My style is in transition right now, changing to suit this post-pregnancy body. I am awed and amazed at how the female frame adapts and alters in order to bear a child. How our skin stretches and then shrinks back, that our entire internal anatomy rearranges itself, how our very bones are spread apart. It’s all so impressive, so beautiful.

I’ve lost the majority of my baby weight, but my body’s been left a completely different shape. Which means I’m re-learning how to dress myself. I curve in ways I never curved before, and it’s an exciting challenge figuring out how to flatter this whole new form!





I wore :

• ”40 Watt Club” T-Shirt: DIY, and if anyone catches the reference you are the shiznit
• Floral Skirt: secondhand, by f21
• Black Cropped Leggings: secondhand, by AA
• Black Vegan Ballet Flats: secondhand
• Yellow Canvas and Wood Purse: secondhand
• Charm Bracelet and Faux Pearls (worn around my ankle): both gifts

Waits wore :

• ”I’m Vegan and I <3 You" T-Shirt: by Herbivore
• Cargo Shorts (which crack me up – because infants NEED pockets, right?): secondhand
• Explorer Hat: secondhand

It was a gorgeous afternoon, sunny and warm with a mild ocean breeze. An easy evening full of friends and laughter, and music late into the night. Thank you Tommy and Kelly. And mazel tov!








I wore :

• Vintage Minidress: secondhand, and it’s handmade!
• White Cotton Tights: from the amazing Sock Dreams
• Black Cardigan: from Nordstrom, ages and ages ago
• Red Flats: also from Nordstrom, also ages ago

Waits wore his own little wedding number. In case you can’t tell, that’s an ‘All Dressed Up’ tux onesie. He also had matching black booties, not pictured. He’s already got mad style, eh?

Photo booth!

• Black Flowered Dress: Ancient. A relic.
• Black Long-Sleeved Maternity Shirt: secondhand by Gap Maternity
• Maternity Jeans: secondhand by Old Navy, dyed darker by me
• Red Faux-Patent Heels: secondhand
• Necklace: my wedding rings on a rope
• Bracelet: a cheap chain necklace
• Black Cardigan: secondhand by Banana Republic
• Scarf: handmade by my wifey
• Gloves: I got these at Urban Outfitters like 5 years ago for $2
• Purse: from Herbivore

Seriously, I hadn’t left my house in 2 weeks. I hadn’t gone outside in 2 weeks! So naturally, even a trip to the doctors office was terribly exciting for me. I had to take the opportunity to gussy up a bit, and show off my swelling belly.

• T-shirt Dress: from Herbivore (they are AWESOME! go there! support them!)
• Long Black Cardigan: secondhand by Banana Rebublic
• Grey Leggings: secondhand
• Multi Blue Knee Highs: Sock Dreams, who have my everlasting stripey devotion
• Combat Boots: many years old, by Gripfast
• White Canvas belt: so very very old
• Blue Stars Children’s Umbrella: secondhand

And I’ve got some good news! This trip was specifically for a test, a test that came back NEGATIVE, which means my chances of preterm labor have gone back down to ‘slim to none’. YAY YAY YAY! So thank you so much to everyone out there who sent your love and support – it worked guys!

Also, I don’t have gestational diabetes (yay vegan!). We celebrated with donuts. =)

Six and a half months pregnant, and a girl’s gotta have a night out on the town! Yesterday evening Damian and I met up with my lovely sister for some greasy happy hour grub ($1 PBRs and $1 vegan corn dogs) (no I was not drinking the PBRs), followed by an awesome exhibit at OMSI After Dark. It was so fun! A bunch of 21-and-overs running around the science museum, drinking microbrews and playing like children. I totally won the soda bottle blast.





I’m glad I got a little more use out of my summer shorts and ripped stockings, because today the temperature dropped by about 10 degrees! I’m so underprepared for the SNOW that might be coming this weekend. I still don’t have a warm winter coat that fits over my new-and-improved and ever-expanding frame!

This photo should be titled “Hello, This Is My Pregnancy Cleavage“

• Bird Print T-Shirt: secondhand
• Black Long Cami (underneath): secondhand by Truly Madly Deeply
• Long Black Cardigan: secondhand Banana Rebublic
• Tan Shorts: secondhand American Eagle Outfitters (ha!)
• Ripped Tights: oh my goodness, I’ve had these for so long, I bought them at a dime store in college . . . community college. Yes that long ago!
• Purple Long Socks: Sock Dreams, oh how i love them
• Engineer Boots: secondhand, by Carolina
• Pewter Chain (I knotted it): some mall store, I had a gift card
• Black Flower Ring: a local shoppe

I love this cardigan – I’ve been living in it all autumn. Simple and versatile and a tad bit chic, it’s been the perfect piece to take me into colder weather. Alas, I’m going to need something a bit thicker starting real soon. Any suggestions? It’s gotta be vegan, acquirable used, and accommodating to a big belly. A biggering belly, especially after those corn dogs!

Corn Dogs!!!

See, firstly it was summer. Summer, with heat in the hundreds, means a whole lot of cut-offs and tank-tops and flip-flops (what is it with hyphenated hot weather clothing?). Those sorts of ‘outfits’ don’t leave much room for creativity, ya know?

But really, I’m just making excuses. See, I’ve had another reason to hide safely on the backside of the camera. A secret I’ve been keeping, a DIY project to trump all other homemade treasures. It looks something like this:





I’M PREGNANT!!!

Crazy, right? HA! Five months today, in fact. Damian and I are so excited!!!

I want to apologize for keeping this a secret for so long. There were a few good reasons though. I wanted to be cautious with putting my private life in such a public space. I wanted to be sure everything was safe and steady, before I came out with the big news.

Also, it’s important to me that you guys, my readers and community, know that I am capable of keeping this very exciting part of my life separate from my ‘professional’ life here on Bonzai Aphrodite. I wanted to show you that this site isn’t going to change, isn’t going to become all family-centric baby-blog.I am determined that BA stay just the same, okay?

But for just today . . .

YAY YAY YAY! I’m going to have a SON!!! This is seriously the most fun I’ve ever had. EVER.

Word.





So in an effort to keep the baby talk to a minimum, I’m thinking of putting together a ‘Baby FAQ’. That way I can answer all the potential questions (and concerns?) in one consolidated location. So if you have a question, let me have it! You can ask either here in the comments or you can send an email to info@bonzaiaphrodite.com

For those of you who *are* interested in following the journey of our little lentil, I’ll probably include baby related updates in the Friday Feedback Forum. But who knows, maybe y’all will be interested and ask for more information and articles. I’ll just have to play it by ear, ’cause, you know, I’ve never done this before. HA!

Love you guys! Thanks so much for always being mind-blowingly awesome!!!

I seem to have developed a motif this summer, and I love it when that happens.

big ratty Marla hair + funky little dress + cropped leggings = awesomeness ’09

This stripey minidress perfectly captures my warm-weather uniform. And I know I say it every time, but I love this dress. It’s just so . . . *me*. Those sorts of clothes, the ones that make you feel more like yourself when you wear them, are such little treasures.

Yellow eye-glow / Black liner

• Cotton Minidress: secondhand
• Black Button Leggings: secondhand
• Black Combat Boots: very very old, by Gripfast

I ended my busy Wednesday with a lovely impromptu picnic. Bikes and parks and my favorite person . . . summer nights just don’t get any better!

I recently acquired this reconstructed vintage shirtdress, and it is easily my favorite dress ever. The design is impeccable and the tatter is so refined – it’s truly a work of art. If you love scrap fashion and deconstructed couture, you’ve got to check out Mad Madeline. Portlanders, hit up Last Thursday to see her stuff in person. She’s totally talented, and a sweetheart too!

I first wore my new frock  this Saturday, to the Portland Farmers Market and then to the Let Live NW Animal Rights Conference. The big event, which the local vegan community has been fundraising for, was a smashing success (in my opinion, as an attendee). It was so great to meet everybody, and to hear all the amazing speakers. I hope everyone went home as inspired as I was!

You can sorta make out my ceramic chicken pin – it belonged to my mother.

• Embellished Vintage Dress: Mad Madeline
• Black Leggings: Nordstrom, ages ago
• Black Pinstripe Sneakers: by xhilaration
• Magical Beaded Bracelet: who knows?
• Chicken Pin: an heirloom

With friends at the Portland Farmers Market, before the conference.

This weekend, my husband turned 30 (!!!).  I wore this saucy little number to throw him a surprise birthday party, with the help of some dear friends who flew hundreds of miles just to be here with us.  You guys rock!  And of course, 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAMIAN!

• Mini-dress: secondhand
• Leggings: Target
• Leopard Heels: secondhand
• Necklace: my Mother’s pocket watch

This blustery spring Saturday, we took a ferry to Seattle. We perused the produce at Pike Place Market and sipped Lambic framboise at The Pike Pub, we toured the Seattle Aquarium, and ate vegan gourmet 76 stories above the city, in the tallest building downtown.

It was windy out on that water!  But arriving to the city by ferry is just so beautiful.

• Black Cardigan: Nordstrom, ages and ages ago
• Striped Skirt: secondhand, by allison anne
• Black Leggings: Target, pre-autumn 2008
• Black Flats: by AWOL
• Black Bow Headband: f21, pre-autumn 2008
• Necklace: my Mother’s pocket watch

The incredible spring tulips at Pike Place Market