‘Overload on Some Cuteness’ by Burrow & Bloom
The sweetest enamel pins and more adorable things to bring on the happy!
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Big changes have been happening around here, including where “here” is!
At the beginning of the month we finally moved from our apartment to a charming 1920’s bungalow! My little guy wakes up in the mornings and exclaims, “the sun’s back up! We can go outside now!”
We love playing on our front porch and in our fenced-in back yard! It’s so amazing what difference having an outdoor space makes. On move-in day we had a little picnic lunch in our backyard and marveled how it really is a little slice of heaven.
We even have four raised garden beds! Our new neighbor’s mom stopped by and taught me all about the herbs growing there and how to harvest and dry them; lavender, sage, thyme, mint, and oregano! There are also a couple tomato plants and a little strawberry bush! In the spring we plan to grow lots more veggies as well.
It’s been years since I gardened as a child with my parents and I’m thrilled to have the space to pick it back up again and share it with my son. He loves to play in the yard or water the flowers while I weed, prune, and harvest herbs. Quite therapeutic getting my hands dirty with earth.
We’ve sighted so many wonderful creatures and plants around our new space too. Hummingbirds, butterflies, chipmunks, squirrels, goldfinches, a hawk, and a big green mantis! There are several Rose of Sharon bushes around the house and a lovely vine of purple Morning Glory along the back fence.
It’s also wonderful to have storage space in our basement, along with a washer and dryer of our own. Toting our laundry up a floor to the shared coin laundry room in our apartment building was tiresome. Especially for an introverted perfectionist like me. Who wants to put on make-up just to do laundry?
When our little guy came into our lives, my painting studio/sewing room became his nursery. Now that our house has three bedrooms, I have my studio back! It’s in the back of the house with windows to the side the backyard. So very inspiring to have my own space to create in.
Since going all out for the Baby Fair in March, I’ve been scaling it back and focusing on my family. Rejuvenating. Now I feel a fresh surge of creative energy and the motivation to keep it going.
Last week it became clear that I had no choice but to leave my job. I was treated very poorly and undoubtedly undervalued, but it has set me free to do what I’ve yearned for for years. I’m now pouring myself into our home, family, and my Etsy business full time. It feels like coming back to life. There have been so many positive signs that this is right path for my life and my family. So much serendipity. I should have some exciting news to share in a few days actually. Can’t wait to share it all with you!
So as I’ve decided to throw perfectionism to the wind you’ll be hearing from me much more in the coming weeks and months. Lots of amazing things to come!
The Hummingbird symbolizes great courage, determination, flexibility and adaptability. This little beauty is only a few ounces in weight, yet has the courage of a lion. Indeed size is of no consequence…The Hummingbird symbolizes the respect of territories, protecting and enforcing your boundaries, the need to be feisty if needed to protect your boundaries and what is yours. [They] remind us that there are times when we have to make a difficult journey to get to the destination of our goal, there will be obstacles, symbolizing the need for endurance and perseverance. Hummingbird challenges you to say “yes I can”, and believe it will be done.
As some of you know, I recently exhibited my nursing necklaces and toy slings at the Baby Fair in Bloomington, Indiana! It was special event, not only as my first time exhibiting something other than my oil paintings, but also on a more personal note.
After visiting the Baby Fair in 2013 I went into labor with Fox! So they definitely have some super sweet baby mojo!
BABS, the organization hosting the fair, has been such a huge help throughout my adventure into motherhood. We took our childbirth class there, received a lot of comfort and support from the new moms’ group I joined there, and their lactation consultant is a miracle worker who helped us solve our oversupply issues.
Seeing everything come together for the fair, as I gathered display items and decorations, then filled them up with new slings and necklaces, was so very exciting, fulfilling, and motivating. Too much fun to feel like work. I’m loving all the new fabric I’ve ordered from other Etsy shops! (If you can’t seem to find the perfect fabric at a local shop, I highly recommend browsing Etsy)! The Art Gallery Fabrics in particular are so soft and have some seriously adorable and stylish prints. I absolutely love playing with color and pattern! Picking out things I like and putting it all together is so much fun!
I never would have done all this just for my Etsy shop. It wouldn’t have seemed like a good use of time that could be spent making more items for the shop and listing them. However it was very motivational in a much more tangible way. So I’m very glad to have had this event to inspire me and provide a sense of accomplishment.
On the day of the Baby Fair I had help from two very amazing women, (who traveled two hours here and back), and my very patient husband! Russ’ mom came to help load everything up, unload it at the convention center, and help with Fox while I set it all up. When he got tired of being at the fair she took him to WonderLab with Russ. His step-mom came to help with my booth during the fair and loading everything up and taking it back to our place when it was over. I honestly don’t see how it would have been possible for me to take part in the Baby Fair if it hadn’t been for their help! I also must say that all the support and encouragement from my mom in Florida has also been key in my being able to follow my dreams. Thank you so very much!!!
It was great fun to get to meet and chat with all the moms and families at the Baby Fair! I’m very grateful for all who stopped by my both. It was an honor to be part of such a wonderful event that helps so many moms and babies. So wonderful to connect with others along this journey of motherhood.
One busy afternoon, as I was sewing nursing necklaces for my Etsy shop, Fox was playing with some wrap scrap fabric. Knowing he would soon need more to do, I grabbed a set of sling rings and made him a quick little no-sew ring sling. He was thrilled by the idea of wearing his own little baby. So I put the sling over his head, guided one arm through, and we put a little stuffed frog in his toy sling. He was floored, bounced up and down, and proudly took off down the hall to take his baby for a walk. The look of pure joy on his face was absolutely and adorably precious!
Seeing how happy walking around with his baby in his little toy sling gave me an idea. If he loved it so much surely other little people would too. So I started gathering cute fabrics and sewing toy ring slings to sell alongside the nursing necklaces in my Etsy shop. I’ve also begun making toy slings with larger sling rings, for bigger kiddos to carry their babies in too!
We gave a toy ring sling as a birthday present to one of Fox’ friends and it was absolutely adorable how she got her baby in it right away and bounced up and down, shhhing her baby. It makes my heart so happy to know that there are other little kiddos out there experiencing a joy like my little Fox, joyously carrying their little babies in their own toy slings.
All the toy ring slings I’m making now will be available at the upcoming Baby Fair and more will be up in my Etsy shop soon after the the fair!