She's Having a Baby

The title of this post reminds me of the 80's Kevin Bacon movie of the same name. I've never actually seen that movie, but I figure it fits in well with the gorgeousness that I am bringing to you today.

House of Mia, Everyday Quilt, $95

How perfect is this baby blanket/quilt from House of Mia?  I'm in love. Navy blue, stripes, arrows, hot air balloons?  What did this girl do, look inside my brain and pull out some of my very favorite things?!  I think that quilt would look fantastic in the nursery picture below.  Just saying.

It's a good thing I know some pregnant people, or I would want to buy that quilt for myself, even without a baby...

Project Nursery

I'm off to my cousin's baby shower this weekend, and then I will be enjoying that extra day off on Monday.  How about you- any plans for the three day stretch?

Beatrix Potter

 

Helen Beatrix Potter at 15 years old with her spaniel, Spot.

A collection of all the little Beatrix Potter books.

Did you know that Beatrix Potter was initially interested in science, particularly mycology (the study of fungus and spores)?  I didn't either.  It stands to reason that Potter's accurate portrayal of the natural world stems from such a passion, many Victorians loved nature and were fascinated with the observations of botany and zoology.  She not only was interested in mycology, she actually studied fungi under the microscope and proposed a theory on re-generation.  She submitted a paper, "On the Germination of the Spores of the Agaricineae," to the Linnean Society in 1897.  Because she was a woman she was not allowed to personally present her paper and she eventually withdrew it because she found that one of her samples was contaminated.  Even so, her paper was not handled correctly and was probably destroyed.  A few of her spore and fungi paintings have been donated to the Perth Museum and Art Gallery (Scotland) by Charles McIntosh, the scholar who initially helped Potter in her study of naturalism.  The Linnean Society apologized to Potter (posthumously) for their mis handling of her research.  

An art journal page of Potters

As a child, Beatrix Potter was well read in the classics such as "Aesop's Fables," The Pilgrim's Progress as well as Han's Christian Anderson's, Luis Carroll's, and Charles Kingsley's, stories.  She began to illustrate her own version of stories including: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Little Red Riding hood (among others) but instead of using the traditional characters, she used her own pets and creatures she studied as models for the stories, thus setting in motion her unique style that is obvious in her original tales.  

Beatrix Potter planned to buy Hill Top farm, in Lancashire (Cumbria) in the English Lake district, to be used as a holiday home with her future husband Norman Warne (her publisher), who sadly died before they could be married.  Potter went ahead and bought Hill Top and eventually married William Heelis (a country lawyer) and bought up and managed 16 farms with property extending over 4,000 acres which she left to The National Trust after her death in 1943.

At Hill Top

I wish I could thank Ms. Potter for her contributions to art, science and preservation.  She is so apart of our culture, and for good reason.  

Beatrix Potter: Inspiration For All:

How amazing and precious is this Peter Rabbit inspired nursery?

sweet little tins

Amazing Beatrix Potter mobile.

I think I need these little hair pins for Gwenna.

Lovely little pendant. 

These would make the perfect baby shower gift. Set of burp clothes on etsy.com

Easter:

For pretty Easter treats.

Statement making wreath

Pastry images

via pinterest