Pretties for Baby.

In my recent sewing craze, I made this quilt/blanket for Evangeline, and am quite pleased with the way that it turned out.  I just love the look and feel of all the different fabrics together (thanks, Mom Burch!).  I cannot wait to wrap our sweet little one in such a soft, pretty blanket!

Easy Peasy Dry Shampoo.

I'm not usually one for those "make at home beauty hacks" that are all the rage these days.  Mostly just because I don't really use bronzers or face scrubs, so I have no need to make them for myself.  Also, I'm probably just too lazy.  However, when I saw this DIY dry shampoo (something I've been meaning to pick up for weeks now), and saw how ridiculously easy it was, I had to give it a shot.  (You can this for both light and dark hair--obviously, I made the brunette recipe.  It's the nearly the recipe as for blonde hair, but substitutes cocoa powder for a portion of the cornstarch.)

Ingredients

1/8 c. cornstarch

1/8 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 c. cinnamon

3-5 drops scented essential oils

You will need measuring cups, a little bowl and spoon to mix, an airtight container, and a makeup brush.  

Mix together your dry ingredients, stirring in at the end a few drops of essential oils (I used peppermint).   

To use, apply the shampoo with a makeup brush (taking care not to rub it into the scalp--nobody likes itchy scalps).  Brush your hair, and let it settle for 5-ish minutes before styling so it has time to absorb the extra oils from your hair.  

I really love how it works and smells, and apparently cocoa powder is full of good things for your hair (such as magnesium--something that prevents hair loss--vitamin A, and protein), so I'm all for it.  (I have a feeling it will be especially helpful when sweet Evangeline comes along and I no longer have the time for leisurely showers...)

Firecakes.

Alex and I are huge doughnut fans, so much so that we've made it an objective to visit every artisanal doughnut shop in Chicago (you say "impossible," I say "easy").  A few weeks ago we tried out Firecakes.  And I'm still dreaming about those doughnuts.

I love the shop itself.  It's not so small as the Doughnut Vault, but still only has a little counter and no seating--fine by me!  Outdoor doughnuts are the best doughnuts.  (They apparently serve fresh blood-orange juice which sounds just lovely with a sweet doughnut.)

We ordered the basics, an Old Fashioned Buttermilk and a Classic Jelly, because if they can't get those right, I refuse to trust them. The Old Fashioned was lovely, sweet (perhaps a little too sweet for me), and crispy on the outside; perfectly soft on the inside.  They somehow achieved a light and fluffy doughnut without forfeiting any of that delicious denseness that makes me adore the Old Fashioned.  The highlight of the Jelly was the jelly: thick and sweet, but a little tart, with actual berries.  So so delicious.  

I'm already looking forward to our next visit there.  To try next time: Pistachio Old Fashioned and the Meyers Lemon.

Mane Attraction.

I've always wanted long, abundant Rapunzel locks, but I'm not patient enough to go to the lengths (haha, see what I did there?) to get them or to care for them.  So finally, after having shoulder blade length hair for a few months and constantly feeling like this,  

though I didn't get the pleasure of that thickness (something I would welcome), I decided that it was time for it to go.  

Snip, snap, chip, chop. 

AHHHHHH! 

 And, this is what I ended up with.  It's a little lifeless in these pictures because I have not purchased hair products (something I never had to use with long hair), but I'm pleased with the length.  It's so so much easier to care for as well--no more awful tangles!  Hurrah!

I also hear that the long bob, or as I like to call it, Bob Loblaw's Long Bob, is super in this year.  I guess it's a win-win for me.

Spring In Your Step

Though all the hardened Chicagoans keep telling me winter is going to last another month or so, I'm so ready for Spring and will keep believing it is just around the corner, thank you very much.  (Weather.gov says that Monday has a high of 65?  What will I do with myself?!)  So, with Spring on her way, I'm longing for fresh green and white in my life, and these lovely flowers are the perfect beacon of hope on my coffee table.  Hurry, Spring, I'm waiting for you!

Chicago Delights: Heritage Bicycle General Store

Last week, my friend Mary suggested that we schedule our regular Friday hang-out at Heritage Bicycle, and I am so thrilled that she did.  Thanks, Mary!

Bike shop meets coffee joint?  Sounds charming.  And I was charmed.  And now I think I've finally found a favourite coffee place in Chicago (within walking distance--20 minutes--from our apartment no less!).  

Coffee:  Excellent.  I had their cold drip, which was delightfully buttery, yet earthy.  And I really don't care how "hipster" it is...I love drinking my coffee out of mason jars.  (Farm kids did it before hipsters ever did, anyways.  Why do we give them all the credit?)

Prices:  Reasonable.  I can't complain, because unless you're just picking up the quick $1 cup at McDonald's, it's not uncommon to pay between $3-5 dollars for a nice coffee in Chicago.  (A plus: they don't skimp on their drink portions.)

Atmosphere: Really everything I could want in a coffee shop--a relaxing environment, community seating, large windows, natural wood set off by bright white walls, complete with a chandelier made of bike rims and Edison bulbs.  

All in all, it's really lovely, but don't take my word for it!  Do stop in if you're in the area!  (After you visit me, of course.)

Evangeline Update.

Miss Evangeline is 28.5 weeks old (we're in the homestretch!), weighs a little over two pounds, and is apparently about the size of an eggplant.  (Also, she has eyelashes!  Hopefully long, lush ones like Alex's, haha...)  Her new favourite thing is kicking me in the ribs.  Well, not exactly kicking, more like stretching out her leg and then holding it against my ribs.  Not the most comfortable thing for me, but I get so excited over every "new" thing she does that I don't really care.  

I've been making her clothes, which is such an enjoyable past-time.  Here is my most recent accomplishment:

I'm really hoping to make something along the lines of this J. Crew baby dress for her...

...but we'll see how that goes...

My sister-in-law, Sara, recommended me Parenting with Grace, by Dr. Gregory and Lisa Popcak.  It's really excellent, and when I'm not sewing I'm usually reading this.

Just for your enjoyment, here's a picture of the darling closet Mom Burch gave to her at the Phoenix baby shower.  It's so perfect for holding all her nice new things (including the sweetest Ralph Lauren dress my parents sent...oh, it kills me).

Breakfast of Champions.

My dear friend Alex (who is doing mission work in Detroit) visited Al and I in Chicago at the beginning of March, and everything about her stay was wonderful.  It is so lovely to see friends from school, and I feel especially blessed having so many relatively close to us in Chicago.  

She brought us the most delicious granola I have ever tasted as a little hostess gift and I just had to ask her for the recipe as I think Al and I ate the entire jar in a few days.  The original recipe is from Food 52 which you can find here, but the one I will put up for you is her sightly modified version.  Thank you, sweet Alex!

Olive Oil and Maple Granola

makes about 7 cups     

3 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

1 c. raw, hulled pumpkin seeds

1 c. raw, hulled sunflower seeds

1 c. unsweetened coconut flakes

1 1/4 c. whole pecans

1/2 c. maple syrup

1/2 c. olive oil

coarse salt

Heat oven to 300 degrees.  Place oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, pecans, syrup, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Spread granola mixture in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven and bake, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until granola is toasted, about 45 minutes.  Remove granola from oven and season with more salt to taste. Let cool completely before serving.

Phoenix SB2K14

Spring "Break" Destination?  Phoenix. 

We had the most lovely visit with Alex's family.  (As always, I wish I'd taken more pictures.)  Every moment was so delightful; quiet breakfasts outside, the huge St. Patrick's day party, god-daughter birthdays, the sweet little shower Alex's parents had for Evangeline...

I am so lucky to have been welcomed into such a wonderful family.  I miss it already! (And not just because Chicago is supposed to get more snow tonight...)  

//

A snapshot of our mornings...

//

Alex took me a little ways up Camelback Mountain to see the city.  So different from the East Coast, but so so cool.

//

Pete and Emily's St. Patrick's Day party was such a blast...too bad, Evangeline, no green beer for you.

 

//

Reason No. 8798 why Alex is the best. (Happy Birthday, sweet Ruby!) 

// 

Phoenix Botanical Gardens on our last day with Alex's Dad... 

Crafty.

One of my more recent crafting projects was water colour stationary, inspired by the wedding invitations I found here.  I rarely have any luck when a paintbrush is in my hand, but these were so awfully simple, that even I managed to pull it off.  (Probably because in this case, imperfections add to the overall whimsical feel...)