I have to admit, sometimes it’s hard to sit down and start writing because there’s just so much going on. Where to begin? Where to pick up? Where to leave off? I try to grab little snippets of work and life and days and recount them, at least a little, although I’m sure you never get whole pictures, but fragments.

Our ambitious morning glory in a sea of green, bursting right on past the bounds of the fire escape; ancho chili pepper and Christmas cactus, basking in the sun; spearmint and rosemary enjoying the windowsill

Life is busy these days, in the best sort of way. I think the most accurate description of how things are going is to say that they are growing. As far as my work, I’m busily creating new books as fast as I can, new connections, new cards, new ideas for how to move forward and grow and really thrive with this business. Right now, it seems like a game of catch-up much of the time because there’s so much work to do, which is one of the best “problems” I can imagine having. (Speaking of which, if I owe you email I can almost guarantee that I haven’t forgotten…but I am behind, so thanks for bearing with me!)

Last week’s work table

Last week was a sea of printing and assembling a wonderful set of wedding invitations and RSVP cards for good friends of ours who are getting married in August. The bride is an accomplished seamstress and we thought it would be fun to include stitching in the invitation itself, in one way or another. We came up with a great solution! I made pocketfold mailers which I machine stitched, and to which the invitation was stitched, sort of flag-style – just along the top, loose on the bottom. I wanted to share at least a peek at the work behind these – I’ll wait to show off the full, finished pieces till they’re all safely out in the mail and arrived.

Details of the edges and stitching on this most recent set of invites…full shots soon!

I’ve also been working on a few new card ideas, using phrases that the (inimitable) women in my family have used throughout my life and which have their own lovely and quirky hilarity. I’m never sure how these things will translate to the outside world…but the few of you who previewed them seem on board, so here we go!

“Hell’s bells!” and “Oceans of love!” cards combining bright blue ink, and turquoise and bright green stitching

These are still very much a work in progress, but these are the first drafts, printed in a bright blue and then stitched underneath in a mixture of turquoise and bright green stitching. (Yeah, I kind of fell in love with the sewing machine.) There are a few more phrases to print yet, and a few more color variations and stitching styles to test, but it’s a start! That’s where work is these days. Books continue, as usual. Guestbooks are fast and furious these days, and I can’t sew up albums and journals fast enough. Just may be time to find a second set of hands!

Speaking of a second set of hands…I’ll start by saying that life updates have been lacking here and, while I usually focus on work, I think it’s only right to include a little personal updatin’ when you’re a teeny tiny business and your life and work are pretty well entangled with one another.

To make a long and very exciting story very short: I’m 19 weeks pregnant (yes, almost halfway there!), so a second set of hands really is on the way!

Matt & I could not be happier, and we like to joke that the tiny movements I’ve been just starting to feel in the last two weeks are this kid working his or her printer’s arm…that way we can jump right in to the holiday season when they arrive in October, right?!?

Me, 18 1/2 weeks pregnant, and one of our summer fire escape plants, a just-started ancho pepper! I’m not sure this is quite the best emphasis on how much belly I really do have, but it’s the most recent and there will be more to share in the coming weeks and months!

The last few months have been an interesting experiment with energy levels, nutritional needs, and work schedules, and it’s all just absolutely exhilarating. Of course, we don’t have every little detail figured out, but we’re taking care of every little thing we can. Figuring out space will be one of the most interesting challenges. I feel like we’re living in some sort of test…can 3 people live and work happily and productively in 384 square feet? Fortunately, we love each other an awful lot, so I think it can be done…for a little while, at least! (Plus, cribs can be made out of piles of paper, right?!?)

Tomorrow, we’re heading to Iowa for a few days to share a little of all this happiness with all sorts of family and friends who are (understandably!) excited about seeing us and even more excited about my belly! We’re going to enjoy some much-needed downtime and hope to come back refreshed and ready to dive back in.

As you can imagine, there will be lots more to share in the next several months, both work- and life-related. In addition to baby-plannin’, we’re also working on some wonderful website changes, and really exciting and new letterpress work – stay tuned for cards and invitations galore in the next few months.

For now, thanks for reading my words and, since Mr. Berry always has great words for great occasions, I wanted to share “To My Mother”, which is no exception to his rule of writing brilliant words.

One other quick note, that I think is worth mentioning: When we first found out I was pregnant, I mean once I’d taken the official test and everything, Matt asked if I had already known before I took it. I did know, and all I could say was that I felt like Raven Symone’s character in The Cosby Show when she tells Cliff, “I KNOW my body!”. Well, turns out I KNOW my body! I couldn’t find that amazing clip online, but did find another breath of Cosby fresh air that is always a good watch…enjoy!