In case you’re wondering, this is what the belly looks like these days:

I’m 17 weeks along, and all is well.  My energy level is much improved, which means I want to do things like paint the living room and clean up the backyard.  I will say that I hate taking my vitamin every day.  Ladies, is it common to feel that way?

I’ve been researching bento boxes too.  Emily starts preschool in the Fall, and I want to send healthy, happy lunches with her each day.  Bento lunches seem to embody all my ideals, plus they are an exercise in creativity.  Here’s a great post on Parenting to get you inspired.

While I’m sharing links, here are some great blogs that are new to me:

• I’m crazy for Pink Friday, a Swedish blog with lots of color and cheer to go around.
• Emily Henderson won Design Star on HGTV and now has a show of her own.  I like her blog.
• Nana Company has lots of pretty patchwork and inspiration.
• Bare Wunderbar is another fabulous Swedish blog with beautiful interiors and inspiration drawn from a variety of sources.

And some shops I’m loving right now:

• The Wheatfield, which you’ve probably seen, has the most beautiful watercolor prints I’ve seen anywhere.
• Pop Chart Lab is perfect for the nerd in your life, be it you or your man or your best friend.  There’s something for everyone.
• Need a new clock?  How about an old one instead!  Clockwork Universe has some of the most adorable vintage clocks I’ve seen gathered together in one shop.

Finally, I’m fully addicted to Pinterest now.  How did it take me this long?!  You can find me here.

It’s amazing to me how a thrifted wool blanket can brighten a room.  I found this one with my mother-in-law while on vacation last summer.  Can you believe it was only $15?  I couldn’t pass it up.  I think I shrunk it a bit when I washed it, despite washing it gently in cold water and laying it flat to dry.  I mean, it had to be washed, right?  Who knows how long it sat in the antiques mall before I adopted it.  Anyway.  It still fits perfectly over this settee (borrowed from my MIL… She sure is a huge help!).

Here’s a little perspective on this space, lest you think I have endless corners to share.

Yep, that’s my “sewing nook” to the right.

So far, this room seems to be more of a foyer than a living room or even a craft room, although it’s too big to just be an entryway.  It’s also lacking a closet (and we don’t have a coat tree).  So when we have guests, their coats and purses get dumped on the granny-square-covered settee.

No big deal.  It’s one of those things you worry about when you first move into a space.  Then you just cope with it.  Or buy a coat tree. :)

That’s a vintage lotus bowl you see there, found at the YMCA Thrift Store in Blacksburg.  We live a little too close to the thrift store, and we tend to visit it, ahem, every day.

Today, I want to share with you some passages from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way.  I’ve been going through this book for about 3 months now.  And I highly recommend it.

Here are four points she makes in Chapter 9 that really hit home:

1. “The need to be a great artist makes it hard to be an artist.”
2. “The need to produce a great work of art makes it hard to produce any art at all.”
3. “Do not call procrastination laziness.  Call it fear.”
4. “Use love for your [inner] artist to cure its fear.”

When I read these points, I just knew I had to share.  See what she’s saying?  You need to be kind to yourself to tap into your creativity.  I’m kind of sick of being afraid, personally.  And I just really appreciate Miss Cameron for helping me understand what’s blocking my creativity or keeping me from taking risks.

Anyway.  Happy Tuesday.  Go treat yourself. :)

(Hey, Y Thrift.  I’m looking at you.)

If you happen to have a pretty Saturday forecast, I highly recommend hitting up your local Craigslist and planning a morning of yard sale shopping.  Evan actually did all the planning for us to visit about 15 or so yard sales in our area on Labor Day Weekend.

I found this set of vintage canisters for $1.

And these Dutch clogs for $1.  I am “refashioning” them & will share again soon.

As you can see, they were $17 originally.

Before hitting the yard sales, it helps to know what kind of things you like.  Evan hunted for European board games, and I generally spent my time looking at housewares.  But a day spent looking through old clothing or books could really pay off too.

Evan thought you might like to know how he planned our trip, which was amazingly efficient.  Go to Google Maps, type in your starting address and a yard sale address, and then keep adding stops to your route.  Google Maps will do all the work for you and plan out your path.  Along the way, you’re likely to find more unadvertised sales, which is a nice bonus!

We scored a huge bag of beads for the children, a red Victorian side table, a large vintage mirror, several board games, a vintage needlepoint picture for the kids’ room, and more.  And we spent, oh, about $15! :)

Leftover scrap of embroidered dresser scarf + Very Small embroidery hoops

+ Scissors

+ Glue

= Tiny Art

The End. :)

We’re just starting to feel a bit settled here.  This corner of our bedroom is filled with favorite things: a vintage Luxo lamp ($3 at a yard sale in Blacksburg), a vintage GE alarm clock ($3.50 on eBay + $7 shipping), robin’s egg blue table ($20 at an antiques mall in Tulsa), and refashioned vintage hankie art by me (hankie = $2).  Oh, and that Liberty of London mug  is new but still a favorite ($6 at Target).

I love finding a good deal on something old and pretty.  Especially when that old, pretty thing is still quite useful.

But altering an old, pretty, and useful thing can be rewarding too. :)

I hope you enjoyed this tiny peak at our new place.  More show-and-tell to come!

New prints!

Do you find it hard to blog in the summer?

I do.  Apparently.

Here are some pretty cake plates I spied at Abingdon, Virginia’s Antiques Market last week.  I’ve never seen so many gorgeous collections in one place.

Like this display of ice cream scoops.  I feel like this collection belongs in a glass case on the wall.

And I fell in love with this small gathering of Chinese dolls.

Would you believe me if I told you I stumbled upon all of this during the lunch break of a creative writing conference?  That’s why I was there! My Mother-in-Law and I were attending a conference where the keynote speaker was Robert Olen Butler.  When we arrived, two giant tents filled with antiques were erected beside the conference center.

Like they knew we were coming. :)

Our family spent the weekend traveling up to Galena, Illinois for a family reunion.  When I say family, I mean 170+ people descending from Evan’s Grandmother.

She turned 95 yesterday.

(Happy Birthday, Grandmother Eleanor!)

Every year, the family has a huge campout.  Here’s the group:

They’re so much fun!  And I feel like I really know at least a fraction of the group.  Which is definite progress. ;)

While we were there, I ventured out to beautiful downtown Galena.

And visited some antique stores.

And showed tremendous restraint.

It was a great trip.

And now it’s time to house-hunt.

I’m here.  Really here. 

We moved halfway across the country, and then we vacationed in NC for a week.

And now I am here — here being Virginia.

It’s pretty.

All our belongings are piled in a corner of the basement.  Except our Sleep Number bed.  It’s assembled in another corner.

Oh, and the TV.  It’s at the foot of the bed.

This picture was taken on our dining table, which is covered with cords, Wal-Mart bags, the Brita container, and junkity-junk.  And a tiny space for me.