watercolor M for Mom, Mother's Day card... this one happens to be for me!

Alrighty, so this craft is the result of wanting to keep two 3 year olds busy & productive, finding a way to put their 10+ watercolors to use from two days ago, and that Mother’s Day is only 3 days away!!! I paired the cards with some pretty paper source envelopes that I had on hand for a mail worthy finished product. This post is a fuzz different for me, but since today’s project was very unplanned, completely my own and it turned out great, I really wanted to share it with you (despite it being an hour past my bed time… I apologize in advance for some blurry photos!).

I LOVE to send and receive fun mail. Fun mail = anything that is not a bill or junk. Note cards from dear friends and family are some of my favorites. The day before yesterday True and Madisyn occupied their afternoon with water coloring. When they’d get each masterpiece just right they’d tear it from the tablet and plaster it to the fridge to dry. As they began to run out of room, they made their way over to the oven door with their works of art. I actually think the only reason that they stopped painting was because they ran out of magnets. Yesterday I let the crinkly watercolors remain on the refrigerator and oven as I tried to decide what we could possibly do with all of them. They were too pretty to just throw away but we just can’t keep every pretty thing the kids make can we? I decided that Mother’s Day cards would be very appropriate. The next question I asked myself though was how (with out being boring or buying anything)?

I printed the letters “M” and “G” this morning from my computer. M for Mom and G for Grandma. I used white card stock (2- 8 1/2 x 11 sheets). I used the Cookie font in Word so that the letters were big and bubbly and customized the size to 400. The letter templates measure approximately 3 1/2 x 4″. The paper the kids painted on is 6×9″ and nothing special (not water color paper or card stock). Here is how we did it:

you need works of art, letter templates, a pencil, scissors, markers & envelopes

fold the work of art in 1/2 and trace the letter being sure that the top of the letter lines up with the fold

if you fold the paper so the painting is on the inside you won't have ugly pencil lines on the front of your card if your cutting is less than perfect

cut out your letter making sure to NOT cut the top of the letter that is against the fold, this is what makes it a card!

open up the letter to turn it right side out (the kids love this part)

M for Mom!

I traced the G so that the integrity of the card wasn't compromised by placing it well above the fold

here's our G batch, the kids did one M each and two Gs for immediate Grandmas

I did the cutting and writing and had the kids use markers to decorate the inside

Three cards was just right for True & Madisyn. There are several other people we could have made cards for, but the kids were ready to move on. I did the cutting and writing to speed up the process. Letter cards require more experienced cutters anyhow, so this may be great for older kids too!

Since finishing, variations of this project keep coming to mind. I did what was quickest and easiest for us in an attempt to recycle their art but next time I might:

• use a thicker paper for the art work (if I’m planning on using the art for cards)
• use different letters for any occasion
• order smaller or larger envelopes based on the planned card project
• experiment with different fonts
• use stickers, stamps or different paint on the art work

If you give it a try let me know what you did and how it turned out! In the mean-time, Happy Mother’s Day!

I couldn't help hanging mine up even though it's not Mother's Day yet. The little guy to the right there is True and his art lives on!

Warmth, JL

True is three (…and 5 months{almost}). Since as early as I can remember in his life, I have been scaring him about death. Not that I’ve realized it; that’s where the epiphany comes in. It probably first started with cars; getting hit by cars. He started walking when he was 10 months old. The summer to follow was anything but relaxing for me. Why don’t more playgrounds have fences? True doesn’t seem to have an internal boundary sensor like some kids do. Some kids don’t like Mom out of sight, and some don’t like her out of reach. True’s fine with both. He seems to care more about me being around now than he did when he was an infant or toddler. He breastfed, but other than that, everything was more interesting than where I was. So back to cars, “Don’t go in the street or you’ll get squashed like a bug!” I would scold constantly. The squishing of bugs came naturally to him, so I would explain that it wasn’t nice and that he was “killing them- dead.” Since he seemed to grasp the idea (not that it stopped him) I used it to refer to getting hit by a car. We would even stop to check out road kill on walks (a certain snake was pretty impressionable for him at age 2). I didn’t want to hide it from him. I wanted him to see the guts squashed out, and eyes protruding from their sockets if we were lucky enough to come across it. Then I wanted him to imagine himself in their place. Squashed like a bug. Oh-h-h yeah, that’s me, no joking and it was constant. I wanted to instill fear into this little being that had none. I wanted to pass on my fear to him. I wanted desperately for him to understand how crushed I would be if something happened to him. Just how un-okay I would be.

I’m taking a trip to Colombia. We are leaving in about a week. I’m dropping True off with my Mom & Dad, and then flying with Elle West to Baltimore where I will meet my Father-in-law so that we can fly Internationally together. So, I’m going, and taking Elle West with me. I’ve never been there and I don’t speak Spanish. My husband isn’t coming along either. When I told my Father-in-law that I wanted to go with him (quite spontaneously over the phone about 6 weeks ago) he was thrilled, and we started making plans right away. My excitement was not immediate as I didn’t have my husbands blessing yet. What would he think? How would he feel about me taking Elle? Would money be an issue? I didn’t talk to him until the following night so that I’d have at least one day to dream about it in the event the trip wasn’t going to materialize. We’ve got to be on the same page after all. I was flushed with relief to know that we were. Okay next, my Mom. I was pretty sure that she would be less than thrilled about all but having True for two weeks. When I casually popped it into a conversation with her a few days later she controlled herself nicely with a contemplating, “Ohhhh”. When I followed with that I was taking Elle with me, she gasped.

My Mom & I’s relationship has it’s share of challenges like everyone else’s relationship with their Mom. She isn’t always the first person, or the last that I want to talk to. But sometimes she is, and sometimes, she’s the only person that I want to talk to.

Lately, since planning my trip to Colombia, I’ve been extra sensitive to my Mom repeating things like, “It’s just so different in another country…” Really anything she says referring to mine & Elle’s safety seems to annoy me as if she has no right to worry. It’s not like I don’t want to hear what she has to say or about her concerns, it’s just that I don’t want to hear them more than once and especially not more than twice in the same conversation. When I had first told her about the trip, I responded to one of her fear laced comments with, “Yeah, but I can’t live my life like that.” Meaning that it wasn’t okay for me to be scared and stay home- not that her comment even suggested as much. The thing is this, I grew up squatting not to touch public toilet seats, Cloroxing fruit & vegetables and wearing helmets; I don’t need any help worrying about germs, let alone safety in a foreign country of which I’ve never visited! Am I blaming her for my fears? No. I just don’t need the person I look to for safety reaffirming them. The epiphany? I’m no different than my Mom, or any Mom; I love my kids.

So the lessons started with cars which led to choking, drowning, electrocution, poisonous frogs & snakes (African frogs… just in case we happen to be there soon or he comes across one here), strangers, and most recently, being strangled by my apron ribbon. All lessons ending of course, with a certain someone’s most certain death. He’s still three by the way.

While True was spinning in circles beneath my apron ribbon last night, and laughing as it wrapped around his neck, I quickly stomped over to demonstrate the dangers of his little game. I started by explaining that if it wrapped over itself and he tripped somehow and I was NOT standing right there then he would be hanging which would cut off his air supply and he would be strangled- dead. I then said, “Here, let me show you.” He shook his head no and backed away from me and the apron. Well, am I proud to say that there is a sense of fear instilled into this little being now? Selfishly, yes. But what might his fears keep him from doing? My hope, something that kills him. Reality? We are all going to die, and do I want him to be worried about it? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Could I possibly ever cover all of the dangers that might lead to his death? Nope, and why waste the time. There is a difference between teaching him to pay attention and what the consequences of his actions might be, and creating a mental handicap. All of this struck me like a bolt of lightening after I put him to bed. Look at me. LOOK-AT-ME! Look at me. And I’m annoyed with my Mom for verbalizing, in the slightest, some her fears about my travelling? She hasn’t mentioned death once!! Thank goodness!

If thoughts become things, then I’m going to picture True growing old & healthy and dying peacefully in his sleep at 110; not being squashed, choked, drowned, electrocuted, poisoned, kidnapped, strangled or anything else horrifying or unpleasant. Injuries may happen, but he’ll heal. If he doesn’t, then I will and it will be part of a bigger plan. Our life is an adventure to be excited about. We need to explore and not take things too seriously. My plan is to start teaching True those lessons. I’ve got two more years left in laying his foundation and I won’t use fear.

Our conversation this morning:

“Hey True, I want to talk to you for a minute. You know how sometimes I scare you about dying, like by being choked.”

“Mmhmm.”

“Well, I’m sorry and I’m not going to do that anymore. I don’t want you to be afraid of anything. There isn’t really anything worth being afraid of. I just want you to be smart and make good decisions. I don’t want you to get hurt because I love you, but you don’t need to worry. You are smart already. Okay?”

“Okay. And and I won’t put anything dangerous around my neck and I’m gonna tell Dad.”

“Your going to tell Dad not to put anything around his neck?”

“Yeah. So he doesn’t choke.”

“Okay, that sounds good True.”

So, the cycle continues! Awe well, I’ve done what I’ve done. But, I’m hoping with these last three years under his belt, and with the next two lived a bit more care free, True will have the sense not to run blind folded. Maybe though, he won’t be afraid to run.

As for my Mom, she loves me. I love True and True loves his Dad.

Thinking wonderful, JL

1. Love yourself- Anyone can challenge me on this, but I doubt my belief will change… We take the very best care of others when we love ourselves {and 1st, when at all possible). If we don’t take care of ourselves, then we can’t do a whole lot of good anywhere else. So let’s go above and beyond taking care of ourselves and LOVE ourselves in the process. The whole world can benefit from it!
2. Celebrate your body- Our bodies are awesome and amazing! So often we have insecurities about our bodies (surely we are all guilty of this), but literally it is plain silly. We could even go so far as to say ungrateful. We come in different shapes, sizes & colors but are each stunning in our own way. Some of us are mothers and are able to breastfeed, how amazing is that?! Some of us are mothers who grew our babies inside us and how nuts is that?! Some of us are mother’s who gave someone a home; how incredible is that?! Some of us have arms & hands that we use to embrace people with warmth; does it get any better than that? We each need to decide that our body is amazing and what part is stunning and CELEBRATE it!
3. Nourish your baby- When we think the word NOURISH, food comes to mind. When we associate it to a nursing bra business, we think breast milk. Yes to both. But how about anything that helps your baby grow? Love (so obviously), exercise, discipline, communication, reading & play can all be forms of nourishment; anything that helps grow their mind, body or spirit.

For me, Nourish your baby comes easiest and everyday. Most days I Celebrate my body somehow. But, to Love myself feels a fuzz harder to fit in. My goal is everyday, all three. This is what it looks like today…

Love yourself- I filed my nails. It might sound silly, but this simple form of personal hygiene gets put on the back burner frequently. It feels so good when it’s done and I admire them for days! I also did a little work and drank my coffee while sitting outside with the kids.

These babies deserve the very best!

A guilty pleasure that I get to consider work

Celebrate your body- I curled my hair. I’ve had a bit of a cold and wanted to feel pretty today. I hang out with a bunch of kids and my hubby is out of town; it can be tough to find the motivation to look nice. But I notice every time I walk by a mirror and it matters. I try most days.

And jewelry 98% of the time! I love these bird earrings!

Nourish your baby- Elle West is still getting breast milk exclusively, but today I’m also taking care of two 3 year olds & a 5 year old. My niece, Madisyn, and nephew, Jadon, join us a few days each week. This spring has been absolutely gorgeous and we spent the morning in our backyard… soaking up a little vitamin D and playing.

Mads really got after our lawn with the popper!

J and True do a little landscaping with the dozer... I'm loving True's Wrangler bottom here!

So everyday is my goal and I’m going to try to post one weekly (maybe a little accountability will help!). How did you

Love yourself, Celebrate your body, and Nourish your baby

today? We’d love to know!

Warmth, JL

Below is a copy of an email that I sent Gabe today. He is out of town for work and we often send pictures to one another to brief our day. Although, this one sounds a lot more like a blog post than an email I’d usually send to him, hence my sharing it here.

~~~~~

Before lunch True was asked to pick up his markers & board and wash his hands. He argued about needing to draw more but ultimately picked up with little trouble. He dilly dallied with washing his hands and talked back which got 3 min in the corner which led to 3 more min which then led to him throwing a toy at me which led to bed with no lunch. He cried so much that I put his nose in a corner until he was done crying & ready for nap. He laid down quietly for 5-10 min and then came out of his room to find me quietly sitting at the table. He said he was ready to wash his hands. I said okay. On his way to the bathroom he asked if he could pick up when he was done washing his hands (the toys he was supposed to pick up after lunch {and the one he threw}). I said sure. He got done with all of that and I asked if he was hungry. He said “not usually” and went to bed easily with the condition that I carry him. I laid him down and I told him that we would clean the shed after nap; that I would wait for him. He asked me if I was going to sit at the table and I said no, that I would probably sit and work at Dad’s desk. He pushed me back slightly and told me to tuck him in. After the “good night Mom” as I shut his door, I haven’t heard a peep.

This is how he picked up after washing his hands. There isn’t another toy out of place in the house.

We didn’t go to the shop at all this morning and won’t today. He was up about 4 times last night and Elle 3 which made 6 total for me. Little energy to share with anyone today. We did spend over an hour at the park with Emily this morning though, where all the boys played very calmly. They are moving on Friday.  66 out and just perfect. A jacuzzi kind of warmth that makes entering the house after being in the sun and car feel like jumping back in the swimming pool. Something I seldom choose to do. Maybe True felt similar.

We miss you. Maybe we will make a Texas road trip after all.

Xo, JL

~~~~~

I’m still a little too numb from the activity of this past week to figure out just what was happening with True at lunch time today. (We had a much busier week than normal.) I like to analyze his behavior and mine and try to make sense of it, try to adjust as needed. Hahaaha heeeheehee, so silly I know, what do I really know about what is going on with True. Well, I like to try. But today I’m just looking at it:

• fit/talking back- normal.
• no lunch- not normal.
• coming out of his room at bed time- pretty normal.
• wanting to wash his hands- not normal.
• wanting to pick up- normal in a way.
• needing my affection and approval in order to go to bed- missing Dad.

Okay, so I’m totally analyzing, and again what do I really know. Aahhh, the crazy wonderful dynamic between Mother & Child.

Wishing you and yours my very best this weekend, JL

]]> http://prettybrasfornursingmoms.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=387 0 http://prettybrasfornursingmoms.com/blog/?p=377 http://prettybrasfornursingmoms.com/blog/?p=377#comments Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:34:12 +0000 admin http://prettybrasfornursingmoms.com/blog/?p=377 This lends an idea about my morning. I just walked by a mirror and noticed…

At least it’s only been like that since Elle West’s last feeding {so no more than 2 hours} {assuming it was right before then!} {and at least it’s closed}.

But, all is well now because…

*and*

@%$#AND**%$#$

I’m smiling because anything else is just silly.

I’ll spare you the details, but I hope your day is fantastic- and if you wouldn’t go that far- I hope you at least get a little chuckle out of it!

xo, JL

PS- I love Love LOVE snap shirts for nursing.

Click on any image for a better look.

This shows the stud detail along the neckline and the gather in the back that helps accommodate a 10 month belly.

I have a print of this hanging above Elle's crib... I look so happy that it almost makes me forget that I hadn't had a good nights sleep for months before she came!

The jacket goes with the leggings & boots for fall. I'm trying to convince True to come down the hill to take a picture with me. It didn't happen.

Details

The fabric is a bamboo knit which wicks away moisture from the skin, resists bacteria & fungus, and is easy to wash & dry. Dare I say perfect for breastfeeding!

To decorate the neckline are nickle plated studs. The “studs” that are located just above the armpit in the front are really snaps. These are what makes this a maternity/nursing dress. Sorry, no boobie shots today! But we will demonstrate the inner workings of the bodice better on our website when we have dresses for sale.

The boots are Frye but they don’t carry those that I’m wearing any more. However, these would do and I’m dying for a pair (7.5… just in case I’ve got a gift coming!). The leggings are Splendid and the jacket is Divine Wear but several years old, so this might work in the place of mine.

Here I am in the dress in February, 2012 (3 months after having Elle West and during an unusually warm Colorado winter):

For spring, wedges.

Or flats.

Underneath the dress

In the pregnant photos I’m wearing this Le Mystere nursing bra and some Hanky Pankys like these. In the postpartum photos I’ve got this You! Lingerie set on.

Why is this important? Well did you notice the extra cleavage in the pregnancy pictures compared to the postpartum ones? That has more to do with the bra than it does that I’m about to have a baby. The Le Mystere bra really puts them in their place per say, but I actually prefer how I look in the You! Lingerie bra. Not to mention the wide strap set and low cut on the You! Lingerie bra keeps the bra out of sight while wearing this dress. I had to wear a little tape during the pregnant shoot to keep the Le Mystere from showing… it’s not just the dress. The Le Mystere peeks out above quite a bit, like my J.CREW favorite tanks. It’s kinda sexy when I’m at home, but not so much when I’m out and about much less in this dress. Finding a nursing bra that fits under regular clothes (you know, like clothes that have nothing to do with being pregnant or breastfeeding) are tough to find. In fact, my You! Lingerie bras are the only ones that I would consider wearing when I’m no longer breastfeeding (not that I expect them to last that long).

Prototype versus sample

The dress I’m showing you today is our prototype and not a salesman sample (or RTW {ready to wear}). This dress is what my amazing friend Kate made from the illustration below:

We chose to start with the second style and switch fabric. The fabric switch midstream caused the poochiness you can see under the bust in the photos of our prototype (MY fault). There are a few details in the prototype that need to be addressed, one being the bust of the bodice, before we have the actual sample made. Then we get to go into production.

I take it pretty easy on this dress since it’s currently one of a kind. It does wash and dry beautifully, but I don’t want to test it to death before our samples are made. Though I’d LOVE to wear it regularly, this one cost more than $600 to make and I’m a fuzz too uptight to take any chances (you know, with oatmeal, spit up, baby poop, etc… although- it does wash beautifully, so I’d bet it’d be fine. But there is also scissors & glue to consider. Not to mention barbed wire & grease in our household! I’m definitely waiting for my own RTW dress {and don’t worry, they will retail for MUCH less}).

Why a dress?

Some people might wonder why we are starting with a dress instead of a bra. They may even go as far as to think that we have a poor sense of direction or focus. These are legitimate concerns from someone who doesn’t know either us or the industry we are entering. However, after 3 years of self educating, testing nursing bras, building relationships, envisioning, creating & believing we are MORE focused than ever on introducing our 1st nursing bra collection (of many). There is just a way to do it that is important to us. We aren’t okay with making a few bras and putting a price tag on them and seeing what happens (although this has been suggested over & over). We are trying to create a brand and be respected in our industry by building our business slow & smart and by industry standards.

This dress is the result of creative thinking on how to earn our seed money, and to work towards accomplishing our mission *to help each woman soften the challenges of breastfeeding by celebrating her body and satisfying her spirit of self*.

We consider selling the dress a fundraising effort. According to Wikipedia, fundraising can be defined as such…

…Although fundraising typically refers to efforts to gather money for non-profit organizations, it is sometimes used to refer to the identification and solicitation of investors or other sources of capital for for-profit enterprises.

So, we have created the dress to sell in order to raise money to develop and take to market, our 1st line of bras. A fun plan is coming together for our dress sale and I’m DYING to share it with you. I will post with the timeline soon!

In the mean time

What do you think of our dress? All comments and questions are welcome and appreciated!

Warmth, JL

When I had True, it seemed there were no pretty nursing bras to be found. However, I live in a mountain town in Colorado and at the time I used the computer very little… so I wasn’t exactly exposed to a wide variety of choices. I’m thankful for that though, because through it, I found my passion. I was so fired up about how hideous my options were that my mind began filling with concepts and designs. The bra that started it all is actually quite utilitarian. It was created to hold my breast pump while I fed True because trying to pump when I was already nursing every 3 hours filled me with lots of stress and anxiety which kept me from letting down {my boobs felt like Ft. Knox… nothing was getting out unless True was latched on!} which filled me with even more stress and anxiety! But, aahhh the relief when True would nurse, the other boob couldn’t tell he wasn’t there and his milk flowed freely. So I figured out a way to pump one side while nursing him on the other. I wished I could give one of those bras to every new Mom right then. I decided it was my duty to help Mom’s in that small but amazing way and while I was at it, I would make them pretty. My business concept evolved, but that is another post. This one is to let you know what bras I’ve found and liked since then, as well as ones I haven’t myself tried but have heard good things about. I will not trash talk any out there, so if they aren’t mentioned here I either don’t know about them or, well, you know…

1. Elle Macpherson Intimates
• These are my personal favorites on the market due to style. They also fit me well {I’m smaller busted} and are very comfortable. My sister-in-law gave her Elle Macs very high marks as well… she is on the small side too. I am also a big big fan of Elle Macpherson’s non-nursing intimates, so I am thankful that she’s a Mom and considers us still nursing Moms in her beautiful collections. When browsing the site, use the arrows in the upper right & left hand corners to move from style to style (it’s kind of easy to miss).
2. Anita
• I have not tried these, but have seen and held them in the flesh. That sounds bad- with no flesh in them I held them! It was at the CurvExpo and I took a good look and feel. They are a bit more plain looking than others that I consider pretty, but their quality fabrics & fit make them stunning. This is a brand that I have heard amazing things about from Moms who have used them. They are very supportive with out looking like straight jackets.
3. Bravado
• These bras tend to be on the basic/functional side, however there may not be a better basic. I have not used these either but PBfNM’s Idea Editor Emily has. I kid you not about her title, though she edits my ideas for free at this point (thank goodness!), I don’t dare proceed with much with out consulting her. She is a girly girl (mother of 3 boys, which we wonder how in the heck that happened all the time, but wouldn’t trade them for the world) who loved her Bravado Original Basic Nursing Bra and knows her stuff. These do come in leopard & pink, although she chose black (odd really, maybe she didn’t know there was pink). Anyhow, the fit is what makes these so pretty. Sometimes basic & comfy are best. Especially in the early days of breastfeeding!
4. You! Lingerie
• These are newbies for me, however, maybe the prettiest and least like nursing bra nursing bras I’ve come across yet. The colors are loud, almost too loud another sister-in-law said, but they look fantastic on. I like color and I like bras that don’t make me feel like a grandma (though grandmas aren’t to me what they once were… I mean Grand-Ma, like sleep in rollers with white hair grandma. Not my Mom or your Mom grandma). I’m impressed with how simple these bras are too, the cups come down with ease and expose the entire breast which makes nursing nice & easy. This feature does not seem to compromise support either. Some bras have sort of that inner shell for support that just exposes the most important part of the boob for breastfeeding… sometimes the shell can get in baby’s way. These bras also look THE best underneath our Signature Maternity/Nursing Dress which is coming soon. I will post more about that in the next couple weeks. One thing I will note is that I consider these nursing bras best for once your milk balances out (meaning Bravado basics during month 1 postpartum  and You! Lingerie at more like month 6 postpartum). Mine are about a size too small right now, but I kept them because I’ve done this breastfeeding thing before and I know that I will be super glad to have them in a couple months when we start introducing solids to Elle West and I’m busy getting back into my tank tops.
5. Liz Lange
• I wanted to include this one because it is Emily’s favorite and it is quite pretty. She purchased hers at Target but they don’t seem to be carrying it, not online anyway. However, Target online has an impressive collection of nursing bras and their Liz Lange maternity clothes look great! I don’t know much about them though. The bra link is to ebay, maybe that size will be just perfect for one of you and I really wanted to share since it’s a favorite!

Here’s the list of bras I haven’t tried (or heard stupendous things about from someone else yet) but think are pretty:

1. HOTmilk
2. Belabumbum
3. Cake

Some good one stop shops online include Linda the Bra Lady and Bare Necessities. Between the two of them the brands I’ve mentioned are about covered + LOTS more. Please comment with thoughts if you feel strongly *in a good way* about a brand that I have not mentioned. Although I hope Hope HOPE to be competing {per say} with these brands some day soon, I don’t care what bra you wear as long as you Love yourself, Celebrate your body, and Nourish your baby! If we accomplish our mission *to help each woman soften the challenges of breastfeeding by celebrating her body and satisfying her spirit of self* by recommending a bra that isn’t ours… then we just accomplished our mission.

Happy shopping!

Warmth, JL

True Bug holding his <3

Elle West's ==> (Loved by Jenny & Gabe)

True & Elle's burlap wall

Not only do I love ours, but they make incredible baby shower, wedding or graduation gifts. They are completely custom and Chloe has incredible fonts & colors to choose from. I follow her blog where she posts recent designs she’s done and I have new favorites regularly! It’s funny that I mention that because when I went to her blog now to grab the URL I saw that she posted new RtDs today (I won’t get it in my inbox until tomorrow)!

Anyhow, I LOVE looking at them on our burlap wall and Emily mentioned (again) yesterday how much she does too… she has to stop and look (with a few deep exhales, awes and ”I just love them”s) every time she stops by… I’m betting she will be taking advantage of Plum District’s deal since she wants one for each of her 3 boys and her wedding. The deal is 1/2 off of the Fine Art Print and mine are the pricier ones done on canvas. But, the prints are still amazing and look incredible framed. You can also use your 1/2 off deal towards a larger purchase.

Chloe also does pet water color portraits at Mochie-Roo (which has nothing to do with the deal, but I told you I could gush!) and here’s a couple shots of my horse Honey:

My desk and some favorite photos (portrait of Honey)

Honey by Mochie-Roo

Emily & Elle West last week (I couldn't resist!)

So Chloe’s work is amazing and the Plum District 1/2 off deal is running for two more days. All you buy through Plum District is a promo code to use with Chloe, and you have 6 months to actually purchase your Remember the Day. I feel it my duty to share!

Here’s a teaser… you can catch a glimpse of the maternity/nursing dress I designed in the pregnant photo of me on the burlap wall (in True & Elle’s room). I’m having post pregnancy pictures taken in the dress this coming weekend and will share those with you soon (a real post- not just a tease). It’s looking like I might have some made to sell in the next few months and am sooo excited. I will keep you posted!

Warmth, JL

True, G & I just after our sunrise ceremony; 1st day of winter 2010

We designed our own rings shortly after, of which the inspiration was drawn from Navajo Storyteller Rings. I had seen a woman wear one by Roland Begay as a wedding band when I was pregnant with True and thought is was so neat & different. Lucky for me G is a big fan of simple gold bands AND he wanted something completely original (in other words, that we designed)! So after a few rough roughs we agreed wholeheartedly and this is what we came up with:

The story of our ceremony.

The rectangular story board in the sketch shows the correct timeline, where the description sketches show the full moon before the sunrise in the mountain ranges. The story actually starts with the full moon  over the mountains and ends with the sunrise through the mountains which joins them up when made into a ring. So the lower sketch is actually wrong even though I drew the moon first… thank goodness Roland followed the story versus the mountain range sketch!

The night before our ceremony was a total lunar eclipse, and the first to occur on the day of the Northern Winter Solstice since 1638! We thought that was pretty darn cool and an interesting coincidence; we chose the Winter Solstice because it seemed special and significant with out being Christmas or New Years. That is what the full moon represents in our sketch.

Each cross and diamond symbol signifies G & I. I drew inspiration for those from one of my favorite photos of G (his senior picture for those of you who know him well) and the pattern on the shirt he is wearing.

The fire & rocks represent our ceremony. We exchanged vows by a fire in our backyard. You can see the pit and one of the rocks (well, we’re sitting on it!) in the first photo.

The scene ends with our sunrise… December 21, 2010, the first day of winter (Is there a warmer way to go into winter?!).

So, G surprised me just before our 1st anniversary with our rings. Roland Begay made them for us through Toh-Atin Art Gallery in Durango. Here are a few shots that don’t do them justice:

Our ceremony

The sunrise. 12/21/10 is inscribed inside the band.

Cross (set in rose gold and white underneath)

Mine.

I’m not the best photographer, but at least you get the idea of concept to fruition (which my self gratifying nature loves!). The rings are made of rose & white gold with yellow gold for the flame of the fire and the sun. The moon (which I didn’t capture well & isn’t shown) is in white gold; the crosses sit in white gold and the fire pit is made of it too. Roland did an amazing job, and I can honestly say that G executed the best surprise of my life (it’s tough to get truly & unexpectedly surprised not to mention in such a meaningful way)!

Want a Roland ring of your own? Look what I found while I was searching for a Navajo Storyteller description… it sold while I was writing this post!!! I kid you not, it was somewhere around eighty dollars! Awe well, at least we’ve got Toh-Atin . Though they don’t show any of his rings on their website, I’m fairly certain that they do have some in the store.

I have lots of bra sketches that we’ll actually get to wear someday too… well we won’t wear the sketches themselves, but you know what I mean!

Warmth, JL

Right now the kitchen floor is covered in about 2/3 of my son’s room’s contents. He is napping. I told him to put himself to bed while I was trying to calm his sister down. The mess suddenly had little importance when it was about the 3rd time ever in my daughter’s life that she was crying, I mean really crying. I had been helping True by lining his books up in his room as he brought them to me when I heard her cry from the kitchen followed by, “sorry sorry sorry sorry” in his most comforting voice. A couple seconds passed (a couple too many when you are expecting the holler following a breath from an infant who is really upset) and I still wasn’t hearing the screaming the initial cry had led me to expect. I hurried to the kitchen to find my son (True, who is 3) firmly pressing my daughter’s (Elle West, who is 2 1/2 mos) pacifier into her mouth. Her face was bright red (luckily not blue!) and she wasn’t making a sound… her breath/the scream had yet to come.

I quickly took the pacifier from her mouth and cradled her in my arms and her beautiful screams soon came, but not before my own that were directed at True. He was just trying to quiet her. Not something a 3 mos. postpartum Mom likes to see, or any mother for that matter. He had bumped her chair (I’m guessing he fell on her in her chair since a bump doesn’t usually make her cry) and he was trying to right his wrong. He really felt bad, both before, and after my screaming. I’m not certain that it wasn’t my screams that made her so upset… it took her a long time to calm down. Which makes me think that I may not have been that much of a comfort, but maybe a little scary.

Okay, so… the kitchen didn’t get picked up but both kids are breathing and sleeping. First things first. I’m not wasting nap time on the dishes either. Instead I’m taking a new approach to this blog as you might see from the category I’ve placed it in: Tales of an at home Mom designer entrepreneur. Instead of viewing blogging as work (because I consider my not in business yet business to be my work) in turn feeling like a chore (because who really likes work right?), I’m viewing it as me time. A release; a breath; writing (which I LOVE and do far too little of) and an investment in myself and therefore my business. I want to share myself with anyone who cares enough to read because maybe something I say will help them, and it helps me just saying it out loud. This business of kids can be a lonely lonely place to be even with the most super husband on earth and friends I’d give organs to. A lonely lonely place despite the endless jabber of a 3 year old, despite nursing my daughter every 3 hours ’round the clock, and despite the frequent company I have with me in the bathroom.

This is the year. 2012 will mark my business as open. I have a bra (one that I designed) that I wear nearly everyday. I had it made special for my great friend Aubrey who had twin girls in 2009. You can see them here (and my husband) in the photo taken at last year’s family 5k. I was certain that I would be manufacturing bras by the time I had another child (since I started on this when True was 5 wks old), but I found myself asking Aubrey if I could borrow her bra. How sad it that!! Boo hoo woe is me, but what is worse is that the bra is a godsend (I’m so thankful she lent it to me) and I’m not manufacturing yet when sooo many Mom’s would celebrate their bodies with this bra if I were.

So this is the year. I have a prototype for an awesome bra and I have a prototype for an awesome maternity/nursing dress (I will share photos of this with you soon), and I will get them available some how this year. The point of this post is not to tell you about the bra lines I envision (although I will sprinkle posts like that throughout) or to cry about not being a career woman (though I am looking forward to my day in the sun and some time alone in the bathroom). The point of this post is to introduce you to the newest member of our family Miss Gabrielle West Candelaria affectionately called Elle West. She joined this noisy life on November 12, 2011. First things first

Elle West's announcement

Her gorgeous announcement was designed by the incredible Chloe at Hello There, Design. Don’t hesitate to be in touch with Chloe regarding any custom card you may want and be sure to click on the link to see her awesome *remember the day*s. I will share True & Elle’s with you another day!

Here they are… my managers, pay checks, 24 hour company and loves of my life (my 1sts ;))… this morning before the incident!

True always wants to hold her even though she's "heavy".

They truly love each other.

I think their souls were friends in another life.

They were just waiting to reunite.

Together at last.

True wanted his boots in the picture. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

Warmth, JL