Our boy is here!!

Nile Zanin Clarke McGurk was born at 1 :54 monday 8/9/10. He weighed 71b 15 oz and 19 inches long. Jean at St. Francis was our midwife and she was the best!!



My contractions started at 3am on sunday morning i had 1 every hr until 8pm then they kicked up to 5 mins apart til 11:30. We drove to the hospital around 12 which was not a fun drive, I crawled thur the parking lot and was greeted by a patient in the emergency room with a wheel chair!! A very nice police officer wheeled me up stairs as the all the people in the waiting room cheered and wished me luck!!

I checked at 5 cent. 100% effaced and station 1 when I arrived in my room. After they montoried the baby for 20 mins Jean checked me at 7 cent. station 2!! I labored on my feet with my elbows on the bed my husband across from me with our hands locked in a sort of arm wrestling lock. He would hold me up with every contraction. Jean suggested I go in the birthing tub, which we did for about 30 mins, this was the best the water cooled me off and took the weight off my legs it felt so good to splash water on my face! This defiantly the best way to labor. I started to feel like I wanted to push so we got out of the bath and Jean checked me at 10 cent!! With my 1 st push my water broke, 3 pushes later Nile was born!! Happy & healthy, we stayed the min. 24hrs and came home early tuesday!
He nurses like a champ and has been sleeping in 4/5 hrs stretches!

Mama is a little weird about posting picures but Im sure I will in a few weeks!

New Nursing Covers

I just added some nursing covers to my Franklin Goose page. They are getting ready for Breast Feeding awareness month in August! (something I will be doing alot of, I only have 3 more weeks til my little one arrives!)



FRONT recycled from an old velour track suit

BACK includes a soaker made from the same velour

I am also working on posting reusable snack bags made from PUL ( same fabric that makes diapers water proof) and a few diapers made from recycled fabrics

Bento give away and more...

There is a great bento giveaway going on at Another Lunch and it benefits a child in need!

What did you wear?

So Im taking a casual poll as to what most women choose to wear to labor in. With my 1st son I wore a poly cotton blk mid thigh length tank night gown. Know I know 99.9 % of most woman end up in the buff when hard labor and delivery starts ( as I did too!).And those hospital gowns are not an option for me, I even but it in my birth plan! dont ask me to but that on its not going to happen..haha! But I think its important to have a special gown or shirt that you don't wear until that moment you know your laboring. I choose not to wash the gown I wore when I was in labor with Brix, I still have it unwashed in a special "baby" box along with a large piece of hair that I cut before I washed that day out of my hair.


Im am thinking with this baby I am going to opt for a tank cami with a built in bra, what did you wear when you labored??

Amy Butler organic towels!

These arrived today (thanks mom!)Lime and Orange 1st and 3rd from left to right!! They look great in my newly painted bathrooms....err uh ... well one down one to go. Im also finished with my Franklin Goose swim diaper orders!!! all in all I think I made close to 50. Although I wasn't able to attend the Tiffany open house at The VMFA I did receive this..



7 more weeks to go, Im hoping he waits until the end of the 1st week of August to arrive, I stop working the 2nd week of July so that will give mw a nice two weeks to relax and sew some diapers for him!! I really like this newborn pattern..

I cheated on you!!

Im not going to even comment on my lack of blog post in months, all I can say is Im busy! Ive been busy helping my husband move his restaurant, busy making a recreation of a Loie Fuller dress for the VMFA, busy making over 80 back ordered swim diapers for Franklin Goose and oh yeah busy growing a baby!!!

I did cheat a little and was asked to write a blog for Franklin Goose about homemade beauty products you can check it out here

I have been documenting my work and when this little guy comes in aug. and things slow down I'm sure I will be making a few late nite nursing post!

Things Ive been working are more cloth diapers, fitted hemp crib sheets, cloth baby wipes made from organic 14 oz terry cloth ( heaven!!) a new diaper bag of my own design no pattern thank you very much!!

cheers Jenny

I want to make this, sans the oilcloth to toxic for my new baby boy, I'll use this instead arriving soon here.

And this, for Brixton's, Oh and this to match my wallet.

OH well back to "work" making these

Vegan Stuff

No I'm not vegan,( right now I was for 4 yrs) but given the choice I will always choose vegan food. I eat a very small amount of cheese, and usually only goat cheese. I have not drank cows milk in over 6 years, but I do eat eggs, local free range, and organic if I'm feeling like the splurge ( my neighbour down the street has 3 new chickens I'm dying to ask for some eggs)

One thing I always, always eat vegan is dessert, whether I make it my self or buy it. Mostly because I feel if I'm going to indulge I want it to be as healthy as possible and vegan ingredients are usually of a higher standard.

So I was delighted while grocery shopping today I stumbled upon a new ( or new to me) line of vegan gummy candy! Usually something that is totally off limits to vegetarian and vegan due to the gelatin.

I am also trying my hand at vegan goat cheese.

And after 5 yrs, 4 films, countless shifts at 821, 1 1/2 pregnancies my Danskos have bit the dust, and since they don't make non leather Mary Janes any more I have my eye on these solely for just working in!

Designer baby consignment sale

image courtesy Tots on the GO

Spring is coming and new batch of babies are on their way, if your a second or third or fourth.. time mom, you know those 1st few months you only need the basics, and since babies change and grow so fast they hardly have time wear anything out! So best way to restock your onesie drawer, or if your searching for a double stroller ( like me) your best bet is to by second hand!!
Join me this weekend for a Designer Baby Consignment Sale! I will be there as a vendor ( sunday only ) and a customer, Ive been working on a new line of diapers made totally from recycled materials, old sweatshirts, concert tees, flannel sheets ..etc!!

The sale this weekend will be held at Lewis Ginter Recreation Association, 3421 Hawthorne Avenue, Richmond, VA 23222.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Lewis+Ginter+Recreation+Association&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=61.023673,80.595703&ie=UTF8&hq=Lewis+Ginter+Recreation+Association&hnear=&ll=37.575841,-77.437091&spn=0.019931,0.045362&z=15&iwloc=A




The sale hours are Saturday, March 6th, 10am-6pm and Sunday, March 7th, 10am-6pm!





NEW & gently worn baby clothes, newborn -4t, boys and girls, Ralph Lauren, Gymboree, The Children's Place, Janie & Jack, Osh Kosh B'Gosh, Banana Republic Baby Luxe, Baby Gap!

Also, carseats, bassinets, changing tables, nursery decor, handmade diaper bags, cloth diapers and covers and more!



Also participating in this sale is Bliss Stationery, GG Cole Designs, Patience Salgado, Nature's Way Labor and Birth Support, Ninny's Nappies, Birth Talk and Dog Talk!



THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

My Valentines Day

Brix and I made Valentines for his friends and teachers. His were Lightning McQueen store bought Valentines that he decided to cut into teeny tiny pieces with his new scissors, so we coll aged them on to stock paper and cut them into hearts!

I made reusable heart hand warmers filled with rice for his teachers, with fabric that came from a fabric swap!


We all chilled out today, I made sesame seed bread and pumpkin seed brownies both from my favorite cook book La Dolce Vegan.

We did do a massive cleaning of the front of the house, you know the kind on your hands and knees scrubing the base boards kind of cleaning, there was also a trip up to the attic to look at baby equipment, which has now prompted me to completely clean out the attic, a nice sunday in April I think will get a baby sitter and tackle it. Baby kicks and thuds are becoming more frequent soon we will out if its a boy or girl! stay tuned!

Thats Why We Don't Eat Animals reason #2

"It should be a compliment to be called a pig! Pigs are some of the smartest , cleanest and most sensitive animals on planet Earth.

Free pigs live with their families and friends. Snorting and whistling they recognize each other's voices from far away. They root for food, wrestle and play ball in the sun, but they don't sweat like we do to keep cool when they play. They take mud baths to cool off instead. A muddy pig is a wise pig.

A factory farm pig may spend her whole life alone, fattened in a pen so tiny that she won't even be able to turn around. A free pig never poops where she eats or sleeps, but on a factory farm she has no choice.

Pigs need the sight, sound and touch of one another. Sometimes they snuggle so close its hard to get them apart. LOVE is part of their nature." Ruby Ross

New at Ellwoods

Ninny's Nappies organic nursing pads are now available at Ellwood Thompson's! in plan and cheeky prints. As well as re stocked diapers, including the popular Hello Kitty pattern.


Ellwood's has moved all their baby related items over the "grocery" section of the store where the baby food, formulas, and flush able diapers are. Now moms only need to make one stop while stocking up on baby supplies!

Little Treasures

I found this blog while browsing in the photo section on Burda Style, which is full of the most creative crafty people!!

I picked up this burda pattern at Joann's the other day burda patterns are always 40% off there ALWAYS! I swear I have never seen them full price. I still need fabric for it though, I'm thinking a double gauze like these, or maybe a teal suiting!

I really like Burda Patterns because they usually only have one style per pattern, so once you cut it out your not left 2 or 3 styles you dont want and have to wad up and stuff back into the envelope, what ever happened to those great pattern sleeves you could put in 3 ring binders??? I feel a pattern reorganization coming on!

Thats Why We Don't Eat Animals reason #1

image taken fromhere



My husband and I stumbled upon this book at Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago on a rainy Sunday with nothing else to do, we usually hit the book store, coffee/tea, a glance at magazines, while the boy plays at the train set, and looks at books.
It is important to us to raise our son as a vegetarian and to live a cruelty free life, and I realize some day that he will probably be curious and try meat, but our main goal is to instill in him the purpose, the value, the meaning and the cause and effect our life styles have.
When I read this book I was amazed at the honesty it carries, it is truthful and real, it does not dump down factory farm life for these animals, but in the same way it is not scary or gruesome for a 3 year, old it is in perfect balance!

I was 7 or 8 when I declared my vegetarianism in a family of 5 meat eaters with no vegetarian role model or teacher. I cant really explain what prompted me to want to live this way at such an early age, (although the book Charlotte's Web had some influence) I can say that even at that age I knew it had more to do with not wanting cute animals to be killed and eaten, I had an impression of a bigger picture, (maybe an impression from a previous life) it was, at that time a protest to me. I will not take part in this process! I am young but I will make a stand, I can be heard.

It was something that I never questioned not once in 25 years. It is my strongest belief and faith.

Another book that helped me to understand my views and beliefs was Ismael by Daniel Quinn, it is a story about a highly intelligent talking Gorilla that teaches a young man the story of how things came to be the way they are. How Mother Culture dictates to us how we live and why we do the things we do even if they make no sense at all. It is an amazing book and a must read for any teenager it deals with more then just animal rights it teaches us to question our cultural rules and habits and how every person has the ability to change anything they set their thoughts upon.

Here an excerpt from the book I will be posting one each week

" When a Turkey dances, jumps, gobbles and flaps its wings, other join in celebration. Turkeys also mourn together, sharing each other sadness. They're so sensitive that they even blush. Their snoods change color depending on their mood.
When the moon rises, wild turkeys fly to the tree tops to roost for the night, gathering together beneath each others wings.
A factory farmed turkey will never get to use her wings at all. Turkeys raised for meat are fattened until they become too heavy to fly" author - Ruby Roth


And yes turkeys CAN fly, wild turkeys are able to fly at low heights, their flight ability is directly related to their weight. It is only because mother culture has taught and shown you that the turkey that is fattened for you plate can not fly that you have believed it as true.

On SALE this week

Ninny's reusable mama pads and over nite inserts are on SALE at Ellwoods this week 20% off original prices! 9.99 for a maxi pad, 6.00 for a 2 pack of over nite inserts! Check out what else is onsale, I also picked up a Mambo Sprouts coupon book at the register.

This is my dream crafty space, a glass cottage to see and hear every bird, a sitting area to take a tea break out on, OH! the plants, herbs, and sun light! I could get lost out there for hours


image taken fromcraftzine.com blog

Ninny's Nappies Review & Give away!

Check out my 1st Ninny's Nappies diaper review at Coupon Mom of 2...Now 3. You can also enter to win a give away at Franklin Goose.

I want to do this and this. BUT first I need to follow this advise the studio is a reck and I feel like rearranging the entire house..I guess that nesting thing is kicking in!

Number Two is on the way

I'm happy to announce.... that I am PREGNANT, happy and healthy! Due in the sign of Leo and in the year of the Tiger.
A really horrible dose of all day/morning sickness is partly to blame for the almost complete lack of post in the last 2 months, but since Mercury left retrograde he seems to have taken my nausea with him, returning my appetite and some energy!

Quilting Adventures LOOT

/


Im so happy that Quilting Adventures has moved closer to me, its new store is located next to the Ben Franklin at Willow Lawn a symbiotic relationship that seems to be a wise choice! Even though QA has a pretty specific product base, high end quilting fabrics and patterns, they have really great selection of embroidery threads and notions, as well as natural and hard to find fabric dyes. When ever I venture out to the fabric store its usually for a pretty specific item, for an alteration or something for a customer. I try to stop in to QA to see if they carry it before I head the the fabric super stores, and to pick up a few fat quarters here and there. Every single time I have gone in looking for that odd notion they always seem to have it and usually just one left, just waiting for me to come in and snatch it up. I had not been to the new store since they moved and was in need of a 9 inch invisible zipper in a curious shade of navy/ royal blue for a bridesmaid alteration..yup sure enough they had it! I also picked up a Sublime Stitching transfer pattern of Chihuahuas, a transfer for days of the week floral tea towels, and few fat quarters.


Now that Mercury is out of retrograde, and we have had a few days of nice weather, I'm feeling a lot more creative and have started a few projects for my self.Amy came over today to have an embroidery party, we ended up playing with her daughter Merit more then sewing but I showed her a few simple stitches and she borrowed a great book, that helped me alot when I 1st dove into the craft. I feel a sewing circle in the works especially now that Blair has a new machine!

Beauty regime and other such sundries..

Seems the last few days I have been involved in sereval conversations about, what type of beauty products I use or make so I thought it would make a good post.
I make our shampoo, conditioner, deodorant and lotion. We use Dr Bronners castile soap for bathing, I just heard about KIRKS too. Toms oF Maine tooth paste or Trader Joes brand ( same ingredients less cost). Kielhs lip balm with spf 15 on my lips and Kielhs Silk Groom in my hair, I also only wash my hair every 3 days or so, this keeps may hair from drying out. Occasionally we will use lavender scented Vaseline for extra dry skin or on my sons nose when its runny. Epsom salts are used in every bath, as well as sprayed on our dogs bellys ( for hot spots) ( thanks AMY for the suggestion!)

For cleaning products it Mrs. Meyers all purpose cleaning for most everything, Clear Choice for stains, and Borax in the laundry. Baking soda and salt for any thing that needs to be scrubbed and vinegar wiped with newspaper for the windows.


During the winter we have 2 humidifier that are in each bedroom that run at nite with water and eucalyptus oil to hydrate the skin and open the lungs. If someone starts feeling under the weather or has a sore throat, lots of zinc and castor oil hot packs on the throat in the morning ( you may think I'm crazy but this really works), and gargling with warm salt water, something that my son thinks is the funniest thing his mom has ever done

I have really bad dry skin, even in the summer! After a shower and before I dry off I spray baby oil on my skin then towel off this helps trap in moisture to the skin. Every other day ( just in the winter) I make a scrub from sea salt, olive oil and lemon juice, there are no measurements just a nice consistency, like wet sand and the juice of a half lemon. I use this as a face scrub as well as on my neck, hands and arm. I usually dont need any lotion on my face when I do this and no the olive oil does not make my skin break out.

One of the best techniques I have used for almost 5 years now is body brushing, use a soft bristle body brush ( you can find them where they sell loofahs) and you brush your skin in short strokes all over you body ALWAYS brushing towards your heart. This helps exfoliate dry skin and helps with circulations!

I usually have a Mrs. Meyers Lavender candle burning when Im working, It was the same scented candle that I burned when I was in labor with Brix, this smell instantly makes happy, strong and joyful! I have a constant supply of lavender oil and put it in all my homemade products as well as on my wrist pretty much every day.

I also ...try... to do a combo or yoga/pilates at least 4 days a week and mediated for an hr each week ( 10 mins here, 20 mins there) Its good to stop and silence your self and just listen to the Universe , it has some amazing things to tell you....

In addition to all of this my family lives a vegetarian life style, we do not consume cows milk, we do eat cows cheese and yogurt but its always organic, I only drink, water & tea, occasionally we will get juices ( carrot, cran or pom) Dru drinks espresso a habit I just recently kicked! I truly believe our food choices contribute to our good health!

Also I am completely ANTI, anti bacterial soaps, I believe that they do us harm by never allowing our body's/ immune systems to be exposed to everyday bacteria thus actually weakening our immune systems so when it does come in contact with say ... oh the flu or a cold our immune system is not strong enough to fight it. Do I have a medial degree NO do I have research or websites to back up my beliefs, NO ( but Im sure they are out there) I just have my common sense to go on! We use plan ol' soap to wash our hands Dr Bronners tea tree!

What your favorite homemade beauty tricks?

And now for something completely different...

Flys! just because this makes me happy, we had a horrible fly problem this past summer due to a compost bin to close to the house and well yes being a little lazy about turning it twice a week... we had many fly corpses in our window sills, it was quite humors after a while, said compost has since been moved to the other end of the yard!





There was also a brief interest in starting a flea circus, but thats a whole another can of worms

images take from here original artist can be found here