Bump #2

Week 29
Originally uploaded by JaneHostler

Bump #2

It's been so long since I last posted anything on my blog that I was starting to think I should just quit it. But it's just not that easy! SO, I decided to do a very quick update instead. So here's a pic of bump number 2! Due at the end of the month. Oh and a very Happy New Year!!!

Vivienne Strauss paints Franklin

I'm so excited.
One half of my favourite artist couple, Vivienne Strauss (who I've writen about before here), has painted our cheeky mogster Franklin.
And not once, but twice!



Check out Vivienne's painting on Etsy >

Check out Vivienne's collages on Etsy >

Breadou

Check these out...

Breadou [n.] uniquely designed Computer Wrist Rest and Stress Reliever made from NASA Memory Foam


Visit the Breadou website >

Muslin

Oliver was born with blocked tear ducts, which he will be having a small operation to fix a week after his first birthday in July. Because his eyes are unable to clear themselves of tears and dirt, it means they weep and tend to get gooped up and make him look like he has conjunctivitis.
To stop his eyes from getting sore (and looking bad) it means I'm constantly wiping away any fluid, and as a matter of course, have to clean them thoroughly twice a day (sometimes more if it's particulary bad) with cooled boiled water.
It means that even though he's now ten and a half months old, I'm still carrying around muslin everywhere I go so I have something on hand to use. And because they've constantly been around him, Oli is now using them as a comforter.

Because I think of muslin tending to be a younger baby accessory, and because it's acting a lot like a blanket aswell, I thought it would be nice to get a more attractive blue striped piece of muslin and make it look a bit more grown up.
I spent ages on the internet and at first thought it was an impossibe task, but once I included the magic word 'BABY' in my search terms I actually came across a few nice ones including these particularly stylish designer muslins.
They're Swaddling Blanket /Muslin Squares from a company called Aden & Anais - buy them in the UK from here.

If only I'd known about these sooner!
To be honest, they are actually hideously expesive so I don't think I will be purchasing any, plus the only nice striped one comes in a pack and I don't like the other ones in the pack. But these camo ones are pretty cool though.

When I was pregnant I found a multi pack of plain white muslins that I bought from The Nappy Lady as a very sensible, and very cheap option considering it was a pack of 10 - £11.99! They were also huge and have been extremely useful. I've since cut one of them up into four smaller ones and hand sewn some coloured stiching around the edges to stop them fraying.

I can't believe I never came across anything other than plain white ones before.
These are lovely too, and a lot more affordable. I might have to make a trip to Ikea tomorrow.

kaboo and MOo

kaboo and MOo
Originally uploaded by robax

I love cats.
One of my favourite sites is icanhascheezburger.com, I'm unable to stop taking photos of our own cat Franklin and I love looking at pictures of other peoples. I came across this pair, kaboo and MOo, on Flickr a few months ago. It's so funny I keep having to go back for another chuckle at it.

Andy Goldsworthy

Watching The Chelsea Flower Show programme on TV the other night I was reminded about the outdoor artist Andy Goldsworthy.

I love his work.
I must go look through his books again...

The next phase

Life has now officially moved on to the next phase.
I started this blog a year ago knowing that the imminant arrival of our baby meant life as I knew it was coming to a close. I made the decision to make a real effort towards my silversmithing, knowing that if it was more established, I was more likely to pick it back up when I had the time in the future.
I created my Etsy shop, started this blog and emersed myself in the highly inspirational world of online designers, crafters & makers. I definately saw the benefits of the extra time I put in too and sold a number of items purely becuase of it. I even got some stock into a lovely shop which was something I'd been just talking about for years.

Once Oliver arrived the whirlwind hasn't stopped and I'm pretty sure that's just what life is going to be like now. The whirl wind has MOST DEFINATELY been turned down from the initial category 6 storm to a more moderate 1 (or 2 on occasions), but I guess that's just what life is going to be like with another person to think about and care for. Does your mind ever stop?

Consequently, I've found it hard to find even the thinking time for my silversmithing, let alone the practical side. In the last 10 months I think I've only made this one item for a friend.
I really really am hoping to have the head space again soon to be able to pick my tools back up and get creating.

In the mean time though, I'm enjoying watching my gorgeous boy grow and am enjoying being back at work 3 days a week.
I've tried to keep this from being a mommy blog so haven't really waxed lyrical about Oli too much, but here's just one picture of our amazing chap...

Childhood vaccinations

There's an interesting and articulate post on Dooce.com about childhood vaccinations.
This might be US based blog but we have the same issue over here in the UK too...

A word or two about vaccinations

World's Smallest Postal Service

Is this not the cutest way to send a message?
It's the World's Smallest Postal Service and it appeals to so much of the childhood excitment I had in toys. A perfectly practicle, useful and funcional idea but executed in a totally cute and more interesting way. I did actually own a teeny tiny (think it was Hello Kitty) letter writing kit with tiny stick-on stamps. Check out their site for pictures of the amazing tiny postal desk too.


I know the perfect person to receive one of these letters too. The same person who gave me a message in another gorgeous fashion several years ago. A tiny carved carrier pigeon carrying a birthday wish for me. When I was doing my silversmithing course I did a lost wax casting of it...

'geek mums'

There's an interesting article on the BBC site about some of the discussions at this years SXSW...

A growing number of mothers are forming social communities online. What is behind their drive to the internet?
At the recent SXSW Festival in the American city of Austin, Texas, one of the discussions centred on the surge in growth in "geek moms" - mothers who spend a large amount of time online.

The one thing that sticks out about this to me is the word 'geek'! I'm finding it a bit misplaced. I can imagine that a few years ago it might have been considered geeky to be using computers - having completed a computer arts degree 10 years ago I can tell you there were very few of us ladies doing it then - but surely these days it's just common place?

I used to build websites which I guess could be considered very slightly geeky, but coding and programming? now THAT would be geeky. These days I just design for the web. And blog. And have a flickr account. And an Etsy account. And have a static website. Surely that's not geeky is it?

Whilst I'm on the matter, my maternity leave actually comes to a close in 4 weeks and I'll be back at my web design job. I can't believe life is actually moving on! I'm so enjoying hanging out with our little guy who is now 8 months old. I'm lucky to be able to say that I'm also looking forward to going back to work though. A 3 day working week should hopefully make us all happy and if I ever get a free slither of time I WILL DO SOME SILVERSMITHING and post the pictures here.

Google's logo

Check out Google's logo today...



Very clever. And very topical for us these days too, what with revisiting The Very Hungry Caterpillar with Oli. It's also the books 40th anniversary this year. Last week I bought Oli this great little library collection...

Jewellery stands

Back in August I wrote how I've always got my eye out for decent jewellery stands. Here are a couple more that I found on Plumo.

I love that fact that the base of this design in also a useful little dish

7 random things about me

I've been tagged by the lovely Jaimee of Modern Classics so here are some random bit and bobs about me...

1. I bite my nails, but occasionally get it under control.
2. I'm organised and tidy (some close to me may say bordering on obsessive).
3. I loved school until it got serious at A-level time. Once I realised I wasn't an academic it got fun again.
4. Four is my lucky number.
5. I can play the piano and saxophone.
6. I love laughing.
7. I played a girl called Mandy in a TV programme for school kids when I was about 13.

Me and old Holden Caulfield

I first read The Catcher in the Rye when I was in my teens, and thought it pretty cool to find one of the characters sharing my name: Jane Gallagher. Quite an important character too.

Since I set up a Google alert though, I am CONSTANTLY being reminded of it. You wouldn't believe how many people on the Internet have written about Holden and herself!


I still think it's pretty cool. And it's certainly helped by the fact that it's a great (and important) book.

Are you in a book?

What I was trying to avoid

I was trying to avoid turning this into a mommy blog but this nursing bra is definately worth mentioning.

To cut a long story short (my breasts resemble a 'before & after') my bra's have not been the most comfortable things to wear. And they are quite an important item at the moment whilst I'm breast feeding.
Not only am I already sporting one breast larger than the other, but they fluctuate in size throughout the day as they fill and empty of milk.
How on earth are you meant to design a piece of clothing around measurements like that?

Like this!
I'll refrain from posting a picture, but I think I've found the most comfortable nursing bra in the world. It's called the Drop-Cup Nursing Bra by Carriwell and you can order it from Bump to 3.

Now go buy 10 of them.

On the Ning Nang Nong

For some reason this poem popped in to my head yesterday and I havent been able to get it out since.
I haven't got it memorised so I've been reciting it over and over to Oliver with complete nonsensical words in place of the ones I can't remember, just to make it rhyme. I know it doesnt make any sense with the right words anyway but that's why it's so great. You gotta love Spike Milligan. Oli seems to enjoy it too :)

I'd love to find the time to type it out nicely with some cool graphics and put it on his wall.

On the Ning Nang Nong
Where the Cows go Bong!
and the monkeys all say BOO!
There's a Nong Nang Ning
Where the trees go Ping!
And the tea pots jibber jabber joo.
On the Nong Ning Nang
All the mice go Clang
And you just can't catch 'em when they do!
So its Ning Nang Nong
Cows go Bong!
Nong Nang Ning
Trees go ping
Nong Ning Nang
The mice go Clang
What a noisy place to belong
is the Ning Nang Ning Nang Nong!!

By Spike Milligan

Happy New Year!

Well, our first Christmas with Oli has been ace. He's been an absolute dream, socialising, meeting everyone, being passed around for cuddles and loving it!

I thought I'd share with you one of my favourite things that we got Oli as a present. These wicked soft play cubes from our very lovely local toy shop Revilo (which is actually 'Oliver' spelt backwards!).

Things have been pretty busy here. I was only able to find time to bake one batch of mince pies in the end! I also crazily said yes to some freelance work over the 2 week christmas period, so was busy trying to fit that in around spending the festivities with our first born and seeing friends and family.

SO! The new year has started already... may it be fun, healthy and full of stuff you wanna do.

boo

i know i know, i haven't written much lately so here's a summary;

Oli's first cold
Visit to grandparents
Freelance work
New cameraphone
My birthday
iPod nano!

the big itch

I'm getting a real itch now to get back to creating.
Oli is now 12 weeks old and is in a great routine that means I could potentially have some time to put in to being crafty again.

I got a real urge to start drawing too which is bizarre as I can't draw and it's never really been my medium. I also keep finding myself arriving at blogs written by such creative and insirational people that it's making me drool with the endless possibilites of how I could be spending my time.

Christmas is here

I had my first mince pie of the season yesterday