First Day of School

Well Summer is officially over as I say farewell to my oldest daughter who entered 5th grade today. I can barely believe how fast the time went! Next year I’ll bring my second to the bus for Kindergarten and then before I know it all three of the kiddos will board buses and leave me for the day.

I have to admit I do like being back on school schedule. It helps to keep structure around the house and the calendar seems a bit less overwhelming now.  I do hope Miss Hunter (far left) and her fellow musketeers have a phenomenal year! They all still adore playing on the playground, reading books all night and creating endless dance routines. What more does a girl need in life? I encourage them NOT to grow up too fast and strive to be the best kind of people they can be.

In honor of school back in session I’m trying to get some cupcakes made for when she comes home… now if only I could pick what flavor!?

Enjoying Simple Treasures

Truth be told I am quite a tree hugger. I just love their form in nature, art and even jewelry. This week has been full of gorgeous sunny days and I’m loving the sway of the trees near the lake when playing with the little ones. I invite all to take a minute and enjoy something simple like a tree, the breeze, a smile, perhaps a photo… your pick!

If you pin then feel free to click the tree to view images I considered ‘A Thing of Beauty’ and go ahead and follow/repin/link etc. 🙂 I’m always happy to do the same.

Have a beautiful day!

Beach Bum Planning

This week is all about planning, packing, sorting, listing, cooking and more for our trip to Cape Cod. The kids are so excited and all I can think is how this is starting to feel like a full time job. Truth is I am really excited for this trip!  Nothing spells out fun quite like quality time in the sun for me and I do believe this will be a very memorable family trip for the kiddos.

When my husband was younger trips to Cape Cod were tradition for a few years and so he decided to try and set such in motion for our own family. Along for the ride will be our 3 kids (ages 9,4,2) as well as my Mother-in-Law. She has already called and given me her list of items that she will be bringing along plus recommendations for what I should pack. 😉 We both are old school and plan our lives on sticky notes, index cards and other forms of paper. I’ve come to realize that as wonderful as an iPhone may be with scheduling apps and calendars etc. I truly love writing things down. Recently I was introduced to an amazing collection of life planners, stationary sets, recipe cards, calendars and more! Consider me smitten and also kicking myself for having not ordered my planner before now lol! Go check out her awesome goodies:

Do you have any Summer travel traditions?

Current Crush: Arm Candy

Lately I’ve been trying to make an effort to come out of my comfort zone when it comes to my jewelry choices. While I adore earrings and can’t leave home without them (as many of you know) I have noticed a trend in stacking a variety of bracelets, bangles and cuffs to enhance ones daily look.  This week my crush is all about arm candy and I say the more you stack up the better… and never be afraid to choose bold colors!

Looking for the pieces above? Check out Ruche Boutique, Lulu’s & Threadsence

Join the fun by clicking the link below and sharing YOUR crush!

Pinning: A Festive Summer

A Weekly Pinterest Link-Up? Talk about my kind of fun!  Many of you are aware of how addicted I am to “pinning” and when I found Kimberly from ‘A Night Owl’ inviting all to join up for a Monday Pinfest I was so excited!  Besides, why wouldn’t I want to win the title of “Pinning-est” with my best Pinterest finds?

This is the last week of school for my oldest and she is already after me for Summer party ideas and what to do with her friends. So I’ve been gathering some “pins” of yummy creations to whip up for the kids as well as new outdoor inspirations:

Fruity Waffle Cones

Summer Crafts

 Tie-Dye Fun

 Let’s Go Skating

Pudding Pops

Water Balloon Wars

Mojitos for Mom

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Want in on the link up so that you can share pins,

meet others who love “Pinning” and get inspired!?

 It’s simple just follow these rules:

 Please follow your hosts: Courtney & Kimberly

then

 Link up your favorite pins post for the week

and

Link back to the party!

Weekly Wonders: Summer Dresses

I suppose it was bound to happen… a pin board devoted to dresses that is. Summer is a mere 19 days away if we are going to be precise about it and yet the warmth of such is already here.  Therefore I have been given more than the permission I need to frolic around in beautiful, floral fabrics right?

Creation of a new board started when I was having a bit of fun over at Polyvore and came across the above VIVIENNE WESTWOOD ANGLOMANIA short dress. Immediately I was in love with the bright colors and simple design that made this dress seem like a staple for my Summer wardrobe.  However at $580 I’m going to have to put it to rest for the time being and search out similar floral designs that are more within my $$ range. Thankfully I found OASIS:

Floral Belted Dress $90

Vintage Rose Dress $145

Blue Floral Sundress $36

Placement Floral Dress $90

Oasis Paisley Dress $85

Aren’t these dresses charming? I can’t help but adore the splash of flowers and colors on each and how affordable they are too. For a limited time it appears that you can save even more with the following code:

How cool is that?  Have fun shopping!

Giftage by Etsy

Window shopping online can be quite fun, especially with the ability to find a great deal or a brand new discovery or designer without paying the gas mileage for such.  Small boutiques provide uniqueness that I personally prefer when buying something I hope to treasure for some time.  Etsy is a wonderful online plaza of talented designers who are eager to share their creations with the world. I can easily lose myself and all track of time scouring their stores. Check out my recent finds:

JESSICA MARSHALL JEWELRY

   

“Home of the BFF Necklaces and Mother & Daughter Necklaces.” I just love the style of these pieces as well as the updated version of a classic favorite like the best friend necklace. With a gorgeous array of colors and feminine stamped design you just can’t miss the mark here for surprising your Mom, daughter, sister or best friend with a unique present. My favorite is the Mother and 2 Daughter necklace shown above.  Shop owner, Jessica Marshall is very happy to accommodate your choice of color or customize a set for you.

MY UNIVERSE

   

How beautiful are these colors? I absolutely love skirts and dresses for the Summer. They are my go-to outfit for everything from BBQ’s to our local festivals and even hanging with the kids down by the lake. May does a gorgeous job of playing with vibrant colors & patterns along with flowing fabrics so it was love at first site for me when I found this shop.

Have you discovered some new places to shop on Etsy? Do share!

Weekly Wonders

*Shoetopia & Urban Crochet* 

Well this week went by in a flash but I’m not complaining. Rain makes for a moody Sassy and with the sun peeking out today and promise of no rain for my Lion Run tomorrow I’m feeling pretty darn excited.

Throughout the week I have been dreaming about Summer and all clothes relating to such. With all the bright colors and prints that made their debut this Spring I’ve been hoping for an even bigger splash of color to trend for Summer sandals. You won’t see me disappointed by what is popping up and so I’m sharing my faves:

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Thanks to my addiction to pinterest I was recently connected to Lioness Xpressions, a designer of handmade crochet jewelry and accessories. Look at the vibrant creativity! I have visions of making simple T’s & shorts pop with one of these cuffs or pair of earrings thrown in the mix.

Find Lioness Xpressions on Etsy & Pinterest

What are you hoping to add to your Summer 2012 wardrobe?

Cape Cod Inspired

Cape Cod Inspired

Tomorrow morning we book our first trip to Cape Cod and all are excited! This place holds some wonderful memories for my husband when he was a child. He seems quite eager to share this experience with our 3 kids and see if we collectively agree that this should be adopted as a yearly tradition. I for one am excited for some real beach fun in the sun, instagram shares and whale watching of course!

Do you have a traveling tradition of your own?