Oh-So RB Sabbatical

So sorry it's been so long, friends! I certainly should have written sooner.

With baby on the way (so soon!) and our new venture, I've been spending some time reflecting on all the big changes. It's looking like I'm in need of a bit of a vacation from my little blog here and it may just be that I need to close up shop on Oh-So RB altogether. Blogging seems to have changed so much since I began (would you agree?) and I'm hesitant to post just every once and a while (doesn't seem quite right!). Certainly, I've gathered unbelievable inspiration from reading your blogs, writing here and being a part of a great circle of art-minded friends. Any thoughts & suggestions you have would be welcomed. While I'm away, I'll definitely still be listening!

Happy summer to all--enjoy, enjoy!

(Memory jars and handmade thank-yous from Martha Stewart--so lovely!)

Heirloom Nursery: Sneak Peek!

Happy spring, friends! I'm sorry for these gaps between posts--I feel like I'm sending you postcards lately from where I am! Things are busybusy with designing and writing for the soon-to-be Clover & Bee (can't wait to share all the exciting bits in the works there!). Plus, I admit, I'm a little caught up in baby-ness--resting and preparing. But, between these adventures, I thought I might share a snapshot of the little man's room in progress (click the images for a larger view). We're trying to keep everything simple--a little modern, a little organic, a little heirloom and very much budget-friendly. I just finished hanging the Ida Pearle alphabet this week--one of my favorite aspects of the space. Every letter is like a poem--e is for elephant, g is for garden, q is for quilt, s is for swim...how wonderful to get to be a kid, am I right? More soon! Do keep me posted on what you're up to!

Heirloom Nursery: Cloudy with a Chance of Fun

So sorry for the long delay on posting, friends! My soon-to-be not-so-secret project (!) has been taking up most of my time. Plus, being many months pregnant has finally caught up to me--whew! I really appreciate your patience and hope to return the favor with our exciting news very, very soon!

In between the sparks of busy-ness, I have been gathering a few new things in anticipation of our little boy. We're thinking his middle name might be Gray--one of my favorite colors--and I'm looking forward to celebrating with a few hints of the hue in his room...! Bunny booties from Pretty Little, 'Sweet Bunny' print from decoylab, eco plush blanket from boopalina bebe, fabric from skinny laminx (lovely and subtle!). I just love all the new modern possibilities for baby these days, don't you?

Find It on Film: Grey Gardens

Even more than films, I adore documentaries and Grey Gardens is among my very, very favorites of all time. Fashion, poetry, dance, song, design, architecture and, of course, gardens--it's a near-perfect piece. Because of this, I have to admit, I'm pretty skeptical about this new version of the musical (Drew Barrymore? really?) and I'm probably not going to tune in (maybe you can convince me!). But, that said, all the talk of the movie has brought about some great remembrances from those who knew the Beales, their home and style, and I'm reveling in it. Especially these photos from the current owners of Grey Gardens. As Little Edie says, "It's all embedded together. Believe it or not, the past is part of the present and the future is here with us now."

Heirloom Nursery: Jennifer Murphy Bears

You've heard me sing Jennifer Murphy's praises before--she and her work are wonderful. I'm so excited to share that we've been talking about creating a custom made bear for our baby....

Once upon a time, when I met S, he had just returned home from a 6-month stay in a backcountry Oregon ranch, an hour and a half from the nearest town, writing in solitude, where there were--being a city girl this always gets me!--black bears. Wild black bears roaming around, eating blackberries, scratching up wasp nests, doing all the things very real bears do. It was a special time for him to say the least--out there roughing it in the wild. And now, here we are, six years later, with his memoir about that time due out next spring a new little bear on the way even sooner. I'm so thrilled Jennifer is going to help us celebrate and commemorate with a another bear friend to be dragged around with love.

If you missed out on the JM spring sale yesterday, definitely sign up for her newsletter to get the latest on the up-and-coming and read up on her sweet blog. Oh, and wish her congrats as well! She's also due this summer with her first--hooray! hooray!

Heirloom Nursery: Style on a Budget

What a wild week--I'm so sorry to have been away for so long and can't wait to get back in touch! Hope you're getting the first tastes of spring where you are. We've got daffodils here but also a couple inches of snow in the forecast...could it really be? Whew!

In the midst of my busy business, I've been dreaming about the nursery for our baby-boy-to-be--a surprising challenge and a delight. You know me: I love big colors, sentimental art pieces to keep, staying on budget, craftiness, hands-down good design. After our wedding last year, I thought, how different could it be? You pick a palette, pick a theme, have some fun. But, wow, the project and the resources are completely different (as S says, 'look out, baby culture is after us!')--or at least it seemed at first.

Wanting to hold on to those same principles, I decided to simplify, simplify, simplify. Instead of buying an expensive coordinating crib set, I went with a nice basic white bumper and skirt for the vintage-looking Jenny Lind crib we chose (I'm sad to say I don't see them in the Land of Nod collection anymore--it's a beautiful, inexpensive piece--if you can get your hands on one, snap it up!). The beauty of this is the set cost $60 (total!), it looks so clean and fresh, and now I can mix-and-match sheets, curtains, other furniture, accessories and what-not to my heart's content.

That one choice has made the designing process really come alive and now that we're back to basics, I'm ready to build up the vision: I found this sweet wild kingdom mobile (from Copenhagen Styles), three colors of gingham sheets to match (Pottery Barn Kids), and a 'Keep Calm' poster that I could potentially add (for some humor, of course!--this one from the Keep Calm Gallery). So, what's next? I'm on the look out for some patterned fabric (maybe from Purl) to complement and contrast the gingham...some fun toys and accessories...some fine touches of heirloom pieces...hmmm! Any suggestions for me? I need all the help I can get!

Heirloom Nursery: Baby's First Quilt

It's no secret I love quilts--really love them.

Recently, I've been editing the memoir of one of our quilter friends and got to thinking about the possibilities for our baby's first quilt. Looking around for nursery bedding, I've been pretty disappointed in the range of colors and style for little boys (did I mention? we're having a boy!). Everything is blue, red and brown and--I'm going to say it!--so boring (!). Have you noticed this too?

This feeling led me to start researching the baby blankets of the past at our local museum, Lincoln's International Quilt Studies Center. What I found was that the traditional of the crib quilt is really a fascinating one--especially here in the Midwest where these small blankets were an Amish tradition. The rich blacks and deep blues, the modern-feeling stripes, blocks and cubes. Hope we can find a way to do something similar--so many creative possibilities for our tiny new guy!

Backyard Field Guide: Busy Bee in Springtime

Like a bee to nectar, I'm buzzing! Did you know that the bumble bees you usually see among the spring bulbs and flowers are usually the queens? I find it just remarkable how after overwintering alone these little ladies found the year's new colonies themselves. Sweet humble bumbles.

I was reading this week that some gardens have little nooks and caves built into the walls just for this event--brilliant, right? Other times the bees will just make themselves at home an empty birdhouse (I love this one answering the doorbell above!). I'm thinking I need to find some more places in our backyard plot for them.

(This might just be another clue to my secret project!*)

(Images from here and here.)

Hard at Work, Missing You!

So sorry to be absent, ladies! I've been busily working on a soon-to-be-not-so-secret project-- saying 'yes' to a dream, really. I hope you'll forgive me for not posting daily--I'm hoping my time away will be more like 'worth the wait'! More on that soon as well as more posts! What fun things have you all been pursuing? I'd love to hear!

(Image via Desire to Inspire.)

Location, Location

Readymade's WPA poster series is so spot on--especially these two. I've lived on both coasts but somehow not until I moved to Nebraska did these ways of living really come into focus for me--farmer's markets, gardening, bicycling, local schools. I'm a city girl at heart but somehow living here is the perfect fit.

Heirloom Nursery: Handmade Baby Bibs

When it comes to preparing for baby, I've been pretty disappointed in the mealtime linens out there--the bibs simply aren't practical, they're expensive, they're (dare I say it) so gaudy or they just seem so industrial for a little person. Instead, I'm thinking of trying to make a handful of these Martha Stewart towel bibs--I imagine they'll be soft, sturdy, tastefully colorful, imminently washable. What a great shower gift, too! My best friend got us these beautiful jacquard hand towels from Anthropologie (she's got the best taste!) and I'm thinking of getting a few more to try them out. If not for a little person, then why not for sewing up one of these great tea towel aprons? Oh, how I love Martha's craftiness!

A Little Valentine's Day Announcement

Happiest of Valentine's Days, friends! With all this love going around, I thought today might be a good day to tell you our exciting little news: I'm four months pregnant! We are so, so thrilled--I feel like my heart's got wings! Thank you for all your support these past few months--oxoxox!

(Red booties from here and love birds from here.)

Home Is Where the Art Is: Kim Sayer

I was reading the backlog of Desire to Inspire entries I'd been meaning to get to (such a super blog!) and, in the process, fell head over heels in love with the work of Kim Sayer, especially the fresh and witty photographs of her Dinky Toy collection. The first of their kind, these snappy little die-cast cars were first released in England in 1934 and meant to accompany model train sets already in production. Maybe you remember my beloved vintage pickup from our wedding? I just couldn't resist expanding the collection and found some lovely companions on eBay. Can't wait til they arrive! What collectibles have been on your mind lately? Any fun new finds?

Into the Kitchen: Quick Weeknight Dinner

With a busy, busy schedule, I haven't made a proper dinner in what feels like ages. Today I was so happy to get back into the kitchen and I whipped up our meal in under an hour--I couldn't believe it! Potato-corn chowder from Martha and yummy popovers from epicurious.

For the soup, I left out the green beans for S and added some heavy cream to thicken the broth--in the end, delectable, creamy goodness! 

I finally got to use the popover pan my mother-in-law gave me last year and it worked like a dream. If you're nervous about making the pastries work, I highly recommend following the recipe closely: get your pan nice and hot first and when you mix the batter, definitely warm the milk--it does the trick for every time! The gruyere isn't necessary but, boy, it is a nice subtle treat. Crunchy, light, soft--they're just the best.

(Images from here and here.)

Sweet Find: Three Eyeballs

One of my studio pals from college, Emily Wick, was featured on National Geographic this past week--so exciting! She's created a wonderful US map with each of the state mottoes--isn't that just brilliant? I'm thinking "Equality Before the Law" would look pretty sharp by my desk...!

Home Is Where the Art Is: Eliza Jane Curtis

I'm just in love with the colors of Eliza Jane Curtis' house in Buenos Aires. Is there such a thing as muted jewel tones? Everything feels so rich and faded in the perfect ways. Plus, the view from the kitchen and the delightful courtyard eatery--such great architecture. You can check out Eliza's sweet stationery, Morris + Essex, here. I've tucked a card in a wedding vision here as well. To sum things up in a word:



(Via d*s.)

Backyard Field Guide: A Glimpse of Spring

At this time of year, along with the resolutions come the wheelbarrow's full of garden catalogs--one of my most favorite things of all. Our mailbox has been overflowing with them (to do: a good trip to the recycling center!) which means S and I have started plotting and planning our beds for the upcoming year. Heirloom red zebra tomatoes, snowpeas, hot chile peppers, chioggia beets, dill, basil, lilies, dahlias, cosmos, morning glories, and, of course, tons and tons of zinnias...I can't wait. Does anyone else already have spring fever? What are your plans once the cold breaks?

(Images from here and here.)

T-t-tagged!

The lovely Courtney of Under a Paper Moon has tagged me! Five things you might be surprised to know about little 'ol me:

1) I'm a huge reader. Huge. Okay, maybe you knew this already by way of certain posts (here, here, here).... From poems to art history to garden stories to memoirs to children's lit to novels to philosophy to...you name it, I'll read it up. I'm so excited for the winter break and snuggling up with some new reads--nonfiction, photography, craft, design, poetry, biography, baking.

2) Once upon a time, I was a competitive figure skater. Still, to this day, I don't think anything compares to flying on ice. What I miss most? Doing figures. Now obsolete, skaters used to work through rigorous tests tracing super-precise circles into the ice. I wish skaters today still had the opportunity to do this remarkable meditative practice.

3) I'm known--and consistently teased!--for my extended food cravings. One month I have a weakness for sushi, the next oatmeal, mangoes one month, chocolate cake the next. To say I looooooovvvvvve food might be an understatement.

4) I've lived on both coasts, the no-coast of the Heartland and in the Southwest. I grew up in New England, went to California for college, worked in New Mexico, and later, settled into the Midwest for grad school.

5) One of my very favorite things to do is volunteer at our local museum. It's so fulfilling--not only spending time around great artworks but to feel like you're inviting others to connect. Listening to children tell the stories of different paintings by Warhol and Thiebaud and O'Keeffe...I just adore it.

6) I usually like to have a little secret I keep to myself. Whether it's a little indulgence or a dream or a memory...I always like to keep a little special something in mind to inspire me.

How about each of you? What's your story these days? Any new realizations you've made about you?