Lynchburg

So Lynchburg, VA has some seriously gorgeous signage. Just in case you were wondering.

More Sweaters

I lost Susie this weekend. Losing a dog sucks so fucking much. Today the nanny-ee and I are hiding in bed all day and she is sleeping (because she got shots this morning, boo) and I'm watching Sarah's House about the farm house and I wish I was wearing some better armor against the universe. Something like this pull over (or a Brookstone Blanket with Sleeves, my friend Judy left one at our house in the spring and it's delightful).

Let's Be Literal

This weekend's weather made me want start dressing for fall. I keep thinking of yellow rain slickers and Katie Morag. Literally. Here we go. Tartan skirt, aran sweater and wellies. Maybe a non-HM POST satchel?

Presents for Babies

I feel like everyone I know is having a baby or just had a baby. My roommate from college (not Mary) is expecting her second and our friends Al and Mary (not coblogger Mary) just had their first and our nephew is now three months old. All of these wee people need presents because it's nice to welcome wee people to the world. It is very difficult to find something nice that isn't a Woombie, or a Boppy, or a Bumbo, and isn't plastic that shrieks and could splinter and get lodged on someone's septum (not to knock the Woombie, I'm a nanny and that thing is the bestest, it's just very boring and ugly). Also difficult if you are a nanny and poor. Here are some of my collected favourites

Super Awesome Monkey, $68.00 - The Nanny-ee baby has this monkey and she is totally non-plussed by it's awesomeness. Maybe when she is not six months old she will be cooler and understand that it's super stylish and cuddleable. I love it.

I've been planning to make one of these mobiles for forever. Unfortunately for the babies of this world, no one is getting one until I have one to look at while I got to sleep.

City In A Bag, $14.00 - This is very much a present for mummies and daddies to be impressed by. I don't know that babies care whether or not they have London blocks or super boring blocks. In defense of the London blocks they would look pretty rad on a grown ups bookshelf so they can grow with baby?

Bookplates, $6.00 - When I was little I had really ugly Mickey Mouse bookplates and some of my books still have the dancing Mickey and my super cute eight year old handwriting proclaiming that THIS BOOK IS HANNAH'S. I think they are mega charming. I've been plotting to print out the Martha Stewart ones and start sticking them in books I give as gifts.

I feel as though all little people need Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny but everyone knows that babies need those so I'm always concerned that someone else has already gotten there first. Ditto Pat the Bunny. My favourite books to read are Moo Ba LALALA by Sandra Boynton (and I remember laughing like a maniac at it when I was wee) and In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak (maybe for slightly older people but so wonderful although the interwebs has just informed me that the naked wee boy is controversial and some people might take issue with a naked baby in the bread dough) and then the absolutely lovely Gorilla by Anthony Browne about a little girl called Hannah who's favourite animal is gorillas (who does THAT remind you of? AND published by the company I interned for during college. Baby can think of me every time it reads).

Do you have any go to baby gifts?

DIY baby

I am currently obsessed with these type box jewelry racks and I decided to make a mini slightly less cool one out of a box lid (from one of these).

I painted it with a groovy paint sample and then lined the back with wrapping paper (from my most favourite place in Durham) using the good old magic of ModPodge and then hammered nails into the box. This was kind of a maga pain as the box lid it super thing. I used another board (for a floating shelf I have yet to assemble) as a backer so I wouldn't put holes in my floor.

adjusting the nails as far through as I wanted them to hang jewelry, I cut the nails off in the back with wire cutters and then glued the nails in place with Krazy Glue.

Then varnished the whole thing loads. Hurrah! I attached the ribbon on the back with thumb tacks.

Yay bathroom jewelry storage.

Before and After: Lamps

I found these ridiculous rad lamps at a lawn sale while in the Adirondacks two weeks ago. Actually, my parents saw them first. My mother jokingly said, "I should get those for Mary," and I was all, "STOP THE CAR." I bargained with the nice lady selling them and managed to snag them for 35 dolla each. My parents think I should maybe possibly be committed but GREY GREEN CRYSTAL and I love SHINY things.

Grey Green Crystal. I cannot stress this enough.

They were very grimy and dusty and covered with years of dirt but with several sponges and lots of patience I got most of it off. I painted them white because I thought they would be too insane any other way.

Between buying the lamps, paint, and rewiring supplies, I did the whole thing for under 100 bucks. They are so awesome I almost cannot deal.

Cookies

There. Are. Out. Of. Hand.

YUM.

Crisp Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies via SmittenKitchen

Shop

There are some people who are awesome shopping buddies. One of those people is my best friend from highschool, Ann. She moved in last week and is my favourite ever couch dweller. We went out on Wednesday and we found this. Because Ann is a lucky shopping buddy.

Twined Stones Necklace, $38

Etsy Lovelies

Lovely

Lovely Shoes (if you have teeny feet)

Basket

Clutch

In Sickness

I have fibromyalsia. My particular brand of FMS makes me a little bit like the six-month old I quit my Duke University job to nanny for (because, quite honestly, I needed the naps). I like to have a two hour nap in the morning. Sometimes I like to also have a two hour nap in the afternoon, depending on the amount of sleep I got the night before. I also get real crabby if I'm hungry and, like a fifteen year old, getting me our of bed it a bitch. I cry about stuff that it's really not okay to cry about, like not having basil in the house.

Friday was our the second anniversary and when we met I was not sick and did not need naps and my fingers did not hurt and I did not cry because I hate ants and there are ants in the shower. No I did not. And despite the fact that the groovy girl drinking magnums of wine on his porch has turned into his weepy, sleepy, sore wife in two years, David hasn't batted an eye and makes breakfasts and lunches and cleans and really really likes me. Because he's the best.

Happy Anniversary, Self and David!

Reading on the couch with David at Christmas time, under my sisters Phi Mu blanket.

Three Days

My birthday, the most exciting day of the year, is on Friday. And I didn't make a list. At the sea side my dad asked what I wanted and I said "oh you know, cool stuff". For some reason this year I wasn't full of happy list items (although a cursory look over the last few months) filled with things I want. But I know that since I won't be home for my birthday (last year I was home the next day for cake and presents with my Mum but this year it's just me and David in Durham) sister Dos, Tres, Cuatro and the brother have probably not gotten me anything yet. No worries sibs, here you go!

1) Slow Cooker Revolution because I am old and work a lot and America's Test Kitchen is the bestest of the best

2) How pretty is this sweater?

3) A rad tote bag

4) Some awesome music and some more awesome music

Follow Up

In case you were wondering, these are every bit as fantastic as I thought they would be. I sent KISS KISS cover to friends for their anniversary and I just sent off A Book of Scripts and A Severed Head and I've had Robert Burns propped on my desk because it's the loveliest colour. Some of my own books (pilfered from my mother, and no-mummie-you-may-not-have-King-Lear-back-don't-both-asking) have the gorgeous covers. I wish they had The Psychology of Sex because that's a gorgeous colour and slightly embarrassing to get in the mail. I found a copy a couple of years ago at a church booksale with Mary and I've tried my best to read it but really. One can only read about so much hysteria...

Paper

Oh my gosh I have a hankering for paper goods. I've been playing around with making my own personalized stationary and some for Daveroo too. I'm also crushing on those super traditional bordered stationary especially these with the groovy twist (via Crane's obvi). Oh paper goods how you soothe my Monday blues.

This Weekend...

...we watched the coolest movie and went to the farmers market and I went walkabout in the mall and bought the prettiest blue dress and a present for my littlest sister and headbands and got a teeny bouquet of wee flowers.

AAAAAND I also may have watched old episodes of Criminal Minds and knitted a scarf. Maybe if I keep knitting diligently throughout all of August I'll have a full scarf by November? Hmmm.