Lilac Saloon

Best of 2011!

So much has changed for us this year! We never expected to be where we are right now - but in a really good way. I thought I'd skip down memory lane and point out some of my favorite (blogged) moments of this year! Won't you join me?

 New to the shop in 2011:

Felt Heart Confetti

You & Me Embroideries

Rope & Tassel Necklaces

 

Custom Orders:

Robyn's Wedding Flowers

Jamie's Flower Clip

 Eric & Audrey's Vows

Monogrammed Pajamas

Lorie & Jon's Vows

 

Celebrations:

2 Years Married - & - 9 Years Together

 One Year of Self Employment

 It's A Baby!

 

Fun Projects Completed:

The Sketchbook Project

 A Cutting Felt Video

A Hand Embroidery Video 

A Cutting Petals Video

Lilac Saloon + Brian Hart Collaboration

 

Photographed:

Julie (9 Months Pregnant!)

Hanna at 6 Months & Hanna at 9 Months

Sioux Falls, SD

Lauren & Michael and Matthew (my beautiful siblings) 

 Titonka, IA

Julie & Bryer

 

Favorite Reflective Moments:

10 Reasons Why I Love Being My Own Boss

Small Town vs. Big City

Time to Move Forward

Goodbye to Estherville

 11 Wishes on 11.11.11

 

Honorable Mentions:

Felt Heart Confetti featured on Brandon Kidd's photography blog!

Lilac Girl (modeling a custom necklace by Erin Giles!)

A fresh Facelift for the blog with the help of my talented cousin, Natalie!

 

 With all of that business-growing, job-getting, small-town-moving and baby-growing this year...I can't imagine what the next year will hold for us. I am lowering my expectations on myself because taking care of a new tiny person will make life totally different for us in so many ways! I'm going to do an awesome job at that...and then if I have time and energy to do anything else, then I shall. My goals are to push toward living simply, more naturally, making what I can and working with what I have, focusing on positivity and gratitude, and finding joy in the little moments. Cheers to happiness and love and 2012!

Baby: Week 18

I'm getting closer to the halfway point and that seems crazy! It's weird to think how much is happening in my body - and how little I have to do to keep it going. I basically just need to do things I already know how to do. Sleep lots, eat healthy foods, drink water, take vitamins. Extra bonus points for exercising or yoga and maintaining low stress. 

I have been feeling tiny little kicks lately! It sort of feels like little muscle twitches. It's pretty cool, actually. It has kinda become my new hobby to just sit still and wait for them. In two weeks I have my 20 week ultrasound and hopefully they can tell us the gender! I think things get more exciting at that point! I can't wait to give this little person a name. It's a really big responsibility to give someone a name that they will have for life, but the creative part of my brain completely loves the challenge.

Photo an Hour

On Monday, I decided to take a photo every hour of the day so that I could share with you what my day looked like! It was a pretty average Monday. I don't do as much work on Mondays because I run errands and that takes up some of the day. I also let myself have a lazy start this day because I was extra tired. It is so nice to be able to do that when I need to!! I'm taking advantage of it while I can.

Enjoy this little peek into my simple, quiet day.

Midnight Sun | Iceland

Midnight Sun | Iceland from SCIENTIFANTASTIC on Vimeo.

I can't stop obsessing over Iceland. If I could only pick ONE place to travel in my lifetime, Iceland would be it. This gorgeous time lapse film is beyond breathtaking. Like, I could almost cry. I won't though. Maybe.

The video captures 17 days worth of magic, during the time in the summer months when the sun never fully sets. Enjoy watching - and getting lost in the dreamiest land on Earth.

Portrait Embroidery

Quite a while ago, we did a few portrait embroideries of celebrities - just for fun. The first one was this Seth Rogen embroidery, made for one of my best friends. After creating that, we were inspired to do a couple more! We had a few requests for Bill Murray so that was exactly what we did.

I was just dying to do one of Miss Coco Peru because we have a couple of friends who would really appreciate such a ridiculously amazing embroidery. If you don't know Miss Coco Peru, this embroidery will probably scare the pants off of you. If you DO know her then I am sure you will be really proud.

Other embroideries I'd love to do next:

Ron Swanson of Parks & Recreation, Harry & Lloyd of Dumb & Dumber,  and the one and only Romy & Michele

Baby: Week 16

Guess what? I have got my energy back! I thought I had it back before, but I really didn't. I have gotten so much accomplished in the past week. I am not in the crazy cleaning and cooking mode that I've heard some get into. Maybe later. Right now I'm finally caught up on orders and have even had the energy/motivation to do some experimental stitching for the shop. It has been forever since I've done that! My experiment kind of failed (whoops) but I didn't really care because I was just happy to finally be making things again. Get this - we even finished all of our Christmas shopping already AND shipped everything out to the recipients. Oh yeah. 

Multiple times a day, I forget that I'm pregnant. I don't feel that different now that I'm not so tired. It's pretty cool. Then, when I remember that I do in fact have a tiny person with me all the time - I get really happy. Because that is kind of totally awesome. 

Also, at this point I've started to get pretty uncomfortable in all of my size 2 skinny jeans. BUH-BYE. I don't know what I'm going to do about pants because I haven't been able to find any yet - unless they're leggings. So leggings it is. Every day I'm leggings-in'. I broke down and bought a couple maternity pieces for my wardrobe. My Mom and I went to a consignment shop and I got three shirts. Then I got a couple things from ASOS which was the first real new-clothes shopping I've done in 2 years! Here's what I got:

 

1. Maternity Skinny Jeans in Teal - These were the main reason I wanted to order from ASOS. I loved that these looked relatively normal except for the pocket area which has a double rib knit for lots of stretch. I am going to be returning them because they just don't stretch enough. They fit fine right now but I'd like them to fit me all winter and there's no way they will. They've only got about an inch of give. Sadface.

2. Maternity Soft Touch Leggings - I'm wearing these in the photo above. They're amazing! They're not very thick so they won't be warm enough for wearing outside mid-winter, but they're perfect for days when I'm inside all day. The waistband goes wayyy up to go over the belly instead of under, and the elastic isn't too strong so it doesn't hurt like my other leggings do. These are a keeper.

3. Maternity Roll Neck Tunic - This is really cute and it does not look "maternity". I'd wear it even if I wasn't pregnant. I'll probably dress it up with a pretty necklace and wear it on Christmas, but it is still a nice everyday sweater as well. There's lots of room to grow which is perfect.

4. Blanket Wrap Cardigan - I am in love with this cardigan (pictured in my belly photo above!). It's not in their maternity section but it definitely has everything I need in a cozy cardigan. I love all of the extra fabric to wrap up in - but it's not too bulky or blankety like some are. It's fantastic. I'll prolly wear it every day, or at least until Evan starts to give me looks of disappointment.