I’m really honoured to be included in the latest issue of Inside Out Magazine. Inside Out Magazine was one of my regular reads when I lived in Australia. So to find myself featured in their ’6 blogs to bookmark’ section held even more excitement!
I’ve since found out it is now possible to subscribe online to the magazine via Zinio. Why not check them out for a monthly dose of design and interiors goodness?
I’ve spent a fair amount of time browsing the interwebs of late. Looking for inspiration and ideas for Munchkins wardrobe and nursery (we hope to find out what flavour we’re having at the next big scan in a couple of weeks). I’ve found so many fabulous things! I just have to share a few of them with you!
I may have tried to convince DM that Munchkin needs one of these gorgeous wool felt coats now…
I failed. I did see his reasoning, but why shouldn’t a 3 month old (in December) have one? I did get a commitment to order one next year though!
I found these beautiful items on the Petit à Petit and family blog. They’re handmade in the United States and each one takes about 15 hours to put together. They’re available in the states from Little Goodall and from Coaters in Europe.
From Precious Knit Blankies for Baby, this gorgeous blankie instantly made it’s way onto my ‘todo’ list. I’m going to need a knitting machine if I’ve any chance of getting through them all! Available from Amazon here.
Check out this amazing tutorial! I’d thought of using Spoonflower to create bedding. But this is genius! Jen from A Thousand Words traced her sons artwork onto his bedding. She’s created a tutorial here if you’d like to do it too. This is something I hope to use in future. I’ll just have to be patient and wait until Munchkin is old enough to be artistic.
Sarah Trumbauer is a paper cut artist who makes these wonderful creations. I think they’d make splendid baby announcements. You can buy prints of her work on Etsy or she does work on commission. I may have added a custom commission to my future wish list (once I work out just what I’m doing to Munchkins nursery).
There are a ton more wonderful items I’ve stumbled across. I’ll list more of them next week. But now I’ve got to get back to work to finish the tutorial I’ve been trying to put up on the blog for the last few days.
How was your weekend lovely ladies and gents?
Mine was wonderful.
On the Saturday I made my husband a big batch of one of his favourite meals. He just loves my spaghetti Bolognese and generally attempts to eat at least 4 servings in one sitting. I use a recipe my mother taught me and let it slow cook for at least 4 hours.
Then we had a glorious Sunday with friends. I cooked and baked properly for the first time in months. It was fabulous!
We had delicious artisanal British cheeses from my favourite British cheese supplier in Zurich to start. Followed by crispy skinned, roast pork belly, roast vegetables (parsnip, purple carrots, potatoes, cherry vine tomatoes and garlic), a red wine and rosemary gravy, decadent garlic mashed potatoes (they contained double cream and butter) and finished the meal off with a gluten free roasted strawberry & ginger, baked ricotta cheesecake.
I think I can honestly say I’ve got my appetite and much of my energy back. Hurray!
Though I was flagging pretty badly by the end of the afternoon. We had Meriel and her gorgeous little girls come for afternoon tea after lunch. Lily gave her approval to the dessert and then demanded pencils and paper for ‘drawing time’. It was great fun. Meriel told me both of the girls fell asleep on the way home, I wasn’t far behind them!
I apologise for the poor quality of the photos. I was so concerned with feeding my guests and not allowing baby brain to destroy the meal to allow myself any more than about 10 seconds for photos. And I completely forgot them for the dessert! Hence the reason you’re looking at the remnants of dessert, photographed when I realised this morning. But as I’ve plans to tweak the recipe a little bit more and post it online for you later this week, I’ll have ample opportunity to take more for you then.
Late last year DM and I were in a quandary. DM had been applying for jobs, none of them based in Switzerland. And it was starting to look like we were going to be moving to Singapore in the near future. I was all prepped for big changes and mentally writing to-do lists.
Then DM was promoted within his current job, sealing our fate, we were staying in Lausanne for a few more years. We’d never intended to be in Switzerland longer than 3 years so it was a bit of a shift in view. Then, as the celebration finished and the euphoria started to wear off, we had a day of ‘what now?’
That lasted all of a day.
Then we I found out I was pregnant*.
Perfect timing! All of a sudden we knew just what we’d be doing and the few more years here are a blessing. I’ve got great health cover here, Switzerland’s health system is amazing and the stability we have here surrounded by fabulous friends all make having a child a much less scary prospect.
I’ve started writing lists of all the fabulous things I want to make and do for the new addition to our family. Our annual Summer Party in August is now to be a very relaxed ‘Hey We’re Having a Baby BBQ’, I’ve a nursery to decorate (when we find out the sex) and I’ve got onsies to paint, birth announcements to make and sooo many other things to knit, bake, make, sew and print! All of which I’ll share with you.
But I’m still going to be making non-baby things. Hand on heart I promise not to turn this into a baby blog.
But this doesn’t really explain why I’ve been quiet. Basically it comes down to exhaustion and nausea. The dreaded morning sickness hit me full throttle. They lie, in my case it’s more ‘all the time sickness’. Then, just as I was starting to feel more normal and to commence eating a little more whilst we were in San Francisco, I caught a gastic virus on our way home. Which combined with jet lag has wiped me out all over again! So I’ve spent rather a lot of time in bed and on the couch. Thankfully the lovely DM has done a wonderful job of looking after me and cooking for himself (as even the thought of food has made me go green lately).
On the plus side, I can still do up the buttons on my jeans (other than the super skinny ones) and I’ve been told by the doctor that baby is fine. And I’m really happy to hear that now that I’m at 12 weeks, I can soon expect a boost in energy and for the morning sickness to stop. Then the blog will pick up again.
So here’s to many more baking and craft posts!
I’ll be back to my making-self soon 
Nicx
*Yes, the little one was planned. But we didn’t expect he/ she to come along quite this quickly!
One of my readers noticed my favourite Christmas item in the blurry background of my Gingerbread Cookies post and commented on it. Until she told me, I had no idea what I owned is called a Hoptimist Rudolph! I’d bought it from Bongénie Grieder in Lausanne unboxed and without labels, just because it was so happy, festive and cute!
It received a whole heap of comment over Christmas; and most of our guests (of all ages), were unable to restrain themselves. He hopped and bounced around almost continuously some days! I was feeling a bit sad about packing him away until next year until I Googled and found all his other friends!
In the second of my Etsy Switzerland posts I’ve focused on a few Etsy stores who make really lovely items for kids. There are just so many fabulous reasons to purchase locally and to support the artisans and small business owners within Switzerland, here are four!
And in an added bonus, one of the store owners is giving away a beautiful handmade baby blanket to one very lucky next to nicx reader!
Claudia from Mirtilo is based in Zurich. She makes these gorgeous rabbit toys using soft corduroy, cotton, cotton jersey and felt. I love the green and yellow print on this little one! And at only 30 chf each they’re very reasonably priced.
Mil and Fil had rented an appartement in the old part of the city. One with an additional bedroom and so we took advantage of their generous offer to stay with them in Aix.
It was hot! We must have acclimatised to Swiss weather because 32 degrees had us sweltering. The city is in summer festival mode. With music and concerts to be found all through the city. We had a glorious time wandering the streets, shopping, looking at the markets and eating.
The food and shopping were particular highlights: Read more
