Check out the succulent and cactus arrangement I made

My bro-in-law, Dave, asked for succulents for Xmas. If you've read my old pre-pregnancy blog, Visual Treasurez (bontemper.blogspot.com), you'd know that I am a little obsessed with those weird and wonderful plants. My front garden is full of sedum and hens+chicks, which I've tried to grow indoors in the winter with not very much luck. The sedum die pretty quickly and the hens+chicks grow that phallic flower shoot and are done. For Dave's gift I checked out a local florist and found beautiful arrangements, but they were so expensive. I just bought a couple succulents and cactuses, some cactus potting soil and made my own arrangement in an oversized bowl. I also added a little ceramic pyramid sculpture that I made. I topped it off with white gravel I bought from the florist.

Xmas fun + Addicted to the iPad

Hi
Friends,

Christmas is so much more fun with a baby. Life in general is so much with a wee kiddie! No joke, I can't believe how much I am loving hanging out 24/7 with a little version of me (with a little bit of joe in there too, of course). Ivy has forced me to abandon my hyper multitasking ways and focus on something other than myself. I feel more relaxed and patient than I have ever felt in my life. It feels FABULoUs!

We spent our first Xmas as a threesome running around visiting family in the burbs. We all received some great gifts. I'm planning on posting some photos of a few tomorrow. Ivy got three very special homemade gifts - a sock monkey made by her uncle Dave, a photo album/scrap book made by her auntie Jules (littlemisspartyand.blogspot.com) and a stunning knitted blanket made by her aunt Emily.

Joe gave us an iPad and a subscription to the new York times! Here are some photos of ivy I took today with the iPad...

vintage baby finds and foxy quilt idea

Here's a sneak peak at a couple pieces of clothing I picked up while thrift shopping last weekend. The purple corduroy overalls and the cozy wool vest (I think the tag is in swedish) were both under three dollars.  I scored huge finds this weekend. I'm hoping to post photos soon. (did i tell you that I have new plans to start an online Etsy shop with vintage baby clothes? more about that later...)

It's a few days to Christmas and Ivy present is far from being finished. A little too ambitious?  I am determined to finish this diamond-patterned quilted play mat. I even bought red and white polka-dot patterned waterproof tablecloth-type material from ikea for the underside of the mat so we can take it to the park and use it on the grass. 

Here's my inspiration, from the blog Urban Patchwork. 

Earlier today I somehow ended up on the website of Little Studio, a Swedish printshop (I think I  followed a link from DesignMilk). I saw this print, called Little Fox, and immediately thought of how great the simple, blocky design would translate so well to a multi-square quilt.  Def. a contender for my next quilting project, if I survive the stress of completing Ivy's play mat for Christmas!

By the way, Ivy's in the sling as I write this.  Awwww... too cute!