worn {07.06.16}

summer has officially arrived in all of her hazy, hot, and humid glory! these days the requirements for getting dressed are simple. it must be comfortable. it must be cool. it must be toddler friendly.

this dress is a resounding yes for all three! bonus, it's super affordable! it comes in three different patterns. i bought all three and i've basically been living in them.

i don't even know if this counts as an outfit because it feels like i'm wearing pjs! i've dressed it up with heels, a belt and accessories. i've thrown it over a swimsuit to run to the store. i've worn it with flat sandals. these dresses have become a wardrobe staple! fingers crossed they make a similar version for fall!

details: dress-h&m// sandals- (similar here) 

strawberry season {heart and home}

this morning was a bit of a struggle. i went to bed last night with a headache and it was even worse when i woke up. we were supposed to meet up with some friends but i decided not to push. i cancelled the rest of our commitments, turned on peppa pig for rowan and rested.

one hour and two advil later, i felt a little better. i also felt extremely guilty for parking my kid in front of the television for an hour in an attempt to get a little more sleep.  

so, today was the perfect day to bake(and assuage my guilt!) we had intended to take ro strawberry picking last week but a stomach virus put a kink in our plan. i was more than delighted when one of our neighbors dropped off some of their berry bounty! i promised my husband i would make something tasty. i dusted off ruby- what? doesn't everyone name their mixer?!- and decided to give it a shot.

i will cop to being less than competent when it comes to baking. it's too exacting and science-y for me. perfect icing, intricate crust designs, pulled sugar...not in a million years. but, homey and rustic, that, i can do.

when i spotted a recipe for a rustic strawberry and cream cobbler i had to try it! my absolute favorite treat right now is mcdonald's strawberry and creme pie. seriously. #sorryimnotsorry they are so damn good!!  

rowan helped. and by helped, i mean stole a bunch of strawberries! cutest little thief i've ever seen!

they sit in flour, a little sugar, and lemon juice for at least a half hour. top them with your favorite biscuit recipe before baking.

heaven on a plate!

recipe found here

bookshelf{may edition}

in january, i set a reading goal. at the time it seemed perfectly reasonable to read a book a week for the year, however, i've fallen so far behind. 

now is the perfect time to play catch up. there is nothing better than sitting on the porch on a gorgeous spring evening with a glass of wine and a good book. 

these are my latest library picks.

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not gonna lie, i noped out of ELIGIBLE after about 75 pages. i'm totally bummed because i love curtis sittenfeld! but, if it's not doing it for after 75 pages then i sadly have to admit defeat! i've replaced it with the nest by cynthia d'aprix sweeney. i'm cautiously optimistic.

my kids gifted me with a barnes and noble gift card for mother's day. it was an unexpected and sweet surprise. i've been a faithful library book reader for several years now. it felt so indulgent to actually buy a book. particularly these two gorgeous coffee table books! 

i'm always looking to add to my TBR list so if you have any great book recommendations please leave them for me! 

treat yourself {foodie adventures in the city}

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ShoutSolutions #CollectiveBias

Being a toddler mom is a tough and messy job! the days are long, my employer is demanding(but adorable!) and the pay is nonexistent! sometimes I need to remind myself that I'm my own person. To me, this means putting a something a little nicer and treating myself to a meal that I can sit and enjoy!

a few days ago, I treated myself to dinner at a fancy diner. my meal included a heath bar milkshake with handmade, burnt marshmallow fluff, tater tot poutine, and a buffalo bleu dog. OMG!!! it was worth every single calorie! 

Even without my kid I somehow ended up with poutine on my dress. and this my friends, is why I gravitate to prints! despite the camouflaging nature of a pretty print, I still want to take care of my things so that they always look good and I never have to worry about the errant food leaving a forgotten stain!  

Thanks to a recent trip to Wal-Mart, I had Shout® Trigger Triple-Acting Stain Remover on hand to help me get rid of any telltale traces of my dinner!

 

 

It works quickly to penetrate an dlift stains and I don't have to worry about the temperature of the wash cycle or concern myself with Shout® Trigger Tripple-Acting Stain Remover fading any of my colorful prints.
With an incident that could have left me too bummd to enjoy the rest of the evening, safely handled byShout® Trigger Tripple-Acting Stain Remover, I was free to enjoy an after dinner walk on the waterfront.

 

worn {05.17.16}

this dress, you guys. it is a favorite from my anthropologie #alldayeryday life. sigh. i miss the days when i wore a dress and heels because i could!  

it also feels really, really good to be able to fit into some of my old favorites again. true story. i mean that top button may be on the struggle bus but the side zipper went up without any trouble or assistance from my husband!  

oh my heart and home{easy spring tablescape}

it's may and that means it's peony season(insert screaming oprah gif}! i love being able to go out into our yard and cut a bunch of my favorite flowers. 

i put together a quick and easy spring tablescape inspired by one of the season's prettiest blooms.

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it's no secret that i dig a good pattern mix! these dishes from target are a few years old but the bright and cheerful florals mixed with whimsical polka dots are timeless.

i bought this gold flatware at a yard sale five or six years ago. i believe it's an eight- piece setting and the only time we really use it is during the holidays because mixed metallics are my jam! i decided to have a little fun. i used an aqua spray paint left over from rowan's party and sprayed the base. i left the knife gold because i always need a little touch of shiny.

i'm a scrapbook paper hoarder. i dug into my stash and found these journaling cards. it would fun to put one at each place setting and have your guests jot down something that is making them happy right now. to be perfectly honest, we could all use a little bit of happy these days!  

this was my first attempt at dip dying. it's not perfect but i love the color washed effect. i used some leftover easter egg dye. i have a feeling that actual fabric dye will give me more the look i wanted but sometimes you need to use what's available.

 

i created the arrangement in a cut glass footed compote that was another yard sale find. it's made mostly of greens leftover from another project and of course, those gorgeous peonies from our yard!

setting the table for a breakfast with a few friends or dinner with you and your significant other doesn't have to expensive or fancy. it only requires a little bit of out of the box thinking.

april showers bring may flowers {and a giveaway}

This post was made possible by Blogger Babes. I received a complimentary copy of The Flower Chef in exchange for my honest review. Thoughts are 100% my own.

when i first decided that i really wanted to work in the flower business i was still floating on the cloud of newlywed bliss. our wedding had been everything i envisioned and that was due in large part to the flowers! it sort of surprised me that the part i enjoyed most was researching and deciding on all of the blooms. and my florist hit it out of the park!!

i got a job in a local flower shop to learns the basics of flower care and design. i loved that i got to work with flowers everyday but i  didn't enjoy the less than ideal working environment!   i'm largely self-taught.along my journey,  i've  read a lot of flower blogs and watched a ton of youtube videos to learn basic techniques. i love playing with color and texture but i've always felt a little insecure about what i was doing because i was figuring it out on my own.  i've fallen into a bit of a rut with my flower business-new motherhood and raising a toddler will do that to you! i was thrilled to get a copy of this book in the mail, sit done over a cup of coffee and look at all of the gorgeous arrangements! it helped me get inspired all over again.

THE FLOWER CHEF: A MODERN GUIDE TO DO-IT-YOURSELF FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS would have saved me so much grief!! inside florist carly cylinder takes you step by step through the basics of arranging, flower varieties, prep/care and even cost! 

 

 

i get questions all the time from brides thinking of doing their own flowers for their weddings. i typically advise them to proceed with some caution and to practice a lot!! this book is a wonderfully helpful guide for any bride headed down the diy path. it would also make wonderful reading for any flower enthusiast wanting to step up their game and make those bunches of grocery store blooms look a little more high end. 

blogger babes, luna bazaar and the flower chef are hosting a pinterest giveaway. the prizes are a must have for any flower enthusiast. 

that first prize...gah!!! 

blogger babes and the flower chef have also graciously gifted a copy of the book to one of my lovely readers.

super simple to become eligible enter:

the winner of the book will be selected on wednesday and don't forget to head on over to enter the luna bazaar, blogger babes, and flower chef diy contest! 

 

 

family{opening day}

opening day in cincinnati is an unofficial holiday. people take off work. parents call their kids in sick to school. some schools will bring classes down for a field trip. it's a day that blankets the city in a sea of red and gives everyone the warm fuzzies.

we headed downtown monday to be a part of the festivities. 

rowan lasted longer than we thought he would but we were all a bit ready to escape the crowds. so we followed up the parade with tacos and a few adult beverages!

we're looking forward to more of this-warm days, dining outside and of course, baseball!! 

  

local heart{spotlight: spruce}

friday morning doug takes rowan to swim lessons. i usually spend the time sleeping or cleaning. a few weeks ago, i was exhausted and worn out from a particularly challenging week of toddler wrangling, i declared friday as "my day!" i had grand visions of a morning spent in a cute cafe reading and sipping a cafe au lait to my hearts content. as soon as the words left my mouth i never thought about it again! until, last week.

last week i decided to indulge myself with a manicure so i booked an appointment at spruce.

spruce is one of the newest offerings in vine street's gateway quarter. it features natural and toxic free lotion, scrubs and cuticle oils in a relaxing and eco-friendly. 

the first thing i noticed when i walked in was the smell. it smells really, really good. the total opposite of a nail salon! the design of the salon is simple, minimal and gorgeous. i was swooning at all of the copper details, especially the sink in the back wall! the staff was warm and friendly without seeming like they were trying too hard. meagan and i chatted about everything from nail color to babies to moms giving themselves some time off as she worked on my nails.

  i haven't had a proper manicure since before rowan was born and this little indulgence was exactly what i needed!  

i mean, seriously! my nails look awesome!! so, what are you waiting for? treat yo self! 

rowan's dinosaur bash

rowan will turn two on friday! since this weekend is easter and already full of events we celebrated his birthday last week with lots of family and friends.

learning from last year, i decided to keep things fairly simple and as stress-free as possible. note to self: setting up a party for a toddler with the toddler at home is no easy feat! i chose a dinosaur theme and focused on a few fun details.  

my parents are both in their eighties! i love seeing them enjoy time with their youngest(of 14) and last grandchild!

i know this little nugget had an amazing time! thanks to all ofour loved ones that shared the day with us!