5 Things Friday

It's Friday, internet!  Even though this week was a short one at work, it felt like it would never end at times.  Now I'm super excited to see Aziz Ansari with my husband and get a blowout at my friend Maryam's salon (let's have a primping party ay Pouf in Dallas!)  I may even make someone take my picture (or 100) in hopes of getting a few for the ol' blog.  Maybe.

Until then, here are five things worth sharing on the internet:

1. I'm a pretty decisive person, but when it comes to small details like pillow fabric or picking a blog header font, I will second guess myself for weeks.  I'm in the process of creating a mood board for the blog design I'll be commissioning soon, and I can't even decide if I want something scripty or minimal or something else entirely.  What do you think would look good in white over this color (Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball)? 

Is this a cheerful swirly font blog?  I kind of think so... I'm not very chic and minimalist.

2. This past weekend we hosted our annual crawfish boil and it was a lot of fun!  I was in charge of dessert and made these brownies (via Kevin & Amanda).  However, mine look nothing like the photo, but they are ridiculously good.  You basically take a box mix, but instead of adding water you add cookies and cream ice cream and a ton of hot fudge, then a layer of Oreos!

3. I've been wanting some white skinny jeans, and after lots of trying on I ended up with my old faithful Always Skinny from Gap.  The online only style does not have holes in it (which I will never understand - I do not like it at all!) and they're the best inexpensive option I've found if you've got some curve to your hips.  However, like all Gap pants, the sizing is wildly erratic.  I had to go up a size from my usual dark wash skinnies since white denim is much less forgiving.  

I'll wear mine with a fancy tunic and look just like this:

4. Ever since I saw this photo, this Southern girl has been planning on a DIY version of this print.  (I know, it's crappy to look at someone's artwork and think that, but I need a small size)

via The Hunted Interior

5. I found this to be helpful:

And with that, I bid you good weekend!

Things That Blogging Makes Me Forget

I can't believe it, but I've been blogging for almost three and a half years.  The landscape has changed a lot in that time, and it has changed me too.  My old posts make me giggle, and I'm glad to see that my taste level has evolved and that I have a more defined style.

However, sometimes I have to step back and remind myself that the blogosphere is not actually real life.  It's a carefully curated collection of the prettiest things we see, with occasional "I'm going to get real for a minute"posts like this one. 

Often times, I find myself laughing at some of the things that start to make me feel bad about myself, and today I've made a little list so that I don't get delusional again:

So, what has blogging (and Pinterest) caused you to lose sight of?  Please share!

P.S. This is not intended as a shot at anyone or their blog, just my own commentary on what I've noticed and caught myself doing on occasion.

Reader Request: Baby Girl Nursery

Hello!  I hope all of you had a great holiday weekend.  We had a great party on Saturday, and a couple of downright lazy days after that.  It was wonderful.

Today I'm happy to be back on the internet and helping Claire, a blog reader looking for some ideas on decorating a nursery for the baby she's having this fall.  Even though I'm no decorator, I like playing with mood boards and had a great time playing around online to create these options for her.

For a baby girl, Claire likes a gray, coral and yellow color scheme.  I don't care for true themed or super juvenile rooms, so I tried to create a mix of items that could grow up to include a regular bed and desk.  That means staying away from matching furniture sets so new additions don't look out of place, and buying quality pieces for long-term use and cheaper things for baby years only.

  

lacquered dresser  |  elephant print  |  curtains  |  flamingo print  |  mermaid print  |  mirror  

rocker  |  yellow otami bedding  |  pillow  |  lamp  |  animals

Claire is also looking for baby boy ideas, but that board is still bouncing around in my head so look for it later this month!  Until then, check out the queen of nursery mood boards - Joni at Lay Baby Lay.

And, all of you mamas out there, please chime in with words of wisdom and suggestions.  I have no children, so my ideas may lack practicality.  :)

5 Things Friday

Happy Friday! I hope all of you had a great week and are gearing up for a long weekend full of sun (and sunscreen!), good food, and friends.  I know I will be!

Until then, here are five things worth sharing on the internet:

1. This week I spent a lot of time restyling our living room and moving our artwork around.  I also replaced our coffee table and got new pillow covers made for the sofa.  I'm excited to take some pictures and share, but until then I wanted to pass along an amazing source for artwork.  We Are 1976 is the cutest boutique and they have so many great, affordable prints! If you're in Dallas, you should visit in person, but they have an online store as well.

I picked up these two pieces (Eclipse and Rain Shadow) by Cathy McMurray and they coexist nicely with my Charley Harpers.  Now I'm excited to collect more of her prints (also on Etsy)!

2.  Another one of this week's activities was my attempt at hacking an Ikea Rast chest and making a cute end table.  Last me tell you, it did not go very well.  I wanted to stain the top and sides a reddish brown a la my favorite mid-century pieces.  So I busted out the Minwax and went to town in the backyard.  Unfortunately, only the tabletop and kick plate took the stain properly and the sides were a hot mess.  Then I tried to paint over the ugly stain and assembled the chest anyway, but the only adjective that came to mind was "cheap".    ... here is the look I was going for.  May all of you have better luck than me.

image via tinywildthings.com

3. Who else watches Call the Midwife?  I love it so much.  I especially love Sister Bernadette and loved finding this picture of her out of the habit.  (Mild spoiler alert:  Oh my gosh the finale made me cry and collapse on the couch with happiness!):

4.  I have long admired Osborne & Little's Coronata Star wallpaper, but at about $200/roll it's a big investment.  However, I was thrilled to see this project from Kristen F. Davis involving paint and stencils.  Much cheaper!  It could also be achieved with silver contact paper and a Cricut!

5.  True Blood comes back in 23 days!

Covering Your Bases: Best of Swim Coverups

We all know it's important to find a swimsuit that you feel great in.  (I shared my favorites here)  However, it's sort of silly to cover your awesome suit in some ratty old workout shorts when you could keep looking great while you eat your barbeque and head to the bar.  Or dance to your old school boom box by the pool, as I often do:

La Blanca tunic via Nordstrom

Luckily, there are tons of great swimsuit coverup options, and you don't need to get crazy and spend a lot of money.  I've picked a few of my favorites that won't break the budget, or make you miserably hot like all of the sweaters (wtf??)  that my favorite magazine editors seem to think are a great option for the beach in the heat:

Swim coverups by cardiganjunkie featuring a swim suit cover up

aerie  |  world market  |  piperlime

LOFT  |  asos  |  old navy  |  LOFT  |  asos

What do you like wearing for a coverup?  Know of any hidden gems that we should consider?

Memorial Day Style + My New Favorite Show!

Happy Monday!  Although it feels like summer is already here in Texas, this weekend marks the unofficial beginning.  Like many others, I'll be hosting about 40 of our closest friends in my backyard for a crawfish boil and can't help but think about all the cute patriotic outfits I could wear for the occasion.

Memorial Day Cookout by cardiganjunkie featuring warby parker eyewear

However, I have these things in my actual closet and will be wearing them instead.  And I'll totally look like that lady on the right.

memorial day in real life by cardiganjunkie featuring petite shorts

And when we're not cooking crawfish, I'll be catching up on my new favorite show: Mr. Selfridge on PBS.  If you like Downton Abbey, you'll be instantly enamored with the story of how Selfridge's (the iconic London department store) came to be.  There's love, (PG-13) sex, drama, and gorgeous Victorian cinematography.  

And my newest celebrity crushes: Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Grégory Fitoussi

Have any of you been watching the series?  What do you think?

5 Things Friday

Happy Friday, internet!  I hope you all had a great week.  I'm looking forward to some down time with my doggies and my books, and maybe some cooking experiments!  Until then, here are five things worth sharing on the internet:

1. I think this is so awesome.  A photographer mom dresses her daughter up as inspirational women like Amelia Earhart and Coco Chanel to help her be excited about occupations besides princess.

image by Jaime Moore Photography

2.  I think this table from West Elm is so pretty, but I'm wondering if the mosaic pattern could be mimicked with paint (and taped lines)?  It may be worth a shot on a thrift store or Ikea table!

 

3.  I finally made it back into a LOFT store last weekend, and am kicking myself for not buying these shorts.  The inseam is 4 inches, which totally suits my style and body type, and the print is cheerful and happy without being so bright that it's hard to wear.  Try them out!  (P.S. I did get this dress and it is so flattering - not too short, very slimming!)

4. For the Dallas people:  My sweet friend Maryam (blogger/mama/photographer behind the blog Pamplemousse1983) has opened a blowout salon called Pouf and the grand opening party is tomorrow.  The aesthetic of the salon is so modern and peppy, and I highly recommend that you pay them a visit.  Those ladies were able to turn my elbow length thick, straight hair into perfect beachy waves.  Check them out at poufblowout.com!

 image via Pamplemousse1983

5. I remember being intrigued by this book when it came out in 2009, and I was reminded of it again this week and now I can't wait to suggest it to my book club! Important Artifacts and Personal Property from the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Including Books, Street Fashion, and Jewelry is a work of fiction in the form of an auction catalog.  By looking at each listing, you'll learn the protagonists' love story - there are is not a traditional narrative.  I think it sounds so interesting and will be a fun read!

And with that, I bid you good weekend!

Wedding Guest Dresses - Two Ways!

My husband and I have gone to a lot of weddings in the past few years.  Seriously, I can count ten including ours!  Although I'm fortunate to have two great staple dresses (and no fear of re-wearing them!) I know lots of other women see a wedding as a reason to buy something new.  And since I love a good shopping challenge, I thought I'd share a few options that you can wear to the wedding and then again for less formal occasions.

In my mind, this means you should look for a dress you really like and can wear for a long time, but it doesn't mean you need to spend lots of money either.  Observe:

wedding guest dresses - two ways by cardiganjunkie featuring a wood bracelet

wedding guest dresses - two more ways by cardiganjunkie featuring plastic sunglasses

I think the key to versatility is a good quality fabric that isn't too sheer, but also not too shiny.  You can rely on accessories to bring the glamour, and the dress can rise to the occasion.  However, you should avoid thin cotton, jersey knit, and any smocking or elastic.  I regret to inform you that this rules out most (but not all) of what you'll see at Target and Old Navy, although the latter has some amazing eyelet dresses that are nicely made and look great!

Here are the dresses I featured, in case you're interested:

Food for Thought on a Monday

Happy Monday!  I've been busy watching television, attempting to Ikea hack, and speed reading The Great Gatsby.  Unfortunately, that meant no time for blogging.

However, here are a few little bits of wisdom and lovely words that made me smile this past week:

5 Things Friday

Happy Friday!  I've gotten behind on the blogging this week, so here are five things worth sharing before I spend Mother's Day weekend with my lovely mama. 

1. This little boy room by Emily Henderson and Orlando Soria features a huge DIY painting that Orlando made with canvas and painter's tape.  Isn't it awesome behind the bed?

2. In going through my craft box, I remembered that I have a couple yards of this fabric just laying around.  If you're interested in buying it, shoot me an email and I'll measure it and send you some photos.  I think it looks great on pillows (I have two!) and it will be priced to sell ;-)

3. I am getting my new bed delivered on Tuesday, and I cannot wait!! I have white sheets and a white quilt, and I'm thinking I need a leopard bolster pillow to pair with my DwellStudio euro shams.  I also want to paint our bedroom, but my husband needs a little more convincing.  What do y'all think?

4. Did you know that Emerson Fry has an online outlet store?  There are some deals to be had, if you're a fan of the brand!  For example, this dress was $285 and now it's $78. You can follow them on Facebook to get notified when they restock!

5. I think these monogrammed cosmetic bags look a lot more expensive than they are, and thus make a wonderful gift idea now that wedding season is upon us.  The large canvas/leather bag is only $28!

And with that, I bid you good weekend!

Reader Request: Packing for a Packed Schedule

Good morning!  Today I'm excited to help our Valentina, who is about to embark on a pretty hectic trip where she'll be attending a retirement barbeque, a Mother's Day gathering, two days of work, and a baseball game.  Wow, that makes me tired just thinking about it!

She doesn't want to bring her whole closet to Michigan with her, so I had a good time putting together an illustrative scenario that would allow her to only bring a carry-on bag:

packed schedule packing by cardiganjunkie featuring a liz claiborne necklace

Although she may need to wash/Febreze some clothes, it's possible to dress for varied occasions with the same pieces.  At the barbeque, a great pair of dark slim-cut jeans will look casual but classy with a ruffled blouse.  Then, the same blouse can be paired with black slacks (or a skirt) and blazer for work.  A basic black dress can go casual or church-appropriate for Mother's Day depending on the jewelry and (optional) cardigan, then make a second appearance at work with a blazer on top and serious heels.  Finally, some casual pieces that are perfect for the baseball game can be remixed with jeans and other layers for the plane ride home.  Add some pajamas and 1-2 more shirts just in case, and you'll be set!