Monthly Archive for March, 2009

A sad state of affairs…

Published on March 30, 2009 in Crafts & Sewing and Design. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

A couple years ago I wrote a post that included Portuguese artist Rosa Pomar’s gorgeous handmade dolls. Then today I read about how Dutch clothing brand Oilily has ripped off her design and is selling what looks to be obvious copies. How disappointing.

I think it is natural to be inspired by other people’s creativity. Recycled ideas are commonplace to a certain extent, but they are usually recycled with a twist. Sort of how bell-bottoms or flared jeans have come and gone since the 60′s. And I admit there have been times where I have used someone else’s work to make something for myself, or as a gift, but never on anything I would sell, especially so high profile as Oilily has done.

Here are some other mind blowing copies from a link that David recently sent me -  You thought we wouldn’t notice…

Hair Clip Giveaway Winner

Published on March 30, 2009 in Life. 0 Comments Tags: .

Thanks to everyone who left comments on the hair clip giveaway, and congratulations to Karisa! Karisa, please email me your address to paperseed [at] gmail and I will send it out later this week!

Hope everyone had a nice weekend. We pretty much stayed home, ran some errands, had dinner with friends, and (mostly David) did some work around the house. Chloe got to soak up a little sun in short spurts outside and we all took a nice long walk through the neighborhood yesterday. There is so much promise in the flowers and plants bursting out all over. Our rhubarb is quickly becoming fat with leaves and stalks, and David and I took some time to tie up our raspberry canes for the year. Soon it will be warm enough to plant seasonal vegetables – I can’t wait!

Bloch Baby Shoes

Published on March 28, 2009 in Baby. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , .

I remember my very first pair of ballet slippers. It was preschool, and unlike the room full of little girls wearing pink slippers, mine were black. I asked my mother about this when I got a little older. She said they were purchased by my grandmother, who figured that the different color would never get them mixed up with the other girls’ shoes. A very practical decision, but not one I appreciated at the time. Needless to say, by the time I was making my own decisions, I always chose pink after that.

These memories were brought to mind by the new baby styles by Bloch, the famous dance footwear company. They have expanded into fashion footwear for women, girls and babies. I love the idea of Chloe in little flats and a tulle skirt, someday twirling around the living room (or a dance studio). Even if she doesn’t need real ballerina slippers, these pretty shoes would sure be fun.

Via Design Mom

Postscript: I emailed the Bloch rep and she replied that a few online places to try were ronrobinson.com,  madisonandfriends.com and chickdowntown.com, but I found a better web site for online viewing at Bohemia.com (UK).

Swap Package

Published on March 26, 2009 in Pretty Things and handmade. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

I just want to share this amazing swap package that I found in the mail yesterday. It is from Pina, my thoughtful blog pal from Slovenia. The photo just doesn’t do justice to the fine details in her handmade creations – the lovely pouch with pink button and felt bird, the sweet scent of lavender from the felted stone, the perfectly chosen fabric on the elephant softie for Chloe, plus a gorgeous bar of dark chocolate to boot! See how talented she is?! Thank you so much Pina. You inspire me with your talent and generosity!

Sharing Breastmilk

Published on March 26, 2009 in Baby. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

The first time I heard about modern-day sharing of breastmilk was at a New Mom’s group I attended about a month after Chloe was born. I only went once, but I remember one of the mother’s sharing how she could not produce enough milk, and was getting milk donated from another mother who made more than enough for her own baby. At the time, I felt surprised. Would I share that kind of information if it was me? Would I choose donated milk (if it was available) over formula, if I couldn’t breastfeed? I never had to think about these things, because I didn’t have any problems with my milk supply, but I know that many mothers do. The more I thought about it, the more I was amazed at the generosity of the donating mother. It isn’t just milk she is donating, but also the times it took to pump it daily, the extra work her body had to do to produce it, and all while caring for her own child and household. I can’t help but think of what a truly selfless act that is. Instead of just waiting for her supply to level out (as mine did after a couple months), she decided to use what she had to help someone else.

The above thoughts were brought to mind when I read about actress Selma Hayek breastfeeding a stranger’s starving baby in Africa. She has never been one of my favorite actresses (although she was great in Frida), but I find myself now having a whole new respect for her.

Link via Milk Station

Dear Chloe, 4 Months Old

Published on March 24, 2009 in Baby. 0 Comments Tags: , .
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I love how this shot almost captures the dark silver-grey of Chloe’s eyes right
now. She is laying on the pink quilt made by her Great-Aunt Diane. The blue
quilt on top is David’s, from when he was a baby, made for him by his Aunt Marci.

Dear Chloe,

You are four months old today. I don’t know where to begin with all the changes we’ve noticed in you this past month. You now smile regularly, and stretch, and occasionally blow raspberries. You are certainly more alert, more vocal, and have better coordination. You’ve taken to kicking your feet and waving your arms like a little rockstar. We have to time our kisses carefully or risk getting a black eye or our teeth knocked out.

You’re doing a lot of rolling from your back onto your stomach, even in your sleep. Then you realize that is definitely NOT the outcome you expected. Since you seem to have forgotten how to roll back, you loudly cry in protest until one of us turns you over. And then you do it again.

You’ve developed some consistent nap times. The first is around noon and then again around 4pm. Evenings are pretty much still up in the air. Your naps range from 20 minutes to almost two hours, but you’ll wake several times and need to be comforted back to sleep. You always fall asleep on your side with both hands up by your face. I’m not sure if you’re trying to block out the light or protecting against the unwanted escape of your pacifier.


Chloe enjoying a little sitting up in the bumbo seat.

On Mondays we’ve started attending Baby Time at the library. I think this is the highlight of your week. We sing songs and read books (sort of). You are the youngest, but you LOVE to watch the other babies. You find their antics and movements endlessly fascinating. On Fridays we join a lunchtime playgroup with other mothers on our block. Unfortunately, attending means altering your nap schedule, which makes you extra cranky at night.

Your favorite place is still your changing table, and your favorite object is still your pacifier followed closely by your winkel. Your least favorite thing used to be the car seat, but you’re slowly becoming more tolerant of it.

Next week your Grandma Sandy is coming to visit for a few days. We’re all practically shivering in anticipation. Mommy and Daddy will get to go out to dinner alone for the first time since you were born and you’ll have someone fun to play with! Lots to look forward to.

Love you to peices sweetie,
Mom

Chloe specs 3/27/2009: Weight 12lbs. 3oz, Height 24.25″, Head 15.5″

Doggy Surgery

Published on March 23, 2009 in Barkley. 2 Comments Tags: , .

It’s official. I took Barkley to the vet for a second opinion, and yes, it was agreed that he has ruptured his cruciate ligament. It is why he’s been limping so much. The vet could feel how his muscles have atrophied on the one leg from disuse. Sadly, the recommended “fix” is $2500-$3500 worth of x-rays and surgery. Ugh. Such bad timing. David actually said it best when he noted that if it was one of us human family members, we wouldn’t hesitate about the surgery. I went ahead and scheduled the x-rays for Wednesday to confirm the diagnosis and set us up for the following procedures. I just hope that it will work.

Felt Flower Hair Clip Giveaway!

Published on March 22, 2009 in Baby, Crafts & Sewing, Etsy and handmade. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

I finally found some time to make some new hair clips! These are just so fun. I can’t wait until Chloe has enough hair. Meanwhile it gives me plenty of time to build up my stash, since I’ve been giving most away as little gifts. I also decided to add a few to my sorely neglected etsy shop, and included a couple with matching cards:


Would you like to win the white felt flower hair clip in the top photo? Leave a comment below on this post and I’ll announce a random winner next weekend. Good Luck!

WTF?

Published on March 19, 2009 in Life. 0 Comments

This is messed up. I mean, really. Who does this?

Newborn ‘left behind’ on NZ plane

Bag Tag

Published on March 14, 2009 in Life and Pretty Things. 0 Comments

I saw this bag tag on Koala Fuzz and thought I’d play. Here are the rules for the tag:

  1. Post a picture of whatever bag you are using today – not last weekend when you and your hubby went out to that fabulous restaurant. No cheating!!!
  2. Tell us how much it cost. This is a no-judgment zone — there will be no ridiculing or eye rolling here. And, if there is a story to go along with how you obtained it, tell us.

Here is a quick-and-dirty photo of my bag. It’s a chocolate suede Cole Haan that I’ve had for about 4 years. I bought it at the Nike Employee store during a brief freelancing stint for Brand Jordan, the fall after I graduated. I loved it on site. I can’t remember how much I paid, but it was dirt cheap compared to retail. I hardly used it that first year, thinking it was just “so fancy.” I mostly use this bag in the fall and winter, and other bags for summer. Actually, I should also be showing a photo of the brown leather Coach wristlet that I got for my birthday. It belonged to my mother-in-law and I admired it the last time she was here for a visit, so she gave it to me. I use it when all I want to carry is my phone, lip balm and card wallet. Unfortunately, it is in Chloe’s diaper bag, which is in the car, and I’m not feeling motivated to go out and get it in this weather. It is pretty cool, though.

I’m not going to tag anyone, but please let me know if you decide to play along!

Wild Child

Published on March 11, 2009 in Baby. 0 Comments Tags: .

Yesterday was a tough one. David and I are sick with sore throats and sniffles, and Chloe is dealing with some of the same. Last night she cried and cried for hours, and nothing from our usual bag of tricks could calm her down. She skipped her nap and wouldn’t eat. It was close to midnight before she finally settled down, her breathing hitched with exhaustion.

It really sucks not knowing how to help your baby when she is that upset. You would do anything to help her be happy again, if only you knew what to do. But you don’t, because she is just a baby and can’t communicate any better. And so you guess, and hope, and try everything you can think of. And rack your brain for any other solutions. All the while your baby continues to wail her heart out (and your ears off), her little body rigid and sweaty in your arms.

Then comes morning. Mom and dad are exhausted, but baby seems back to normal except for the red marks on her face where she has scratched herself. She smiles and you wonder how this charming, sweet-natured child could possilbly be the same little hellion from the evening before. And you hope that an occurence like that won’t happen again, although you know that it probably will.

Photos taken during today’s “tummy time.”

Notebook Giveaway Winners

Published on March 9, 2009 in Life. 0 Comments

Congratulations to Lera and Pina, the winners of the notebook giveaway! Please email me your addresses to paperseed [at] gmail so I can send them out. Thanks to everyone who left a comment and to everyone that made the switch to this new site. I’m still figuring out how to do things, but little by little it should shape back up. I really enjoyed taking a look at all your sites, too. Stay tuned for the next giveaway!

Modern Birth Announcements

Published on March 5, 2009 in Baby. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

Recently Patti left a comment asking what we did for birth announcements. I was embarrassed to admit that although we took the time to design our own, we never took the time to got them printed. Sad. Instead, we copped out and included a photo of our new family in our Christmas cards.

Etiquette experts generally say that sending a birth announcement up to 3 months afterward is fine, but I feel kind of weird doing it now. But if I did, and didn’t go with my own design, I’d love to use one of these online birth announcement sites:

Tiny Prints
They’ve gotten a lot of press lately, but they sure have some cute designs. I’ve seen several printed examples, including a holiday card, this birth announcement and my own baby shower invite (thanks Greta!), which all looked really nice. The branches with pink blossoms design below was the inspiration for the painting that Grandma Sandy painted on the wall in Chloe’s nursery.

Minted
I first learned about Minted via the Project Nursery Blog. Back when Chloe was born they were running a 10% off special, except there weren’t any designs that David and I could agree on. They have gorgeous letterpressed wedding invites and even offer professional calligraphy.

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Metro Baby Cards
I would say their tagline “Modern. Funky. Unique.” is pretty apt. I love that they offer coordinating return address labels. Their personalized baby Thank You cards are worth a look, and they also have birthday, baptism, holiday and shower cards.

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Updated 12/05/2009 to add: Paperculture

It's about (denim) time…

Published on March 4, 2009 in Life. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

I finally did it. I bought a new pair of jeans to fit the “now” me. I still can’t fit into any of my pre-pregnancy pants and I am SO TIRED of wearing maternity pants. They are so ill-fitting that I’m constantly having to pull them up with one hand while holding the baby in the other. I feel like those skater kids who wear their pants so baggy that they’re always showing you their boxers. Or like I have plumber’s butt. And maybe I do, but I don’t want to show it! Actually, I have less than 10 pounds left to go, but it is a lot when it comes to having my old pants fit again. Sigh.

So, on Sunday David watched the baby and I ran over to Ross. I had less than an hour, so I headed straight to the jean section, grabbed my limit in dark wash, mid-rise, boot-cut denim and had a marathon fitting in the dressing room (of course, I also spared 5 minutes for the baby aisle where I found the cutest little brown and white dress with bright blue ric-rac, but I digress…). Eight pairs later I found a few that mostly fit and brought them home. Jeans are just one of those clothing items that are best with a second opinion. Without knowing, David chose the most expensive pair (a half-price DKNY with a little stretch), over the utility Levi’s and the $7.99 Old Navy jeans (ironic, but an actual Old Navy store was only a few doors down). So I finally have a pair that fits. Yay! For now anyway.

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