Quirky

(grace's self portrait, wearing her smock).

grace eileen is the original quirkmeister, and i often find myself wondering where the hell she came from. but wondering it in a nice and awestruck way...we often say "where did she learn that?" or "how does she come up with these things." oftentimes her vocal stylings revolve around the topics of genetailia, or relationships between people (i.e. "mama, I'M your GRANDFATHER now!!!"), or my prenatal checkups (she said to the doctor last week "you're going to check my mama's beegine AGAIN!?!?") anyway, her newest quirk involves talking on the phone and lulls in conversation. lately, whenever she feels uncomfortable with a silence in a conversation (like on the telephone) or at the thanksgiving dinner table, she repeatedly states "so, like...a couple weeks ago...so, like, a couple weeks ago..." it's the most hilarious thing i've ever seen, because it's accompanied by uncomfortable giggling under her breath, something you see grown adults do when they want to jump out of their skin during a conversation. she may have learned it from me but i can't recall doing this. regardless, it's freaking hilarious and i love her.

xo

self portrait tuesday

exploration of identity: pregnant

i figured since i'm down to the wire here as far as this pregnancy goes, i'd post another pregnant self portrait. i took this last week at a fancypants coctail party, right before i literally busted out of the dress...i'm talking ripped fabric and all. nothing too traumatic, but it makes for a funny story. that happened right after eating an obscene amount of roast beast and drinking shirley temples like water.

and a little p.s.

if everyone out there could please wish for me to go into a quick and peaceful labor, preferably by tomorrow morning, that would be just peachy. as long as i have time to jump in the shower and wash my bum beforehand, there will be no complaining from this mama.

xo!

i'm punished but productive

my scarf to wear to the hospital when i deliver joey...my purling experiment, and my stockinette debacle all rolled into one piece...-


my advent stockings for wee gracie eileen...all hung and named. johnny was more excited about these than gracie and i put together...he named them all. we put a tiny ornament in each one for gracie to open each day of december. she has her own christmas tree in her tiny, unheated room (i know, abuse! but we have our priorities here at gilbertland, and christmas is high on the list. heat, however...) and she can put an ornament on each day-

a (very bad) closeup of both shaun and sara's log cabin wedding quilt (done entirely by johnny) and crystal's pincushion with tiny handmade pushpins (that would be my project.)



a glimpse of secret herbal christmas treats-

crystal's wrapped treat-


for some reason, i can't get out of my own way lately and post, but at least i've been productive during my blogging siesta, with lots of crafting and eating and lazing around on the couch with my swollen ankles and pie-filled belly. here are some of the things i've been working on...(see above).

i do have to give credit to soulemama for most of my creation ideas lately (i always make sure not to take credit when friends tell me how crafty i am and ask "how do you think up these things!?!") also, i've taken some ideas from wee wonderfuls as well, along with many others that should go nameless right now because i'm so freakin' tired.
if you really are curious who else inspires me, check out my linkies on the left. i get daily inspiration from all the wonderful peeps out there in cyberspace who freakishly craft and think and process continuously. thank you.

also, one last thought...i just finished reading the epic novel "a fine balance" and it was AMAZING. and i've moved on to "julie and julia," a nonfiction book about a smarty-pants woman who decides to cook every recipe in julia child's "mastering the art of french cooking" in 365 days. makes me feel jealous that i'll never be as witty and wonderful a writer. but such a freakin' good book. about to jump into bed right now (and if you could see my ankles, you'd know i'm not really doing much jumping lately) and read, read, read. and drool.

self portrait tuesday

much more updating to come, esp. craft related...but in the meantime, here's my picture for SPT. me, far away, in my own world, knitting my scarf to wear to the hospital to deliver joey (which is now officially completed) in my dad's leaf-covered backyard.

that stinkin' face

little mug

it's been craftcentral here in gilbertland, finishing up projects and doing it up christmas style. got tons done today and feeling great. joey is down low and he's in position! his heartbeat was a bit fast yesterday due to too much coffee and not enough water. looking forward to date-night tonight, taking john out for conversation without the littleone! grace has been a challenge this week...very demanding, whining, very high and low. i need mama time, i need crafty time tomorrow at spark with jo, i need coffee and magazines without crying and "ouch, he hurt me, she hurt me, i want 'nola, mama, where are you!?!" very excited about the weekend.

but how can i be mad at that face? ;)

xo

babyjoe's sprinkle, gracie style

almost two weeks have passed since babyjoey's "sprinkle" at my mom's house, but i couldn't let too much time go by without posting all these wonderful pictures taken by gracie, even though they took me forever to upload to blogger. i want to honor all those who took the time to make the day completely perfect. i'm still flying high from all the great women and men who i have in my life and who want to share in every experience with us. thank you steph for all your hard work and everything else you do.

stealing pics

don't have much time to post right now, as my bowl of granola is getting soggy downstairs, but i have to steal this picture from emily
it's one of my favorites from the weekend. i love that emily made grace her shirt and she still fits into it. i love sitting around the table with friends in jammies and eating and eating and eating. i love drinking 30 cups of coffee amongst 5 adults.

xo

self portrait tuesday

another one of grace's shots- her mama, tired but completely happy

who would've thought i'd ever be caught wearing a sweatshirt?

haven't updated in a while, but more to come, hopefully later today during naptime.

xo

self portrait tuesday in three parts

again, a bit of cheating because grace took these pictures, but since she's technically a part of me, that's got to count for something, no? this month's theme is exploration of identity and for me, this series sums it up right about now. picture #1 shows john's ironing literally hanging over my head, which i find hilarious, because i rarely ever iron but oftentimes feel like i should. in the foreground you see a huge pot of homemade yumminess, and in the background, my crazy-painted house and clutter everywhere. this girl has got her priorities straight.

another grace shot of her pink sweater, the bottom of my skirt, and one of her little toys at her uncle boo's house. the toy overlaps my skirt, covering me in gracie-ness.

shot #3, also taken by the littleone...a shot of her legs as i pull her up onto my lap to get her shoes off, right before a diaper change. i love this picture, it may be one of my all-time favorites. i love that it probably means nothing to everyone else out there, but holds such significance to me.

xo

hope everyone has great tuesdays!

to em and boo

i want to plan a pre-xmas but xmas celebration weekend for us, but need some date suggestions...it doesn't necessarily have to be the whole weekend, but a day we can all hang out and drink hot beverages and open presents and hopefully make cards and finish up last-minute crafting gifts and help boo with his lack of craftiness and catch up before the crazy holidays and arrival of babyjoe. maybe we can have some sort of seance where we try and break my water prematurely. let me know what works for you guys and what doesn't. i'm sure our schedules are going to fill up pretty quick.

xo

also, em, or anyone else who may know...
where can i find those cool "handmade by" tags for craft projects that have that antique look to them? everyone has them and i want some!

yesterday

city adventures

haven't posted words in a bit...getting through another emotional funk, but feeling fine now. thank you so much to boo for talking with me and taking ultimate care of me, and my dad (not that he reads this) for driving me simultaneously crazy and keeping me sane all at once, and treating me to hot chocolate and hummus and pita bread when i think i just can't get through the week. yesterday's family day adventure took us into the city for gyros and walking and hat shopping and fall foliage looking through parks. grace is an amazing two year old and she's oftentimes funner than hanging out with adults. she kept us laughing and amazed at her wittiness and silliness and love for nature, picking up fairy treats and acorns and sticks that she called "magic paintbrushes". there should be a law about pregnant people walking around the city in high-heeled boots, but i looked damn cute. off for sprinkle adventures today...looking forward to seeing family and friendies. cameras are charged and ready with new film!

xo

and thanks to melissa for your wonderful over-the-top response to my jewelry email...i can't wait to start shopping around for beads! as you can see from above picture, i recently purchased chunkyfunky necklace on www.etsy.com and i'm completely obsessed with it. it makes me look more like frida khalo than i'd like to admit...my friend crystal would be proud!

photo series 3: snowballs and yarnballs

the first snow...this past weekend in newburyport, finished off with hot lentil soup at home-