small + friendly

And the winner is ...

Winter Solstice by Benjamin Moore!  I used the no VOC Natura paint which I love, it goes on really nice and is odorless.  The room is super bare right now, but I know it will look cool all decked out.  

I thought I would share my tips for stress free painting: 

1. Skip the blue tape.  Seriously, I don't use any tape!  Cutting in with an angled 2" brush is way easier than you might think and works way better on my textured walls.

2. If you need to stop for a few hours (or a few days, or a few weeks), mid-painting, don't bother washing your brushes and rollers.  Just wrap them in plastic wrap and stick them in the fridge (or freezer if it will be more than two days) and they are ready when you are (the frozen ones will need a little time to defrost).  

Happy Painting!

Rock On!

Check out Jude's rad first drum set:

A one, a two, a one, two, three, four

He jams pretty hard!

And he lays down some sweet vocals too!

 

Here's hoping your weekend rocks! 

Paella Party

In honor of our anniversary, I decided to throw a small party featuring our wedding dish: paella.  Not just any paella, but Gerard's Paella.  Gerard is a local treasure: he is the nicest guy ever, and he happens to make the best paella this side of Spain.  I felt very lucky to have him cater my wedding.  His Bobby-Flay-besting recipe can be found here.  I was very nervous because I really wanted it to turn out great ... and if I do say so myself ... it did!

Notice the crunchy rice (socarrat = delicious).  I was super proud of myself, I followed the recipe very closely.  Here are my only notes:  1. Pan size:  I used the high side of each ingredient and divided the ingredients between an 18" pan (four cups of rice 7 cups of stock) and a 13.5" pan (1 cup rice, 2 cups stock).  2. I added a bit more saffron.  3. Rather than spend a fortune on bomba rice I used high quality arborio risotto rice.  4. Due to rain, I was working on the stove (AKA uneven heat) so I finished the paella in a 425 degree oven.

The clouds moved out just in time for us to dine outside.  Jude couldn't get enough of his first paella, and we all had a really fun evening (I think I feel a new tradition coming on).  

Good food, good company, good life!  

Wake Up!

Here's how I feel lately:

I am super tired, and I can't blame it on my baby, he sleeps like an angel for twelve hours most nights.  The truth is, I have battled insomnia since I was eleven years old.  While I typically start my day with a whole french press of very strong coffee, I am currently combating a pretty fierce eye twitch, so I thought it was time to try a few natural pick-me ups.  Below is a list of things I have found very helpful, not as helpful as a third cup o' joe, but helpful none the less.   

 1.  Deep breathing.  It's amazing what a little extra oxygen can do.  My favorite breathing technique is as follows:  breathe in through your nose (filling your belly and then your chest) for the count of eight, hold for four counts, and exhale through your nose or mouth for a count of eight.  Just a few cycles and the yawns start to fade.

2.  Ear massage.  Simply rub those lobes and the area in front and behind them.  Not only does this feel really good, it provides a noticeable energy boost.  

3.  Inversion poses.  Anything that gets your feet above your head.  This revs your metabolism too!  The easiest, and most relaxing way to achieve this is by laying on the floor with your rear against a wall and your legs resting up on the wall (you will be making an L shape).  Note: more extreme inversions should be avoided if you are pregnant or menstruating.

Here's hoping this helps everyone have a smooth day, even if you had a rough night.

Our Cotton Anniversary

photo by Julio Duffoo

Today marks two years of wedded bliss!  And ten years since Jason and I fell in love.  What an amazing journey it has been so far ... 

Jason, with you by my side, each step seems better than the last.  Here's to many, many more!  I love you!  

 

Nautical Themed Mobile

 "I'm in my crib and, I'm takin' naps and, I've got a nautical-themed-mobile hangin." - Jude's mobile song based on "I'm on a boat"  (Yes, another song based on SNL.)

I made this mobile for next to nothing, and rather quickly considering I had an eight week old at the time. Jude was going to start sleeping in his crib, and I realized he didn't have a mobile to look at, so I came up with this solution:

I highly recommend making this as a gift or before your baby arrives, so that you don't have to sew felt shapes while your tiny one sleeps on your chest:

Want to make one?  Click through to find a tutorial complete with patterns!   

Halloween State of Mind

 I'm not sure if it's because it is officially "no white pants" time, or if I'm just super excited about another "Jude's First," but I can't stop thinking about Halloween.  I know it's kinda early, but all I want to do is make Jude's costume and plan our annual pumpkin carving party.  I also promised my sister a pair of bat wings for her pug.  Oh, and almost forgot the pumpkin bread!  In other words, stay tuned for lots of fall-ish crafts and recipes.  No tricks, all treats!    

Breathing Easy

I am so excited about my woolly pockets!  They are an amazing, eco-friendly product that makes adding life to your walls a snap.  During Jude's morning nap, I was able to create an beautiful living wall full of air purifying plants.  Jason mounted two pockets on the wall:

I added organic potting soil and a bunch of beautiful plants:

Pretty cool, huh? It will look even cooler as the hanging plants fill in.  Not only do I like the style of a living wall, it is one of the only ways for me to have houseplants with a baby and a cat. (Anyone who has ever caught their kitty perched on the side of a pot knows what I'm taking about.)  

 
The house plants I chose (from top left: boston fern, ivy, orchid, spider plant, and peace lily) absorb toxins (benzene, trichloroethylene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, xylene, and toluene) from the air.  For more info on air filtering plants check out this complete list.  If you live in Sonoma County Urban Garden is the best place to get ferns.  

Happy indoor gardening!