Hanging Book Display - a diy project for my fabric

I have been holding on to this fabric for almost ten years. It is just a tiny remnant, but I think that it is so cute. And I don't even really like dogs. I don't hate them, dog lovers. But you know what I mean.



I knew that I wanted to somehow try to use it in my nursery and included in as part of my original nursery inspiration. I finally decided that maybe the answer was a large pillow for my newly reupholstered chair. But I am not sure that the design would highlight the three different street scenes. They are more horizontal and are better suited for something long and skinny.



Then I saw this great Hanging Book Display thanks to ohdeedoh.



Perfect! Maybe I can have three little hanging displays to show each of the three characters. I'm pretty certain that my final piece(s) won't be this wide. But I am excited about finally having an excuse to break out the sewing machine.

Carla is the Top Chef in My Heart + Go Khoa and Denise

In the past few seasons of Top Chef, I didn't really have a favorite. But I became a huge fan of this season's DC local, Carla. Even though her presentation was clearly not the winner, I was still hoping that the judges would give it to her for cooking with soul. Check out Carla's Gracious Exit interview. Now I'm going to have to track down some of her love in her cooking. Looks good on TV!

So on to the next cooking reality show, The Chopping Block, which features another DC native and dear friend Khoa along with his cousin Denise. Denise is a lot of fun, too! When I started this blog entry, I had no idea that I was actually going to be able to embed their profile. How exciting! I can't wait to see what unfolds.



Watch it on NBC beginning March 11th (I think!).

Collaborative Projects meets Colorful Quilts

One of my very favorite baby activities has been working with my Aunt Jeannie in planning my baby quilt. Jeannie is an excellent quilter. She works and teaches classes at Sew Original in Winston-Salem. After spending a few hours with her there, I realized that her work life is probably a lot like mine at Paper Source. I asked her if everyone ohh'd and ahh'd over new fabric, as we typically react to paper in receiving each afternoon. By the end of the visit, she suggested we open a store together. Well, I do have an empty store to fill in Germanton. But a six hour commute would be very tough at this point.

I had a general idea of my color palette, which I think is generally the color palette of my life - light blues and greens with bright punches of color. I realized later, that I also used these colors for my wedding and even my web site design I created sometime last year. But I didn't really have a pattern in mind. I was leaning towards circles, which according to Jeannie, are hard.

I went to visit Jeannie at her house the day before to check out all of the fabric that she already owned. As I suspected, she has quite a collection in her sewing room. I went through piles of fat quarters and small squares, looking for swatches that jumped out at me. As my collection began to grow, we discussed possible patterns. I finally started flipping through the various pattern books and found this table runner with tea pots dancing across the quilt.



I instantly thought of my lanterns I already having hanging in the nursery. What if the teapots were lanterns instead? So I sketched out this little draft of an idea.



The lanterns are large and bright white atop a pale background. We included the hot pink and orange to match the actual tags hanging down in the room. The mouth of the lanterns are a gray shade. I have always loved gray since Gray is my middle name. Bright colored squares will dance around the lanterns like confetti. I love the small Japanese print that will be the back side of the quilt. Plus I threw in some ribbon from Paper Source, from which the quilt ribbons will hang. Perfect! We just needed a few more pieces to fill in from Sew Original.



I stopped to visit Lia in Richmond and she took me fabric shopping, as well. Not only did I buy more fabric for the quilt, but I also bought this super sweet owl material that set off a creativity fever in Lia. I can't wait to share that cute little thing with you.



When I returned home, I designed the pattern on the computer, asked Paul if he would print them out on the large copier, and taped them together. I haven't heard from Jeannie, but I hope that they made the trip to Winston via USPS.

If I weren't so excited about this quilt and lacking inspiration, I found my close second today via Apartment Therapy's Ohdeedoh! Check out Purl's Color Wheel Quilt. It is stunning!



I am SO tempted to buy a set of pre-bundled coordinated colors and try this on my own. But let's be honest. I have yet to use the sewing machine my mother-in-law gave me at least four or five years ago for Christmas. Granted my very first attempt to use the machine, I tried to write my name with it instead of sewing a perfectly straight line. Starting up my sewing machine is a definite goal prior to my due date!!!

But before I splurge on the fabric, I really want to do another collaborative project with my all time favorite illustrator, who also happens to be a fabulous cook, insightful media attorney, careful editor, budding ukulele player, and soon to be best dad... Henry. This post on collaborative painting by Kelly Rae had me ready to throw down some paint this afternoon. Maybe I will save this project for March instead.

Stroller Story Part 3: The Long-Awaited Finale

Okay, I have to admit that this blog post has been lingering for quite some time now. In fact, I have probably put it off for so long that what was once three blog posts might become synthesized into this one as a final post. We'll see...

For those of you reading this for the first time, I paid a stroller consultant to help me find the best stroller for me. Find the initial survey I completed here and the StrollerQueen's bio here. As I said in my comments, the StrollerQueen is amazing. She really knows her strollers. She immediately responded to my answers and payment with suggestions based on what I had written. I just did a quick search of my gmail and have well over 50 correspondences with her, so she definitely earned her $35. Plus manufacturers are liars. Once you start researching strollers, you quickly realize that the weight may or may not include the seat. Or might shave a few pounds off. You need to make sure you check the weight from a third party, like the StrollerQueen or Baby Bargains.


Bugaboo Bee

Her first bit of advice: I will say that the first thing that comes to my mind is that you do need a "defensible" stroller, and one that sits high up. She also recommended a carrycot. A carrycot is a bassinet that you can switch out with the stroller's seat. It makes the stroller look more like the traditional pram. I must admit that I really love this idea. It seems very sweet and I am not getting in and out of the car that often. Plus there are a lot of strollers out there that offer this option. The StrollerQueen ruled the Bugaboo Bee out right off the bat. It is fairly low when reclined and it doesn't feature the carrycot option, unlike the Bee's big brother, the Frog. If you are a careful reader of my blog, you will know that the Bee was my first choice with reservations.

The StrollerQueen provided another key bit of advice about car seats that snap on to strollers:
Recent research shows that it is not a good idea to leave your baby in a car seat, at all. The new motto by a lot of doctors is, "Car seats are for the car. Leave them there." That is because extended infant car seat use has been implicated in plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome), respiratory problems (not as much oxygen goes to the brain in the reclined angle of the car seat, vs. lying flat in a bassinet) and developmental delays (babies are all scrunched up and restricted by the harness, vs. wiggling around and stretching out the way they are supposed to.) So, I don't recommend sticking any car seat in a stroller.
So even more of a reason to get a stroller with a carrycot option. Plus I have always hated the idea of lugging around a car seat. You see moms sort of limping along with a heavy car seat hanging down below her knee. It looks so unnatural and uncomfortable. And I have a crooked back. I am eager to leave my car seat alone until a drive is in order.

Henry and I planned a trip to NYC the last weekend in January. So I knew that this consultation was timely. I wanted to have my recommendations and finalize my research before our trip. The idea of driving around to the various DC suburbs was not appealing to me. My attempt to go maternity shopping was a complete bust. It led to a huge fight, blurred vision (a migraine warning) and an hour and a half drive just to go 14 miles. When I finally walked into the Gap, the sales clerk smiled and said, "I think they have maternity clothes in Fair Oaks." We were in Tyson's Corner. The only perk to that shopping trip is I never have to return to Tyson's again. It was way easier for us to take the three-hour train to NYC and shop than any attempt to find the same items in the DC region.


UPPAbaby Vista

A week away from my trip to NYC, I had my top two strollers in mind. I had read up on the statistics on SQ's web site. Plus I had watched countless videos of stroller reviews on YouTube. Baby Gizmo seems to have taken the lead on stroller testing videos. If you are curious about how a stroller collapses, I guarantee there is a video available for you. I had my picks ready and revealed them to the SQ: At this point, I think that I am interested in UppaBaby Vista first and the i'coo second. I want to try to see them in person next week.

Really, I wanted the UppaBaby Vista, which has a massive basket, a single-hand fold, and comes fully stocked with accessories like the carrycot, weather shield, and a full-coverage canopy to protect my baby from the masses. Plus it is reversible. And they have a new addition where I can add on a little seat underneath when Baby Number Two comes along. So I wouldn't even need to think about which stroller to get next time around. It would already be standing upright on its own in my closet.


Bugaboo Frog

Then SQ dropped the bomb on me. She suggested that I might as well test the Frog out while I was looking at my top two favorites: You know, you might as well add the Bugaboo Frog to your list. There are some deals out there.

I quickly responded: I'm still leaning towards the Vista. I saw a Frog when I saw the Bee. My husband loved it, but it felt a little big to me. Is the Vista the same size?

SQ: The Vista is bigger than the Frog. But, see what you think.


Peg Perego Pliko Switch Classic

Oh no... back to square one. Granted when I wrote that, I had just gotten off an afternoon shift at Paper Source, which really wipes me out. If I'm going to stand for four hours, I need to do it when I feel peppy first thing in the morning. I didn't fully freak out, but the SQ did try to calm me down and pointed out that not all strollers are perfect. Hence the reason there are more stroller models than there are cars (especially now with all of the car companies starting to cut back and close down). So I quickly regrouped with my full knowledge and had a new list in hand before heading off to NYC: I'll test the Bee, Frog, and Pliko Switch out. Plus we discussed the Valco Buggster. It does have a bassinet, but isn't reversible. Finally the StrollerQueen predicted that I would end up with the Bee.

So off to NYC...
Once we started looking at strollers in NYC, it was like opening our eyes to a whole new world. We hopped into Metro Minis, a baby boutique, on our way to the Whitney. Henry asked if the sales clerks if they had any strollers. They did not. However, they have THE largest selection of baby carriers in the city. And they also pointed out that if you live in NYC, taking your stroller on the Subway is not an option. Ummm... yeah, with the stairs, teeth-like gates and general chaos, that was pretty obvious to us. We are certainly spoiled in DC to have a very easy and accessible Metro system. But there was a proud new papa standing there with his Bugaboo Chameleon, the top of the line Bugaboo. He bragged, "I paid $800 for this." Shocked by his candor, we asked a few follow up questions. And finally ended with, "Have you ever taken it on the Subway?" "God, no!"


Maclaren Volo Lightweight

Lauren also told me that her father-in-law received a ticket for helping a random woman carry a stroller up the Subway stairs. He refuted by saying it wasn't his stroller. The officer replied that he shouldn't have helped her. NYC Subway = Strollers Not Welcome. Which explains the excess of large Bugaboos that never enter the Subway and Maclaren umbrella strollers, which can easily collapse and carried on without much notice. And the reason there is a store like Metro Minis completely devoted to carriers. Just tuck your baby into a sling on your body and away you go. The Bugaboo Bee certainly tries to address the stress of NYC public transportation in the multi-paneled brochure. Is it the solution? I can't say, but it seems that NYC is an extreme place to examine this whole stroller mystery.

Day 2 in the city, I wanted to knock out some basic baby needs first thing before heading off to more normal life activities, like walking around neighborhoods and eating food. I bought some much needed maternity clothes just a few blocks away from our hotel before heading off to Buy Buy Baby. I had heard of Buy Buy Baby from a few of my new mother friends, Taylor and Lauren. This is a Bed Bath and Beyond company, so you will instantly recognize the layout of floor to ceiling wares as soon as you walk in the door. Rumor has it you can also use the BBB 20% off coupons I have been hoarding for the last few years. That is great news! Unlike its big brother, Buy Buy Baby has yet to infiltrate the South. Northern Virginia is as far south as it gets.

Unlike my first trip to Babies R Us, I was relieved instead of overwhelmed walking around the store. It was the first time I had been able to see some of these products I had been eying online at BabyEarth. Henry pointed out that there is a 75% chance that I don't want something that I find on the internet after seeing it in person. I think that quote came from the unsuccessful trip to Tyson's and visiting Pottery Barn Kids. The curtains and the chairs didn't trip my trigger.


Orbit - the stroller Dwight destroyed on The Office

We wound our way around the store down to the basement level. There in the center of the store was a hub of activity. Two young blond guys were poised and taking questions. Will I recognize them one day on a TV show or in a magazine? Possibly. These guys were doling out the information, popping open strollers, and answering questions left and right. One was wearing an strapped-on empty baby carrier. The couples weren't only talking to the sales associates, but consulting one another. These strollers had gone through the rigors of testing and it showed. Many of them had teetering seats half-connected to their frames. They looked like they had come short of Dwight's test drive on the Office. I did tell Henry about the models I recognized and even demonstrated the Orbit one-hand fold, which is the same stroller that Dwight destroyed, aka the new "it" stroller ringing up at a whopping $1200.

There was one ultra hipster couple, who had a newborn baby and their UppaBaby Vista packed to the gills. I am not completely sure why they were there. But I, along with another couple, took advantage of seeing the stroller in actual use. We were totally checking it out. The baby was up high and she had her over-sized purse hanging on the handle bars. Plus she had both of their winter coats folded up in the underneath basket covering a few shopping bags. I'm going to guess that the Vista can hold at least a dozen yogurt containers, which was the measure used in the New York Magazine article comparing nine strollers. (Although the UppaBaby Vista is not featured in the article.) They love their Vista... but weighing in at three pounds more than the Frog, I ultimately checked it off my list. I started thinking, I don't carry that much stuff around anyway. I'm more concerned about being able to skip the mini-elevator in our lobby when I am in a hurry.

Next I really checked out the Bee. BJ, the sales associate, was able to show me how to close it one hand at a time. I still couldn't do it. I especially could not open it with the extended toe on my boot. Any reasonable person would probably admit that is a bad sign. I guess I am just going to have to go for a rounded toe until I get the hang of it. Good thing I have a June baby. We had also accosted a new mother with her baby tucked inside of a Bee upstairs. She said that she really loved it and had never considered it until coming there. The baby looked sweet and not TOO far away. Plus he was facing her. And she seemed happy and maybe not someone who had obsessed needlessly over this purchase, like me.

But I still wasn't certain. So I really stopped and considered the Frog. I mean, why not! It does drive better than any other stroller out there. There are a lot of perks of the height, carrycot, better colors. But then I asked BJ to show me what the stroller would look like collapsed. And that is where the decision was made. The Bee will collapse into a small one piece. But you have to remove the seat of the Frog first and you end up with two pieces in your hand. The Frog won't even stand up on its own, which the Vista will do. I only have one closet in our home besides our clothes closets in the bedrooms. So storage won and I am going with the Bee. Even though it doesn't have a carrycot. But, honestly, that's one more piece I don't have to store. Plus it fits in with my motto of "being light." When you can't decide, go with the lightest option possible. It hasn't failed me yet.

We felt some resolution and left using the elevator in the back of the store. We recognized another couple from our caucus and asked what they had decided. They decided on getting the Micralite Toro. She said that she had been stroller shopping TWELVE times, many of which ended in tears. I just want to point out that this was only my second trip to check out strollers, despite my countless hours of online internet searching. I have since made a third trip to decide on the color, which include a fairly uninspiring limit of five colors. So we agreed on a basic black. Ike suggested that the baby might become a Goth based on this decision. I'll take my chances. I'm not very worried.

After BBB, we walked down the street to purchase a snack from Whole Foods. As we stood in line to pay, I noticed two things. A woman in line seemed a little disgruntled with her large stroller. The frustrated mom made me realize that I really want something narrow and light to weave my way around that crowd and not have to huff as I pause for people to push their way through. Second, the Micralite Toro couple walked by looking completely beat down.

Henry pointed out this whole stroller experience has been quite strange. People are so open and want to give you as much information as possible. Most of the parents we encountered would probably not have been so generous over any other topic. But he proclaimed, "You could solve the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict in the stroller section of a Buy Buy Baby." True.

Monday morning, my pregnancy brain was kicking in pretty hard. I could not remember anything. Granted it was a 7 am train trip. But sitting in the Amtrak lobby, I realized that I had completely forgotten to check out the Valco Buggster. So I although I was 95% certain, I still had a nagging feeling that I just wasn't sure. Plus I had taken the comment about the Bugaboo on my blog a little too seriously. It didn't make me cry or anything like that. But it did make me think that maybe I am being ridiculous.

So the next day, I was on my walk debating how important the reversible feature of the stroller really is. I just wasn't sure. And as I started to think that maybe it wasn't that big of a deal, I was approached by a screaming homeless man, who continued to cuss the air out using a string of words starting with the letters n and f. All of the best of the best. Maybe that was a sign that, yeah, I probably don't want to lead with my newborn through this unruly and unpredictable crowd that frequents my neighborhood.


Bugaboo Bee vs. Valco Baby Buggster

I came home to a quick search on the internet and found the answer to the Buggster vs. the Bee. Even staying true to my personal motto of being light, these pictures and videos answered any remaining questions. Thanks to Bradley's mom for comparing two random strollers. She even mentioned that it was unfair to compare the two strollers and mentioned under her breath that The Bee was her favorite. Sounds good to me. Plus it sounds like she has also caught this stroller bug - maybe she could be the junior StrollerQueen (I think StrollerPrincess is taken by StrollerQueen's daughter.). But I really just want one set of wheels.

Special thanks to Taylor for confirming that the reversible feature is the key feature for the baby's language development. By the baby facing the mother, the mom talks to her baby more, which helps to develop language skills. Wow! Mayor Fenty, take note. Maybe a reversible stroller manufacturer would use DC's low income moms as a test case scenario. And all you stroller engineers, just look at the potential of creating a low-cost reversible stroller. Certainly someone related to Target could pull this off. Get to work! As mothers, we all face the same concerns and we are ready for more innovation and options. In the words of the StrollerQueen: ...keep in mind that there is no perfect stroller (which is why so many of us wind up with more than one!)

So Bugaboo Bee it is. Look forward to rolling it right up to your house for a visit.

I hope she appreciates this...

I spent the day at the studio. Last night I realized that I had moved
all of adhesives, except for one roll of tape to the studio. I needed
a glue stick to finish the Flat Stanley journal project. I don't know
that I'm ready for elementary school. Seems like a lot of work.

I haven't spent much time at the studio lately. On Tuesday afternoon,
I started working on a few different projects, including packing a
package of quilting fabric for Jeannie and a gift for Lauren. Then I
pulled out my stash of paper lanterns.

I never really had a plan for a mobile. I knew that I wasn't going to
register for one. I was hoping that one of my talented and crafty
friends, like Sarah or Lauren, would make one for me. Granted they
both had babies before me and I'm pretty certain that seriously
reduced the time they have for these projects. And let's be honest, I
don't know that they would want to spend those rare moments of
solitude making a gift. Granted, I would be ecstatic to receive such a
gift. I have lots of empty ceiling space in my life. Much worse things
can happen than having more than one mobile.

So today after a muffin at Cowgirl Creamery and saying goodbye to Flat
Stanley, I spent most of the day working on the components of my
mobile. One of my biggest projects of the day was to find and organize
my origami paper. I knew I had a pattern with the little goldfish
swimming. But where?!? I finally found the paper hidden away in a bin
of salvaged collage material. I have A LOT of organizing to do.

My goal is to get hyper-organized in my studio space, so that I'll be
able to easily put my hands on a paint brush or the perfect image
without twenty minutes of searching. I realized today that one of
those tricked out pack 'n plays isn't a bad idea. Maybe the baby can
sleep, play and clean up right there in the studio and I can hopefully
accomplish something creative in between the cycle of it all. But I'm
going to need a much more comfy chair.

Until then, I hope to finalize all baby stuff in the next week or two
so that I can channel this manic nesting energy into at least a couple
of large art projects early this spring. At least I've gotten far
enough along with my planning that I've started thinking about being
back in the studio and not whether or not to register for a playyard.

When I left to pick up lunch today, my finger was bleeding from
clipping the wire frames. I realized that I had gotten a little blood
on one of the lanterns. Opps... It's barely noticable. I repaired a
few tears this afternoon. I considered covering the small stain, but
then I decided maybe I should leave it just the way it is.

Flat Stanley Arrives in DC

I have a little visitor. I found him a couple of days ago when I finally opened my mail. I am typically on top of my mail, but I had a slow panicky feeling that Flat Stanley had been resting up in his manila-envelope sleeping bag since before the Inauguration. But that's not possible! I think...

Flat Stanley traveled to DC from Rolesville Elementary School. He is staying with Ian, my little cousin, between his travels around the world. Flat Stanley was a little under-dressed for the winter weather, but we braved the cold and took a quick tour of Downtown DC. He just had on a t=shirt that said "Keep school 10 feet away from this shirt." I also noticed that Stanley was covered with red marks all over his shirt and face. I couldn't decide if he had gotten in a fight with the postmaster, or if a pack of ketchup had exploded while enjoying an afternoon snack.

Even if Flat Stanley was a little beat up, people recognized him everywhere we went. We had lots of offers to help with shots, including a security guard from the National Museum of American History. He is a Flat Stanley portrait expert. I met people, who Flat Stanley had already visited. Hmmm... Does my little visitor have a split personality?

As part of Flat Stanley's visit, he has been busy filling out his journal. This is his entry from the first leg of his ventures:


I arrived in Washington, DC in early February. I spent a couple of days resting up after my long journey from Rolesville, NC. But once we started our tour of DC, I dove right in. I am staying with Caroline, who is an artist. She makes things out of paper. She has a lot of paper. I felt right at home in this basket of rolls.


I met a group of monsters while I was at Caroline's studio.


Next we went to The Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue. It was the first skyscraper in Washington, DC. The clock tower inside offers the second highest view of the city after the Washington Monument. Outside we posed with Benjamin Franklin, one of our favorite founding fathers.


We dropped in the National Museum of American History. This is one of the Smithsonian Museums, which recently reopened. Behind me is a sculpture representing The Star Spangled-Banner. The original flag is on display behind this wall. It is the flag that inspired the National Anthem. But no photographs are allowed inside the exhibit. The light can damage the flag.


While at the History Museum, we also stopped by the Woolworth's Lunch Counter, which is from Greensboro, NC. On February 1, 1960 four African American college students sat at the segregated lunch counter and politely asked for lunch. When they were refused to be served, the students continued to stay for a six-month sit in. This was an important moment in the Civil Rights Movement. History was made just about an hour west of Rolesville.


We also saw Dumbo the Flying Elephant from Disneyland! I was hoping for a ride.


When we walked around the corner and I saw Dorothy's Ruby Slippers, I instantly thought "There's no place like home." But I am pretty excited about DC so far.


Finally I made a quick stop to get my picture made with this "National Treasure," the portrait of Stephen Colbert.


The sun is setting behind the Washington Monument, as we continue our trip down the National Mall.


The National Mall is the home to many of our national monuments and the many of museums that are all part of the Smithsonian Institution. James Smithson, a British scientist, loved the idea of America so much that he gave all of his money to our government to start the Smithsonian Institution. He had NEVER even visited the United States. But now his body is inside of a crypt just inside of the Smithsonian Castle.


Behind the Washington Monument stands the Lincoln Memorial. At the opposite end of the Mall is the Capitol, seen above. This shot is a way better view of the Capitol than Caroline's view at the Inauguration.


Now back to the school stuff! Check out this Great African Bush Elephant at the National Museum of Natural History.


And I also found this giant squid from Spain. It was so long, you can barely see the end of the squid's tentacles.


After all of those museums, I was ready to spend a little time outside. I was pretty excited when I saw the ice skating rink inside the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. It was pretty hard to not fall down. I didn't want to get all wet, but I am an excellent ice skater. It was a little chilly, though.


Leaving the NGA Sculpture Garden, I noticed all of the art. I liked this sculpture of an old-school eraser by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. It is called Typewriter Eraser, Scale X. Oldenburg used to play with his dad's office supplies, like this one, when he was a little boy.


On with our walking tour... This is the National Archives, home of our country's Constitution.


This is the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building.


Flags still line Pennsylvania Avenue after Barack Obama's Inauguration. This was part of the parade route.


This is Ford's Theatre, where President Lincoln was shot. It was just reopened for Lincoln's 200th Birthday, which we celebrated this President's Day on Monday, February 16th. I wonder if Ian and his friends at Rolesville were out of school that day.


This little building, also known as The Petersen House, is where Lincoln died. They carried him across the street from the theater. He was watching a play when he was shot. They put him in a bed in this house.


I'm standing in front of the coat Lincoln was wearing when he was shot. You can see his portrait in the background.


And our tour ends in Chinatown, where Caroline lives. Friendship Archway was given to DC as a gift from its sister city, Beijing, the capitol of China.


After all of that walking, we were starving. So we stopped in Chinatown Express for a bowl of fresh noodles. Yum! I love Chinese food. And DC!

Ian, I will see you very soon.

Keep Showing Up

You should listen to this twenty-minute presentation while you work. Very inspiring.

"Eat, Pray, Love" Author Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk. via TED

Thanks to Amy for sending this to me... Now I am off to Tai Chi and my studio to wait for my magical genius to share a bit of inspiration.

I wanted to stand up and clap after this song

I was pretty obsessed with the first season of HBO's "Flight of the Conchords" until the last few episodes began to dwindle. It was like they would write shows around their songs and by the end of the season, there weren't any more songs. In fact, Jemaine and Bret even said as much in a recent interview/promo we watched on HBO. So I was a little reluctant when Season Two rolled around.

But I must admit that Season Two keeps getting better and better. Proof being last night's Episode 5 with this being my favorite song. I do still love Sello Tape, which I claimed could be my personal theme song in July 2007. But this song, "Carol Brown," could slightly edge it out if I put aside my love for paper and just judge the song. The episode was also directed by Michel Gondry, who is best-known for his music videos for White Stripes and Bjork and his movies "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and one of my personal favorites, "The Science of Sleep."

We had a great time with Shannon and Will catching up on previous episodes while switching back and forth to the UNC vs. Miami game. Good thing we won. We weren't fully paying attention.

Happy President's Day!

Elise's Letterpress Tutorial + Happy Valentine's Day!

One of Henry's great regrets in life FOR ME is that I have never taken a letterpress class. I like to remind him that I still have plenty of time in life to learn how to letterpress. In fact, I recently read that Martha Stewart started her catering company at 35. That was just her catering company... Look at all that she is accomplished since then. She has taken the world, gone to jail and resurrected her brand and image. So I think that I will eventually have a chance to take a weekend class. I'm not even 35 yet.

Until then, I am going to read up on Elise's letterpress how to so that I can at least appear a little more knowledgeable than I am. And Henry can read this, too. Maybe he secretly wants to learn how himself.


I am most impressed with this diagram of the letterpress drawer. Wow! Who knew?


In fact, I love Elise's work so much that I purchased my Valentine's from her. I bet you're thinking, "Hey, today's Valentine's Day and I didn't get a Valentine!" That's because they are still sitting on my kitchen table. But these little fill in the blanks can be used pretty much anytime. Even to help celebrate President's Day next week. So let's hope the card will be in your hands before you know it. I'm going to at least try.

Enjoy!

Goodbye, Domino... I'm Sad to See You Go!

I received the last issue of Domino Magazine this week. I am very sad to see it leave, especially with my nesting mode in overdrive. It seems to be just one of a long line of favorite magazines that are dropping like flies: Blueprint, Cottage Living, MerriMail, hmmm.... there was another one that I seem to be forgetting.

When I signed up for American Craft Magazine last week, Henry asked if that was the magazine's kiss of death. Let's hope not. I decided to take a chance and pay for a second year at 50% off. Henry even asked how many years it had stuck around. I believe 69 years, so hopefully it is safe.



I received my first Southern Living last week as a sub for Cottage Living. I was not that excited. Cottage Living was great because it mixed bother traditional, modern and green all together in one. Plus the focus is on smaller homes, which is my personal preference. However I must say that Southern Living's cover shot of the Nutter Butter banana pudding truffle was a tad bit intriguing. I may have to keep that in mind for a future gathering. Maybe I will make a special request for one of my two showers on my birthday. Hint! Hint!



Back to Domino... with a brief glimpse through the final issue, I am super excited to find a must-have to help satisfy my nesting urge. On page 88, there is a shot of chalkboard oilcloth covering a table. How fun! We have a chalkboard-painted post next to our kitchen table, which desperately needs refinishing. The pedestal table we are using is the same one we used in my family growing up. When we moved it into the apartment, I noticed that I had written my name in cursive on the bottom of the table. From the looks of the flow, I am guessing I wrote this sometime around the third grade. So the table has seen its fair share of wear and tear. My great regret is not having it finished before bringing it up to DC from NC. So this oil cloth seems to be the perfect solution for the time being.

Plus I am certain that I have visited Bell'occhio many many years ago (well, in internet years). This online shop seems to be filled with lots of nice little notions that are worthy of a detailed look before making my final purchase.

Stroller Story Part 2: Meet the StrollerQueen

As I said in my comments from Stroller Story Part 1, the StrollerQueen is amazing. She knows her stuff and definitely earned her $35 with the countless emails we exchanged. Before I knew it, I have five lengthy emails from her, plus a long list of strollers she was testing THAT week. After several exchanges (which I will describe in Part 3), I had to ask how she got into her stroller obsession. I don't believe that is too strong of a word in this case. I asked her for a bio, as follows in her own words:

But basically, I am a television journalist who is obsessed with all things strollers. It all started with the birth of the first Stroller Prince. Stroller Princess refused to abdicate her throne, so my search for a decent double began. All I wanted was something that fully reclined, could get through doorways, and was easy to push and fold. That's all I required. I was amazed that something this simple was so hard to find. I literally has to scour the world searching.

Whenever I could, I would weigh and measure strollers myself, because I discovered that most manufaturers and retailers didn't provide the stats. And if they did, they were way off. I also designed the "Strollerqueen Obstacle Course", where I tested strollers myself in real-world situations--i.e. how they handled sidewalk cracks, bricks, grass, mud, while steering with one hand, and a cup of coffee in the other. How much spilled on me was a good barometer of maneuverability, lol! Strollerprince was also a natural nighttmare child. He would climb in himself, and I would note how stable it was. He would then shake it vigorously, and I would note if it would tip over. Then he would attempt to unbuckle the harness, and I would time how long it took him to work his way out.

My compulsive quest became a blog, before the term blog was coined. This was in 2001. It was called "Adventures in Strollerland." People found it, and began asking me for advice. Then the Media discovered it. And before knew it, I was on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. Then the New York Times, CBS Early Show, BBC, Today Show, and various other newspapers, magazines, and books.

In the beginning I tried to help everyone. But then more and more emails came pouring in. 100, 200, 250...And they would all start the same way..."I am DESPERATE! PLEASE help me! My husband is threatening to divorce me if I don't choose a stroller and be done with it..." I would lie in bed awake at night and feel guilty that I couldn't answer all of my emails. There just wasn't enough hours in a day. And even the ones I did help always had follow-up questions, and lots of them. Finally I realized that the number of emails would go down if I started charging. Then I would be able to spend time helping the people who truly needed help.

Every year, I also attend what I have dubbed "The Great Stroller Roll-Out!" in Las Vegas. This is where manufacturers unveil the latest models for the upcoming year. No one had ever covered this before for the general public. But, since my profession pre-baby was reporting, I approached it in the same manner--i.e. interviewing the CEO's, asking the hard questions, getting lots of pictures from different angles. I then write about it all, upload all the pictures, and publish an online magazine.

Strollerpince became of an age where he no longer wished to be my prime tester. So it was all about to come to an end, and I was going back into TV. But then, Strollerprince 2.0 decided to make his entrance into the world, and the chant "Four more years", "Four more years" resounded over Strollerland. So my reign has been extended.

Learn more at StrollerQueen.com.

Elkin - NC's Napa Valley

Henry discovered this great article about Elkin, NC in the Washington Post this weekend.



There is also a very informative list on where to stay, eat and different things to do. In Every Room was not included on the list, but I am sure that was a slight oversight.

Eris hosted her first of many trunk shows at In Every Room this past Thursday. It was a great success. Any of my WS friends, let me know if you would like for me to pass along your info for future events. This is a great shop that you shouldn't miss, especially now that Pink Mink has closed.

for all of those artists fighting the inner and outer critic

Thanks to Sara for sending this puppet show from Suzi Blu for a little creative inspiration! I can't wait to see what's brewing in Sara's textile genius mind. Maybe I will post something soon.

Snowdrops are in bloom

Today is a gorgeous day in Washington, DC. I'm on my first walk in many weeks after the bitter cold blew through, plus a week in North Carolina.

I also noticed the snowdrops blooming at mom's house. I planted a bunch of bulbs the fall before our wedding. These little lovelies bloom way before May. But they match Alice, my everday china, which is a good a reason as any to toss a few bulbs in the ground.

A crowd was gathered at Ford's Theater this morning. Lincoln turns 200 tomorrow. So DC is full of excitement with promises of spring. I feel the excitement, too. The rest of my February is packed with lots of social activities and projects.

I had a great time in NC catching up with my friends. I picked out fabrics with Jeannie and Lia. I found some fabric to recover my chair. And I registered for baby gifts. It was like super speed nesting, because I wanted to do everything that required a car while I was in Winston. I am ready for taking things at a tad slower pace.

So lots to add to the blog this week, including the continuation of the stroller story. That seemed to stir up lots of comment activity. And my anonymous Bugaboo heckler is taking us stroller shopping this weekend if he is not too mad at me for turning on my comment moderation.