Remembering Thinner, Less Round in the Middle Days

I wandered into my normal "Small" section in the women's department at the Goodwill the other day. I'm certain people were looking at my enormously pregnant belly and thinking that I have no business being in the small section.

I found a cute little outfit, that hopefully I'll be able to wear this fall. The linen skirt is my favorite, it's very me. Hand embroidered imported 100% linen. Love!

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When it warms up a little bit more, Burl and I would like to try making some paper outside. I'd love to try to make seed paper. Do any of you have blogs/ books/ websites you've tried and recommend for instructions?

Have a wonderful day, my friends!

Etsy Barters

Whatever happened to the bartering system? In the artist and crafting world, I feel it's still a wonderful way to conduct transactions. I'm contacted every now and then by other Etsy shop owners who would like to barter. I always accept, even if it's something I'm not that interested in.

In the case recently, I've been thrilled with the barters I've been part of! This darling little bird mobile comes from the shop Red or Gray Art. Her work is fantastic! So unique, creative and thoughtful. I can't express enough how thrilled I was with receiving her package. The quality and attention to detail was fabulous! I'm also inspired by the calmness her work brings me. Just looking through her photos and listings brings me a sense of peace.

I've also been over the moon with these birch tree candle holders. I want them all over my home!! These came from Urban + Forest. I'm inspired by the stillness and tranquility I feel from their shop and would welcome another barter with them anytime.

Beach Feet

My little guy is always barefoot. Always. It's been a struggle from the first day of his birth to keep anything on his feet. Last week while walking the beach, he stepped on a sharp rock and had a small cut under his chubby little toe. That night before bed, I put a couple drops of breast milk (it's actually more like colostrum now) on his cut and voila! The next morning it was completely healed. Magic! Having a little boy who touches everything and has cuts and scrapes all over, and having a husband who has hands that obviously show how hard he works to provide for his family, my breast milk is our version of Neosporin in our home. From eye infections to cuts and scrapes, it has benefited all three of us. Here's a great article about the additional benefits of breast milk, aside from nutrition.

I'm thrilled to be approaching the breastfeeding days again. Burl weaned earlier than I had hoped, but has been asking to nurse the past couple weeks. It's strange, in such a good way, to be nursing my 3 1/2 year old again. His latch is off, and he doesn't nurse for very long but he's still able to express what's there. I'm an adamant believer in extended breastfeeding and the many benefits it brings. And in many instances in our home lately, it's been the perfect solution to my toddler begging for any kind of sugary treat. "Mmm, tastes like candy, Mama!" It's the best kind of sugar, and you just wait little boy, it'll get even sweeter after this baby arrives!

Little Embellishments

I love wrapping tiny little packages and making them look pretty. Even more so, I love reusing found objects and giving them a new purpose. I always feel sad seeing tiny little seashells in the thrift stores, the multitude of little lives that were taken out of the sea, just to be discarded.

I was inspired by a package I recently received from the darling Etsy shop, Red or Gray Art. She makes the most lovely, meditative wabi sabi stones, among mobiles and other paper and fabric art.

I found a pretty bracelett at the thrift store, took it apart and reused the stones and shells. On Chinese Rice paper, I printed a simple "thank you", tore the little pieces, used two layers of mod podge, and voila! A simple little embellishment to pretty up any little package. In the last two pictures, I simply wrapped a small bar of soap in thrifted linen, then tied with bakers twine.

Hoping you all have time to make something pretty this weekend!

White Bread Rolls

There's this really good Italian restaurant at home in California named D'Aurilios, and they serve the best bread. I once asked for the recipe as was given a vague description with enormous proportions like "a couple handfuls of salt, about 3/4 of a 50 pound bag of flour, several cups of yeast", etc. I recently worked the recipe down to workable proportions and came up with this little recipe here. And although it tastes nothing like D'Aurilios bread, it's still a pretty good go-to recipe for white dinner rolls. They aren't the best rolls I've ever had, but they are easy to make, and tasty.

Dissolve:
1T yeast
4 T sugar
2 1/2 C water

Add:
2T vegetable oil
1T salt

Knead in:
6-8 C flour

Let rise till double. Punch down, form into rolls. Let rise again until double. Bake at 375 degrees until done.

Enjoy!

Lilacs

I stripped my Lilac tree last week. This is my first attempt at drying the blossoms. I'll let you all know how they turn out. If they do dry well, I think they would make wonderful additions to the pillows and sachets I make.

For now though, my whole house smells amazing!

Happy Monday.