Loving Lately // Caitlin Wilson Textiles

Ava at 8 weeks

Happy Monday! Everyone ready for a new week? To be honest, maternity leave has the days blending together a little bit and I can't say that I mind. Things have just continued to get better and better since about week five (not gonna lie - it was pretty rocky until that point!). At nine weeks with our little Ava, I don't know that I'd say we've established a routine per say, but we're certainly starting to figure each other out and that's -- well, pretty awesome.

I've learned to embrace the fact that life right now is all about Ava. Before she arrived, I had a mile long list of things I wanted to accomplish in the six months of leave I've been blessed with. I think those first several weeks were difficult for a number of reasons, but they were especially hard for a chronic overachiever and workaholic. While I still have a fair amount of goals and obligations at any given time, I'm making sure to soak up hours of simply holding ze babe while she sleeps (listening to her precious sounds and watching her little eyelashes flutter makes this preeeeeeeetty easy), going on long afternoon walks together, reading stories, and lying around under brightly colored plush toys while describing them over and over again ("Is the elephant blue? There are one...two...three ladybugs. Can you say 'brass'?). Finding balance has and, I'm sure, will continue to be tough. But I don't get these months back, so I'm doing my best to remain focused on this little person as much as possible. Giving myself permission to just BE has been incredibly liberating.

with Ava at 8 weeks

Being home has also given me a chance to actually make some progress on the house, which I'm doubly grateful for. I'm one of those people that will probably never be done (what fun would that be??), but I'm hoping to have at least our main floor presentable by the time I'm back to work in February.

It's sort of hilarious that the nursery is one of the more finished spaces after nearly two years in the house. Can you say deadline driven? ha! I recently secured the finishing touch to Ava's room; I'm working with Caitlin Wilson Textiles on a beautiful collaboration (so, again, nursery pics are definitely coming!). When we started our talks, I couldn't help but fall in love with their fall line of metallic fabrics and pillows. I think all of my fellow gold/brass addicts will have to agree on this one! They have a beautiful lookbook that makes the new line especially lust worthy.

images via Caitlin Wilson Textiles

Shop the fall collection here.

Happy Monday!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I've rounded up a few items from companies that are dutifully donating a percentage of their proceeds to breast cancer research or Komen Race for the Cure.

Shop Design Spark (all pink items) // Silvano Sunnies // Sheer Addiction Lacey Bracelet

ban.do Pink Mini Heart // RabLabs Obra Frame (fuchsia)

gold and gray Tassel Bracelet //  Alexis Russell Gold Cuff Bracelet // Areaware Alarm Dock (pink)

Do you know of others donating to the cause?

I think I speak for all of us when I ask that you let us know in the comments, pretty please!

Shop Love // Cody Hoyt

Pretty taken with Cody Hoyt's geometric planters.

A little bit modern, a little bit rock and roll.

On My Bookshelf // The Well-Traveled Home

I have quite a beautiful book to introduce you to today, friends. This one was a bit harder to flip through as someone that has been more or less home bound for the last couple of months...The pages are chock full of fabulously exotic spaces designed by Sandra Espinet.

Holy. Mirror.

As the title would indicate, Ms. Espinet is clearly well-traveled. Her global influence is glorious, and impossible to miss.

Umm. That tile. For serious.

Tell me you don't want to be here with a tropical cocktail and a stack of mags (or this book) right this second! So elegant and so liveable at the same time. Makes me absolutely crave a vaca.

As if the page after page of stunning spaces weren't enough, Sandra also reveals stories behind her best finds, favorite places to shop and shares her professional travel and design expertise in the book.

Snag your own copy.

The rest of Sandra's portfolio is definitely worth perusing as well.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of The Well-Traveled Home for review. All opinions are my own.

Artist // Emma Gale

So I know I've been more or less absent for quite some time, but let's just jump right back in, shall we? We can thank Emma Gale and her vibrant, perfectly playful work for inspiring me to get back to blogging...

Henry

Iggy

 

Pablo

 

Yuri

Regina

I mean, even their names are awesome.

Find more of Emma's beautiful work here.

On My Bookshelf // Beyond Chic

Whaaaaa? I'm posting two days in a row?? Look out!

Sooo...babies don't give you a lot of time to do much of anything. Besides, you know, stare at them...feed them...change them...and try to get them to stop crying, which often requires holding them. Fortunately, you can also read books while doing some of those tasks which almost saves your sanity. This is why I jumped at the opportunity when the fine folks at The Vendome Press contacted me about reviewing several of their upcoming publications. Enter Beyond Chic, Great Fashion Designers at Home.

I'm always into seeing how people live. A lot of times, I don't really feel like I know a person until I've seen their home. It's been that way since I was pretty young. You learn so much about people through their spaces! I love getting a peek inside the homes of fashion's greats...and Beyond Chic covers so many.

Giorgio Armani

Franca Sozanni

Manolo Blahnik

Reed Krakoff

...and more than a dozen others.

A few of my other favorites included
Loulou de la Falaise

Vanessa Seward

and Nicole Farhi.

This one's definitely coffee table worthy, my friends. And if you're going to be bed- or sofa-bound anytime soon, might as well just go ahead and pre-order now.

I've had lots of couch time, so more delicious book reviews coming up!

Fine Print: The Vendome Press provided a copy of this book for my review. All opinions are my own.

House Updates // Ava's closet + The Home Depot

Hey hey hey! I had to stop in today to let you kids know that Ava's closet is up on The Home Depot's blog. I would love for you to check out the before and after. It's quite the transformation.

Promise I'm going to show you the full room eventually. I'm just working on one last detail. In the interest of not holding out completely, here's one of my favorite parts, courtesy of super-talent Jenny.

Ava and I both get great joy out of those beauties when she's getting a fresh dipe.

Now kindly go check out her closet. Because I did a lot of work bossing Eric around to make it happen and that has to be for something :)