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!

worn{toddler style}

this post is sponsored by OshKosh B'Gosh; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

 

i'll let you in on a little secret, i love dressing my little guy! i know girls have so many options but together outfits for a little boy can be so much fun! i decided early on that i would approach his wardrobe the same way i approach mine- color, pattern and print. i look for good quality basics with fun touches to give his outfits a whimsical twist. i can always find something for him at osh kosh!  

i brought my oldest home from the hospital in an osh kosh outfit! who could have guessed almost 25 years later i would still be shopping for kids clothes! 

i'm in love with the modern mix of colors and the quirky twist on a preppy staple, the embroidered shorts. his have dinosaurs!! 

he looks absolutely adorable but can still run and play! toddlers are mess magnets! #truestory his things from osh kosh hold up like a dream so i never worry that he may be jumping in mud puddles in his adorable easter outfit!!

this outfit is perfect for easter sunday but also hanging out with mom on a monday afternoon running errands and eating easter cookies!

head on over to osh kosh and check out all of the great new spring stuff. use Spring16 to save 25%

worn{3.8.16}

ditsy floral, ankle boots, distressed denim and a pop of neon- this outfit feels a little early 90s in the best way! also, shifts are my new favorite. they are forgiving and easy to wear. i need more of these in my life. i added some blue to my hair. i may be going thru some kind of mid-life crisis but i'm in love with it!  

 

 

  

family{kiddos and a carousel}

Holy crap! I can't believe February flew by and I went MIA. There were some life things that were thrown at me last month that took some time and most of my energy to sort through. But, I'm happy to be feeling well enough to write up a quick post!

Last saturday we headed down to the riverfront for the Kids Kuisine event, a fundraiser for the YMCA, at Smale Park. It was nice to go to a food event where we didn't need to worry about our little one behaving, well. like a toddler. The event featured food stations, interactive demos for little (would be)chefs and a ride on the Smale Park Carousel!

Ro definitely enjoyed the banana smoothies!

A Cincinnati favorite, Holtmann's Donuts, was there.

A fun cooking demo with little foodies.

The one thing that we found a little curious was that for an event geared towards kids the options for anything not sugar or carb based were practically nonexistent. We really try to limit Rowan's processed sugar intake. I know that kids can be picky eaters but this would have been the perfect setting to try to introduce them to some new things in a fun way. Overall, we had a good time!

Someone is waiting patiently for his turn on the carousel.

It was a little chilly but a beautiful day so we took a little stroll along the Ohio River. This is one of his favorite toys. In the last few weeks he's insisted on taking it with us every where we go. It's a little bulky so if anyone has any suggestions for something that is similar but slightly smaller-and not as noisy!- I would appreciate it.

breaking bread

i consider myself to a decent cook but baking is something that i've never really been able to crack. if i'm being honest, the precise nature of it is more than a little bit intimidating. baked goods have to taste and look delicious too!  but, february is national bake for your family month, so i'm challenging myself to bake something that terrifies me once a week.

this week i'm tackling bread. there's all of that measuring and waiting and kneading and waiting. and praying that after all of that work that it doesn't come out like a brick! while browsing pinterest, i came across this recipe. no knead and the promise of freshly baked bread on a gray and rainy day. sold!  

the results are delicious!!

i think this is my new favorite thing- fresh baked bread topped with ricotta and honey!  four ingredients and 10 minutes hands-on prep time. it's so easy and so worth it. do yourself a favor, go make this. you can thank me tomorrow.  

worn{2.2.16}

another lovely spring day...in february!  i'm kind of okay with light layers and sunglasses this time of year. 

this isn't fancy despite the sparkly sneakers. but, it's the perfect mix of casual and comfortable necessary for wrangling my super active toddler! i think i got this t-shirt at target. it has a little chiffon trim along the neckline and it's the softest cotton!  i'm now kicking myself for not buying it in more colors. #rookiemistake