Hollyhocks

The Last Day of Lady Davenport

I have been on vacation for 2 weeks and it has been wonderful...8+ hours of sleep at night, naps, sewing, antiquing and dinner with a friend. I am excited to get back to school and catch up with my students though. The photo is of some vintage Barbie clothes from an estate sale a year or so ago. I just couldn't pass them up and now Baby A (and maybe Baby B) has a start to her/their Barbie wardrobe.

These fabrics are completely out of my usual palette, but I just loved the combination. I made these...

Baby Blocks...and finished...

This banner for the nursery. I have some leftover flags so I will make a few more and do a giveaway at some point. I think I'll put the banner over a simple white valance in the nursery.

Oh, and Barbie's vintage wedding gown. I'm pretty excited that I get to play with Barbies again...um...I mean...that the kid (s) get to play with Barbies...

A visit to the doctor revealed swollen ankles and the need for SUPPORT STOCKINGS! Yes, like the ones your grandma has. Imagine how hip those will look this summer with shorts. I am one carpetbag away from the full bag lady ensemble. I'm keeping track of all of these things so I can heap on the guilt as soon as these babies are old enough to understand that they OWE ME!!!

Several times a day it hits me that this dream of ours may really come true. I visited a day care the other day and fell in love with every single Gerber baby in that baby room. The toddlers were pretty adorable too. We will only need a few hours of care per day, but you still have to pay for the whole day. I loved the place but nearly hyperventilated at what it will cost to have 2 babies in care.  No more champagne and caviar for us I guess. I'm going to elevate my "thankles" (husband's word).  Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks.

Sew, What's New?

I have been a sewing fool. I finished the recycled-vintage sheet baby quilt top, complete with random squares of rescued embroidery...

The rows are separated by pink linen. Once the squares were cut out, the quilt top went together in about an hour. A human hour, not a dog hour. I love when people say that a project took "about a week".  You want to ask..."How many hours each day? Did you sleep? Eat?  But this really was a quick one. 7" squares with some random 7x4" rectangles....and then I started making these...and I can't stop...

Recycled cashmere baby sweaters...Thrift a cashmere sweater, wash and dry on hot....

Use a simple knit baby pattern and cut out 5 pieces so that the cuffs and waist are finished, sew together and either zig-zag or embroider the edges. Decorate any way you like (I traced a cookie cutter for the horse)...They go together quickly and you can easily make them out of any felted wool. I just happened to have a shelf of thrifted cashmere hanging around. These sweaters are addictive!

I just have some finishing and defuzzing to do and these little fluffballs will go on the baby stuff pile. Today's project is fabric covered foam blocks. We'll see if mine in any way resemble the examples in the book "Simple Baby Gifts". Let me know if you want more detailed instructions to make your own baby cashmere sweaters. I am just happy to finally have something to show you! So...what are you making?

Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks!

Afternoon Tea with Mom

Happy Spring everybody!!! It's snowing here! Risa at The ParTea Planner has asked that we all have a tea party today and let her know when we post about it. Coincidentally, my mom called to ask if I wanted to go to tea today.

Here's a slightly blurry photo of mom...and scones..

 

We had a great time and it was great to be out of the house. In other news, the sono yesterday confirmed that we're having one girl. The other baby is inconclusive...yikes! We could have a boy in there!!! Well, I couldn't be happier either way...babies are babies!

Sometimes the Dog Throws up Under the Dining Room Table

Well folks, it's not all carnations and Aveda candles here at Hollyhocks this week. There has been some talk in the blogging community about showing the seamy underside of our lives as well as the pretty pictures...Here's a little of both...

Yesterday we had a bit of pregnancy drama and we spent St. Patrick's Day in a lovely private room in the emergency room of the local hospital. After a bunch of tests and 2 sonograms, we were reassured that the babies were fine (waving at the "camera" and jumping around actually) and, as always, the medical community could shed no light on why bad things happen to good pregnancies. Keep praying everybody.

Today, as I was walking on eggshells and trying to move about as little as possible....Cadbury threw up...buckets...under the dining room table...poor guy. It did take my mind off my troubles for a bit though.

I started the layout of one of the baby quilts. It doesn't  get much girlier than that!

...and I love the thought of color copying the covers of some of my vintage cookbooks and using them as a border or other decoration in my very vintage kitchen. Thanks, Country Living, for another great idea. Well, hopefully the baby drama is over for a while so I can spend my vacation...

Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks.

Babies Can't Write Books

That was what the Dear Husband said when we were at Barnes and Noble last night and I mentioned that I was going over to look at the baby books. It's just a laugh a minute around here! Anybody who shares a home with a man can probably relate to the joy of constant junior high humor from a grown man. The dog encourages it too, by wagging his tail enthusiastically for every goofy comment. The photo above is from a piece of vintage wrapping paper that I picked up yesterday. Here's more...

Ooops! These are the baby cards. Are you sensing a bit of a theme?

Here's the wrapping paper...what to do with it....collage, background for a shadow box? Ever since we (you and I) decided on a vintage nursery theme, my mind has been racing with ideas and plans...

Here's an unsed vintage baby book. I can relate to its former owner. She "meant" to write in it, but, time got away from her and ...

Junior's first step turned into Junior's first car...

...and the next thing she knew, Junior was off to college...

The next photos are some finds from last summer. Like the pram, I bought them because they were so vintage adorable and I figured that if I didn't have a child, I'd give them away or sell them...

$5 for both. There were 2 cribs there, but at the time I thought "who needs 2 of the same crib" Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

This little bed was in a garage at an estate sale, $5. I have to get some ticking fabric and make a mattress and pillow. Heaven knows I have enough vintage linens to dress a doll village. What are the chances the girls will share? Last but not least,

A vintage satin baby comforter from the thrift shop. There were 2 of these too, but I picked this one because it had the tags still on. It washed beautifully. It's strange to buy things in pairs. I should get the babies' gender confirmed in a couple of weeks, and then the searching will start in earnest! I am longing for a good estate sale. The kind where you just dig through piles and generations of stuff and load your arms with more treasures than you can carry! Ahh, Spring...hurry up.

I would like to thank all of you (I know who you are, I check my referrals page and stats) for sticking with me while I was "Lady Davenport" these past few months. It will be 4 months this week and it's starting to be great fun planning for the summer arrival of the babies. Any suggestions for names that aren't too common or too outlandish?

Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks!

Guacamole for Breakfast

...And boy was it good! What a weird craving. Do you use lemon juice or lime juice? I am a lime fan, so I put lime into anything possible. I ate a whole avocado's worth for breakfast, with organic tortilla chips. Much better than the high fiber cereal and juice I have every morning now.

We are in the midst of a rip-roarer of a snowstorm today, so I spent a nice peaceful couple of hours cutting squares and rectangles for a couple of simple baby quilts. The fabric is from my vintage sheet collection...available in fat quarter groups in my Etsy shop...someday!

I also had a chance to look through this book...

There are tons of cute, quick projects in here. Really nice little gifts or favors. A great gift would be the book and a handmade pincushion...

My students made 7 of these. One for every sewing machine in my office. They are a real conversation piece.

I love bees, so I may make this one next. The book on my home page, A Country Year, is an all-time favorite about a woman who moves to a remote area and keeps bees. On an especially busy day, I love to think of her, out tending the hives and liviing life by the seasons. If it wasn't for snakes, I think I would have been quite the happy farmer.

...and who doesn't love diminutive little stuffed sweaters?   If you live where it's cold...bundle up and nap. If you live where it's warm, start looking for my retirement home!!!! A nice arts and crafts cottage with a little garden. Thank you for visiting Hollyhocks.

Can You Keep a Secret?

Well, first of all...I think I am back among the living. The morning sickness is intermittent, I am moving around a bit and as long as I've had a nap, you can speak to me with relative personal safety. I am 3.5 months now and when we went for the 12 week ultrasound the tech asked if we "wanted a guess" as to gender...Heck Yes!!!! (DH doesn't get a vote, or he'd vote no). The tech thought that, based on her nice clear view of both babies.....Baby A looks like a girl...I started to cry...and...Baby B looks like...a girl!!!!

Now we can get this party started.

Forget caution, forget the "guess" factor...I ran right out and bought 4 of the girliest sleepers known to Carters (2 matched sets) for...............................MY GIRLS!!!..........

Now, if you are even thinking about leaving a comment on this blog telling me that it's way too early blah, blah, blah and that you know someone whose Dr. got the gender all wrong at 8 months....restrain yourself!!!! I will only close my eyes and delete every comment that doesn't congratulate me on my future tea parties, teddy bear picnics and $500 American Girl Doll extravaganzas.

But seriously, if one, or both, of the little gummy bears turns out to be a boy...I will just scrape the pink paint off of the walls, return the ruffly baby tights and get down to the business of digging for worms. I have 3 brothers and no sisters, so I would be very comfortable with one or 2 strapping lads around the house.

It just finally seems real. Given my history, that is no small miracle.

Well, down to blog business...I've been tagged by Cheryl to tell you 7 things you don't know about me...

1.  New Obsession: Starbucks Vanilla Creme. Steamed milk and vanilla syrup with whipped cream. It tastes like hot vanilla ice cream. A godsend for hot drink loving gals who can't have caffeine.

2.  I was president of my church youth group when I was in 9th grade. I wish my future children could have the experience of having a group of close friends, far away from the peer pressure of school.

3.  I want to learn Gaelic some day.

4.  I love to try new restaurants and exotic foods, but my all-time favorite food is my mom's version of Goulash, which coincidentally, my mother-in-law makes exactly the same way...ground beef cooked with garlic and Worchestershire sauce, whole and crushed canned tomatoes and shell macaroni. As soon as I can face tomato sauce, I am going to make a huge pot!

5.  I do exhaustive research before we travel to any new place. I arrive in a city with a comprehensive list of what I want to see. The DH tends to wander, which gives us a chance to happen upon some pretty great things.

6.  I had been living in Miami Beach for a week, doing an occupational therapy internship, when the designer Versace was shot and killed 2 miles from the hospital where I worked. My DH who works in news, came to visit and they found the killer's body in a houseboat right near where we parked for the beach. I loved MB by the way. One of my top 2 ever restaurants, The Tides, is right on Ocean Drive. The outdoor section is possibly the most romantic setting ever.

7.  I don't think men should wear open toe sandals. There is nothing yuckier than man feet.

Well, I should get back to making the bunting for the girls' room....Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks.