Friday, December 27, 2013

A QUICK HELLO!

Hello, friends! I hope all of you had a wonderful, warm, and magical Christmas. I have loved taking a much needed break during this season and am really looking forward to the rest of my time off. :) Just wanted to stop in and say a quick hello!! Jon and I had a wonderful Christmas together and we are making plans to go out of town to see family this weekend for one more Christmas celebration!

I'll be back soon with regularly scheduled posting and some fun things to bring in the new year! Love all of you and am so thankful for each of you. Thank you for being such wonderful readers and supporting my blog!!

Tell me how your Christmas was!!

Saturday, December 21, 2013

BEAUTY: FACE CARE DURING PREGNANCY

A few months ago I did a video about my body care routine during pregnancy and I wanted to follow up by doing a video about my favorite face care products to use during pregnancy. It can be a little tricky finding great products that make you feel fabulous AND help combat acne if you're struggling with that during pregnancy.

I really experienced a lot of hormonal acne during my second trimester and into my third trimester so it became super important for me to have a clean, fresh face and do a little extra to take care of myself. Honestly, spending a little extra time on myself during this time and been one of the main ways I relax and feel loved on. Pregnancy is such a special time. Soak up every minute and don't forget to give yourself a little extra love. :)



PRODUCTS MENTIONED
* Cucumber Cleansing Face Towelettes - Say Yes // http://bit.ly/19jlC2r
* Charcoal & Sugar, Dead Sea & Chocolate & Strawberry Face Mask - Freeman's // http://tinyurl.com/kg3b26q
* Skin Savior Beauty Balm - One Love Organics // http://tinyurl.com/74fwks6
* 9 to 5 Cleansing Lotion - LUSH // http://tinyurl.com/l23x36h
* Tea Tree Toning Water - LUSH // http://tinyurl.com/ltk22ll
* Imperialis & Skindrink Moisturizer - LUSH // http://tinyurl.com/owhpxgz
* Ocean Salt Scrub - LUSH // http://tinyurl.com/lclqt7w

Christmas is 4 DAYS away!! Are you done Christmas shopping yet? I've still got one more thing to pick up and a pile of gifts to wrap. I can't believe it's almost here. :) Love all of you, Merry Christmas!

Proudly a partner of the Pushpin TV Network. Like their Facebook page here for more videos on fashion, beauty, DIY, and cooking! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here! 

Thursday, December 19, 2013

WEAR: PINKBLUSH MATERNITY + GIVEAWAY





It's been a little tricky finding nice maternity clothes to wear during the holidays with a nearly 34 week bump! It's been ALL about comfort lately. Cozy, light clothing that fits well and feels good. I've been living in this off-the-shoulder sweater top from PinkBlush lately. I love how it fits, looks, and most importantly how it feels. Three cheers for cute maternity clothing!!

Today is my last day of "work" for the holidays. I'm still planning to put together blog content while I'm away but I'll be taking time off from design work and Maiedae meetings with my lovely team. While I adore my job, it's so wonderful to take breaks in order to refresh and get re-inspired. This time of year is my favorite time to do this. The new year always feels like a blank canvas of possibilities. :)

Wearing: 1// Wide-Brimmed Hat - GAP 2// Black Tank - Target 3// Taupe Maternity Top - c/o PinkBlush Maternity 4// Maternity Skinny Jeans - Target 5// Leather Wedges - c/o Blowfish Shoes 6// Clock Necklace - Vintage Shop in Chicago 7// Studded Bracelet - Forever21

GIVEAWAY TIME
Pregnant or have a loved one that is? Enter below for your chance to win a $25.00 gift card to PinkBlush maternity. :) Giveaway is open to US residents only. If you have won a giveaway or hosted a giveaway with PinkBlush within the past 6 months you are not eligible to win. One winner will be selected at random and announced within the week. :)

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

OH BABY: REGISTRY PICKS - SLEEPY TIME

The nursery is getting so close to being done! During our holiday break, Jon and I are planning to make a little trip to IKEA to purchase a few final things for the nursery. I can't wait to see everything come together and to give Soren a beautiful room to grow up in.

Since sleeping is SUCH an important part of baby's life (and mom and dad's life!) I really wanted to find things that Soren would be super comfortable in and would be easy for us to use. I'm so excited about these picks, I have loved them so far and I look forward to seeing what Soren thinks of them when he makes his appearance. :)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1// Crib - I did a lot of research on what crib we wanted. I really wanted something with a clean, sleek look. We also wanted something that would last well for other babies! We found this Babyletto Hudson crib and just fell in love. It's a 3-in-1 convertible crib so it's great for newborns and toddlers. I love pieces that can grow with the baby and don't have to be replaced right away. Also, it comes with a toddler rail so you can turn this little cutie into a tiny toddler bed. After we built the crib I loved how sturdy it felt. It's also so beautiful in person! 

2// Monitor - Jon and I were very back and forth about whether we should go with just an audio monitor or a audio/video monitor. We ended up getting the Summer Infant video monitor for a shower and after playing around with it, really loved it! The picture quality is great. It has "night vision" so you can easily see baby when it's dark in the room. The sound also sounds great too! I know this will help make me feel a little more comforted being a new mommy. :) 

3// Swaddle Blankets - I heard so many good things about the Aden + Anais swaddle blankets, so we were sure to put these on our registry list. The muslin material is supposed to make it easier to give your baby a good, tight swaddle and stay put nicely throughout the night. 

4// Swing - Besides being an incredible company with amazing baby products, I love the quality of their baby goods. This is one of the first things we received for Soren and we immediately loved it. It will be a great swing to keep with us downstairs so Soren can snooze while I work. The mamaRoo comes with several great swing settings, natural sounds to calm baby, an adjustable base so baby can sit upright or lay back and snooze, and a place to hook up your smart phone to play music. You can also purchase a newborn insert so that new baby can be cozy and supported. Jon and I kept asking ourselves why there wasn't an adult version of this swing...

5// Sound Machine - This adorable giraffe sound machine is amazing. One of my best friends got this for Soren and I love how soft it is! The sounds are so calming and nice, I also love the fact that it has a velcro strap on the back so it can be secured to a crib, stroller, or car seat easily. I also has a sound timer on it which is perfect for lulling baby to sleep. 

6// Playard/Bassinet - Just had to include another item from 4moms. We have loved the breeze. Not only is it perfect for traveling (SO easy to break down and set-up), but it also comes with a bassinet insert that we can use in our room for baby to sleep in. Very multi-functional and easy on the eyes. ;) 

7// Mattress - We purchased this mattress simply for the ratings. While I haven't slept on it myself...it does feel great! We were also sold on the fact that it's hypoallergenic and waterproof. Hooray! 

8// Crib Sheet - We just wanted a simple looking crib sheet that would go nicely with our theme. There are a lot of crazy crib sheet patterns out there so I was super excited to find that Land of Nod had a great selection of designs that were simple and pleasant. :) 

Do you have any favorite "sleepy time" baby suggestions?! Would love to hear your thoughts!

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

THE WEEKLY

A lot has been happening at the Wallace household lately! Jon and I have been busy with work preparing for our time off during the holidays. We are SO looking forward to Christmas. This will be our last one together before Soren comes and we're planning to really soak it in, relax and take our little "babymoon" during this time. Also, last week was a big week for Maiedae! We recently updated our site and launched all of our new packages for 2014! We are currently booking for early 2014 so if you'd like to snag a spot, take a look at all of our information over here.

As well, this past weekend, Jenny, myself, and Leah, along with our husbands, took a little Maiedae retreat trip! It was such a relaxing and nice time to get away, talk about 2013, and all of our exciting plans for 2014!! We have a few projects planned that we are SO excited about and can hardly wait to get them going! 

Last night, Jon and I took another class at the hospital in preparation for baby. We can't believe we are only 5-7 weeks away. So crazy!!! I've been busy wracking my brain trying to make sure we have everything we "need" for his arrival. I'm also hoping to finish the nursery decorations by early January. Can't wait to reveal the entire space!

Snapshots of the Week: 1// 33 week bump!! 2// Holiday candles are my favorite. 3// Festive home for Christmas! 4// Face masks! I love that Jon does things like this with me. ;) 


Favorite Posts/Pins/Articles:
* Can I drink this everyday?! 
* Anyone tried out the Belly Bandit after pregnancy? I'm super curious. 
* These girls are just adorable. Love their 3 ways to wear knee socks post

Inspiring Me this Week:
Feeling super motivated and inspired to get lots of work done this week so I can truly relax and enjoy Christmas break. We are definitely in need of a nice, long break! :) 

3 Things About Yours Truly:
* I LOVE getting a Peach Slice smoothie from Smoothie King.
* Some things I'm most excited about sharing with Soren one day: Christmas, Disney, and fort building.
* Looking forward to my annual "date with myself" evening to think about my goals for 2014. :)

Weekly Questions (please give your answer below!!)
* What is your most wished for Christmas gift this year?

Friday, December 13, 2013

BEAUTY: SPARKLY LINER TUTORIAL FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

I have always been a glitter lovin' girl at heart. No matter what style phase I find myself in, I'm always drawn to sparkle. My favorite way to incorporate a little shine into my everyday look is by adding in little touches. Of course every now and then you might as well rock the sequin pants right? Christmas is the perfect time to bring out the glitter and one of my go-to ways of doing that during the holidays is with a little glitter liner. I love using glitter liner over a pot of glitter because it really stays put beautifully and doesn't get all over your cheekbones and counter top. ;) Check out my quick glitter liner tutorial to help you out with a fun look for all of your holiday parties!



PRODUCTS MENTIONED
* Stay All Day Waterproof Liner in Carbon Black - Stila
* Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Midnight Cowboy - Urban Decay
* Flawless Definition Mascara - BareMinerals

I hope you have a fantastic weekend!!

Proudly a partner of the Pushpin TV Network. Like their Facebook page here for more videos on fashion, beauty, DIY, and cooking! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here! 

Thursday, December 12, 2013

PROJECT HOME: FIREPLACE MAKEOVER

One of the big projects we really wanted to accomplish soon after moving into our home was giving the fireplace a little make-over. This is one of our favorite rooms in the house. It has an amazing amount of windows and we loved that the fireplace took up a huge portion of the wall. Our vision for this room is a bright and cozy place to host friends, watch movies, and have great conversations. There are a lot of dated features about this room, but I love the bones and its character. We have a lot of plans to really update this space and make it our own. First project?? The fireplace! We knew this would make an immediate impact on the space and that we could build around it afterward. Here is a before picture of the living room and fireplace that was used as one of the listing photos:


How We Updated Our Fireplace:
1// Hardware - We took off all of the old hardware on the fireplace. This included the brass cover and yellow-ish sconces. We also made sure to remove any nails and hooks from the brick.

2// Clean - We spent about an hour or so vacuuming the heck out of the fireplace before painting it. One tricky thing about painting fireplaces is that you can tend to have grease spots that will show through the paint as yellowy patches. Right around where the fire will be I might suggest taking some soap and water to the brick to break up any grease. We didn't paint the inside part of the fireplace, but if you do, you'll want to super clean and scrub that space before painting. You also won't be able to use it as a "fireplace" if you paint that area, unless the paint is specifically created for a fireplace and heated environments. 

3// Prep - We used blue masking tape to prep the areas around the fireplace. Since we are planning to also paint the trim and rest of the room we didn't mind if it wasn't perfect but we especially wanted to protect the floors and the wood mantel. We used trash bags to protect the mantel which I would suggest because paint ended up getting everywhere!


4// Prime! - This is a SUPER important step. Since brick is SO porous, it will take a lot of paint. Having an amazing coat of primer on your fireplace will make the final paint job go on smoothly and beautifully. Lets be real, priming this bad boy was a labor of love and took many, many hours. My suggestion would be to spread this project over two days. It took me nearly 6 hours to do one coat of primer and completely cover the entire fireplace. We used an entire gallon of Kilz paint primer for one coat. Kilz is AMAZING. Even though it took a really long time to cover everything, we only needed one coat of this stuff. Again, for this fireplace size, it took an entire gallon. I also went over a few grease patches a couple times to get rid of any yellow showing through the primer. So, onto the process...first I took a roller and did a basic cover over the top of the bricks with the primer. The roller brush didn't cover much because the grout on our fireplace is a little deep so it only got the fronts of the brick. Make sure you pick up a roller brush that's meant for a more porous surface. Then I took a brush and worked on filling in as much of the grout as possible. Because paint brushes are a little large, there were still some spaces and pores I couldn't quite get to. After a lot of time with the brush, I moved onto a small paint brush that you would use for painting canvas and art projects. This really took a lot of time because I wanted to get into every nook and cranny and make sure I did a complete cover with the primer. I would highly recommend watching a show while doing this! It makes the whole process a lot more enjoyable. ;) But take your time, make sure you do a full coverage of primer. It will be totally worth it if you do! 

5// Paint - After doing one, complete coat of primer and using an entire gallon of paint, we let the space dry. Once dried, we used a Valspar semi-gloss paint & primer in bright white. The semi-gloss was perfect and really added a beautiful shine to the fireplace. It also made the fireplace feel smooth and clean. We love how it looks in person! Since we worked so hard on the primer coat, it only took one easy coat of paint to finish off the fireplace. Again, we used the roller first and then used a larger paint brush to finish up the rest. It only took about an hour to do the final paint portion of the fireplace. 


And you're done!! It was definitely a time consuming project but it made a huge impact in our space and really updated the look. We also decided to update the lighting and Jon picked out these lantern style sconces at Lowe's which look beautiful up against the white. I'm still trying to figure out if I want to leave the mantel wood or paint it white...or black...I can't decide quite yet. I might do the rest of the room first and then decide. ;)

We are planning to paint all of the wood trim white and paint the walls a really beautiful light blue color to make all of the white really pop! I can't wait to see how this room progresses over time! 

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY!

If you've been a reader of my blog for any amount of time, you might have caught on that my FAVORITE holiday of all time is Christmas! I'm such a child at heart when it comes to Christmastime. I love everything about it. While I'm not the best at DIYs or recipes, I DO love gifts! I couldn't let this Christmas go by without doing something special to celebrate Christmas! :) SO in celebration, I am hosting a giveaway brought to you by my amazing sponsors!! There are over $300 worth of gifts and prizes included in this ONE giveaway bundle! Keep some for yourself and give others away to family and friends!! See all of the giveaway details below!


G I V E A W A Y  I T E M S
1 // $25 Gift Card to the Run 2 The Wild shop! - Sponsored by Courtney of Run 2 The Wild
2 // $25 Gift Card to LUSH Cosmetics - Sponsored by Me
3 // 15-Piece Christmas Collection Chocolate Box - Sponsored by Amanda of Pavonia Patisserie
4 // $25 Platinum & Rust Gift Card - Sponsored by Leah of Platinum & Rust
5 // A Year of Magic eCourse - Sponsored by Stephanie of Stylings & Stories
6 // Personalized Copper Keychain - Sponsored by Kelly of Your Charmed Life
7 // Drybar VIP Pack - Sponsored by Kym of Travel Babbles
8 // Harajuku Bow Necklace - Sponsored by Jacquie of Shade of a Bonsai
9 // Surprise Christmas Gift Box $25 Value - Sponsored by Eliza of Case Study
10 // Monogrammed Pullover - Sponsored by Britt of The Fisk Files
11 // $25 Gift Card to Shepard's Daughter - Sponsored by Rachel of Shepard's Daughter 
12 // Personalized Notecard Set - Sponsored by Andi of AP Design

T H E  D E T A I L S
One winner will be selected at random to win ALL 12 prizes, a $300 value! Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Giveaway will be run using rafflecopter. There are 2 required entries and several bonus entry options! Best wishes to you and a very Merry Christmas!!!! :D

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, December 09, 2013

CAPTURED: GET OUT OF TOWN

Sometimes you have really bad days. Sometimes bad days happen a lot easier when your pregnancy hormones are raging and all technology is out to get you. ;) Friday was that type of day for me. I woke up feeling bleh-sad-weird-unmotived and as the day progressed little things kept building up and making it more and more BLEH.

Jon knew my day was not-so-hot and being the loving and sweet husband that he is, he surprised me by coming home early from work with my favorite drink from Sonic at hand. He's been so attentive and sweet during this pregnancy. It's been so wonderful to have him by my side, taking such great care of me. I love him SO freaking much!! We had talked about going out of town on Saturday, but in a spur of the moment decision, and after realizing it was much needed, we decided to take a late night drive to Greenville, SC, and stay in a hotel.

We spent the majority of the day on Saturday enjoy the downtown area. We went to the Holiday Indie Craft Parade, visited a few pop up shops and ate some delicious BBQ at a local restaurant. We had such a laid-back, restful time, it was exactly what I needed. It has seriously been an emotional roller-coaster of emotions during this third trimester! I am SO completely thankful for a mini trip away and for Jon. I couldn't have made it through the weekend in one piece without him. :)  

Saturday, December 07, 2013

BEAUTY: NOVEMBER FAVORITES

Ummm, how is it already December? This year is flying by!! I AM however planning to really slow down and enjoy the holidays this year, especially before baby Wallace comes in February. :) This week I'm sharing my favorite products from the beauty, lifestyle, fashion, and make-up categories. I've got some great favorites that would be perfect stocking stuffers, too! Merry Christmas!!



PRODUCTS MENTIONED
* Whitening Toothpaste - Sensodyne
* Tummy Butter - Palmers
* Maternity Jeans - Target
* Mint Chocolate Candle - Bath & Body Works
* Eyelash Curler - Tarte
* Glitter Liner - Urban Decay
* Shame Lipstick - Urban Decay
* Holiday Essentials - Stila

What products were your favorite during the month of November??

Proudly a partner of the Pushpin TV Network. Like their Facebook page here for more videos on fashion, beauty, diy, and cooking! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here! 

Thursday, December 05, 2013

WEAR: A FESTIVE BACKDROP WITH RUKAA & SOUL MAKES

These holly bushes grow like crazy in our backyard. It looks so beautiful during the wintertime. A perfect backdrop for winter-ish outfit photos. :) I'm finding it extremely weird seeing myself so pregnant in these photos. It's one thing to look down on your tummy and see its growth and another to see yourself in photos! I'm so excited about this growing baby boy, though, can't wait to snuggle his little face!

Also, really loving this slouchy beenie from Rukaa and gorgeous statement quartz necklace from Soul Makes! Making this mamma-to-be still feel hip. ;)

Wearing: 1// Slouchy Oatmeal Beanie - c/o Rukaa 2// Cream Top - Thrifted 3// Oversized Cardigan - American Eagle 4// Quartz Necklace - c/o Soul Makes 5// Maternity Jeans - Target 6// Moccasins - c/o Minnetonka

Wednesday, December 04, 2013

OH BABY: DIARIES FROM THE 3RD TRIMESTER NO. 01

This week marks my 31st week of pregnancy. Holy. Sweet. Moses. Jon and I were discussing the other day that technically next month (January) we could have little Soren! His due date is February 3rd and, while I certainly want him to come when he's ready, I've been wondering if the little bear will make an early appearance. The idea of him coming within the next 8-9 weeks is CRAZY. We've been busy working on house projects, trying to get the nursery prepared, taking classes at the hospital, and getting all of our ducks in a row to take time off from work.

I was talking to my family the other day about how during the 1st trimester I spent a lot of time grasping the idea of being pregnant. It was hard for me to comprehend and since I wasn't really showing, it didn't feel real. I just felt tired and icky. ;) During the second trimester I really got used to the idea of being pregnant. I felt the baby, had a baby shower, found out it was a "he", and got to see him on the sonogram. Pregnancy felt real. And now, during the 3rd trimester, I'm totally used to being pregnant, but now I'm actually starting to grasp the idea that we will have a real live, human baby in our arms. I have these little moments and visions of seeing him, smelling him, and holding him, and I just get completely overwhelmed and excited. I seriously cannot wait to be a mommy. I am so looking forward to being a parent with Jon and learning how to do this as a team and by his side. 

We will be celebrating 9 years of being together in January. We met when we were young, grew up together, and have loved sharing life with each other. We are each others' biggest fans and supporters. Even though we are so different from each other, we adore each other. Moving from the time of it being just us for 9 years to us with little Soren is a little scary. I know I'll miss it being just us and I've been so thankful for this time. Loving Jon has been the best years of my life. But I do know that adding Soren to our family will change so much, but make everything so much richer. Our prayer for him is that he will have a spirit of true joy. We want to celebrate life together. Surely, these years ahead of me, loving Jon and loving Soren, will be the best years of my life to date. :)


Overall, this trimester has been a little uncomfortable and I'm anticipating more and more discomfort as little one grows and grows! He is SO active. He loves to stretch, kick, roll, punch...he re-acts to sounds, music, and Jon's voice. He has hiccups and loves moving around right before I go to sleep. It's amazing feeling him so big! -- Jon's been incredible at helping me stay comfortable. He massages my back, makes the bed cozy for me, helps me up and is always looking for ways to serve. As far as emotions go, I've felt the widest range of unstable emotions in this trimester so far. I've had my weepy moments, crazy/funny moments, carefree moments and psycho-crazy-angry moments. I'm just thankful the psycho-crazy-angry moments have only occurred 1-2 times (depends on who you ask). It's been a little like PMS on drugs, steroids, a venti americano, and three red bulls. Hormones!!

I've mentioned a couple times that Jon and I have been taking classes at the hospital to prepare for baby. This has been one of my favorite parts of the 3rd trimester. We have learned SO much together and it's really made us feel more at peace and prepared. It's so wonderful to feel equipped with sound knowledge and experience! I feel about as prepared mentally as I can for labor and delivery. I know I'll need to be adaptable and I know my experience will be different from others. I'm feeling excited, anxious, and nervous. It's like Christmas day is approaching but I'll also have to give a speech in front of 5,000 people. The epitome of my excitement and anxiety. But I know I can do this! I'm practicing positive affirmations. ;) 

Here's to the next 9 weeks!

Monday, December 02, 2013

DECEMBER WISHLIST

This year for Christmas I decided to include a couple practical/useful items on my wishlist. I've had my eye on a lot of mommy goodness for Christmastime and I've been trying to think of things to help me prepare for little Soren's arrival. :) -- I've done a little Christmas shopping so far and I really need to get my butt into gear and finish up!

1// Timi & Leslie Diaper Bag 2// Rifle Paper Co. Weekly Desk Pad 3// Happier at Home & Bringing Up Bebe 4// Fossil Watch 5// Pocket Journal 6// Solly Baby Wrap 7// Smashbox Masterclass Palette    

What's on your Christmas wishlist?? :)

Friday, November 29, 2013

CAPTURED: THANKSGIVING

It was such an honor for Jon and me to host Thanksgiving at our place for the very first time. Usually Jon and I go out of town to celebrate Thanksgiving with his extended family and then celebrate with my family on the weekend, but due to some changes in our normal plans, we got to all gather together at our place for a wonderful meal.

We decided to use the "living room" that we are planning to convert into a dining room for our dinner. Since we didn't have enough tables and chairs we used six 2x4 fold out tables and extra folding chairs to make everything work. We used a roll of craft paper that we already had for a tabletop cover, our plates from West Elm, plants from around our yard for decoration, and we painted names above each plate. Since this room isn't wired for electricity, we decided to string bulb lights from the ceiling to give it an "al fresco" feel. I love having the lights up like this, it adds so much character to the room! -- Jon and I can't wait to invest in some tables and chairs to make this look more permanent.

This year's Thanksgiving was very special to us. It's so wonderful having our family together and sharing a delicious meal. I loved every minute. :)

Saturday, November 23, 2013

BEAUTY: EYEBROW ROUTINE

Every now and then I get questions about how I do my eyebrows and if I dye them. Since dying your brows can get a little tricky, I've stayed away from that and have found it much easier to simply use a matte eyeshadow powder that closely matches the coloring of my eyebrows. For awhile I used a medium brown that for some reason had a slight auburn tint, see the ELF Eyebrow Kit below, but more recently I started using a little bit of a darker brown shade that matches my eyebrows much better. I love the soft, bold look that a shadow gives. It's much more forgiving than an eyebrow pencil and less harsh. The great part about filling in your brows is that you can really shape them to be what you'd like. I love creating a more bold, retro look with my brows to offset my bright red lips. :) Enjoy, friends, and happy weekend!


PRODUCTS MENTIONED
* Brow Brush - Real Techniques
* Lash-Brow Groomer - Real Techniques
* My Favorite Brow Brush - MARK
* Accent Brush used for Highlighting - Real Techniques
* Eyebrow Kit - ELF
* In the Light Eyeshadow Palette (used Sandstone & Kitten) - Stila
* Clear Mascara (can be used as brow gel) - Maybelline 
* Brow Gel - Anastasia

Have any brows tips for all-time favorite products?? Please share below! 

Proudly a partner of the Pushpin TV Network, subscribe to my YouTube Channel here! 

Thursday, November 21, 2013

PROJECT HOME: A CHANGE IN PLANS

As you can see from the main floor layout above, we have essentially two sitting areas in the house. "The Den" which has a lot of beautiful natural lighting and a fireplace and the "Living Room" that has a window facing the front of the house. Next to the kitchen is the current dining room. SO I have been thinking a lot about the layout of our main floor and trying to think of creative ways to make the space work and be functional for our lifestyle. There is a couple things we knew we wanted:

* A large, cozy sitting area to host friends and family. This room could possibly have a media area but we aren't set on having a TV on the main floor.
* A studio space for me to work, shoot videos, take photographs and have a comfortable desk area to work at. This needed to be on the main floor so that when we have Soren I can essentially live on the main floor to take care of him, work, do chores and be present on the main area of the home.
* Lastly, we really wanted a great dining space to host dinners. When it's just Jon and I we love eating at the bar in the kitchen or taking it down to the movie room to catch up on our favorite shows. Once our family grows I know we will want to make family dinners an important part of our lives and we love hosting friends for dinners, so a great dining room would really be utilized.

The idea of having both a "Den" and "Living Room" just isn't a practical use of space for us. We wouldn't really use two sitting areas at this time and I would personally love to just put a lot of efforts and design into one sitting space instead of two. :) SO with that said, here is an update with our new main floor layout.


The Den will become our main hosting/sitting area. The living room will become our "Grand Dining Hall" and our current dining room will become my studio! I'm so excited about this change because it fits our family so well and can easily be changed in the future if we decide we need to utilize the space differently. We are REALLY excited about the "Grand Dining Hall" as we like to call it. We're planning to put a table in this space that seats 14 people. We'll probably do this by purchasing 2-3 of the same table and putting them in a row. This will make it easier to utilize the tables in different ways. This is also the room I'd really like to paint a fun color and make a really awesome beverage area! I'm excited to see this floor really come to life.

I'll be sharing inspiration boards and photos for these spaces on my blog soon!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

WEAR: WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, IPHONE

If your camera battery runs out, the next best thing to use is an iPhone. ;) Jenny and I ended up doing a iPhone styled photo-shoot for our outfits this week. Lesson learned. Always charge your camera battery or bring a spare!

Wearing: 1// Fringe Kimono - Forever21 2// Striped Dress - Gifted 3// Scarf - Target 4// Belt - Thrifted 5// Leggings - Forever21 6// Boots - Forever21 

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

OH BABY: REGISTRY PICKS - BATH TIME

I'm slowly but surely wrapping my head around this whole baby registry thing. Jon and I have started stocking up on essentials...diapers, wipes, 0-3 month baby clothes. Things are starting to come along! We still have some of the major pieces to purchase like the crib and stroller. We're hoping to get all of that situated by December. I CANNOT wait to get the crib and set it up. I think it will really pull everything together and make it feel more "real". :)

Above are my registry picks for bath-time! I had a hard time picking out the body wash and lotions because there are SO many to choose from, so if you are in love with an alternative I would love to know!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1// Washcloths - Love these soft and colorful washcloths from Aden + Anais. I'm also a fan of the cloth loop which makes it easy to hang and dry.

2// Tub - This 4moms tub is so awesome. Basically 4moms is incredible and they have so many clever products for babies. This tub allows dirty water to flow out and clean water to flow in, it also has a temperature gauge so you can make sure the water is just warm enough. Can't wait to use this for little Soren's first bath. :)

3// Spout Cover - Again, loving this from 4moms. It's a simple spout cover that tells you the temperature of the bath water. Simple and so cool!

4// Bath Goods - I love the clean smell of these Aveeno baby wash and lotion. It's for sensitive skin and just has a calming feel to it. Again, if you have more favorite suggestions for this category I would love to hear!

5// Towel - I've only heard good things about this Puj hands-free towel. So cute and cozy!

Check out my feeding time picks here

Monday, November 18, 2013

FAVORITE THINGS GIVEAWAY: SCHOOLHOUSE ELECTRIC

Is it seriously mid-November already?! Next week Jon and I are taking off for Thanksgiving and we have big plans to decorate for Christmas, prepare our home to host Thanksgiving, and bake lots of yummy desserts! While I'm so completely stoked for the holidays, I'm also nervous/excited about giving birth to Soren in February. Ahhh!!

This month I am featuring one of my favorite online shops for my Favorite Things giveaway! It's time to get your new calendar for 2014 and what better way than to boldly feature the year with a gorgeous Stendig and Lunar wall calendar? I love how beautiful and modern these pieces are! Check out details on how to win below!


GIVEAWAY TIME! 
This giveaway is run via Rafflecopter. One winner will be selected at random and announced within one week from now. The winner will receive one Stendig and one Lunar wall calendar from Schoolhouse Electric. Giveaway open to US residents only. This giveaway is sponsored by the following amazing blogs and businesses: Kitty of Kitty & Buck, Jacquie of Shade of a Bonsai, Alexandra of Alexandra Wallace Photography, Kym of Travel Babbles, Lauren of Love Lola, Amy of Life in Creation, Charlie of Polka Dots are Love, Eliza of Case Study, Amanda of Little Tranquility, Leah of Platinum & Rust, Andi of AP Design, Reva of Daughter Zion Designs & Courtney of Run 2 the Wild. If you would like to sponsor future "favorite things" giveaways, become a sponsor! More information here. Psst!! -- Last chance to purchase a special holiday spot! Only 3 left!!


To enter, use the Rafflecopter entry below. There is one required entry and several bonus entry options. Best wishes! :) Thank you so much for entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, November 17, 2013

THE WEEKLY

This week has been busy, busy as Jenny and I have been working hard to wrap up clients and projects for the year. We've been so amazed and blessed by having our year completely booked out by September with design clients. It's blown our minds how much Maiedae grew this year and how much we've learned in return. We have been excitedly preparing for 2014 with new design package updates and whole new offerings! We will start booking clients for January and February in mid-December so if you're thinking about a branding, blog, or site re-design, be sure to keep an ear out! We will have a limited number of slots open each month. Can't wait!!

On top of preparing Maiedae for 2014, Jon and I have been preparing mentally for Soren's arrival! We can't believe we are only about 11 weeks away from meeting him. Time is flying by! I'm just hoping we'll have the nursery ready for his arrival. We've still got a lot to do and my energy in the 3rd trimester is slowly going downhill. ;) 

Snapshots of the Week: 1// Cocoa, all day ev'ry day. 2// Front porch pumpkins. 3// Jenny and I at this year's Maiedae Mixer, can't wait for the next one! 3// Egg nog, yummmm!! 


Favorite Posts/Pins/Articles:
* Did you hear?! We announced the date of the 2nd Annual Maiedae Mixer!!  
* Loved these 11 hairstyle ideas for curly girls! 
* My business partner is so talented! In love with these original handwritten Christmas prints.
* Definitely need to make this Thaksgiving garland!  
* Love the idea of this Vanity Project. So beautiful. 

Favorite Blog of the Week:
* More and more I'm in love with the girls of Treasures & Travels. Especially excited about their new YouTube channel

Favorite YouTube Video this Week:
* Twilight Noir - Michelle Phan 

Inspiring Me this Week:
Thanksgiving!! Trying to figure out how to create a great Thanksgiving table on a tiny budget mostly using things I already have around the house. Loving the challenge of being thrifty. I'm also excited about making a homemade cheesecake and pumpkin pie. Yum!! 

3 Things About Yours Truly:
* I'm extremely talented at getting crumbs everywhere while eating. 
* Feeling anxious/nervous/excited about labor and delivery. 
* I would love to hire an interior decorator. Just let someone know my vision and watch them make it happen. That would be awesome! 

Weekly Question (please give your answer below!!)
* What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish/recipe?? 

Saturday, November 16, 2013

BEAUTY: SWEATER WEATHER


Today I am doing the "Sweater Weather" fall tag! Fall is one of my favorite seasons, so I'm excited to share with you some of my favorite fall products and memories. :) I'm tagging anyone who would like to participate so if you do create a video on your blog or YouTube channel, please comment with a link so I can watch! I hope you're having a fantastic weekend. Since Jon and I are hosting Thanksgiving this year we're spending the afternoon unpacking our final boxes from the move and I think I've even convinced him to hang Christmas lights before Thanksgiving, too! ;)


QUESTIONS: 

1. Favourite candle scent?

2. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?

3. What's the best fall memory you have?

4. Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner?
5. Best fragrance for fall?

6. Favourite Thanksgiving food?

7. What is Autumn weather like where you live?

8. Most worn sweater?

9. Must-have nail polish this fall?

10. Football games or jumping in leaf piles?

11. Skinny jeans or leggings?

12. Combat boots or Uggs?

13. Is pumpkin spice worth the hype?

14. Favourite fall TV show?

15. What song really gets you into the fall spirit?

PRODUCTS FEATURES:
* Marshmallow Fireside Candle - Bath & Body Works 
* Kate Moss Lipstick in #11 - Rimmel  
* Velvetines in Red Velvet - Limecrime 
* Cotton Candy Body Spray - Body Fantasies  
* Giant Sweater - American Eagle 
* Parfumerie Nail Polish - Revlon 
* Moccasins - Minnetonka 
* Babel on Vinyl - Mumford & Sons 

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