August Year One

augustine year one

It’s been twelve months since the birth of Augustine.

Twelve months since we learned to swaddle, sway, and sweet talk. Twelve months of changing diapers, sorting toys, and counting sheep. Twelve months of learning the ropes, building up confidence, and settling into parenthood. Twelve months of prayers, patience, giggles, and dreams. Twelve months of learning to love deeper, higher, and without limits.

It’s been twelve months since our lives changed forever, and for the better, which is why we’re celebrating our first twelve months as the mom and dad of Augustine.

Happy birthday to our little jelly bean!

All About Butter

Butter photo by Lydia Krupinski

If you thought this post would be about the fatty deliciousness of the dubious cooking ingredient, think again! In our family Butter takes on a new meaning in the form of a goofy, wiggly, snack stalking Boston Terrier.

This sweet sweet boy’s adoption anniversary is fast approaching. Adopted from The Anti-Cruelty Society on Valentine’s Day 2011, Butter is now 7 years old and officially a canine senior.

bow-tieButter photo by Lydia Krupinski

This little guy’s adventure started with us on New Year’s week. At the end of 2010 I had declared that it was time to adopt a buddy for Peanut. We had been fostering for a year and Peanut proved he’d make an excellent big brother to a shelter pup. When considering what kind of dog we wanted to adopt we knew we’d want someone as similar to Peanut in size and play style as possible. He loved wrestling with other small, smoosh faced dogs, so I had my sights set on another brachycephalic breed. We’d let the right dog come to us. It was the very next day that I met Butter at The Anti-Cruelty Society.

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August’s Nursery: First Edition

It’s been exactly a year since we converted our bedroom into a nursery for our little jelly belly. I was three weeks away from my due date and a maddening urge to nest hit me. I had made a plan for the space but hadn’t done much beyond having David put up the crib and pop some art on the wall. One year later his space has undergone a multitude of changes, which is when it occurred to me, I never shared the first edition!

Photo by Megan Saul Photography

Photo by Megan Saul Photography

We live in a vintage one bedroom in Chicago’s populous and energetic Lakeview neighborhood. Our flat is sizable for the area – we have a sun room, formal dining room, large kitchen and a living room with built-ins and a fireplace (just for show though!). When we found out we were pregnant in May of 2014 we decided we’d work with the space we have rather than moving into a larger apartment. We love the character and location of our current place and knew that to find a two bedroom even remotely as cute in such a good neighborhood would be a long shot. So we decided to stay!

 

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Our Holiday To-DIY List

With Christmas fast approaching it’s high time we compile our annual DIY gift to-do list.

In addition to buying some locally hand crafted goodies, and placing orders via Etsy, we’re committed to creating as many gifts ourselves as possible. Here’s a peak at some of the tutorials that are serving as inspiration for our merry making this season!

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Wooden bead keychains from Be Crafty

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Printable cuckoo clock by Handmade Charlotte

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Homemade cheek + lip stain from me – yay!

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One hour triangle quilt from See Kate Sew

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Felt succulents from Lia Griffith

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Color blocked kitty scratching post from A Beautiful Mess

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DIY Terrarium from Refinery29

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Natural shaving cream recipe from MommyPotamus

Now – to make time for making all these amazing things!

 

Maggie Daley Park

Our little jelly belly turned eight months earlier this month. Crazy how time flies, right?! Besides hitting a new age, our little man sprouted his first two teeth, said da-da, and started to crawl. And all in just a week! These  developmental leaps were a sudden wake up call that his infant days are fleeting.

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After this realization a rush of sentimentalism washed over me, prompting me to schedule some time off for a staycation with the boys. I wanted a handful of days where I could slow down, spend time with August and his dad, and soak up the season.

One of the highlights of our recent stint of hometown tourism was a visit to the new Maggie Daley park. Continue reading

Pierogi Picnic’s Fond Farewell

This is it! The Pierogi Picnic Etsy shop has officially closed as of 9pm this evening. Let the record show that August 2nd, 2015 is a day that now stands in history! At least in my books. Though it’s a bittersweet moment, there’s so much to celebrate when looking back at these last seven years of sustainable design.

SANYO DIGITAL CAMERAIt all began with a skirt. I created a simple asymmetrical pencil skirt using a thrifted cotton t-shirt. Every which way I went I would receive compliments, along with inquiries on how people could get their hands on one of their own. That’s what inspired me to create an affordable line of retro, comfy, eco-friendly clothing. I had also recently discovered the growing handmade movement, and with encouragement from my husband, launched my own Etsy shop in the fall of 2008.

After debuting my store I continued to create truly one-of-a-kind clothing items made from recycled materials. Scouring Chicago’s thrift stores high and wide, I was collecting pre-loved fabrics and vintage textiles to create a unique line of casual and comfy clothing. Within a couple of months I began to add other designs. T-shirt dresses, camisole gowns, restructured tanks, vintage finds and more! It was in that year that I came up with some of my most popular designs, included the Resurrected Tee skirt, Revamped Flower headbands, Darling Dresses and No Sweat tunics. They were a hit! And so Pierogi Picnic took off!

Pierogi Picnic post-branding

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DIY: Baby Gnome Hat

little august

Little baby August was born this past Valentine’s day at a hearty 7 pounds and 6 ounces. But despite his ample weight, this long and lean baby has the tiniest of craniums, causing any and every hat we have for him to slide down over his eyes. The result: one fussy baby! So what’s a mama to do? Make some DIY hats of course!

To ensure our little guy’s noggin was staying nice and toasty in our home and beyond I whipped up a simple yet chic hat design that I could create using various fabric scraps. Using printed fabrics on a bias instead of elastic, and solid t-shirt fabric for the top, August’s “krasnoludek” hats have become an instant hit! Keeping his head warm while adding a pop of color to his ensembles, making these little gnome hats in different color combos is becoming my new pass time, in between feedings and naps at least.

So without further adieu, I bring you a quick photo tutorial on how to make a baby gnome hat (or two or three!) for your own little bundle. Enjoy!

diy gnome hat from pierogi picnic