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.

Making A Pilgrimage To Maira

Crappy photos illicitly taken with my iPhone while trying to look like I was checking my email.

I was pleased as punch to discover that Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World) was coming to The Jewish Museum in New York, having missed it by just hours when it was in Philadelphia last fall. My mom and I went for our annual Summer Day of Fun on Friday afternoon. For me, it was like snuggling up on the couch with the cats and a good book -- totally comfortable and reassuring. I have most of her books, and even purchased the companion book to the exhibition last year to console myself for missing it, so there wasn't much newness to be discovered. Nonetheless I really enjoyed seeing her originals, and being in a space carefully curated by the hands of Maira. And I really enjoyed hearing the sound of my mother's giggles from across the gallery as she watch Maira's TED talk with headphones on. 


I could go on and on and on about Maira's wit, wisdom, and talent, or my feeling of spiritual connection to her, or my profound admiration for the fact that she has made such an accomplished career for herself by plumbing the depths of herself and her life, but I won't, I don't have it in me today. It's too much to put into words. I would say just check out her work for yourself and you'll understand. 

A horizon of Maira. 

There were a several other great exhibits going on at the museum but we were unable to see them before the museum closed (at 4:45 on Friday, for the Sabbath). I suppose we had spent too long luxuriating over lunch and lemonade at Sarabeth's.  For the record, Sarabeth's is exactly the kind of restaurant I would have if I ever had a restaurant: brunch food and baked goods all day. I would eat breakfast for every meal if it was nutritiously acceptable, and I have always been this way. A few years ago I ran into my high school sweetheart after many years of radio silence, and as we were catching up he asked "Do you still love pancakes?" I suppose I do, I just hadn't realized quite how much it made an impression on others. 


After picking up some things at the gift shop, I made the executive decision that under no circumstances should we take the 6 train downtown and make the horrible transfer to the E at 51st Street. It was a nice day (after several days of sweltering weather and thunderstorms), so we dared cross Central Park in hopes that we would come out on the other side and take the A/C/E directly to Penn Station. I use dramatic language to describe this decision because, well, have you ever tried to cross Central Park in a straight line? It's not really designed to be transversed on foot in this way, so it took some extreme diligence on our part. We consulted a lot of maps, and finally, when leaving Belvedere Castle and having to decide which way to take through The Ramble, I busted out the GPS on my iPhone. After all, my mother was wearing wedges and I am extremely pregnant. I could not stand the idea of us walking far out of our way. But what do you know -- we made it from the Jewish Museum to the Museum of Natural History in record time (not counting our respite at the Turtle Pond, where mom read Maira's newest children's book, Thirteen Words, and I took pictures of all the turtles in the pond). Once we popped out on the West side of the park, I made another executive decision that I was done with the smelly, crowded subway for the week, so I raised my right arm, stuck my belly out, and hailed us a cab to Penn Station. 

Mom reads to the turtles.

All in all it was another wonderful Summer Day of Fun for the books. Mom got off the train with me and Mr. SevPrez picked us up at the station so Mom could come back and get a tour of our new house -- well, our newly beautiful house with new hardwood floors. Photos to come!

Top 5 at 8.5

5 things that are saving me as I get more and more pregnant, in case you find yourself in a similar situation or know someone else who is.

1.  The Snoogle Pillow. My mother-in-law got a hot tip from her pregnant niece that this pillow was a must, and I've had it ever since Mother's Day. It's shaped like a G so it supports you head, belly, and legs. I've had great nights sleep with this thing although when you roll over it's a bit like wrestling an alligator in the night.

2.  MIA clogs from Urban Outfitters. Stylish arch support for my 12 hour days. They never even gave me a blister! And they are much cheaper than Hasbeens, which I love but are outrageously expensive for wooden shoes that are going to get smelly and beat up. When I see pregnant women waddling around in flip flops I cringe. You wouldn't be waddling if you would just wear proper footwear! I still walk faster than 65% of the people in Penn Station. So far so good.

3.  Covergirl Outlast Lip Stain in Wild Berry (essentially bright red). Focus on my red lips not my double chin! Took a recommendation from Cup of Joe and don't regret it. I layer a little Black Honey Almost Lipstick from Clinique over it to make it look less like I drew on my lips with a red magic marker and to freshen the color up during the day. 

4. American Apparel tank dress. Mine's a little longer than the ones on the site -- thankfully it goes past the knees which has become my preferred hem length. Not sure if it's because their website is pervy and models are only allowed to wear XXS or if I have an older version, but I think I'm going back for another sometime this week. The 90 degree weather makes me feel like I need more dresses, and STAT!

5.  Sunbeam electric heating pad. I keep this sucker plugged in on my couch at all times so any time I sit or lay down I can use it on my back to soothe any aches and pains or loosen up tight muscles. It is a must after a long day or a long pop up! The cats like it too.

Clogs in action.