raining

It rained and rained this long weekend, and even though it was still fairly warm, it reminded me of Vancouver. We mostly stayed at home, only venturing out to go for insanely delicious brunch. There was far too much time spent in bed, watching movies on the laptop (I enjoyed this one) and drinking hot chocolate. Of course, I couldn't let the rainy weekend go by without some baking so I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies as well. I do love a relaxing weekend spent at home.

today in Bondi

These 2 shots are for those of you who couldn't see the belly in my last bikini shots. C'mon people, it's huge!

 Today I visited Bondi (an area I hardly ever get to) with my friend and her 2 kids. I brought along my camera so I could get some shots of her with her kids; I love how perfectly they capture Christos' and Ziggy's personalities. Three-year old Ziggy unsure of the big, blue sea and 6 year old Christos diving right in (after I convinced him to join me).

The water felt so good that I could've stayed in all day if given the chance. I don't think there's a better feeling in the world than an ocean swim on a hot summer's day.

After the beach we headed to Gertrude & Alice, the most wonderful cafe/bookshop. We ate and I picked up two books I had been looking for, both used. Speaking of which, what's your favourite used bookshop? Even if you're not in Sydney, I'd love to hear.

purl bee baby blanket for my babe

Back when I first found I was pregnant, I was feeling a bit anxious and overwhelmed and all I wanted to do was start a project. Something simple and rhythmic using my hands, something that would make me feel like I was indeed growing a baby, even if I didn't look/feel any different. I had seen this pattern for a super easy baby blanket floating around the internet, and it seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I first mentioned it way back in September (I also hinted about it here) as a goal of mine before 2013.

Well, I wasn't in a rush and I didn't finish it until a couple of weeks ago. For the last few months it's wandered from couch to couch, being pulled out whenever I felt like knitting a row. It's so simple that other than keeping track of the number of rows, it required no brain power at all. Just the rhythmic tap tapping of the needles. Now that it's done, it's still in the living room where I can admire the beautiful colours and enjoy the incredible softness of the baby cashmerino whenever I want.

I now have my eye on this rad Hudson's Bay inspired baby blanket, which would be oh so perfect for my Canadian winter baby!

The details: It's the super easy baby blanket from the Purl Bee. Knit in Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino, in 7 colours I chose because they remind of the sea.

my life in iphone photos: round 24

It's been a while since I've done one of these, so today I bring you my December/January in iphone photos, including some I didn't share on instagram...

p.s. I tried to include captions for all photos, but I've found with the new blogger layout if I post a lot of photos my formatting goes crazy and it's really hard to add text. Anyone else having this problem??

Two shots from our south coast trip

summer fruits / at home

also from the south coast / at finders keepers market

 

all dressed up for a christmas party

making these booties / rearranging at home

mid-week beach trip

an amazing gift from one of my best friends: hand knit by her yoga leg warmers & an organic cotton newborn gift set, sigh... / "one of each please" at my favourite patisserie

the harbour

This last weekend was a great one. On Friday we went to see David Byrne & St Vincent / on Saturday I saw a talk by Elizabeth Gilbert at the Opera House

who takes your blog photos?

photo by Ellen Arthur

My husband takes mine, though somewhat reluctantly, truth be told. Lately I've been thinking that behind every great blog is a partner who's been roped into being an unofficial photographer. 

And I'm not even a style blogger! I honestly don't understand how style bloggers get such great photos day in, day out. Are they all married to photographers? Or do their partners just really enjoy having stumbled into their roles as accidental fashion photographers?

My husband doesn't particularly like taking photos, so generally I have to ask very nicely, set up the shot I want with him playing model, then quickly swap. I also have this unfortunate habit of becoming incredibly self-conscious if there's anyone around while we're taking photos. And living in a big city, there is always someone around! This has been particularly true the few times we've taken bump photos. On this day, for example, I was hungry, tired, and hot but I still insisted on getting some quick shots. I was also feeling super awkward because there were people everywhere, so it was no surprise that within 5 minutes I was snapping at my poor husband. He really is a good sport.

So I'm curious... who takes your blog photos? And do they like doing it? Do you get embarrassed when there are people watching you have your photo taken? Or do you like playing model?

Edited to add: I just wanted to clear up 2 things... I take all of the photos on my blog with the exception of the ones that I'm in. My husband takes those. He also wanted me to point out that I don't always set up shots for him; he does a lot more than I gave him credit for. Fair point :)

p.s. I'm going to see David Byrne & St. Vincent tonight, so excited!

bump: 23 weeks

 People, check it out... It's a bump! A real, undeniable baby bump. I think it's safe to say that I have finally "popped." And every day it starts to feel more and more real. Yesterday I received the most beautiful parcel in the mail from one of my best friends. A bag filled with organic newborn baby goodness in the cutest sailboat print. I keep taking out piece by piece, and marvelling at the smallness.

For the most part, I'm still doing well. Though, as I mentioned in yesterday's post, my body is getting sore. Despite everything I've been doing to take care of myself, I've had persistent lower back pain for the last 3 months. I think it's time to accept that this may just be how it goes for the next few months. Nevertheless, I can't complain. Apart from that, I'm healthy and happy and I think baby is too.

And speaking of babies... have you heard about Pia Jane Bijkerk's new project? A new book in the 'Made by Hand' series, all about the beautiful baby gifts she received from around the world when she gave birth to her daughter. She's launched a crowd-funding campaign to get the book self-published, which you can check out here. I can't wait to receive my copy!

nesting: summertime

Some snaps of from our summery home. The last few days have been quiet; I've spent my time teaching yoga, going to class, eating lots and watching Downton Abbey (season 3, finally!). Today all of the teaching seems to have caught up with me and I have a whole body ache that's giving me a premature waddle. I plan on spending the rest of the afternoon horizontal. Happy tuesday!

2 year blogaversary

Two years ago today, I wrote my very first post on this blog. I had been keeping a private blog for about a year beforehand, just to share my Aussie life with family and friends back home. Somewhere along the way, I realized that I loved blogging and reading blogs, and decided to start a public one. I agonised over the name, and was sorely disappointed every time I though of a perfect name only to find out it was already in use. Eventually, I turned to music (one of my main sources of inspiration), and plucked a line from a song by one of my favourite artists, Sarah Harmer. To this day, I'm not totally happy with the name, but it has stuck. In creating a public blog, I also had to basically edit out my husband, which has resulted in countless photos of the back of his head over the last 2 years. We laugh about it often.

I continue to love blogging, and have met many "real-life" and online friends thanks to this space. A few of those friends have buttons on my sidebar, and I highly recommend checking them out. They're all awesome. I also like how this blog acts as a journal of sorts. When I wonder what it is I was doing at this time last year, or feel like reminiscing over a holiday, all I have to do is have a scroll through my archives and I'm instantly transported. I love that.

So what's next for This Little Port? Well obviously I'll keep blogging about my life, travels, crafting, yoga, food, and my pregnancy. To be honest, I'll probably be posting about pregnancy and this baby quite a bit and I hope it won't be too annoying! I've also been thinking that this year I'd like to focus on quality over quantity. For the past 2 years I've tried my hardest to blog 5 times a week but lately, I've often felt disappointed with my posts. It's not that I don't have ideas - I have a list of things to blog about right now! I'm just finding them hard to execute. My photos don't turn out the way they look in my head, or I have trouble expressing myself. So this year, if I blog 2 to 3 posts each week that I'm proud of, I'll be happy.

Finally, I wanted to thank all of you who take the time to visit this blog! I cherish every comment and email I get. And even if you don't say hi, I still love you all the same :)

xo
Gaby

my creative space: my go-to baby gift

There was such a long stretch there where I never posted anything crafty. My fabrics were in storage, my sewing machine gathered dust and I never got beyond flipping through my beloved craft books. I'm so happy to be making again - finding pockets of time here and there to make things for myself, my home, my friends, and my tiny squirmy baby.

This post is giving me some major déja vu; I've made these baby booties several times now and posted about them here and here. They're just such a perfect gift for a new baby - pretty simple to make, oh so cute, and who doesn't love baby feet wrapped in flannel?

This time I decided to be super efficient and make one pair for my husband's cousin's new baby (got that?) and one pair for my baby. The pattern is from Anna Maria Horner's book Handmade Beginnings, and all the fabric came from my scrap bin. But my favourite part? Well that was choosing the buttons of course! I love buttons, and since I'm yet to conquer my fear of sewing button holes, any project requiring buttons without the hassle of corresponding holes is right up my alley. I picked up both these pairs last time I popped into All Buttons in Newtown. That place is my favourite.

p.s. linking up here today

popsicles for a hot day

Have you heard? We're expecting a high of 43 degrees today in Sydney. I stepped out earlier to buy something from the chemist - my one and only outing for the day - and it felt like being hit by a brick wall of heat. It reminded me of Darwin. Whenever it's this hot and humid I always feel as though we should be trying to eat the air, rather than breathe it.

Other than staying inside as much as possible, days like today call for ice water, salads for dinner (in anticipation of the heat, I made pasta salad yesterday for tonight's evening meal), and popsicles, obviously.

I made these by blending about 1 cup of natural full fat yoghurt with 1.5 bananas and a tablespoon or so of honey. I separated that into 2 bowls, throwing mixed berries into one and roughly chopped frozen peaches into the other. I filled up my popsicles moulds, popped them into the freezer last night and voila! An icy cool treat to carry me through today.

Stay cool (and SAFE) my Aussie friends!

p.s. another, more exact, popsicle recipe is here

self-care (isn't selfish)

{via}

So far, I've had a fairly cruisy pregnancy, for which I am so grateful. Nevertheless, I don't think growing a human is easy on anyone's body and I'm recognizing the need to take care of myself more and more. 

For the last few months I've been seeing my chiropractor once or twice a week, getting a massage about once a month, going to yoga whenever I can (and not beating myself up about it when I just can't be bothered to leave the house), and taking lots of naps. I even treated myself to a blissful facial at my friend's spa. And you know what? I feel better. Not quite the emotionally stable adult I once was, but getting there. I also think that by taking care of my body, I'm setting myself up for the best possible chance of having the natural birth that I'm planning, and being a good mom to my baby.

I wanted to write this because I think we could all use the reminder to take better care of ourselves and our bodies, pregnant or not. We seem to think that it's selfish or indulgent to have a nap, get a massage, or simply put our feet up for an hour. But it's not, we only have this one body so we may as well take care of it.

p.s. have you read the post 55 gentle ways to take care of yourself when you're busy busy busy? It's great!

2013

New Year's Eve last year found the husband and I having a few too many drinks at a house party in Christchurch, NZ. This New Year's Eve we watched the 9pm fireworks and fell asleep well before midnight. Seriously. It's amazing how much can change in a year!

Maybe it was because I woke up without a hangover, or maybe it had to do with waking up to a clean house, but I have been feeling pretty inspired and motivated. I love how a new year can do that. Most of my goals have to do with my translation business, so I won't bore you with those... The only other two things I really want to accomplish this year are: surviving the first few months of parenthood, and paying more attention to my kitchen. I.e. getting back into menu planning, not going to the grocery store every damn day, buying produce at the farmers market, being mindful of how much we spend, cooking more foods from scratch and drinking more green smoothies. To that end, I continue to save (and save, and save) for my dream vitamix, and a friend and I have signed up for Heather's Whole Food Kitchen online workshop.

Finally, it was hard to whittle down (I especially wanted to include all of my posts from Vancouver),  but here are 6 of my favourite posts from 2012:

New Zealand: Part 1
A letter (to my dog)
Sunday is my favourite
The end of missing someone
Surprise!
My black apple doll and gender predictions

my creative space: christmas mittens

 This Christmas I didn't get around to making many gifts, so I was pleased when I whipped up these re-purposed mittens for a friend of mine. Luckily, she was about to go New York which means that she'll actually get to use them, because otherwise, getting mittens in the middle of an Australian summer is pretty lame.

But back to the project - the mittens are made using an old sweater and they come together quickly so they're the perfect last-minute gift. That said, it took me 2 pairs to get these right. I made the first pair using instructions found in The Crafty Minx. Most of the projects in that book are seriously great, but this one is a dud. Naturally, I turned to the internet and used this tutorial from A Beautiful Mess. They turned out great, if I do say so myself!

linking up here today

festivities

Whew, I'm finally getting around to posting about our christmas/birthday/new year's week. It was busy; there were parties, gifts to unwrap, christmas lunch with family, and best of all, breakfast in bed on my birthday. I also managed to score numbers 1 and 6 from my wish list (thanks husband). I was a bit homesick this birthday/christmas (maybe I should starting calling it my birthmas, does that work?) so I skyped with my family a lot and took it easy with husband. 

The taking it easy was actually my favourite part. Hanging out at home after the festivities, playing with our new toys and pottering around. I've had a lot of free time to read and have gotten through: Mother Rising, Shakespeare by Bill Bryson, The Bean Trees, The Philosopher and the Wolf and I'm currently reading Cloudstreet. The Philosopher and the Wolf was my favourite, hands down. I hope you all had wonderful, relaxing holidays!