Simple Pleasures

As I mentioned in my last post, it's been a difficult few weeks but things are looking up. Jethro's medication to treat reflux seems to be working and the nights are starting to get better. PTL, PTL. Happy baby = happy mommy. Even while the poop was hitting the fan I found myself thankful for the little pleasures that take the edge off dire straits. 

I've been gutting this dress to bring it up to date. I ripped out the shoulder pads and shortened the hemline to above the knees. Actually, I started shortening the hemline but Levi was a bit too eager to help and I ended up taking it to the tailor's. I love making old things new. 

Levi's cool chicken toy was inherited from a retiring teacher. According to Levi when the chickens stop moving they're sleeping. Obviously. 

My sister bought me this vintage lamp from Marabelle Decor Studio and you can fill the base with anything. I'm thinking air plants, but the shells are pretty too. Any ideas?

This is an everyday occurrence. Levi very seriously explaining to me his play activity while Jethro stares adoringly up at him. Older brothers are sooo cool.

Ben bought me this necklace for my birthday. It's made out of recycled silverware. Can you tell there is an old/new theme to my life? 

I get most of my inspiration from the web but I've subscribed to Vogue for ages and I'm still delighted when I open the mailbox to find my monthly issue. The make-up container is Joe Fresh Cheek Tint (My new favorite find) in Peach. It's only $4.00 and blends really nicely with a sponge, giving my cheeks a healthy glow. 

Eep! One of the greatest gifts of all. My little Jet.

Happy weekend!

Moving On Up(stairs)

The last three weeks have been extremely difficult for me. Little Jethro has had some very rough nights of being up almost every hour, screaming and crying. Of course that means I'm awake too, trying to bring him comfort. I suspected it was reflux but was under the impression that reflux was not something that could be treated with medication. I finally was able to get an appointment to see our family doctor today and hallelujah! there is reflux medication for wee ones! We picked up the medication and sending prayers up, tonight we'll see some improvement in Jethro's ability to settle. I'm at the end of my rope with fatigue and let's just say, Jethro hasn't been the only one crying...

On a happier note, there is a possibility we might be able to move to the upstairs unit in our multi-suite house. That means an extra den/bedroom, plus bedrooms on the top floor. It would be the first time in five years that I would not hear my neighbors footsteps over my head while trying to sleep. Oh bliss! Not to say that this larger suite in our 100 year old character home doesn't have umm, character (a.k.a weird and unexplainable design elements) but the benefits out weigh the costs. Naturally I'm already decorating the suite in my head and here are a few of the design elements I'd like to bring to a new place.

Quirky framed art of various sizes (I have one piece now which I couldn't resist buying and then didn't know what I'd do with it until I saw this image).

I can't tell you how much I love textiles. The mix of fabrics as a room separator is gooorgeous.

Yes. Cool Aztecy blankets to cover our ugly, dated couch. 

We already have a woven blanket from India hung as a curtain in our bedroom. We might as well use some more fabric to create a faux headboard/backdrop. 

Doily table runner. Simple. Pretty. 

I've been wanting a Wooly pocket for ages to create a wall plant display.  

 Again simple and easy to do.

Ahhh. The table. I showed it to my ex-carpenter husband and immediately his eyes glazed over. What? I know you could make it. And he will, bless his heart. What a good man I have.

In case you haven't guessed it, I like white walls. However, I'd love one blue accent wall. 

*Find sources for all images via my pinterest (Moving up(stairs) board), except for last image via karla's Closet. 

BAM!

I couldn't help but noticed that some of my favorite style bloggers have been sporting lemony coloured skirts. Maybe to make up for the absence of sun in the winter time? I was browsing through the racks the other day and found a yellow skirt but it wouldn't fit over my childbearing thighs. Then I remembered I have a navy skirt with yellow print worn in the photo below, taken post-Levi, pre-Jethro. A bit of yellow but not quite the bam power of a solid number. I'm kind of missing those bangs... What do you think? Are you digging the yellow?

What's The Problem?

The first thing my 2 1/2 year old said to me when I got out of bed this morning is, "What's the problem mommy?" I don't know if it was my face or posture but dang! What an intuitive little guy. My problem, my love, is my sweet children keep me up through the watches of the night and so I am manically sleep-deprived. Okay, I didn't say that to him but I thought it and I think it often. Yesterday found me after a chiropractor appointment hiding out in London Drugs in the magazine section calling my husband to tell him I needed a little more time. I left the store with a bag of chocolate which I ate. All of it. 

Motherhood is hard, peeps. Wonderfully rewarding, but also a mirror reflecting my own selfishness. It requires a measure of self-sacrifice that doesn't come easily. At least not for me. Sleep deprivation is not conducive to blogging but I love my little Elasticpantcity so here I am! Hip, hip hurrah! 

With the chilly weather and nasty roads we've been at home a lot. Indoor activities for kids is essential to survival and so I've been stock piling a bunch of ideas that are on my artsy fartsy to do list. Here are two of my favorites, plus an activity that never fails to occupy my guy.

Quiet books. Collective sigh of relief. This little felt activity book by Turbow Designs is genius. What a great way to occupy kids on an intemperate day with something other than cartoons. I love making things so I want to create a book specifically tailored to my little ones but if you don't like DIYs check out Turbow Designs on Etsy. 

One of my favorite blogs, Sweet Unwrapping Life, recently featured a play mat created by Claire for our mutual friend Sherri's, little guy (did you follow that?). The play mat is made out of old pants and fabric. So brilliant and fun!

And then finally, never underestimate the power of homemade playdough. Levi loves helping me mix the ingredients and watching the food colouring spread through the dough. If you want to be really organic, use beet juice for colouring. Here's the fail proof recipe from my mommy.

2 Cups of All-Purpose flour

1 Cup of salt

4 Tbls. Cream of Tartar

4 Tbls. Vegetable oil

2 Cups of Water

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Place in a large pot on stove top at low heat. Keep stirring until the dough becomes like the texture of playdough (You'll be able to tell).

Take Me Higher

 I have it in my head that I need to start wearing heels more. There is something ultra-feminine about elongating the leg and giving it that nice lean shape. I figure if I'm going to wear heels I might as well dream of ones that are uber awesome in their height and original in design. I realize heels and young children don't mix well but there's always date night...

On a completely different note, I've started a series on Twitter called Mommy Survival Tips. It's really for shits and giggles but there's an element of truth to every tip and you never know, maybe you'll find my little tokens of knowledge useful : ). 

Style File: Andrea

 After several years living in Vancouver the "eternally beautiful Andrea" (that's how her sweet husband introduces her and it's true!) moved back to Australia and I was sad to say good-bye to a dear friend. Andrea is the mother of two lovely children and has a keen eye for design from clothing to graphic to everything! While living in Vancouver her style inspired me in how I dress, especially her ability to use accessories to highlight her gorgeous features. Once back in Australia, Andrea put her design skills to work, creating Little Boo, a children's clothing and accessories company. Andrea was kind enough to share some of her favorite accessories on Elasticpantcity as well as answer some of my questions about her personal style and Little Boo.

You taught me about brightening the face with accessories. What are your favorite accessories at the moment?

I love to accessorise and I rarely leave the house without grabbing a hint of bling to put around my neck, or a scarf, a hair piece or a cuff on my wrist. I have been given so much beautiful jewelry and naturally have a lot of fun trying different colour combinations. My favorite accessories are my emerald green malachite bangles brought back from South Africa by my in-laws, blue shoes, Moroccan style earrings and necklaces.

How does colour theory play into how you dress?

When I was younger a friend of mine did my colours and told me that winter was the best match for my complexion. Even though I break many fashion rules, I do tend to colour block with navy, red, emerald green, black and purples. If I like specific colour combinations I will utilise the accessories I have, with the existing darker coloured clothing that I own.

Is there a difference you notice between Australian and Canadian fashion?

Definitely. Australians dress for the summer and use a lot more prints in their fabrics. Women are very feminine wearing long summer dresses, skirts, coloured shoes, and lots of accessories! I rarely see women without at least one piece of jewelry on when then go out. I noticed there was a saturation of dark colours in Canadian fashion including children wearing a lot of grays and blacks, but the colder weather would contribute to this.

Has being a mom changed your style?

Not really. I wear a little more ballet flats, for fear of tripping in heels while chasing my kids. Wedges are a great invention for moms!

If you were to invest in one designer piece what would it be?

Jimmy Choo shoes.

What inspired you to start Little Boo?

A dribbling baby!

What has been the hardest thing about starting your own business?

Large excel spreadsheets. I love designing but I know I have to push through the menial tasks of accounting which is unavoidable when running a business. Also, learning to trust my intuition.

Where do you want to see Little Boo go?

I would love to see Little Boo in boutique baby stores across the country and our bibble worn by celebrity babies!

If you'd like to know more about Little Boo follow these links:

http://littleboo.bigcartel.com/

http://www.facebook.com/littleboodesign

Thanks Andrea! I love you!

Tinkering

Levi and his cup of Jo

When I was perusing my favorite blogs today I came across a post by Kelli Murray on the art and design studio Ma + Chr based in Paris. Kelli created her own artwork inspired by these prints and I took one of my favorite photos of Levi and did the same. I was tinkering around with the photo while the babes slept and when I have more time I'd like to try to perfect the design. I think it would be so much fun to have a series of family photos done in this style hanging on the wall. 

Prints by Ma + Chr