Last Valentine's Day Brian put this video together for me. I absolutely love it and want to share it on here. I tear up every time.

Exploring

Yesterday I strapped Isabella on with the Ergo and we went in search of St. Lukes in the Field and the amazing garden that I've recently learned about. The description I had read said it was 2 acres. It didn't seem like 2 acres. When I was growing up on a farm I'm pretty sure my mom said it was just under an acre of land and it seemed like a lot of space. So either the St. Lukes in the Field is all on 2 acres (church, school, homes, etc) or an acre is much smaller than I remembered as a child. (Doesn't the whole world seem bigger when you're a kid?)

Anyway, the garden was lovely and I think it is fantastic that it is available and open to the community. But it was smaller than I expected (and expectations can change everything). Isabella fell asleep before we got there so the photos are of the landscape, which is beautiful.

NY Daily Photo

I just happened upon a fantastic New York blog, New York Daily Photo, when I was looking for information about a mysterious, "best kept secret" garden in Greenwich Village. It says it is 2 acres! I don't believe it! I guess I'll have to go see it for myself this week.

The blogger's description: Visit a daily photo blog of the timely, the timeless, the classic, the unexpected and the hidden gems by a long time resident who shares his love of New York. The above photos are from his blog.

12 Days of Christmas

My friend & neighbor Lauren is selling her fun, beautiful holiday cards on Etsy. I love her designs.

Late night browsing

Brian is working late, again, and Isabella is fast asleep, finally. I've been spending the last hour scouring design/decor blogs and websites. Maybe this is silly, but I am completely captivated by all the fantastic, intelligent, creative ideas out there. I feel liberated from my standard, boring Pottery Barn catalog. Seeing others ideas is truly inspiring. So many use basic materials and tweak them or create masterpieces from toolbox supplies. Here are some awesome links of a few favorites I found tonight.

decor8
Making it Lovely
hostess with the mostess
Ikea Hacker

As I ponder my new apartment and obsess over how I will place furniture, decorate walls, and all that fun stuff I've been turning to the web for some ideas. Our budget is minimal and creativity sporadic but I hope to turn our next place into a fun, comfortable home.

I recently found a fun company, Blik, that makes wall decorations. I LOVE some of their graphics.

One of my favorite things to think about is how I will decorate my next apartment. Our next place (no lease signed yet, so no guarantee) is going to be so huge in comparison to where we are now. We are living in less than 400 sq ft and moving into a place about 1,000 sq ft (note the comma in that number). I want it to feel like home but not feel like I have to fill it to capacity since we really don't have much stuff (compared to the average 3 person U.S. family).

I like the simple, minimalist idea that I see in a lot of modern design, but I love the comfort and warmth of a comfy couch that is more country style. How do I combine the two? Hmmm...that's what I'm working on.

This is when I start to carry a measuring tape and notebook with me wherever I go.

Me thinking out loud:

Bedroom 1 (top right) will be our bedroom. It will have a queen bed, two bedside tables, and a dresser.

Bedroom 2 (top left, and pictured in the previous post) will be Isabella's room and storage for Science Explorers stuff. It will have a small dresser, crib, my desk, and storage for science stuff. I'm still exploring storage ideas. And I'm not sure about the work/nursery combo. I want to hide the clutter of the business stuff, but I also want to be able to work when the baby is sleeping. Maybe the science stuff can be on storage shelves with wheels? Hide it when not needed, wheel it to the living room when I working on projects and preparing birthday parties.

Kitchen. I am so excited for our new kitchen. A full size stove and refrigerator! Yeeha! There is a counter that divides the kitchen from the living room. I would like to get two or three bar stools for that. We found some at Bed Bath & Beyond that we like for $40 each (a bit pricey for us), but they are comfortable and simple.

I really like that there is an entry area where people can take their shoes off. I would like to have a bench for ease with shoes on and off and key hooks hanging near the door. The closets are perfect for coats and shoe storage. I think we will need a good rug for the winter to soak up that gross street snow melt. Oh, I guess that will be stroller storage as well...hmmm...The entry way is now getting a bit cramped. I need to work on that.

Now for the living room. This room is definitely the most challenging. Where do we put the dining table? Finally we will have space to eat around a table again--I'm very excited. I'm guessing the dining table will work best in the space adjacent to the entry way. And use the living room in the rest of the space closer to the bedrooms. The living room will have a sofa, bookshelves and desk with computer. The computer desk is always an eyesore with little lit boxes and wires strewn everywhere. Brian would love a projector and I gather he will pick one up at the sales on Black Friday so that will be another element to work into the room.

Oh and Brian just informed me that he wants to make the living room a "reading room". We need at least 1 good reading chair and lamp, but two would be nice.

So it has been over a year, I've had a baby, started a small business, and not posted. I guess I'm in a blogging mood. Maybe this is my replacement for journaling.

My major excitement right now centers on our need to move at the end of this month. Apartment searching in New York City is an absolute pain but I think we have found a place. We are trading in our tiny one bedroom in a 4th floor walk up in the hip Hell's Kitchen neighborhood for a large two bedroom in the once scary, now being gentrified Harlem--or SoHa is what they are calling our neighborhood (South Harlem). Our application is in but the lease hasn't been signed yet. I've very excited about it! It is in an elevator building too! Here are some photos.