11 days old today

What fun!
(this pic was from several days ago)

the boss of me

I lost my job last week. One week before my due date, I was called and told that my job would be moved to Boise, starting in January. I was about to go on maternity leave until March, but now I'll be jobless (income-less) by December 31st. 

Without going into it (it feels like all I've talked about since last Thursday), it feels super unjust, but I can't help but feel like maybe this is a blessing in disguise. It gives me the opportunity to fantasize about making a business for myself. Could I possibly combine my love of crafting, homesteading, soon-to-be parenting and blogging into a career?

This blog might turn into another one, or I might just continue here, recording all that comes up as I venture into this new world of parenting & trying to make a life outside of the 9-5. Wish me luck. 

Oh and this website so far has given me so much hope!

mantel idea

How did I just now discover www.decor8.com?

gratuitous hair pic

because I will never be able to style it like my hairstylist does..

single dad laughing

What a powerful post.

"Be bold about your weaknesses and you will change people's lives. Be honest about who you actually are, and others will begin to be their actual selves around you."

balance

I checked out an old friend's blog today. She started it a few days ago when her husband left for an 8 month traveling job - it seems like a great way to check in with herself during a time of huge adjustment. As someone about to have a huge adjustment of my own, I thought it was a fabulous idea. I borrowed the above graphic from her website as a reminder to myself to find balance in my life during a time that will most definitely be swayed heavily in the direction of being a new mom. I couldn't be more excited about that role, but I do need to make sure I'm checking in with myself so I don't let everything else in my life go by the wayside.

My hope is to eventually make my own graph with a few different categories. But this one certainly will do for now!

week 30 belly shot

(two weeks ago)

purple and orange baby room?

Two months to go and I only last week made some decisions about the baby room. I originally thought I'd just leave it white and make the rest of the room cute with colorful accessories. I always hesitate to alter the rentals I live in for fear that I won't stay long, but the nesting must have hit full force last weekend when I got back from two weeks away. One week later and I've made some strides in the room that has been primarily a dumping ground since we moved in in April.

We moved the crib to an an inside wall, and the dresser closer to the outlet (where the crib had temporarily been placed). We bought some wooden shelves from Fred Meyer, and some really cute drapery fabric with the light-blocking fabric ($2.50/yard!) to go with it. I also decided last week that I would indeed paint the room, so I've been getting paint swatches and looking up color schemes.

I'm pretty set on painting the walls a light orange - not too peachy or yellow, which turns out to be a hard thing! I found this website today giving examples of orange room designs - this is just one (by Maria Killam) of many beautiful photos:



I like knowing the meaning & emotions some folks associate with particular colors, so I checked out orange and found the following:

"Orange, being the combination of red and yellow...exudes warmth, acts as an appetite stimulant and spreads exuberance. ...it gives an emotional uplift."

"Requires the eye to focus, therefore objects seem closer and larger."

I'll post a before and after picture once I get going on the actual work - we have two great friends visiting soon who've offered to help us paint. I'm really excited - it'll be the first room I've ever designed!



Also, check out this furniture! It makes me realize I could potentially coordinate all of the colors on the paint samples...

baby leg warmers

These are genius and I want so many! I was considering seeing if I could make some with socks - I could just hem them at the end. But in the meantime these are ADORABLE:



This image is from Baby Legs, but I've also seen them at Huggalugs.

The best part is that they fit kids from 0-6 years old. I've got to get myself one and see if it'll work to make others from socks - I could go broke buying all the different colors & patterns!

first family photo

(20 weeks - half way through!)

The Field House - Old School Teachings

http://helloblackbird.blogspot.com/search/label/Classes

I'm sad to miss the upcoming classes (whiskey appreciation-yum), but I'll definitely keep an eye out for future topics.

prego

I've been a bit distracted with the move and with the baby on the way! Here's a quick update - I am indeed getting bigger. :-)

The left side is 9 weeks, and the right was yesterday, at 15 weeks:

back to urban farming

All month I've been working on moving from the apartment I've lived in for the past six years, to a house a bit further north. The house is actually 250 square feet smaller than our current apartment, but is on about 1/3 of an acre. The house was built in 1926 by a woman named Hazel Wolf (not THE well-known Hazel Wolf, but it turns out she was very similar - progressive, also lived to over 100 years old, and was all about working the land and raising goats, chickens, crops, etc), and she lived there for 60 years before her death. It's now owned by her niece, from whom we're renting.

This blog started as a mostly urban homesteading blog, then for many reasons I turned more to crafting. While my plan is to continue with both, I'll be spending lots of my time working the land of this new house to create a more sustainable way of living. I'm totally inspired by what this land once was, and plan to enjoy it to it's fullest. As a renter it's too easy to say that I don't want to put the work in to something I don't own, but as a 36 year old who has always rented, I'm getting really sick of that excuse!

Today I found a great article with some fantastic links to Bay Area resources, but where are these resources in Seattle? I know they're out there...


After some searching, I found this. I'll be looking into more local links, so stay tuned!

More to come - the big move is this weekend and I'll post pictures as we start settling in.

on hiatus

I've definitely been on hiatus a while - lots of big changes in my life. More info to come, but once I get back into the swing of things I'll be back to updating this blog. I'm itching to craft and explore more!!

Cool Old Stuff

http://coololdstuff.com/showSite62.html

I just found this resource of a website. "Vintage Clothing: Patterns, Sewing, Textiles."

Great!

Queer Farmer Project

This is so exciting to me. Makes me want to find my farm out there..