(A big boy bed.)
I recently showed you a few updates to our master bedroom, and mentioned that we finally transformed James’ crib into an actual full-size bed. At first, we left the bed up against the wall in the same spot his toddler bed had occupied, but the room felt so heavy and cluttered once the bed was bigger. It took me a while to figure it out, and I was constantly cleaning and straightening the room to make it neater. Finally, I realized that the furniture configuration just wasn’t working, so Sunday morning, I got to work and rearranged things once and for all.
(The top of James’ dresser.)
I should tell you that Ryan was annoyed with my spur-of-the-moment decision, but sometimes a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do, so he graciously fed the boys lunch and helped me move the bigger pieces. The whole ordeal took less than an hour, and now the room flows nicely together.
And I realize it’s not my room or anything, but I clean it, change the sheets, and spend lots of time trying to lull my sweet boy to sleep in there, so I think that counts for something. I got James’ permission before I took the leap, and he was excited to try things out. I didn’t take any Before pictures, but trust me when I tell you that it looks so much better now.
(This bookshelf took me an entire day to put together when I was pregnant with James. Lots of sweat and tears.)
(A vintage rocker that I just can’t part with yet, and Joshua, my first love.)
(Prints by Susie Ghahremani.)
(The play kitchen shared by both boys.)
(The play area on the floor.)
James is thrilled with his new “Big Boy” room, and I feel like I can breath when I’m in there now. This configuration works so much better and will suit him nicely as he grows, too. In fact, his room now looks just like I imagined it would when I was planning his nursery five years ago.
Next, we’re gearing up to transition Rhys into his toddler bed, but I don’t think we’re quite ready for that just yet.
It’s been a while since I’ve shown you my daily outfit pictures, and my sister recently asked if I planned to post any soon. I’ve had these pictures on my desktop all summer, so better late than never, I guess. These outfits aren’t anything special, and they aren’t my favorites, by far. But here are a few skirt and blouse combinations I wore throughout the summer, mostly for running errands and going to appointments.
(A floral skirt and cotton tee.)
I bought this skirt at Kohl’s last spring, and then didn’t wear it much because it was so busy. But it’s cotton, and brightly colored, so it worked really well all summer, especially when paired with a light-weight tee. You can’t tell from the picture, but the skirt does have hints of blue that are picked up by the t-shirt. I wore it with my trusty sandals and the necklace I scored at a jewelry swap.
(A pink and brown combo.)
Since I stick to a uniform, this outfit is almost exactly the same as the first, but in different colors. The skirt is from Kohl’s and is at least five years old. Remember when pink and brown were really popular paired together? That’s how old it is. But I really like it, and it still fits after two babies, so why mess with a good thing? I don’t wear it often, and brown can be pretty drab on me, but I think I was feeling sick that day and was on my way to a doctor’s appointment, so I guess it fit the bill. Again, I paired it with my strappy sandals (the best summer shoe purchase ever!) and the long necklace.
(Stripes and pink skirt.)
Okay, this was definitely a blogger look that was a huge fashion risk for me. I’m embracing my curvier shape and wearing belts these days (something I have NEVER done before this year), and I really risked it all by pairing a bright pink Anthropologie skirt with a striped tee and a belt. It’s not my best fashion moment, but it kind of works. And there are the sandals again, too.
(Denim on denim.)
This is one of my favorite late summer looks, and I paired a chambray top from Kohl’s with a darker denim skirt. After nursing for four years straight, I realized that I can again wear button-up shirts, so I’m slowing adding a few back into my wardrobe. This top by Lauren Conrad (gotta love LC!) is really comfortable and versatile, too. When I wore it out, someone told me they had the blouse in white, which is just as pretty.
(This post is pretty Kohl’s-heavy because that’s the only department store near my house, and I have shopped there a lot since becoming a mom. They don’t have the best reputation for clothing made in the United States, and I find most of my fair trade pieces online these days. I still try to wear the items in my closet, though.)
So these were some of my summer staples that kept me cool and pulled together this year. I’ve got a few more phone pictures to share with you later this week, and then I’m ready for fall!
(A little experiment.)
I’m always on the lookout for new blogging ideas, and last week, I received a copy of FLOR’s new catalog. While I’m not currently in the market for new floor coverings, I always find their photos so pretty and inspiring. FLOR’s most recent publication, for Fall 2013, is especially stunning, and uses fashion to showcase their new products. You can read more about it on their blog, and see some of the gorgeous photographs, too.
(After the party.)
I was especially struck by the catalog’s cover (the final photo on their blog post), and it is now on my wall of inspiration behind my computer screen. I was staring at it the other day, and realized that I could try my hand at my own little photo shoot, just for fun. I’m not a professional stylist or photographer by any means, and I tell stories through words. But I thought it would be fun and challenging to try to tell a story through pictures. And since I was alone, it would have to be with objects. So I grabbed a few “props” and got to work.
(Just for fun.)
It only took a few minutes and I snapped a few photos, but it was kind of fun, and maybe I’ll try it again from time to time, just to mix things up.
Do you ever find inspiration in surprising places?
