another adventure: new baby, new blog

Hello Friends! Again, it's been a while, hasn't it? Well, I've received a lot of inquiries over the past couple of months that look like "Are you OK?! Where did you go?!" Yes, I'm OK. I'm more than OK actually—I'm ecstatic, busy, a little exhausted, but overall, feeling lucky, and all for good reason.

Since this last December, my family of five had been busier than usual. A better word for my experience would be overwhelmed. We were preparing for another addition to the family (a little girl that was due end of February), my husband was working around the clock and I was continuing a typical routine of managing the schedules of a teenager, pre-teen, and toddler. To every ones surprise, a complication arose, and I was sent to have an emergency C-section five weeks early. I hadn't even purchased the cradle! On January 22, 2011 we welcomed a healthy little lady, June Willa, at a tiny 4 pounds 10 ounces, just 45 minutes after placing a call to my doctor from home. And just to top off the drama, the day we came home, my toddler came down with a very contagious respiratory virus (RSV) along with some good ole' Pneumonia. Try explaining to a two year old who just became a big sister why she has to stay in a completely different part of the house for two weeks, separate from her mom and baby sister. Not easy! But, after a few crazy and draining (physically and emotionally) weeks, everything has turned out wonderfully.

I plan on sharing a detailed birth story, but I'm saving it for a new blog (yay!) that I will be announcing within the next few weeks. I've been thinking about moving in a new, focused direction for a while, and now it seems like the perfect time.

I started The Design Pocket as a way to share my experience and work as a designer. Shortly after, I became a mom and that's where most of my creativity went, and it showed. With the way my life has evolved, I plan on writing a new blog about life as a mother and step-mother, and all of the "design work" and fun that entails. Similar to what The Design Pocket turned into over the last year, but now I'm just going to be even more, shall I say, blunt about it.

I'm a designer at heart, and my entire family experience has revolved around artists, musicians, writers, and photographers. So it's only natural to keep my view as a mom creative, and I will never stop sharing my love of art, fine printing, interior design, and of course do-it-yourself projects.

I hope you join me on this next adventure as a (still pretty young) creative mom to a family of six—yes, there's SIX of us now!

And now, a little visual goodie of our precious baby June, courtesy of my talented friend Lilli Salerno...

from mine to yours...

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and a 2011 filled with joy!

And please take a look at the talented Lilli Salerno who did an amazing job capturing my energetic & rambunctious family. (She has a cute dog too!)

wise words: love matters

This rings truer to me now than it ever did. I had saved this quote years ago, long before I had children, and am so happy I stumbled across it again today.

Image by me (the design pocket), photography by Pilar Valtierra Photography

happy friday! now go outside

silkscreen via slidesideways

we did...

There's nothing like slipping away into the woods with some of your absolute favorite people. Camping has been a common love for me and my husband, and we have the best time passing the tradition on to our kids. Taking our best friend Steve along is also part of that tradition, and I don't think it's ever the same without him. A couple of weeks ago we took the fam up north to a super secluded camping spot just minutes away from the Sequoia 100 Giants. It was awesome. Anyway, I definitely suggest spending some time outside this weekend while the weather is still beautiful, even if it's just to the park, a farmer's market, or for a nice long walk.

Happy Friday lovelies!! xoxo

and it's back

The wonderful rain has come and gone in lovely Los Angeles, and the sun has returned. It feels clean and crisp outside, and I'm loving it, but that taste of fall made me oh so ready to be snuggly by the fire.


image via whipup

green velvet couch, oh yes

Hello friends... yes, again, it's been a while. But here I am stepping back into The Design Pocket. It's been a busy few months (um, year), and there is so much to catch up on. As of now, I'm pretty focused on finally getting our living room (the big one) all cozy and yummy before the holidays—especially since we're planning on having family over for Thanksgiving—yay!

Over the weekend, before 3 of us were hit really hard with a horrible stomach flu, we scored on some free vintage furniture from our Eichler neighbor up the street who just sold their amazing house. Check out this super low cozy couch (the picture was taken in their home before the move). I'm getting the cushions re-stuffed and the upholstery professionally cleaned until we can decide on how to re-upholster it... but for now I'm totally loving the mossy green velvet. It actually goes with a ton of our stuff really well. We also got lucky with a long, low late-50s inspired coffee table and a really cool chair that my brother-in-law believes is his :)

Can't wait to update on the progress!

peekaboo.

Well, It's been almost a full month since my last post. Please let me explain... I had quite a physical and emotional storm come through my life, but in the center of it there's something wonderful, and I truly believe the worst of it is over.

The little something wonderful in the eye of the storm is that we're expecting to welcome another little baby into our family the end of February 2011.

So far, I've had quite the dramatic pregnancy. On the morning of my handsome step-son's birthday, July 28, I was officially put on bedrest for close to three weeks. It was quite scary actually and we were very close to losing the baby. I've had more doctor's appointments then I can remember, and my OBGYN already refers to the little bean as my miracle baby. Somehow with the support and help of my amazing husband, my closest friends and immediate family I was able to stay positive and really focus on staying stress-free. Staying away from stress ended up meaning detaching from my hectic routine, and taking it easy. I'm still technically in the middle of a high-risk pregnancy and am continuing to focus on staying healthy all while trying to continue to be the mommy of the house and keep things running smoothly around here. I look forward to Eliette starting pre-school in a couple of weeks (and she's pretty excited too) and slowly stepping back into my {normal, if that's what I can call it} life.

I feel like I've missed much more than a month, but am grateful for the wonderful support I've had and look forward to bringing this sweet little bean into our family.

I've missed you all and can't wait to catch up! xoxo

this is what i need {want} today

chocolate

my long hair back

my favorite silly musical

art i am loving: soft wood by veronika wildruber

Not everything is exactly as it seems. I found this Soft Wood project by Veronika Wildgruber on one of my recently found favorite art blogs Sweet Station. They may look like comfy cozy upholstered chairs, but are actually meticulously carved out of hard wood. Definitely worth a look.

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it happens...

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