Saturday Morning in Excelsior:

We woke up early Saturday morning and decided a walk along the water in downtown Excelsior sounded ideal. What a beautiful morning it was, the air was crisp yet the rising sun was warm on our faces. I love when the water is very calm in the morning and the waves are few and far between. Some sailboats were out and a few early morning risers walking about. Early mornings in Excelsior during the summer are my favorite. It is the only time of day where it does not feel like you are in a tourist town and it’s peacefully quiet. I am very excited to take our little one on these morning walks with him snuggled up on Erik or I’s chest. He’s now officially a day late, so over here we’re trying very patiently to wait for his arrival! 

The rest of the day was spent finishing up projects, sewing for a few orders, cutting out patterns, eating coffee cake and root beer floats. :)

Oh the things we like- black & white:

I grew up listening to Paul McCartney for as long as I can remember. When I was really young, my mom would have Wings tapes playing in the car. My favorite song then and one of my top favorite now is "C Moon". Nespresso makes such delicious espresso, and those Pixie cups- how fun! The exact replica of the pods! I've had my eye on those All Black shoes for literally years. Unfortunately they just do not fit right on me. Still, they are pretty to look at! :)

Paul McCartney & Wings tour tee • camera pencil sharpener from Mod Cloth • All Black fish bow mary jane's • Twig Creative wooden camera • Nespresso pixie cups

Glimpses From This Week:

Well, it has definitely been a busy week! Lots of last minute preparations, planning and trying to rest as much as possible before our little one arrives. He's due Saturday, so any day now! In a sense it's also nerve wracking, every day we wake up and question if today is the day and are we ready/ prepared? When it's all said and done, I think we'll just be incredibly happy to have him in our arms and take each day as new parents as it comes.

1. screen-printing fabric for new baby legging prints for HighOver U mini.

2. we are all about film photography, love this little la sardina from Lomography, a gift last summer from my dad.

3. making last minute touches to baby's room

4. Leo the lion

5. Erik taught me to play cribbage and it's become a nightly game

6. drinking lots of raspberry leaf tea to coax this little one out of me. (I've tried everything- any ideas?)

7. saltwater sandals are literally the only shoes I can wear right now, good thing I love them!

8. our mr. stripey heirloom tomatoes are growing! 

Best Coffee Cake Ever:

I love cooking and baking from the original 1950's version of Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook. The little origin stories that come along with the recipes are so great to read and we're always pleasantly surprised how such simple ingredients can create delicious dishes. Erik and I were craving coffee cake and I decided to give the Streusel Filled Coffee Cake recipe a whirl and my goodness this has got to be the most wonderful and incredibly easy coffee cake ever! Try it out and let me know what you think!

Streusel Filled Coffee Cake:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Grease and flour 9" baking pan

Mix together:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup shortening (I use softened butter)

1 egg

Stir in:

1/2 cup milk

Sift together and stir in:

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix together streusel mixture in a separate bowl:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons melted butter

Spread half of batter in greased and floured pan, then sprinkle with half of streusel mixture

Add remaining batter and sprinkle on top remaining streusel

Bake 25-35 minutes until wooden toothpick comes out clean

Enjoy!

Any other awesome coffee cake recipes out there that I need to know about? :)

Photographing in Fall:

Fall is my absolute favorite time to photograph. I love the changing landscape, freshly fallen leaves strewn about and the weather is warm enough to comfortably pose outside yet brisk enough to evoke the seasons change in the photographs. Photographing with this little guy in my belly has been difficult to say the least, lets just say I can't move around as much as I used to! Heading into this seasons change ( I know, I know, I'd rather it stay warm much longer!) I'm getting the photography business back up and running with a special of mini-sessions for $100 including hi-resolution photos on a cd for those in the Minneapolis area. www.brinshorphotography.com

What's your favorite part of fall? 

Oh the things we like- British edition:

We love England; all things British. I often day dream about having a little cottage in the english countryside, a library with a big fireplace and two cozy leather chairs for Erik and I, have lots of corgis and sheep, wear wellies everywhere with a flouncy frock and drive an old Land Rover. It seems like it would be such a simple, enjoyable life. Stay at home as much as we can and enjoy each others company as a family.

Beg Bicycles Bella bike • Barbour Liberty of London special edition Beadnell jacket • Hunter Thurloe boots for baby • Jack Wills Stockbury jacket for papa • Orla Kiely multi flower check birdcage umbrella • Cambridge Satchel Company classic satchel for papa

HighOver U mini:

After making leggings for our little one, I decided to add on to HighOver U and create HighOver U mini! It's such a fun process to create these little leggings, from screen-printing the fabric, to cutting out tiny patterns and piecing it all together. Every legging is truly one of a kind and are so luxuriously soft! I personally love the multiple 'Greetings from Excelsior, Minn.' prints, but the coffee and teacups are so cute that I need to send a pair to my niece Piper!

You can purchase your own pair and even design your own with six prints to choose from here.

Legal: all patterns, prints, graphics and designs ©HighOver U 2013

Seashells and Eggshells is now on Bloglovin':

      (lake minnetonka regional trail)


You can find us here.

Two weeks to go:

                            (38 weeks)

                             (at 26 weeks)

We’re two weeks away from our little baby bears due date and goodness these nine months feel like they have both flown by and crept along. Seeing Erik’s excitement and how wonderfully he has taken care of me on those not so much energy days, has made me fall even more deeper in love with him and cements the fact that I know he is going to be an amazing dad. I am so excited to see our little family grow together, to discover what kind of a person this little guys is going to be like and for all the upcoming adventures we will have.

Bags are packed, carseat is installed, we’re ready!

Oh the things we like- Baby and Mama:

What a wonderful idea that Anthropologie came out with re-issued classics from seasons past. I was so hoping dresses from the January 2008 catalog would be part of the re-issue, but maybe in the future! (one can only hope!) When it comes to our little one, we love the classic books and toys and goodness does he need some sherpa booties for the Minnesota winters! We live near lake Minnetonka, so Minnetonka Moccasins are perfect. :)

1. This Is Texas book • 2. Minnetonka sheepskin booties • 3. Canine Cardi from Anthropologie • 4. Swedish Hasbeens ornament sandals • 5. Texas wood teether from Little Saplings 

HighOver U spring/ summer 2013 Collection:

The new spring/ summer HighOver U collection has arrived! I photographed Stina (who I’ve known since she was a wee little thing in 4th grade!) at Shorewood Yacht Club. The sun was just about to set and it was a beautiful warm night with calm waters off Lake Minnetonka. 

Sailing knots and good ol’ red, white and blue are this seasons themes- all constructed and designed at my studio in Excelsior with USA made fabrics and notions. How’s that for American made! Hope you enjoy! To see more- visit www.highoveru.com

Legal: all stitching, designs and photographs © HighOver U 2013

A few photographs of our adventures the last few months:

Making life plans and creating dreams together at Nina's Cafe in St. Paul

25 week baby bump

Think Pink. Raspberry latte

Minnesota Twins vs. Texas Rangers (go Rangers!)

Evening walks- Lake Minnetonka

Erik's 30th birthday- made him a special chocolate espresso, oreo and cake batter ice cream birthday cake. Yum!

latte's at Yum

Lake Harriet, Minneapolis