Whew. I shipped off my SVE gift yesterday and now I’ve got fingers and toes crossed that it’ll get to my partner in time. I loved making the little present(s) and you can see a sneak peek above. How are you intrepid SVE participants doing? All done? Getting ready to dash to the post office as I did?
It occurred to me that I’ve been remiss about extolling the virtues of my partner-in-crime, Ute. Just as she did last year, she took on the bulk of the Secret Valentine Exchange work with her signature cheerfulness and efficiency. If you’re not following Ute on Instagram, you really ought to – she has an impeccable eye for capturing the beauty and the ephemeral in the every day, not to mention her stitching skills that result in awesomely neutral sewing projects which make my heart sing. The internet is an amazing thing. Ute and I haven’t met in person, but I consider her a dear friend. Thank you, J.C.R. Licklider (who went by the somewhat disturbing nickname “Lick”) — he’s often attributed with the conceptualization of the internet. Or at least the direct predecessor that would become the internet.
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The other day, I was at a coffee shop as usual, and I saw a young man with his little baby strapped to his body with one of those fabric wraps — a Moby or Solly or something-y. He had trouble pouring cream into his coffee with the human bulk in front of him, and his valiant efforts made me smile. M always thought of himself as too manly to wear a baby wrap or carrier, but he used to plop K into his sweatshirt and zip it up so that her tiny head would be sticking out. Same concept, slightly more ghetto execution. Ah, memories.
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I’m off to finally make some headway on those custom illustrations — I haven’t forgotten, but I’ve had to stick to a rigid schedule with various deadlines (with more on the horizon so the illustrating will take a ridiculously long time, I fear). Thanks again for your patience everyone!
It’s almost V-day
Must plan to make something good
for my M and K
Happy weekend, my friends. See you on Monday!
I’ve wrapped and addressed my SVE gift and it’s waiting for me to head to the post office in a bit. I’m only shipping it within Europe, so I’m hopeful that it will arrive on time.
Love your little sneak peek!
I’m so excited and really curious what I’ll get, and from whom! (:
I’m sure your gift will get there in time, here’s to hoping! Thanks for your participation and enthusiasm!!
My gift for my secret valentine was shipped today. I hope it arrives on time… And, what a coincidence, the gift from my secret valentine arrived today too. I loved it! It was funny because, as I was leaving home, I saw there was an invoice from the postman (instead of a package because mail mailbox is quite small). It had just been delivered so I went in search of the postman and found him. I had to drive quite fast but I got him! So he was happy to give me my package and I was very happy not to have to wait until Monday to see my wonderful secret valentine gift. Thank you so much Sanae and Ute for organizing this exchange. It was so much fun! (Ute, I’ve been loving your IG photos!)
Thank you Marta! What a wonderful story! I am glad you enjoyed the exchange, I feel like we have been sending a little wave of love around the globe! (I enjoy your ig feed too!)
Wonderful!! I would have run after that postman too – so glad you caught him 🙂 Hooray!
Aww, cute story about M and K. Dad’s taking care of their babies is some of the cutest things ever.
I agree! There’s something about a man with a baby strapped to his torso that is extra endearing 🙂 Thanks Em!
I knew I’d never be able to keep a deadline with SVE…maybe next year!
The fact that the illustrations are taking a bit longer will mean that I’ll be completely surprised when it appears. Bonus 🙂
Take your time and take care of you. xo
It’s all in the giving spirit, Alana! With such an international group this year, we figure there will be quite a few that don’t quite make it in time (including mine!) – I think it’s just fun to make something and send packages via mail, personally 🙂
And thank you for your patience with the illustrations – I obviously have a distorted sense of my abilities and time management skills. Must work on that…
Now I am blushing. And I had to look up ephemeral 😉 It is very sweet of you to say such nice things about me! I disagree on the workload though, I absolutely feel like we shared it equally! I am happy that I finished my gift late last night and I am going to dash to the post office in a minute. Mine will stay within Europe so there is a good chance of it reaching my Valentine on time!
I really hope we will meet in person one day, Sanae, I have the Pacific Northwest marked in my calendar for 2016! Yes, you have become a dear friend to me as well and I am happy we are hosting such a wonderful project together. Have a wonderful weekend!
Well, I was actually holding back Ute – it was just getting too gushy 😉 And yes!!! We are definitely going to meet up. I’ve been talking to a friend about visiting her in Amsterdam, and Germany wouldn’t be too hard to get to, so we’ll have to plan, plan, plan!
I used to love it when my J would wear Jane in the baby bjorn. Nothing like a man wearing a baby. And yes, Ute’s photos in Instagram truly are fantastic!
Let’s try again! 😉 Thank you!!
Cuteness! M refused the Baby Bjorn, the Ergo, and the myriad of other baby carriers I managed to accumulate because you can never have enough ways to attach a baby to your body, obviously. 🙂
Ute’s IG pix are so great, right?
Ow, I used to love carrying my babies… Youngest is two now, and doesn’t want to be in a wrap anymore. The husband always refused to use any wrap or carrier, he stubbornly just held the babies in his arms if they were not in the mood to go in a buggy.
Lovely weekend to you too!
Haha, you have a manly man too, Nienke! M did a lot of arm carrying too 🙂 Happy weekend!
the linen/leather combination is making my heart sing! lucky SVE recipient, whomever that may be! My thanks to both you AND Ute for all you’ve done to make a traditionally sappy holiday less saccharine and more about the love of creating. So fun to be able to share this with new friends across the globe! What a delight it was last year to be able to send Ute a package – and then to receive the most delicious chocolate as a sweet thank you. So I know exactly what you’re saying about the internet and building friendships:)
Loved your description of K bundled up in M’s sweatshirt – and it made me smile, as I did the exact same thing when Lilah was a baby and I walked Katie up to the bus stop each morning. Ghetto indeed:) Moby was WAY too much work!
That Ute – she’s just the kindest, right? And I’m so happy you joined SVE again this year. Can’t wait for the big reveal!! I thought the Moby was way too much work too, though of course, I got it and tried it. 🙂 Thanks Lucinda!
I have just been admiring the beautiful things Ute makes. Must buy more neutral fabrics, they look amazing! My gift is posted (yay!) and I’m so enjoying looking at the things in the Flickr group.
Awww, thank you! In try to resist the pretty prints 🙂 The things that have started to show up on Flickr and IG are so wonderful, it makes me happy to be able to host such an event!
Ute is one talented lady! And that reminds me, I better post some pix on Flickr…That’s awesome that you got the gift shipped. Thanks, Denise!!