Almost 15 weeks

This time around I dropped the ball again on taking timely pictures of how Im growing.  At least I have one per trimester so far...  Some mornings it seems like I start out looking pretty normal but after a couple small meals I pop out.  I've been so good about eating well having learned how horrible it is to let yourself gain 60 lbs.  I am greatly helped by the colitis induced lactose intolerance- no more ice cream cones 4 times a day =(  Tons of fresh fruits and veggies and occasional meat.  Lots of shopping at trader joe's and a little bit at whole foods.  Makes such a difference!!

I've also made so many things lately!  Feeling amazingly creative now that two and a half solid months of 24/7 nausea and extreme exhaustion are over with.  I think I'm just so appreciative of being able to DO ANYTHING!  of course I have not really  photographed anything yet to be listed but we're talking in the range of 50 necklaces and a lot of amazing pairs of leather tassel earrings that I sold a lot of around christmas.  With temps being in the 70's all week I should be able to go out and get some of these things taken care of.

In two days I'll be three months! Conceived under the new moon this one is due on a new moon. Nova came a few days before her due date, to be born on the new moon. Definitely a theme going on here.

Gaia Conceptions Giveaway

I'm gonna enter every contest I see and win something one day!! I've always admired this designer because she uses organic materials,.hand dyes, and is right here in NC!

I'm going to be living in skirts and dresses this summer since I'll be possibly incredibly uncomfortable getting a huge belly. A belly which will hopefully be filled with a girl.  I imagine this skirt would be perfect with a simple super stretchy tank top. 

Visit Roots and Feathers for your chance to enter

New things

Been super busy! Finally! again? I feel like I already did a post about finding a great mix of mom and artist. Oh well. Here are some of my favorite pieces i've added to the shop. I still have a suitcase full of my lovely neck warmers. Hopefully these rarely over cast skies clear by the weekend for some pictures!

Also, all sales now til Nov 25 go to a great cause to help Vintage Church in Raleigh buy a building! Thinking about doing my first craft fair since before Nova was born. They are always so profitable!

Before and After

A quick before and after. Last September I was probably still about 170 lbs, and now I'm 149lbs but I've only recently been putting good effort into it. I was 167 six months ago and 153 a month ago.

It's gotten me excited to make more clothes and so I turned a tee I was wearing last summer into a tube top and converted some Jeans into patchwork bell bottoms.  Sort of a crappy pic but you can definitely see the outfit is awesome and that I'm thinner. Wish I had more before pics!

Tomorrow I'm making a maxi dress out of an old sheet I had originally bought for Nova dresses but she has way more clothes than I do that fit .

A time for everything

I know I've been trying to sew more and have come up with some awesome designs, but I just rarely find the time to do it when the machine won't be too loud. I have made a few necklaces this week though which feels amazing to do.  Once I get up into the studio and sit down in front of boxes of beads and other supplies my hands quickly dig in and release all this creativity that has been swelling inside. I made an amazing piece today but it needs just one more detail before I can take a picture. I'm thinking a large quartz point.

I see other moms do so much and I'm super anxious to balance the scales more and this week had been a great exercise in doing that.

Speaking of exercise, I finally am putting great effort into losing this stupid weight.  A combination of pity, exhaustion, horrific pain, and stubbornness have up to this point hindered much progress.  But I've found a lot of inspiration and the pain has subsided thanks to Divine intervention and I took a picture of myself the other day that I called my ''before pic''.  Twenty five lbs is so doable. Last year this time it was 50lbs.  Being in the 180s pregnant was hard but being in the 170s and NOT pregnant broke my heart.  I was too embarrassed to take pics with my newborn!! I've typically been in the low 120s or teens and I'm positive I'll be there again. 

Anyway, I've made time to work out at home, no excuses and now it's time to do the same for my soul and make the damn time to craft!

Oh yeah, the reason I came here tonight! To blog about a super sweet giveaway from Poor Pitiful Pearl. Go to the her page and participate for a chance to win!

$50 PPP Bucks that can be used on anything in the store { custom, sale item or already made item }, 50% off coupon towards anything in the shop + one free custom item, your pick

That is all. Goodnight.

Living in Small Spaces

Sometimes I feel like I live in a teepee. I have one large, great room where we do all our living- sleeping, playing, diaper changing, etc and the ceiling is two stories high with a spiral staircase going up. upstairs are two rooms, one is my studio and the other is a GIANT closet that serves for storage, music making, and husband dressing. Alas it is next to impossible for us to child proof an open spiral staircase and the upstairs studio at the top of it is like a loft without a solid wall. So in the interest of keeping my monkey safe, we mostly live downstairs, in the giant room beyond the kitchen.

Its nice to be so close and not separated in other rooms like a nursery.  We just took to a family bed and didn't even get a crib. She slept by me in the hospital even. Once she could roll over we made it a floor bed, which Montessori recommends.  I can catch those early morning smiles and its awesome to not have to descend stairs to pee in the middle of the night.

Bringing another person in has meant getting rid of a lot of stuff both in the name if child proofing and just plain space. Keeps me on my hoarding toes because I do love stuff, lots of it. Never met a garage sale I didn't shop.

I've made her a corner but really the whole space is hers. Colorful, interesting, and stocked with something to play with. 

I like being so close with no need for a baby monitor. I think it's how all families once lived and now are moving so far away from.