The Shop is Re-Opening! DIY projects! Cats! And it's way too hot out!

Hello everyone!

First, I hope you all enjoy a happy, safe 4th of July tomorrow!

Second, my Etsy shop will be re-opening on Friday, the 5th of July! My usual prints will be available, including a few new ones such as the Ice King and two of my alphabet animals.

Yes, I have started the alphabet animals! Now, I'm only on a sketch of "C", but I am happy to be even that far considering I have only been painting these during Luke's nap times. My hope is to complete one alphabet animal and its letter every 1-3 days. If I succeed, I should have 26 animals in 2-3 months. Fingers crossed!

Here's a peek.

Alligator in an apron with an apple pie.

Bear in a bandana and boots with a ball.

Cat in a cape.

In addition to new prints, I will finally be offering some of my original paintings in the shop. I plan to list 2-3 a week, typically for about $85 each. I'm not exactly spacing them out, it's more about what I can commit to typing up and listing while I'm caring for Luke during the day.

Speaking of which, my shipping times have changed! I just finished updating my policies in the shop. Now instead of 2 business days, packages will be mailed in 3-5 business days. I am sorry for this change, and I hope everyone understands. I had to give myself a little wiggle room in case motherhood duties conflict with running the shop. I don't want to promise it will always be 2 days, and then we have a string of sleepless nights and I'm a zombie and you receive a print that's backwards and black & white with "I TRIED MY BEST" hysterically scrawled over the entire mess in red marker. I want to feel comfortable promising everyone they'll get my best work in a timely manner, without that back-of-the-mind what if something goes horribly wrong panic cloud rising.

Part of me is a little nervous to get back into the swing of things, but I have been spending Luke's nap times working on projects to try and hold the creative groove steady. On Sunday I finally finished the blanket I planned for him so many months ago!

Stitching his blanket, and the final results.

I painted the pattern, then created the fabric over on Spoonflower. It was a great experience! I really recommend them for any artsy Mamas and Papas out there. (And all you non parents too, if you just want to make a seriously awesome apron or shirt). The blanket is backed in light brown flannel, and has a layer of thick cotton lining inside for padding and warmth. I embroidered Luke's initials in a heart on the back corner.

Serious little man, checking it out.

Luke, with his initials in the heart.

Spending the morning with two of his best friends,
Ghiddy and Katie Catty.

He has just begun to grasp, hold, and gnaw.
In that order.

Little Kahuna

It has been really hot in the Pacific North West the past few days, and so Ryan got crafty himself and made some screens for the house!

My hero!
(Note Lupin melting to the right).

I made a moby wrap last week, too! A moby wrap is this really cool, natural-feeling way to carry an infant by weaving about 18 yards of jersey knit fabric around your body. The official ones sell for about $50 or, you know, you can just buy 6 yards of jersey knit fabric and cut it in half. Then you have two! For about $13! Or if you want to save even more, buy 3 yards, cut it in half, and sew the halves together.

OR if you're like me, and you just happened to have a 6ft by 6ft square of jersey knit fabric from last Halloween, you can cut it into three pieces about 21 inches wide and sew those together! Whatever you do, be certain that the stretchy bit runs up and down, not side to side. You want the horizontal to be sturdy and the vertical to stretch to create a comfy pocket for baby to rest in.

A lovely lady at my "New Mommy Group" clued me in on how easy it was to make a moby wrap, and I'm so glad she did! I had a lot of fun embroidering a patch to indicate the middle.

This patch rests over Luke's little rump when he is all wrapped up.

Luke is still getting used to riding around strapped to my front like a Kangaroo mummy, but he is beginning to almost enjoy it.

Tastes pretty good....

I love this method, but Luke is never a fan for very long.

"Yeah, okay Mom."

That's pretty much what we have been up to. The cats have continued to explore the new house and get to know Luke.

Puck and Luke are already buddies.

Lupin still gets into everything.

And I mean everything.

Here he is, just relaxing in one of my embroidery hoops.
(No joke, I found him like this).

Elvis, who many of you know can be a real grump, has taken to scratching Puck's ear for him. You see, Puck is missing his right hind leg, so he can't scratch that ear. Elvis has regularly cleaned that ear for Puck since he was a kitten, but now throughout the day if Puck's little hind nub begins to twitch like his phantom leg is trying to scratch, Elvis will walk over and scratch for him.

Puck purrs like crazy when Elvis helps him out....

...Sometimes his good foot rabbit kicks....

...Friendship knows no species.

Isn't that kinda incredible and really sweet? I love our cats so much.

Speaking of love....

Luke is growing strong and healthy! He's 9 weeks old, and already 11 lbs, 9oz and a little over 24 inches long! I have the feeling he is going to be tall like his Daddy. To put it into perspective, the baby book says that 9 week old babies are likely to weigh about 10.5 lbs and be 22 inches long. My tiny peanut is getting big quick!

Amazingly, incredibly, and mercifully he has been sleeping through the night for almost 4 weeks, save twice a couple of weeks ago when he was up all night feeding during a growth spurt. He goes to bed at about the same time each night, wakes about the same time each morning, and gives us about 7-9 hours of sleep in between. I knock on all the wood I can reach that this somehow keeps up.

My Na-Nite Champion!

"Good morning!"/"I don't want to get up!"
His father's child.

And while we're on the topic of his father... It has been outrageously hot for the Pacific North West the past few days, so Luke and Ryan spent an afternoon in the cool basement playing video games. Luke has been enjoying "diaper only" status since Saturday. We have a lot of fans to try and breeze away the fuzziness, but it isn't always easy to keep a hot baby happy. However, watching Mario 64 seemed to take his mind off the heat for a little while.

Fun with Daddy!

That's what we have been up to! Preparing to re-open the shop, projects, enjoying our cats, and trying to keep Little Mr. cool while the temperatures soar. I am looking forward to the shop being up and running again. One of the reasons I made the moby wrap is the lovely lady in my Mommy group suggested I try getting work done while Luke naps and chills in his wrap. It's too hot this week to really try it out, but next week I am going to break out my standing easel and see how much I can get done on my feet. I really hope it goes well, I love the idea of working during Luke's snoozes with him sleeping soundly on my chest. Lovely lady swears by it, so hopefully Luke catches a love for the moby! I will let you know.

Being able to work with Luke so close would be perfect. There is a lovely maternal instinctual need to be near baby, possibly having to do with the fact that they literally live in our bodies for the better part of a year. Each baby is a mother's favorite, and mine is no exception. I feel truly blessed that this exact tiny person is my child. Ryan and I are totally and completely in love with this little guy. We can't believe how quickly the center of our universe has shifted to 11lbs and 9oz of smiles, gurgles, and seriously serious stares.

I'm just wild about this boy.