DIY Valentine’s Heart Garland

Posted: 02.09.12

My dear friend Erin and I are decorating for a Love 146 Valentine’s fundraiser this up coming Tuesday. We weren’t given a huge budget so we had to get a little creative to come up with cute center pieces. I got a Martha Stewart holiday craft book for Christmas and have been obsessed with this picture in it ever since. I am sure you have seen it all over pinterest lately. We took that idea and decided to create garlands instead. We are going to use the melted crayon hearts on the tables, wrapped about mason jars, and hanging from tree branches. I think it is going to look really cute!

Here is how you can make your own!
1. Get a bunch of red, purple, pink and orange crayons

2. Remove the wrappers from all the crayons

3. Find a pencil sharpener and sharpen all the crayons until they are tiny nubs. Save all the shavings…

4. Sprinkle in between wax paper and melt with iron…

5. Cut hearts out and sew in a line on the sewing machine…

6. Voila! Make long garlands or sew just a few together to tie around mason jars and create cute Valentine’s Day center pieces.

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NYC Bound!

Posted: 02.09.12

I am packing up my suitcase tonight because I am heading down to NYC tomorrow for the weekend. Tomorrow night I am helping host an awesome event with Lulu*s. If you are going to be in NYC, make sure you go RSVP to the event and then come on over and party with me! It is going to be great!

“Calling all bloggers! LuLu*s is throwing a styling event and wants YOU to be there! Join us for an exciting Fashion Week event in the heart of Nolita! Set in the beautiful Openhouse Gallery, this event, Style Studio, will feature tons of free LuLu*s merchandise in 5 of the hottest styles: Vintage-inspired, Edgy, Vixen, Sweetheart and Uptown Prep! With top bloggers representing each style, you will get the opportunity to discover your personal look and then get styling advice from your favorite blogger! Everyone takes home a special piece! With giveaways, prizes, food, drink, and more, this will be a fun-filled fashion event to remember!”

See you tomorrow night!

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Style File | 02.08.12

Posted: 02.08.12

This weather has been crazy, huh? I am not complaining because I will take a winter full of 50 degree days, but it is just so strange. It has been nice to go for walks with Rowan during the day. There is nothing better than some fresh air for a grumpy kid and momma. haha.

This has been one of my go to outfits lately. Easy, comfy and well, I think it pretty cute looking. I love these boots! I was worried I wouldn’t have stuff to wear them with, but they seem like a good match for a lot of outfits.

Outfit Details:
Cardigan: J.Crew
Peach Blouse: Lulu’s
Cranberry Jeans: Forever 21
Jeffrey Campbell Boots: c/o Modcloth (last summer)
Necklace: Jess LC

My sweet little honey…

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Last Nights Dinner | 02.07.12

Posted: 02.07.12

Mmmmmm so good!! This is seriously so easy and so delicious. Pinterest has doubled the amount of recipes I have wanted to try lately. I am always on the look out for quick and easy meals for dinner.

Ingredients:
(for pesto)
1 cup Basil
1/2 cup Cashews
1/2 cup graded parmesan cheese
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Pre-packaged Gnocchi
Cherry tomatoes- cut in half
Fresh mozzarella- cut into small pieces

Directions:
1. In a food processor blend basil, cashews and cheese. Slowly add in olive oil until desired consistency is reached. Salt and pepper to taste.
2. In a large pan, add olive oil and sauté gnocchi over medium high heat. Continue to stir until crispy on all sides.
3. Add tomatoes and pesto and stir until well coated. Heat for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Serve in dishes and top with handful and mozzarella pieces. Add some finely chopped basil for decoration.
5. Enjoy!

Original Recipe Here and Here. Thanks Ladies!

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Taking Etsy Orders…

Posted: 02.07.12

I’ve been working hard on creating a pattern for a fox doll for Rowan the past few weeks. It took some trial and error, but Miss Lady Fox is finally finished! Isn’t she just the cutest? We are pretty smitten with her here in our house. Rowan carries her around kissing her face. Melts my heart. We love her so much that I thought maybe I would share her with some of you.

I have put up 6 custom orders for Miss Lady Fox in my etsy shop. I will only be making 6. If you would like one, come on over to my shop and grab one quick! Perfect for your little one or for a baby shower gift. I have 5 vintage fabric combinations to choose from. 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

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Style File | 02.06.12

Posted: 02.06.12

We headed back to Massachusetts this past weekend to visit family and this was my official weekend outfit. I wore it both Saturday and part of Sunday. Whoops. When it works, it just works, right? I have had the worst thrifting luck lately, but I was pretty happy when I found this cute skirt. I love the plum colors in it.

What has been your best thrifting find lately?

Outfit Details:
Chambray Camp Shirt: Eddie Bauer (similar)
Tapestry Skirt: Thrifted
Belt: Thrifted
Plum Tights: Target
Ankle Boots: American Eagle (similar & better)
Bracelets: Stella & Dot, Gifts, & Forever 21

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Our Week in Snapshots

Posted: 02.04.12

This week we Rowan and I went to the gym each morning together and then spent the afternoons sewing, crafting stuff and going for walks. Here’s to hoping that this mild weather sticks around! Hope you all had a great week as well…

A cute full belly after lunch…

A walk around the neighborhood…

Painted a new chalkboard…

WHOA. STATIC…

My favorite notepads for planning meals (from Ruche)

Snack time…

Making a melted wax heart garland…

Making dolls still…

Gym…

New potty…

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Love Notes…

Posted: 02.04.12

I am a super shy person — would you have guessed? Anyway, I would be the first to admit that I am not very good at speaking my thoughts and emotions. My heart is big but I always fall short when it comes to expressing my feelings verbally. Over the years, however, I’ve become very fond of writing love notes. What I want to say flows much easier from my heart to the pen, than it does from my mouth. Plus, love notes are just so cute. Who doesn’t love getting a little love letter?

Pinhole Press has some fantastic Valentines products that make adorable gifts for your loved ones! We were lucky enough to get some Photo Notepads from them last week. We love them. We got to pick a picture for each of the notepads and write our own little header at the top. You can bet I will be leaving a little love note in them each morning starting Monday until Valentines Day for a certain someone. The picture of us at the bottom makes each piece of paper that much more special. Rowan got things started and wrote a little “I Love you” to Kev…

Make sure to check out all the awesome Pinhole Press Products….

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My Parenting Ups & Downs…

Posted: 02.02.12

I’ve been without our camera the last 2 days, so outfit pictures might be slim this week. Kev is busy being awesome and working on a photo shoot for work (we need to get another camera- wink wink)

I’m busting out all these new features lately, but I think it will be fun to go through my parenting ups and downs each week. Feel free to leave your own ups and downs in the comments or any tips you have for my downs…

Ups:
1. Rowans new double hug. Whenever Kev is holding her and I come close, she wraps an arm around Kev’s neck and an arm around my neck and gives a big family hug. It is AWESOME!!!

2. Going to the YMCA in the morning with her. Awesome. We use to go at night when Kev got home from work, but by then I was exhausted and I feel like my work out suffered because of it. The morning is fresh, new and there are tons of kids for Rowan to play with in the kids center. It is good for both of us!

3. Bath time. She loves it. We love it. She is always so stinkin’ cute in there.

4. I feel like my love for her has grown lately. I have always loved her a lot, but something about lately I feel even more connected to her and how much I love our little family.

5. Rowan is becoming an expert at using a spoon. Every morning she has some greek yogurt with a spoon and she goes to town on it. She can basically eat the whole thing by herself. The mess is becoming less and less each morning too. Forks we aren’t so good with yet.

Downs:
1. Rowan has learned the word “no,” it sounds more like “DOH” but still, it is no. She has decided that when she yells it, it also means she needs to swing her hand and hit something. I have yet to see her act out towards anyone other than Kev or I which is good… I guess?

2. Figuring out what will work best for a timeout. She won’t stay still anywhere. I have heard pros and cons to using the crib. Any thoughts? I know the whole “don’t confuse the place where they sleep” thing, but 2 friends have used it and said they had no problems. What did you do when your kid was 16 months?

3. I clawed her the other day by accident. I was sewing and she grabbed my seam ripper off the table. I freaked and quickly went to grab it from her and in doing so, scrapped my thumbnail across the side of her head and skinned her forehead just a tiny bit. I felt very bad. Bad Momma.

4. Eating. Ugh! I swear if you don’t feed her what she wants (crackers or bread) she will go days without eating. The doctor keeps telling me she will eat when she is hungry but she is very stubborn. I want to get a juicer so badly. She loves drinking.

5. The melt down she had in a tiny pizza place the other day when I had to put her back in her stroller. Not good. I was sweating bullets trying to keep my cool as I had to shove her in there to get the buckles snapped. Meanwhile, the delivery man was watching and waiting for me so he could get by. Ahhh!

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Picture Book Art | Oliver Jeffers…

Posted: 01.31.12

As a huge art nerd, I am obsessed with kid’s picture books. I have always loved the kid section of bookstores better than any nonfiction or fiction section. I love looking at the artwork in them. I know it’s cliche to say you want to illustrate a kids book, but I totally do! Anyway, I thought every once in a while I would share some books that have some really great artwork in them.

Today, I wanted to share my love for Oliver Jeffers. He is one of my absolute favorites!! I asked for The Incredible Book Eating Boy book for christmas like 4 years ago, way before little Rowan was even around. I used that book to create one of my most favorite art projects I would teach my students back in the day. We would take a field trip to the elementary school library, and each student would get to find a kids book they felt especially drawn too. We checked them out, and then the kids had to think about storying telling in a nontraditional way, recreate the story and make a 3D double sided box. The example I made was of course from The Incredible Book Eating Boy. I love the illustrations in that book! The kids projects always came out so cute. I loved teaching High School Art.

We are always on the look out for new books in our household. What are you favorite Kids books?

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