Stephanie Howell

I know that many of you are "back to school" but we still have a couple of weeks left of summer vacation and I'm savoring every moment.

Today I wanted to share some fun and simple summer tags. Honestly, I realize I'm a bit behind the curve on these.

I probably should have made them in hmmmmm. June perhaps? But honestly, I wanted to make them. And they make me happy! They'd be great in a mini album or on top of a gift.

I've been hoarding all of these super cute summer embellishments and I figured it was time to use them!

Here's what I came up with.

Beach Babe Tag:

Supplies: Freckled Fawn felt doilies, Maggie Holmes tags, Fancy Pants Designs flair, Simple Stories chipboard

Sun & Fun Tag:

Supplies: Maggie Holmes tag, Freckled Fawn felt doily, Freckled Fawn wood summer shapes, Crate Paper phrase sticker.

Good Times Tag:

Supplies: Freckled Fawn felt doily, Maggie Holmes Tag, Simple Stories chipboard, Crate Paper Poolside standout sticker

Hello Summer Tag:

Supplies: Martha Stewart doily, Maggie Holmes Tag, Crate Paper Poolside standout stickers, Simple Stories chipboard

Flip Flops Tag:

Supplies: Freckled Fawn felt doily, Maggie Holmes Tag, Simple Stories chipboard, Crate Paper sticker, Maggie Holmes floral ephemera

There you have it! Hope these fun+simple tags brought some sunshine to your day!

xoxo

S

If you've read here for a while then you know I'm a big, huge fan of Stitch Fix.

I have been using this service for years and I still think it's 100 percent totally worth it. Especially now that they have maternity offerings!

Let me tell you a little story about trying to shop for clothes in Italy.

I am not a size 00000. And all clothes in Italy are made for tiny women. I am not a tiny woman. I am tall. And I have big feet. I gave up trying to squeeze into Italian clothes about a year ago.

There are barely any maternity clothes here and the ones that do exist...again...are TINY.

One of my Italian friends told me that there is a sort of joke about clothing in Europe. There are European sizes...and then there are Italian sizes. Yep. I might have fit in them when I was 13, but I certainly don't now. :)

Enter Stitch Fix. Thank goodness.

Stitch Fix has outfitted me this entire pregnancy and I love what they've been sending me.

My Top Stitch Fix Tips:

1. Start a Pinterest Board. Link it in your profile. Use this board to pin outfits and looks you love. I pin photos from bloggers and their reviews as well as photos from the Stitch Fix Instagram Feed. Here's my Stitch Fix Pinterest Board.

2. Be specific, be specific, be specific. Use up every single character in that box they give you to give notes to your stylist. Tell them what you like and what you do not want. Tell them exactly how much you want to spend. Name your style icons. Tell them the parts of your body you want to flaunt and the parts you want to keep hidden. Don't mince words. Be specific in the feedback you give on your boxes. If you hate something, don't just say you hate it. Tell them why. Tell them how it made you feel and how it made you look. Share your blog, your Instagram. This helps your stylist get a feel for YOU.

3. Be patient. Rome wasn't built in a day. It's going to take a bit for your stylist to get a hang of what makes you tick and what works on your body. Remember, this is a virtual service. Your stylist isn't in the room with you so it's tricky.

4. Don't be afraid to request a stylist you love.Or conversely, don't be afraid to request that a certain stylist is NOT assigned to you.

Stitch Fix is for you if:

1. You don't have the time to shop right now. Kids, work, illness, whatever it is. For me...I don't have the time to really CONCENTRATE when I shop. Does that make sense? I'm usually sweating and trying to get in and out. HA!

2. You don't like shopping.

3. You don't have easy access that quality clothes that fit you.

4. You have a hard time finding maternity clothes.

5. You just like the ease of someone else dressing you.

It's probably not for you if:

1. You are a bargain hunter.

2. You aren't patient.

3. You prefer choosing one of a kind pieces for yourself.

One of my favorite things about Stitch Fix is that it's such a thoughtfully personalized, genuine service. The stylists take their time to really get to know you and your heart.

Here's my latest card, how sweet is this?

And here are the contents of my latest box, which I pretty much consider a home run.

Note: I lost the receipt so this post I can't share how much each item cost. Boooo for preggers brain. So sorry!

1. Gabre Maternity Dress by Eight Sixty Maternity.

Status: Kept it. It's so comfortable, classic, and chic. It fit like a dream and I know it will work post-pregnancy too. I loved the eyelet detail and how the back is a bit lower than the front.

2. Bethanie Striped Maxi Skirt by Market & Spruce.

Status: Sent back. I'm pretty much out of my chevron phase and this skirt was a bit too tight/clingy for me. But I do love me some maxis!

3. Barker Lace Detail Maternity Knit Tank by Loveappella Maternity.

Status: Kept it. It is ADORABLE. The perfect color, the perfect light material. I love the lace detail on the straps and the ruching is perfect for my big ole belly.

4. Maria Maternity Strech Eyelet Detail Top by Collective Concepts Maternity.

Status: Returned it. Not cute on me, though I think it would be adorable on someone way shorter than me (I'm 5'8"). It was an awkward length on me but I think it would work as a dress if you are more petite than I am. I can say that it was super comfy!

5. Eloise Maxi Dress by Gilli.

Status: Kept it. It's stunning. The color is gorgeous and it's so soft and comfortable. The back is the best part. Super sexy but also classic + classy. I have no doubt I'll be able to wear this post pregnancy. It's timeless, which is why I also purchased Item #1. I love buying things that I would have loved 15 years ago and that I will still love in 15 years from now.

So there you go! My latest maternity Stitch Fix.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments.

If you'd like to sign up, here is my personalized link.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, Happy Wednesday!

xoxo

Disclosure: I get a small affiliate commission if you use the provided link to sign up.

On Sunday we decided to take a day trip to Asiago. The reasons were twofold.

1. CHEEEEESE. Duh.

2. It is 20 degrees cooler up in the mountains. Yes, please.

We'd also heard about a cute little park called Gnome Village and we thought the girls would enjoy it so we got in the car and headed up the mountain. It's about an hour away.

NOTE: If you drive to Asiago make sure to take Dramamine with you. The switchbacks are pretty brutal and I always have one or two girls with a white face and a tummyache.

The first thing on our itinerary was Gnome Village. Or in Italian...Villagio degli Gnomi.

In short? It was adorable. I don't know how much fun it would be for anyone much older than Harper's age, but the girls loved it.

We hiked through the woods for a bit. There were balance games and mini adventures along the way. At the end of the hike we found the gnome village.

The scenery was magical. It reminded me of the PNW (we lived in Washington State years ago.)

These little houses were so cute. One had a troll trap around it, one had smoke billowing out of the roof...

And according to the girls, the best ones were the homes that talked to you. Seriously. There's a dude hanging out in an office somewhere with a microphone and he talks back to kids all day. Bahaha!

You should have seen Cate and Lucy's eyes when he said Ciao and asked their names. Good thing they know Italian!

Cate! Lucy! SIAMO GEMELLE!!! (Cate, Lucy, we are twins!)

So cute.

After we explored the village, we drove through some beautiful countryside (see all the cows everywhere?) to find Mom and Dad's magical village...a cheese factory!!!

We stopped in at Caseificio Pennar and spent some time sampling cheeses and decision making. And it was NOT an easy decision to make! We ended up with some fresh milk, butter, and a big ole wedge of traditional Asiago.

The guys there are so friendly and helpful...they were concerned about me being pregnant and waved me away from the cheeses I shouldn't be eating.

You need to know some Italian to visit here, no one really speaks English. I know you can call ahead and schedule tours, too.

After the cheeeeeese we just walked around and explored Asiago.