A Bookish Life

So Very Bookish

You would think that maybe my prolonged blog break meant I had a baby to show for my silence. But no. Not yet. We're finishing up week 36, so it's early yet but the waiting game has definitely started.

Instead of going on and on about how I'm tired and can't show you the cute, tiny things I'm making because they are presents, instead I will show this artist I found by way of Mahar Drygoods. Just take a second and look through all her installations. Some of them take my breath away.

Just to show you Cate and I aren't the only ones growing around here: I also put my potmaker to work and have been encouraging these young tomato and strawberry plants to go ahead and sprout! Does anyone else feel like it's a complete miracle for something like this to actually work? I put a hard, black little seed in a mound of dirt and a week later it's green, leafy, and reaching for the sun!

The tomatoes this year are going to be masterful. Purple, green, yellow, pink, and red. I can't wait to take a bite of rainbow tomato salad.

Getting in the spirit

Valentine's Eve has always been a ramping up in this household to the glorious, sublime festival that is Valentine's Day. I can't help but feel that this year I'm falling a little short. So, in an effort to mobilize the chocolate troops, I've been humming some of my all-time favorite low-key love songs.

The playlist includes:
Always Travel Light (My Love), Doug Burr
My Love, Amanda Leggett
This Bouquet, Ani Difranco
You Are My Only One, James Taylor
Love and Some Verses, Iron and Wine

I'm making a chocolate covered cheesecake with red sprinkles too. That's gotta help.

The Couch Potato Days

There's nothing that quite brings the creative march to a halt in its glittery steps like the words "pre-term labor." For the last week I have been following the midwife's orders to a 't', drinking lots of water and hanging out on the couch. I'm still taking it easy, but picking up a few easy hobbies like sewing, cooking, reading, and weightlifting (just kidding about that last one) along the way.

This, you may remember, was a Christmas quilt that got abandoned at the 11th hour in favor of something that seemed a little more appropriate. I've added a few more red diamonds, the border that Allison suggested, and it has now been backed and pinned. The double gray and red color scheme made it the perfect project to finish up in the Valentine's-week of the rain-themed-month. I haven't quite decided how to quilt it yet or what to do with it once it's finished. A fleeting thought was that if Cate did indeed decide to come early, in her 34th week, it would be the perfect Valentine's present for her. But I think the danger might be under control- keep those fingers crossed.

I have a few directions to go in at this point. Suddenly I feel remiss in all the baby clothes I haven't yet made. I also wanted to accomplish a few more things in the house and nursery. I also was reminded about the completely practical "hospital bag" when Brian asked if I had my bag packed and I replied that I was hoping to make a new bag for the occasion. He suggested that I go ahead and pack an old one until the new one was finished. Oh, ye of little faith, my love (but I guess he has a point, as usual).

Rain Quilt

One of my favorite things about rainy days is the way other colors really burst into life. Greens are more green, red is absolutely electric, and blue seems a bit otherworldly.
Embarking on the rain theme this February has gotten off to a slow start- largely because the actual weather has been 86 degrees, sunny, and gorgeous. This morning I woke to the sound of rain on pavement and knew it was the day to get started.

These kona cottons are going into my next big quilt, a new design for the top of our living room's pine chest. The blanket box ordinarily showcases a vintage quilt, but spring seems to bring not only its gray days, but its crisp, fresh newness too.

Quilts are intrinsically rain-related in my opinion, because there's not much resistance in me to cuddling on the couch with a blanket, a book, and a mug of steaming liquid when there's water falling from the dark sky. This vision of the perfect day is even how we came up with the business name, Bookish- coffee, quilts, and rainy days all tied together.

You have to love when your ideas are in step with the marketing team for Anthropologie, too. It seems I'm not the only one seeing umbrellas, galoshes, and streaked windows.

In shop-related news, you may have noticed my online shop disappeared with the new year. I made the decision to downsize with the baby coming to a couple mortar and brick stores, supplemented with an online etsy shop. I think it may just be a little bit more manageable, but still provide that creative outlet that I crave. I went ahead and put the finished wallets in the etsy shop, since I had a couple email requests for the return of Bookish to the internet.

Have a lovely Tuesday, rain or shine!