The List Is Back

This morning over blueberry pancakes I had a little therapy session with Mr. SevPrez. I have been staying up til 2am every night with the feeling like I'm waiting for Santa. I have always been a night owl and now that I don't have any reason to set my alarm I'm showing my true colors. Waking up in the morning knowing there is nothing on the agenda, really, except birth this baby is a bit emotionally overwhelming, seeing as how I have no control over whether it happens or not. Couple that with the incredible heat wave we had over the last few days that made it really difficult to spend any time outdoors, and the fact that everyday I feel more pregnant and more uncomfortable, and it's physically taxing as well. Let's just say I'm sick of the couch, and we have watched every movie made in the last year.

I have a real need to feel productive, whether it's at work or at home, and I realized this morning that I really miss my lists. I kind of stopped writing them since I have been kidding myself that everyday delivery is imminent. No wonder I've been feeling so lost. So when my session with Dr. SevPrez was over, I made a little list and we set out on an expedition to run some errands and cross some things off.

We went to the Red Bank Antique District to look for a set of vintage drinking glasses, since I keep breaking them and we are a very thirsty family. We were just about to leave empty handed when I noticed an area we missed, and low and behold, we found a set of 8 glasses for $25. They are pretty awesome and harken back to a set I got in Brooklyn many years ago that has since died.

And we stopped at a craft store so I could just bite the bullet and get some embroidery floss to make friendship bracelets. I had a nice set of contractions earlier while making this bracelet and it was the perfect thing to focus on. Of course the contractions since went away or else I would not be writing this, but I finished the bracelet and it's ready to give to a friend as part of her birthday package.

Tick Tock

Maybe it's a boy and he's waiting for the NFL lockout to end? I'm starting to think this is never going to happen...

Killing Time With Crafts

As I twiddle my thumbs waiting for this baby to arrive I am remembering why I always made so many crafts over the summer when I was young. If you didn't go to camp, (and I didn't because I hated camp, except art camp) you needed to do something with your time.

I just texted my entrepreneurial 12 year old niece to ask her if she is still making string friendship bracelets. I really want one. Actually I really want like, 4, all big and crazy colored. I think right now she's really into making costume jewelry with tools and stuff. But then I saw these bracelets on a blog and thought, maybe she could encorporate both? And charge me a little less than $425... You know, family discount and all.

Truth is I would make my own friendship bracelet (is that sad?!) but I gave all my string away to my niece. So I'm thinking maybe after a walk to the post office (to send back "The Wire" on Netflix and get our new disc pronto -- we are completely obsessed with the wire and just started season 4), I might need to bust out the paints. I have been really inspired by all the painting going on at Sketch42 blog but abstracts are not really my thing. We'll see. I keep trying to think of ways to jinx myself so the baby will come. Like once I get all the paint out and all my brushes dirty, maybe I'll go into labor? I'll try anything.

Baby Shower Highlight Reel

Animal print dress! Thanks H&M.

Paging Don Draper. The shower was at my brothers' office in Downtown Asbury Park.

My only decor request: Marble balloons. Aren't they so great?!

My partner in crime made Grandma's crumb cake! This was the plate I took home. I discouraged guests from eating it by penalty of death. Actually, they were just distracted by Amanda's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Amazing favors by Karen V. Remember the ones she made for my mom's birthday?

How cute is my husband, if I do say so myself!?

And the award for best gift goes to... Emily, for finding an Ira Glass finger puppet! This American Life just got that much better.

DIY Headboard

So at around 9 months pregnant (yeah, I'm going on 10 months, still no baby) I finally got around to making that faux upholstered headboard that had been on my list for almost a year. I had seen enough web tutorials on Design*Sponge and Young House Love etc. to have a general idea and make it up as I went along. 


I got Mr. SevPrez to pick up a piece of plywood at Home Depot, precut to the measurements I gave him, then I was off to Grayline Linens in the Garment District to pick out some linen. It was the most amazing and somewhat overwhelming selection of linens ever. Who knew there were so many subtleties. I went with something soft, natural colored, and got a remnant so I think it was only $25 for two and a half yards.


Next I borrowed a staple gun from my dad and got some quilt batting from Joann Fabrics, and was off to the races. The hardest part was getting the corners to my liking. They get a little puffy where the batting is folded (like you would wrap a present) but as I've said before, I'm not really one to stress the details so I just went with it. Once I got the whole thing covered in fabric it was barely noticeable. Another thing -- is it impossible to iron creases out of linen or what!? Holy smokes I probably spent a good hour ironing the fabric before I stapled it but STILL couldn't get all the creases completely out. Thank god I'm not a devil for details.


The hardest part about the whole project? Working around the belly. But it was well worth it. A plain and simple headboard for under $75, and it completes the new bedroom (we swapped rooms with the babe-to-be). Awesome sauce.

Say hi to Beary, my bear for life.