5 Things Friday

Happy Friday!  Thank you all very much for your sweet comments on my crazy pregnant lady post a few days ago.  It made me feel better, and I'm sure I'll pick exciting new things to freak out about this week.

Until then, here are five things (maybe) worth sharing on the internet.

1. I love how clean and simple this room is, and it may be sacrilegious to say, but my first thought was that it could easily be done on the cheap.  I'm thinking Ikea rug, Overstock headboard, Homegoods mirror, and a thrift store nightstand. 

via Domaine

2. This easy recipe for bread looks delicious! (via Alexandra Cooks)

3.  I never thought about it, but it makes perfect sense that a tattoo and piercing parlor would be a much better choice for piercing a child's ears than a store at the mall.  This article explains why.

I just liked this picture.

4. Remember this nursery that was all over Pinterest a while back?  I just came across a twin of the rug on RugsUSA and they're having a 50% off sale with free shipping! (another version)

via Lay Baby Lay

5. I have learned to love little boy clothes so much.  I definitely prefer things that are more "little man" than sailor suit/cutesy animals/cartoon sports print.  I also don't spend more than about $8 on anything, and usually less than $5.  Luckily, the Joe Fresh line at JCPenney is super cute and the sales are pretty great right now.  I just picked this shirt up for Baby Cardigan (for next year) and it makes me smile every time I see it.  

Check out the rest of the line here (there's some cute girl stuff too!)

 Have a nice weekend!

Real Life: Around here lately...

I have writer's block, y'all.  It's bad.  For days I've tried to come up with something worth writing and find that all my important clothing opinions are gone.  Perhaps I need a little break, but instead I'll talk about what's been going on in my head.

1. Nesting is real
It's so strange to realize that right now, I'm a little bit crazy.  I have always been particular about my home, but now I am greatly distressed by small things like my new vintage dining chairs that need new seat covers RIGHT NOW.  I am attempting to do it myself (what could go wrong?), and now I have hours of work ahead of me and yet another trip to JoAnn's Fabric for high density foam.   Let's not even talk about how much work remains in Baby Cardigan's room.

My chairs are in the background of this ad - aren't they awesome??

2. I've had my nose in a book

This book, to be exact.  If you are a Philippa Gregory fan, you won't be disappointed in her latest novel, which I think may be the last in the Cousin's War series.  However, this time around I grew quickly annoyed by the constant need to reintroduce each character.  Nobody would mention "my brother Richard, the Duke of Suffolk" in an internal monologue.  Especially not for hundreds of pages.

Now I'm moving on to Hollow City, because I loved Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and am afraid I won't finish all the books I want to read before the baby comes.  You'd think I'd use this time to nest some more, but no.  Again, I'm a little bit crazy.

3. I feel super pregnant... and scared.

Up until this point (34 weeks) I've been lucky to be mostly symptom-free, and able to sleep easily and wear lots of cute maternity clothes.  Now that my belly has "popped", I have one pair of jeans that are comfortable and am rotating lots of Old Navy leggings and stretchy dresses.  It's not my favorite look, and my chest has expanded yet again, so even the cute XXL nursing bra I bought at Target to wear at the hospital probably isn't going to fit.  

It's going to be a long six weeks, especially now I know way to much about the horrors of the postpartum situation that I was blissfully unaware of until about a week ago (thanks a lot, birthing class!)  I keep trying not to think about it because I might cry or vomit.  

I'm also dreading breastfeeding, which makes me feel like there may be something wrong with me (calm down lactivists, I'm still going to do it).  Was anyone else just not excited about it at all?  I'm still super pumped about the baby, so maybe I'll surprise myself.  Or I will pump lots of milk.

Look how cute my baby is, though!  I love him. 

4. I can make myself cry in 7-10 seconds.  Too bad I have no need of this (hopefully temporary) talent!

I just timed it.  However, most of the tears come when I see things on Facebook about dogs needing homes.  Luckily, my Stila eyeliner can withstand such situations as long as I don't rub my eyes.

So, what's been going on with the rest of you?  Any other midcentury-philes, book worms, or slightly crazy mommies to be out there?

5 Things Friday

Happy Friday, internet!  I hope everyone is staying warm and gearing up for a fun weekend.  I'm planning on celebrating my friend's baby (due 2 weeks before Baby Cardigan - they're going to be such cute little buddies!) and hopefully making a bit more nursery progress.  (Who knew finding an affordable, large, round mirror in Dallas would be so hard?)

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

1. It's been years, and I'm still obsessed with gallery walls.  This one from Kelly Oxford's office is perfection!  I think the mix of white space and saturated color is what makes it pop.

via Domaine

2. My hair is getting super crazy long, and I want to try something like this but it looks hard to do on yourself.

3. I love when old things look modern - isn't it cool to think that this quilt is 114 years old but looks like you'd see it in West Elm today?  It can be yours for the bargain price of $3,200!

4. I want to have a waist again, and then wear a flared dress like this striped one at Gap.  I checked it out in store when I was shopping for $2 baby clothes (surprisingly plentiful!) and it's super cute and nicely made.  The sleeveless version would also be a great office staple, or even work for cocktail dress codes with the right jewelry and shoes.  I'd consider getting one tailored if you can find it for 40% off!

5. As much as I freak out about getting things done before the baby arrives, one thing I've been sure to keep doing is baking.  I love it, and this week's recipe looks pretty easy and my husband might even eat it.  Check out this lemon pound cake from Martha Stewart Living.

Have a nice weekend!

Just for Fun: Modern Day Downton

As ridiculous as it can be sometimes, I love Downton Abbey.  This season isn't shaping up to be my most favorite, but I will keep watching, especially since Edith quite being such a loser.

And since I love picking out clothes for fictional characters, here's my take on what Mary, Edith, and Rose would be wearing if they were getting dressed in 2014:

I picture Mary as a posh single mum rocking her Louboutins at play group, while Edith is a successful writer for the New Yorker and Cousin Rose posts selfies to Instagram while partying with Pippa Middleton and Prince Harry.

Ok, who else is a Downton addict?  What do you think of season four??

P.S. I'm not responsible for any spoilers in the comments, so don't read if you're not up to date!

Back to Basics in 2014: What to Buy

Happy MLK Day!  I hope that many of you are enjoying a day off like me - I'll be fabric shopping for my new dining chairs, getting a much needed pedicure, and hopefully spending a little time cleaning my house before relaxing with a magazine and the last few episodes of The White Queen (yes, from this summer/fall.  I got way behind.)

As promised last week, since we covered what to toss this year, I'm back with a little guide on what to buy.  One thing I'm trying to be better about this year is not being a sucker for a sale and buying things because they're a good value and I will sometimes wear them.  I know I own way more than I need, and as this roundup of items proves, you don't need a whole lot to be classicly on-trend in 2014.

(sorry, these got out of order)

black dress / green dress / lace blouse / denim shirt / gingham shirt / gray tee

slim straight jeans / black crop jeans (similar) / chino shorts / faux-leather jacket

slip-on converse / leopard flats ($42 on clearance!) / bib necklace / scarf / watch

cross body bag / sunglasses

The best thing about having a collection of staple pieces is that you don't have to overthink anything when you get an invitation.  If you're not happy with your wardrobe and plan to start over, or at least fill some voids this year, these are all pieces that you'll be glad to own.  Here's what I mean:

5 Things Friday

Happy Friday, internet!  I am not a fan of this week, and cannot wait for it to be over.  Hopefully I'll be able to make some progress on Baby Cardigan's room after our "fast track" prepared childbirth class (is all day really necessary? we are not excited) and watch a movie or two... or three.

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

1. If this is all it takes to be stylish this spring, count me in!  White + Denim = Easy.

But I will not wear overalls, I don't care who sells them or pairs them with heels. 

image via Madewell

2. In case you didn't know, being pregnant also comes with FEELINGS.  On any given day you'll find me fighting back tears about how old my dog is, any sad thing I see online, how much there is to do before Baby Cardigan is here,  and the fact that most boys in America don't enjoy reading and my son might grow to be one of them.  Luckily that last problem is being addressed by Guys Read, a literacy program for boys aimed at encouraging reading by finding the right books and ways to compete with the apps and games that dominate the lives of so many little guys.  Check them out if you've got a boy in your life who could use less screen time.

3. I am looking for a bookshelf like this one (1960s Drexel).  Has anyone seen a similar mid-century reproduction?  I am having to spread my books throughout my house now that our spare room is a nursery and it is distressing me greatly.

4. This week's recipe to try is Honey Beer Bread via Cookie Monster Cooking.  It looks easy and delicious and there is a bottle of Shiner Blonde in my fridge that will be sacrificed for this cause.

5. I love a good packing list, especially when someone else does the work of putting it together.  Even though most of us aren't going to Alt Summit, this roundup of mixable pieces via Jillgg at Good Life for Less is good for anyone planning a weekend trip soon.

Have a nice weekend, ladies!

Back to Basics in 2014: What to Toss

Is it weird that I really enjoy cleaning out closets?  I'm pretty ruthless when it comes to purging, and it feels great to drop off a big donation or watch my PayPal balance increase.

However, I know not everyone shares my zeal, so I've created a little guide to help you make some space in your closet for bright, shiny new clothes this year.  Check back on Monday for some suggestions on what to buy!

(Truth time: I am guilty of holding on to every single one of these until very recently!)