Twas A Few Days Before Christmas When

My sisters threw such a fun baby shower for me over Christmas break and I had to show you guys some pictures of what they put together because I mean really, they know how to partay. We had a hot chocolate bar complete with donut holes, banana bread and peppermint chocolate covered marshmallows to dip in our drinks and of course what's a party without some cupcakes (my aunt owns the bakery The Mermaid Bakery in downtown Denver and made us some peanut butter and salted caramel cupcakes and they were TO DIE FOR. If you're in the area you have to go try her goodies, she's kind of a wizard). I definitely felt the love...and the sugar rush. Thanks for such a fun party sistas!!

It's A.....

Girl!!!

 And I am just ecstatic, mostly because I was pretty convinced that it was a boy and hello, I APPARENTLY HAVE NO MATERNAL INSTINCT!!! Browsing through all of the teensy tiny girl dresses and jeggings...you guys, I die. I die of cuteness every time.

The Fam is all headed over to Colorado for Christmas and my sisters decided to throw me a baby shower while I was down there. In true cheapskate fashion (I like to call it DIY because hello, sounds so much trendier and hip)  I decided to make my own invitations. They were so fun to paint and I'm planning on using the artwork in the nursery somehow to give it a personal touch. Perhaps when we come up with a name I'll paint her name in the center of the wreath?!

Also. Name my unborn child. No seriously. Sir Matt and I are having no success. Every name I love he hates and every name he loves I loathe. It's really kind of the worst. At this point I'm hoping that once he sees all of the misery I have to go through during birth he'll just let me name her whatever the heck I want. 

Or ya know you could just solve the dilemma and help us. Oh pretty please won't you???

DIY Bear Rug Baby Blanket

 Nesting has hit.me.hard. you guys. All I can think about is what needs to be done to the nursery, and what we need to have before the baby comes. Basically if I'm not at work/sleeping I'm coming up with some kind of project for the bebe. This is one of my favorites so far, I've always wanted to have a baby blanket that was made by me for each of our kids and so I suppose this is the beginning of a new tradition! Here's how you can make your own.

Supplies:

2 yards of microfleece

black felt

white thread

black thread

scissors

sewing machine

something to mark with

 ^^ 1. Double up your two yards of fabric and on the wrong sides of the fabric mark out the shape of your bear rug. Then cut the bear shape out of both layers of fabric.

 ^^2. Separate the two layers of fabric, we'll now be working on the top layer. Use trim/felt/anything you have around the house and cut out pieces to make the bear face and then pin them to the right side of the top layer and stitch them down with your sewing machine.

 I used a combination of felt, trim and hand embroidery.

^^Next, still using the top layer only use a very tightly woven zig zag stitch on your machine to embroider the paws.

^^3. Once all of the embroidery is done on the top layer, take both layers, top and bottom and place them right sides together. Sew the two pieces together using your sewing machine but leave a small hand sized hole so that you can flip the blanket right sides out. Once you flip the blanket right sides out use a ladder stitch (video here) to sew the blanket closed. You're done!

HAUUUGE Shop Update

Remember last month when I decided to be a vendor at a pop up shop and sell tons and tons of vintage and revived clothes...you didn't think I'd leave you guys out now did you:) There are SO MANY new one of a kind goodies up in the shop and in so many different sizes. Revival Files, Holiday Dresses, Vintage Treasures, and Christmas Water Color prints. Head on over to The Paper Indian shop to check 'em out!

Thanksgiving in Portland

Matt and I meandered over to Portland for Thanksgiving, it was a much needed break from all of the everyday stresses of life, this might sound a bit weird but one of my favorite things about the trip was just getting to chat about nothing with Matt at the end of the night. Isn't it so funny the things that we let go of when we're so busy. But just being with each other and having each others attention was kind of amazing. Okay okay so there was lots of other amazing stuff. I decided to make a list of a few of my favorite spots in Oregon in case any of you find yourself there:) Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving!

Food: 

Nong's Khao Man Gai (Japanese)

Salt and Straw (ice cream)

Marrakesh (Morrocan)

VooDoo Doughnuts (self explanatory....)

Boke Bowl (Korean, go for their steam buns, I didn't actually love the soup)

Activities: 

Japanese Gardens

Rose Gardens

Multnomah Falls

Powell's Books

Towns:

Astoria

Canon Beach

Duh...Portland