Lady Grey Loves... vintage replica Edison light bulbs

From Anthropologie house & home

Getting Crafty... DIY Caribou Coat Rack

I found these funky caribou head hooks at a decor store in Montreal and thought they would make a cool coat rack.

So I asked my handy wood-working father for some help....

He helped me sand down and varnish a board that came from one of his fallen down walnut trees (I wanted something rustic looking and I thought that the bark on this piece of wood was a perfect match).

Then we mounted the little caribou heads, and voilà a unique homemade coat rack!

 I think it turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself ; )

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Maybe it's because I'm pregnant (yes, let's say that's why), but this weekend I was really craving peanut butter cookies.

So I tweaked this recipe from Martha Stewart a bit by adding chocolate to the soft peanut cream filling (an obvious and highly necessary tweak in my opinion).... and they were delicious!

Read on for the recipe...

Have a bright & sunny weekend...

Just a quick note to say happy Friday to you.

It's a beautiful, sunny 20 degrees today in Montreal, and I'm feeling like this weekend just might be the weekend I finally go into labour. 

We'll see!

Have a wonderful weekend.

oxo

Vanessa.

Plaid & Lace, Tweed & Sparkle

I love this.

(via Madewell)

And all of this...

(J Crew)

Golden Autumn Days...

Just a few iphone photos from our recent hikes up & down the mountain in Montreal.

I must look like quite the sight - with my gigantic belly, marching fervently and breathlessly up hill and stairs. 

(we do get a lot of smiles from passers-by)

But I'm convinced that the physical activity will encourage this little guy to make his appearance soon. And there's no place more beautiful to do this, in my opinion, than Montreal in autumn...

Lady Grey Loves... Little Hand Knit Pumpkins

Wouldn't these make a cute fall centerpiece? 

From Luna Cab Company on Etsy

Homemade Honey Ginger Ale

Nine months of no wine or cocktails can be a bit boring, so I was excited to try this recipe for homemade ginger ale that I saw in a Bon Appétit magazine.

Turns out it's super easy, and it's delicious!

Combine 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup sliced peeled fresh ginger and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Strain syrup into a pitcher, add 4 cups club soda, some fresh mint and ice, and serve.

Weekend Moments - the home stretch

Autumn is incredibly beautiful in Montreal - and it feels so good to be here.

My husband arrived from the north on Friday, and I feel this huge sense of relief - he's not going to miss the birth.

Now all we have to do is wait for our little guy to arrive.

So we've been going for long walks on the mountain... taking in all the colours, and trying to encourage the little one to make his appearance.

It feels like it will happen soon.

Yesterday I experienced my first round of false labour - fairly regular (albeit painless) contractions for several hours, but they eventually fizzled out. But I think it's a sign that my body is getting ready. 

Soon enough : )

(honestly, he must be about ready by now... how could I possibly get any bigger?!)

I wish you a lovely start to your week.
oxo

A little music for your weekend...

I just wanted to share a beautiful new song from my friend Shawn Clarke...

ps: Shawn has an awesome free sampler of his music available for downloading on his website.
I highly recommend it : )

I hope you have a lovely fall weekend.

oxo

Vanessa

Getting crafty while waiting for baby....

 I'm not used to having so much time on my hands. It's weird not to be working.

So I decided to try a little sewing project.

I wanted to make something homemade for the nursery. So yesterday I walked down to the fabric store, picked out some cute patterns, and made some bunting flags.

 I followed this very easy online tutorial, and I think they turned out pretty well!

(we're still in the process of slowly transforming our guest room into a nursery. We still have to get rid of our guest bed and finally set up that crib! But at least its starting to feel a bit more baby-ish in there now)

Finally, it's here!

After more than a year's delay, Anthropologie finally opened it's doors in Montreal last week.

My love of Anthropologie is no secret on this blog,

so you can imagine my excitement.

And I guess it was worth the wait, because it is GORGEOUS in there!

I love the giant moose in the entrance way... a funky ode to Canada, I guess.

(photo credit: John Kenney, The Gazette... because sadly I dropped and smashed my iPhone while I was in there excitedly trying to snap some photos!)

Lady Grey Loves... a cozy autumn sweater skirt

If I wasn't so ginormously pregnant, I would definitely be wearing this gorgeous sweater skirt this fall (from Madewell).

Thoughts in the Third Trimester... Part 2

• So I'm 36 and half weeks pregnant and safely back in Montreal. I'll miss the north, but it feels very reassuring to be near to hospitals and medical resources this close to my due date.

• I've officially stopped working now - what a relief! I didn't even realize how tired I was. I've been taking lots and lots and lots of naps.

• Just when I thought my belly couldn't possibly get any bigger, it did - WAY bigger! Apparently you can always get bigger. The female body is pretty incredible! 

• When I look at myself in the mirror these days I am truly amazed that I am still able to walk and that I'm not falling on my face all the time.

• I've realized that cutting your own toenails at this point requires true skills. Next time I'll get a pedicure.

• I'm finally getting around to setting up the nursery... well at least I'm starting to! Interior decorating/design, as much as I love and appreciate it, does not seem to come naturally to me.

• I'm starting to really think about the kind of birth experience I'd like to have. I'd like to have a natural, epidural-free birth. I'd like for everything to go smoothly and relatively stress-free. I'd like to deliver at 38 or 39 weeks so that he doesn't get too big. But I've seen too many deliveries not go according to plan, and I know better than to get attached or have unrealistic expectations. As hard as it is to accept, most of the birthing process is completely out of my hands, and bigger than me, and all I can do is surrender to it. (Turns out, surrendering doesn't seem to come naturally to me either... but I'm trying!)

Last weekend up north before maternity leave...

 We spent the weekend at a cabin in the woods, and really soaked up the north as much as we could. 

After all, it's my last weekend up here for quite a while. 

On Friday I'll be heading back home to Montreal in preparation for my delivery. 

No one stays up here past 36 weeks of pregnancy because our hospital isn't really set up for deliveries.

And to be honest, I am feeling very ready to stop working anyway.

It was a rather cold & rainy weekend, but the fall colours still sparkled through.

There truly is something magical about being in the complete wilderness, with no one else in sight for hours & hours.

We woke up Sunday morning to a light dusting of snow. 

The first of the season.

It was beautiful, and felt like a sweet little sign that it was time for this very pregnant girl to fly south.

I hope you had a lovely weekend too. 

And to all my fellow Canadians, a very happy thanksgiving!