Sophia - 3 Months

Dear Sophia,

You are three months old and I can't believe it! You are growing so fast, and your personality is really starting to shine. Music, mirrors, and anything electronic (ut oh) are your favorites. You love when I sing to you, bath time, and playing with your new toys - your hand-eye coordination has really improved. 

Next week, you will be taking your first flight - heading to Chicago to see your grandparents, then to Iowa to see your Mimi and Papa, and meet your aunts, uncles, and cousins! I am a bit worried about flying with you (any & all tips welcome), but I'm sure we will get through it one way or another! ;) 

You have started to hold your bottle; sometimes it is a bit too heavy for you, but you always want to have your hands on that thing! Looking forward to your first Christmas! I love you to the moon & beyond! 

xo,

Mama

Outfit of The Day...and other things

I'm sorry for my lack of blogging this week - I am teething. No, not Sophia - me. I still have my wisdom teeth (I've been putting off the procedure for as long as I can remember), and I'm in a bit of pain. I should really just put it on the schedule and get it over with, no? 

Anyway, you may have seen the photo I posted on my IG yesterday - it was the first time I have worn heels in SO long. In fact, I think the last time I wore heels was on Valentine's Day. I had to choose the highest heels in my closet (ha), but everything went A-OK at our lunch. After being spit up on at lunch, I had to change my outfit and switched out the heels for a pair of loafers for my afternoon errands ;). It felt good to get out of my 'mom' shoes and get a bit of my old self back for a while, anybody know what I mean? 

sweater: H&M pants: F21(similar here) shoes: Christian Louboutin, here

ps - please excuse the rug ;) 

I made a trip to ZARA yesterday, and picked up a few things - none of which I can find online to share with you - boo! However, after I had waited in line to try on, then waited in line to check out (I swear, ZARA has the worst checkout!), I spotted these pants that I LOVE. I wanted to try them on, but I just didn't want to go through the entire process again. These are great for the holidays! 

here

Hope you are all having a great week! xo

Loving...

this bed

via

this runner

via

this fabric

via

these emerald accents

via

now if they could all kindly show up on my doorstep, please. thank you. 

happy weekend! 

My Simple Mantel

This year, our mantel is very simple - since our TV is mounted a few inches above it (uhg), I didn't have a lot of room to work with. After layering a flocked garland with some antler & turquoise candle holders, she is done. I placed my chrome garden stools in front of the fireplace to add some excitement to the space. Since the fireplace is next to our built-in bookcase, I like the simplicity of the mantel - it doesn't make the area feel too 'busy.' 

$3 'Wallpapered' Bookcase

I have been wanting to paint/wallpaper our bookcase for a loooong time, and decided to tackle the project yesterday. I knew I didn't want to splurge on designer wallpaper before I tried the look out first, so I headed to The Paper Source to scout out their selection to get 'the look for less.' However, I was very sad when I realized all of their amazing papers are SO thin - like an old newspaper. I was scared the paper would rip and tear during the process, and the rolls of heavier paper were just not pretty enough.

Feeling discouraged, I was heading to the car when I walked by Hallmark (of all places!), and decided to check out their wrapping paper selection. I didn't find what I was looking for, BUT I did find an adorable pink ikat(ish) pattern on sale - 2 rolls for $5.99, and I couldn't pass it up.

I ended up using only one roll of paper, and have another leftover to use for wrapping gifts ;). Overall, I think the look is cute, but not what I am after, so I will be changing it. Before I do, I knew I had to share this EXTREMELY easy and cheap project with you. If you're looking to temporarily update a bookcase, this is a great (temporary and inexpensive) option.

materials used 

Step One: Remove items and shelves (or just items if your shelves don't come out) 

PS - sorry for the terrible photos, I wasn't really planning blogging this when I started

Step Two: Paper the back of shelves, using double sided tape (As you can see, I cut the paper too short on the bottom - simply add more paper to the bottom. Also remember, it doesn't have to be EXACT as you will be filling your shelves with items.)

Step Three: Replace shelves and items! Told you it was simple! 

I'll be sure to share an update when the shelves are changed. SO, what do you think of this project? 

DIY Christmas Pom Poms

Christmas is my favorite time for DIYs - there's just something extra special about handmade decor during the holidays, don't you think? This year, I knew I wanted to make some yarn pom poms for a garland. I enjoyed them so much, I made more to put in my new bowl from Anthropology. They are super simple to make, and do not take up too much time (great for non-DIYers). They look great on a garland, in a bowl, and I'd love to sew some onto pillow corners, or make a wreath as well. The possibilities are endless! 

Step One: Wrap the yarn around your hand. The more times you wrap, the fuller your pom pom will be. I wrapped mine between 40-50 times. 

Step Two: Cut the yarn, and slide it (very carefully) off your hand. Cut another piece of yarn, around 5 inches long, and place it under the wrapped yarn. You will tie this piece around the bundle of yarn - be sure to double knot it! 

It should now look like this

Step Three: Cut the ends to begin forming your pom pom. 

snip, snip, snip

Carefully cut to shape your pom, and viola! You're done. 

Here is the garland I made - I wish I would have used more colors (this is a dark emerald green), but I just used what I had on hand. I had it on my fireplace, but moved it to Sophia's crib - I think it looks cute on there, and she loves looking at it. Don't worry, she can't reach it! 

Do you have any favorite holidays DIYs? 

Spice Up Your Kitchen

Happy Monday, all! Hope you had a nice weekend...ours was cold. In that, we STILL don't have hot water. I know what you're thinking, how did she take a shower?! I didn't - technically. I boiled three large pots of water on the stove, and took a bath - a scene straight out of the 1800s. We are getting a new hot water heater tomorrow...seriously, all I want for Christmas is hot water. 

Moving on...today, I made the rounds to all of my favorite home stores, and found some pretty great items that can really add some flava to your kitchen. I brought a few home with me, and wanted to share my Anthro picks with you all. If you are looking to add some color to your kitchen/dining space, these are some fabuloso options.