Monday, November 25

second hand



this was originally a pair of legwarmers that i bought a few years ago but hardly ever wore because - i was under the impression that - they made my legs look huge. i was ready to give them away when i realised that they looked just like a pair of sleeves from a winter sweater. so that's what i turned them into. i knitted a strip of wool in almost the same colour to attach to both ends, and there you have it: a winter bolero. perfect for reading in bed at night.

Saturday, November 23

lush dupe



after the scrub blocks and the sugar scrub, i've been experimenting with a dupe for lush buffy. i love buffy so much, i'd use it every morning if that wouldn't make me go bankrupt. my first attempt was a combination of cocoa butter and oatmeal. good, but it could be better. this is the second attempt: cocoa butter, melted then mixed with sugar and put in the freezer to harden for a few hours in cute containers. the verdict: a bit rough, but it works very well for smooth legs. i don't think i would change the recipe for now. and i always find it cool when a body product is - in theory - edible. does it work as wonderfully well as buffy? well, no. but the solution is simple: i just use this one more often.

Wednesday, November 20

passion



i haven't had too many weird cravings during this pregnancy so far, but lately i am in some sort of strange need of passion fruit every single day. especially in the mornings, topped on the overnight oats. i was curious for the reason of my craving (perhaps it contains some nutrient that i need at the moment?) and found it contains loads of provitamin a, beta carotene, vitamin c and potassium. 
that tea is delicious too, by the way. and such a pretty box it comes in.

Thursday, November 14

me and my yarn



sometimes i don't feel like it for months, but it always comes back eventually. remember i started working on my first cardigan? it took me a long time but here it is: ready to keep me and my belly very cosy and warm during winter. it is huge and heavy and i actually really like how it turned out. on to the next knitting plan...

Monday, November 11

the big read



not much reading was done during the past few months, but i did read these two fat ones. it didn't go fast, just a few pages before bed every evening, yet i enjoyed both of them. the second one is quite a simple read, definitely not the best-written book i've read this year, but it did make me cry (i blame that on the hormones - i read most of it when i had to stay home from work back in august because the morning sickness turned into all day and all night-sickness). the first one is a gem: it's unlike anything i've read before. this writer obviously loves to put on paper the most beautiful sentences, and he sure knows how to. at the same time, he never loses sight of the story itself.

Sunday, November 10

little sister



the first presents we received for baby since we found out the gender earlier this week. i have to say i'm pretty excited about all the pink...

Saturday, November 9

everything i don't need



a few months into my pregnancy, this monthly childbirth and baby magazine fell onto my doormat. no idea how these people found out about the bun in the oven, because i make sure not to leave such details anywhere. a bit creepy, isn't it... anyway, my mouth fell open in amazement at pretty much every page. not only because of the rosy stories about how lovely it is to spend hours bathing and massaging your newborn (when in reality the poor child will be screaming and the poor new mum will be sweating and longing for a short shower herself but is unable to find the time for it - how misleading), but most of all because of all the utterly nonsensical stuff that is supposedly extremely necessary for expecting mums to buy. a device to train your baby's stomach-position. the most ridiculous toys and endless machines to make babyfood. and more of the most ridiculous toys. it's so tempting to fall for. i could easily name ten things i bought (or was given) for little imp that turned out to be a complete waste of money. you live and learn, right...

Monday, November 4

small empties~4



another bunch of samples. my favourites out of this lot:

~ biotherm biosource instant replenishing softening lotion ~ i already knew this product, but using it again made me remember how lovely it is. 
~ weleda wild rose body oil ~ i'm getting more and more interested in using oils for body care (partly because of this lady). this one is very nice. also, the scent reminds me of my grandmother.
~ lancôme génifique nutrics nourishing youth activating cream ~ i feel like i'm totally falling for the sugarcoated promises of the high end cosmetics industry here, but i did like the luxurious feeling this gave me.

Sunday, November 3

random things on autumn



in october, there were all these typically autumn-related things to be done. like dealing with an endless flow of runny noses and sore throats from coughing. and getting the garden ready for winter on a few sunny days after true downpours for days on end. i harvested my tomatoes: hopefully they will redden on the kitchen counter. the evenings got dark enough again to burn candles. i had to search my closet for cardigans that more or less cover the bump on the colder days (i refuse to spend money on maternity wear) and lately i can't resist a tiny sip of boyfriend's strong red wine on some evenings. must be blamed on the autumn-weather too. on another note, do the amounts of laundry somehow grow significantly larger after summer is over, or is that just me?

Saturday, November 2

back with a bump



it's about time to return to the skinstill-world. so what have i been up to these past two silent months? i was mainly working and sleeping i guess. putting in lots and lots of hours in front of my computer and in my lovely bed. things are now slowly returning to some sort of normal. hardly any morning sickness left and more acceptable hours at work now that i'm getting the drift of things in a place where much needed to be done. what else have i been doing? let's see... i spent quite some time looking down at this bump, amazed by the pace with which it is taking over my body. a beautiful and special thing all over again, no less so than the first time.