Big Boy Room Ideas

January 10, 2014, 5:02 am

≫ Next: MEAL PLANNING MADE SIMPLE: WEEK 19

≪ Previous: Get Organized: Just Do It | Meal Planning Organization

I know y'all are still waiting patiently to see Wells' Big Girl Room so it may seem pre-mature to start talking about Tagg's Big Boy Room. But when you have babies 17 months apart, this happens. We bought a second crib for Tagg so that Wells' transition would happen exactly when she was ready, regardless of her brother's arrival or sleep habits. I'm glad we waited the extra few months until after she was two. She was ready and the transition was seamless.

How did we know she was ready? Her perfect 7pm-7am sleep schedule was being interrupted almost nightly by screaming and crying and lots of rolling around. She just couldn't get comfortable. We knew it was time. I was incredibly worried the whole thing would be a debacle. But she did great. She slept even better in her big girl bed.

Now on to Tagg. He's been a bit of a wild card in the sleep department, to say the least. He was right on target with Wells as an infant and started sleeping through the night around 4 months. This all went out the window when he was 10 months old and got a terrible stomach virus and had to be hospitalized for three nights. Poor baby was sick, and hungry. And decided he very much liked sleeping next to his momma.

While we're not quite ready for the big move out of the crib I've decided to proactively start thinking about his big boy room. I do better working on things slowly with a plan. I make better purchases this way. I want something classic and preppy with just a little bit of woodsy thrown in to keep it from being too sweet.

We haven't currently done much to his room since we moved in because I knew this transition was coming. So we'll be keeping the freshly painted BM Classic Gray walls and existing dresser and changing table. I want to add in navy buffalo check. Because I love it. Roman Shades in lieu of panels. And lots of ways to monogram.

What do you think? When did you move your babes out of a crib? Did you transition them with a toddler bed or convert your crib or go straight for a big bed? What size? I'd love to do a queen for him, but we already have a twin frame available so that's what we'll use I think. And there is something so precious about a little one in a twin bed.

↧

MEAL PLANNING MADE SIMPLE: WEEK 19

January 13, 2014, 4:59 am

≫ Next: Giveaway: The Wild Hare | Monogrammed Winter Hat

≪ Previous: Big Boy Room Ideas

Hearty White Bean Vegetable Soup | Thai Chicken Enchiladas | Easy Baked Honey Mustard Chicken | Spicy Sausage Potato Kale Soup | Honey-Lime Sweet Potato, Black Bean, and, Corn Quesadillas
___________________________________________________________

I've decided to get back on track with offering Meal Planning help. I'm going to include at least one soup each week until it gets warm. I typically like to make a soup at the beginning of the week to use for lunches and freeze for last minute dinners.

↧

Giveaway: The Wild Hare | Monogrammed Winter Hat

January 14, 2014, 4:00 am

≫ Next: Let's Chat: Chassity from Look Linger Love

≪ Previous: MEAL PLANNING MADE SIMPLE: WEEK 19

Y'all. I am really excited to introduce you to a new shop today. The Wild Hare is a children's shop on etsy featuring handmade custom hats and clothes. After Katie first contacted me about a collaboration I visited her shop and immediately fell in love. I couldn't wait to select one for Wells and Tagg. I choose stripes for them both but you'll have to wait to see which colors I picked!

As for the skirts, Katie can also do custom orders with solid skirts for those of us who prefer a more simple look with that darling silhouette. I'm thinking a navy skirt with a green band at the bottom or perhaps a purple pocket. Girl likes her pockets.

One winner will be selected at random to receive a customized monogram hat.

TO ENTER:
1. Check out the custom hats and come back and leave a comment letting us know whether you'd choose a solid color or striped hat and which color combination and monogram you'd like to win.
2. Favorite The Wild Hare on etsy
3. Like The Wild Hare on Facebook
4. Instagram an image from this post. You must tag @juliaryanblog and @shopthewildhare. Let us know your insta name.

How adorable is Katie and her sweet little family? I am so excited she offered one of her beautiful handmade pieces to one of you! I can't wait to see more little nuggets in these hats. And just in case you don't want to wait to order your little one Katie has graciously offered a special discount code just for you. Please use code: JULIARYAN at checkout to receive 10% off your order through January 22nd.

↧

Let's Chat: Chassity from Look Linger Love

January 15, 2014, 4:00 am

≫ Next: The Wild Hare | Custom Monogram Striped Kids Hats

≪ Previous: Giveaway: The Wild Hare | Monogrammed Winter Hat

I am so excited to introduce you to a new little series today getting to know some of my favorite bloggers. I'm sure you'll see lots of familiar faces and hopefully meet a few new favorites as well.
I couldn't be more thrilled to have one of my favorites here to kick start the series today.

Chassity of Look Linger Love is a long time favorite of mine and needs no introduction! Let's all settle in with some coffee and chat!

↧

The Wild Hare | Custom Monogram Striped Kids Hats

January 16, 2014, 4:43 am

≫ Next: Big Boy Room Plans

≪ Previous: Let's Chat: Chassity from Look Linger Love

You know I don't normally promote one thing twice in one week but this is just too cute not to share. Wells was so excited to get her new handmade hat with custom monogram from The Wild Hare in the mail yesterday. In fact, she immediately put in on her head and proudly wore it for the rest of the afternoon. And she couldn't wait for Tagg to wake up from his nap so she could give him his hat too.

They are so stinking cute! The hats and my kids, of course. *wink wink* It's really hard to get the good camera out these days with these two. They don't sit still. They don't listen. I'm a control freak when in photography mode. I'm trying harder to jump into mom with a camera mode so I don't miss good moments. Not every photograph has to be planned or perfect. I love these two so very much and capturing their giggles as they grown is important.

I've known since Tagg turned two at the beginning of the month that I no longer had babies, but looking at these pictures I realize I have two kids. KIDS. How did this happen so fast?

Don't forget to enter the giveaway here for your chance to win one of these adorable hats. You can choose striped or solid and she offers an array of colors.

If you don't want to wait for this winner to be announced next week, please use code: JULIARYAN at checkout to receive 10% off your order through January 22nd.

↧

Big Boy Room Plans

January 17, 2014, 4:41 am

≫ Next: Meal Planning Made Simple: Week 20

≪ Previous: The Wild Hare | Custom Monogram Striped Kids Hats

This is my first draft for Tagg's big boy room. I want something classic. I like a calm color scheme in bedrooms but know better than to try out all-white for a little boy. We're going to be keeping almost every piece of furniture from his nursery except for the crib. I intentionally chose pieces that could grow with him. I've started gathering a few new things like sheets and pillows and a bedskirt. I'm just hoarding them away until the big bed transition happens.

I'll update later today with links to the board above. I'm a bit behind this morning.

Wells stopped wearing diapers at night last week and so far it's going really well. No accidents. We waited until past the point I knew she was ready. I like easy transitions. Last night she woke up twice to tinkle. The only night Tagg slept through the night all week. Of course. I think that's the murphy's law of multiple children. When one is asleep the other will most certainly be awake.

Happy long weekend friends!

↧

Meal Planning Made Simple: Week 20

January 20, 2014, 5:33 am

≫ Next: New House: KITCHEN PROGRESS

≪ Previous: Big Boy Room Plans

Happy Martin Luther King Day! Did y'all have a great weekend? I hope so. We were supposed to spend the long weekend in the mountains but had a last minute change of plans and my in-laws came here instead. It's awesome to see my kids love them so much. It can be hard to be out of town when they are this little but they just pick up without missing a beat each time.

As promised, I've turned out another meal plan for y'all. You may have noticed that I've dropped the days of the week. That's because with my new meal planning system we gain some flexibility on days. I'm going to try to consistently have a soup and a salad option each week because that's really helpful for us to have on hand. The extra soup gets used for lunches. I always buy extra greens to make a salad with leftovers for lunch as well. You be surprised how far your meals can stretch if you hold out one piece of chicken from the stew to top your salad with later in the week.

Tomato Basil Chicken Stew | Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts | Grilled Ginger Sesame Chicken Salad | Roast Pork Loin with Cream Cheese and Sundried Tomatoes | Pear and Pecorino Ravioli with Walnuts

↧

New House: KITCHEN PROGRESS

January 21, 2014, 5:14 am

≫ Next: The Wild Hare Giveaway Winner

≪ Previous: Meal Planning Made Simple: Week 20

The kitchen is one probably my favorite room in our new house. It's located in the front corner so it's flooded with light. I'm a big fan of the all white kitchen but I don't mind our black counter tops. This room needs just a few more finishing touches and then I'll be ready to call it finished for now. You know there is always a phase 2.

I would love to know some of your thoughts on painting the kitchen. Really just this long narrow wall needs to be painted as we will leave the cabinetry and brick wall white. I also am thinking about painting the back splash wall in the same white as the cabinets because we're not quite ready to upgrade to a tile yet.

Top three paint contenders
1. BM EDGECOMB GRAY
2. BM LANCASTER WHITEWASH
3. BM TAPESTRY BEIGE

We all like to see the big before pictures right. So here was the way the kitchen looked after a good solid scrubbing but before anything else had been worked on in here. A really great jumping off point. Not too terrible at all.

And we all love a true before shot of any space that's getting made over. Here is the kitchen exactly as we saw it when we bought it. The owner was so kind (drama story for another day) as to remove the kitchen island, the light fixture above the island, the microwave/range, the plantation shutters, and the refrigerator a few days before closing. It was a blessing in disguise because it's forced us to update some things in here that may have sat on the back burner for a few more years.

PHASE 1
1. New Range Hood
2. Sand, Prime, and Paint backsplash wall
3. Select new hardware for cabinet pulls
4. Paint front wall (top three choices are 1. BM EDGECOMB GRAY 2. BM LANCASTER WHITEWASH 3. BM TAPESTRY BEIGE)
4. Select fabric for roman shades (sheer natural colored linen?)
5. Replace chair rail along the front wall. (Had to remove it to install the refrigerator)
6. Select light fixture. There is currently a light fixture missing from the middle of the room with dangling wires. I'd love a lantern here.
7. Replace/build island
8. Add outlet covers to back splash wall
9. Prime and paint new shelving inside the cabinets

PHASE 2 (five year plan)
New countertops (black granite)
White subway tile for back splash
New sink
New appliances
New cabinets?

↧

The Wild Hare Giveaway Winner

January 21, 2014, 12:39 pm

≫ Next: Wells' Big Girl Room Reveal | Today on Destination Nursery

≪ Previous: New House: KITCHEN PROGRESS

Congratulations to our winner of the custom monogrammed hat from The Wild Hare!

Thank you so much to everyone else who entered. Be sure to use code: JULIARYAN at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

↧

Wells' Big Girl Room Reveal | Today on Destination Nursery

January 22, 2014, 4:48 am

≫ Next: New House: Kitchen Progress

≪ Previous: The Wild Hare Giveaway Winner

It's the moment you have been waiting for since August when you first helped us win. Wells' big girl room reveal is live today on Destination Nursery. Go on over right now to check out the full reveal plus a fancy pants little video featuring yours truly and my sweet family.

I want to give a special thank you to Tana, the voice behind Destination Nursery. She literally came into our home and made something magic happen. We are so grateful to her for creating this opportunity. A huge Thank You to Serena and Lily for sponsoring this makeover; local companies, Huger Embroidery and Jayes Studio for their kind contributions; the most amazing calligrapher, Hello Tosha for creating the You Are My Sunshine art as well as the awesome silhouette of Wells; and Bla Bla Dolls for the adorable and soft Collete the Cat and cloud pillow.

Of course I'm sneaking in some pictures because I just can't contain my excitement but you really must go here to see the full reveal. Plus there's the video of me awkwardly hanging wallpaper and pictures so that's a don't miss.

You can see the full reveal on Destination Nursery.

↧

New House: Kitchen Progress

January 23, 2014, 5:26 am

≫ Next: Five For Friday

≪ Previous: Wells' Big Girl Room Reveal | Today on Destination Nursery

First of all, thank y'all so much for all of your sweet words about Wells' big girl room and about our sweet family. We are truly so blessed to have been given this incredibly opportunity to win. Be sure to go here to check out the full reveal plus a video on how we put the room together.

A new round of the Destination Nursery Kids Room Makeover Contest has started and voting is live. I certainly am not going to beg for your votes like last time, in fact, I'm keeping my favorite to myself. But it's fun, so take a minute to head over and watch the videos of five sweet families who are participating in something awesome.

_______________________________________________________________________

Okay, back to reality. We're headed into yet another snow day here in Richmond. It's starting to get a bit ridiculous. I'm used to my little bit of time with just Tagg. You can put him in front of a train and get stuff done. Wells prefers a more one-on-one approach to parenting.

Yet somehow all this cabin-fever has produced an itch to finish up some projects. I guess sitting around your house all day makes you notice what needs fixing. And I've been making a real effort to live my life and not wait for "it" to be ready. Timing is never perfect.

Many of you asked about our kitchen island. The one we replaced after the original went missing. It's a butcher block with a piece of granite cut to fit on top. It's actually perfect. It's a bit higher than our counter tops which is great for food prep or display. We had this in our last two homes as well, and it belonged to my in-laws before that. I'll be honest, I want to replace it. The wood tone is a bit too yellow. That's not a trick of the camera lighting, it's pretty orangey-yellow in tone. And I'd prefer a slab of white marble to the granite. We plan to replace it soon with something just a bit more rectangular in shape. The kitchen can handle the extra size and it would be nice to slide two stools up to it for late evening chip and dip eating.

Another point a reader mentioned was the space above the sink. There is a decorative piece of wood that connects the cabinets together. A scallop acting as a bridge between the two walls. An ugly halogen light is hiding under it. We plan to remove that piece of wood as soon as we can replace the light fixture with a pendant. I'd rather see outdated white scalloped wood than and ugly halogen light, so it stays for now.

So now for the update that literally has left me paralyzed since June. To paint or not to paint. I would sit on this decision for another few years rather than choose the wrong color. How ridiculous is that? Maybe 5% of our kitchen will be getting the updated color and I'm choosing something really light. It's easy to paint over. So why sit here in fear? I often don't trust my own decisions. Does that happen to you?

The top color is Benjamin Moore Tapestry Beige and the bottom strip is Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray. I sat on these for several days deciding between the three choices (white remaining a top contender over any color at all).

This little strip is Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray.

Of course I couldn't leave well enough alone and threw another option into the mix. We have some leftover Serena and Lily Lamu wallpaper from Wells' room and it would be just enough to cover this wall. I also hung a strip of natural colored linen fabric up against the window. I'm planning on doing some sort of valance or roman shade on that window and the glass door. Although I think I've already decided to use the wallpaper on the wall in the hallway off the kitchen instead. You can see that wall predominately from the kitchen. It connects the kitchen to the family room. Our powder room and laundry room are also off that little hallway. You can see it in the image above with the large gold frame.

↧

Five For Friday

January 24, 2014, 5:52 am

≫ Next: NEW HOUSE: LIVING ROOM PROGRESS

≪ Previous: New House: Kitchen Progress

Welcome to Friday my friends! This has been the longest week ever. Wells' school was closed all week because of the weather and the snow has kept us home bound for days. I literally haven't left my house since early Tuesday morning. I need to get over my fear of driving in ice. It's going to be a long few weeks otherwise.

FIVE FOR FRIDAY

1. Wells' Dream Room Makeover Reveal

We finally went live on Wells' big Serena & Lily Dream Room Makeover. I showed you a snippet here but you can find the full reveal on Destination Nursery. We are so over the moon in love with this room and will cherish the memories of how it came about forever. This was also the first time we've had any professional photographs taken of our family. You know what they say about the cobblers son...

2. Serena & Lily's Kids Hanna Andersson Pajamas On Sale

These are the best pajamas! I always buy the two pieces for my kids because it stretches the the amount of time they can wear them just a bit longer. The quality is amazing and they really hold up well for hand-me downs.

3. Painted the kitchen in Edgecomb Gray

After discussing my fear of decorating commitments and lack of interest in actually doing anything myself I seized the day and painted my kitchen. I went with Edgecomb Gray and after sitting with it for a few days, I love it. It really helps to bring our kitchen one step closer to being finished.

4. Nordstrom Beauty Event

Too much dry heat is making my skin less that desirable lately. I'm thinking about warmer days and pretty makeup. Nordstrom is having a fun on-line only promotion right now with a bounty of fun samples. You can see my must-have make-up picks here and my favorite skin care here. Now is the time to order so you can take advantage of some free goodies.

5. Sneak Peek of Tagg's Nursery

Tagg is about this close to moving in to a big bed so I thought it was time I show you what his room looks like now. It's not a "finished" final reveal but I know so many of you are living with unfinished rooms yourself. Tagg was 1.5 when we moved in to our new house so I knew it was silly to spend any money on finishing it off as a nursery. I'm waiting until his big bed is in place and the room layout and function are established before adding in things like window treatments or hanging pictures. But that doesn't make this space any less real. I will show y'all the rest next week. I promise.

I'm linking up to some fun blog girls here and here.

↧

NEW HOUSE: LIVING ROOM PROGRESS

January 27, 2014, 4:00 am

≫ Next: Getting Organized | Waking up to a clean kitchen and Climbing in to a made bed

≪ Previous: Five For Friday

Y'all keep asking to see more new house pictures so today I'm sharing a little bit of our formal living room. It seems I'm not the only one who is working slowly and you appreciate seeing me decorate in stages. Real budgets and real ideas take time. This is what our living room looks like now but I have big dreams for where the space will end up one day.

Our living room is huge. It is very long and narrow like you see in most older traditional homes. Such a large formal space just isn't practical for our lifestyle so we've broken the space up into three zones. The bar. The lounge. And the study. Using furniture to break up the spaces has really helped us to utilize the whole room which is nice. No one wants a room that you only use twice a year.

My desk and our mail chest (where we keep bills) are all the way towards the back of the room in zone three. We've got Tagg's train table in that area right now but that's not permanent. This forces us to access this room daily.

Zone one is the pass through to the playroom and also where we keep our bar set up. I use an old chest I found on craigslist instead of a bar cart because it holds more bottles. I like how this gets people in this room when we entertain.

The middle area in front of the fireplace is zone two. We've got a sofa and loveseat squared off with the wing chair to create a cozy nook facing the fireplace. I don't plan on styling the coffee table. Wells and Tagg are just too young to have things sitting out looking pretty at this age. It's really just a space for making puzzles at this point.

PHASE 1
new matching end tables
new coffee table (either lucite or an ottoman)
matching lamps
plant (I love the look of a fiddle fig but I need something low maintenance and less fickle)
window treatments. I'm leaning toward natural colored linen
reupholster cane chairs
add sconces to the mantel

PHASE 2
built-ins on the far wall in zone 3 flanking the large picture window.
replace fireplace screen (perhaps add a gas insert)
reupholster sofa and loveseat

And just for reference, here is a look at the BEFORE pictures taken the day after closing. This room needed the least amount of work. We've painted everything in this room. The walls, (BM Classic Gray), the ceilings (Lowes White Ceiling Paint), and the trim (SW Designer White). We also added white wood blinds to the windows. I'm still navigating the navy sofa and loveseat. They came from my in-laws and are a great size and shape. The dark color is out of my comfort zone but I'm okay with that.

↧

Getting Organized | Waking up to a clean kitchen and Climbing in to a made bed

January 28, 2014, 4:00 am

≫ Next: Let's Chat: Sara from A DOSE OF PRETTY

≪ Previous: NEW HOUSE: LIVING ROOM PROGRESS

There are two things that I love. Waking up to a clean kitchen and climbing in to a made bed. After countless years spent waiting for someone else to make this happen I realized that this was a simple gift that I could give myself. With just a few minutes at the start and end of my day I could give myself these small pleasures.

Cleaning the Kitchen

I'm sure anyone with small children can relate, what takes you 10 minutes to do alone will surely multiply by three with kids in tow. They are my number one distraction. They want to help. They want a snack. They need some love. Yes, Wells identifies her need for your undivided attention, as loving. Momma, can you give me some love is always hard to turn down. You see, they've already distracted me and they're not even in the room.

I like the ritual of making my coffee in the morning. My kids like the ritual of me fixing them breakfast and getting them situated into the day. Once we're up we are going in a million directions and that will only increase as the kids get older. Starting the morning off with a clean slate makes all the difference. I also make an effort to empty the dishwasher while I drink my coffee. Leaving those clean dished in there too long sets off a pattern of mess. I'm much more likely to keep the sink clean if our dirty dishes can go immediately into the dishwasher.

Walking into a mess puts me in a bad mood so I've started staying up a few minutes later at night and cleaning the kitchen. I make sure every pot is clean and dried and put away. I run the dishwasher. I clean off the counter tops. This sounds so obvious but you wouldn't believe the number of times I used to go to bed with dishes in the sink only to start my day off on the wrong foot when I see them the next day.

I also try to wash pans, knives, and the cutting boards right after I use them throughout the day. This keeps the nighttime cleaning to just a few minutes. If I don't want to wash a dirty pan immediately after I enjoyed eating the meal it produced than I am sure as heck not going to enjoy washing it the next day when I'm hungry again.

Making the Bed

There is nothing better than climbing in to a bed that's made. Tucking yourself into clean sheets and soft pillows lined up properly is always worth the extra four minutes in the morning. After a long and exhausting day chasing after my two and three year old I don't want to wrangle messy linens off the floor in a sloppy attempt to relax.

I absolutely love a bed that looks like this or this or this. My idea of a perfectly made bed involves several rows of pillows at the top, a pretty sheet folded down over the top blanket, and, a down comforter folded neatly at the end. But you know what? Those last two steps takes an extra two minutes that I don't have. It's one more step of effort that keeps me from bothering to make my bed at all. I even tried a look like this which helped but still took just a bit too much effort.

So you know what I did? I started placing my down comforter underneath my top blanket instead of on top. It doesn't affect how it feels while I'm sleeping. And it leaves me with just one giant sheet to straighten. Everything gets tucked under the pillows. Sheets and down comforter and blanket. Simple. Clean. Not perfect. But perfect for me.

What are your simple steps? Are there any cleaning rituals you preform every day as a gift to yourself? I've noticed that when I change my attitude about these tasks, they feel less like a chore. Now if only I could learn to feel that way about putting away folded laundry.

↧

Let's Chat: Sara from A DOSE OF PRETTY

January 29, 2014, 4:00 am

≫ Next: Snow Day!

≪ Previous: Getting Organized | Waking up to a clean kitchen and Climbing in to a made bed

Is everyone staying warm enough this morning? I am so freaking over this cold snow. Let's all grab a cup of coffee and tie our kids down in front of Princess Sofia and enjoy the second installment of my new series, Let's Chat.

I'm so excited to welcome Sara Mueller, author of A DOSE OF PRETTY, here today to chat with us about some of her favorite things. Sara is a wife and mother currently living in North Carolina. In addition to blogging, Sara has a blossoming graphic design business. She also has a killer eye for styling.

Q. SELF OR SPACE are you more drawn to fashion or interior design?

A. I am definitely passionate about both. Fashion was more of my thing in my younger years. I think it's easier for me to decide on clothing and shoes then to choose furniture. It's so much easier to commit to fashion as it's easier to replace a coat or a pair of shoes, but furniture once you make the decision and buy the piece, you are kind of stuck it with for a while. Interior design is a slower process where often times I need to be patient to find the right piece and unfortunately, patience isn't my biggest virtue.

Q. FAVORITE ROOM IN YOUR HOUSE

A. This fluctuates a bit. It depends on my mood and most of the time it really depends where my focus is going. I'm currently in the process of adding a few pieces to our master bedroom and because a lot of my energy is going into it, it's becoming my favorite room.

Q. FAVORITE OUTFIT

A. I love dressing up, but working from home and taking care of the kids, doesn't really allow me to. I guess I could, but wearing heels in the house isn't my thing. I tend to gravitate towards jeans. I love comfy with a dressed up feel - jeans, a tee or pullover, a pretty necklace, and a pair of loafers or ballet flats, like you are seeing in the pictures. And my messy ponytail is sort of becoming my signature look. Occasionally, I feel the need to wear heels and do my hair, and so I do, even if I'm only going to the grocery store.

Q. FAVORITE ARTIST OR DESIGNER

A. I recently fell in love with the work of Kate Long Stevenson. I was hoping to add this piece from her to our master bedroom, but sadly it sold out. And for a fashion designer, my favorite is Chanel, but I love Louis Vuitton, Hermes, YSL, and Valentino as well. My go-to easy on the wallet is J.Crew and Zara and I try to mix high-end pieces {I don't really have many} with those brands.

Q. BIGGEST OBSESSION

A. Lately, it's Chanel beauty products. I can't get enough. They are worth the splurge! This year one of my goals is to take better care of my skin and I have decided that I need to be excited about the products in order to use them. If I'm not excited about them, they tend to sit on my bathroom shelf untouched. I am choosing well even if it means I'll pay more. As my 35th birthday approaches, I am definitely making an effort to age gracefully - body and mind.

Thank you for having me Julia!

all images by Sara Mueller

↧

Snow Day!

January 30, 2014, 4:00 am

≫ Next: #ProjectDecorate with Polyvore | $500 gift card to Serena and Lily

≪ Previous: Let's Chat: Sara from A DOSE OF PRETTY

My kids don't really like the snow. It's too cold. Wells would prefer to just stay under the covers until Spring. I can't say I'm much of a cheerleader for winter sports myself. It takes twenty minutes to get them dressed and then we stay outside for maybe half that time. It hardly seems worth the effort. But watching them waddle around in the winter wonderland for even just a few minutes is so magical. There is always something exciting about snow. And that makes it so worth it. At least until your toes go numb.

↧

#ProjectDecorate with Polyvore | $500 gift card to Serena and Lily

January 31, 2014, 5:24 am

≫ Next: Five for Friday

≪ Previous: Snow Day!

I am so exited to share with you a fun collaboration with Polyvore, called #Project Decorate. Polyvore has traditionally been used to create fashion mood boards but they've recently explanded in to home decor and interior design as well. In order to kick off this fun new way to create home sets, Polyvore has asked me to help spread the word.
This week I am hosting a room design contest based on my updated traditionalist design aesthetic. The best part? You could win a $500 gift card to Serena & Lily. Two winners will be chosen from the boards submitted. I will personally select one of the winners, so get busy on your boards.

Updated Traditionalist With Pawleys Island Posh

↧

Five for Friday

January 31, 2014, 9:07 am

≫ Next: New House: Tagg's Nursery Progress

≪ Previous: #ProjectDecorate with Polyvore | $500 gift card to Serena and Lily

I'm a bit all over the place mentally this week. Wells only goes to school three days a week but that little bit of time with just me and Tagg sure makes a big difference in my productivity. We're on week two of no school because of snow and I'm pretty much running out of new ways to play trains and princesses.

FIVE FOR FRIDAY

1. I promise to show more of Tagg's room progress next week. Even though I promised you that same line on Friday, I'll mean it more this time. No really. It's finally photographed so that's a big step in the right direction.

2. We currently have zero plans for Superbowl Sunday. Instead, I'm hoping to finish up our master closet makeover. I've been itching to finalize the space with these pretty wooden hangers. This is our inspiration picture for the closet. We're going to be using this layout but in an all-white colorscheme to help the space feel more open.

3. I'm over at Little Black Door today fessing up about a few things. I'm guessing you can relate to a few.

4. I'm over at Tartan and Sequins sharing a few of my favorites and some things I'm not really that into. It's obviously a don't miss.

4. I'm hosting a pretty amazing contest with Polyvore for #projectdecorate. You could win a $500 gift card to Serena and Lily if I like your board the best. Click here for details on how to enter.

↧

New House: Tagg's Nursery Progress

February 3, 2014, 5:49 am

≫ Next: Let's Chat: Caycee | Hanging With The Hewitts

≪ Previous: Five for Friday

Okay so I've teased y'all two weeks in a row about Tagg's nursery. And I feel bad about that because here we are today with some pictures but I would hardly call it a reveal. This post is more just a state of things as they stand today.

Tagg was almost 1.5 when we bought this house and he's now just barely over two. Other than painting everything and adding wood blinds it just doesn't make sense to spend much time or money on this space. We plan to transition him to a bed this Spring. I want to work on layout and function before I hang any pictures. I need to organize and select his new bed linens before I even think about window treatments.

It will really stay much the same once he's in a larger bed. I'll just add another layer of accessories and art. I'm also brainstorming a way to add in Thomas the Train. Blue Thomas, Green Percy, and, Red James to be exact. I'll keep you up to date on that as well.

PAINT COLORS:

Walls BM Classic Gray

Trim: SW Designer White

Ceiling: Lowes Flat White Ceiling Paint

↧

Let's Chat: Caycee | Hanging With The Hewitts

February 4, 2014, 4:46 am

≫ Next: New House: Dining Room Progress

≪ Previous: New House: Tagg's Nursery Progress

I'm excited today to have one of my girls here to chat with y'all. Caycee is such a sweet friend. She's hilarious and knows how to have a good time. Thanks so much for being here today girl! xo

First off thanks Julia for having me over on your beautiful blog. I have the pleasure of calling Julia not only a blogger friend, but a real life one as well. She is just as sweet, beautiful, and amazing in person as she seems. Trust me when I say I am lucky to call her my friend.

Hi! It's Caycee from Hanging with the Hewitts. I am a 29 year old sahm mom to a 21 month old sweet baby girl, and rowdy almost 5 year old boy. My blog is my little getaway, and a place to talk about all the things I love. It's a little mix of fashion, design, fitness, and of course my family.

SELF OR SPACE: INTERIOR DESIGN OR FASHION:

Without a doubt it's 50/50. A straight down the middle tie. Fashion is so fun, and you have the freedom to change it daily depending on your mood. I like to consider my fashion style feminine with a flare. I love nothing more than to put on a pretty dress, fix my hair, and doll up my face. What girl doesn't right? Interior design on the other hand is equally as fun, but just a little more permanent. If I had the time I could sit on Pinterest or with a copy of House Beautiful for an entire day just staring at the beautiful interiors. It's so fascinating to me. Nothing feels better than to start on a room and then to have it complete. The joy of walking into at a room you designed from scratch is so rewarding.

Fashion
(A shoot I did 3 years ago ;)

Photo by : Kim Graham

Design
(Our newly decorated breakfast area).

Photo by: The Daniels

FAVORITE ROOM IN YOUR HOUSE:

This is an easy one. Taylor's room is the pinkest, prettiest room in our house. It lets in the most beautiful light, and all the different shades of pink make me so happy. When designing her room I knew from the moment they said girl exactly what I wanted, so decorating it was all fun!

FAVORITE OUTFIT:

I knew as soon as I saw this dress it had to be mine. The cut and the colors are just perfect. This one is all sold out now, but they brought back a look-a-like here. In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a maxi dress.

FAVORITE DESIGNER:

Good golly there are so many talented designers that I love so much. But, if I had to choose one I would say Tory Burch. Everything she does is flawless. I haven't met a shoe or accessory of hers that I didn't wish lived in my closet. Not only are her designs amazing, but she is pretty fabulous herself. Such an inspiration.

CURRENT OBSESSION:

I'll give you a hint.......they are long, make any shape look fabulous, and my closet is filled to the brim with them. Yep, it's the maxi dress. You know those things in life you just can't get enough of, well that's how I feel about the maxi. As soon as the warmer weather sets in it will be the only thing you catch me in. Oh, and I have a feeling they are going to be even more "in" this year. The designs I have already seen have me swooning. This beauty is a favorite of mine.

↧

Latest Images