Clothing Exchange Party

i was thrilled to be invited to one the other night hosted by my friend cara.  i had heard of them, but it was the first time i participated in one and it turned out to be fantastic.  i met some wonderful girls, drank wine and got a new wardrobe for free - what could be better! here were some scenes and scores from the evening...

here's how the invitation read...

"Ladies! Do you spend hours in front of your closet, endlessly searching for something to wear?

 I am so sick of all my clothes, but happen to love my friends' tastes.

Wouldn't it be fun to dig through each others closets?  So..... let's trade! 
Bring your gently used, still fashionable threads - clothes, jewelry, and accessories -
and let's have a glass of wine while we sift through stacks of clothes!"

the exchange had such a relaxed vibe and everyone was so happy to see their clothes
 on the other girls. we were even picking out pieces for each other. i literally walked away
 with a garbage bag full of clothes, here's a few of the pieces...

- well i haven't, but i can say this dress has spent time in barbados!

- gorgeous rings, bracelet, and two bottom sweaters courtesy of cara. 

i tried the red one on first and when i loved it,
 she ran upstairs and pulled the other one from her closet.

 like me she often buys things in doubles - so sweet of you cara.

- and this bottom tunic i got from courtney, ironically i gave it to her three years ago.  

before i got there she bet the other girls i would like it and not realize it was ever mine.

i had a little deja vu when i saw it, but she was totally right.  it's funny how clothing can

carry baggage with it that you suddenly want to purge from your life.  it now feels new to me again.

thanks girls for all the wonderful pieces and a great night!

i was in desperate need of both. when i tried to leave that night my husband had to peel our
screaming three-year old off me who was pulling some amazing line-backer like moves.
it was one of those moments when you hope none of your neighbors are watching. hahaha

Rug Hunt

a couple of my friends recently bought a new place and asked me to help them find a rug for their great room.  they didn't want anything too graphic or flashy and they have a lot of antique wood furniture it has to go with.  i think with rugs, the bigger the better, because it will visually increase the size of the space.  one that's too small will definitely do the opposite.  i decided to see if i could find one large enough that was also thick for under $500.  i was surprised to find many beautiful ones that more than met my challenge at where else, but... target.

asilah sahara rug

zelda rug in gray
 i love this over-dyed and worn look i'm seeing everywhere these days 

donovan rug in gray

if you've ever watched a basement or playroom renovation on hgtv then you've probably heard of Flor. 

i can personally say that i own two and they are great for kids and pets and what's best is you can create

 your own size and shape. you can rinse them off in the sink and re-configure them for a new room

 down the road too.  here's a couple of their new designs i'm loving...

sweater weather

roadside attraction

and even if you're not in the market for a new rug, Flor's catalog is a great source of design inspiration.
 i own a sofa very similar to this and i would have never thought covering it in a plaid fabric
 like this would work, but it totally does.

Feels Like Fall...

the boys had a great time picking out pumpkins for the first time ever.
we went to this family run pumpkin patch that was extremely warm and welcoming.
everyone was so kind and we will definitely be back next year.

cole the collector... he had a great time picking everything out

even dean picked out a little pumpkin of his own!  we were shocked at his determination,
 he saw this from afar and climbed over several to get to it.

he loves hats and he is really starting to develop a sense of humor.

Wetzel Pumpkin Patch 5585
5585 Wenger RoadClayton, OH 45315

then we heeded to...

after seeing some chickens and a pig at the pumpkin patch we headed here
to see some more animals and a couple of them were especially sweet.

cole was so excited to see a real donkey - he's a big shrek fan and 
that's our german shephard's nickname because he has extra large ears.

this guy came right up when i whistled and he yelled "donkey, donkey!"

and this little lamb was so sweet and i felt very sharon montrose taking her picture. 
i swear she was smiling at us, cole kept saying "awww"...

Thank You Martha

it was time to send out thank you cards from the birthday's and i wanted my son to have a part in it this time.  i decided to use the martha stewart craft studio app on our iPad.  he picked out the colors, images and even some glitter and i moved it all to where he wanted.  it was really fun making it together and he was so excited with his creation.  we printed it out, and voila... homemade thank you cards in under an hour! 

it's available in the app store for $4.99
and you can upload your project to snapfish and order prints from there too.

here's a brief idea of what it can do...

 

click here for a quick thirty second demo to see it in action

and our finished product...

days after we made this card, my husband was showing cole how to use another really cool app called garage band.  as they were browsing through the selection of instruments, cole kept asking to play a "maafa".  seth spent forever trying to figure out what he meant, going through the options over and over again.  then i walked into the room and together we finally figured it out... he was saying "martha".  hahaha.  it was the first time ever he chose art over playing music with dad, so that tells you how fun this app really is.

Current Obsessions

here's a few things i've been pining over for months now... i love them all and want to incorporate them all into my home.  it's fun to put them all together in one place too, i think juxtaposition is everything in design.  i very rarely buy anything upon seeing it the first time (the flea market being the exception) and i test how much i want something by seeing if i continue to think about it.  everything here falls into that category...

1. tribe sticker/print by beauchamping
2. pillow covers by ikat suzani
3. curtains from restoration hardware... it's really the pom pom fringe that i love. i want to put it on everything, but it is very feminine for this house of boys... our master bedroom perhaps?
4. think this gold-dipped flatware from anthropologie might be going on my christmas list
5. oh and this... the beni ourain rug.  i've loved it since the first time i saw it when it was only in high end design magazines.  but it's finally becoming more accessible and the thought just popped into my head to try painting dye on a fluffy white rug i already own.
6. and the mushroom riviera side chair from serena and lily.  i have also loved these french bistro chairs for years, but i really love this model especially, and i'm starting to see them popping up everywhere again, but i need more chairs like i need a hole the head.

and wouldn't you know as i'm writing this post, my friend jenny sends me this picture.  what a gorgeous dreamy playroom.  making that tissue tassel garland is currently on my to-do list and there's THE Rug.  i have never mentioned either one to her - i love it when that happens!  

Crazy for Kilim

my friend jenny adores kilim rugs and we're always on the lookout at every flea market and antique store we encounter.  she has spent countless hours online searching for what she calls "the rug of life" one so beautiful and timeless that she'll have it forever.  i like to tease her, but i really hope she finds it.  kilim rugs are nothing new, but i've recently come across some beautiful furniture covered in more modern versions of them.  i'm really in love with the look and i have two vintage chairs i've been dying to reupholster.  i think i officially just started a kilim search of my own!

chair via the rug store and found kilim floor seating from pottery barn

multi kilim arm chair from homemint and sofa by andrew martin


homemint is a great online store created and curated by designer estee stanley and justin timberlake.
yes you heard right.  it's full of beautiful furniture and accessories. 
sign up and take a quiz to find a style that best fits you.  

custom kilim armchair by australian interior designer anna spiro.

 i love her blog absolutely beautiful things and have been reading it for years... 
check it out, it really is quite beautiful.

suzani kilim black armchair from overstock


i'm really in love with this one especially.

My Favorite Place to Shop

i was very lucky to make it to my favorite flea market twice over the weekend!  thankfully i have a husband and mother-in-law who understand my addiction and were willing to watch our boys.  the first time was with jenny, the veteran, and the second with my friend courtney who had never been.  as always, i saw an amazing amount and variety of beautiful things and was even inspired with some new ideas to add to my project list...

jenny and family love Bob and my husband and two sons both have what we constantly refer to as the Elvis lip.
 so when we saw these we were stopped in our tracks.  at first we thought they were vintage, 
but when we got closer we realized they were new-ish posters inside of window frames painted black.
 i might have to replicate this one - thank you... thank you very much!

we were told this was a piece of submarine equipment, a union jack painted dresser and jenny in a fringe coat.

vintage brass pitchers engraved with 1 gallon and 1/2 gallon and enormous toboggan.

i absolutely loved both and would have bought them if they were in the budget -
one of the pitchers alone was $125.

i think i'm going to recreate these for the boys rooms with some of
my husbands vintage soccer t-shirts

and the one that got away...
lesson learned: if you think you want something at a flea market and it's cheap just get it.
this was only $8 and i walked away and was never able to find it again.
it totally reminded me of these from land of nod.

and finally...

antlers from 1961, a set of tulip chairs, and the bottom vintage ski board hook rack.
ironically i have a pair in my basement i was using as shelves that i just took down.
i'm totally going to convert them! 

set of three brass owls, large engine for my little "Cole-train", a great plaid throw and ship for his room too.
 ironically i just featured a similar sailboat in my previous post and said "i'll take that please". 
i can't believe i also found one with pin stripe sails less than 24hrs later! 

awesome pizza board (i've wanted one for a while), another ship but much smaller and made from horn.
and finally a vintage windbreak like this one here it's in mint condition and from the 40's

If I had a Girl

okay before anyone gets too excited, a quick disclaimer... i'm not expecting nor are we trying for a girl.  we are very happy with our little foursome as of now.  these are just some sweet little girly pieces i've found while out and about.  i've also been drawn to pink lately which is new for me.  i'm not the girliest girl, in fact, i was once laughed out of a dressing room after my friends begged me to try on a ruffled skirt.  however, i wanted to share because i have many good friends and family with little girls and a couple who recently just welcomed one.  congrats and enjoy!

image via minikin's blog /papier mache magazine, gold moccasins from freshly picked, pink pom necklace via the glow,
 stun dove romper by modern moppet, ghana bolga farmers basket and kantha floral quilt via pretty mommy, 
hanging cradle from fine little day, hourglass necklace by blackstar, and alice underground chiffon bolero via minikin


And Thank You to Modern Moppet!!!
They are offering 20% off to you for the next 7 days
Just Enter Code:  MADMOTHER20 

and speaking of girly... if you have not checked out The Glow then you must.

 it's full of gorgeous intimate pictures of creative mothers and their children.

 here's a few pictures from actress constance zimmer's life...

note her four year old daughter wrote to herself - so adorable.

another view of coco's room - i'll take that sailboat please.

and the word "girl" written on paper and sealed in an envelope by their doctor,
 for the day they wanted to know what they were having - such a great idea. 

and even though i've been following it for a while, lately it's making me want to run out and re-do my entire wardrobe with more girly pieces.  but i will start small because i'll probably find myself laughing again and really this quote says it best...

Thrifting

well i made it to the thrift store for the first time in years and solo for the first time ever.  i really forgot how great it is.  some stores are definitely better than others and today i think i found a gem.  here's what i got... 

black and white tie dye/splatter tank top, silver and gold tray, yellow cut glass tumblers and
creme poncho, duck boots which i've wanted for a couple years now - perfect for making snowmen this winter,
 blue and black top and a lemonade glass to make the perfect vase.
and the best part was the grand total... $23.72!!!

The Big One

our little dean or dean-o as we like to call him had his first birthday party over the weekend.  it was dinosaur themed to play off his name and my three year old happens to be obsessed with them too.  it was also an excuse for my husband to try out our new projector by playing Night at the Museum outside for the kids.  so in a way it was really for everyone. i wanted it to be like an archaeological dig and here was the invitation i made and the inspiration...

dinosaur t via Priceless Kids, dinosaur did via pinterest, dinosaur prints from restoration hardware,
 martha stewart fern stickers and fossil cookies via pinterest.

and here's how it all turned out...

believe it or not the majority of this table of goodies, except for the cupcake and cake decorations,

 was done with stuff i already had.  i love it when i can shop my own home and use things in a new way.

vintage binoculars, ferns cut from my yard, candle holders with plates attached with velcro and duct tape
 and green chevron wrapping paper under my burlap runner.

and just like last time around, popcorn cupcakes and cake courtesy of my talented sister rachel.
i made the cupcake pics and on the cake is the fern stickers, craft store dino and target stickers to spell dean.

picture of the boys from six months ago, west elm driftwood starburst,
 pictorial websters visual dictionary from my friend jenny and crystals from my bookshelf

part of my sons t-rex model buried in sand and moss

frozen sugar cookies (already in my freezer) and my son and i stamped them with his dino toys while they were still warm.
  he thought this was so fun.

Deanosaur and Coleasaurus Rex t shirts i ordered.  They turned out so great - thanks Priceless Kids!
Cole loved his and the best part is they can wear them all the time.

part of the reason we built the pup tents when we did.

green mini buckets from target, brushes i spray painted green and tied leather cording through
 and a white plastic dinosaur from a paint-your-own kit i found at the craft store.
 the kids were all too young to appreciate plaster of paris bones and it wasn't worth the time.
and the guest of honor having a great time outside with the other kids.

vintage wood dressing screen i turned into a chalkboard a while ago and a vintage 8 sign that was a wedding gift to us.
bag of popcorn with tags from the craft store and mason jars with daisy lids for the kids lemonade.

my dress up king and the outdoor movie theater.
globe lights, adirondak chairs, velvet drapes and an assortment of throw pillows from my closet.

and thanks to all our friends and family who made it a great party!