reading nook for beatrice

{bean bag chair by paniolo on etsy}

{shabby chic pillow by kenilworth place}

{shh i'm reading by shelby healey on etsy}

{imagination by dazeychic on etsy}

{the constant reader by matou en peluche on etsy}

{today a reader tomorrow a leader by parada creations}

{love is a book by nan lawson on etsy}

{reading is dear to my heart by boopsie daisy on etsy}

{green, i love to read by la portraitiste on etsy}

i just framed a print for bea's nursery & it's finally "done." i'm going to post pictures soon! but there is one little area i'm still working on: the reading nook {will i ever really be "done" with the nursery?!}...i know i have time, i'm certainly not one of those moms that is expecting beatrice to read as a baby, but i want reading and books to be important to her from a very early age....

so there's a little area in her room that's perfect for a reading nook...i wanted to get some artwork and comfy pillows and bean bags...what do you think?

headband fit for a hippie...

i'm loving this headband, i would wear it everyday, or...

perfect for a hippie wedding...

{photo credit: liasion by kat swank}

soapwalla keeps me fresh...

ok, so i'm going to blog about deodorant. yes, deodorant. it seems like it's so tough to find an organic, green deodorant that *works*...it's important to me to find something healthy, as skin is our largest organ...what i put on my body is just as important as what i put in my body...why spend extra money on organic blueberries if i'm going to put yucky chemicals on my skin?

i've tried them all...from the fancy ones to the rock you see in the hippie health stores, but i've found the best one by far. i've been using the deodorant cream from soapwalla for almost two years now. it's amazing. yes, i used amazing to describe deodorant. it has great consistency, smells nice and IT WORKS! and remember i live in los angeles, hot los angeles...{confession: when i got home from the hospital with beatrice, i probably didn't shower *every* day, well, it still worked...} i started ordering two at a time because i hate running out...

i love that it's hand-made by the soapwalla chef, it's so decadent...i've tried some of her other yummy products and they are wonderful {i used the pregnancy oil on my belly throughout my pregnancy}...but i'm a huge fan of the deodorant!!

here are the ingredients:

Organic jojoba, sunflower, and rosehip seed oils; shea butter; a combination of all-natural and gluten-free vegetable clays and powders; aluminum-free sodium bicarbonate; organic vegan kosher glycerin; a combination of organic lavender, peppermint, sweet orange, bergamot and tea tree essential oils.

{photo credit: soapwalla}

steady as she grows {sixteen weeks}

first of all, happy friday! i'm late on this post this week...

sixteen weeks is four months...so unbelievable that beatrice has been with me for four months...we're out of her so-called 'fourth trimester,' where she nurses and sleeps all the time...it's amazing to see her take in the world and learn to grasp, smile, laugh and start to play...

i'm so excited to continue to watch her grow and get to know her personality, but i really love this stage--she's such a small little bundle that still falls asleep when nursing. what an amazing gift that i've been able to nurse her, i hope that i can keep it up for at least a year, if not longer...

i've been reading about how facebook deleted, then re-instated, then deleted, then re-instated {confused yet?} the breastfeeding support page, the leaky b@@b...it really saddens me that the natural process of a mother feeding her child can be so provoking. breastfeeding obscene? really? i'm so grateful that i've had nothing but support as a breastfeeding mom. there's really nothing more amazing that a mom can give her child...

she's wearing:

first three photos

{baby gap dress & luvette leggings}

{hand-me-down socks}

{blanket hand-knit by my grandma for me when i was a baby!}

last photo

{splendid thermal}

luving luvette...

i have to say it's been pretty cold here in los angeles. i know, i'm spoiled--no snow blizzards or anything, but for sunny so cal, drops into the 4o's are considered cold. so beatrice has been keeping her little bum warm with cashmere. yes, cashmere. she got a pair of bum warmers as a gift from luvette.

luvette is run by an eco-responsible mom who re-purposes sweaters into adorable baby & toddler wear. you'll find pants, diaper covers, even blankets, all lovingly hand-crafted for your little one. how genius & adorable...beatrice's little pants are made from an old cashmere sweater {the sleeves are the legs!}...so soft & luxurious for her little tush!

i think beatrice needs to sport that little skirt...

{photo credit: luvette}

hand-made eco toys on etsy...cuteness abounds!

it's unfortunate that one needs to make sure that a toy is non-toxic these days, so i tend to stick to hand-made and made responsibly. plus, the hand-made ones are the cutest! so sweet and special. here are some of my favorites from etsy sellers:

{cloth play blocks from the polka dot spot on etsy}

{soft baby rattle, bee from by handmade by marika on etsy}

{crocheted organic rattle, monkey {there are lots of animals to choose from!} from locomomma on etsy}

{little anchor teether from little sapling toys on etsy}

{felted sheep from woolies on etsy}

{matilda, the eco friendly owl also from woolies on etsy}

warm sugar posy doll...

i just ordered the sweetest doll from warm sugar on etsy. can you stand the cuteness? it was so fun, i got to choose the outfit, hair color, socks, almost every detail! i told her that our nursery colors were pink, white, grey, green & black and she choose fabric accordingly. can you believe the little shoes with vintage buttons? i love them!

didn't she turn out so cute? now she's just waiting for the baby to arrive...one week to go...

{photo credit: warm sugar}

vintage clothes go on vintage hangers...

i've been falling down the etsy k-hole a lot lately...the other night i was up until midnight favorite-ing {i'm making that a new word} a TON of cute vintage baby clothes. i didn't purchase them all yet, but i'm close. {expect a post about that soon.}

so what do vintage baby clothes hang on? vintage hangers of course. so cute, i can't stand it. yes, they are plastic & i'm anti-plastic...but they are vintage {and mostly made in USA}, so i'm not contributing to the plastic consumption, right? it's reducing and reusing...

{photo credits: 1. thl vintage; 2. my favorite finds; 3. squirreley girley; 4. scrappy jessi}

vintage baby

i'm a bit obsessed with vintage baby rompers right now...just bought two from oh sydney vintage on etsy. kill me now with cuteness.

and...only four more weeks to go!

{photo credit: here and here}

now that i have a cute bike...

i've been riding it. i ride on sunset blvd, so busy and lots of traffic. and yes, i wear a helmet. i know i have to. but it's so. not. cute. i have a cute bike, but where's the cute helmet??

i'm thinking about one of these and then maybe crafting it with feathers, appliques, etc? maybe an awesome etsy vendor would make it cute?

what do you do for a helmet?

{photo credit here.}

plant in the earth, well, ok some pots...

in honor of earth day, i made a seeds purchase for my burgeoning veggie garden.  i found some great organic seeds through the cosa verde blog, which highlights eco and green merchants on etsy.  {another fave green blog i should have added to my list...}

i got the butter crunch lettuce {my favorite} from etsy seller fluffn flowers and okra {yum} from seven acre woods.  i want to plant these in some more pots on the patio, or maybe some cool recycled wine crates...

{photos from here and here.}

living terrariums {kat geiger}

i may not be able to drive up to the bay area for mothers day, so i was thinking about something to get my mom other than cut flowers.  so predictable & they don't last...then i stumbled upon kat geiger's living terrariums.  aren't these amazing?  she is in the bay area and only does local orders {unfortunately for me she doesn't ship!}, so if you are in the bay area, check her out.  

i think these would also make amazing centerpieces...so dramatic, too.  something living and beautiful that you could give away after the ceremony to your bridal brigade or friends and family!

if you are in oakland, she's having a trunk show this saturday april 18 at a store called urban indigo.  

check out her etsy store and her blog.

{photos from koko studios on flickr}

etsy love {peony}

the sweet and talented peony has opened her etsy shop--stop by for some beauty for your walls.

happy friday

happy friday.  have a great weekend.

studio mela on etsy.

etsy love {bayou salvage}

i love these. aren't they lovely?  i purchased several lace tablecloths of varying sizes and shapes from ebay and thrifting for the wedding table toppers.  i gave several away, but i still have quite a few left...more than i need.  what a cool way to reuse them and keep a memento of the day. from bayou salvage on etsy.

eco etsy street team

i just found out about ecoetsy-- a site of etsy sellers dedicated to reducing, reusing and recycling!  wow, i wish i knew about this site when i was planning my wedding.  when i was searching on etsy, i would add "green" or "reused" or some other description before what i was looking for {ie, green invitations} to try and find etsy sellers who were selling not only hand-made products, but green as well.  what a great resource. 

you can go to the site to find items and get information, or you can follow their blog.  additionally, once you are on etsy, you can use the search term "teamecoetsy" to find their wares.  good stuff.

thank you from the bottom of my heart

thank you for all your notes, wishes, support, love, posts, comments, etc.  although no on prop 8 has conceded we will not give up.  i attended the rally last night in west hollywood & i literally felt the support & love.  yes, this is a fight, but a fight for love & equality.

what more can you do?  well, keep reading the blogs & stay connected, as two chicks nest so eloquently suggested.

most of all, i just wanted to say thank you.  i have so much to be grateful for:  an amazing wife, fabulous friends, supportive family, my health, my dogs, a roof over my head, a supportive blogging and online community, i live in a beautiful country where homosexuality is legal & there is peace on our shores, obama was elected president...the list goes on & on.  with that in mind, i am truly happy, no matter what.  it's far from over, but i am fighting with love in my heart & from a place of gratitude.  thank you.

sweet gratitude card from mnotes on etsy.

separate is not equal

my health benefits are contingent on how many hours i work during a given period.  this past year, i didn't work enough hours, so i lost my benefits for a few months.  i just recently got them back, so i received the welcome packet in the mail.  the last time i got the welcome packet, patty & i were merely domestic partners.  i tried to add her to my health care benefits.  here's what we had to provide:

-  our certificate of domestic partnership

-  proof that we have a shared bank account for at least one year

-  proof that we share some sort of living arrangement (a lease or mortgage that is signed by BOTH of us)

-  an affidavit that all the above is true that has been notarized

when i tried to add her, we didn't have the joint lease (patty was on it but i wasn't) so i couldn't add her to my health care.  this time, now that we are MARRIED, here's what i had to provide:

-  a marriage license

that's it.  nothing else.  just one copy.  we didn't have to prove anything.  so i made the copy & sent it off in the mail.  done.

please don't tell me that domestic partners and marriage are the same.

image from awesome etsy seller LemonDrops2.

hemp snack packs

how cute are these?  they are little snack packs that are made from hemp and reusable.  what a great idea for edible favors. then folks can reuse the packs again and again after the wedding.  love it.  found at abeego on etsy.

so very happy

i've seen this artist around the blog world, but i thought i'd share.  her work is so sweet & inspiring.  i love this one...it reminds me of what abe lincoln once said, "people are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be."  to me, that means i have a choice to be happy.  and with all this crazy prop 8 back and forth--it's hard not to take it personally and feel the stress.  so i'm going to be happy today.  check out studio mela on etsy for more sweet art.