mom jeans

These pants definitely run the risk of looking like mom jeans if not worn right! But this chick is rocking it perfectly!

Lovin' the retro vibe...

Source: vanessajackman.blogspot.com via cory on Pinterest

Xoxo

pops of pink

in honor of breast cancer awareness month, here's some beautiful spaces with that ever present reminder of pops of pink...

{pinterest.com}

{etsy}

{nytimes}

{pinterest}

{ourcitylights}

 

xoxo

martha, watch your back!

i know what you're thinking...two posts in one day! overachiever...no, no, this will not become a norm from me. there are very few things that justify my posting twice in one day, one of those things is definitely my talents little sister.

she has been working away for the last several months preparing for the oktoberfest craft show at the john knox pavilion this saturday. you see, faith is quite the little martha stewart...actually, martha better watch her back, because faith is definitely on the right track to take over what is the massive empire of martha stewart. even at 16 years old, faith is already the craftiest lil thing. anytime i see her (in person, picture, or via skype) she always has on some cute garment that she 'just made out of some fabric i had on hand'...but let me tell you, it never ever looks homemade! she blows me away with what she can make. thus the reason for my two posts in one day...if you will be in the lee's summit area (for all my hometown followers) i can guarantee you will be majorly upset if you miss out on her craft show! this is the perfect opportunity to stock up on some amazing one-of-a-kind pieces for potential Christmas, birthday, or just for yourself {;)} prezzies! 

she can also take custom orders if there something particular that you had in mind. 

she has these darling handmade bags, hair clips, coffee cup sleeves, and such cute other things in all different prints, there's even different college prints for all you sports fans out there! i'm telling you, get your booties to this show...it's going to be amazing!

so here's the scoop:

annabell's shop is the name of her business.

she's at the oktoberfest craft show in the john knox pavilion booth #69. it's today from 11am-7pm and tomorrow from 10am-6pm.

for any of you unable to make it to the show, here's the link to her etsy shop as well as her contact email for any questions or custom order requests.

 

annabellsshop

faith@annabellsshop.com

xoxo

etsy shop of the day

i'm doing my best to get back in the blogging swing of things! i'm bringing back my weekly etsy shop feature.

i've been on the hunt for the perfect pillows to replace ours on the sofas (once viv is past her spitting up faze, that is) and can't quite make a decision as to which direction i want to go with the look of them. 

i would GLADLY take any of this pillows from this shop tho! they are all simply breathtaking. i especially love that they use all vintage materials from east and central asia. not only do these materials make beautiful goods but it's also a wonderful way to upcycle old things, bringing new life to them. 

Material Recovery makes not only just pillows, but also beautiful throws, bedcovers, and textile accessories. my eye is drawn to the pillows tho. i had the hardest time narrowing down what my favies are, but here are a few of my picks... 

i'd love to see this sitting on my bed tonight...is there such thing as a pillow fairy?

 what ones are your favies? would you like to have the pillow fairy leave any of these on your sofa/bed tonight?

xoxo 

workout wednesday

any of you who know me know how much i really enjoy working out and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

 i believe in everything in moderation. working out when you can even if its only for 15-20 minutes, eating healthy 80% of the time, etc...

i also think if you make small changes/sacrifices they can add up to big results over time. maybe that means taking the stairs rather than the elevator, having one slice of bread instead of two on your sandwich, using nonfat milk instead of 2% percent in your morning latte, just small changes that, at the end of the day, you don't end up even realizing were sacrifices. then, it's ok if you can't fit in a workout daily, because you've still found small ways to challenge your body daily. 

i believe it's also all about moderation when it comes to diet. i try to focus on eating healthy, nutrient rich foods that fuel my body and help it function at its best by making small changes that make big differences such as subbing whole wheat flour for white in recipes, using quinoa or other healthy grains rather than white rice or pasta when i'm wanting some carbs, and even finding a super healthy egg substitute when baking (i'll fill you in on this trick soon!) don't get me wrong, i love a good burger and fries, or ice cream dessert, and when i know the majority of what i've eaten has been good for my body, i don't feel guilty indulging in the occasional fried treat! 

i've not always been this way. i've had my bouts of restricting my calories and being a major calorie counter, only to find myself actually gaining weight because i'd binge on all the 'bad' foods i never allowed myself, then i'd feel guilty for being 'weak' and i'd get off track on my diet rather than allowing myself to eat any food so long as it was in moderation and allow myself to truly enjoy the indulgence, savor it, and move on...not dwell on what i 'could not' have. i've found that when i don't feel deprived i don't find myself craving the 'bad' stuff as much either simply because i know that if i really want it, i can have it.  

i still definitely slip up from time to time and must remind myself that my body is what i put into it and what i make of it. it is a gift from God that i want to do my best to take care of. 

boy, i've rambled...that was only meant to be a quick introduction for a new feature i want to start. i know this blog was originally made as a design blog, but there are other areas of my life that i have great passion for and would love to share with you. health and fitness being one of those passions. sooo... without further ado i'd like to start workout wednesdays, where i will be posting a favorite workout, recipe, healthy lifestyle concept, what have you, to help you (and myself) stay inspired to take care of our bodies! 

but i have a favor to ask of you too...if i give you some of my tips/ideas, can you return the favor? i'm always looking for new ways to challenge my body, fuel it in a delicious and healthy manner, or simply be motivated to take the time to squeeze in a workout when lying on the sofa during viv's naptime sounds much more appealing...

so how's about it? i scratch your back and you can scratch mine?..

i'll leave you with one of my favie types of lunges courtesy of womenshealthmag.com. i've noticed such a difference in the definition of my legs since incorporating this move into my leg workouts.

"Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands on your hips. Take a big step back with your left leg, crossing it behind your right. Bend your knees and lower your hips until your right thigh is nearly parallel to the floor (shown). Keep your torso upright and your hips and shoulders as square as possible. Return to start. Perform 10 reps and repeat, stepping back with your right leg. Add dumbbells once you master the movement with perfect form."

xoxo

{description of move and photo from womenshealthmag.com}

  

mommy monday

bits of my day...

after viv's doctor appointment yesterday, we decided to head down to the union square greenmarket to pick out some delicious locally grown produce to make for dinner over "our weekend". i also make viv's food and wanted to stock up on produce for her. i love making all her food. i really enjoy preparing it for her and knowing what exactly is going into her little body. 

{we picked up some tomatoes, apples, a butternut squash, onions, organic whole grain bread, beets, and carrots.}

since one of my favorite design stores, abc carpet and home, is right around the corner from the market, we had to pop in to check out all the pretties... 

{can you tell i'm quite in love with chandeliers?}

{check out the cute vintage inspired kitchen ware we passed on our way to the market!}

{viv was peering all around, curious as can be.}

when we got home i started a cooking frenzy, making split pea and barley soup, vegan pumpkin chocolate cookies, and made viv a batch of carrots, beets and roasted butternut squash! yum!

{apparently this is what happens when you peel beets without gloves on...i've been scrubbing them all night and am nearly back to normal!}

didn't quite make a workout fit into the day, but i figure walking all over the city toting bags of groceries, my crazy heavy diaper bag and wearing my daughter in the carrier must account for some amount of calorie burn, right? it had to at least make up for the cookies i ate just now... ;) 

i truly cherish these days i get to spend running around a city i love with my fave gal pal by my side...or i guess technically strapped to my front...you get the picture... 

xoxo

hello...anybody home??...

so you know it's been a while when you sit on the sofa for a long while pondering "what in the world my blogger password is"...i feel i have almost reached the point of no return as it has been MONTHS since my last post, nevertheless, i come to you with my head down, asking forgiveness and bringing a peace offering of...BABY PICTURES! and a promise that i won't let it be so long for my next post. well, i honestly don't even know where to begin...life has been amazingly wonderful...motherhood/parenthood has been way better than anyone could tell you. i realize that's what everyone says, and alas, it's true. nothing beats it! i can't even remember when my last post was, but i do know it was pre-baby...boy, where to even start. i will get you caught up on the birth story of my little precious girl. but maybe not today. stay tuned...for now i will show you pictures. our little vivienne elizabeth williams was born march 16,2012 at 6:23pm weighing 7lbs 3oz and 20" long. she is the happiest baby, nearly always smiling, squealing and laughing. she adores strolling the streets of New York staring at the leaves on the trees, petting her sister Roxy, taking family naps together in bed on our weekend, riding the bus and the train all over the city, smiling at random strangers. she has this amazing gift of bringing joy to everyone she encounters. she smiles at EVERYONE to the point that you can't not return the smile. it blows me away to see the impact this little 6 month old has already had on this earth. i'm so grateful to be her mom and watch her as she grows so lovely. try as i might to keep this blog as design focused as possible, i think it's safe to say she might creep her way into some posts from time to time. ok, enough talk about her, it's time for me to show her off!

i promise to return soon... xoxo PS:sorry for the long,long paragraph. blogger has changed it's setup since i've last been on here and it's not publishing the different paragraphs as i have written them. hopefully i will figure this out soon. :)