Happy Friday!

Pretty flowers just picked from our garden! As Ellie said, "mmm smells good!"

Ellie, 25 months

Precious!

Inspiring Spaces

I am loving the living space and bedroom from this Chicago home and wanted to share. I love the dark bedroom walls with the contrast of the lighter furniture and accessories. My favorite is the pop of pink in the lamps. Fun and feminine! I love the placement of the framed pictures in the living space. The first photo shows a wall gallery around the television and the second photo shows two framed pictures with sconces on each side- mirrored sconces, which I am loving.

All photos via

You can view the rest of the house here.

Outdoor Decorating

With Summer coming up and warm weather approaching it makes me want to get our backyard ready for outdoor entertaining. Our garden is overflowing with a variety of colors, but we need to trim the bushes and do some weeding and then our backyard will be ready for entertaining. Does anyone else hate weeding as much as I do? I'm hoping I can get Ellie to help me out this year. She would probably love it and I'm sure I could make it into a game for her. Until then, here is some inspiration to dress up your outdoor entertaining space:

I love this dressed up table. I love the use of the tablecloth, flowers and candle. It looks very inviting and I wouldn't have to buy anything new. I can just bring the tablecloth and candles from our house outdoors.

House Beautiful

I am loving outdoor lanterns. They would look so pretty hung on branches, but if you don't have trees in your yard you could use planter hooks (that you stake in the ground). You could also place them on tables or on a step to light a walkway. Here are my favorites:

Sources (from top left):

Hanging Mason Jars, Pottery Barn

Orb Lanterns, West Elm

Filigree Lanterns, Pottery Barn

Metal Lantern, Target

To try making your own glass lanterns, as seen below, check out here:

HGTV

You can also add color to your backyard with flower pots. I've found a few colorful ceramic ones at Home Goods, but you can also buy terra cotta pots and paint them, as seen below:

Young House Love

I found this image on Google and thought it was a creative way to add decoration to a fence:

BHG

Dining Room To Do's

While watching "Love It or List It" on HGTV last night I fell in love with a light used over the dining room table. I've been looking online for one similar. Here is what I found:

Shades of Light

I have been wanting to replace the one we have now and I think I've found the perfect replacement. It is luxe and modern and would be such a pretty addition to our dining room. However, $319 is a lot to spend on one light fixture. I'm hoping to find a more inexpensive option.

Here is a current photo of our dining room:

Dining Room Checklist:

• Replace chandelier
• Possibly replace curtains (with another color or pattern)
• Spray paint gold door hardware

Introducing Baby Summer!

Summer is one lucky girl! A friend contacted me a few weeks before Summer's due date asking if she could do a newborn photography shoot to build her portfolio since she was just starting her own photography company. I happily obliged!

Erica did an amazing job and I was super impressed with her skills. She definitely did not seem like an amateur to me. She was professional and had unique poses and creative ideas. She even did a video clip of the session. She also designed a few of the headbands Summer wore. I especially love the flower diamond headband. Summer was her first girl she was capturing, and being a mom of two boys, she was loving the girly shoot!

Check out her current portfolio and blog here!

Here is a sneak peek of the session, and one of my favorites:

I am in love!

Erica Colvin Photography

Newest Obsession

Lately I've been obsessed with flamingos. They are so summery and colorful. A few months ago I googled a flamingo image, printed it out on cardstock paper and framed it to put in my office:

I've been seeing them a lot lately in art, clothing, accessories, etc. Here are a few decor items I've come across that I love:

One Kings Lane

Etsy

Graham & Brown Wallpaper

Fabric, Spoonflower

The flamingo wallpaper would look so good in a bathroom or on the back of a bookshelf or closet. I also love the fabric and think it would look great reupholstered on a chair cushion. And, the prints would add a fun and colorful vibe to any space!

An Extra Special Mother's Day

There was more reason to celebrate this Mother's Day as we welcomed our daughter, Summer, last Sunday, May 5th. One week old today! I am so grateful to have two beautiful daughters and to now have a family of four. We started our day with a special breakfast prepared by my hubby, then an hour at the playground with a picnic. Ellie was so excited for the "nic nic" (picnic). It was too cute! The girls napped for over two hours, which gave me time for a nap, too. We had dinner at my parents with extended family and Summer met her cousins for the first time. I told my husband not to spend any money on me this year (usually it's a gift card to my favorite spa). After a tough recovery last week (more on that in another post) all I wanted was to spend time with my family and the people I care about the most.

Here is a recap of my Mother's day in photos:

Ellie is a little more interested in her string cheese than a picture :)

With my Mom, my amazing role model!

Mother's Day 2013

While awaiting the arrival of our baby girl, Ellie and I have been spending lots of quality time together. With the weather being so beautiful lately we've been at a playground every morning, feeding the ducks, or going on walks. I try to rotate playgrounds so we get a change of scenery. This week I've been taking some extra walks in hopes of walking the baby out, but she must be pretty content in there. I've even treated Ellie to ice cream in the middle of the afternoon- a very special treat since she only has sweets on special occasions. However, she literally only eats a few bites (her choice), then we take the rest home. In addition to our long mornings out of the house Ellie has been taking a longer nap, which has given me time to catch up on making photo books online. The house has already been cleaned, dusted, vacuumed...I think I'm past the nesting stage at this point and just enjoying my time with my family until baby girl #2 arrives.

Playing "sock-ear" with her new ball from Aunt Mia

Oh, and welcome May! When I found out my due date for this baby I said that I actually would not mind going late so that I could have a May baby (since Ellie's birthday is in April) and I'm getting my wish. She will be a May baby!

Mother's Day Gifts

I feel like Mother's Day gifts can sometimes be difficult to choose because I want to give something special, but also something they will love. And for myself, as much as I love just spending the day with my family, it's also nice to receive a little something I've been lusting over. Here are a few favorites on my wishlist and a few others for inspiration for the Mom you are buying for:

Resources (starting top left):

1. Kate Spade iPhone 5 cover, Nordstrom

2. Gold bracelet, Kate Spade

3. Infinity scarf, Anthropologie

4. Splendid maxi dress, Nordstrom

5. Turquoise earrings, Etsy

6. Monogram necklace, Etsy

7. Handbag, Stella and Dot

8. Wall planters, Etsy

9. Gwyneth Paltrow's Cookbook, Amazon

10. Gift Cards! (not pictured). Spas, her favorite store, Barnes & Noble or Amazon, Etsy, etc!

Feel free to share the items on your wishlist this year or any other ideas you can give me!