Things I'm Lovin' - Toddler

1.

Blabla Knitted Pillows

: I've been a fan of Blabla knitted dolls since Roswelle was born. As she grows older, I'm looking for ways to add fun, intriguing pieces to her space while keeping it classic and appealing. The knitted cacti pillows fit the bill! Would be adorable in any playroom, toddler's teepee, or bed.

2.

Brew & Serve Wooden Coffee Maker:

 Does your toddler watch you make your coffee every morning? Does he/she ever want to help? Well now he/she really can! Adding this play set to your morning routine will make for merrier mornings. You can enjoy your real coffee while your little makes you a variety of freshly brewed concoctions.

3.

Kid Apron Set by the loveliest:

 This is a great gift for a toddler who loves to spend time in the kitchen (and would be a great pairing with item #2 above). The loveliest company really is just that, offering adorable bedding, quilts, mobiles, and wearables. I'll be revisiting this site again, I'm sure!

4.

Kid Made Modern Paint & Brushes:

 5pm can be a tricky time in our house, too late to head out and still a good amount of time to kill before bed. Recently, I've been setting Roswelle up to paint at the kitchen table while I prepare dinner. My favorite paint for her little toddler hands is the Kid Made Modern wide mouth/tip proof set paired with short, sturdy wooden paint brushes. I can walk away from the table while she is exercising her creativity for at least 20 minutes. And because a spill is inevitable, even with the best supplies, the paint is washable.

5.

Ikea Doll House/Wall Shelf:

 I really could do a whole list of Ikea toys I'm lovin' - they have some great classic, wooden toys available. This doll house is great because it mounts to the wall and can develop into a book shelf as your toddler grows older. My sister-in-law put craft paper/wrapping paper to the back walls, making it an even more festive and stylish doll house!

6.

Fred & Friends Dinner Winner Plate:

 Does your toddler fight eating dinner? yeah, mine too... I saw this plate in February's issue of Real Simple magazine and think it's worth a shot. The idea is to put meat, vegetables, etc along the way with a treat (cheerios, blueberries, chocolate - whatever that looks like for you) at the Finish Line!

7.

Gap Moccasin Fringe Sneakers:

 Roswelle was gifted these at Christmas and my goodness she gets so many compliments on them! People have stopped me to ask me where they are from - Gap, y'all! And they are still available for purchase. With velcro fastens and minimal soles, it's a great everyday shoe for her.

8.

Usborne Book of Things to Spot:

 Roswelle LOVES search and find books, so when a couple girlfriends started selling Usborne books, I was excited to purchase the "things to spot" books. The pictures have so many details providing numerous ways to quiz her aka "which one has spots, which one is the smallest, can you count all the ants." It is her favorite book at the moment!

9.

Chasing Paper Removable Wallpaper:

 I do love decorating Roswelle's room in a particular way (light colors, clutter free, super girly)...but I do think a child's room should reflect their tastes. This removable wall paper is good quality and actually is easy to remove (so I've read from other bloggers). You can start, mess up, and restart - sounds good to me! I would love to do an accent wall in Roswelle's room and let her pick out the paper (and by pick out, I mean select from the options I give her...control freak momma here!)

Things I'm Lovin' - Home

It's Tuesday! Which means another installment of Things I'm Lovin'. Today is all about the Home. Some items are primarily for decoration; however, most are things that have made my home life easier and more enjoyable.

1.

Oreck Steam Mop:

 All hail the STEAM MOP! A great alternative to the messy, dip & rinse yarn mop, or the questionable cleanliness of the swiffer wet-jet (which I have been using for years); the steam mop provides a deep down clean without the use of chemicals or detergents. After it's been used, simply pull off the cloth cover and toss in the washing machine. I use the mop all over the house - on the hardwood, the bathroom tile, and even the bathroom tub.

2.

Simple black frames:

 I'm partial to decorating with whites, grays, creams, and neutrals but I have been leaning into the idea of intentional dark colors to compliment all the lightness. I've found that the best way to add some much needed depth is through the clean lines of a simple, black frame. I'm planning to put 3 of these large square frames above our master bed. Now I just need to decide on what will go in them...

3.

Black & Decker Dust Buster: 

All I need to say is this dust buster

actually works

. It has a simple and sleek charging stand and is my go-to tool for the inevitable messes in the kitchen or after I blow dry my hair in the bathroom.

4.

Ceramic Match Holder:

 I don't own one personally, but I have gifted the ceramic match holder/striker after seeing it on multiple gift guides prior to Christmas. A great addition to any side table or bathroom vanity and removes the need for having matches next to the candle. If you order the match holder, don't forget to order "strike

anywhere

" matches off amazon.

5.

Dr. Bronner's Liquid Soap:

 I bought this for soap in the shower and after reading the back of the label listing all of the other uses, we have quickly started using it all over the house: Dish soap, tub/bathroom cleaning, and even a vegetable cleaner.

6.

King-Sized Throw:

 Believe it or not, throws are hard to find in king-size, or even queen size for that matter. That's why so often you will see them draped over the corners of larger beds in pictures. The king blanket I've linked isn't necessarily a throw, but it comes in a great pattern, multiple colors and is thin enough to be casually placed at the end of a bed. My mom also has a great tip - a twin sized quilt is the perfect size for the end of a King bed.

7.

Rifle Paper Wall Calendar: 

My favorite way to kick off the new year is with a Rifle Paper Calendar! The notable artwork each month is both uplifting and fitting to the mood I feel with each month's weather and festivities.

8.

Marble Oval Cutting Board:

 I've used this board over and over again. Photographing food; a tray for flower, matches, and a candle; a pretty addition to any bathroom vanity; or even for its intended use as a cheese tray or hummus platter.

9.

Everyday Co Linen Dinner Napkins: 

A local company born in Boston, the linen napkins are meant for everyday use in replace of paper napkins. Many of us save such a napkin for special occasions or dinners, but wouldn't it be nice to treat every meal, every day, as such? I have yet to buy myself a set, it's on my list, but have gifted the dinner napkins three times!

10.

Bonavita Coffee Maker:

  My favorite coffee maker. I prefer this sleeker look to some of the other bulkier options out there. It's also available in white!

11.

Bodum Milk Frother:

 Not something I use every day, but you could! It always fun to have something extra special when having girlfriends or family over to the house. I was gifted this milk frother by my sister-in-law; it adds a bit of elegance to my coffee bar and is a fun addition to offer with coffee!

12.

African Market Basket:

 Baskets have become something I use everyday - a place for fruit & vegetables, on the stairs for odds and ends, holding towels in the linen closet, or a place to gather throw blankets in the living room. A basket makes any collection of clutter look intentional, even stylish! This specific type of basket, an African Market Basket, with a giving bowl and a leather bound handle, is something I'm currently seeking. I've been seeing them pop up all over blogs and even spotted one in this month's Real Simple Magazine.  

I've loved putting these lists together so much that I'm currently planning to write a 4th installment: Things I'm Lovin' - Toddler Life!

Favorite Things Friday

I have to write this quickly because I'm trying to squeeze in House of Cards during her first nap. It's a little early for such a dark show but I'm too excited to wait. I thought I would do a little "Favorite Things Friday" since I have't written one in forever.  I'm sooo happy it is Friday and a sunny one at that with temperatures above freezing!! :D

Home: 

Living in a small home in the city we have little space to spare.  These cylinder-like kleenex boxes are genius and can fit onto the smallest side table or shelf.  You can get them at Target!

 Personal: 

This Honest shave oil is a spa in a 2.25oz bottle.  It's a wonderful remedy to winter skin problems and the aroma takes me away to my favorite spas every time. AND it's organic - ha! Moms, add it to your next Honest order!

Baby+Food: 

It's no secret I'm a stickler for good, simple ingredients and these are great snacks with no additives.  They have the texture and convenience of the popular "puffs" but without the extra ingredients. Jenny found them at Whole Foods and I'll be back for more!

Tidy Spaces

{my coffee bar - I say "my" because I'm the only one drinking coffee in our house}

Hello out there!! It's been a while.  With traveling and hosting throughout the Holidays and a sick baby last week it's been tough to get back on the blogging train.  I have been putting it off because I didn't have the right pictures I wanted for a post I was thinking up or decided just to do something else with the free hour I had.  But this morning I decided to snap a few quick pictures and write.  

I consistently joke that I'm an official picker-upper.  I am CONSTANTLY picking up anything and everything...and I only have ONE baby...who doesn't even walk yet! (getting close!) I am one that needs order and control so the constant state of disarray sometimes gets to me.  To find some balance, I have set up a few spaces in my house that are consistently clean and put together, and if they get messed up it only takes seconds to get them back in order.  

{I make sure to keep this space clean and always have fresh flowers, it's a dependable place of order  in the early morning}

{Paul and I share one sink with a small countertop.  I've set myself up a small space for the items I use daily, it makes me feel a little put together even when I'm a general mess}

{I make it a priority to keep the countertops clear of clutter in this corner of our kitchen.  If something is sitting there, I simply move it to the other side of the stove.  May seem simple, but having one space that is clean does wonders when I'm cooking}

{and finally I love keeping our guest bedroom clean and tidy.  Sure I will park the stroller in there when I'm in a rush or sort laundry in there but for the most part the bed is made and the surfaces are clear.  It gets little traffic since it is on the bottom level of our house which makes keeping it a dependable clean space manageable}

Marshalls for the Win

{a striped, light, table runner that will work for a few occasions - Christmas, V-day, July 4th...it was on clearance for $10!}

Marshalls (and TJmaxx, Ross, Tuesday Morning, even Ocean State Job Lot (a northern store which I just experienced last weekend)) can be a hit or a miss.  On Tuesday I considered it a home run! I found things that I had been looking for and actually wanted...I'm not even going to pretend that I needed them.  AND I found them on the cheap cheap cheap.  

Lately I have been really avoiding bringing color in the house.  I've been looking for white, off-white or pale creams.  I'm even tired of taupe or yellow creams (which is the color of my kitchen cabinets at the moment...may change that soon).  Some of the things listed have a little color but it's progress towards an all white, neutral palate I'm headed towards.

Anyways - thought I would share some things that I'm loving in my house right now!

{our fireplace isn't working at the moment so this extra large candles with extra flames does the trick on my coffee table.  I'm also really into all white flower arrangements with pops of red.  And that Christmas tree dish was a thrift store find this summer for a dollar :D }

{I was SOOOO excited to find these little guys! and in white! I see them (or something similar) in so many design blogs/magazines.  I can't wait to give them a home on my mantel after the christmas decorations come down.  Only $8 each!}

{This antler piece was on clearance for $10.  Right now it's a bangle/ring holder but I'm sure I'll find more uses for it as time goes on...I even thought about hanging special ornaments on it for a small space Christmas decoration}

Organization: Food!

By now I hope your Thanksgiving left-overs have been eaten! It is the perfect time to clean out your refrigerator and store your food strategically.  Our fridge may look empty to some, but this has a full week's worth of food.  Some tips, use parchment paper as a liner for your shelves for easy cleaning, take food out of bags/containers as soon as you get home (I store my eggs in extra glass vases!), and display healthy food at eye level.  

**I can't believe I'm showing the inside of my refrigerator.  It feels personal?!? ha!

{fresh fruit with lots of color}

{plenty of vegetables, one of two full drawers}

{when possible, store your drinks in clear containers that make things look cleaner}

{follow suit in the pantry, instead of having bags falling all over the place, put items in mason jars}

{since we try to avoid processed foods, we don't use much pantry space (just ignore my chips) ;)}

A Fall Refresher

First - thank you so much for reaching out to me yesterday.  The facebook comments, messages, and texts really impacted me.  It's scary to put feelings out there, especially in a culture that puts on a perfect front, so thank you for making me feel supported. We are all going through something so we might as well come together and hold each others hands through it.  

As promised - a little post on a simple Fall update! I love changing the house to match the seasons.  A few weeks ago, on the first day of Fall, I went up to the attic and grabbed my Fall themed throw pillows (I forgot the blankets!) and started from there.  

The pictures aren't perfect (argghhhh I need to get my camera fixed!!) but they'll do.  Most of this change-up was free.  I switch curtains and lamps around the house, found throw pillows that I had stored from last year and added just a few Fall accessories.  When you have clean, neutral items and colors in a room, it is easy to transform the room with just a smidge of color.

our Fall-ish mantel: 

A brown bolster throw pillow, gold/mercury containers with rope detail and fall colored flowers.  My only plant in the house (still alive!), a ceramic cream pumpkin, and a simple twig wreath.

Above: our living room before I did the Fall refresher

The updated room: 

I switched out the curtains from Roswelle's room.  I was sick of the 2yr old polka dot Ikea ones that didn't reach the floor in our living room.  I switched the lamps from our bedroom.  New pillows to add some fall colors.  And the easiest way to change the feel of a room - a scented candle and coffee table accessories.

I'm debating on whether to fill the leaf dish with candy-corn (a personal favorite) or a healthier option such as pistachios... it's still empty 2 weeks later. 

  Curtain advice from my fav blogger Erin Gates of Elements of Style is to hang curtains as close to the ceiling as possible and to have the hem of the curtain gather slightly on the floor.  It draws the eye up, giving the illusion of taller ceilings and adds some drama.  

House Update: Master Bedroom Painted

We've had some rooms painted! 

Today I'm just going to quickly show you our bedroom.  Very slight change in color but big impact, I think at least.  Since the beginning of this month we have painted both bathrooms, the guest bedroom in the basement, and most recently we had the nursery and our room painted (both rooms have extremely tall ceilings so we couldn't do ourselves).

It's a very similar color...which made sense to me since I have already decorated our room to go with a neutral gray tone.  But the new color has a little more cream in it than the blue/gray before.  It's Benjamin Moore Titanium.

Can you see the difference below? I can!! Also...we didn't have any extra paint of the original colors...but now we can hang things, change our minds, spackle, and repaint! It's sooo liberating!

{Left: test spot; Right: finished!}

I tested out the color in a few different spots in the room.  One of the first test spots was right by my night stand.  The color change was the first thing I saw when I woke up and I wanted to know what my immediate raw feeling would be in the morning when I saw it.  

The color was originally chosen to possibly be the color for the majority of the house (which is the process of being repainted...room by room).  You can see the two of the samples on the mantel and then I threw them up on the bedroom wall - I'm so much happier with it as our bedroom color!  The left color is Benjamin Moore Wedgewood Gray.

You can see a big difference in the colors in the picture above.  Also, a picture below to show the contrast it has with the basic white trim.  Btw - repainting trim, baseboards, and doors is one of my new favorite things...while it's a painful and annoying process...it makes a HUGE impact on my perception of a room.

A few other things that will be blogged about soon.....nursery (crib is up and curtains have been hung!); the guest bedroom (you can see the new color for the rest of our house...it's called Tyler Gray by Benjamin Moore); our bathroom, and a photo gallery/collage (they are so hard for me!?!)...anywho, lots coming your way!

Old color is on the right and new color is on the left in the bedroom.  I love it for main color of our house - I told paul I would drink it if I could ;) It's Benjamin Moore Tyler Gray.

Let there be Light!

I've mentioned that we are currently working non-stop on the house (thank goodness for online orders!!  I'm getting a little to used to getting a package everyday).  

I've spent countless hours on overstock, wayfair, craigslist and discount sites like ballard design, joss&main, and onekingslane....looking for the perfect and AFFORDABLE light fixtures.  My budget was pretty tight - trying to spend less than $50 on hallway fixtures, and around $100-$150 on main fixtures like the living room and kitchen.  

I was able to find some that I'm really excited about (they are being installed this weekend! - paul is becoming an expert): 

Over the Kitchen table: 

{Metal-rimmed Off White 20-inch Chandelier}

Living Room: 

{Jada Clear Glass Beads Flush Mount Chandelier in Brushed Oak}

Hallway & Entryway: 

{Left: from Joss&Main Nuvo Lighting Decker Semi-flush Mount (was on sale), Right: from Home Depot Progress Lighting 3-light Flushmount}

**flush mounts are sooooo hard for me to pick out - I can't stand the standard dome ones - and most I like are around $100 a piece - not friendly for my budget when I need to buy at least 5 or 6!

Joss&Main is a great source for lighting sales - they have a great one going on now through Saturday! Below are some of my favorites:

{Springfield Chandelier in Satin Nickel}

{Warren Convertible Pendant I in Antiqued Brass - really thinking about grabbing this!}

{Ashbury Semi-Flush Mount in Antique Gold}

{Calhoun Pendant - for the bigger budget}

{Equinox 4-Light Pendant in Burnished Silver}

Below are some more finds from Overstock: 

{Shea 9-light Chandelier - loved but over my budget}

{Quoizel 'Mirren' 5-light Chandelier}

{Left: Angelo Antique Copper Lantern Chandelier, Right: Antique Copper-Finish 60-Watt Glass Lantern Chandelier}

{Left: Antique Copper Finish Glass Lantern Flushmount Chandelier, Right: Vintage Elle 1-light Matte Pendant (super affordable only $35!!)}

If anyone else has some great finds, please send my way! We still have 2 more fixtures to replace...

I'll be posting updates next week from this weekend's upgrades in the Lashway home.

Fall 2013 Favorites

thought it would be fun to do a post things I'm lovin' these days... 

 with nursery planning + new fall items + blogs...I've found plenty to lust after.

Some of these things were already gifted to me, some of them I got a deal on, and some of them are on my dream christmas list (only 55 days left!) 

Have any of you every used polyvore?  I love it.  You can clip items from any site to your library and make inspiration boards from there.  I used it for my wedding, nursery (to be revealed soon), and this! 

1. Johnnie Boden Embellished Ballet Flats - love at first sight!

2. Sheep Skin Rug - can't wait to use this in the nursery...and then eventually over a chair.

3. Copper Tea Kettle - been wanting this for a while...found it on Joss&Main for $35 (now sold out) - but this overstock price is way better compared to most I've seen.

4. Empire Rocker - my dream rocker

5. PB Tuscan Urn - how pretty would mums be in this?

6. Target Pave Bracelet - similar to the J Crew bracelet - but only $20 bucks!

7. H&M Knitted Sweater - I can't seem to have too many cream sweaters...

8. W&S Spiced Chestnut Collection - W&S figured out a way to put Autumn in a bottle (great gift!)

9. J Crew Maternity Pants - did anyone else know jcrew has a maternity line?? My uniform could be skinny colored pants and a sweater top - wear it every day - so these would be perfect

Mini Kitchen

I recently did a post on Mini Pancakes...which were made in my Mini Kitchen!  Moving to Boston has had a lot of adjustments/surprises...one of the major adjustments I had to make was the change in space.  Apartments in the North End (and all of Boston for that matter) are very small and very expensive.  In Atlanta I had a spacious, new, standard apartment.  Now I have an interesting, old, and relatively small 2br/2ba apartment.  I love all of the intricacies and unexpected turns it has - it is anything but cookie-cutter.  The kitchen can be summed up as a nook.  It is small but it has everything we need - except for maybe some extra counter space...but we make do.

One thing I love is all of the natural light...with such a small space, only two windows are needed to light up the entire "room"! By the way, see those handles on the right of the picture?  That is my fridge - and that completes the kitchen!

I collect coffee cups from wherever I travel...

and it just so happens that Starbucks always has souvenir cups... :)

I was given this cup as a gift - it is from the town on the Cape that Paul's parents have a cottage.  I love the crisp white and blue, with the traditional shape and writing. 

When you live in a small space you have to get creative.  A bookshelf is now our dish pantry which displays our plates, bowls, and cups in a stylish yet functional way.

All in all, I love my little kitchen.  It is easy to clean up - the only option you have is to put everything back in it's specified home.  It can get tricky with two people cooking at one time... but as long as you like each other...you're good to go.