Because this blog is on crafterly things, how could I not show of some of the wonderfully handcrafted baby items recently gifted to me?? Because I understand how much time and love it takes to make a handmade item, it means so much more to me. Here are a couple of handmade things I love:

A handspun, handknit, and handsewn Baby Surprise Jacket!

It’s reversible too, with a very cool lining. I absolutely love the colors:

Complete with Cheri’s etsy shop label (so professional and clean looking too! So impressive!):

(Visit her etsy shop here for all things children’s apparel, handspun yarn, and other gifts: Enchanted)

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And then there is a quilt that was put together by my high school friend Karen:

Aren’t the colors gorgeous?! I am so in love with this blanket, I know it will be one of my favorites. I was so touched by all the time and effort she put into this. And it has a yellow fleece underside:

And another delightful label lovingly placed at the edge:

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Lastly, handsewn baby leg warmers by Esther! Aren’t they adorable??

And just for kicks, I always love the gifts given by other fellow moms, who are always thinking practically.

Love the handwritten note on top. Thanks Esther! =)

It’s an odd thing; I love making gifts and baby things for others. But when it comes to my own, for some reason I am drawing a blank and lacking inspiration. Not sure why. Yes I am just as excited (if not more) for my own, but perhaps there is a fear and anticipation of not knowing what to expect and not knowing how to prepare, that leaves me a bit paralyzed in the crafting department.

The only thing that I came up with that I felt somewhat OK making for the little guy was my very own basil blanket. I’ve made several for other friends in the past, and I was needing a project that was not too challenging, but not terribly boring, for all those doctor visits and appointments and things (I am seeing up to 5 people every other week, and all the waiting room stuff gets boring really fast).

So here you go, my very own basil blanket:

I chose the brown edging like what most everyone recommended. The best thing about this pattern is the edging – so seamless and smooth, no sewing involved!

It worked out really well and coincidentally, it even matches some of the colors in our baby stuff/gear (see car seat below):

The car seat is the single most important baby thing we have not gotten yet. We will probably purchase it (along with other important items leftover from registries) after all the showers are over.

This pregnancy has whizzed by so fast, I can’t believe I have less than 8 weeks to go. I have never been so excited and scared and nervous with anticipation at the same time. It’s all very surreal.

OK so this post isn’t about crafty things so much, but perhaps some of my favorite things. If you know me personally, you know that I like little cutesy things, and I love containers of all shapes and sizes. And naturally, it was just a matter of time that I got my hands on bento boxes.

The thing with bento boxes – not only are they uber cute, but they are great with portion sizes. And when I pack a lunch, I know I am eating something healthy and in the right serving size. And it just makes packing a lunch that much more fun. =) So here are a couple of bento items I use the most:

This was among the first containers I ever purchased. I got them in college and I have used them for nearly 10 years. I still use them. I love how I can fit dry cereal or snacks in the Goldfish container, and I can pack a sandwich in the Wonderbread container, and know that it won’t get squished.

And then I got this super cute pink bento box – it’s got several layers, dividers, and chopsticks on top. I use this a lot when I’m packing rice, leftover stirfry, etc. The dividers are great so I can separate my meats from my veggies and whatnot.

Lastly, this is my absolute FAVORITE bento box set up ever!! It’s Totoro!

I love the zipped bag it comes in, and it fits everything in perfectly.

Here are the actual bento containers – a small thermos, two little plastic containers, and a fork + fork case.

I purchased a separate pair of chopsticks (in Totoro of course!) to go along with this set:

It’s perfect!!

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And since I’m talking about cute things, I can show you some onesies I put together recently. It’s not terribly crafty, since I purchased the iron-ons as is (they were on sale at Joanns!), but they were awfully cute.

Here are some of my favorite ones:

Can you tell by the colors what the baby’s gender will be? =)