Mix It Monday :: Mint + Turquoise

I had myself a little color revelation this weekend. I have been itching to paint my front door turquoise and was wondering what to do for the doormat, and it hit me, mint green. How fresh and lovely and just perfect! So, today's post was born. There are so many shades of both colors, the possibilities are endless, and the results are always lovely.

 

{images: 1, 2 + 3, 4, 5, 6, 7}

For the Littles :: Colette Bream

Since my kids are teeny tiny for their age, they are still in toddler beds. I don't know about you, but I am not finding a great selection of "toddler" bedding out there. Technically it is the same size as crib bedding. The problem is that I find cute crib sheets, but they don't come with pillowcases, flat sheets, or duvet covers. The toddler sets that do have those items are not at all the aesthetic I'm going for. Dora and Spongebob do not need to be plastered across their room, thank you very much. And really, it is our room too since we are all crammed into one large room. I need things serene and happy.

So, in my searches I came across the most adorable shop on Etsy, Colette Bream. She has really dreamy bedding sets that include a pillow sham and a duvet cover in the toddler size. The pillows are especially amazing, very unique characters and shapes. Her color palettes, patterns, and textiles are so nicely chosen. My favorites are the cloud and french pigeon pillows.

You can find me over on Rena Tom's blog today with a fun creative challenge. Happy Wednesday!

Stories :: Full Steam Ahead

We are in week 4 of running and I made it 4 miles on our long run Saturday! It still isn't an easy 4 miles (and yes, there is some walking in there), and I have a long way to go, but I am all about small accomplishments. Though the running hasn't seemed to get "easier," I do feel better after my runs now. It does feel really good to be active again, oh how long it had been!

I don't know if it is the running or the stress, but it has me reflecting on life. I do this often, and I always feel stunned by the timeline of events and strange order of things in my life. I happen to be one of those people who have been blessed with many wonderful people and events in my life, and yet many of them have had strange timing. I like to think of this as fate. This is something I try to remember when I feel like life isn't going my way. Because all of my timing is funny, a lot of things feel like hardship, but when I remember that it has all worked out for me so far, I know that everything will be all right.

Reflecting on the positive has been very necessary for me this year. Both individually and as a family there have been a lot of trials to face this year. A lack of work, the loss of beloved pets, financial woes, and personal struggles. And yet, I have my beautiful children, an amazing husband, supportive family, the job I have always wanted. While it has been easy to feel discouraged, it is interesting and comforting to know that in the wake of all the bad, it seems like it is all moving towards the good. I think I can live with that. Running has reminded me that I have a lot of inner strength, and that I need to push myself, but also that I need to give myself a break too. Enough of all the deep stuff, have a great week everyone!

If you feel like supporting LLS, I still have a long way to go in my fundraising! You can donate here. Thanks for the support!

Mix It Monday :: Vintage + Golden Hues

The light is changing and the air is getting slightly crisper, and back to school is right around the corner. Fall is almost here. My favorite time of year! I love the weather, and the food, and the smell of pumpkin and spice. With all those things in my head I found myself drawn to golden hues this week-- yellow, pumpkin, bright orange, even better when mixed with vintage or rustic touches. My favorite is the Audrey image, so moody and powerful. This is an eclectic mix, and yet they all feel warm and moody in their own way. Enjoy!

{images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}

Dots

I came across this, by Print Process, today and can't stop going back to it. The color the shapes, just lovely!

Mix It Monday :: Asymmetry + Pattern

I love a good pattern, I love it even more when you add a little assymetry to it. Doesn't need much, just a smidge and you have yourself some drama. I came across these images in my Pinterest feed and I just loved how each image has its own drama and beauty just from the slight asymmetrical composition. Beautiful!

The image on the right is part of an amazing collection, The City of Silence, by Lorenzo Linthout. Follow the link to see more of his amazing images.

{images: left, right}

Running for a Cause

It's the end of an era. The end of my sedentary lifestyle and non-exercising ways. I have recently signed up to participate in Team In Training and train for my first half marathon, the Nike Women's Half in October. Team In Training is great because they train you and you raise money for LLS (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society). Will had been itching to train for a race this past year so we signed up together. And, although he is much farther along in his fitness level, we are training and supporting each other. We are three weeks in and I am already able to run 2 miles, still a struggle, but at least it is improvement! While it is difficult to find time to train 6 days a week with my parenting and work schedule still dominating my time, so far it has been good to make myself a priority for a little while each day.

I will be posting updates on progress in the weeks to come so stay tuned for sweaty pictures of me, and the pretty scenery I get to enjoy while running. If you would like to donate and help me reach my fundraising goals, check out my page here!

Read To Me :: Little Owl Lost

I am a big fan of children's books, even more so now that I am constantly reading to the kids. The thing is, I'm always very picky about the visual style and quality of the illustrations, sometimes more than I am about the story itself. What always grabs my attention first is the art. If I am drawn to the illustrations, then I will always pick it up and see if I like it. I thought it would be fun to start adding in some children's book reviews. I will show you the books that are a hit at our house, from a design centric mama's view, and from the view of 2 discerning toddlers.

We have been going to the library pretty often and have come home with some real gems, plus I have a long list of books on my wish list. This week I'm reviewing Little Owl Lost, written and illustrated by Chris Haughton I had spotted this one in the bookstore way back and loved it, and M happened to pick it out at the library this week. The illustrations are graphic with bright bold colors. The story itself is simple, a little owl drops from his nest and goes on the hunt for his Mommy, with the help of a few forest creatures. A sweet, and rather misguided squirrel becomes a helper to the little owl. I love this book both for the sweet and simple story, but also for the great illustrations. Since I have both a 3 year old to entertain and a shifty almost 2 year old, quicker reads tend to be a little better on occasion. Overall a good, quick read for your busy toddler. Even my little E sits still long enough to hear the story! Enjoy!

Mix It Monday :: Color Blocking + Natural Textures

Hello hello! This Monday brings a pretty awesome Mix It collection for you, color blocking paired with natural wood and other textures. I have been seeing amazing examples of this trend lately, and I'm excited to share some of my favorites with you. Color blocking plus natural textures is a simple and bold design combo that I just love. Whether it be white dipped table legs, or a neon block on a wood bowl this mix is my kind of design. I love negative space and adding color in simple, bold ways. Those neon bowls are amazing and I have them on my wish list, the rest of these goodies may end up on one of my DIY lists. Check it out, enjoy!

{images: stools, clips, neon bowls, notebooks, pots, utensils}