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The sewing machine is broken. I went to use it tonight and couldn't change it out of the bobbin spinning setting. (Not sure of the official terminology for that one). Drats. Something inside it must have shifted during the journey across the globe. I think it's worth getting it fixed, though.

At times like these one can always turn to cute hipster puppies for comfort. (Link via Frankie).

PS. I have a friends machine waiting to come to the rescue... Fear not cloud, you will be made!

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Almost there on the cloud mobile. It's now come to the part I'm not so good at – the sewing!

I dusted off the machine this morning. PB found this bad-boy on the side of the road in London and lugged it on the underground back to my place. No mean feat as it weights about a tonne. After all that effort there was no way it wasn't coming home with us to Australia!

PS. Please excuse the dodgy embroidery. I've never embroidered anything in my life, but though I may as well give it a go!

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I was gifted this seahorse today
and perhaps I wasn't very appreciative.

I was just surprised.

Usually when PB yells up the stairs;
I found you a present!
It's an old piece of furniture from the side of the road.

I wasn't expecting
dried up, smelly marine-life.

It was sort of like a cat
proudly brining home a dead mouse
to the disgust of the recipient.

But this little guy
has been hanging out on the window sill all day
and I think we've grown to like each other.

So I've decided he can stay
and sorry I wasn't more grateful.

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This album is the soundtrack to our pregnancy. I sing Lullaby of Birdland to my belly a couple of times a day, and PB has been singing I'm Glad There Is You. Unfortunately there is only one of us that is a sweet songbird. (Definitely not me...)

I've heard stories about children knowing pieces of music they listened to in the womb.

Did you have any favourite music to listen to during pregnancy?

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37.

Another sunrise, another morning swim and another week gone by.

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I saw this plate in the window of a little second hand shop yesterday. Hoping it would be something like $3, I checked the tag. Um... not quite the case! The lady in the shop was pretty cool though and let me take it for half price. She was also very adamant that we are having a boy, because of the shape of my belly. Funnily enough every shop lady seems to think the same (and is not afraid of saying so!) Whereas all my friends think BB is a girl. We'll soon see!

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Today was hot. 

This called for two swims:

am: MacCallum Tide Pool on the harbour in Cremorne.

pm: Dee Why Point (PB's new favourite little surf spot).

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Thank you so much for everyone's lovely comments on the last post. I have to admit, I was slightly coerced into taking a picture from that angle and a bit shy to post it... but PB was adamant it was a winner and insistent that I put it up. (And now very chuffed with himself at all the comments!)

Last week was all systems go with Baby Bear preparation. We set up this bassinet, and decided that it needs a little something to hang over it. I love all of these mobiles but in the end I have decided to try and make one. I'm not sure my sewing skills are good enough to make birds, so a nice simple cloud might be a good start. DIY take 2 – wish me luck!

1. Birdie Num Num Mobile by Maggie and Sparrow 

2. Cloud 9 Mobile by Art Nest 

3. Bird Mobile by Babymacky

4. Lovebirds Mobile by Madeleine Sargent

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36 weeks. BIG!

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Here it is. 

My DIY/craft attempt at some pretty baby storage. I used an IKEA bookshelf and storage boxes, and covered them with cotton patchwork fabric. It's a little shabby close up – but not too bad!

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Remember a little while ago I mentioned I got something special for Baby Bear on Etsy?

Well – it arrived!

Although I've vetoed a room full of teddy bears, I did really want to get BB a stuffie that he or she could own from birth. I found this giraffe on Viola Studio and couldn't resist. How absolutely gorgeous is she? Even Papa Bear has a little soft spot for this one. She's handmade from 100% wool sweaters and super soft. I can already see her being cuddled around the neck and lovingly dragged along by the head. There are lots more great things in the Voila Studio shop, I think I'll definitely have to go back there to get her a friend. (I've got my eye on that hippo...sssshhh).

PS. I originally heard of Viola Studio through a blog (it was a hippo stuffie), but I can't for the life of me remember where  – so if it was yours then thank you!

PPS. The DIY went pretty well the other day. It's not amazing but I'm proud of my efforts. Will post in the next couple of days when I manage to catch the light in our room for a decent photo.

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One of the things that has excited us the most about this pregnancy is being able to have a homebirth. After a lot of research, this was the option we were most comfortable with and have grown to look forward to more and more. The Rudd Government's continued refusal to recognise their new maternity 'reform' will remove Australian women's fundamental human right to choose where and how she gives birth. This isn't an issue about homebirth vs hospital birth. That is a decision that should be left to each individual to make, but it sickens me to think our government is doing that for us.

There is a National Day of Action this Thursday, 18th February. 

If you would like to come and show your support or read more about this important issue please to do here.

The Sydney event will be outside the office of Tanya Plibersek

111-117 Devonshire Street Surry Hills NSW 2010
Thursday, February 18 from 10:30 am to 11:30 am

Find your local event here.

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I'm not really into Valentines Day, truth be told. PB is working a triple shift today at the restaurant so I am on my lonesome* tackling a DIY project to turn an IKEA bookshelf into some sweet storage for Baby Bear. I'm not a very good DIYer, but I'll take a picture when it's done to share.

In the meantime, here's some Valentines Day inspiration – I'm not all doom and gloom!

Happy Valentines Day! xx

1. Play by CGD

2. Jules et Jim, a film by Francois Truffaut 

3. Purse by Beci Orpin, from Lark

4. Cross stitch heart badge from Lark

5. OPI nail colour in Red Hot Ayers Rock

6. Valentines postcard (part of series) by Pigeon Post. Link via Grain Edit

7. Love heart measuring spoons from Lark 

8. Crayon rings from Third Drawer Down

* EDIT: PB had a 2 hour break and came home to hang out with me for the afternoon and spoil me with lots of sweet little gifts (including some wrapped up library books he had borrowed for me and a mani/pedi!) Maybe I'm into Valentines Day after all... 

just a little bit. 

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I've been meaning to put up some food stuff on here for a while now. For those reading that don't know us personally, Papa Bear is a chef by trade. But he's much more than that. He loves food so much and the problem solving involved to turn something great into something brilliant.

But breakfast is my pride and joy.

I've been making bircher muesli in the mornings for about 6 years now. Even if I'm really tired I'll go to the effort to soak my oat mix overnight, or get up early to do it. I'm sure previous housemates have scoffed in disgust at this display, but PB is my biggest fan. He's not a morning person and usually half asleep during breakfast, but without fail gobbles it down with praise as if he's tasting it for the first time. Thanks PB x

This week I've been a bit lazy and haven't made my own mix, so I'm using one by Carman's. It's easy to make, just soak 1 cup of oat mix in 1/2 cup of apple juice in the fridge overnight, grate in a little extra fresh apple in the morning and serve with yoghurt, fruit (I'm using peaches and passionfruit this week) and honey. Yum.

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It's been such a hot week,

but I've done all of my washing
and very excited about it.

My friend and neighbour Charlotte,
also did three loads yesterday
and she was excited, too.

Sad?

No – we are domestic goddesses!
(who spend a lot of time chatting over the back fence...)

PB took some beautiful photos of my spider
but I wasn't so sure about posting them.

He pointed out that the blog should be honest
and I say hello to her every time I walk outside,
so she's a part of my life.

I still wasn't convinced
about a whole big furry spider,
so here is just a glimpse.

I don't think it's too frightening.

I just felt the southerly wind come in...
Finally.

(Images: Chris Rummey)

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I haven't been posting a lot about design lately. When I sit down to work my mind wanders off into baby land, 

I can't help it... I'm too excited to really focus on anything else.

But I found these wooden dolls today which I love and thought I'd share
(and coincidentally would make great kids toys...)

By Mark Giglio (via Grain Edit) and Beci Orpin.

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I know there's been an abundance of belly photos lately, but only a few more weeks to go. 

I think this poor bikini will have to go into retirement after the summer...

Bumpday today, 35 weeks and a whopping 20 laps.

(And I have to mention PB got some good little barrels too)

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This morning...

we were both restless and couldn't sleep.

So he grabbed the board and I brought the belly
and we headed to Curl Curl to watch the sunrise.

A quick coffee and smoothie on the way home;
these are the moments I treasure the most.

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Hello toes!

(And chubby swollen feet!) 

I had some errands to run in the city today, and I walked past the David Jones Nail Spa and couldn't resist. I've never had a mani/pedi before but there's no chance I could contort myself again since last weeks effort, so I figured – why not? I was also grumpy this morning, but seem to feel better now. Red toes can do that sometimes.

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Love this gig-poster style wedding invite, by Webuyyourkids.

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At the moment our house is surrounded by spiders. Eeek. There is one in particular that has her web over our front door, high above in the trees. She is huge. Last week PB bought me this book, to read to my belly and help alleviate my fear. It seems to be working.* Every night when I pick PB up from the restaurant I shine my little key torch over her web and gaze at her silhouette, and I try to look out for her in the morning too, but she is usually hiding in the trees.

Yesterday we had electricians over to try and find the reason we are getting electric shocks from our shower. They had ladders and cables set up all over the house and it was a huge mystery as to where this voltage on our bathroom floor was coming from.  It took 3 people 5 hours and in the end it turned out to be an old phone line connected to an old fashioned bell. Strange but true.

When I walked out in the afternoon to check for my Spider, I saw her web had gone. The workmen must have ripped it down whilst they were up in their ladders. I felt so sad and responsible for the demolition of her house. Poor Spider.

But this morning when I took PB to work her web was back again, in the same spot and even better than before. She was a very busy spider indeed.

* This newly found acceptance of spiders does not extend out towards Hunstmans, they don't make webs and I think they're very sneaky the way they like to creep around the house.

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A little while ago I posted up some beautiful toys from Lark. They've since updated their website and it's packed with lots of handmade goodies.

These are some pictures of owner Allison Jones' beautiful house I found via The Design Files. I've been looking at so many photo walls in Blogland lately, I'm tempted to try one myself. More gorgeous images of Allison's home here.

(Images via The Design Files)

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Photos from yesterday's Bumpday

34 weeks already,

not long to go now.

It was a quick session,

poor PB got stung by a blue bottle

and practiced breathing through the pain.

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You may have heard that last week JD Salinger passed away. One of our favourite writers here at the Rummey Bears. PB pointed out yesterday he was reading one of his books at the time. Indeed, he was.

I read this morning that someone else very talented also passed away last week. Edie Harper, the wife of one of my favourite illustrators, the late Charley Harper. To be honest, I didn't realise that his wife was also an artist. I feel a little bit sad that this is how I found out.

Images from here and here.

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6.30am.

Hello toes!