Have a wonderful weekend

This photo made me giggle. Hope your weekend is equally as delightful.

{photo from here, via we heart it}

Put Some Spring in Your Step

I'm quite taken with these little shoes I picked up the other day. I actually love them so much, I may have to get them in another color.

But I'm also swooning over these little beauties.

Funny enough, I'm still a newcomer to the genre of ballet flats. I'm a little on the short side (5'2"). OK, so I'm just plain short. I always wore heels to give me a little extra boost. When H started running everywhere (into the street, away from me in public, etc.) that all changed. I quickly realized that I need the ability to break into a sprint, dive or jump at any given moment. And while I may be sacrificing some height, at least I'm not skimping on style. So if you see a crazy mom chasing after a crazy redhead, try to notice the shoes...and give me a couple points for trying to keep up with him. :)

The Right Words

Isn't it amazing how the right words at the right time make all the difference? Here are some sweet sentiments that have set my heart all a flutter this week:

{via the style files}

{via we heart it}

{via we heart it}

And then two more that made me smile:

Because we all need a little reassurance sometimes.

And even better: you can have one of your very own!

From SuspectShoppe.

I imagine this as being written on a wall in a train station or subway platform. This is my kind of vandalism. If you're going to write on a wall, the least you can do is put a little thought into it.

{via we heart it}

Oh, and speaking of nice words, I'm still beaming over the nice things the lovely Anne had to say about me yesterday over at The City Sage. Another case of the right words at the right time. Thank you, my dear.

I Wish...

...my mornings looked more like this:

And less like this:

{Photo Credits}

Top image from my year of mornings

Bottom image from the photographic dictionary.

I recently discovered sunmamma's amazing flickr page, which led me to her blog, which is filled with a lovely photo from each morning. I love how she sees beauty in the simple ordinary things that often go unnoticed. She {almost} makes me want to be a morning person. I'm at least going to look a little harder through my bleary eyes to see the beauty around me. Here are some other favorites from her blog:

{January 23, 2009}

{January 6, 2009}

{January 22, 2009}

{January 17, 2009}

She got her inspiration for this project from 3191, which is also filled with more amazing photos.

{All photos, except "asleep" are from my year of mornings}.

Birds & Bunnies

I have a thing for bud vases. They're small, they're cute, they hold flowers...what's not to like? But these two are so cute I just can't stand it.

Bird Vase

Bunny Vase

Joanna Mendicino is the artist behind the etsy shop Pretty Random Objects and these too-cute bud vases. Her work is delightful! All of her designs are simple, fresh, and modern. Check out her website and her etsy shop for more.

Tried + True

When it comes to beauty, I'm a pretty simple girl. But there are some things I refuse to live without...and I'm always on the lookout for great new products to try. So here comes my new Tried + True series, where some of my favorite people, friends, and bloggers will be sharing their essential beauty secrets. Here are some of my secret weapons:

When it comes to haircare, I'm a hardcore B&B fan. They don't make a single product I don't absolutely love. Two of my favorites are the all-purpose Tonic Lotion, and the Surf Spray--for those days you need a little help achieving that sexy/beachy/windswept look.

Besides the mood-swings, hot-flashes and constant nausea, all this fertility stuff has made my skin unbearable. The only thing that will keep it remotely in check is Proactiv. Dumb infomercials or not, it really works.

I'm too fickle to have a signature scent; but this perfume may just make me a one-fragarance kind of girl.

My poor, poor, neglected feet. This stuff is nothing short of miraculous.

Running late? Always. But I will NOT leave the house without eyeliner or mascara. I've been hooked on this one since the day it came out. Nothing beats a good, cheap mascara.

Another must: well-groomed brows. I always turn to these trusty tweezers by brow guru Anastasia. They're absolutely worth every penny.

That's it for the first installment of Tried + True. Stay tuned for more picks from my exciting list of guest bloggers.

{all image credits linked in product descriptions}

Pssssst...

...new stuff added to my shop today!

And there's plenty more where that came from! :)

A Bit of Inspiration

From that half-painted cabinet in the garage to the unframed artwork hidden upstairs and the mounds of fabric begging to be sewn into pillows--I've got unfinished projects coming out of my ears. So here's a little bit of inspiration for me to get my butt moving again.

This is what started it all. I have been daydreaming of Rita Konig's apartment since I first saw it in the October issue of domino. It's absolute perfection to me. I want a colorful, comfortable home filled with truly unique pieces. I want our home to be as individual as we are. And I want it to be warm, inviting, and completely functional. Normally, I would feel inadequate to the task, but the before and after photos, along with her step-by-step commentary make it seem less intimidating.
{images from domino}

Now here's a little more inspiration to get things rolling:

I love Lisa Congdon's plate wall. I've been planning to hang some plates for quite a while now. But after seeing this...make no mistake, I will have a plate wall.

{image from Design*Sponge}

I love the simplicity of this room and the way these colors work together.

{Image from Domino}


I don't know what it is about this room I love so much. But I think it's pretty great.
{via Apartment Therapy}

Thanks for joining me on this visual self pep-talk. Here's to hoping that I can pull my act (and my home) together soon!

Have a good weekend!

You'd better believe that my weekend forecast includes a great breakfast and plenty of time spent with the guys. Oh, and a trip to the planetarium.

Have a nice weekend!

{photo from here}

Rainy Day Crafts

While I'm on the topic of kids today, I'll just run with it. The forecast for the weekend is pretty drizzly, so I'm arming myself with some quick craft ideas we can use the moment boredom strikes. Even better, is that both of these crafts are simple and we have all the supplies on hand.

Paper Tops, from Martha Stewart

These are really cute, and will give me a great way to use up some of the endless paper scraps I have laying around.

Race Car Painting, from Family Fun

H. loves race cars and he loves painting. Put them together, and I'm guessing he's gonna be in messy, four-wheeled bliss!

Hudson's Top Picks

Hudson really loves story time these days. Perhaps it's just a stalling technique since he's got a major aversion to sleep. But for whatever reason, I'll take it. I love, love reading. Especially children's literature (I took an entire class on it in college!) I hope that Hudson will love reading throught his life. Here are some his favorite books as of late:

Pigeon Wants a Puppy, by Mo Willems

Hudson loves all the pigeon books. They are simply, and delightfully illustrated. And they're funny, too. I think Hudson actually memorized this one, because I caught him yesterday in the corner "reading" aloud to himself. And he was getting most of the words right!

I Wish That I Had Duck Feet, by Dr. Seuss

I'm completely thrilled that Hudson loves this book. It was one of my childhood favorites. It really doesn't get much better than this.

Just A Little Critter Collection, by Mercer Mayer

All the Little Critter books are darling. And even more convenient to have a bunch of stories all in one book. The Little Critters were also some of my favorites growing up. It's fun to see how good books are timeless.

But Excuse Me That is My Book, by Lauren Child

Lola is hilarious...and Hudson loves these stories. Lucky for me, because I'm particularly smitten with Charile & Lola. I think Lola reminds me a bit of myself growing up. And, I love the illustrations and the use of patterns. If you haven't seen the show, you're missing out.

That's it for this installment of Hudson's Book Reviews...do you have any favorite children's books? We're always looking for new material.

Pardon Me, Do You Have the Time?

One of the most endearing things about my grandparents home is their collection of clocks. None of them are set to the same time. So at any given moment, you can be certain there is a chime going off. It's long been an inside joke in my family. But now it's one of my fondest memories. Everytime I go back to visit my sweet grandfather, I make sure to pay extra attention when the clocks chime so I'll never forget how they sound. I'm sure that someday I'll have my own clock collection, just to keep tradition alive...but I think I'll wait a few decades to purchase a chiming clock. Here's how I'd start my collection:

Karlsson Mixed Numbers Extra Large Red Clock

Timesphere Clock, available at the MoMA Store

{via dwell}

Swiss Railway Clock, at the MoMA Store

{via Apartment Therapy}

Colours, from Richard Shed

Karlsson DIY Wall Cube Clock

{via Remodelista}

Cuckoo Clock, from decoylab

I Forgot...

...how to carry on a normal conversation. I spend most of my day conversing with knee-high people, so most conversations have a three sentence maximum. On the rare occasion that I find myself in a situation with another adult and I flounder miserably. Either I talk nonstop, or I can't think of a single thing to say. So my question is, Did having a kid actually make me dumber?

Either way, I think I could use this book.

Spring Fever: Cured

I know this warm weather can't last much longer. And when it's gone, I'll undoubtedly be left with an unbearable case of spring fever. I've found a cure with Trina Turk's Spring and Summer 09 collections:

{honolulu dress}

{molokai sweater}

{barbados dress}

{island girl top}




{linea dress}

{all photos from Trina Turk}

Little Boys

Is there a word to describe what a little boy does to his mother's heart?

Today is...

Today is a day to remember.




Today is history in the making.

Today is about looking forward.

Today is a time to celebrate.

Today is filled with hope.

Happy inauguration day!
Don't forget to write down your thoughts and feelings about today's events. Your grandkids will appreciate it someday.

{Photos: here and here}