Haute Mama

What's Tia Doing?

2012-02-16T20:55:00.000-08:00

Being an awesome auntie.

We were excited to spend some serious QT with our Tia, who took a break from her exciting happenings to come up and visit her favorite hell-raisers this past weekend. Alas, Tia and her orange pants were gone too soon, as she headed back to LaLa Land to get organized for an upcoming trip to NYC, among other things.

My dear Tia has A LOT going on right now- some of it awesome, some of it not-so-awesome- but as you can see, she manages to look hot no matter what.

Ti- I am routing for the awesome and I have no doubt we will get through the not-so-awesome. You are too awesome not to and I love you more than words. xoxo

Bright Eye-dea

2012-02-15T16:50:00.000-08:00

*Someone* has decided that he will not, under any circumstances, return to his crib after 2AM. I attempted, in vain, to convince him otherwise until 5:45AM, at which time, I caved and put that little dictator in bed next to me for a whopping hour and 20 minutes of sleep.

Needless to say, I am bordering collapse- fueling myself with Diet Pepsi and leftover Valentines cupcakes to prevent impending breakdown and total parental negligence. But, despite my exhaustion, I've devised a relatively effective, 6-step formula to combat looking like a zombie, despite feeling like one- and it's all in the eyes.

First up, is the agua. While I am tempted to b-line for the coffee maker first thing in the AM, I make a point to guzzle a large glass of water first. A facialist once told me that dehydration is the number one cause of dark under-eye circles- as opposed to lack of sleep.

Secondly- if there is anything I've learned from my mother, it's that you shouldn't leave the house without lipstick on (sorry mom- I've failed you in this department) and that you don't skimp on eye cream. Tia bought me the icelandic relief eye cream from Skyn and it has been seriously put to the test with my current lifestyle- and so far- it passes with flying colors. It instantly depuffs and soothes.

Next up is my double whammy brightening technique. Benefit Ooh-la-lift goes under the eyes, and Trish McEvoy's brightening stick goes on the inside corners, brow bone and cheek bones for a natural-looking highlight.

Another key to looking lively? Keep those brows from going cro-magnon with daily maintenance. Grandma Cath just bought me these AMAZING illuminating tweezers that have a little built-in flashlight and make it absolutely impossible to miss a single hair.

And last, but most certainly not least, are the lashes. Whether I'm applying mascara or not, it is ESSENTIAL that I curl my lashes for an INSTANT pick-me-up. My Shiseido lash curler is the ultimate miracle worker- I never leave home without it.

1/2/3/4/5/6

Haute Links

2012-02-14T07:51:00.000-08:00

For those of you in need of a little last-minute V-day help- these free printables (available here via Creature Comforts), are pretty cute.

Also, this quick and easy diy cupid adornment will Valentize any little store bought cupcake. Bonus points for serving it in the nude.

Another love bug, and the cutest play kitchen ever by Lay Baby Lay.

Adele looked like a million bucks at the Grammy's. I'm off to find a matte red lip.

And then there is this coat. Enough said.

Happy Valentine's Day!xoxo

20 Minutes.

2012-02-08T21:00:00.000-08:00

As incentive to get our post-baby bodies back into shape, the hubs (who always puts on a few sympathy pounds when I'm preggo) signed us up for a pretty swanky gym and I've been doing my best to get the most bang for our buck by hitting it up almost every day for the past two weeks.

Included in our membership is free childcare and a variety of classes for the big brothers and a fully operational nursery for the Tank. While I never would have dreamed of dumping off Max, or even Hud, at a gym nursery at 10 weeks old, I seem to have no problem handing over my third newborn to complete strangers, some of whom have braces.

Although Frank has typically performed very well while under gym nursery care, I still try and keep my total trip within an hour- mindful of the fact that there is only so much bottle, burp, poop, and contented staring that goes on before the Tank gets pissed if someone doesn't know how to handle him properly when he's sleepy. Mr. F.R. Grump 'n Dumps needs his simultaneous swaddle, binky, bounce, twist and shush executed just so.

This gym also has a fully loaded locker room, complete with sauna, steam room and jacuzzi- and I've been eyeballin' that jacuzzi like a shirtless David Beckham since day one. However, mindful of my self-imposed time-limit, I have yet to sink into it's jet-powered goodness....until today.

Today was the day. I decided I would go light on the cardio and heavy on the locker room. I would hop on the treadmill for a quick 20 minutes, stretch, and then b-line to the locker room to leisurely soak, shower and then blow dry my hair as if I had some place to be.

After ten minutes with my bubbly Beckham and a quick shower, I was still on schedule and ready to make it happen with a round brush.....until...I heard my name on the flipping gym intercom. I was to report ASAP to the daycare.

Now, when I check in my little nugget, I fill out a sheet that asks how long your kid can cry before they page you- and I always check 15 minutes, which is the longest amount of time listed on the sheet (I once considered penciling in 20- but then thought maybe I was a terrible parent for even considering). So, assuming that Frank had exceeded his 15 minute time limit, I squeezed my still-sweating body into my clothes and, with mascara-smeared under eyes and my hair wet and unbrushed, headed promptly to daycare hoping not to give any indication that I am the type of parent who would pencil in 20 minutes of cry time.

I get there, and my little man is a little red in the eyes, but otherwise chillin' in his Graco Snug Ride. I ask, "I'm sorry- has he been crying long?"

"Not really- about 5 minutes."

"Oh- good," is how I reply.

What I really wanted to say was:

"Ooooh- five minutes? Was that an inconvenience for you, or did you not look on the friggin' form that I spent two minutes of my precious 60 minutes filling out? If you had, you would have seen that I clearly indicated 15 minutes as my time-length of choice for screaming- or do you really only put that amount of time on there to see who the bad-parents are and notify social services accordingly? Because if so, you can tell them I was about to pencil in 20!"

And that's it. If you're wondering what the moral of this story might be- well, there isn't one- I guess I just needed to vent. And, despite that fact that he partially foiled my me-time plans for the day, I wasn't even a little bit mad at my chubby little man- I mean, how could I be?

See for yourself- fat cuteness:

Well played, chubby.

Haute Links

2012-02-08T09:25:00.000-08:00

Potentially a nauseating sugar overload, but these Brownie burgers are too cute not to try. Via Cupcakes and Cashmere.


I never tire of seeing the genius ways that people makeover their Ikea Rast dressers. Campaign hack from Little Green Notebook.


For the squirrel lover in your life- one of the many reasons I love reading Raising Colorado.

This Sputnik chandy in Darcy Miller's home (Tia's other boss!) makes me want to take a flame thrower to the Pottery Barn number I am sitting under right now. Featured in Architectural Digest via You are My Fave.

You know you're tiny when you make Mila Kunis look like a giant. Image from my fave new source of fashion insipration- This is Not New.

Happy Hump Day!

First Attempt

2012-02-07T09:17:00.000-08:00

How many times have you stared at an abstract painting and said to yourself, "I can totally paint that"?Maybe the only difference between some of these artists and ourselves is that we don't paint that. I've seen my kids bring home paintings from preschool that, if done on a canvas, would likely be hanging over my mantle. So, I decided to put my theory to the test and splurged on some painting essentials- a few small canvases, some basic acrylic colors and a few quality brushes- all-in-all, about a $35 investment. Here's what $35 and some determination got me:

While the picture doesn't really do it any justice in terms of color or texture, it certainly is no masterpiece, but I think it's a good start. Mostly, I played around with color mixing and composition and was pleased with the original outcome, but the longer I looked at it, the more I realized it's basically just a rainbow!

You're probably wondering how I found the time to paint- but the truth is, total home destruction was taking place while this painting was accomplished over the course of two days, but real artists are messy, right?

Here's to painting #2, and complete domestic chaos.

What's Tia Doing?

2012-02-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

With my return to work looming in the very near future and a 10 week old who has decided he will now be checking in with me every 2 hours at night, I need all the help I can get keeping HMD afloat- so it's time for another potentially regular installment I will be calling "What's Tia Doing?"

Whether it be going to exclusive parties, or meeting sexy Swedes, Miss Tia is always up to something fun- so WTD will share with you some of the highlights of Tia's glamorous, child-free life - so that those of us who consider finding time to read a few blogs with coffee without interruption to be our biggest source of excitement, can now live vicariously through her various exploits.

The month of January marked another year older for Ti McGhee and she spent the day in style at the infamously hip Parker hotel in Palm Springs.

Tia and her awesome BF- Mike. One day I, too, will walk through those orange doors.


"Hi, I'm Tia. I play croquet in miniskirts."

Tia wrapped up the month with a little sales dinner with her boss- who I think you may recognize:


Hob-nobbin as usual. Pic from Martha's blog post here.

Stay Tuned for more of Tia's adventures. What will that crazy broad be up to next?

Super Plates

2012-02-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

Being the total girly-girl that I am, I have never made any attempts at even feigning interest in football, but there are a few things I love about the SuperBowl- none of which involve the game. Sure, I love a good monkey commercial as much as the next guy, but I don't find it sufficient reason to congregate all day.

For me, the SuperBowl marks the joyous and official end to my husband's excuse for accomplishing absolutely nothing on Sundays- except for, occasionally, a slow-cooked meal. I mean, seriously, can you imagine if I told him all I was doing was sitting on the couch and watching Housewives all day on Sundays? Ludicrous. I don't even think a pulled pork dinner would get me that kind of shamelessly negligent time to myself.

So, for this reason alone, the SuperBowl is worth celebrating- and by "celebrating," I mean stuffing my face with appetizers and cookies all day long. If you're looking to do the same, here is a little inspiration from my favorite internet foodies to get you good and hungry:


Buffalo Chicken cups from Young Married Chic

Cheesy artichoke bread from Vanilla Sugar

Goat Cheese Stuffed Figs from Mint Love Social Club

Hot Carmelized Onion Dip from Closet Cooking.


Zuchinni Pizza Boats from Proud Italian Cook

Let the gorging commence!

Haute Links - First Edition

2012-01-31T11:36:00.000-08:00

In the past eight weeks, I've come to the sobering realization that I am not the adrenaline-charged, vacuuming, baby soothing, 28-year-old mom that I was when I had Max. Five and-a-half years and two kids later, I am feeling a bit wiser, but disproportionately older. And so, I've decided to let some of my blogging icons do a bit of the heavy lifting for me from now on in the form of a weekly installment I'll be calling "Haute Links" that will highlight some of my favorite blog topics from weeks prior.

And I'm sorry if my puns are starting to annoy you.

So, here goes:

Land O Lakes never sounded so good- awesome A Capella from I Suwannee

Commemorative Corks from Mint Love Social Club


Elise Allen paintings at Amber Interiors

Monogram Must-have from Home-Rec.

Happy Tuesday.
xoxo

Happenings.

2012-01-21T09:36:00.000-08:00

Despite my home looking dangerously close to something I once saw on an episode of hoarders, I thought I would take this opportunity to forgo putting away the rest of the laundry and rather check in with my neglected HMD readers...or those of you that are left.

I have been passively aggressively indicating to the hubs that I have not had any time to do things for myself lately, so upon returning from golf the other day, he urged me to go get my nails done....

"oooor..maybe you could go get a bikini wax."

This was said in all seriousness.

Needless to say, I almost gouged his eyeballs out with my brain daggers.

I promise that one day, I will get my sexy back (see "ridiculous cougar pose"), and get back to blogging about fashion and other superficial topics, but in the meantime, I am enjoying my hibernation and my long days with my cubs- since, sadly, I know that they're numbered. So, here's a quick look at some of the happenings around these parts of late:


Tummy Time.

Hitting up CrewCuts clearance for some new "cowboy shirts"


Hanging at Super Franks (despite my bad-mouthing)

and last, but very not least, doing LOTS of smilin' (and a little bit of barfin' at the same time).

Busy Bees

2012-01-04T15:42:00.000-08:00

Having had my first two sons in the middle of summer, I've come to the conclusion that winter babies are a bit more challenging. I know most people around the country scoff at the idea of California winters, but still, nobody wants a 50 degree wind blowing on their boobs when they whip 'em out at the park for a feed.

With school out for the past few weeks, I've been doing my best to prevent cabin fever by getting the boys out of the house every day and have been racking my brains for creative indoor spots to take them, where I can nurse in comfort. One of the only options around besides that seth pool Chuckie Cheese, is Super Franks, which is a step up from the Rat themed pizza, but is basically still the equivalent of dipping your children in a vat of assorted mucus-y germs while you scarf down a basket of soon-to-be-regretted curly fries.

What we need around here is something like Bumble Cafe in Los Altos. I've been contemplating the 35 minute drive since I happened upon this awesome spot:


Cute, right? Let's look inside..


Kitchen of my dreams!

Playroom of my dreams!

"Kids, go play in the sand box while mommy guzzles this glass of sauvignon blanc."

The menu is full of all sorts of healthy, delicious grown-up food, like the salmon nicoise salad and a prosciutto, fig and goat cheese flat bread, along with a cool, customizable kids' bento box with offerings like ants on a log and pretzel crusted chicken.

I think a visit is definitely in our future and I'm not sure if Bumble will look as pretty as it does in these pictures after my boys get through with it- but I think it's time we put it to the test.

FRANK the TANK

2011-12-20T15:26:00.000-08:00

Sorry for taking such an extended hiatus- it's just that I've been busy birthing and feeding and cleaning poop and am apparently not as capable of a multi-tasker as I had hoped I would be.

So, without further a-do, meet Francis Ryan Madigan. He's pretty incredible:

He was born at 6:55 AM on Friday, November 25th after literally 2 days of "early" labor and 5 hours of totally insane, mind-blowingly painful, real labor. He claimed the title of my chubbiest baby at a whopping 8 lbs, 11 oz and 22 and 1/4 inches long, and he's been working hard to maintain that status ever since. My little eating machine goes by the aliases of Frank, Frankie, Francisco, and my favorite of late, Mr. F.R. Grumpn'Dumps.

His big brothers think he is pretty great and have already asked for a little sister in their stocking. I told them that Santa knows better than to cross me like that. Here they are at their first official meeting:

Hud, while currently obsessed with his little brother and constantly attempting to kiss him on the lips with his booger-y face, was much more intrigued during the hospital visit with my unsightly catheter bag. I guess I should have considered not telling him it was a "bag of pee", which he promptly reported to everyone he saw upon leaving the hospital. Max, despite looking undecided in this photo, has been an amazing big brother thus far- at least to one of his little brothers.

I'll leave you with a few more pics of my little angel, and I suggest you get used to it :) Enjoy.

Can you stand it?

Waiting

2011-11-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

In an attempt to keep my in-utero friend from making any pre-Thanksgiving appearances (we're looking forward to the hub's holiday pay), I am being as sedentary as humanly possible, and it seems to be contagious:

yep- mama got an iphone.

Scooter's adoption of the seemingly purposeless infant seat in the front hallway made me realize he was long-overdue for a dog bed. Grandma took him to Petco to choose his own and, of course, he picked the most expensive one (a wiener after my own heart). Considering he's never had a dog bed (other than our bed) in eight years, I suppose he deserves it:

Money well-spent.

While the boys have other plans for me, I try to spend as much time lounging in bed as possible.

If you're wondering if we take all photos on the same day around here or if Hud really wears an astronaut costume everyday, the latter would be correct.

And finally, I thought I would leave you with a glimpse of the nursery. I thought we would be all kinds of busy putting on the final touches during my two weeks at home, but I've just completely run out of steam. So, without further a-do, here's another little peek to wet your appetite:

(Yes-that's my DIY rug and the navy wall made the cut!)

Vamps, Ghosts, and dead Great Aunts

2011-11-16T21:50:00.000-08:00

No, I haven't had the baby yet. I know I promised gratuitous blogging during my first week off of work, and, well... I lied. I wish I could say that I've been too busy nesting away and cleaning out my closets and putting all of my skinny clothes front and center because I'll just hop right back into them after I squeeze out this watermelon- but, sadly, none of the above would be accurate. I've pretty much just been watching obscene amounts of television and will likely be in my maternity clothes for the entire fourth trimester.

So, in other, more-exciting-than-my-life-news, Tia and Max's godmother Heather (remember these skinny bitches?) were at the Twilight premier at the Staples center on Monday hob-nobbin' with the Cullens and the wolf-pack. Here's a pic Tia sent me of the after-party, which was a ridiculous re-creation of the wedding scene:

This pic would be much more impressive if R-patz was in it, looking all disheveled and British and awkward, but according to Tia, he and K-Stew are too cool to go to their own after-parties. Lame.

In less-lame dead people entertainment news, I have to tell you that I am obsessed with the new series on FX, American Horror Story. I haven't had much of a taste for horror flicks in my old-age, but there is something about this show that I just can't get enough of. It's kind of totally ridiculous, but I was sold as soon as Jessica Lange made her first appearance- Emmy time.


Creepsters

And finally, in hilarious dead people news (yes, sadly, there is such a thing)- did anyone see the RHOA episode where Phaedra helps pick out her Great Aunt's pimped-out Cadillac hearst complete with jazzy gospel-tune-emanating speakers and flashing lights? I tried to find a clip to share with you- but couldn't. Please, someone tell me that they witnessed this moment of pure Bravo brilliance? Ahhh- quasi-reality TV...I heart you.

OK- off to watch my AHS- and make sure my doors are locked..

Contain Yourself.

2011-11-10T22:43:00.000-08:00

The Container store, while making me feel simultaneously inefficent, overwhelmed and more un-organized than I thought prior to entrance, is still one of my favorite places on the planet. Despite its condescending undertones, it still offers the promise of a better me and I leave filled with hope that one day, when I have money for things like 30 plastic shoe boxes, all of my shoes will be neatly stacked in identical boxes with little polaroids and there will no longer be 2 year-old boxes of Wheat Thins hiding in the depths of my impractically deep pantry cabinets.

While in the midst of one of my sporadic, frenzied nesting bouts, I made a trip there a few weeks back and left with a few items that I've been quite pleased with.

First up is the Horizon Round Pop-Up Crunch bag by Umbra. This thing holds about 800 stuffed animals and despite being totally collapsible, holds-up really well and has thus far been relatively resistant to toy-scavenging wiener dogs attempting to knock it over. I bought it in blue for Max and Hud's new shared room, and at $19, it was a steal compared to similarly sized canvas containers you would buy at PBKids. And because more stuffed animals seem to appear out of the abyss everyday, we will likely be adding one of the Rectangular Crunch Cans in green to our collection.

My second purchase was this little round, lacquered orange canister that I bought to hold small odds and ends, like diaper cream, on New Guy's changing table:

I loooove California Baby products, by the way.

They have these cute lacquer canisters in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors, and they would be so great scattered around to spice up a shelving display, no?:

Round and Rectangular Lacquered boxes

Now on to a few items I left without, but that may yet fall prey to my Visa.... I think I need about ten of these Rugby Striped bins to stash behind my couch in the family room. They will hold things like Batman action figures, foam Nerf pellets, marbles, little green army guys and other items that the baby will soon be putting in his mouth and/or up his nose:

Rugby Striped Bins, $9.99

And finally, I had a roll of this in my basket, but just couldn't seal the deal because it looked like it would wrap about one large gift and was almost $8, and we just don't get that fancy with our gift wrap up in here- but I mean.....

Did you just die a little bit- or is it just me that finds this wrapping paper potentially worth dying for (or at least worth $8)? Humor me.

OH- and guess what, it's pretty much Friday, and pretty much my last day of work for 3 months!!!Get ready for some serious blogging, people.

Babies Gone Wild

2011-11-09T21:34:00.000-08:00

I'll admit, I'm a total sucker for babies in animal accessories (I mean, really, aren't we all?). Sadly, now that Max and Hud have started to fall prey to masculine influence, it's become increasingly difficult to put them into anything with ears or a tail (unless, apparently, it is a honey badger), so you can imagine my delight at the prospect of having a captive mini-model to dress in some of the following:

I am obsessed with all things Bla Bla and their animal booties are no exception. Little man will be wearing these.

Not to worry, your little ladies will not be left out of this animal bootie goodness. Get your Bla Bla Pink Cat Booties here.

I mean, can you stand the little claws and the fringed tail? It was love at first sight when I saw this Lion coat from Etsy seller Little Goodall.

Hit up GAP Baby this weekend and couldn't pass up this adorable bear hat. The fluffy lining takes soft to a whole new level.


Skip Hop's animal bibs are a must.

Mini Boden is one of my go-to baby sources for their cute, high-quality goods. We might need to add this Teddy All-in-One to our collection.

OK, so I'm not sure if these qualify as torture or not, but it's up for debate. Thoughts?

A Very Betty Holiday

2011-11-08T21:38:00.000-08:00

Today I died and went to Betty Draper heaven when I caught a glimpse of this little piece of platinum lady-like perfection at Anthropologie:


Polished Platinum Dress

Something tells me that my engorged casaba melons and I will not be making any holiday party appearances this year, but if I were, I'd definitely be considering a splurge on this number. And while we are on the topic of splurging, I would probably wear them with some ridiculously impractical satin shoes like these beauties from BHLDN:

Bombshell Booties

Given my present circumstances, however, and the fact that a baby will be falling out of my uterus at any moment now, I will probably be more of a this kind of Betty:

But, for those of you with some hope of being this Betty:

...here are a few looks to get you started:

1/2/3/4/5/6

Knock it Off!

2011-11-02T20:53:00.000-07:00

Just about every time I walk into Anthropolgie, I find myself obsessing over these zinc letters (among other things I can't afford there):


Anthropologie Zinc Letters

But, at $18 a pop, I haven't been able to justify dropping $100 on letters for little man's room. So, you can imagine my giddiness when I came across this genius tutorial for faux zinc letters (thanks Pinterest!). A quick trip to Joanne's Fabrics and about $18 later (the cost of one Anthro letter) I had all of the supplies I needed.

So, without revealing the little guy's name to the masses just yet, I'll give you a little sneak peek at how it turned out:

Pretty awesome, actually. We'll just say that "F" stands for fetus.

If I win the Lottery soon.....

2011-10-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

...I will be treating myself to one of everything from the super-functional and genius line of pregnancy-transistion clothing that is HATCH Collection (found via OhJoy) The prices are a bit steep for lil' ol' me, but I can just see myself wearing this effortless tunic in about ten different ways:


The Hatch Afternoon Dress. Add tights, add a belt, add 5 million necklaces- whatever. Stomach? What stomach? Pass the carbs please.

And then there is this:


The Hatch Hoodie. Holy Mother of Comfort this thing looks incredible. I could be breast-feeding in this thing all day long and no one would be the wiser. Now- how to get myself into pleather leggings....

So- check out the rest of the collection- preggies and non-preggies alike.

Is it Halloween yet?

2011-10-25T21:36:00.000-07:00

I hate to admit it, but after this weekend's festivities and spending every day for the past thirty days hearing the G.D. Monster Mash on repeat, and picking up hair-covered, spooky-themed window jellies off of every possible surface in my home, I'm kind of ready for Halloween to be OVER. So, in an attempt to keep in the spirit of things, I thought I would unload all of the Halloween ideas I've been pinning and saving on you, because maybe I'm just an irritable pregnant lady who is getting tired of explaining to her three-year-old why she wouldn't make a very pretty princess this year and the rest of you are still ramping up for a weekend full of drunken costume wearing and pumpkin carving and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup consumption (ok- so maybe I'm still looking forward to the Reese's). Anyways, here are some of my faves:


Martha's adorable fanged pumpkins.

Elegantly macabre vintage printables- free from the Graphics Fairy (I love this site)- along with a useful and easy tutorial for printing graphics onto fabric at home.


Simple, but cute, yarn-wrapped letters from eighteen25 and an easy-peezy seasonal banner made from streamers.


This zombie gnome from Etsy seller DougFX is almost as scary as the dilapidated ones in my yard. I love him.

Who doesn't love a good meatloaf? From Not Martha

So easy- but covering furniture in white sheets makes for great Halloween party decor. From Country Living

And finally...


The only Halloween costume I am considering wearing this year...

Here's to no more Monster Mash. Ever.

Blast-off

2011-10-24T23:08:00.000-07:00

Orange crocs - the footwear of choice of both Mario Batali and Nasa

Thanks to the Annual D-ville fall festival, we took our Halloween costumes out for a test drive this Saturday, and the boys' Astronaut get-ups were a big hit. I'm not sure where Max's hankering for this particular costume-choice came from, as he's never really expressed much interest in astronauts before, but I was thankful he didn't want to be some ugly Target-bought Transformer or superhero with built-in muscles, mostly because I want him to stay my little nerdster forever.

Hud had his heart set on being a honey-badger (bless his strange little heart), but fortunately for me, once he laid his eyes on the custom helmet complete with gold glittering letters and optional visor that Max was getting (from Etsy seller Luminous Moon), he jumped on that astronaut band-wagon rather quickly. The jet-packs were a relatively quick and easy DIY that I made and were modeled after similar ones being sold from the same Etsy shop. Some soda liters, Solo cups and a little colored duct tape was all it took. Auntie Dana found us the silver suit at a consignment shop, and it was just the right size for Hud, who sported it almost all day, despite 80 degree temps. We had to get a little more creative with Max's suit- he's more of an inside-the-shuttle-rocking-my-leisure-wear kind of astronaut. The shirt is one of those cool-max work-out numbers and the pants are jus little-league pants- a couple of iron-on patches and some red tape later and we were all-set. Here he is looking decidedly more gymnast than astronaut with his giant balloon octopus, but pretty darn cute all the same:

This was pre-too much candy melt-downs.

Progress...

2011-10-17T21:58:00.000-07:00

Despite yet another impromptu and dangerously indulgent mid-day Sunday nap, during which I left my children under the care of a new Nightmare before Christmas DVD, I did manage to tackle some small tasks in preparation for the little man. On Friday night the boys and I were shaking things up (literally) in the Home Depot paint department. Then this (among other things) happened:


A sneak peek of my DIY painted version of the Dwell Studio Draper rug (you can see a hint of the green painters tape in the back there). Lessons were most definitely learned, and will be shared with you all at a later date.


Cold feet are developing with regards to the navy wall. The color pleases me (starless night by Behr), but even with a matte finish, I feel like the dark color has a glossy feel- which drives me bananas. Anyone out there have any thoughts on the matter?

Bargain Basement crib assembled. I love it.


Closet org completed (sort of)

Framed. (eeek!)

And of course, none of it could have been done without the help of my aeronautical assistant:

P.S- anyone out there looking to buy a barely used, white Ikea Malm twin bed? We loved this thing, but our garage is bursting at the seams. Hit me up.

xoxo
j

Sexy Sixty & other Saturday Developments.

2011-10-10T22:06:00.000-07:00

At least half of this weekend was incredibly productive.

My brother, his wife, my sister and I have been busy little bees planning a surprise birthday party for my mom's 60th this past Saturday, which was almost completely sabotaged by my mother herself, who started planning her own impromptu "party" that same night the week before. In the end it all worked out and there was laughter, tears and a whole lot of white people dancing to hits like My Prerogative, but no one was quite as surprised as you are going to be when you check out how good this old broad looks at sixty:


Why didn't someone remind me that 8 month pregnant ladies with pregnant arms should never be on the end of a photo line-up? (Me, Mom, Tia)

And she can still cut a mean rug.

There were disco balls, ceiling fans, live keyboard music , champagne and clearly, some serious attitudes (that's one of my bff's and another total HM, Becky, burning it up in the background there)

It was good times.

But, despite not being able to consume mass quantities of booze as I would have liked to, I still woke-up exhausted with what I like to call pregnancy productivity hang-over.

It didn't help matters that we had a new babysitter coming over and I am totally neurotic about new babysitters seeing my house messy, so I scrambled around cleaning the wreckage left behind after we officially moved Hud into Max's room earlier that day. New bunk beds were assembled, and I left the house feeling certain that it wasn't a brilliant idea to leave the boys for the night with a new babysitter and a new method of potentially fracturing their limbs.

The original plan was to paint this Ikea bad boy a nice navy blue- but things haven't exactly been going according to plan around here. Maybe when I don't have a giant bowling ball strapped to my waist, the room will get a little sprucing up- so stay tuned.

Anyways, after all this Saturday madness, can you really blame me for parking the kids on my bed for two hours of completely age-inappropriate cartoon network viewing while I took the most incredible nap of my life? I'm just going to assume you said "no".

Cape Crusading

2011-09-28T23:07:00.000-07:00

Remember when I used to care about clothes and fashion and had some sense of personal style? Yeah, it's a distant memory- I know. These days my idea of looking put together translates to actually strapping a bra on my giant old lady jugs- but there are still a few fall items out there that have me excited for the prospect of having a waist again (even if my jugs will still be completely ridiculous).

At the top of my wish list is the cape. It's basically winter's answer to the kimono and the perfect solution to keeping cozy and looking presentable with a post-child birth muffin top. Here are a few, some in my budget, others- not so much- that I've got my eye on:

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

"Some Sort of Spooky Ballerina Wreath..."

2011-09-26T23:15:00.000-07:00

This was how my husband described the fruits of my crafting labors this weekend. While I did not get down and dirty with the Ikea Erslev rug as planned (note to self: when 8 months pregnant do not plan on accomplishing anything after a trip to Ikea- the trip was an accomplishment in and of itself), I did however, squeeze in some minor crafting during a few catch-up episodes of Project Runway on Saturday night. It started with an embroidery hoop and some black tulle:

After two hours of cutting and tying knots, it looked like this the following morning:

And after a trip to the craft store for some finishing touches from the 50% off Halloween bin....

Voila! You have yourself "some sort of spooky ballerina wreath thingy." Don't worry, he followed that up with a heartfelt, "It's nice."

And, lest you think I am terribly creative, I cannot claim this fun idea as my own. I came across a similar tutorial on Pinterest- which, by the way, is becoming a serious problem for me. If you're not already pinning- let me know and I'll send you an invite- if you are- you can check out all of my pins under the user name hautemama (obvs).

On a Sunday Crafternoon

2011-09-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

We've got big plans for this weekend- if all goes as scheduled, closets will be migrated, old baby clothes will be sorted, and a bunkbed will be acquired, built, and if the hubster truly loves me, painted. While we are at Ikea acquiring said bunkbed, I plan on snagging up one of these white flat woven rugs and getting my DIY on with some painters tape and some fabric paint- in the hopes of replicating this rug featured in my nursery idea board:

I've come across a whole slew of ikea rug hacks on the interwebs lately that have me believing I can totally handle this. See for yourselves:


From here. A little more impressive than the stripes- but I know my limits.

And more impressive still. From here.

Totally doable. From here.

here's to a productive weekend!

This is it.

2011-09-21T23:04:00.000-07:00

Bear with me, because I'm about to get a little introspective here. Also, please keep in mind that although I have sacrificed my mindless Bravo viewing to jot down this mental diarrhea, I by no means expect you to do the same just to keep reading this, so if you're not in the mood, then skip to the next post, or go watch Housewives. If you happen to hang in there, well then, thanks for listening...here we go.

I was raised to believe, as I think so many young men and, more particularly, women are, that if you dream big and work hard and are kind to others, good things will come to you. Though not completely delusive, it's apparent to me now that this adage fails to mention perhaps what may be the most essential part of the equation in this tidy formula for achievement. I like to think that I've met all of the criteria above, and please, by all means, do not think for even one moment that my forthcoming pity party is in any way indicative of me being oblivious to the fact that so many wonderful things have come my way in life, because I lay in bed and thank whoever is listening out there for my countless blessings every single night.

With that said, I still find myself at thirty-something years old, struggling a bit to make ends meet and wondering to myself, "How can this be?" I did everything I was supposed to do. I worked hard in school and graduated with honors, and I've always done my best to prove I'm a valuable asset at work. But here I am, spending the day away from my kids in some ugly grey cubicle for a mediocre salary at a mediocre job, just waiting for someone to walk on over and give me a pat on the back and tell me how they just can't wait to give me that raise and promotion I so totally deserve. Just writing that out makes me so painfully aware of the fact that it sounds completely and totally pathetic and ridiculous. Really, I've known this all along, but still, there's this polite little girl inside of me- just minding my manners and waiting my turn.

So, I guess that's the other half of the equation- STOP waiting your turn. Work for what you want and then TAKE it. I know that I can't get what I want unless I ask for it, but there is something inherent in me, some timid little girl who was raised to look pretty and make people happy that finds voicing my needs to be completely and totally terrifying. I find myself imagining the discomfort I cause others with my various imaginary, but admittedly reasonable requests, when, in all honesty, the worst case scenario would just end in them saying "no" and everyone just moving on with their lives. I've always lived in fear of confrontation, and I am finally just getting so very sick and tired of it. This may be due in larger part to my personality, but I do believe that gender plays a somewhat significant role in this boat-rocking phobia. I could take this opportunity to bore you all with rhetoric from my inter-personal communication studies and tell you that women are raised to connect while men are raised to compete and blah blah blah, but still, I've met so many courageous women in my day who don't let their need to connect interfere with obtaining their personal and professional needs.

And so, it is with great reluctance that I admit- it's me- I am the only person standing in the way of getting what I need and I've decided that it's time for me to make a change.

So, for those of you who stuck around, thanks again for listening to what is admittedly a very obvious revelation on my part. I guess I thought putting it in writing would make me a little more accountable for my actions

Oh yeah- and encouraging words would be helpful here, because I'm just about eight months pregnant and that doesn't give me a whole lot of time to become superwoman before somebody's sucking on my boobs all day.

Happy Thursday People, let's make things happen.

Nesting....sort of.

2011-09-14T23:26:00.000-07:00

I'm a few weeks into my third trimester, and the closest thing to nesting that I've done was vaccum up some dead flies from the windowsill in Hudson's room, which will eventually be the nursery. So, I've decided that, rather than wait for some instincts that may never kick-in because it's the third time around and my body is still wondering what I was thinking, I'll just have to force myself to get started with some preparations for my little man, one daunting organizational project at a time.

First up, the nursery. We are on a major budget here, so my dreams of whale wallpaper have been kind of dashed, since apparently you need to be Midas or Olivia Palermo or something to buy wallpaper these days. This means, I'm making the best of what we currently have going. We gave away our last crib, so we'll invest in something simple and white (not the midcentury beauty I have pictured below, but it just made it look so much prettier), and I'm hoping to sell our current nursery bedding and rug and buy something relatively affordable with my earnings. We have a really nice slip-covered rocker, but it's red, and I'd like to make the switch to navy- so if anyone has any tips on dying from one bold color to another- please, please, send my way. Anyways, rather than bore you, here's a sneak peek of what I have in mind:

DwellStudio Bedding | Skyline Boudoir Pillow at Polka Dot Peacock

DwellStudio Furniture Century Crib French White

Rolling Storage Carts | Serena & Lily

Havana Stool | Serena & Lily

Raw Wood Carved Side Table | west elm

Ikea Barometer

Draper Stripe Rug in Persimmon and Cream by DwellStudio

Harmony Adult Navy Blue Maybury Glider - Babies "R" Us

Rich Navy Interior Paint -GLB25 D8 at The Home Depot

Behr Premium Plus 8 Oz. Light French Gray Interior/Exterior Paint...

Sharon Montrose Photographs

Annie Selke Links Fabric Roman Shade with Black out lining

Decoylab - Bamboo Collection

You like?

For those of you looking for more nursery inspiration, hop on over to Lay Baby Lay, where delightful nurseries are being dreamed up daily by this very talented blogger. Today's nursery has a nautical theme, which, as you may remember, was my initial plan, so I find looking at it to be both extremely pleasing and painful at the same time:

And don't even get me started on her girly nurseries. Just go see for yourself!

fit to be tied.

2011-09-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about making them wear bow ties every day now.

If you are looking to snaz up your little man, the bow ties above, courtesy of our Auntie Molly, are from Etsy seller JBKids, but Etsy has a virtual smorgasborg of ties for little cuties for you to peruse.

If you're looking to get your bigger babies (a.k.a. men) into a bow tie, check out the selection at Forage.

So very fun.

Be Married.

2011-09-11T22:07:00.000-07:00

I know you all have already seen pics of the bridal shower that I threw a few weeks back, but these ones are just so much prettier that I had to share! My very favorite photographer, the lovely Lindsey, paid a visit to my house that morning and captured my set-up along with a few pictures of the stunning bride-to-be, Miss Molly (isn't she pretty!?). This girl works some serious magic with her lens:

Check out more pics here.

p.s. Just got back from Molly and John's wedding in Sonoma - pics of the big day to come!

Do it up!

2011-09-07T22:34:00.000-07:00

I'm currently tolerating a very transitional and super-boring hair-do, or lack there-of. I typically like to keep my hair on the shorter side because it forces me to blow-dry my ridiculously coarse horse's mane into something more presentable, but also probably just because I'm old now, and old people have short hair.

I do, however, allow myself a little leeway in the hair department when I'm dealing with infants because pony-tails are a new mother's best friends. However,my recent discovery of the blog Keiko Lynn has me realizing that my up-do's won't necessarily have to be of the I'm-just-getting-it-out-of-my-face-because-it-has-spit-up-in-it variety:

Check out Keiko's fun and seemingly easy hair and make-up tutorials here!

Little Shop of Horrors

2011-09-01T22:27:00.000-07:00

If, like me, you're raising an inquisitive and lovable little nerd, or just happen to be a lovable, inquisitive nerd yourself- then this post is for you. As I've mentioned in the past, Mr. Max's interests tend to gravitate towards the unusual and scientific, and lately he's been all about carnivorous plants. So, when he spotted an article in Martha about a nursery called California Carnivores in Sebastapol, the promise of a trip across the bay to survey the selection of Venus Fly traps and Bladder Worts had him almost as excited as if it were Disneyland.

The drive out to Marin County was scenic, and when we arrived at the nursery itself, my little man was in heaven perusing the goods. In addition to the surprisingly beautiful plants, there were some kitschy props that added to the silly, albeit slightly run-down, charm of the nursery. So, if you're looking for a nerd outing in the bay- this is a quick and easy spot. Unfortunately, I would have loved to enjoy all that the surrounding areas have to offer (including a trip to the nearby Petaluma outlets), but we started to notice (which you may spot in the pics as well) that our little Huddy had some strange swelling in his usually skinny little neck and chin. After a call to the advice nurse, we headed straight for the nearby San Rafael Kaiser. Turns out it was likely just a strange reaction to a bug bite (not a developing goiter, or a rogue case of the mumps as I was fearing) but it has me feeling particularly grateful that my little lovebugs, whether they be nerdy or spastic, are in good health.

p.s.- if you want to introduce your little peoples into the world of carnivorous plants, our beloved , now ex :( , nanny snagged them this great books at the Library from the "Early Birds Nature Books" collection. Happy Reading!

Fringe Benefits

2011-08-30T23:53:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, I've never given much thought to tassels in the past. If you'd asked me what I associated tassels with two years ago- I probably would have said "strippers" and then moved on with my tassel-less life. Lately, however, I've been encountering tassels on just about everything, and I'm quickly learning, they're not just for pasties anymore. In fact, I've come to the enlightened conclusion that I love tassels. Here are some of my favorite tassel-adorned goodies:

Proud Mary Cirque Pillow, $125

Far Fetch Tassel Earrings, $31via MFAMB

Multi-tassel bracelets from A Little Hamster, $41.77 via Creature Comforts


Confetti System 12 ft Tassel Garlands, $130


B-Low the Belt Skinny Tassel Belt, $73.50

DIY Tassel-Trimmed Curtains via LoveMaegen


Lots of tassel-ey shoes, Top/Bottom


Fun, ethnic bags- Wayuu Taya Handmade bags, $130 each

And I could go on. As you can see, this is becoming a little bit of an issue for me. Happy Hump Day!

I Showered.

2011-08-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

I've spent the past couple of days recovering from hosting what I would like to think was a very successful shower for my sister-in-law. Bravo and I spent many a late night together in the past few weeks, crafting away the evening in the company of Jeff Lewis and Patti Stranger. I must say, I was rather pleased with the final results, and it seems the bride was too- lots of my decor will be making it's second debut at the wedding! Here's a peek.....

There were pom-poms a plenty (made using this Martha Tutorial- but with more tissue- I hate to tell you this Martha, but 8 sheets just wasn't cuttin' the mustard!). You can't tell in the pic- but they were hung with a pale aqua tulle.

The pennant banner was a simple project using a canvas painters drop cloth from Home Depot (though I would recommend an actual linen or burlap because the crop cloth did not want to lay nicely), some twine and a permanent marker, and the fun fabric streamers were a project inspired by this creative Mama and made using fat quarters from Jo-ann's fabric and again, my handy twine. The tablecloth was a reasonable investment from Anthropologie.

The galvanized bucket turned vase with dahlias and other flowers from the farmer's market, was from Cost Plus, and the galvanized metal heart to the right , which has been sitting purposeless in my garage for many months, was a fun find at the Alameda Flea Market (first spotted here).

The "Eat, Drink & Be Married" sign, was my less sophisticated attempt at the version I saw here, originally on Style Me Pretty. I swooped up the Mason jars at Target at just $12 for a 12 pack, since we were in need of some dnew low-key drinking glasses here at Casa HMD, and the adorable striped paper straws are from Shop Sweet Lulu.

Favors were mini homemade jars of strawberry-pineapple jam from Hope's Pantry on Etsy. I added the pink gingham fabric and again, my trusty twine. The cute little "Spread the Love" tags were from Etsy seller Miss Pickles Press.

The cupcakes were good old Duncan Hines and I made the little flags with lolli-pop sticks and my new favorite thing- Washi Tape!

I'm fairly certain that a good time was had by all.

This guy was all partied-out.

And clearly Miss Molly is the sweetest person around, because I don't drag my big pregnant butt out of bed and throw parties like this for just everyone :)

Lindsey & Lindsay.

2011-08-10T22:37:00.000-07:00

By now, most of you should be well-acquainted with the fact that I am friends with two very talented Lindse/ays. Both former Haute Mamas of the month, Lindsey Stafford is the creative master-mind behind the lens of Lindsey Stafford Photography & Lindsey Brier is the design genius and owner of Anyon Interior Design, and responsible for this amazing nursery that has been making quite a splash in the interwebs.

So, naturally, when these two ladies get together- you know it is going to result in something good. Lindsey with an "e" took some pics of a first birthday/Kentucky Derby party thrown by Linsday with an "a" in honor of her cutie pie son, Hawken. Here's a little sneak peek of both these ladies' handiwork. Check out Linsdey Stafford's blog for more pics, and for more sneak peeks of the rest of Lindsay Brier's gorgeous SF abode (and her little cherub, Hawken):

Back with a case of the Grabbies.

2011-08-08T22:41:00.000-07:00

I'm back from a very last-minute, week long get-away with my boys to Twain Harte. I stepped on a scorpion (whom the boys insisted we keep for the week and name Steve) and woke up mid-week with a muscle spasm in my neck that's still lingering.Regardless, I somehow managed to have a pretty relaxing time. We were out in the boonies, so I was totally disconnected from my internets, but we had a long and joyful reunion today, during which, I came across the following grabby-hand causers:


Noble House Designs via I Suwannee

This may be TMI, but I pooped my pants a little bit when I saw this necklace. So, get out your Depends and check out the rest of the goodies over at Noble House Designs. MUST HAVE THIS NECKLACE. I'm not even kidding about it. Moving on....

J.Crew Kelcey Calf hair ballet flates

I think it's probably fairly obvious by now that I have a little bit of a leopard "thing". These are on sale for a slightly less outrageous price and considering I have been wearing my last pair of J.Crew flats for about 4 years now, I think I can justify the cost....

via peppermint bliss

via Design Mom

My boobs aren't the only thing around here in need of a little pick-me-up. Our once-red front door is looking a little chipped and neglected and is in dire need of some sprucing. I've been seeing lots of chartreuse doors out there in the webiverse- and it pleases me.


French Connection Maternity Maxi Dress

Somebody has to squeeze their ginormous body into something presentable for her sister-in-law's wedding next month. I'm thinking this looks worth squeezing into- no?


via The Superficial

And lastly, and perhaps most grabby-hand inspiring has been the news of my favorite Swede finally ditching Kate Bosworth, who, if you ask me, just walked around looking like she thought she was a heck of a lot more important than someone whose best flicks were Win a date with Tad Hamilton and Blue Crush.

That's it for tonight lovelies.

Tuesday- let's do this thing.

Red Haute Mama

2011-07-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while since I've posted any HMOMs, but believe me, it's not for lack of candidates, because I know plenty of mamas bringing the mad hauteness. Instead of posting a new Haute Mama of the Month tonight, we'll be revisiting one of my previous HMOMs and all-around favorite people, Gina Shoemaker. I may have mentioned, that in addition to being an awesome mom of soon-to-be-FOUR kids, Mrs. Shoemaker is blessed with what Redbook Magazine has officially dubbed a "slender" body type. No, seriously. Pick up the August issue of Redbook and you'll find this Haute Mama working her slender thing in an article about jeans for every body type.

You can also check out a sneak peek of G here at Redbook Mag online

And, just in case you aren't already starting to kind of resent her and her legs- just thought I would share that she was over 3 months pregnant in this picture! OK- don't resent- I promise, she's the greatest.

In other jeans-related news, I came across these little electric blue ditties while searching the maternity selection at ASOS.com, which isn't too shabby by the way.

I was tempted to create a real-life maternity version for myself of look number one from my kimono post, but then I decided that electric blue thighs could be potentially harmful to both myself and others right now. Sigh.

Kimo-yes.

2011-07-20T22:44:00.000-07:00

source

Source

I can truthfully say that I have long been a fan of the kimono and have even been known to sport a few varieties of them in my day, so I'm super excited to see that the kimono is fast becoming a staple in the current fashion climate. So, move over geishas and old ladies with cigarette holders, we want on in some of this silky goodness.

Zara and Topshop have a pretty impressive variety to choose from right now, and Miss Richie has long been a proponent of kimoyes- her sultry Winter Kate line is full of them.

So, with so many of these beauties to choose from , here are a couple of looks to show you that kimonos are our friends for day and night:

1/2/3/4/5/6/7

1/2/3/4/5/6

HMD, take me away...

2011-07-19T22:42:00.000-07:00

Palm Desert was nice and all, but it wasn't exactly what I would call a luxurious getaway. Whenever we return from a family vacay, I always lament that I need another vacation to recover from traveling with my kids.

Sadly, there are no luxurious adult getaways happening in my near future, but thanks to the kind people of Jetsetter, I am reminded on a daily basis that there are plenty of fabulous spots out there to which I can travel, should I ever decide to stop making babies. Case in point, Insolito, this unbelievable private estate turned vacation villa in Saint-Tropez.

My imaginary bags are packed.

Please don't stop loving me.

2011-07-18T23:18:00.000-07:00

The above phrase is one that Ryan hears often. It's usually after I haven't washed my hair in four days, I fart really loudly in bed, or, well...you get the picture. While I must admit, all of the above has been going on quite frequently lately, my plea to you is in response to my prolonged HMD absence and the resulting fear that you will have stopped checking in, moved on with your lives and finally come to the realization that I'm not that interesting of a person- just your run-of-the-mill, greasy-haired, gas passer.

In truth, I have good reason. Number one being that I am pregnant, and this comes in handy as an excellent excuse under any and all circumstances. Rule of thumb: never expect a pregnant lady to do anything she is supposed to do, other than have indigestion and eventually give birth. On top of this significant and all-encompassing factor, I returned from a week in the sweltering 110 degree Palm Desert heat, and found myself in 64 degree yuckiness with a near debilitating head-cold, a week's worth of emails from unsympathetic clients and a five-year-old's birthday party to plan. I survived it all, but believe-you-me, it took everything I had not to collapse head-first into my bed at 9:15 tonight, so you better appreciate this flippin' post. I'm hoping some pictures might make it more worth your while, and perhaps tomorrow I will return with a less hostile perspective. kisses.

PD. Even the pool was kind of hot.

Clearly, we grew very fond of the snorkel.

Pretending that we're not sweltering.

Twinzies.

Prepping for our random desert boat ride.

Dr. Hud at the PD Children's Discovery Museum.

Crashing hard after a long day in the sun.

Then....somebody turned 5! Thank you, Pump it Up, for requiring so little of me.

Had a chance to finally use one of the Meri Meri cupcake kits- easy and cute.

They didn't seem to miss my crafting one bit.

Off to bed with me now. I'll be back tomorrow. I promise :)

All dressed in white...

2011-06-30T23:20:00.000-07:00

Miss Molly asked me for some help in choosing a fun white dress to wear to her upcoming couples' shower, and being flattered to have been asked, since I generally dress in some variety of muu-muu these days, I got right down to it. I really tried to keep budget in mind, but I couldn't help posting some lusties as well, because hey, if you return it after one teensy little wear....we won't tell. Although booze + white generally equals disaster (just ask my wedding dress).

So- here are my options- from lusties to musties...

Nanette Lepore lace dress, $328

Shoshanna summer beaded dress, $395

James Perse v neck dress, $165
Rachel Pally empire waist dress, $167
Sophia Eyelet Dress, $248

Banana Republic crochet tank dress, $48
Zara linen tunic, $50

Loft Sleeveless twist tank dress, $59.50

Under Cover

2011-06-29T23:17:00.001-07:00

The fam is headed to Santa Monica and then Palm Desert for some R&R next week, and it's officially time for me to debut my super-sized self in a swimsuit this summer. Luckily, there's more to looking good at the pool or on the beach than swimwear- so I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite looks for having fun in the sun.... from head-to-towel. Enjoy!

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8


1/2/3/4/5/6/7

Connect the Dots

2011-06-23T21:56:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make:

I am considering having an affair....

on my beloved stripes...

with Polka Dots.

They're not just for 6 year-olds any more and they're kind of the new stripes.

But not really, I still heart stripes the most (exhibit A)

They are fun and exciting, maybe a little impractical even.

Kind of like a younger woman.

Check out these floozies:

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8

Tempted?

IT'S A.....

2011-06-21T22:34:00.000-07:00

BOY.

Well, it's official. God wants me to grow old alone and spend my days judging other peoples' daughters who will think they are good enough for one of my THREE flipping sons. If it's not already a little evident, I'll admit it- I'm a teensy, or maybe just a substantial amount more than teensy, bit bummed. Despite making it very clear that I've always wanted a daughter, I struggled with the idea of sharing my real feelings with you all tonight. I could have, and maybe, should have, announced it here with smiley faces and exclamation marks and thanked the lord for blessing me with another healthy little bundle of joy- and then gone on to remark on how close the three of them will be and how lucky they'll be to have one another, and believe me, I WANT to feel this way, and to a certain extent, honestly, I promise, I do.

I would be remiss not to thank God, or the universe, or past life me, or whomever, for the fact that all of the necessary limbs and other important bits and pieces were just as they should be and that my little guy was bouncing around in there, waving his little fetus-y hand at us and impressing the boys with full on body revolutions for the ultrasound technician. I tried desperately to put those thoughts of "maybe it was a mistake" or "maybe it's a small, surgically removable tail," out of my clouded head so that I could fully appreciate the little miracle that was showing off for his new family, but, they were still there, whether I wanted them to be or not, and so, I thought, in the end, it's only fair to you all that I be honest, because, these days, everyone is so PC, "I just want it to be healthy" phony bologna, that I thought I would speak out for all of us mothers-of-three-or-more-of-the-same, and say:

IT'S OK. It's OK to be a little bummed out for a short while. It doesn't make you a bad person and it does NOT, by any means what-so-ever, mean that you will not L-O-V-E this little person with every molecule in your body and thank God for it every single night, as it lays there peacefully sleeping amidst the wreckage of blocks, and super hero action figures and disgustingly detailed insect books.

So, that's it. Part of me keeps rationalizing and wanting to be super practical by convincing the rest of myself that this boy will be so much less expensive than a girl. After all, the walls are blue, I've still got all of my nursery bedding and rugs, and....who am I kidding???? This kid, if he ever gets a hold of this post, will need sufficient evidence that I loved him every bit as much as his dastardly brothers, so naturally, he'll need all new stuff. Right? Right??? And I am already planning his manly little nursery- that means I'm excited. Right??

OK- so it may be a total, fantasy, never-going-to-happen nursery, because it involves things like this super cool, super expensive, wood-stained Ouef Sparrow Crib:

Sparrow Crib, $730

So, that one may not be happening, buuuuuuut, if I can convince the hubs that wallpaper is not the devil, I may just get away with one wall covered in this:


source

What do you think?? Ridiculous? Whatever, I don't care. I earned myself a little bit of ridiculous this week. Oh yeah, did I mention that I poured searing hot liquid on my chest and I have nasty, fleshy, second degree burns on both my giant, ugly maternity boobs and will have to refrain from exposing my chest pretty much for the rest of the summer? Not that anyone wanted to see what I've got going on right now, in a swim suit anyways, but, yeah, moral of the story: I deserve the freakin' whales.

YES.

2011-06-14T21:56:00.000-07:00

I won SOMETHING.

Something fun. I never win things, and this is a particularly awesome something that I probably would have otherwise shelled out my own cash for, so this makes me extra happy because now - I can use that cash and finally get that pedicure.You know, the one that will replace my missing toenail that I have been brazenly exposing my co-workers and the general populous to in my skimpy sandals.

And it's all thanks to the incredible Lauren, the blogger behind one of my favorite daily reads:

She has lots of good eye candy on her site, and dreams up cute nurseries like this one for her daughter Violet:

Help me thank Lauren for her awesome give away by checking out her site- and finding out that I won this, right here!

SUPER party.

2011-06-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

Today, my little Huddy bear turned three. I remember when I was 9 months pregnant with him, snuggling with Max in his newly appointed big boy bed, and wondering how I could every possibly love another little one the way that I loved him... but I do. My heart totally just grew a size bigger when he came, Grinch-style, and made room for who is now, one of the wildest, most hilarious little people you will ever meet.

Befitting to his love of karate kicking and "blasting" things, Huddy has had an intrinsic love for all things super hero from the time he could say "Batman". So, naturally, a super hero theme was chosen to celebrate our Super Hud. Hud spotted some Spiderman party supplies at Target and almost crapped his pants, so I could have very easily just swooped up the whole set for about 20 bucks and called it a day, but heaven forbid I make something so easy on myself. Instead, I opted for the vintage comic book super hero theme, because admittedly, Spiderman and his ugly plastic banner just didn't jive with my dream of Martha stumbling upon my party pics, (because, hey it could happen) and then insisting I come be one of her contributing editors, or scoop poop for her french bulldog, or, you know, whatever.

So, inspired by some Etsy and google searching, I dusted off my glue gun and my scissors, enlisted the assistance of some ~~slaves~~ volunteers and got to crafting.

Cupcake toppers were a quick and easy project. Windows 7 has some cool little auto-shapes that made for perfect exclamation borders and I downloaded a boat-load of comic book fonts from dafont.com, which is a serious obsession of mine. Adhere those bad boys onto a little piece of foam board and jam some Wilton cake pop sticks in the foam with a touch of hot glue and you're good to go.The finished product:

Not bad, eh?

Then, I got it in my mind that I was going to make 16 felt super hero masks. How difficult could it be to cut 16 masks out of felt and sew elastic on? Well, let's just say we'll splurge on the $3.50 a pop masks from Etsy next time because felt now makes me want to jump off a cliff.

At least they looked cute in the goody bags.

The Spiderman plates ultimately made it in the mix, along with these other guys and some awesome polka dot napkins I scored at Target.

And of course, what would a party be without a banner that you pay way too much to have printed up at Kinkos? Next time I'm there I'm going to have them print me up some 50 dollar bills and tell them to just keep those as payment because don't they know I want a little cash left over to get a freaking pedicure? There was no pedicure for me, but Super Hud had his sign:

Then there was my masterpiece. My super-legit, made from real old comic books that I had to travel into the dreaded depths of Castro Valley to procure, pennant banner. Behold:

And, because the hubs thought it was blasphemous when I unveiled the books from the bag only for him to discover that they would be snipped apart for cosmetic purposes, I made certain not to waste their precious contents, and whipped up this little piece of modge podge fun for cupcake presentation:

My assistant, Max, clearly needs a haircut even worse than I need a pedicure.

Hud was pretty psyched about his decor, but truth be told, he would have been just as happy with wall-to-wall plastic Spiderman, a bounce house and a container full of frosting.

A satisfied customer.

Also, in another effort to save some bucks, we skimped on the bounce house and borrowed one from a friend. Due to the size, capacities were limited and this thing was like Dorsia on a Saturday night in '83.

Clearly, someone was much too busy to blow dry their hair before guests arrived. Yikes.

Also, bonus points if you noticed a small red scavenging butt under the table.

Thanks to Auntie Dana for her dutiful picture taking. I was too busy hauling my fetus around and resisting the urge to guzzle white wine.

Happy Birthday Hud, you are my whole world.

Random Musings from a Pretend Housewife (or, A Play Structure and Some Cauliflower)

2011-06-09T23:08:00.001-07:00

I worked from home on Monday because Mr. Max had his little last day of preschool thing mid-morning, and then the fetus and I had a check-up in the afternoon, so I spared myself the nonsense of running back and forth from my office and instead, spent the day working in my bed, tidying up, and making a pretty freaking delicious-if- I-do-say-so-myself dinner for the fam. Meanwhile the hubs slaved away in the rain and fog and drizzle for the third consecutive day on our new play-structure and the boys ran around the yard like wild dogs, oblivious to the miserable weather.

I love days like this; feeling like a contented housewife who has some control over the state of her house-hold, whilst watching my handsome hubs laboring outside and my kids soaking up the fresh air. I know it's not a very feminine ideal, but whatever, I like bras and I hate my cubicle.

Anyways, I thought I would share with you all the fruits of our (ok, the hub's) labor. Behold:

This is probably shortly before somebody started to lose their mind...

but he survived long enough to deliver the finished product:

Ta-Dah.

Somebody luuuhves it....

His brother was busy inside nerdin' out with some insect books and a robotic cockroach, but he's pretty stoked on the swings when it's time to take a break from learning about the various species of beetles.

I was working on a masterpiece myself. I didn't snap any pics, but as I said, my meal was pretty delish and I had my new and so super easy roasted cauliflower dish to thank for it- mostly. I found it on one of my newest food blog obsessions, Budget Bytes. I love this site, because none of the recipes are overwhelming and she gives you all sorts of nifty tricks on how to make the most out of your ingredients, whether it be by re-using them or preserving them correctly. So, anyways, back to the cauliflower..... ah-may-zing (read that in an annoying sing-songy voice to get an actual idea of just how amazing, or, you know, cook it yourself). OK- here it is- make it. Tonight.


Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower= mind blowing

Happy Weekend!

Ulla for Urban

2011-06-02T21:57:00.000-07:00

For those of you with kids, have you ever noticed that when you're pregnant, regular clothes seem cuter than usual and you seem to be able to find a zillion clothing items you would buy, you know, if you didn't feel like such a bloaty, giant-breasted mutant? That seems to be my dilemma right now. Tia has been plaguing me via G-chat all day at work with links to cute things that she wants to buy for her miniature body, and it's had me browsing around at things that I have no business wearing right now.

As a result, however, I stumbled upon an exciting discovery. My girl Ulla Johnson, who makes clothing that upon owning, I'm quite certain would make all of my dreams come true, is serving up some affordable style by way of her line Vasia at Urban Outfitters. It may not be as delectable (did I just write that?) as her signature line of Lusties, but some of these pieces are definite Musties in my book. Have a peek:


Vasia by Ulla Johnson Silky Embroidered Blouse, $39.99

It doesn't get any more essential than this silky white blouse- AND it's on sale.


Vasia by Ulla Johnson Gemma Dress, $79

Yup.

Vasia by Ulla Johnson Chloe Dress, $89

Mmmm, hmmmm.

Maternasty

2011-05-31T22:47:00.000-07:00

I pinky-swear promise that now that I am pregnant, this blog will not be all pickles and ice cream, maternity, nursery, baby stuffy. While I can not guarantee that these things will not be mentioned from time-to-time (except for the pickles-I'm more of a popcorn with an entire cube of butter kind of girl when I need my salt fix), I'll do my best to remember what it's like to be not-pregnant and still remotely cool and write posts accordingly.

But first, you will have to allow me the opportunity to vent about one particular thing about pregnancy that drives me absolutely insane, and that, my friends, is maternity- or what I like to call "MaterNasty" clothes. Why is it that most maternity clothes, no matter the source, are ugly, cheap-looking, and (here's the kicker) usually totally over-priced? Don't get me wrong, there's also some cheap stuff out there, but it looks like it fell off of the Walmart plus-size truck and then rolled around in the dirt for a few weeks before Motherhood Maternity decided to shovel it off the cement like road-kill and add it to their racks.

Shall I provide some examples? Here are some affordable beauties from the "Loved" by Heidi Klum line:

Heidi- what is it about being pregnant that makes it acceptable to wear acid wash sweat pants? (Hint: Nothing) Can you imagine if these bad boys came down the Project Runway? I'm pretty sure Michael Kors would purse his lips and then keel over and fall off his stool because he had finally been rendered speechless.

And then there's this beauty, for the Disney Afficionada, who doesn't want to sacrifice her love of the Mouse for the sake of her developing fetus:

Anyways, you get the picture.

So, for me, the challenge has been buying as little as possible to get me through the next 5 months, and still managing to buy things that make me feel like "me" and not some cotton-lycra, ugly print version of myself. Fortunately for us preggos out there, it's relatively easy these days to find non-maternity alternatives to keep us looking civilized during these challenging days. I was on the hunt to find a few basics for my trip to Las Vegas last weekend (don't go there when you're pregnant, btw) and thought I'd share with you a few Mater-Not-y pieces that you can keep in the closet after you squeeze that little thing out.

I swooped up this comfy-as-pajamas dress in my favorite raspberry hue at Anthro last Friday, and I must say, I almost felt pretty in it:

Velvet Whirligig Dress, $138

Here I am pretending that being sober is fun with the hubs during dinner at Dos Caminos. At least I had my queso fundido.

With both of my boys, I was fortunate to be at my my most pregnant and gigantor in the summer months, which allowed me to forgo any kind of waist-line and just throw on a dress almost every day. I may have to add this little number from MinkPink to my current collection for the coming months:


Minkpink "Malibu Stacy" Dress, $101.56

And then there are the tunics. Tunics are everywhere these days ladies and they equal instant pregnancy joy because, not only are they cute and comfy, but they often obscure the butt and thighs, allowing for maximum carbohydrate consumption during gestation. I almost splurged on this striped version by Splendid because stripes are my particular brand of heroine, to quote my beloved Edward Cullen:


Splendid Stanzas Tunic, $88

With a little adjustment of the waist tie- it was perfect. We'll let that one go on sale, but we'll be watching like a hungry tiger. Zara has a good selection of blousy tunics that would fit the bill, like this breezy white v-neck version, which I'm certain would become a work and play staple of mine:


Zara V-neck top, $49.90

Now if only I can nab those purple pants with an elastic waist-band....Pants are a whole different story, that perhaps, we will save for my next "maintaining your dignity while pregnant" segment. But, before I go, I will leave you with the overdue, semi-profile, stomach reveal, as previously intended:

I told you, I like raspberry.

Drum Roll Please

2011-05-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

OK, I know what you all are thinking right now- that I should probably just go ahead and change the name of this blog to Haute Mama Weekly because I've really been slacking on my HMD duties. Well, the truth of the matter is, despite all of my I-need-another-kid-like-I-need-a-friggin'-hole-in-my-head talk, I am... drum-roll please...PREGNANT- 14 weeks pregnant to be exact. So deal with it.

I know, I know, I'm all talk and I've been secretly harassing the hubs every day for the past 6 months about having another kid because apparently, I've forgotten how much I enjoy sleeping, not having E cups and traveling without a massive diaper bag. I also must have forgotten how much I do not enjoy being pregnant.

Up until recently I was on a strict diet of complex carbs only, with the occasional tub of ice cream when I could stomach it, and I'm starting to resemble a Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon version of myself. Bedtime has just recently moved from 8:30 to 9pm, which leaves me about 15 more minutes to finish up this post, and waddle into bed.

Anyways, I had been postponing this announcement post because I wanted to accompany it with a cute, early-bump photo of myself in something non-maternity and stylish, looking all glowy and excited, but the truth of the matter is, I already look like I am about six months preggs, I am in full-on elasto-gear and the thought of making myself even remotely photo-ready just exhausts me. So, instead, here is a sneak peek of what I will look like in about 4 months, just to remind us all of the amazing capabilities of the human body.

And, we're off.

The Obsession Continues

2011-05-18T20:56:00.000-07:00

The boys took an unexpected trip to spend the night at their grandma's house and the hubs is back to work in the wee hours tomorrow, so I was left here to contemplate washing my floors, which are bordering on unsanitary right now, ooooor, parking my butt in front of the computer to catch up on the latest issue of Lonny.

I don't think I need to tell you what I chose.

And let me tell you my friends, I chose wisely, because this month's issue features my SWF design crush, Angie Hranowsky. Though I can't say it's my favorite work of her's, my girl Angie doesn't disappoint.

I love this room because it's just so do-able, you know?

Purple Tufted Couch- you are awesome and you deserve better pillows than that. Otherwise, love it.

In other, non-Angie related, but still cool design-related news, the designer behind one of my regular blog reads, Jen Ramos of Made By Girl, has opened a new e-store called Cocoa & Hearts to sell her abstract paintings and they totally capture Jen's super feminine and glamorous sensibility. It would probably be resigned to the garage next to the boar's head Ryan keeps threatening to bring home, because all this pink and lavender would clearly threaten his manhood, but still, I need it:

Infinite by Jen Ramos, $500

Off to not wash my floors and maybe catch the premier of the RHONJ for the 2nd time, because I'm feeling a little indulgent. xoxo.

Check me out at LSP!

2011-05-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

Was hoping to have this posted on Friday, but blogger was down Thursday night and somebody desperately needed to get her hair did on Friday morning, so, better late than never, I guess. Anyhoo- I put together a little something for my favorite photog and fortunate-for-me friend, the talented Lindsay Stafford. Here's a sneak peek of what you'll find- so make sure you hop on over to her site for more of my spring ensembles!

J Crew embellished tank top
$60 - net-a-porter.com

Zara blazer
$100 - zara.com

TopShop circle skirt
$110 - topshop.com

Kate spade
$225 - endless.com

Kate Spade gold ring
$95 - nordstrom.com

Kate Spade flower stud earring
$68 - zappos.com

Worth the h-ULLA-baloo.

2011-05-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

Please excuse the ridiculous post title, but I just recently caught a glimpse of the Ulla Johnson Spring 2011 line, and am now contemplating opening another credit card...or bank robbery. Check it:

Ummm, ridiculous.

Already wearing it everyday in my mind.

Hi tank top- let's drink some margaritas together.

Ulla-ve it.

Give me a break already, it's Mother's Day.

2011-05-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

Hope it's a good one Mamas. We deserve it.

Cinco de Yummo

2011-05-04T22:05:00.000-07:00

If people are what they eat- then I married a wet super burrito with a side of street tacos. Clearly- the hubs loves him some Mexi food- and if he had his druthers, we would celebrate Cinco de Mayo almost every day. In reality, we come pretty close to that, and we tend to have some pretty impressive Mexican feasts, courtesy of the hubster, at least once a week. He occasionally goes all out and journeys into some less desirable regions to hit-up authentic Mexican markets (Mi Tierra on East 14th is his go-to) and the results are always tasty. What can I say, marriage has its perks, and in my case, taco night is one of them.

While I'd like to give him all the credit for something for a change, the real truth of the matter is that, in my opinion, a Mexican meal is really only as good as the massive pile of guacamole that you're dipping it into, and when it comes to the guac around here, I'm the one with the fail-proof family recipe.

Passed down from my beloved dad, a master of the art of dip preparation, this recipe is quick and easy, and if I do say so myself, the perfect balance of salty and zesty. So here it is mamas, have it at:

2 Avacados- should be relatively firm, but not so firm that you can't make an impression with your thumb using slight pressure
1/2 of 1 small fresh lime
Garlic salt to taste (about 1-2 tsp)
2 spoonfuls of Herdez Casera salsa or Herdez Salsa Verde (or fresh pico de gallo)
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno- seeded

I like to cut my avos and use a nice big spoon to scoop out the contents. I've found a fork to be the best "masher" for an ideal texture. It's a good idea to always leave at least one of your avo pits in the dip, as this will keep it from browning for much longer.

Next, I squeeze the half lime directly into the mashed avo and mix.

Now, here's the key people- Garlic Salt. Regular salt will do, and, truth be told, sometimes I add a little extra plain ol' salt in with my garlic salt cause I'm crazy like that, but Garlic Salt will make magical guacamole love happen and just gives it that extra zing. You'll see.

Now for the salsa. Some of you may think this is cheating and maybe it is. You could just finely dice some tomatoes ( I like romano tomatoes for this, because they are the firmest and have the least juice/seeds in the middle) and some red onion and call it a day, but because I'm a flavor machine and we're riding this bus all the way to flavor town, trust me on the salsa. Chances are, when you're making a legit Mexi dish, you'll have some fresh pico de gallo around, but if you're poor like us and fresh pico de gallo has to be rationed in favor of paying utility bills, then Herdez is the stuff. I actually first discovered Herdez at a real Mexican supermarket while in Mexico staying at my friend's house. We love it because it comes in little 1 oz cans for 99 cents(sounds scary, I know), but it is surprisingly legit and perfect because we inevitably throw out half of those big old jars when we are eating for just the family. The ranchera works nicely, but occasionally I mix it up with some of the salsa verde for a zingier, spicier blend. Be mindful when adding your salsa- too much will take away from the texture- and a good guac should be chunky- not too creamy. I usually start with a single spoonful, and add more as needed. I'd say, for 2 avo guac, I usually use 2 small spoonfuls or less. If you want more texture, supplement with the diced romanos and red onion as needed.

Please note, it is important to have lots of tortilla chips handy during guac preparation so that you can taste throughout each step as you add ingredients to gauge the amount necessary for each. Plus, I sometimes find that I have a tendency to go too salty when I'm not tasting with the already salty chip on my tongue.

Chop up your cilantro finely and add the diced leaves in increments. Taste as you add to achieve desired cilantro-ness. I like it because it adds a hint of freshness to the guac, but too much of it can totally overwhelm the dish, since it's a really strong flavor and scent.

Same goes for the jalapeno- dice very finely, remove seeds, add, mix and add more as needed- or eliminate altogether if your prepping for kids or lame people who don't like spiciness.

And- ¡Ya está! There you have it. I know six paragraphs is a little ridiculous, but clearly, I take my guacamole very seriously. As should you.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo Mamas Calientes!

The Gimmes

2011-04-28T22:51:00.000-07:00

I know it may seem like it to the average HMD reader, but I promise I'm not really some grabby-handed mcbitterson who complains about life and spends all day online staring at things she can't afford. For those of you that know me, I am generally a happy person, and overall, feel quite blessed with my lot in life. I started thinking tonight, after a few concerned emails from friends wondering about the well-being of my brain, that maybe it was time to shift gears, stop whoa-is-me-ing and I-need-this-ing, and start sharing with you all some of the countless things for which I am eternally grateful.

But then I thought, "Nah. That's boring." I know what you really come here for.

So, without further adieu, here are a few things that are giving me the gimmes for you to ponder and/or purchase over the weekend.


This delightfully Spring-y candy stripe tunic from Urban Outfitters, $29


This equally Springy and essential linen and sequin tote from the GAP, $49.95

....and more candy-colored goodness in the form of these Delta lamps, $150 each

anyone who has been to my house, knows that my yard is a place where gnomes go to die, lose their limbs and get pooped on by birds. These little guys from West Elm, however, would be safe and sound inside.


This lovely laurel leaf ring by Eddera would complete me. $230


And because we need more toys around here, how cute are these PlayShapes blockshttp://kidcrave.com/toys/playshapes-74-wooden-blocks/. Every kids needs a wooden mustache.

And, just in case you don't believe that I know I am blessed, here's a little photo evidence:

Check out these keepers.

Happy Friday!

Making an Effort

2011-04-27T21:39:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like your brain is going to fall out? That's kind of how I feel lately- like it's just going to drop right out of my head and land on this keyboard and be all sdfjhIEHFJLDJLDhjkfekejyh78yler on you. You know? OK, so it might not be falling out, but it should be apparent that I'm losing my mind and perhaps that's why I've chosen to post so sparsely these days- to spare you all from the ridiculous nonsense that is my stream-of-consciousness of late.

You know, there is one thing that helps me to focus when I'm feeling as disjointed as I have been lately- the promise of a new hand bag. So maybe that promise is years away (single tear) but a girl has always got to be prepared, am I right? Current bags on my list are of the leopard variety (what else is new, you ask), but I just can't help myself, these are GOOD:


L.A.M.B Trademark Audrey Leather Bag, $398

My girl Gwen always delivers when it comes to the leopard.


YSL Large Leopard Muse, $2550

OK, so this one is a major stretch- but I've been buying my Lotto tickets.


Zara Small Leopard Tote, $149

..because it's nice to know there are options for those of us who don't you-know-what gold bricks.

Jealous.

2011-04-21T21:22:00.000-07:00

So, as some of you may remember, Tia was off to Coachella last weekend. While she was there, having an amazing time, this happened:

She met my fantasy love swede (please ignore the 2 tools on the right). And he is apparently very tall and kind enough to pose for photos with people who aren't busy pretending they're too cool to gawk at celebrities because they are at hipsters and they are at Coachella.

When she called me, I wanted so desperately to be giddy with excitement, but there was another part of me, a pretty big one, that was jealous. And, as if I didn't already have enough fodder for jealousy, I had to be reminded that God gave her legs like these:

(max's godmother Heather (i know, he scored) and Tia Mcleggerson in the hot pants)

But it's cool God, I get it. Clearly I needed sturdier legs to support my massive butt.

Have a Happy Easter Lovelies!

Cheeeeese.

2011-04-14T21:40:00.000-07:00

Lindsey Stafford is a miracle worker. When she asked me if the boys would participate in a studio shoot she was organizing with a group of kids, I responded with a mix of elation and hesitation. Smiling per request and cooperating are not among the boys' current arsenal of skills, but with some heavy bribery and the promise of a new Captain Hook costume and a stuffed squid, I was feeling confident that my men would perform come game time. I can't say the boys were completely uncooperative, but there was a lot of Max's signature platypus noise going on (he told me recently that he makes this noise to "scare away his enemies") and definitely more tongues than teeth were bared. Linds, however, still managed to capture some serious magic. Behold:

These weren't exactly the smiles we practiced, but it's hilarious.

I love these little monsters. Check in with Lindsey's blog this week to see more fun pics of this adorable session.

in my clutches.

2011-04-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

This Carry-All Pouch by American Apparel seems to be everywhere I look these days. It's taunting me with its fun color-selection and overall practicality. Naturally, I must have it- in multiple color ways. Check it:


via Fashion Squad


via Late Afternoon

via Atlantic-Pacific

via Fashion Squad

Let's all get one. We deserve it.

p.s. happy birthday to my big bro today! he may spend a lot of time hunting with the good old boys, but don't let this clothes horse fool you- this guy can shop with the best of us.

Miss Me?

2011-04-07T22:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts this week, but my brain has been awash in a sea of mucus and pseudophedrine for almost seven days straight now and I've just been too busy laying in bed and feeling sorry for myself to come up with anything interesting enough to say to y'all. As far as colds go, this one was pretty major and I'm quite certain that my nostrils have suffered permanent damage.

So, consider it a great privilege that you, my beloved patrons, are important enough for me to drag my self-pitying butt in front of the computer past my favorite new bed time of 8 pm, just to share with you some cool stuff to get your Friday off to a cool start. Let's do this:


Sweet and simple baby & kid clothes from Kit + Lili via Black Eiffel

I may surprise Max with this awesome whale print for his room. Check out more awesome stationary & prints from enormous champion.

this almost-to-cool-for-me mixed-media art pieceby AK Daves

this ridiculously essential kaftan from two new york that I could both snaz up with a leather belt or just go totally granny in all summer long.

The cutest bathroom ever from the coolest house ever, featured in the latest issue of Rue Magazine. Check out the rest of Bailey's exceedingly hip home on her blog, Peppermint Bliss. That dog paper is officially on my list.

And words can't even begin to describe how much I wish I was starting this weekend off with a cocktail here. Via Full House.

Happy Friday lovelies. I'm going to try and not look like I was run over a bus tomorrow, so I'm off to get my beauty sleep.

Pattern Play

2011-03-31T21:39:00.000-07:00

image via Atlantic-Pacific

I just spent an unhealthy amount of time obsessing over absolutely every outfit worn by the stylish blogstress behind Atlantic-Pacific, but this unlikely combo of leopard and polka-dot in particular have me thinking I need to spruce up my spring wardrobe by mixing up some playful patterns. Here's my seasonal interpretation of this exquisite look:

Butterfly Blouse, $60 & Floral Skirt, $60- both from Zara

Madewell Memento Cardigan, $54
Michael Kors Santorini Clutch, $178
Anthro Solo Strand Necklace, $38
Modcloth Petal Power Ring, $12
Kate Spade Pop Art Bangle, $42

Does an outfit get any springier than this? Honestly, I don't think so.

Big Joy.

2011-03-31T15:40:00.000-07:00

It is a gorgeous 80 degrees outside right now and the only thing making the fact that I am trapped here in my cube trying to ignore the onset of carpal tunnel even remotely tolerable is my new-found music obsession, Little Joy, and my trusty headphones. They are truly the perfect complement to a sunny day. Here’s a taste, and get ready, because your day is about to get a little bit awesome.

Re-Pleat.

2011-03-29T23:38:00.000-07:00

image via Honey Kennedy

Image via Elle.com

You would think that 9 years of a hideous Catholic school uniform would have made me inherently adverse to pleated skirts, but I just can't help myself- I love them. Especially in their most recent incarnation- longer, flowy-er, and in some cases, chiffon-y-er. Granted, they're not for everyone(myself included if I'm in one of my "Doritos" phases) as the pleats don't always do the ponch any favors, but, you may want to get our your Spanx ladies, because the pleats have arrived, and I've got some for everyone:

Forever 21 Basic Woven Skirt, $24.80

Tucker Pleated Knee Length Skirt, $440

Topshop Pleated Calf Length Skirt, $80

Zara accordion pleated skirt, $79


Asos Pleated Midi Knit Skirt, $71.72

Lulu's Pleated Skirt, $34.50

And I would be remiss if I didn't take the time to thank this woman for making them look sooooo good:

See you soon, Betty!

My Fix.

2011-03-28T23:15:00.000-07:00

Season 4 comes out on DVD tomorrow.

Unfortunately for me, I'll be waiting for On Demand like a peasant, but when the time comes- know this- I will be shamelessly unproductive for a solid week.

Also, thanks to Meags for pointing me in the direction of this gem. I think I spent most of the latter week in Draper Disapproval Pose #6. If you don't believe me, ask my kids.

Hard Wear

2011-03-24T23:04:00.000-07:00

Umm, how much is your mind being blown right now by this awesome bracelet made from twine and some hex nuts? Flippin' hex nuts. Find the rest of the seemingly simple DIY here.

Since the boys are always more excited about a trip to the Depot than they would be if we were headed to the mall, I think I'll get them all psyched up to look at some power tools and head over there tomorrow- stat- to pick up my materials. Maybe I'll eat a really big hot dog while I'm there, but whatever.

Love Letter.

2011-03-23T22:10:00.000-07:00

via Hello Lucky!

Kind of random- but how gorgeous are these new LOVE stamps that will be available this May? In reality, the only people I send mail too these days are most definitely not deserving of any of my love, nor do they need it, because they already get plenty of my money on a regular basis.

I originally took notice because I thought they would be fun for all of Molly's upcoming wedding mail, but I think I'll pretend that I am one of those thoughtful & organized people that sends personalized notes and swoop some of these lovelies up anyways.

Rain Drops Keep Falling on my Head

2011-03-22T23:41:00.000-07:00

via MFAMB

Even though my body is literally aching to be baking poolside in some exotic locale right now, I can't say I am quite this bitter about the rain... yet. In fact, I'm actually feeling quite grateful for all-things rain-inspired...


Like this simple rain drop print from Etsy seller Priss Designs

My favorite earrings from Melinda Maria


These Poppins-chic, Watler rainboots by Hunter

And, I'd love to be somewhere under this rainbow. Color Wheel umbrella from Uncommon Goods

Here's to May flowers.

The Butterfly Effect.

2011-03-21T22:34:00.000-07:00

I have a little something I want to share with you all, and, well, I'm kind of embarrassed about it because it's a little Mariah Carey of me, but, I can't help it. You see, I'm really into butterflies these days. Perhaps it's a somewhat natural tendency to gravitate towards something so blatantly feminine, given that everyone else in my household is either dressed like a cowboy, building robots or browsing a Cabela's catalog at all hours of the day.

So, for all of you ladies who know what it's like to be outnumbered by people who remain standing while they pee, here's a little dose of some super-feminine, butterfly goodness, just for us:


Butterfly Locket from Etsy Seller Verabel, $40


I may not be able to afford something like this AMAZING Hunt Slonem painting.....


But now that I've been getting in touch with my crafty side, I could probably whip up something like this lovely piece from Oh Dee Doh

I actually have one of these butterfly trays from West Elm, but I'm thinking I may need another one of these decoupaged beauties.

This colorful butterfly frock from Modcloth is much more Betty Draper than Mariah. And I love it.

And we all know I am a total sucker, for Tucker.

with Love.

2011-03-17T22:37:00.000-07:00

Today was, by my standards, a really rough day. It's so easy to get wrapped up in our own problems despite all of the devastating things that might be going on around us, but tonight, someone really special, who is dealing with plenty of her own challenges, took time out to help me with some things that really matter. Finding the site above made me realize that perhaps putting things in perspective and doing something for someone else in return, no matter how small the gesture, might make a bigger difference than I think.

Click on the link to donate people and feel good about your weekend.

And...silence :)

Making My Way in the World Today...

2011-03-16T21:55:00.000-07:00

It really does take everything I've got these days.

I've learned that making a pillow, however, doesn't have to be that difficult. So, with that said, I'm betting you can guess what makes this such an awesome pillow:

I made it! AND it was super easy, AND super cheap, AND (get this)- I didn't have to sew anything!

Thanks to this no-sew pillow tutorial from Centsational Girl, I was able to scoop up a couple of pairs of discounted cloth table napkins ($2 each!) and some fusible web and iron those bad boys together in about 15 minutes.

Shazam.

This one was actually for Tia and I haven't completed the others, but I laid out the napkins over a pillow to give you a sneak peek (and yes, I promise they will get finished even if the napkins went in the dreaded "drawer of things that have no other home and are eventually fogotten"):


I heart this batik print.

smile sectional, you're about to get a face-lift.

I think I've officially reached DIY nerd status. Hand me the Modge-Podge and the skill-saw because I'm ready for the next one.

The Tribal Council

2011-03-16T00:10:00.000-07:00

I probably don't have to tell you that the whole ethnic/tribal thing is really big right now. I've already mentioned the overwhelming presence of tribal patterns and textures in design with all of the ikats, suzanis and batik prints we're seeing, but rest-assured we can all blend seamlessly into our carpets and throw-pillows when that less-fortunate kid comes by selling magazines and peeks in the window, because the fashion world is going tribal crazy too.

I myself am going a little crazy waiting for warmer temps to arrive, so I'm really excited to freshen up my wardrobe with some colorful pieces like these, but (and this may sound familiar), I'm a little tight on my clothing budget these days. Thankfully, my friends over at F21 have me covered. Here are some of my favorite F21 dresses for spring, along with some other fun tribal-inspired jewelry finds from around the interwebs:

Forever21 Self-tie Tribal dress (top left), $20
Forever21 Psychadelic Woven dress (bottom right), $22
Kenneth Jay Lane Chandelier earrings $225
Charm and Chain Tribal Necklace , $145

And, for those of you with a little extra cash in your pocket who may be opposed to a wardrobe full of practically disposable clothing, don't worry- I have some lovelies for you too:

Low Luv x Erin Wasson layered gold necklace, $98

Shoshanna Ikat Print dress, $340
Mink Pink layering tank top, $58
House of Harlow 1960 tribal earring, $194
Diane von Furstenberg black silk dress, $325
Forever 21 Statement Piece Necklace, $9.80

Splurge.

2011-03-13T22:49:00.000-07:00

I hosted a dinner party for a few of my co-workers this weekend, so, naturally, I went to Whole Foods and spent my life-savings on ranunculus and lilies:

It think it was totally worth it - don't you? Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to my new "dancing" gig to cover the costs.

I'm Glad We're Friends Now.

2011-03-09T23:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Talbots,

It's me again- just wanted to say "hi" (you know, since we're kind of friends now) and I'm totally digging your new ad campaign with Julianne Moore, and some of your clothes are looking decent and HOLY S, YOU'VE GOT SOME REALLY CUTE SHOES RIGHT NOW. Let's talk about them:


Au Natural Leather T-Strap Platforms, $159

Yep, going to need these. Please send. Moving on.


Patent Leather Lucite Heel City Sandal, $149

Stacked Lucite Heel? Yes, please. Next.


Au Natural Leather Ankle Strap Sandals, $199

Super squishee soft-looking leather ankle straps? Bring it.

And, Finally:

Ankle Strap Leather Platforms, $169

My black heels are looking little beat. These will do.

So anyways, good catching up with you Talbies (can I call you Talbies?). Let me know if you need my address. Nice to see the whole leopard thing wasn't just a fluke. BTW- Santa (aka Grandma Cath and Dana) totally read my blog, because they bought me something for Xmas and I've been rocking that look-at-me leopard coat like it's my business. Just thought you should know.

xoxo

Out with the old.

2011-03-08T00:03:00.000-08:00

We've had this hideous- I mean, trusty, console in our living room for far too many years, and while I am grateful for its many years of faithful servitude to our family photos, it was time for this baby to go and make some other early twenty-something feel semi-adult.Unfortunately, my current re-decorating budget is in the zero-to-no dollar range, so any hopes of replacing this with my dream console were shattered. Cue Grandma Cathy and her over-furnished home.

Grandma C was doing some de-cluttering this past week, and I saw this antique table from her bedroom I'd been coveting looking lost and lonely in the hallway outside her dining room. Car seats were moved and we brought her home (the console- not Grandma C). I know it's not terribly exciting news, but if you had any idea how much that Target console was plaguing me, you'd understand. So, without further adieu- I present to you, the new, old, and most importantly- free, console at Casa HMD:

In general, I love a well-executed vignette centered around some sort of a console or dresser. Mine is still a long way from perfect, but it's definitely going places. I've been hoarding images of little entry ways and consoles that make me happy for a while now. Perhaps it's time I shared the love:

source

I heart Fridays....

2011-03-03T23:48:00.000-08:00

We made it! Fridays are awesome. And, as an added bonus, I'll spare you my usual ramblings and just get down to the nitty-gritty tonight. Here are some other things I'm hearting these days on the eve of this well-deserved Friday:

My new linen leopard pillow from Etsy seller Giardino (found via bryn alexandra)

These versatile tote bags (the handle is adjustable) in a variety of fun fabrics from Fabric & Handle (found via Design Mom)

Absolutely everything from Tibi's spring line (but this perfect frock in particular)

Beaded clutches from Furbish that make me want to be a better person.

This adorable Andy Warhol illustration print.

Gold baby Moccasins by Freshly Picked (found via Bluebird Vintage)

And, the fact that my beloved Tia is in town and the boys and I are having a slumber party with her at grandma c's house. Happy Weekend!

xoxo
j