the frames - "before"

Now to fill the frames!

Here’s my inspiration for the embroidery hoops with fabric – I’ll use the round frames to do this:

Here’s some of the artwork I’m narrowing down – let me know what you think!

Whimsical Owl painting – print of an original mixed media painting/drawing over a vintage owl print, printed on 8.5 x 11

Printspace’s What a Lovey Day 8″x10″ signed open edition giclée art print

Another by Printspace – Green Birds – 8″x10″ signed open edition giclée art print

Yumiyumi‘s Party of Nine – 8.5X11 inches.

As for the three smaller frames (4×6), I’m not sure what to do there. Maybe I’ll be inspired to make my own art and/or do some embroidery…

For a mobile over the crib, I was thinking about just moving Sophia’s cranes (here is her nursery) in to the new baby’s room. But knowing her, she will not like that idea. So, I saw these paper poms from Pom Love that come in a set of five (2 large poms at 18″, 2 medium poms at 14″, & 1 small pom at 9″) that I could hang up, maybe hanging from a a branch to bring in some “nature” aspect. The color options are lovely. I’m thinking about…

turquoise - since I didn't paint the dresser this color

Maybe marigold

or lemon?

oasis?

Lots of ways to bring some more color into the room. Now to just make a decision…

Sophia did enjoy testing out the tents, unfortunately, she tested them out while we were putting them together (or trying to – it’s been a few years since we’ve actually used the camping gear, ever since we got the airstream). But she sure enjoyed riding her bike around, making impish faces at Momma, while Daddy stained the baby’s dresser.

Yes, we went with staining it, even though I really wanted to paint it. It’s what we had here, ready to go. Ready to go means it could actually go inside the house sooner, and the endless boxes of baby clothes could be unpacked. It does mean we have to use drawer handles instead of knobs, to cover both holes, sadly. But maybe I’ll do some knobs on the top drawer, just to spice things up. And you know what – after the baby is here – if I change my mind – I can always paint it!

And in the baby’s room, the day bed was taken apart and moved out to the porch…requiring a small reorganization and cleaning of the porch. Always a good thing. Sophia and I rather like the bed on the porch for impromptu naps. We need it – especially since our neighbor brought us a wagon-load of plants…which I’ll have to plant sometime this week.

The crib was also put together in the baby’s room and I rearranged the furniture a bit. It’s definitely coming together – and to compensate for not painting the dresser, I’m going to make a slipcover for the chair. It’s a nice blue color, but the chair itself is looking a bit ratty. I still need to figure out what to use my fun bird fabric for – it’s too light-weight for a slipcover. Perhaps the changing table pad.  Decisions, decisions, decisions!

On the pregnancy front, here’s what 31+ weeks looks like:

perhaps i shouldn't be wearing stripes...I was pretty exhausted at this point

The morning sickness has turned into nausea, which is an improvement (would you rather throw up all the time or just feel like throwing up occasionally? I thought so). I’m not longer eating everything in sight, which is kinda nice.  And baby is super active all the time – really. Movements, kicks, you name, this kid is doing it! Not so great at 2 am, but hey.  It’s nice to know this little one likes his or her current home. It I’m just trying to enjoy the joys of carrying this little one inside me for awhile longer, knowing we aren’t planning on having more than two kids. Because once they start to outnumber you, well, life is hard enough!

the sanded dresser

Perhaps instead I’ll paint it a turquoise color similar to the lamp I found at Target? Maybe add a design to the front?  Something like this?

by twice lovely

We don’t know if we’re having a boy or a girl. Does turquoise work for both? I think so. I suppose we could always eventually strip the paint if we (or the new baby) get tired of the color. More work eventually, but I am really liking this idea. Just have to convince Jon…

I do think the color would work in the room, with the fabrics and whatnot I’ve chosen. Not that I’ve had any time to do anything in the room, being sick and all. But I did put together a board on pinterest…interested in checking it out?

I made this blanket with some girly flannel fabric from SAS and the voile is from Anna Maria Horner.

Now, I’m not very fond of pink, but I know Ladd and Robb painted Rowan’s room a shade of pink called teaberry that goes with this blanket perfectly. I’ve been assured that their little girl is going to have lots of pink…what’s one more thing? It will keep her cozy.

there's been much napping in momma's bed

Jon and I both had to work this weekend (but not at the same time thankfully). I did feel well enough for a short while on Sunday to make Sophia a Valentine’s day dress (which she didn’t get to wear to school today, since she had to stay home). She did get wear it out to a work-related dinner we went to on Sunday evening. She’s quite taken with the heart-shaped felt pockets. She paired the dress with pink tights and dark pink shoes.  Quite lovely. It’s just a simple peasant dress, made with fabric found last month at Jo-Ann’s.

sophia's valentine dress

heart-shaped pockets - sophia's valentine dress

There’s snow on the mountains and it’s quite cold outside. I’m enjoying the cold, knowing that before we know it, it will be hot! A nice pot of soup is on the stove simmering away. Sophia has more energy than anything I’ve seen, so she’s playing while I try to get some work done for classes tomorrow. I’ll post a link to my work blog so you can see what we’re up to – I’m really excited about it.

We won’t be going up to Phoenix this weekend to take care of my mom during her foot surgery as planned, thanks to this lingering sickness – and Sophia and I are really disappointed. Let’s hope this round of sickness passes soon. Oh, and did I mention my morning – or rather, all-day sickness is back?

making brownies

And even more of this (which is good if you saw the above-photo)…

And then some of this arrived!

Anna Maria Horner fabrics!!!

Good things indeed!

Sophia and I, although still sick, decided to do some straightening up around the garden. We had a large number of agaves and plants that needed to get in the ground, courtesy of our neighbor. We (I) dug holes for everything and got them tucked in nicely around the pond (Sophia is rather good at filling the holes in…while I dig them).

After our nap, we decided to visit the neighbors to see if their chicken coop revamp was finished. Their five chickens were eaten by a visiting bobcat a couple of weeks ago.  I gave them some of our super strong wire we used on our coop to help fortify the coop. They had finished it – and were ready for some chickens. I had offered to give them five of our so they wouldn’t have to raise chicks and wait for eggs. After giving us more plants for the garden – we were off to wrangle chickens!

sophia says good bye to the chickies!

our neighbor's newly improved - and hopefully - bobcat-proof chicken house

We had plans with friends this weekend that ended up were cancelled, since Jon woke up rather sick on Saturday. He gradually got worse throughout the day, with fever & chills, so we knew dinner wasn’t going to happen. He was better on Sunday, but spend the day resting. Sophia and I did some more gardening and them I spent most of the afternoon trying to exhaust her so she would take a nap! She finally went down for a short while in the later afternoon, but I woke her up so she wouldn’t sleep for too long.

We switched on the tv to catch the score of the Super Bowl and instead got the halftime show of Madonna.  Sophia immediately got off the couch and announced “I’ve gotta dance!” Well, okay then! After another great episode of Downton Abbey – it was off to bed! Hope your weekend was nice and slow too!

They have been designing and planning this rack for months (or so it seems like). Jon did all kinds of research and trips to local storage looking for things like unistrut and the bolts that hold it together. Dad made plans to borrow a welder. They drew and drew and drew designs.  And just like that, their vision came together after one long weekend of work.

dad welding away...

Jon is still painting the truck rack silver and he needs to apply the clear-coat (top-coat?) to the rack.  He also found a truck box on craiglist that is in the process of getting painted – another place to store manly tools and whatnot. And best of all – he’s found a possible 18-foot kayak to look at in town!

Thanks for your help Dad! Oh, and I heard something about flexible metal pouches to attach to the rack to hold large loads firewood (i.e.: more fabricating & welding?)  Is another project in the works?

***updated: my mom requested a picture of the rack actually on the truck..

Sophia and I are both sick with sinus infections this week – and Sophia has her first ear infection to boot. We’ve been taking it easy, trying to get better. A pot of lentil soup is simmering on the stove. And I’m desperate to breathe through my nose someday again.