things i love: boxes

one of my favorite things in the whole wide world is getting mail.

i feel like a little kid – the anticipation of getting something special is reminiscent of the night before christmas.

now mostly, i just get bills and other such un-fun things. but once a month i can count on getting something special in the mail thanks to birchbox and bluum. {i guess technically, it would count as twice a month.}

in a nutshell, they are wonderful little companies that send you samples every month. birchbox is for any woman- they send samples of beauty-related products every month. bluum is for mamas. they send samples of things for mamasandbabies. anything from beauty products to floor cleaner to rattles.

the best part? the price – you can get a birchbox for just $10/month or a bluum box for just $12/month. with both companies you can earn points if you review the products {for other birchbox or bluum members} you receive and the points can go toward purchasing products or getting a free box.

the added bonus is finding a product that you fall in love with and will use for all eternity.

even if you don’t want to undulge for yourself, they make great gifts. what woman do you know who wouldn’t love to get beauty product samples every month from birchbox? and what about the new mama in your life? i think you other mamas would all agree that a little treat like a bluum box would be a real pick-me-up in the midst of a newly-sagging tummy, sore nipples, and a special place that doesn’t feel so special.

plus if nothing else, it feels great to have your name on something that isn’t the electric bill.

if not for pinterest

I would never have found these inspiring fashion blog{ger}s.

 

I would never have tried this unbelievably delicious smoothie.

Or these delectable pancakes. {in heaven, these things are served daily}

And I never would have found the gazillions of ideas for parties, weddings, home inspiration, and so, so much more that I have so far.

Basically, Pinterest rocks my socks.

Do you pin?

things i love: scarves

It’s fall-like ’round these parts, and there’s no greater accessory on a brisk fall day {ok, on any day} than a scarf.

There are so many options to choose from – you really can’t go wrong.

Loop scarves:

1. Shredded Snood  2. Ribbed Collar  3. AEO Metallic Striped Loop Scarf 4. Hearthstone Snood 5. Marled Slub Cowl Neck Scarf 

Print carves:

1. H&M Scarf 2. AEO Dot Scarf 3. World Traveler Scarf 4. Square Silk Scarf

And my personal favorite; the fringe scarf:

1. Scarf with Fringes 2.Fringe Scarf with Sequins 3. Soft Open Knit Scarf 4. Open Knit Fringe Infinity Scarf 5. H&M Scarf

If you happen to be looking for birthday present or Christmas gift ideas for me {cough Luke cough}, my absolute favorite is fringe scarf number 1. It’s splendid.

What about you? Are you a scarf-kinda-gal?

things i love: cognac boots

I guess there’s some woman somewhere who duped her husband into thinking that he had to get her a present for bearing him a child, and it’s become this forced tradition. Poor guy.

When Luke asked me what I wanted for “giving him a son”, I took the high road initially and said that it was such a silly concept; the baby is mine too, he’s my gift and that’s just plenty.

And then I thought about boots. And everything changed.

I guess most women get jewelry, but I’m going to be totally honest here and say that like chocolate,  jewelry just isn’t my thing. Are you ready to kick me out of womanhood now? Sure, I love a great diamond as much as the next gal, but what really gets me going is a great pair of shoes. Or a sweater. Or some jeggings. You get the picture right?

So I’ve really been thinking that a pair of cognac boots would be an EXCELLENT addition to my fall wardrobe, and my husband readily agreed since, in my case, jewelry is more expensive than a pair of boots. And just in case you are giving your husband a child and you would rather have a great pair of cognac boots instead of a pair of earrings or something equally as boring, I’m going to share some of my favorite finds with you – aren’t I a gem?

zoom – perchinski – buro – newbie – candence – catepult – ruckuss

Personally, the Buro boots from Aldo are my favorite, but I think this baby is going to have to really be something in order to squeeze $180 out of his papa. Let’s hope.

So what do you think of cognac boots?

things i love: pottery barn {pillows}

So, really I could probably dedicate an entire post to my love for Pottery Barn, but in order to keep this to “article” length rather than “novel” length, I’ll just share with you my love of their pillows.

In an effort to get this kid outta me already, I went to my local mall {it used to be only 15 minutes away, now I have to drive 30-ish minutes to get there. sigh.} and walked some laps.

I usually walk right past the Pottery Barn store, because there’s nothing more tempting than seeing their goodies in person. And I’m all about having self control. When I feel like it. But this dining room table hooked me and reeled me in. And once you cross the threshold of the door, there’s no going back.

So, I walked around.

And stumbled upon some pillows that I’m positively in lurve with. Y’see, as I’ve mentioned about 30 trazilion times, I’m attempting to revamp my entire house. But to save my husband’s sanity and our savings account from too much trauma, I don’t want to {or have to} do it all at once.

Right now, my living room is accented with deep cranberry-reds. And it’s a little more formal than I’d like it to be. I want that rustic farmhouse charm, and it’s just not happening with what I’ve got. So, out with the old, and in with the new. In order to successfully complete my revamp, I don’t need new furniture or anything that terribly complicated – just switching out the accessories {and maybe changing the paint color – but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it} will do the trick.

These are my “accessories” of choice:

{of course this one’s sold out}

Like a great pair of jeans, these solid pillows set the stage for patterns and prints. I love that even though they’re very basic, they still have personality with the ties and the braiding.

I LOVE these patterned pillows. I think that even though they’re a little on the “flower-y” side, they’re not too feminine. Which is good because I’m about to be surrounded by males. I love that the colors are muted {I’m not one for bold colors, which would come as a shock to anyone who paid a visit to my house in its current state.} while still somehow being cheerful. Maybe it’s the combo of blue and yellow?

Anyway. You should totally go check out Pottery Barn’s super-great pillow collection. There’s so much to choose from!

things i love: shabby apple

Please tell me y’all have heard about the Shabby Apple? If you haven’t, boy will you love to hate me after you read this.

They have fabulous dresses, wonderful jewelry and accessories, and even a maternity line {which they call Mama Apple – how adorable is that?}.

I’m not sure when I discovered them, but it was from an ad on someone’s blog, and after about 30 seconds of looking around at their goods, I was hooked. Hooked, I tell you.

I would say that their style fits comfortably in the “updated classics” genre of the fashion world, which means that a purchase from their store would be an investment well worth the cost of business. Their pieces will last forever.

So, without further ado – I give you: My Favorites from Shabby Apple  –

1. Trade Winds dress $89 2. Seven Seas in Seersucker dress 3. Madison Ave dress $76 4. Magical shoes – $85 5. Amaretti Clip $12 6. Gondola dress $84 7. Jacob’s Pillow dress $94

It’s ok to hate me now. I understand.

things i love: fluffy white couches

I am in love, love, love the with rustic-farmhouse-cottage style. LOVE.

I love the lived-in homey look it has; that you feel like you can just come in and join the party, rather than feeling that you might mess something up.

There’s nothing that brings the rustic-farmhouse-cottage style together better than a big fluffy white couch.

Join me in my swoon, won’t you?

{via}

{via}

You really ought to take a peek around Dreamy Whites – her home is to. die. for.

{via}

Ahhhhhh, that was refreshing. It makes me want to cover my existing couch with white sheets. Maybe……

things i love: beach days with my sister

Andrea and I were keeping a close eye on the weather.

Inevitably, once we express a desire to have a beach day, the weather gods decide that rain is a perfect addition to this otherwise-happy occasion. And we have to change our plans.

But this time, the clouds parted and we enjoyed a sunny – albeit chilly and breezy – beach day. We took a nap, had a picnic lunch, and even got some color.

It was a blast.

things i love: braids

In the interest of keeping my blog about more than just baby bedding, pregnancy hormones, and my woes over still not picking out a boy name, I give you: Something Not Related To My Pregnancy At All.

Aren’t you glad?

Braids are all the rage this season in the hair world, and I’m loving the trend. To see some of my favorite styles, check out my post on All Things Chic.

sometimes, it’s just because it’s pretty

I’m only half-ashamed to say that I don’t pay terribly close attention to a lot of medical warnings regarding, well, everything in the universe that can harm us.

Like plastic and BPA and pesticides and organic vs. um, non-organic food.

I guess I just don’t think it’s worth it to be so stressed out about everything in the world. There has to come a point when we realize that we just aren’t in control of everything and that we can only be so responsible.

But this week, after maternity-clothes shopping {another post entirely} I went into Starbucks and saw this.

It’s a glass water bottle, which is, apparently, all the rage these days. They were so cute with their “green” advertising. BPA free! Helps reduce the accumulation of plastic water bottles in landfills across the US! Eco-friendly!

And you know what I thought?

“Ooh it’s pretty! I think I want it!”

Sometimes, that’s just the best selling feature. All that other stuff is cool too, though. I mean, if that’s what you’re into.