p.s.

Alyce asked me to share a few words of advice on new motherhood, so while she basks in the beauty of her new baby girl, Riley Liv, I'm posting over at First Came Love today.  Congratulations, Alyce and family. You picked such a lovely name for your sweet girl. 

Weaver Bloom

I'm always inspired by Jaime.  I've probably looked at her book daily since it arrived.  Funny, her book of blooms came to me in the mail the very same day as the vintage weaving kit I found on ebay.   As my desire to weave was also inspired a lot by Jaime, I found that timing to be pleasurably synchronistic. With the weaving kit taking much longer to arrive than anticipated, I'd almost forgotten about it.  Then there it was, right beside the beautiful flowers.  I'm particularly smitten with Jaime's latest weaving (pictured above), red flower in the snow, as it lends a bloom to the textile, syncing up with the book a bit, in color scheme as well as concept. 

This has inspired a few names for me, of course:

Weaver Bloom

Sable Anemone 

Crimson Neve

Thistle Violette

Saffron Wild 

Coral Vine

George Cosmos (the flower) 

Webster Morning Glory 'Web'

Bogart Snow 'Bo'

Savyon Web

Wilder Florian

Wistar Loom

I'm usually a fan of pairing the whimsical with the buttoned-up (as on Jeana's beautiful boy), but the descriptive double-word names are singing to me today!  

 I'm off now to figure out that sweet, little hand loom, as storm Sandy moans outside my window, and the babies sleep snuggly against their papa (who gets to be home from work today on account of this weather). We made a big, cozy meal for a late lunch, mostly to use up the perishable food in the fridge before we loose electricity, but also because having Chris here on a Monday feels like a lovely holiday.  

Hoping all of you in the storm's path stay safe and cozy, too. And while you're all packed away indoors, what are your favorite flower names? What crafts or food feel perfect to you on days like today? 

 images: 1- mine, 2-by Jaime Rugh

Nanna

-- "Yeah speaking of horses, I always play with the contrast of vulnerability versus strength. Raw material and sensitive knits. That’s exactly what horses reflect in their aura. For instance, dressage inspires me. It’s not power, it’s strength that you have to control. On the other hand they are very sensitive, which I find fascinating. Actually I am on the outlook for a word that combines the two: strength and vulnerability."

Nanna van Blaaderen at Freunde von Freunden. Love this interview so much.  A textile and clothing designer specializing in knits, Nanna works from her home, where she is surrounded by the animals who inspire her creations, sometimes knitting for eight hours a day. Dreamy.

I can't help but wonder if she ever hears, "Um, you know that name means 'grandma' in... " (with a crinkled up face), as we so often do when we introduce our daughter, Nona, here in the states.  Our new favorite response: Maybe because grandmothers are like ancient goddesses? (they totally are.)

See the rest of her beautiful space over at FVF! 

images: via FVF, by Mathieu Garnier

The Glow

I've written about the awesome names (and general awesomeness) found at The Glow both here and here. I recently found myself marveling at the photos, interviews and names there (yet again) and itching to compile the lovely monikers in list form, all together, where their beauty is all the more unbelievable. I've noticed in the last few interviews that the stylish mothers are being asked about why they picked the names of their children. Needless to say, I'm sure glad to read this type of information and hope it continues!

Here are the latest bunch of mother-child name pairs (mothers left, children right). (I'll omit parenthetical gushing about my girl crushes throughout the list; suffice it to say I have a few here) :

Zoë + Cleo

Rebecca + Luca

Christina + Lowe (girl) and Valentine (boy)

Kate + Stellan and Leif

Jade + Secret

Busy + Birdie

Constance + Coco

Josie + Rumi Joon (she's since had a second daughter, Indie Joon)

Jeanne + Zoey and Sydney (twin girls)

Maryam + Anaïs Vida

Leilani + Cassius

Eleanor + Alastair and Eleanor 'Ella'

Ferebee + Bishop and Ford (twins), and Clarke


Ferebee points out that one of her sons goes by his middle name and notes that this is a common practice in the South. It's true!  I know a lot people back in Nashville who go by their middles, and our littlest often goes by hers. What do think of this practice, readers? What about these names?

images: by Kelly Stuart, courtesy of The Glow