December 30, 2011

Where I Work


My office. I've been spending the better portions of my days here. Sewing. Printing. Packaging. Lord knows I need a real office chair with the amount of sitting I've been doing!


The office is getting cozier. I added this cute needlework and changed up the frame montage above the couch.


I waited and waited on these pretty ruffle curtains to go on sale from Urban Outfitters and snagged them up when they dropped to $9 each! Love them. They definitely add to the granny chic thing I have going on :)


 I sew everything on my grandma's old singer. I know I should look into purchasing a new one. I got this machine serviced last year and it about cost as much as a new machine would cost. But I still like this old gal! She is sturdy, sews a straight line, and I have been using it since I was about 12.


Is there a room in your house that you spend most of your time in?

December 28, 2011

Leah Duncan Pillows and Tea Towels? Yes Please!


I've spent ample time over the past weeks browsing the internet, trying to rediscover my personal style. From clothing to decor, movies and reading materials, I feel lost as to what I actually like. One thing I definitely like is Leah Duncan's illustrations. I adore her color palettes, use of blacks and yellow.

I also am really digging her pillow covers. I love pillows, but for some reason can never pull the trigger on purchasing new throw pillows.....


Miguel Pillow Cover

Oh, and it is the time of year where I want a new couch, desperately. However, this is not practical in the slightest, since our couch is merely 3 years old. So, perhaps one of these gorgeous covers by Leah will help add some life to my dowdy couch?


December 24, 2011

A Funny Thing Happened Yesterday.... I Had Surgery

Okay, so I have been dying to get back to blogging about DIY and home decor, however, sometimes life intervenes. And this week, even though I had my baby 6 weeks ago, a post-pregnancy related complication arose that required me having surgery yesterday.


Now, not many people probably want to read about this, but, I feel compelled to write about my post-pregnancy complication and associated surgery, because what happened to me is pretty rare. So, stop reading now if you don't care to read about this nitty gritty stuff.

Otherwise, it starts like this. I delivered Lucy 6 weeks ago. The delivery was a dream. Easy and happy. 2 days in the hospital, and we brought her home! If you have had a baby, then you know that there is associated bleeding for several weeks. Yet after almost 5 weeks, I was still bleeding. Bright red. Also, breastfeeding had been so awful this go around. No matter how much a nursed, pumped, talked to lactation consultants, I could not get my milk supply to go up! Finally, after the bleeding got worse, and I started feeling weak and achy, I called my OBGYN and talked to her nurse.


The nurse did not seem to concerned with my bleeding. She was certain it was simply my cycle returning. But I insisted on seeing my OBGYN as soon as possible because I felt like something was not right. And it is a good thing I did. On Thursday, after visiting with my doctor she examined me. I was still dilated 6 weeks after giving birth! Not normal. Then she decided to give me an ultrasound so see what was going on.

As it turns out, parts of my placenta was still in my uterus! This is quite rare, and only occurs in 1% of all pregnancies. Placental fragments, as they are called, when left in the uterus, cause continual bleeding and prevent the body from healing after childbirth. In turn, the uterus can become infected. Sometimes when these go undiagnosed, women develop complications such as uterine infections, endometriosis, even in extreme cases, hysterectomies!

Another side effect of the placenta being left in the uterus is low milk production. The body still thinks that it is pregnant, due to the hormones excreted by the placenta. The placenta being delivered is what signals the body to start producing milk. So, my extreme difficulty breast feeding was a direct result of my post-pregnancy placental fragments.


Somehow, amazingly, I did not develop an infection! Six weeks is a heck of a long time for something like this to go unnoticed. It is partially my own fault. I went back to working on Gingiber a week after I had Lucy. I thought that the red bleeding was just my overdoing it. And, I am a bit of a workaholic. So I tend to push myself to hard most of the time anyways.

Friday morning at 5 AM I was at the hospital, having surgery to remove the placental fragments. Nathan's parents watched the girls that morning, and my mom drove up late that evening to watch the girls over night.

Now, it is Christmas Eve, and I am recovering quite nicely from surgery. I am on some powerful pain killers, and look rather rough! But, I am so very happy to be healthier now. Friends, if you ever think that something is off in your body, don't hesitate to go to the doctor and get it checked out.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Stacie


December 20, 2011

Lucy at 5 Weeks


Lucy is huge all of the sudden (9 pounds)! And smiling. And such a snuggle bunny.


She has such kind little eyes. I really feel like she is an old soul. 


Lucy still is not sleeping through the night. But that's par for the course at this age. She has strong control of her neck, actually participates in tummy time, and has started following our voices with her eyes.


Violet desperately wants Lucy to sleep in her bed with her. Alas, poor Violet. This will not be happening any time soon. Recently, Violet hugged Lucy and proudly exclaimed, "Mommy, I hugged Lucy and did not break her neck!" Yes, good girl, Violet....


Lucy is quite the calm baby. She coos and smiles. She makes my life more full. I may be exhausted every day from tending to her and the rest of the family, but now I cannot imagine our family without her  :)

It is a case of the mondays (on tuesday)


You know how sometimes life is just, well, blah? I mean, I know, I did have a baby last month. But still, recently the days and nights melt together, and before I know it a whole week has gone by! I am so out of touch with what is happening. For instance: I have spent most of today thinking that it was Wednesday and that we missed trash day....

I think I even imagined hearing the garbage truck go by. Oh glorious sleep deprivation!

Anyways, what is the point of this blog? Or of the picture I posted? Well, that is the 1st ornament Nathan and I got when we were married. How quickly 5 and a half years have gone by. I think that the most difficult part of adjusting to a new baby in the home is how little time Nathan and I have had together to just, well, be Nathan and Stacie! We clean the house. He goes to work. I work on Gingiber, feed the baby, changed diapers. He comes home. It is dark outside. And inevitably one of us crashes on the couch while the other one tends to the girls.

I adore the girls and my business. However, I look forward to times when the days feels less like drudgery and are replaced with hopeful possibilities.

In other non related news, we have begun cloth diapering! But that may call for a blog post of its own. Leaky diapers are killing me softly.....


December 15, 2011

Shared Room Tour: Violet and Lucy


I am really happy to share with you Violet and Lucy's shared room! Their room is bright and cheery, filled with vintage touches, school house inspirations, and handmade love. (Don't worry, Lucy is just sleeping in the crib in these pictures! She looks rather out of it, doesn't she?)


This used to be just Violet's room, so I kept a few elements from her old decor, such as the feminine white dressers (they were mine when I was a child) and blue walls. Also, Lucy's crib skirt used to be Violet's, and the diaper changing cover was made from the old curtain fabric. But, this time around, I wanted to soften up the room considerably. So I made some adorable white and yellow pom-pom curtains with enough sheerness to let lots of light in!


The ikea crib and reupholstered lounge chair have very modular, clean lines. I like the mix of these pieces with my childhood furniture, as they create visual interest in the room and really break up the monotony of my old bedroom set.


I made Violet's chalkboard headboard, and kept her lovely Amy Blackwell prints hung on the wall. Inspired by Pinterest, I made this fabric bookshelf to go above Violet's bed. Her happy gingham-clad bed is filled with pillows and handmade plush animals from my shop.


Of course Violet's octopus lamp looks on. He had to stay in the room for sure! Over on Lucy's side of the room......


I made the fun star mobile and spray painted it gold. Keeping with the school house inspiration, Fine Little Day's Apple Papple poster hangs above Lucy's crib. My sweet friends Laura and Nathan gave us this Apple Print by Sycamore Street Press! I hung this print with 2 lovely Amy Marcella flower illustrations, and added some cute little bows!


A sock monkey and yellow fox pillow add some fun to Lucy's crib. Lucy seem's comfy, no?


Let's move over to the opposite side of the room, shall we? ;)


Here you can see the lemon yellow upholstered chair with a handmade owl pillow from my dear friend Amber Perrodin. (Side note: Amber is an AMAZING artist. Go check out her Etsy Shop if you have the time).


The rather large closet is covered with white curtains. Violet's red dresser hides inside for more storage. The closet is large enough that Violet's play kitchen fits in comfortably.



Probably my favorite detail of the room is this little arrangement next to the closet. An gold mirror hangs above a vintage embroidery, vintage dress, and thrifted "L" creating a cute vignette.

This room is my favorite room in our whole house! I hope that you have enjoyed this tour. And, I hope that my girls have happy memories of their childhood room!

December 14, 2011

Cozy Corners and Family Blankets


A few weeks ago my mother came to visit and brought with her a lovely handmade afghan. It was made by one of my grandmothers (we don't know which one!). I remember sneaking into my mother's closet as a little girl and seeing the corner of this blanket tucked away with the family quilts. Secretly I would pull it down and lay it on my bed.


I've always loved the bright and varied colors. It just makes me happy :)


This visit, my mother decided to give it to me, and I am so excited! It really cozy's up the corner of my living room! It is so funny, because just last week in my etsy interview they asked me about favorite handmade possessions, and I didn't have one so I listed my husband's family quilt! Now I have a little handmade nugget of my own :)

Here's to cozy corners and rainy Wednesday afternoons :)

December 12, 2011

Back to Blogging and a Free X-Mas Download

Hello and I am back to regular blogging (at least to the best of my ability). And to celebrate, I wanted to offer you a FREE Gingiber X-Mas Card download :)



This is an original Gingiber blue winter deer illustration. Simply print centered horizontally onto an 8.5x11 piece of card stock, fold down the center, trim the edges, and enjoy for a lovely holiday card!

I hope that you like this card and that it gets you into the holiday spirit! Please only use this for personal use. Do not reproduce for re-sale.

Cheers and happy Monday,

Stacie

December 9, 2011

Babies and Being Busy


Hi friends! I have been gone from this blog for so long and I really really miss it! My days consist of feedings, packaging Etsy orders, and keeping Violet entertained. In all honesty, I feel a bit overwhelmed with all of the activity in my life so far. I've been working like a mad woman to keep up with the orders due to my recent Etsy feature, and I am lucky if I even change out of my pajamas during the day! Forget make-up and fixed hair! But, as you can tell by these photos, Nathan and I are truly blessed this year with 2 healthy girls (for the most part... right now we are battling some illness in the house).


Lucy is 1 month old today! I cannot believe it has only been 4 weeks, to be quite honest. I look forward to taking a mini "vacation" in January from work in order to get recharged after all of this holiday madness. But I am so very thankful for the business.

Next week will begin a new blogging routine. Thanks for sticking with me, friends!

December 5, 2011

I'm The Etsy Featured Seller!!!


Hi friends! I am so excited to announce that I am today's Etsy Featured Seller! Back in October Etsy contacted me and asked if I wanted to be featured. Of course I said "YES"!



I have been anxiously awaiting this day ever since :)

So please, click on over to Etsy and check out my feature! There is an interview and some pictures of me and my work.

So overwhelmingly happy and fulfilled at the moment.

Thanks for all of the support :)

Stacie