the haystack needle

custom watercolor portrait

I can hardly believe that in a few weeks, Dan and I will be celebrating our 3 year wedding anniversary. I was feeling a bit nostalgic earlier and read through some really old email letters between us (we've known each other since we were 19!). It's amazing to be with him on this journey of raising Juniper together as parents, but sometimes my heart aches a little for those early days when we were just falling in love and you thought you would burst from being apart for even a short while. I'm pretty sure our anniversary night is going to simply involve a quick dinner at a local restaurant, praying that Juniper stays asleep or entertained until we get the check. Romantic nights are tricky with a two month old!

I always like to give Dan something special and sentimental for our anniversary. I checked out Jenny Vorwaller's shop and love this idea — a custom watercolor portrait you can commission her to make from a photo of your wedding day, your kiddos, or any loved ones. If I had the funds, I'd also love to have one of our wedding photos turned into a custom oil painting as part of the Commission Project. That could be a cool tradition to start. For each anniversary, we adopt one piece of art that means something to us. 

Image: Jenny Vorwaller, discovered via Frolic!

chewing the cud limitee box

Chewing the Cud (makers of the ever-amazing furoshiki gift wraps) is coming out with these limited-edition boxes of paper decorating goodness packaged in vintage cigar boxes. You'll find embellishments of every happy variety including spools of thread, stamps, carnival tickets, buttons, old library cards, and postcards. I'm pretty close to being labeled a stationery hoarder, so this is right up my alley. The boxes will cost $58. 

Image: Chewing the Cud via Ruby Press

shanna murray decals

For the first time (in 9 years!), I missed the New York Gift Show. It was so strange not walking around the Javitz and catching up with friends and designers at their booths. When the weekend arrived, it just felt too overwhelming to sort out how to bring Juniper. I had been so excited to see Shanna Murray's booth though, so I'm bummed I missed out on meeting her in person. Here are a couple shots of her debut at the Gift Show. I'm a huge fan of her illustrated decals (see how I used her decals in our last apartment here). Her new collection of window decals looks so whimsical and sweet.

Here's a peek at a bedroom wall in our new place. In general, I do like to start fresh with decorating a new apartment, but I couldn't resist bringing back a few of Shanna's decals. I just adore all the vine and wreath motifs in her designs.

Images: top two from Shanna Murray; bottom photo by me.  

ikea trip

On Saturday, we went on our first IKEA trip as a family. We had fun. It wasn't too crazy inside (the bonus of having a baby — your days start early so you beat the crowds.) I found this bird tray, which I saw and knew I had to have because I loved the pattern. When I got home, I decided it would add some color to our bathroom. Since we don't have a medicine cabinet, the tray helps corral our everyday toiletries, which otherwise wind up strewn all over the counter surface. And I picked up one of these white bins to use for bottle recycling in our kitchen (plus I scooped up a mini version of the white can for Juniper's nursery to toss wipes.) And I found a wood framed mirror that is almost full-length for $10! (I wanted a mirror to help me see what I'm doing when I'm putting Juniper in her sling or wrap.) I love when you score those little things that feel like meaningful additions to your home. 

Juniper loved IKEA. She looked around wide-eyed from the escalator leading up through half of the furniture showrooms (then passed out for a nap.) Dan said she's a born shopper, and I couldn't agree more. Juniper got to take home a set of finger puppets and an abacus that's she loves. 

crown light bulbs

Last night, when I was changing Juniper's diaper at 3 am, my sweet baby fell asleep on the changing table. But before nodding off, she stretched out her arms to cover her eyes from the bright light above. I need to get crown bulbs for that light. I saw that Adriane had these silver crown light bulbs above the diaper changing nook in her shop, Caribou Baby. The silver coating diffuses a softer, soothing light than regular incandescents or CFLs. On my to-do list — sorry about the bright light, Juni!

ps. I wish more shops were as mama-friendly as Caribou Baby and had a space to change diapers. Juni needs a changing mid-outing every time without fail. 

pps. For you mamas out there, my favorite sleepwear for Juniper are these Kicky Pants coveralls, which have the old-fashioned drop down butt that's super cute (and makes diaper changing in the middle of the night so much easier.) I love how these jammies are made of soft bamboo fabric and fit nice and snug.

flags and tags

I can't believe there's less than a month left of summer! Where did the time go? As much as I'm looking forward to getting around with Juniper when it's not 95 degrees outside, I always long for beach days and ice cream cones and tend to get a little sad to think of summer slipping away. The UK print shop Flags and Tags is full of hand-printed paper goods that I'm crushing on. I'd love that nautical set of seaside cards and I think that happy birthday banner spelled out in international code flags is so cool. 

ps. I'm obsessed with an ice cream sandwich that's (ironically) from a place called the Meatball Shop (my new favorite place to eat in Williamsburg.) Homemade chocolate chip cookies with vanilla bean ice cream. So good! 

Images: Flags and Tags and my iPhone

printstagram

It's official: I'm obsessed with Instagram. This iPhone app makes taking cool photos so easy with its fun camera filters. And the one thing I always have with me is my phone, so now it's so simple to quickly snap one of Juniper's many cute moments. I still love playing around with my Fuji Instax for that polaroid fix, but there's nothing quite like hitting the "back" button and knowing you can retake the shot if it didn't turn out (without wasting expensive film!). Thanks to Unruly Things, I just discovered that you can get mini prints made of your favorite Instagram photos through Printstagram. Hooray — actual prints! This special print shop can also make mini photo books and collage poster prints of your Instagram moments. I just ordered a bunch of mini prints, some of which I'm planning to use in Juni's baby book. Do you Instagram? I'm under haystackneedle if you'd like to follow me. 

ps. One of my favorite recent Instagrams of Juniper. Smiling!

Top image via Printstagram. Bottom image by me.