my first maternity shoot.

that I forced upon a pregnant lady.

She was visiting this weekend and how better to spend a lovely Saturday afternoon than being poked and prodded and photographed by me for hours? um...right? (for the record: i didn't poke nor prod this lovely pregnant woman).

She's halfway to the goal - 20 weeks along .... so the bump is just a baby bump (literally) for right now - but I still wanted to have the chance to have an excuse to take photographs of such a pretty lady and her very first baby bump.

chives.

who would have guessed?

i heart film.

the best things in life

cost 25 cents at a yard sale.

This little spice rack is from a midwest auction. I think it's found a nice home in this east coast apartment. It was very empty until tonight, finally, I filled the little jars and even made little labels.

There's something about a good old typewriter -- mm. I just love that font. It's like my little spice rack turned into a vintage laboratory.

I am not really that productive lazy tonight. Really lazy. So, labeling these spice jars and spilling sage powder (should sage be in a powder form? it is organic. so, there's that, at least.) all over the counter made me feel like I accomplished something.

Although - since google isn't giving me any alternative ingredient for "can of diced tomatoes in juice" for the recipe I'm cooking for dinner tonight (useless google), I need to move enough to get to the grocery store. Wow. Getting rain boots on right now, well, I'm going to go lay down and rest up.

comforting.

I learned tonight that I love homemade chicken noodle soup. I recommend you finding somebody that loves you enough to make it for you.

It was like eating a bowl of cozy.

I'm now curled up on the sofa, under a homemade quilt (thank you grandma), nursing a mug of tea. It's like a whole night of the cozy. I'm a lucky lady.

I used to have a serious habit of night time tea drinking. (it replaced a less-healthier habit). I like this habit. (It's much cheaper and less-lung-killing than the last one.) I've missed this tea thing. For now I'm hooked on this delicious sleepytime vanilla flavor, but one day if I'm fancy I'd like to try this fancy Martha idea. I have the fancy french press -- I just need to the herbs and such to stick in there.

Right now, based on the contents of my pantry, I'd come up with day old celery and bbq potato chip tea and that's just, well, not cozy. or fancy.

recapping.

...

.dogs were walked.
.books were read.
.library fines were paid.
.packages were mailed.
.pancakes were eaten.
.movies were watched.
.takeout was ordered.
.pictures were taken.
.laundry was finished.
.thrifting was accomplished.

...

the art of letters.

I'm really into buying stationary. Love the stuff. It's why I fell over at this vintage Strawberry Shortcake scented red polka dot stationary. And yes - I'm talking about the original shortcake -- not the disturbing new version (but hey! what's not to love about turning childhood toys into sex symbols! i love america!).

Sadly, the stationary was a little too old and the scented part did wear off (but I imagined myself in a field of strawberries while I wrote a letter out. I'm sure that's what the original scent smelled like, friend).

Last night, I sat and wrote a letter out on this adorable paper.

As much as I shouldn't admit it -- it was actually rather difficult. I realized that most of my thoughts to other people come out in 160 character text messages or three sentence emails that I can type at the speed of sound (or at least, close to the speed of sound.).

Letter writing takes time - you think a thought and then spend an entire minute - I'm talking at least 60 entire seconds - putting that thought down on a piece of paper - - which requires you to really spend some time with your thoughts. They linger. They hang out. They get another drink.

I'm out of practice, hanging out with my own thoughts -- thinking these thoughts and then seeing them written out, staring up at me, accusingly. And then even more, sharing them with other people without the use of a computer or a cell phone or conversation.

Part of me wanted to share my deepest journal-deserving hopes and dreams...while the other part of me just continued to ramble on about the weather.

My hand hurt at the end of the letter. And I'm still not sure if I managed to say anything or just kept falling back on a smiley face here, smiley face there. (sidebar: i think i hate smiley faces.)

But I think -- I think -- I might actually use more of that stationary I've hoarded up through the years and try another one of these letter things.

olympics, vintage style.

things that I could win a gold medal for:
1. procrastinating.
2. correctly guessing the murderer within the first five minutes of law & order.
3. drinking coffee.
4. sleeping.
5. avoiding the phone.
6. ping pong.*

(*ok, so maybe not ping pong. well, maybe if my dad wasn't there. i still can't manage to win against that man.)

But anyway, I'm a little obsessed with vintage olympic posters at the moment. the design makes me swoon a little. hell, I think I could be obsessed with vintage olympic anything. It almost makes me want a Dorothy Hamill haircut.

I said almost.