper on.  I fear the obvious, that we will be in the middle of the grocery store and all of a sudden I will see (or feel) liquid dropping from her body onto the floor.

Anyway, we do the happy dance and I sing "Go Leila, go Leila, it's your birthday...you went pee pee in the potty..." etc.  And, Leila thinks it is quite fun....chanting back to me "Go Leila, go Leila...." but she can't quite say the rest :)

Never knew before kids how extremely excited I would be for someone to go potty....it's the little things :)

Ginger & Spice...and Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

                                           photo via Ginger & Spice Marketplace

I took a drive out to Ginger & Spice in Walkersville today (such a sweet shop!) since I have finally caved and decided I have to try this Annie Sloan chalk paint I keep hearing and reading about.  G & S is one of the few places I was able to find in the area that carries it. 

Anyway, I am eager to get started!  You might remember the Hecht chest I found at Goodwill a few months ago.  It has been staring back at me angrily as if to say, "you brought me all the way home now what are you going to do with me?"  It desperately needs new life to be breathed back into it.  This guy is going to be my pioneer piece....wish me luck!  eeeekkk...

I ended up going with the traditional Old White to start out with and then buying the Dark Wax which is apparently tricky to use but gives your piece a great aged look.  Will post pics when done!

Amazing vintage treasures and our baby's very first gift

 

 

My grandmother, "Mackie" as we call her, is probably one of the most hip, yet incredibly traditional grandmothers I have ever known.  She is one of those people you have to either know extremely well or be related to, to understand.  And even then, she still keeps you guessing.  I feel very fortunate to have her in my life, and now in her late 80's she still has incredible taste and views on issues that she does not hold back on.  She's one in a million.

 

 

 

 

( here we are in Hawaii many years ago...me in my very favorite "Hawaii" shirt...)

 

 

She sends my sister and me packages often that are filled with all kinds of unexpected things.  I happened to come home the other day to one sitting on my door step and I was jumping up and down with excitement as I unwrapped these little treasures.

 

 

demitasse sterling silver spoons

 

 

 

 

A vintage pillbox which was her mothers (Nana's)...and was given to Mackie in 1967...can only imagine how old it is.

 

 

 

 

A sterling silver bell, which according to Mackie, is to be used when I have a formal dinner and need to call on a servant (um, really???)  I think I will opt to use this when I am close to my due date and unable to get out of bed or bend over to tie my shoes.

And, the cherry on top of these amazing vintage pieces came this morning when I had my friend Beth over for coffee.  She mentioned she had some old, vintage postcards in her basement that she had been holding onto and she thought I might like:

Here is one of them...this poor kid is about to get whacked with a shoe!

 

But, the real gem is this incredibly darling 1940's baby book which she surprised me with (and has NEVER been used) for our little nugget.....I about died and went to heaven when she gave it to me....

 

Beth, thank you SO, SO much!

 

 

How sweet are these illustrations? 

Have a great weekend, everyone!