A Little More Done Before I Pop...

Well, about 3 weeks left until my due date, but my wishful thinking makes me feel as though she'll come early. That's my hope anyway, because I am really struggling with the aches and pains lately! Here are some self-portraits I did a couple weeks ago. I really need to have my sister or husband take some of me, but if that doesn't happen, at least I've done a few myself.

I've also gotten a few more things done in the nursery. I found this wonderful, HUGE paper doll on Ebay. She's almost 3 feet tall, and looks like what I could envision Baby Girl to look like one day, if she has my dark hair and blue eyes.

One task I can cross off my to-do list from the last post is recovering the glider. I mixed vintage pink "popcorn" chenille with pale yellow striped chenille around the edges. It came out really cute and comfy!
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I painted this shelf and hung it by the window. The three little figures on the top are all nightlites that give off a soft pink glow at night. I keep rearranging the knick-knacks between all the shelves in the room, but for now, this is where this group resides.

I've also done some art in the kids' book. The first is in the Baby's book, just about how hard it is to wait for her birth:

And the second is also about waiting, since that's really the main focus of my life right now! But I also included a pocket to hold some notes written to her. I belong to a small bible study group, and they threw me a little shower where they each wrote a note to the baby.

The last page is in Riley's book. He is learning to write his letters and spell his name, as well as all the letter sounds. So I had him write his name and did a page around it. This is the final page in this journal for him, then I'll be starting a new book for him. Once the baby comes, I'm going to need to simplify these journal pages for a while, because doing books for three kids is going to kill me! This spread was really quick and easy to do, so I may use this sort of layout as a kind of formula in his next book, and see how it goes.

And finally, although my thrift-shopping has slowed a bit, since I can't handle being on my feet much, I've still managed to accumulate a stash in the past few weeks. I found these three cuties a couple days ago at a local thrift shop:

And I did some antique/thrift shopping with my mother in North Carolina a couple weeks ago, and came home with all these goodies!



Alright, that's all to show for now. If I'm lucky, this baby will come soon, and my next post will be about her! But is she decides to be a slowpoke and waits a while, I'll try to post once more. I'm working on refinishing her dresser, so that's still to come!

Pre-Baby To-Do List

Checked Off on the To-Do List

1. Get to the "uncomfortable every minute of the day" stage of pregnancy (these photos are from 29 wks, and I'm now at 33 wks, so even bigger...). CHECK!




2. Reorganize Noah's room into a "big boy room" in order to move the crib into the new baby's room. This includes:

2a. Attempt to throw out some "hints" about "big boy" things to do (like picking up toys). CHECK!


2b. Take apart the crib bumper I made him when he was born, and turn it into a toddler bed quilt. CHECK!

2c. Rearrange the room multiple times and rehang everything on the walls in order for everything to fit properly. CHECK!

3. Reorganize Riley's room into a "BIG big boy room" in order to move the toddler bed into Noah's room. This includes:

3a. Rearrange the room multiple times and rehang everything on the walls in order for everything to fit properly. CHECK!

4. Begin decorating New Baby's room. This includes:

4a. Have Husband paint walls lavender and pale yellow. CHECK!

4b. Finish making curtains. CHECK!

4c. Outfit crib: Find crib bumper at thrift store that matches color scheme perfectly so that I don't have to make one from scratch. CHECK! Repurpose twin-size bedskirt found in thrift store into crib-size bedskirt so that I don't have to make one from scratch. CHECK!

4d. Crafty projects: Repurpose vintage high chair into doo-dad holder over changing table. CHECK! Make frames for cute felt animals from Jenny. CHECK!


4e. Generally decorate and hang cute vintage things around room. ALMOST CHECK! (still a few more things to do, but getting there)

5. Find time to do some journal spreads in the kids' books. This includes:

5a. Spread in Riley's book about how his eyes have turned from blue to olive green. CHECK!

5b. Spread in Noah's book about his new "big boy" bed and the kitty companion that seemed to accompany the bed. CHECK!

5c. Spread in Baby's book about this stage in the pregnancy. CHECK!

6. Prepare for and teach all-day workshop at library (mentioned a couple posts ago). CHECK! (the class went great, and I was the recipiant of this lovely gift from one of my students-thanks, Jane!)

Not Yet Checked Off on the To-Do List

1. Convert Riley's toddler bed quilt into a twin-size quilt (this one is low on the priority list, but still bothers me)

2. Refinish, paint, and find knobs for Baby's dresser. (I'm thinking about painting it lavender and putting vintage decals on some of the drawers)

3. Recover rocking chair in Baby's room. (I've ordered a vintage pink chenille bedspread from Ebay to use for fabric- just waiting for it to arrive)

4. Despite the reminder sign in Noah's room, get the kids to ACTUALLY pick up their toys! Bending over and picking up toys is definitely not a fun thing to do at this stage of pregnancy!

Slowly Working on a Nursery...

Well, it's been a slow-going month since my last post-we were out of town for a week, then had a houseguest for another couple weeks, then add to that the fatigue and laziness of pregnancy in general, and well, you get the idea! Not as much artwork and girl-y decorating to show as I'd like, but still some fun things!

First, I'd really like to thank everyone for your congrats on my great news from the last post. It has sunk in somewhat by now, but I'm still floating on air about having a little girl! And thank you for all the fabric source tips. I had forgotten about some of those, and I was able to find the perfect fabric for the nursery curtains!

Isn't this just the cutest? It's from ReproDepot, and I love it!

I added ruffles, and may add a valance to the top. I'll decide once I hang them up.
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I'm currently waiting to "gain possession" of the room which will be the nursery. My husband is using it as an office, and is in the process of moving upstairs, but until then, I can't actually begin decorating. It's agonizing, because I've been accumulating so many cute girl things, and I don't have anywhere to put them yet!!

And speaking of cute things, take a look at this stash I recently received from Kari!! She and I did a personal swap, and she found the cutest things for me!

Here is a closer shot. She included a to-die-for baby blanket with vintage nursery rhyme fabric, which I now realize isn't really visible in this photo, unfortunately. Also, another knit (crochet?) baby blanket, a little doll's quilt, adorable wall hangings, and lots of fun ephemera! What a wonderful package to open!!

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Then, here are some of my own vintage finds from the past month, most which will make their way into the baby's room as well. I found the wicker baby bassinet (that is holding everything), as well as a vintage wicker changing table that I love. I didn't take a photo of that yet, but you'll see it once it's in the room.

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Oh, hurry up, Husband!! I'm chomping at the bit to get in there and start arranging this stuff!

The little dog and the little lamb are actually nightlights- so precious! I found them on Etsy from two different sellers, but they match each other perfectly!

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Unfortunately, I haven't had the motivation to get into the studio much and work in the kid's journals. I really need to get working on that, because I know once New Baby comes, I'll have even less time, and I don't want to get behind! I did manage to do a spread in Noah's book though:

Being a second child, he is just so much more advanced than Riley was at his age. He knows all his shapes, even fairly complex ones, and he loves playing with toys that focus on them.

And of course I also managed to do a spread in New Baby's book! Hey, I haven't been able to work with pink for a long time, and I'm taking advantage!

These pages are about how I still can't quite believe that I'm finally going to have a girl. I literally am still in awe! All the ephemera on these pages are from Kari- thanks again, Kari!

The spread is also about the dozens of little pink dresses I've bought thus far for her! Goodwill isn't just good for vintage collectables- every time I go, I also spoil myself by spending time in the baby girl clothes aisle! My little girl is going to be outfitted almost exclusively in 99 cent outfits from thrift stores, and she's going to look great! So many cute clothes there, both modern and also lots of sweet vintage!

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Okay, that's all I've got to show today. Hopefully, by next time I post, I'll be well on my way to decorating the nursery, and will also have some more artwork to show. Poor Riley hasn't had a new page in his book for several weeks! Hope you all have a good week!