august rush

And just like that, it's August! As of late I've been happily swallowed up by all things Rowan. I unconsciously took a step back from the internet and a bit from social media. I actually haven't gone to my blog reader in several months.

I was getting to that place. You know the one where those of us that are active on social media can sometimes go. The place where everything in your life is Kansas- colorless and ordinary. While everyone else seems to live in the colorful and dazzling Oz. And, so, I've been choosing to focus on the real. The tangible. The pleasures of good books, nights out with friends, snuggling with my husband and Rowan's infectious laughter!

I found this quote on Pinterest...I know, I know but at least it's not attributed to Marilyn Monroe or Shakespeare...but it's been rolling around in my head for months and is always there when I push play and turn on the negativity in my head.

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not, but remember that what you now have was once among the things only hoped for."
      

for rowan{give a little bit}

In just over a month our baby boy will be 1! I'm not quite sure where this year has gone but if time could do me a solid, and slow down just a bit, I'd be forever grateful!

I've been thinking about and bouncing around ideas for his birthday party probably since he was six months old. But, we didn't start discussing it in earnest until a few months ago. During one of the many conversations Doug suggested that we donate blood as a way to say thank you for all that had been done for us. If you've read Rowan's birth story, you know that it was a fairly traumatic and critical situation for me and the baby. I lost about two liters of blood and had to receive a blood transfusion. We received such good care! I'm not sure either of us would have survived without it.

I thought his idea was terrific. This has been such a special year for our family. To mark Rowan's birthday and in honor of everything that it made this year possible, we decided to hold a blood drive.

Starting March 1 we are asking friends, family and anyone that is moved to do so, to give blood. Donations will be collected at all Hoxworth Blood Centers. You can schedule an appointment or simply walk in to any of the neighborhood donation centers. When filling out your information /registration form please use the code: ROW to help us track the donations made in Rowan's name. Check out the Hoxworth Blood Center website for places to donate, hours and directions. The blood drive runs from March 1 until March 25. If you're not local but you know someone that is in Cincinnati, please share the story with them and if you don't know anyone locally please think about donating to your local blood bank. Every bit helps!!

note on parenting{sometimes you forget}

I try really hard to avoid being judgmental about the parenting choices of others. And for the most part, I remain pretty judgement free. The" mommy wars" are stupid and as long as your choices don't hurt my kid we're all good.

However, I've come to realize I may have been a bit dismissive of the parenting problems of those with little ones. Having been through it all, I roll my eyes a little when I hear of sleepless nights, potty training battles and toddler tantrums. I would gladly take a 3 year old melting down in the Target checkout lane over a screaming match in the front yard(as your neighbors try to proceed with their very normal lives) because your 15 year old daughter has been caught trying to sneak out of the house again. In my head waking up every hour to feed your baby safe and sound in his own room is exhausting but better than laying awake terrified that you're going to a call your kid has wrapped the car around a telephone poll the first time you let her take it out unsupervised at night. Parenting takes nerves of steel and you need every bit of them when taking on tw/teens!

This week I've been humbled. February is always the gray and dreary. Why does the shortest month of the year drag itself out for so long?! The temperatures have dropped dangerously low-below zero before you even factor in the wind chill. We've had more snow in the last week than we typically have all winter. And then of course there's the cold/flu/general ick that keeps circulating through the house. As soon as we're all healthy two weeks later someone brings home a new germ and it starts all over again. Good times, I tell ya'. This is all to say that for last week I've trapped in house with a grouchy 11 month old. Late Friday evening we'd created the perfect storm. We had a meetup with some other moms and babies which was great but left him over stimulated. He fell asleep for maybe ten minutes on the way which left him grumpy and any attempt to get him to take his afternoon nap was thwarted by a barking dog or ringing doorbell or noisy sibling. By 5 o'clock he was in full meltdown mode. By half past 5, so was I!  Nothing made him happy! He didn't want me to read to him but when I stopped he screamed. He didn't want to eat his snack but when I took it away, he screamed. He didn't want to play with any of toys but when I put them away, well you get the idea. Doug and I took turns handing him off to one another so try to stay sane. It goes without saying that by 6:45 we were all in our pajamas and most of us were asleep. Those that weren't, were quietly tucked into their crib and soon drifted off.

So here's the thing I forgot while being so smug, when you're in it, it can be really, really hard! Yes, angst-y and disrespectful teens are hard. Particularly when you know that the mistakes they tend to make can really mess up their lives in the long run. But that doesn't mean that dealing with an overstimulated toddler screaming and crying and wanting ALL the things isn't just as hard to navigate. It's just different. What's the old saying-Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting their own hard battle-even if that battle is with a very tired 11 month old!        

6&7/52 [the52project}

I'm a week,actually two(...shhh!) behind. I've been taking pictures but there's been a slight lag in blogging about them because....life! February is brutal!

Still love watching him while he sleeps even if he's not doing much napping these days. Those crazy curls are out of control!

Bath time antics and baby chub.



A portrait of my son once a week, every week in 2015.

worn{two of hearts}

what's a girl to do on Valentine Eve when one of her best friends graciously takes you as her plus one to The Cincinnati's Ballet production of Alice in Wonderland?

Valentine's Day is one of the very few days in the year when a dress full of hearts is not only appropriate but it's kind of necessary. A quick prayer to the fashion gods that it still fits and I'm ready to meet the Queen of Hearts.

mood board monday{rowan's wild rumpus}

We're a little more than a month out from our baby's first birthday!! How can this be?! In spite of my deep denial I finally managed to start to put together some sort of plan for his big day.

There are so  too many great ideas on Pinterest. I wanted something fun and not too complicated. Pinterest has a way of making you feel like the most inadequate parent ever! Ultimately, I decided on something that we all love.  Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are  is one of our favorites. Rowan's Wild Rumpus seemed like a perfect fit.

Here's the mood board I sent over to Jen to give her a little inspiration for the invitation design.

5/52{the 52 project}

A portrait of my son once a week, every week in 2015.

There's an app that lets you know what the #1 song was the day you were born. March 25, 2014 the top song was Pharrell's "Happy". Always quick with a giggle or a smile, it's the perfect anthem for this kid!

petal pushing{grocery store arrangements 101}

In my other life, I have my own floral and event company . I've been on a bit of a break since having Rowan but I'm looking forward to relaunching and working on new projects this spring. 

Lately, the only time I make something for my own enjoyment is when we're having a party or if I happen to have a few leftover stems from another project.  But, even pros are known for tossing a bouquet in the cart at the market from time to time. When I buy them for myself I prefer to get something local and seasonal from the farmer's market. However, Ohio in the middle of winter doesn't make this an available option. Grocery store flowers it is!  I will usually purchase them from Trader Joe's, Fresh Market or Whole Foods. These stores seem to have a more interesting variety and are a good value for what you get(TJ sells peonies for something like $5-$10 in the spring! This is cheaper than getting them wholesale at the flower market!). 

Valentine's Day is in a few days. On the off chance that a dozen red roses isn't your jam and maybe you'd like something a little more interesting, I thought I'd put together a little post just in case you want to #treatyoself. I stopped in at Trader Joe's and picked up five bunches of flowers for a total of $20!     

I collect milk glass and decided to use one of the containers that has pedestal like shape because it's always challenging for me to design in them and the only way to get better is to practice. This technique will work with any vessel that has low profile-bowls, short vases, etc. 

I like TJs because I can buy bunches of specific flowers. Mixed bouquets usually have things in them that I'm not particularly fond of(hello stargazer lilies, I'm looking at you! ugh!) but sometimes you have to work with what's there. If you can only buy mixed bouquets try to pick up an extra bunch of greens. I know that Kroger sells bunches(typically 5-10 stems)of mixed greens for a few dollars. Once you get everything home unwrap and disassemble the bouquets. Remove any leaves that have brown spots or look wilted. You also want to give them a fresh cut and put them in water.  

The easiest way to give the arrangement a fuller shape,particularly when you aren't using a crap ton of flowers is to tape a grid pattern on your container. I used floral tape. You can find it at many craft stores. I have used packing tape in a pinch but you have to make sure the sides of the vessel are completely dry or it won't stick.

Before you begin remove any leaves that fall into the water. Leaves in water will cause everything to decay faster.

Start with a base of greenery. The greens give support to the arrangement.

This is when you add your first round of flowers. This is also the point when I tend to freak out and think the end result will be shit. Feel free to skip that step;)

Don't be afraid to play with the arrangement. If it doesn't look the way you want it to move some things around!

At this point, I've started to fill in it in a little more with a different variety of flowers and some filler.

And, voila...

The finished arrangement. Not too bad for $20 and 20 minutes!

Here's what I used:
1 bunch of gerber daisies(spider variety)-10 stems
1 bunch of tulips-10 stems
1 mixed bunch-3 stems of alstromeria, 1 stem of spray roses, 3 standard roses
1 bunch of waxflower-5 stems
1 bunch of seeded eucalyptus 

I like for my arrangements to have a loose organic feel and shape to them so I opt for flowers that have "movement" naturally. Tulips and other things like anemones, lisianthus and  ranunculus are a favorite of mine for that reason. The extra greens help give arrangements a more polished and "done" feeling especially if you can find a bunch that has a variety-ruscus, seeded eucalyptus and silver dollar eucalyptus all have a fantastic natural shape to them. There are plenty of options for filler that are not babies breath. Queen Anne's lace and waxflower are two if my go to's. I will often forage in the yard for things like greens, berries, branches and wildflowers. Don't be afraid to use something that you like! It's just flowers:)


 

4/52{the 52 project}

A portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2015.

Talking to your toys. This is a completely new and absolutely delightful thing!

want.need.wear.read

Wanting this dress from Anthropologie

Need to continue menu planning despite my lack of enthusiasm for it

Finally found a pair of earrings I want to wear every freaking day

This is the book I'm currently reading for next month's book club meeting 

mood board monday{for like ever}

We're almost all the way through January. February brings with it gloomy weather but also my  favorite (completely created by the greeting card industry) holiday, Valentine's Day!

It's the only day where you can get away with being over the top sweet without inducing eyerolls. I can wear pink and red and hearts and glitter all the live long day. And, this, my friends, makes me one happy lady.

Nothing says true love like a Valentine's Day or love day inspired wedding. My own parents were married on Valentine's Day 62(you read it correctly SIXTY-TWO!) years ago. I guess Cupid was on his A game that year!

 

3/52{the 52 project}

A portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2015.

We were at a children's book reading today. It's so funny how babies know when they are in the presence of other little ones. He's deeply fascinated by the little boys next us. Once they said hello to him he couldn't stop smiling and chatting with them. It was as if he'd found his people!

worn{r and me}

Maybe one day soon-ish I'll get back into the flow of using my camera and timer without such laughable results but today is not that day! My photo session was interrupted by the most adorable distraction ever!

This top from f21 has got to be one of the best impulse buys I've ever made. I wore it with cut offs over the summer, with leggings in the fall and now, that temps have dropped, I'm wearing it with jeans and boots.  

worn:
top-forever21(similar)
jeans- (here)
boots-(similar)

mood board monday{blue crush}

After a short break my crush on blue is back. I'm working on a collaboration with one of my favorite vendors and our minds immediately went to the same place-ettheral shades of blue with an almost watercolor like effect, inspired by the great impressionists. I can't wait to get started on this project!  

homegrown(pontiac bourbon+bbq and the macaron bar}

We love to eat pretty much anything in this house but there are two things we will never turn down. Good Mexican food and good barbecue! With barbecue on the brain we headed downtown this week to try the brand spankin' new Pontiac Bourbon and BBQ. For locals, it's the sister restaurant to The Senate and Abigail Street. Those two restaurants are known for amazing food and service(the Senate is one of our faves!) so the bar is set pretty high for Pontiac. It did not disappoint! We started with the buffalo fried pickles which were epic! Doug and I both had pulled pork sandwiches with comes topped with coleslaw. For sides, I chose crinkle cut fries and Doug fries and the mac&cheese. Everything was so good! Despite the fact that the restaurant had just opened the service was smooth, the servers were knowledgeable and friendly. We will definitely be back to try the ribs and a few cocktails.   I also have to note, the interior is great. I'm a sucker for the whole rustic/industrial vibe they've got happening in there.

 Someone loved the mac&cheese.

We couldn't head back to the burbs without stopping at the new Macaron Bar on Main St. for a little something sweet. 

I'm so happy I have to drive all the way downtown for these because they could become a dangerous habit!

worn{blue and a few thoughts on getting dressed}

So, there is much talk around blog land of capsule wardrobes(here) (here) (here) (and an interesting read here). As a girl who needs many options and has been known to change outfits at least four times before leaving the house, I was surprised by my interest in the idea. But when I really thought about it, maternity clothing is essentially a capsule wardrobe. Most pregnant women don't go out and drop a crap ton of cash on a pregnancy wardrobe. I knew this would most likely be my last pregnancy so I made due with some pre-pregnancy tops and sweaters, high waisted skirts, and a belly band to help extended the life of my jeans and when they finally got uncomfortable I bought a pair of maternity skinnies and a few pairs of leggings. I had about 15 things total that were in constant rotation.*this worked for me because I was working from home. I'm sure if I had an office job I would have had to invest more time and money in creating a work wardrobe.

With that in mind, and after months of beating myself up for not getting rid of extra pounds fast enough, I bought a few pair of jeans and five or six tops to work with some things that were already in my closet. It's not the most exciting wardrobe but it's working better than I thought it would. I've managed to reduce my getting dressed routine to about 30 minutes start to finish! This means that I can get dressed with time to spare during Rowan's morning nap. I also feel much more confident that I'm not leaving the house looking an absolute mess!  

I didn't go through the process of photographing my entire wardrobe because who has time for that?! But I'm currently working from a wardrobe that has 4 pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of leggings, 10(or so)tops, and 10ish sweaters(I didn't limit myself on sweaters because I have a LOT of them! However, I find myself reaching for these 10 or so most consistently). I also have three skirts and a dress in the mix but I haven't worn them lately because it's freezing and they're also not exactly practical for rolling around on the floor with the little one.         

One unanticipated effect of the "capsule" mentality is that it's made me a much more discerning shopper. This is not to say that I'm over the notion of fast fashion, with a baby that occasionally spits on me and will soon graduate to a toddler with sticky hands mess is unavoidable and I'm not keen on spending a lot of money on things that will come in contact with the aforementioned messes, I am, however, less inclined to buy something on a whim. I've started thinking more about how things function in my wardrobe. I've also made a list of things I'm looking for to fill gaps in my closet. For example, I'd like to have two new dresses-one in a fun pattern and one in a more classic navy or gray. I've also got my eye on pair of earrings that are much more expensive than the ones I usually buy but I've discovered I wear the same earrings everyday so I should probably invest in pair that are a nicer quality.  

I'm excited to clean out my closet and work on transitioning my capsule into spring! And... I can't even believe I just typed that. Who have I become?!!    

worn:
jeans-f21
blouse-old navy (similar)
booties-target (similar)





Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

2/52{the 52 project}

 A portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2015.

This week he started pulling up on every thing in sight. And, do we even need to talk about those tiny feet on tippy toes?!




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1/52 {the 52 project}

 A portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2015.

Inquisitive and constantly in motion. I love you to pieces.

Read more about it or link up here

worn{back in the saddle}

I'm getting back into the outfit posting saddle and my first outfit of the new year is completely #basic. It's so every girl that I'm not really sure it's worth posting but you gotta start somewhere. And, I'm trying to earn back some of my style blogger street cred, although I'm not sure this ensemble will do much to earn me any style points.

I need to gush about these jeans. Seriously. These jeans are a  postpartum mom's dream. American Eagle Hi Rise Jeggings are pure awesome! It's like wearing denim Spanx. They're like maternity jeans without the shame. They are stretchy and soft and containing the post baby bulge like a champ. Go get you a pair!

I also decided to hit publish on this post because in spite of it's simplicity I felt good in this. If I'm going to be honest, days where I feel good about my body and the way I look are few are far between so it's nice to be able to look at these pics and think that maybe a little piece of my former self is still in there.

details:button down-target|jeans-american eagle|cardigan-american eagle|boots-so old I have no idea 

2015{cultivate}

Oh, hey 2015! The beginning of a new year always brings with it new resolutions and promises for #newyearnewyou. And by the end of  mid January my resolve has crumbled! This year I've decided to focus on one word.  

cultivate:

• to foster the growth of
• to improve by labor, care or study
• further, encourage
• to seek the society of: make friends with

The past few weeks I've made time to sit with myself and really think about what I want to accomplish this year. The word cultivate quickly came to mind. In fact, it popped up so quickly that I dismissed it. But, in trying to come up with not so much a plan for the year but a very loose outline I continued to circle back to this word. It applies to so many of my business and blogging goals as well as a lot of my personal goals.

I want to grow this blog into a space I'm proud of by sharing more honest moments of my life and family. I hope to grow my business by creating opportunity and being unafraid to engage with the creative communities I admire locally and online. I desperately need to develop a home/work/life/marriage/baby routine that is manageable and fosters a healthier more balanced life.


Here's to 2015 and making shit happen!