{the pom poms over the dessert bar were hand made by my mom!}

{guests left sweet advice and/or wishes for me and baby girl in this “bucket of blessings”}

{decorating the cupcakes was my biggest contribution… confession: this took FOREVER, haha}

{a girly shower wouldn’t be complete without nail polish party favors!}

{me and my sweet momma}

{in this photo, I’m wearing a special labor necklace created from beads brought by our guests… more on that in a future post!}

Now that the shower is over, it really feels like baby girl’s arrival is imminent!  I can’t believe I could give birth in as little as 6 weeks… yikes!!

(P.S. My maternity dress is from ASOS.)

Last night, we took a tour of the hospital we’re using as our backup if I end up needing to get induced or if we need an OB/GYN during my labor (did I mention that we’re planning a home birth?) and I met two ladies who are due in the next few weeks.  Rather than being happy for them, I was insanely jealous that they get to meet their babies before me… we’ll chalk that up to pregnancy hormones ;)

Anyway, let’s hope time moves into overdrive for the next 2 months!

How far along? 30 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A butternut squash (Trav’s favorite!)
Total weight gain: 12.5 pounds
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: We have a name, but we’re not monogramming anything or making it totally official until we meet her.
Maternity Clothes: Basically, if it’s not maternity, it better be yoga pants.
Stretch marks? I’ve got some little white ones around my belly button, but they’re not bad and hard to see in most light.
Sleep: Uhhh, some night are better than others (see rant above.)
Movement: If it’s possible for her to have gotten MORE active this week, it happened.  Basically, at this point, 50% of her movements are not-so-comfortable.
Best moment this week: My sweet husband and family celebrated my first Mother’s Day!  It was pretty unexpected… I wasn’t sure if being pregnant “counts” as being a mom.  But they were all exceptionally sweet and it made me feel so loved.
Miss Anything: I feel like some part of my body hurts all the time now.  I miss the days when that was not the case :)
Belly button in or out? It’s kinda half in, half out.  The top is popping out, but the bottom is still in a little bit.
Food cravings: Strawberries are still a staple and I’ve been really into icey things lately— ice water, iced coffee, shave ice, etc…
Anything making you queasy or sick: I’ve been getting tiny waves of random nausea if I’m too full or if baby girl moves the wrong way, but it’s not bad.
Labor Signs: Lots of Braxton Hicks and other weird crampy feelings… they’re getting more and more uncomfortable, whereas before it was just a sensation.  Wishing I didn’t have to ride these symptoms out for another TEN weeks!
Symptoms: Achy back, heart burn, sore ribs (both from her kicking and from my rib cage itself expanding).
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Every day is different, but overall I’m doing pretty well mood-wise.  I’m generally more sappy than ever, though… doesn’t take much to make me cry these days :)
Looking forward to: My baby shower this weekend!!  I’m a little nervous about all the attention (I cried before my bridal shower because I was so anxious!), but I’m really looking forward to visiting with a bunch of special women that I hardly ever get to see.

P.S. Check out what happened to my belly button this week :)

To get the stripes, I painted my nail coral and let the polish dry overnight.  (You don’t have to wait that long, but you’ll want to wait at least an hour or two to make sure you don’t smudge your base color.)  Then, I cut tiny strips of washi tape at a diagonal and laid them across the nail.  Washi tape is great because it’s not too sticky and peels off the nail really easily.  I painted two coats of gold over the entire nail and made sure to carefully remove the tape before the gold was completely dry.

Pretty darn easy!

My coral shade is Sally Hansen’s Coral Reef.  The gold is Sally Hansen’s Golden-I.  And the top coat is Seche Vite (which is so much better than anything you’ll find at a drugstore… it keeps nails from chipping for days and creates the perfect shiny finish!)

Until then, here’s last week’s update :)

How far along? 29 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A cabbage (although she feels more like a soccer ball!)
Total weight gain: 12.5 pounds
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: We have a name, but we’re not monogramming anything or making it totally official until we meet her.
Maternity Clothes: My motto: stretchy clothes or no clothes at all.
Stretch marks? I’ve got some little white ones around my belly button, but they’re not bad and hard to see in most light.
Sleep: I’m able to fall asleep pretty easily, but I’m still up many times a night.  It’s honestly not that bad, I’m getting used to it for sure.
Movement: I’m getting more and more nervous to see what kind of baby she is once she makes her big appearance… I’m pretty sure she’s going to come out doing cartwheels!
Best moment this week: Would it be bad if I said my favorite moment was eating a strawberry & nutella belgian waffle at the Alameda Antiques Faire?  Ok, good :)
Miss Anything: I’m definitely starting to miss my pre-pregnancy body.  Not just how I looked, but mostly how spry I felt.  (Of course, I didn’t realize how spry I felt, but now that I’ve got this belly weighing me down… I’d love to just be able to jump on a trampoline!  haha)
Belly button in or out? In, but definitely getting flatter.
Food cravings: Strawberries are still a staple and I’ve been really into icey things lately— ice water, iced coffee, shave ice, etc…
Anything making you queasy or sick: I’ve been getting tiny waves of random nausea if I’m too full or if baby girl moves the wrong way, but it’s not bad.
Labor Signs: I get Braxton Hicks allll the time, but no real labor obviously
Symptoms: Still a lot of achiness and crazy heartburn.
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Every day is different, but overall I’m doing pretty well mood-wise.
Looking forward to: Getting together with my whole family for a Giants game on Saturday!*

*This just happened this past Saturday, but as I said, I’m a week behind ;)

xo

{via}

I feel so blessed to have such an amazing mom in my life, and I can’t believe that this time next year I’ll have a 10 month old baby girl to snuggle!

I hope you all had a truly magical day :)

xo

So… I’ve officially made it to the third trimester.  It’s a mix of emotions: I am so beyond excited to meet our sweet girl, but I’m also feeling a little nervous about our duo turning into a trio.  It’s impossible to prepare, and yet I know it’s going to be the biggest transition of our lives!  And as a naturally type A kind of gal, this can be a bit frustrating.  My current goal is to stay in the moment as much as possible :)

How far along? 28 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A cabbage, apparently.  (I’m kinda over comparing my sweet girl to various fruits and veggies, haha.  She’s about 3 lbs and 17 inches long)
Total weight gain: 12 pounds
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: We have a name, but we’re not monogramming anything or making it totally official until we meet her.
Maternity Clothes: The weather has been nice, so I’ve ditched most of my maternity clothes this week in favor of sundresses and maxi skirts.  It’s lovely… I can’t even tell you how much I hate wearing pants!
Stretch marks? I’ve got some little white ones around my belly button, but they’re not bad and hard to see in most light.
Sleep: The combination of heartburn and a squirmy baby makes for very restless nights, but I’m getting used to the lack of sleep and it doesn’t bother me so much.  I know it’s only going to get worse once she gets here!
Movement: I’ve officially been feeling this little lady move for HALF of my pregnancy, now.  And I’m legitimately worried that she is going to be the most energetic child known to man.  I can feel her getting bigger by the day, which is great news, but it means she has officially gotten long enough to wedge her feet in my ribcage and kick away… ouch!!
Best moment this week: I had a blast visiting with my nieces and nephews during their trip to Santa Cruz.  I adore them so much, and I especially loved getting some baby time in with our 3 month old nephew :)
Miss Anything: Seriously, all I want in the world is a bathtub that will fit my big belly…
Belly button in or out? In, but definitely getting flatter.
Food cravings: I’ve been craving iced coffee a LOT the past few weeks.  I’ve always enjoyed coffee, but I’ve never been a daily coffee drinker.  But these days, I’m craving iced coffee every afternoon and doing my best not to overdo it :)
Anything making you queasy or sick: If I’m full and baby girl starts moving a lot, my tummy definitely gets queasy.
Labor Signs: I get Braxton Hicks allll the time, but no real labor obviously

Symptoms: Achey, achey, achey.  Plus heartburn like crazy and sore ribs.
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Honestly, I’m all over the place.  Some days I’m in a great mood and others I feel totally melancholy for no reason.  I’m trying to take each day as it comes and remind myself that nothing is permanent (a good lesson for parenthood, if you ask me!)
Looking forward to: My baby shower is just two weeks away and our maternity shoot is coming up as well… can’t wait!!

I had a gestational diabetes workup and a full physical done yesterday, and things could not be looking better.  I made myself extremely nervous leading up to the appointment and pretty much convinced myself that I had GD, which was a total waste of energy but what can you do?  I’m happy to know that this pregnancy is progressing well and that baby girl is getting fatter and healthier by the day :)

How far along? 27 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A rutabaga (yes, I had to look up the spelling in the dictionary)
Total weight gain: 10.5 pounds… a BIG week for weight gain, eek!  I saw it coming, though.  I can feel the growth spurts and they are not so fun…
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: We have a name, but we’re not monogramming anything or making it totally official until we meet her.
Maternity Clothes: I’m loving all things stretchy :)
Stretch marks? I’ve got some little white ones around my belly button, but they’re not bad and hard to see in most light.
Sleep: Baby Girl seems to be on a little schedule!  I usually wake up around midnight, 3:30-4, and 7:30.  The lack of sleep has been easy enough to get used to, but I’m soooo achey.  I had a mini-meltdown at 3 o’clock this morning because I’m just. so. tired. of my shoulders aching from sleeping on my side all the time.
Movement: She’s very active, as usual.  In the past week or so, she has moved to a head down position and she stays there the majority of the time now.  It’s not as comfortable for me, but I figure it’s good that she’s inclined to position herself that way.
Best moment this week: I got my hair done for the first time in about a million years yesterday.  It was so lovely to relax in a salon for a couple of hours!  I also had a great staycation with Travis over the weekend… we spent Saturday in Sonoma and went to a Giants game on Sunday!  The weather was AMAZING and it felt so great to disconnect from the world for a couple days and just enjoy each other.
Miss Anything: Seriously, all I want in the world is a bathtub that will fit my big belly…
Belly button in or out? In, but definitely getting flatter.
Food cravings: Have I mentioned that strawberries are the most delicious food on the entire planet?  Every week, you say?  Oh.  Well, it’s still true.
Anything making you queasy or sick: If I eat too much, especially at dinnertime, my tummy is not-so-happy.  But other than that, I’m feeling good!
Labor Signs: I get Braxton Hicks allll the time, but no real labor obviously
Symptoms: Achey, achey, achey.
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: This week has been MUCH better than last, as far as moods go.  Feeling pretty happy!
Looking forward to: My nieces and nephews are coming to visit this weekend and I can’t wait to hang with them!!  We got to see them in Salt Lake a couple months ago, but it’s never enough time.  I’m hoping the weather is nice so we can get a good beach day in :)

I’ve been eyeing the Sugar Lip Treatment line by Fresh for ages, but $22 felt like quite the splurge on a single lip color. However, after browsing the aisles at Sephora last week with a 15% off coupon burning a hole in my pocket, I decided to go for it.  And I’m so glad I did!

As an avid lip balm wearer, I really hate how most lipsticks dry up all the moisture from your lips.  I often find myself layering balm under and over my other lip colors to keep the moisture in.  But the Sugar Lip Treatments are super dewey and non-drying.  The shades are extremely flattering and can be layered for a bold color or dabbed on gently for a subtle tint.

Here’s a quick snapshot of me wearing the Lip Treatment in coral…

A perfect everyday shade, don’t you think?  It’s hand down my new favorite beauty product (with the Naked Basics palette being a dangerously close second…)

Have you tried Fresh’s Sugar Lip Treatment?  Got another lip color fave to share?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

How far along? 26 Weeks
Baby is the size of: Apparently she’s still the size of an eggplant, just a bit fatter :)
Total weight gain: 8 pounds
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: We have a name, but we’re not monogramming anything or making it totally official until we meet her.
Maternity Clothes: I’ve been getting super tired of wearing the same outfits over and over, so my super-sweet mom lent me a bunch of stretchy skirts and empire waist tops to add to the rotation.  It’s been so nice to have a few new outfits!
Stretch marks? I’ve got some little white ones around my belly button, but they’re not bad and hard to see in most light.
Sleep: Apparently sleep during pregnancy (or lack thereof) is designed to prepare you for having a newborn!  I’m up all the time and sleeping on my side is taking a toll on my shoulders.  I’m definitely achey and sore, especially in the morning.
Movement: She’s super busy all day long, but especially first thing in the morning and as I’m laying down for bed.  She was also going CRAZY during my prenatal yoga class last night… I’m pretty sure she was following along and doing her own yoga poses in there :)
Best moment this week: I was having a not-so-great day on Wednesday and my mom decided to leave work early and meet me in Half Moon Bay for the afternoon.  It was such a treat to see her mid-week, and it definitely helped to lift my spirits!
Miss Anything: Seriously, all I want in the world is a bathtub that will fit my big belly…
Belly button in or out? In, but definitely getting flatter.
Food cravings: Strawberries are still my number one favorite thing… SO happy they’re coming back in season.
Anything making you queasy or sick: If I eat too much, especially at dinnertime, my tummy is not-so-happy.  But other than that, I’m feeling good!
Labor Signs: just the occasional (or lately not-so-occasional) Braxton Hicks
Symptoms: Achey back, shooting pains in my stomach muscles, lots of peeing, and hungry hungry hungry this week!
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: I’d call this a moody week… pregnancy hormones are not-so-fun.
Looking forward to: I’m really looking forward to spending some quality time with Travis this weekend.  We have EVERY WEEKEND booked through my 37th week, but this one is blissfully free of any obligations.  The weather is supposed to be amazing, so I think we’re planning to head north and soak up a little sun!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend! xo

Check out this little rundown of some of my favorite earth friendly items (all of which are having sales of some sort to celebrate this weekend!)

1) Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning products are safe for the environment, safe for your family (extra important when you’re pregnant or have little ones!), and come in AMAZING scents, like Geranium.  Mrs. Meyer’s All Purpose Cleaner is a great product to start with if you want to try the line.  Enjoy free shipping all weekend!

2) Head to Target this Sunday and pickup a free reusable shopping bag, filled with coupons and samples of their favorite eco-friendly products!

3) Also at Target, Charlie Banana reusable cloth diapers are 15% off when you buy two.  These are the diapers we plan on using for baby girl… I’ve heard great things and can’t wait to try them.

4) Amazon is holding sales on all kinds of Earth-friendly products this weekend, but I’m especially enamored by the pretty bamboo servingware, which is 15%.

5) I love Zoya nail polish because it goes on evenly and comes in great colors.  Plus, it’s more natural than many other polish brands, free of harsh chemicals like formaldehyde.  This weekend, buy 6-24 Zoya polishes and get them half off when you enter the code ZOYAEARTH2013.  When you receive your order, send them 6 old polishes in your collection and they’ll dispose of them in an earth-friendly way!

How are you celebrating Earth Day?  Plan on taking advantage of any of these great deals?  Got some eco-friendly ideas of your own to share?  Spill in the comments!

As a hair and makeup artist, I often notice that my clients say things to me like, “As you can see, I have a huge forehead/double chin/saggy eyes/etc…  Anything you can do to minimize that?”  Nine times out of ten, I would have never described that person with the “flaw” that they used to characterize their face.  Take a moment to watch this video and consider the way you view your own beauty.  I bet you anything that you’re more beautiful than you think you are.

P.S. You can click the YouTube link in the bottom right corner of the video to view it bigger (which I recommend.)

How far along? 25 Weeks
Baby is the size of: An eggplant
Total weight gain: 7 pounds (somehow I lost a pound this week?)
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: We have a name, but we’re not monogramming anything or making it totally official until we meet her.
Maternity Clothes: MUST. WEAR. THEM. Otherwise, I’ve been in skirts/dresses all week.  All of my old clothes are getting ridiculously disproportionate (or just plain won’t fit over my growing bod!)
Stretch marks? I’ve got some little white ones around my belly button, but they’re not bad and hard to see in most light.
Sleep: I love the body pillow I sleep with, even though it’s not one of those fancy pregnancy ones.  But I’m still up many times during the night.  A combination of heartburn, constant peeing, achey joints, and the karate kid in my uterus makes nighttime much more active than I’d prefer.
Movement: She’s as active as ever!  Pretty much everyone I’ve seen recently has had the opportunity to feel her wiggle around in there.
Best moment this week: I took my dad to a Giant’s game yesterday, which was super fun— so glad baseball season is back!  Other highlights: my adorable niece’s 1st birthday party (I got to dress her in her cute birthday outfit… she’s such a love bug!) and a girls day slumber party over the weekend with my mom and 6 year old cousin.
Miss Anything: Still wishing I could soak in a bathtub… I might have to steal a bath at my in-laws this weekend (they have an extra-deep tub that just might fit this big old belly!)
Belly button in or out? In, but I’m guessing I’ll have an outie by the time it’s all said and done.
Food cravings: Strawberries are still my number one favorite thing, but nothing much beyond that.
Anything making you queasy or sick: If I eat too much, especially at dinnertime, my tummy is not-so-happy.  But other than that, I’m feeling good!
Labor Signs: just the occasional (or lately not-so-occasional) Braxton Hicks
Symptoms: Achey back, shooting pains in my stomach muscles, lots of peeing, and the itchiest tummy in town… isn’t pregnancy glamorous?
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy :)
Looking forward to: My dad floated the idea of a family camping trip in early June, and I’d loveeee to have some camping time before baby girl comes.  Hopefully it all comes together :)

I bought the dresser for $20 on Craigslist because it was the perfect height to double as a changing table.  Still, I knew that it would need some major upgrades in order to be nursery-ready.  I employed my mom for help and we got to work.  Check out the “before” picture, below:

First, I sanded it down so the paint would stick more easily.  Then, we used a white semi-gloss paint to cover the body of the dresser.  I bought a quart of coral paint at Home Depot to use for the drawers, but when we played with a swatch, it turned out to be much too orange.  So we added some red and white paint and created the perfect custom color ourselves!

Like the inspiration photo, we put the darkest shade on the bottom and then kept adding more white as we went up with the drawers.

Once the paint dried (most of it needed two coats) we added the sweet pink glass knobs, which were a clearance find at Pier One— score!

So far, I think this is my favorite piece in the nursery.  I love that it’s girly but not too girly and I can’t wait to find the perfect fabric to use for the changing pad so I can really complete the look.

How far along? 24 Weeks
Baby is the size of: An ear of corn (and 1.5 lbs!!)
Total weight gain: 8 pounds
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: We have a name, but we’re not monogramming anything or making it totally official until we meet her.
Maternity Clothes: Can’t get enough :)
Stretch marks? Little white ones around my belly button, nothing too bad
Sleep: I’m up alllll the time at night.  If I’m not waking up to pee, baby girl is kicking me.  Or I have to spend all of my energy trying to roll over, haha.
Movement: As I type this, baby is wiggling like crazy and making the laptop shake on my belly!  She’s loves to practice her karate moves, which is generally a very cool feeling.  Except for when she kicks my cervix.  Not so fun.
Best moment this week: My in-laws came up to the city yesterday for a visit and my mother in law and I had a little too much fun in a local baby store :)
Miss Anything: I soooo want a bath.  I’d also love to go swimming.  Basically, I’m craving water and wishing my whole body would fit in our tub.
Belly button in or out? In, but definitely getting wider and flatter (check out the photographic evidence below).
Food cravings: Strawberries are still my number one favorite thing.
Anything making you queasy or sick: I ate a bite of toast on Easter morning that apparently had a tiny bit of mold on it, even though we’d bought the loaf 2 days earlier.  Needless to say, I spent a while cuddling with the toilet :/
Labor Signs: just the occasional Braxton Hicks
Symptoms: Heartburn is still off the charts— yuck.  And between my lower back aches and stretching pains in my stomach, I’m not sure my body likes this growing belly very much.
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!  Though it’s definitely frustrating when I have to hold myself back from things because the pregnancy slows me down/makes my body ache.
Looking forward to: I’m heading to Santa Cruz for a couple of days and having a girly day with my mom and 6 year old cousin… I’m pretty pumped for arts & crafts, baking, and hopefully lots of snuggles :)

Also, I just had to share this belly shot that Travis took… can you believe the shape of my belly button?!  It’s sloooowly disappearing!

In my first trimester when I was so sick, I found that rocking back and forth in the glider at my midwife’s office was very soothing.  I decided that I wanted to get one for the house and I started scouring Craigslist for good deals.

I came across this simple rocking chair and thought it would do the trick, so we snatched it up with the goal of re-covering the cushions.  Here’s a before photo:

The color was a tired mint that was yellowing with age.  I didn’t know the condition of the cushions underneath, so I decided to keep the mint covers and sew right over them.  I chose this grey and white polka dot fabric knowing that we could use it down the line if baby #2 is a boy.

The glider didn’t come with an ottoman, so I searched around for something creative to use.  I found this knitted pouf on sale at Target for $30— score!

Now, to find the perfect throw pillow and I think this project will be complete!

How far along? 23 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A papaya
Total weight gain: 6.5 pounds
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: We have a name, but we’re not monogramming anything or making it totally official until we meet her.
Maternity Clothes: Pretty much all I’m wearing now.  I’m also planning to invest in or sew a few maxi skirts for myself now that the weather is getting warmer.
Stretch marks? I think a have a little one above my belly button, but it’s not too bad.
Sleep: It’s definitely becoming harder and harder to sleep.  Baby girl likes to kick me all night long, which makes for not-so-restful night.  And since I’m no longer supposed to use my abs to sit up or move around, I feel a bit like a beached whale every time I get into bed.
Movement: She’s still as active as ever!  (See above.)  This week, we’ve been able to really feel her individual limbs when she kicks.  It’s so crazy to feel an elbow or knee graze across my stomach!
Best moment this week: Portland definitely takes the cake, even though we’re currently on vacation :)  I swear, I’d drag Travis up here and buy a house in a heartbeat if our families didn’t all live in the Bay Area.
Miss Anything: I’m starting to miss having a really good night’s sleep.  I’d also LOVE to take a bath.
Belly button in or out? In, but definitely getting wider and flatter.
Food cravings: Strawberries are still my number one favorite thing.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing this week.
Labor Signs: just the occasional Braxton Hicks
Symptoms: I’d say the worst thing this week is the heartburn.  I’ve had it since before I got the + on my pregnancy test, but this week it has become pretty much unbearable, even with a bunch of different heartburn meds :(
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to: I’m starting to look forward to my baby shower, even though it’s not til May.  My mom ordered the invitations this week, which makes it all feel more real!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend and that the Easter Bunny brings you something awesome :)  I’ll be back next week with the before and after photos of my rocking chair upholstery project!

I promise to give you a nursery tour soon, but I have to put the finishing touches on everything first :)

How far along? 22 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A spaghetti squash
Total weight gain: 5.5 pounds… glad last week’s weight gain didn’t repeat itself!!
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: We have a name, but we’re not monogramming anything or making it totally official until we meet her.
Maternity Clothes: Pretty much all I’m wearing now.
Stretch marks? None… so far the coconut oil has been good to me :)
Sleep: Sleep is getting a bit harder, but overall I’m still sleeping well.  Still waiting for my body pillow to arrive via Amazon… I’m hoping it will help!
Movement: She’s still as active as ever!  My mom finally got to feel her over the weekend, which was really special.
Best moment this week: Getting the big pieces of the nursery finished feels AMAZING and makes it all sink in.  I can’t believe we actually have a bedroom for our daughter!  (Not that she’ll be using it anytime soon, haha.)
Miss Anything: I’ve actually been missing alcohol a bit this week.  So weird for me since I’ve never been much of a drinker.  We went out for Mexican food on Thursday and I was pretty jealous of Trav’s margarita :)
Belly button in or out? In, but definitely getting wider and flatter.  My mom’s belly button never popped out with her pregnancies, but I’m thinking mine just might.
Food cravings: Strawberries are still my number one favorite thing.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing this week.
Labor Signs: just the occasional Braxton Hicks
Symptoms: My lower back is getting achier each week.  We bought an exercise ball, so I roll my hips around on that puppy, which really helps.
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, happy, happy this week :)
Looking forward to: We’re headed to Portland this Thursday for a long weekend getaway with friends.  If you remember this post, you may know that I totally adore Portland and would move there in a heartbeat if our families didn’t live in the Bay Area.  I can’t wait!!

Travis has been in a bread-making frenzy lately, scoping out recipes and setting aside time for baking.  We’ve made yummy table bread a number of times, but over the weekend he decided he wanted to tackle wheat bread.

He found this easy-to-follow recipe and the result was a deliciously sweet, slightly dense, perfect-for-grilled-cheese loaf.  Wanna see pictures?

Even the raw dough was beautiful!

Fresh out of the oven…

My scrumptious grilled cheese :)

Have you tackled bread making before?  Got any awesome bread recipes to share?

The class was all about French Macaroons and after getting a demo of the recipe (it’s very scientific… everything is measured perfectly in grams), we got a chance to try making the ourselves.

I snapped a few photos, if you’d like to see…

My friend Jen was the only one of the three of us who was brave enough to pour boiling sugar into our egg whites for the merengue!

Of course, we had to dye our macaroons pretty colors… Jen stuck with a St. Patty’s Day theme.

Our cookies, fresh out of the oven.

The finished product!

I was so excited when my cookies came out of the oven without cracks!  I was sure I’d botch the whole thing the first time around, but I was really happy with the results.  Plus, they were unbearably delicious… Travis was thrilled to be a taste tester :)

Have you ever made french macaroons?  Got any other fun or difficult dessert recipes you’re dying to try?

Fortunately, we made good headway this weekend and last night I even re-covered our old rocking chair to get it nursery-ready (pics coming soon.)

How far along? 21 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A banana
Total weight gain: 5 pounds (that’s right, I gained a whopping THREE POUNDS in one week… yikes!)
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: We have a name, but we’re not monogramming anything or making it totally official until we meet her.
Maternity Clothes: Pretty much all I’m wearing now.
Stretch marks? None
Sleep: I’m sleeping pretty well, but it’s starting to get a bit harder to get comfortable.  I still haven’t found a body pillow… I think that will help.
Movement: She moves soooo much.  I feel her all throughout the day (though late morning still seems to be the most active time.)  This week, I had fun playing “patty cake” with her: she kicked my belly, I poked it, she kicked back, I poked again, etc… :)
Best moment this week: Trav and I officially started our baby registry over the weekend!!  We also saw an amazing documentary about midwife Ina May Gaskin (my hero!)
Miss Anything: I would love to take a long, hot bath.  My belly is too big and most of me ends up out of the water now!
Belly button in or out? In
Food cravings: I am still swooning over strawberries, and I had quite the hankering for s’mores the other night.  Oh, and Travis just reminded me that I was dying to eat a burrito at almost midnight on Tuesday.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing this week.
Labor Signs: just the occasional Braxton Hicks
Symptoms: I had some pretty un-fun round ligament pain this week.  My belly is definitely getting bigger and bigger and it doesn’t always feel that great!
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: This week was busy but fun… I was mostly happy.  But I can acknowledge that pregnancy hormones make it so that I’m easily overwhelmed when there is lots to do, which is not always the best feeling.
Looking forward to: My dad is coming for a visit to the city today (yay!) and I’m taking a macaroon baking class on Sunday, which should be fun!!  (Anyone ever tried making macaroons before?  What am I in for?)

The past week has been FULL of ups and downs.  We visited our sweet nieces and nephews in Salt Lake, which was absolutely lovely and so much fun.  Then, a couple days ago, Trav took a nasty spill while biking home from work and it was more than a little scary.  (Let me tell you, pregnancy hormones and emergency situations DO NOT MIX.)  Fortunately, he seems to be fine (minus some pretty nasty scrapes and a sore jaw), but it really was not something I want to experience again.

Cheers to a very happy and healthy second half of pregnancy!

How far along? 20 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A banana
Total weight gain: 2 pounds
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: We have a name, but we’re not monogramming anything or making it totally official until we meet her.
Maternity Clothes: Are wonderful :)  I am still repurposing as many of my non-maternity clothes as possible, but it’s not the easiest.  (The dress I’m wearing in this photo isn’t maternity, though and I love it!)
Stretch marks? None
Sleep: I’m still sleeping great, though I’m looking into buying a body pillow because they’re soooo comfy.
Movement: I can really sense her growing bigger and bigger.  As of this week, I can feel her move when I’m up and around (before this, I could only feel her when I was sitting or laying down.)  Her most active time seems to be from about 8-11 a.m. (although I feel her plenty all day).
Best moment this week: Meeting my new nephew was truly awesome.  So was sitting in circle time at preschool with his 3 year old brother.
Miss Anything: Not much that I can think of this week…
Belly button in or out? In
Food cravings: I am still swooning over strawberries, but other than that there’s not one particular food that has me weak at the knees.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Greasy food.  And Travis’ accident had me feeling not-so-great.
Labor Signs: just the occasional Braxton Hicks
Symptoms: Definitely still battling the itchy tummy this week.  I switched from cocoa butter to straight coconut oil, which means I come to bed every night smelling like a macaroon.  (Trav is a big fan!)
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: I had a pretty happy week, but I can definitely acknowledge that being pregnant heightens all of my emotions.  It can be frustrating!
Looking forward to: Starting our registry on Sunday and getting the nursery to look more like a baby’s room and less like a hurricane hit our storage space.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend!  Don’t forget to change your clocks :)

xo

I loved this idea and a year and a half post-wedding, I’m still happy we did it this way.  The plates we registered for were Mikasa from Macy’s— they’re pretty and sturdy and have some visual interest, despite the plain color.

And this week, I picked up a new set of bowls at Cost Plus World Market.  I love the funky, eclectic pattern of the Charlotte bowls and the low price is awesome!

It’s so nice to be able to switch up our dishes without buying a whole new set.  It makes dinner at home feel a little more special and when we’re tired of the look, we can choose something else!

What do you think of this registry tip?  Would you (or did you) register this way?  Got any other fave kitchen finds?  Share ‘em in the comments!

How far along? 19 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A mango
Total weight gain: I’m still up 1 pound.  Kind of amazing that I didn’t gain any weight this week… I couldn’t stop eating!
Gender: It’s a girl :)
Name: We have a name, but we’re not monogramming anything or making it totally official until we meet her.
Maternity Clothes: They’re pretty much all I wear!  I bought a bunch of super long non-maternity tank tops, which have also been a godsend.
Stretch marks? None
Sleep: I’ve been doing pretty well, sleep-wise.  I’m only taking occasional naps and I’m usually able to stay up til 10 (which might not seem like a big deal, but it is by pregnancy standards!! haha)
Movement: This little lady is a WILD one!  She moves like crazy— rolling, kicking, head-butting, and wiggling away.  Travis has been able to feel it more regularly, which is fun.  She seems to be the most active when he’s at work, go figure.  Last night, she started kicking inward toward my spine and other organs… THAT was not so fun.  A friend told me to use an ice pack to get her to move when her kicks are uncomfortable; good to know!
Best moment this week: We scored on an awesome stroller this week!  We went to the local flea market during our Santa Cruz visit, and someone was selling the stroller we were planning to register for— BRAND NEW, with tags on it!  We love it and I can’t wait to tote her all around :)
Miss Anything: I’ve been dreaming about taking a babymoon the past few days and I’ve been missing the beautiful resort we stayed in on Maui for our honeymoon.  I’m hoping we can squeeze a little getaway in before I’m too pregnant to fly…
Belly button in or out? In
Food cravings: Ugh, yes… I found myself SERIOUSLY craving fried chicken last Friday, so we went to Chili’s for dinner (I know, super romantic).  Five minutes after finishing my meal (we were literally still in the restaurant), I calmly said, “I’m gonna need to throw this up.”  Aaaaand I did.  Apparently greasy foods and pregnancy don’t mix.  I suppose it’s all for the best…
Anything making you queasy or sick: See above :)
Labor Signs: just the occasional Braxton Hicks
Symptoms: Super hungry, I’m constantly battling the breakouts, and my stomach has been suuuuper itchy this week.  I’m slathering on cocoa butter daily… pleeeease, no stretch marks!!
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: I was muuuuch moodier this week.  Damn hormones!  It’s so frustrating to know that you’re being irrational but to have no control over it.  Travis is such a champ.
Looking forward to: Our trip to Salt Lake City this weekend!  (Although, I’m a little nervous about flying while pregnant… who knows how this new body will react.  Fingers crossed that it’s an easy trip.)

Since we’re flying out tomorrow, I won’t be posting again til next week.  I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! xo

How far along? 18 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A sweet potato (according to our anatomy ultrasound, she weighs 9 ounces!)
Total weight gain: The weight gain has officially started… up 1 pound!
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: I think we’ve pretty much settled on a name, but we’ve decided to wait until she’s born before we commit to it 100%… it’s hard to name someone you’ve never met!
Maternity Clothes: I’m loving my comfy maternity tops and leggings!
Stretch marks? None
Sleep: No naps this week!  I did fall asleep at 8:30 a couple nights ago, but other than that I’ve been up until a pretty reasonable 10-10:30 each night.
Movement: I found out this week that I have an anterior placenta, which means the placenta acts as a pillow between the baby and the front of my tummy.  The ultrasound tech told me not to worry if I hadn’t felt any movement yet because an anterior placenta can dull those sensations.  I responded with an “are you kidding?!”  I feel this little lady move SO much… I feel like if there wasn’t a placenta blocking some of the movements, I would be distracted 100% of the time.
Best moment this week: We had our anatomy ultrasound on Tuesday and spent nearly an hour looking at everything from our sweet girl’s little moving lips to her kidneys and brain… it was amazing!  Of course, I totally lost it when we got to see her profile for the first time.  I’m pretty convinced that she’s the most beautiful little fetus to ever exist ;)  Wanna see?

Miss Anything: I spent so much time feeling sick… I’m honestly just elated to have my life back a little bit.  The only thing I really miss is Diet Coke, haha.  I stopped drinking it once we started trying to get pregnant and it’s been a loooong 6 months.
Belly button in or out? In
Food cravings: I didn’t really have many cravings this week, but I officially started eating meat again!  I had a huuuuge aversion to all meat until now, but I’ve eaten chicken a number of times this week.  (I’m still not interested in red meat AT ALL, though.)
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not much at all :)
Labor Signs: just the occasional Braxton Hicks
Symptoms: I am HUNGRY.  Especially in the first half of the day… it’s crazy.
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Still feeling super happy and grateful to be over the sick phase!
Looking forward to: Visiting our nieces and nephews in Salt Lake City next weekend

If you’re into makeup at all, you’ve probably heard of the Naked palettes before.  Both the original palette and the Naked 2 palette feature 12 super-flattering eyeshadows in both sparkly and matte finishes.  The colors look gorgeous on just about everyone, but the original palettes have two downsides: they’re on the pricey side at $50 a piece, and they’re too big to take on the go.

I was originally attracted to the Naked Basics palette to use on my brides because the matte shades are all very warm and natural— perfect for everything from a subtle, romantic look to a more dramatic smokey eye.  Plus, the smaller size and smaller price tag ($27) were hard to resist.  But I have to admit, I have totally stolen this fun beauty buy for myself.  Here’s a pic of my first time playing with it…

I love how each shade goes on smooth and even and how they blend together so seamlessly.  I always wear Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion on my lids, which helps to keep this already long-lasting shadow in place for hours and hours.  Even Travis noticed how flattering it was… now THAT is success, if you ask me!

{via}

{via}

{via}

I’m not gonna lie, I was a big fan of overalls back in the day.  I was also like ten years old, so my fashion sense certainly had its flaws.  (In 6th grade a wore a black suede newsboy cap pretty much every day.  Not cute.)

Am I alone in thinking this trend is totally bonkers?  Has anyone found a cute/flattering way of wearing overalls?  Please, prove me wrong…

The shape of my belly is changing, too.  I feel like it looks smaller this week because I’m not carrying quite as low.  That’s the weird thing about being tall… there’s a lot of space for my tummy to go UP before it pops OUT.

How far along? 17 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A turnip
Total weight gain: I’m still down 2.5 lbs… I thought I might be back to my original weight this week, but I gained nothing!  (Not really sure how that’s possible with all the brownies and pasta I’ve been eating…)
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: We narrowed it down quite a bit this week!  I think we have 4 pretty strong contenders at this point…
Maternity Clothes: Thank goodness for OldNavy.com!  I bought a handful of maternity gear this week (should be here tomorrow, yay!) and it cost so much less than traditional maternity stores charge.  (I’m having a hard time rationalizing expensive maternity clothes, since I’ll only be wearing them for a few months…)
Stretch marks? Nope, but my stomach has definitely started to get itchy.  I’ve been cocoa-buttering the heck out of it!
Sleep: I’ve pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I have to take a nap if I want to stay up at night.  I think I’m averaging about 11-12 hrs of sleep a day.  Crazy.
Movement: This little lady is a wiggle worm and I LOVE it!  She went especially crazy this week when I snacked on Girl Scout cookies… glad to know a love of thin mints runs in our family :)
Best moment this week: I think the thin mint kick-fest takes the cake.  She had never moved so much and it felt absolutely AMAZING!  Plus, my good friend was sitting with me and got to feel it.  (Sorry I kept stuffing your hands down my pants, Marina ;)  Oooh, I also found out this week that TWO of my friends are pregnant!  I am so excited to share mommy-hood with them.
Miss Anything: I definitely miss having energy or being able to push my body during a busy day.  At this point, when I’m physically tired, I HAVE to rest.  I know it’s good for me, but it can be frustrating.
Belly button in or out? In
Food cravings: I majorly attacked a batch of brownies over the weekend (YUM!)
Anything making you queasy or sick: I usually just feel queasy when I’m really tired or have over-done it during the day
Labor Signs: just the occasional Braxton Hicks
Symptoms: Starving every 2 hours, less energy
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Thrilled, elated, overjoyed… I am falling super in love with our babe and feeling SO grateful that I’m not sick all the time.
Looking forward to: Our last Valentine’s Day as a duo :)

Also… I was looking back on old photos, and look at how much my belly has grown in 12 weeks!!

Crazy…

I’m feeling especially attached to  Vday this year, since it’s the last time Trav and I will be celebrating as a duo and not a trio (eee!)  But since the holiday falls on Thursday, it’s not exactly realistic to have an all-day love fest.

If you’re looking to get into the spirit of love, but haven’t made the time yet, here are a few quick and easy ideas…

Rock a heart manicure.  This one was inspired by The Beauty Department and it has kept me in the Valentine’s spirit all week!

Put out conversation hearts.  Totally cheesy, very nostalgic, and a cutesy way to leave love notes on your sweetie’s pillow…

Decorate with a DIY heart garland.  This was way easier to make than I would have expected and looks totally cute.

Get crafty.  I put together this Valentine’s Day craft box for a friend over the weekend.  Making homemade cards is still one of my favorite activities.

Decorate heart cookies!  Because you can never have too much sugar, right?  Click here for the recipe…

What are you doing to get into the spirit of Valentine’s Day?  Got any ideas to share?

P.S. I am totally swooning over these heart bowls from West Elm!

{via}

Girls star Allison Williams made headlines for arriving to the bash as Katy Perry’s date, but I’m much more excited by her black diamond-encrusted number by Kaufmanfranco…

{via}

Natasha Bedingfield rocked this Emerson dress by pairing it with a metallic belt and clutch.

{via}

Leave it to Beyonce to ditch a gown altogether and still look fabulous!  Her Osman Yousefzada getup was a modern take on a retro color blocking look (and was undoubtedly way more comfy than the heavy gowns everyone else was wearing!)

{via}

Beyonce’s Destiny’s Child bandmate, Kelly Rowland, showed off her killer curves in this Georges Chakra cutout dress.  For any other awards show, this look might be a little too much.  But it was a perfect choice for the notoriously daring Grammys.

{via}

{via}

Taylor Swift looked positively radiant in this Grecian getup from J Mendel.  (I love her hair and makeup choices as well.)

{via}

But my favorite from the night?  Rihanna, who paired her perfect ombre locks with this red stunner by Alaia.  I mean, seriously… she looks RIDICULOUSLY good.

What did you think of the red carpet at last night’s Grammys?  Which look was your fave?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

How far along? 16 Weeks
Baby is the size of: An avocado (yum!)
Total weight gain: I’m down 2.5 lbs… almost back to my original weight
Gender: It’s a girl!
Name: The choices have been cut in half, now that we know the gender.  But we’re still stumped!  I keep asking baby what her name is, but so far she’s been no help at all :)
Maternity Clothes: I bought my first maternity top this week.  The shirt in the photo isn’t maternity, but it’s stretchy and longer than normal.  Now that I’m really growing, I need all of my tops to be loooong.  But I’m having trouble finding anything cute… grrr.
Stretch marks? nope
Sleep: I’m less tired than I was last week, which has been great!  But I find that if I overdo it during the day, I’m definitely asleep by 9:30.
Movement: I’m feeling her way more now, and she’s even given me a few good kicks!!  I felt the movement from the outside for the first time yesterday and when Travis got home from work he got to feel her too :)
Best moment this week: Seeing her on the ultrasound and finding out the gender was amazing!  And feeling her kick/watching Travis feel that for the first time made my heart swell!
Miss Anything: I’ve been so happy to be feeling more “normal” this week, I can’t think of anything I miss!
Belly button in or out? In
Food cravings: I still have a hankering for fruit and just about anything sweet.  I’ve had my heart set on some gooey brownies the past few days, so I have a feeling I’ll be whipping up a batch this weekend :)
Anything making you queasy or sick: I usually just feel queasy when I’m really tired or have over-done it during the day
Labor Signs: not real labor, but the Braxton-Hicks happen every so often
Symptoms: This week has been significantly better, symptom-wise.  I’ve been extra hungry and thirsty and I don’t have the same level of energy as I did pre-pregnancy, but overall it’s all very manageable.
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Suuuuuper happy this week!
Looking forward to: Valentine’s Day and visiting my nieces and nephews in Salt Lake City in a few weeks.

If you want to check out a few snippets of our ultrasound last weekend, Travis made this cute 1 minute video with some of our favorite clips… Confession: I watch it allll the time, hehe.

It turns out, we have either a very shy or a very stubborn baby on our hands.  Not only did we not get the profile image we were hoping for, but this silly little one thought it would be funny to turn away from the ultrasound tech 75% of the time… (yikes, what are we in for?!)

After much adjusting and prodding, though, we found out with 90% certainty that we’re having the little girl we always dreamed of!!!

{via}

I expected to have this big, over-the-top, emotional reaction (which is what happened when we saw that first ultrasound at 8 weeks).  But instead, I felt totally calm and content.  I really felt like this was our girl all along, and when we heard the news it didn’t feel like “news” at all.

We got to tell a bunch of our family in person because we all got together for a Super Bowl party… it was really fun to share the news with each of them and celebrate over and over again.

I truly would have been happy regardless of the gender, just knowing what we have to look forward to is so exciting!  It makes all of this feel much more real.  And I’ve been getting butterflies all weekend each time Travis looks over to me out of nowhere and says, “We’re having a girl!”

Susannah is an amazing photographer who recently migrated to the Bay Area from New York City with her husband and crazy-adorable son (the kid has red hair and brown eyes… I didn’t even know that combination was possible!)

Travis and I had the pleasure of working with Susannah a few months ago for a “one more time” shoot.  We got back into our wedding clothes a year after the big day and took some beautiful pictures that we’re so excited to hang all over our home.  It was a really fun way to celebrate a year of marriage, especially because we didn’t have time for tons of photos on the actual wedding day.

From experience I can tell you that being photographed by Susannah is a dream.  She has such a sweet and energetic personality.  That energy is contagious and I think it really comes across in her photos.  Check out some of the shots from our shoot with her…

(P.S. that gorgeous bouquet I’m holding in our shoot was courtesy of Seascape Flowers… if you live in the Santa Cruz area, you must check them out.)

So here’s the exciting part:

Since it’s officially February and Valentine’s Day is just two weeks away, Susannah is helping you get into the spirit by giving away a photo shoot for you and your sweetie!  Are you recently engaged (or hoping he’ll put a ring on it on February 14th?)  Are you celebrating an anniversary?  Expecting a baby and need some sweet couple photos while it’s still just the two of you?  If you live in the Bay Area (or want to take a little vacation to this neck of the woods) this awesome prize will give you the chance to mark the occasion!

AND… just to sweeten the pot… I’ll be stepping into my “other shoes” and offering my hair and makeup services for the shoot as well!

Are you swooning yet?

Here’s how to enter this giveaway…

1) Leave a comment on this post for ONE ENTRY.

2) Leave a comment on another {bb} post (and tell me about it here) for ONE ENTRY.

3) “Like” the Susannah Gill Facebook Page (and tell me about it here) for TWO ENTRIES.

4) “Like” {blending beautiful} on Facebook (and tell me about it here) for TWO ENTRIES.

5) Blog, tweet, or write a Facebook post sharing this contest for FOUR ENTRIES.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry to make sure you get credit for all of your “likes”, shares, etc…

Also note: This contest is limited to couples who live in or can travel to the Bay Area (Monterey/Carmel to San Francisco).

Visit Susannah Gill-Photographic Storytelling’s blog to see more of her beautiful work and feel free to check out my hair and makeup Facebook page if you’d like to look at mine.

The contest ends at midnight on February 13th, a winner will be selected at random, and I’ll announce the winner on Valentine’s Day.  Good luck!

Update: Congratulations to our winner, Whitney Damiani!  Thanks to everyone who entered.  xo

In slightly more exciting news, it seems the baby had a major growth spurt this week.  I woke up a few days ago and my belly had grown overnight!

How far along? 15 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A naval orange
Total weight gain: I’m down 3.5 lbs… slowly gaining some weight back!
Gender: We find out tomorrow hopefully
Name: Still throwing out ideas.  Still no closer to actually picking one.
Maternity Clothes: Still loving my maternity pants; no need for anything else yet.
Stretch marks? nope
Sleep: I’ve taken a nap every day this week… something must be going on in there!
Movement: I felt my first little flutters this week!  I’m still not feeling movement regularly, but it was so exciting to experience that for the first time.
Best moment this week: Feeling the baby was definitely the highlight :)
Miss Anything: I miss being able to sleep through the night.  Between getting up to pee and all the little aches and pains, I haven’t been able to sleep as well.  (Maybe that’s why I’ve been napping so much!)
Belly button in or out? In
Food cravings: All strawberries all the time!
Anything making you queasy or sick: I usually just feel queasy when I’m really tired or have over-done it during the day
Labor Signs: nope, although I did have my first Braxton-Hicks contraction this week
Symptoms: I’m having more and more aches and pains, lots of tiredness, and I’m peeing constantly
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: I’ve been pretty darn happy this week, but I had a few moody/random-hormonal-crying moments
Looking forward to: Getting our ultrasound tomorrow (finally!)

P.S. Check back here this afternoon for a beyond-awesome giveaway!

{via}

In the past few months, I’ve had to take a step back from regular posting.  I was losing a bit of my inspiration and then the early months of pregnancy made it pretty much impossible to function.  But the time away has renewed my energy for this blog, and starting tomorrow I’ll be back with more regular/non-pregnancy posts.  In fact, I’m kicking things back off with the BEST giveaway I’ve ever done on the site.  (I’m super excited about it!)

So thank you for bearing with me, whether you’re a new reader or have followed this blog for three whole years.  I am so grateful for every person who reads, comments, and emails… you all make my day more than you’ll ever know :)

xo, Kim

P.S. If you’re curious and want to read the first-ever post… check it out here!

Until then, another bump-date:

How far along? 14 Weeks (the downside of being tall… I look the same as I did weeks ago.  I’m surprised I’m showing at all!)
Baby is the size of: A lemon
Total weight gain: I’m down 5 lbs
Gender: We find out on Sunday, assuming baby cooperates!  (Anyone want to venture a guess??)
Name: Still throwing out ideas.  Still no closer to actually picking one.
Maternity Clothes: Still loving my maternity pants; no need for anything else yet.
Stretch marks? nope
Sleep: I’m still in bed by 9:30 most nights, but I’m less tired during the day now.
Movement: I haven’t felt anything yet.  My midwife says I might have an anterior placenta, which would mean I’m still a few solid weeks away from being able to feel anything.  I hope it’s not true!!  I’m dying to feel a little movement :)
Best moment this week: Celebrating the wedding of some dear friends of ours and having the energy to dance and visit with everyone.
Miss Anything: This isn’t exactly pregnancy-related, but I’ve been really missing my grandma the past few weeks.  Today marks one year since she passed away, and I wish with all my heart that she was here to meet our little one this summer.
Belly button in or out? In
Food cravings: I’m still over-the-moon for strawberries.  Can’t. Get. Enough.
Anything making you queasy or sick: A few smells, the thought of meat, over-doing it by being out and about
Labor Signs: nope
Symptoms: The nausea is slowly tapering off (can’t wait til it’s gone, gone, gone!), but there’s always something to deal with: heartburn, headaches, painful stretching tummy, tiredness… what an adventure, haha.
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: This week I have felt the best thus far, so I’ve been especially happy
Looking forward to: Getting our ultrasound on Sunday and seeing a real baby in there!  I’m also super excited to find out the gender… it’ll definitely make the whole thing feel more real.

So, here we are… 13 weeks, as of Tuesday, and officially entering the second trimester— the “honeymoon trimester,” as they call it.  I seriously never thought this day would come.  So far, I still feel nauseous the majority of the time, but I’m hoping that it’ll disappear in the next couple weeks and I can really start enjoying this whole bringing-a-life-into-the-world thing :)

How far along? 13 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A peach
Total weight gain: I’m down 7 lbs again… bummer.
Gender: We find out on 1/27!!  I’m so excited :D
Name: I think we’re honestly waiting until we find out the gender to really talk names seriously.  We’ve even considered picking out 2 or 3 names and waiting until the baby comes to decide… it just feels like so much pressure to name a person!
Maternity Clothes: Loving my maternity pants!  I’m still looking for some quality, thick leggings (anyone have any suggestions?)
Stretch marks? nope
Sleep: Still in bed by 9:30 most nights
Movement: I haven’t felt anything yet, but I’m always on the lookout now.  Any time I’m laying still I pay extra-close attention to my belly.
Best moment this week: We borrowed a doppler from my cousin and heard the heartbeat for the first time!!  That has been a pretty fun toy :)  Also, I got an AMAZING facial this week to try and combat the terrible pregnancy skin.  I haven’t felt that good since I’ve been pregnant.  I kept smiling through the whole thing like a total doofus, but I couldn’t help it— it was heavenly!
Miss Anything: I still miss our weekly date nights.  I’m still too nauseous to eat in a restaurant… can’t wait to get that back.
Belly button in or out? In
Food cravings: STRAWBERRIES.  Like, I’ve literally been dreaming about them.  I’ve found a few decent ones, but it’s hard when they’re not in season.  I could seriously eat them all day every day.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Same as always… I’ve got low-grade nausea just about all the time.  Can’t wait for that to be o-v-e-r.
Labor Signs: nope
Symptoms: I’ve started getting headaches many evenings, which is not fun at all.
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, if not a little exasperated from feeling constantly sick for the past 8+ weeks.
Looking forward to: Reaching the honeymoon stage in my own pregnancy (soon, I hope!)  Also, my sister-in-law had her fourth baby this morning and I can’t wait to meet him (and visit with my other nieces and nephew) in March!

How far along? 11 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A lime
Total weight gain: I’m down 6 lbs, which actually means I’ve gained one pound back!
Gender: we’ll find out in February!
Name: I have a front-runner in the girl category, but nothing is decided yet
Maternity Clothes: I’m actually wearing my new maternity pants in this picture!  I broke down and bought two pairs and they’re SO DAMN COMFY!
Stretch marks? nope
Sleep: Can’t get enough
Movement: Still too early to feel anything
Best moment this week: Honestly, maternity shopping was pretty fun :)
Miss Anything: I miss our weekly date nights.  I’m still too nauseous to eat in a restaurant… can’t wait to get that back.
Belly button in or out? In
Food cravings: Pastries!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Strong-smelling foods and random waves for no reason at all
Labor Signs: nope
Symptoms: The queasiness is a little more sporadic, which means I get a little relief some days!  woo hoo!
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, happy
Looking forward to: No more morning sickness!  (please, please, please!)

How far along? 10 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A prune
Total weight gain: I’m still down 7 lbs… hoping to start gaining soon
Gender: we’ll find out in February!
Name: we had fun discussing names with the family over Christmas, but we still haven’t picked anything
Maternity Clothes: my mom gave me a cute pair of maternity pj’s for Christmas, but other than that, nothing yet
Stretch marks? nope
Sleep: I’m alwayssss tired these days
Movement: Still too early to feel anything
Best moment this week: Getting baby-related Christmas gifts!  So cute :)
Miss Anything: I miss eating!!
Belly button in or out? In
Food cravings: I’ve been craving more sweets lately, especially cinnamon rolls!
Anything making you queasy or sick: The altitude was tough on me during our Christmas trip, and looking at/thinking about most food still makes me nauseous
Labor Signs: nope
Symptoms: Still sleepy and queasy 24/7 and battling the breakouts!
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Pretty happy
Looking forward to: Feeling this baby move in a few weeks!!

I’d also like to take a quick moment to thank each and every one of you for reading this little blog in 2012.  I’m looking so forward to feeling like a normal person again and getting back to regular posting!  It is such a joy for me to connect with you all— to have a special space to post inspirations and exciting milestones.  It means so much to share it with you.

I hope you have an exciting, safe, and FUN new year!

xo

How far along? 9 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A large green olive
Total weight gain: So far I’ve LOST 7 lbs (normally, I’d be happy about this, but it makes me a bit uneasy)
Gender: not sure yet, but I’ve been having inklings that it’s a girl
Name: still throwing out options :)
Maternity Clothes: none yet, except belly bands, which are awesome!  (let’s be honest… I’m wearing yoga pants 90% of the time anyway)
Stretch marks? nope
Sleep: Still sleeping a TON.  Haven’t been this tired since I had mono!
Movement: Too early too feel anything, but cool to know our little peanut is wiggling about in there.
Best moment this week: Getting to spend some time with family who I haven’t seen since becoming pregnant
Miss Anything: I’d love to be able to take a long, hot bath… and eat normal food.
Belly button in or out? In
Food cravings: Not many.  Travis has made me waffles more times than I can count… breakfast, lunch, dinner— it’s never a bad time for waffles!
Anything making you queasy or sick: The smell of onions, the thought of most food
Labor Signs: nope
Symptoms: My skin has been breaking out like crazy, so I’m trying to get a handle on that.  I’d say this week that I’m queasy more often than nauseous (that’s a bit of an improvement… I’ll take it!)
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Pretty happy (though, a bit bored since I spend most of my time laying low at home these days)
Looking forward to: heading to Tahoe for Christmas week (haven’t had a “white Christmas” since I was 10!), Travis having 1.5 weeks off work!!

How far along? 8 Weeks
Baby is the size of: A raspberry
Total weight gain: I’ve actually LOST 5 lbs. so far (morning sickness officially SUCKS)
Gender: not sure yet!
Name: we have a white board on our fridge where we’re writing down and voting for our favorites :)
Maternity Clothes: no need yet
Stretch marks? nope
Sleep: I am asleep by 9 most nights and can easily sleep for 10-12 hours… I’m ALWAYS tired these days!
Movement: The baby is starting to move this week, but of course I can’t feel it yet
Best moment this week: Seeing the ultrasound and that beautiful fluttering heartbeat!  I couldn’t stop crying… there is no feeling like it.
Miss Anything: I miss being able to eat anything other than plain cheerios!  And just generally would love to not feel nauseous 24/7.
Belly button in or out? In
Food cravings: yuck, food is the enemy these days
Anything making you queasy or sick: Being awake :)
Labor Signs: nope
Symptoms: sleepy… and have I mentioned nauseous? hah
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: I’d say happy.  Sometimes I get fed up with being sick all the time.  And of course every cute or heartwarming thing I see these days makes me tear up like crazy :)
Looking forward to: Christmas, the end of the first trimester, and getting to eat like a normal person again!

xo

I’m very excited to announce that Travis and I are expecting a little bundle at the end of July!  I’m 8 weeks pregnant today and morning sickness has pretty much taken over my life (which is why I haven’t been posting on the regular.)  I’m hoping that I feel better soon and that things shake out around here.  Until then, postings may be a bit sparse for a while.  (You can get updates on new posts by becoming a fan of {bb} on facebook.)

I definitely plan on chronicling this adventure in pregnancy and motherhood on the blog.  And, as always, your advice/stories/comments are always welcome and encouraged!

Thanks for bearing with me while I tackle the first trimester.  Fingers crossed that I’m feeling better soon!

Also, I just HAVE to share this with you… This is how Travis decided to announce my pregnancy to his Facebook friends :)

I just love my silly husband!

If you’re looking for a little holiday inspiration while I’m away, check out these festive {bb} posts:

A gift guide for your girlfriends.

One for your mom.

And don’t forget the men in your life.

xo

I recently ordered a 8″ x 10″ canvas print to display on our mantle and I absolutely adore it!  (Photo by Susannah Gill Photography.)

I was really pleased with the quality and it was so easy to order and design the look of this piece— wouldn’t these make great holiday gifts?

You can win a 8″ x 10″ canvas print of your own… here’s how to enter:

1) Leave a comment on this post for ONE entry.

2) Leave a comment on another post (and tell me about it here) for ONE entry.

3) Become a fan of {blending beautiful} on Facebook (and tell me about it here) for TWO entries.

4) Follow {blending beautiful} on Pinterest (and tell me about it here) for TWO entries.

5) Post a link to {blending beautiful} on your blog/website/facebook page/twitter (and tell me about it here) for FOUR entries.

All entries must be in by midnight on Sunday (12/2)… a winner will be posted here on Monday (12/3).

Don’t forget to check out the Printcopia sister sites, where you can order custom car magnets, vinyl banners, and lawn signs!

P.S.- Printcopia is having an awesome Cyber Monday sale… 50% off their canvases through 12/3!

{via}

I’m also in the process of designing our holiday card for this year.  I have a super awesome idea for it and I can’t WAIT to share with you :)  (Last year, we sent out postcards with a photo from our wedding… you can take a look here.)

Are you into holiday cards?  Will you send one out this year?

I have a hair appointment scheduled for this Saturday morning, and I’m itching to go dark. I’ve been blonde my whole life (started highlighting when I was about 16, my natural color is an ashy/dirty blonde), but am tired of the upkeep, and just want to try something new. My complexion is fair, so I’m concerned about looking too washed out if I go dark. Any recommendations/photo examples of what I should do??

I’ve always felt like blondes were lucky because it’s MUCH easier to be blonde and go dark than it is to be a brunette (like me) and go blonde.  There’s a perfect shade for everyone, you just have to find the method that’s right for you.

Here are a few tips for taking your blonde hair dark…

1) Start with lowlights. If you don’t want to dramatically change from one color to the next, weave some lowlights into your hair and increase them over the next few appointments.  It’ll darken your look while maintaining lots of dimension in your locks.

{via/via}

2) Stick to neutral shades. Hair colors come with three undertones: cool, neutral, and warm.  For your first time going dark, stick to shades with a neutral undertones and you won’t wash out.  After living with your neutral color for a while, you can decide if you want to adjust your color to a warmer or cooler shade.

{via}

3) Go dark on the bottom. Cut down on the upkeep by only highlighting the top of your hair  and going for a darker shade all-over on the lower half of your hair.

{via}

Hope this helps, KC!  Please send pictures of the final product, I’d love to see :)

Readers: help KC out!  Which of these looks do you like best?

{via}

Ten years later, our life could not be more different, but it could also not be more wonderful!

I’d love to know the story of how you and your significant other met!  Mutual friends?  Online?  Bumped into each other at a bar?  Share your story in the comments!

{via}

I feel like we always recycle the same types of hors d’oeuvres and I’d love to get some new ideas.  So, help me out!

What do you make when you host parties?  (Travis wants to try bacon-wrapped asparagus… anyone tried it?)  I’m up for putting in a little effort… just want to try something fun and tasty!

P.S. These stuffed mushrooms look pretty awesome…

Did you know that until November 22nd, all furniture is 25% off (both in store and online)?!  It’s kinda killing me that I don’t have any major furniture needs at the moment.  But just in case you do, here are a few of my favorite pieces…

fuchsia chair / hammered coffee table / swivel stool / upholstered bed / metal tub chair / wood & metal coffee table

Check out all their on-sale furniture here!

{via}

So, I’m going to get my preach on for a second and say: please, take advantage of your right— your privilege— to vote today.

Due to the ineptitude of the U.S. Postal Service, I have to drive 90 minutes to cast my vote in this election.  But, I won’t let that stop me!

I hope that those of you affected by Hurricane Sandy will have the opportunity to reach convenient polling places…

If you need a little inspiration, take a peek at this awesome video, created by Lena Dunham.

These visual changes couldn’t come at a better time because it’s also time for the content of {blending beautiful} to make some changes as well…

{via}

I’m amazed that it’s been nearly three years since {blending beautiful} created a little home for itself on the interweb, and I’ve had such a great time with my virtual {bb} family.  I originally started this blog as a way to chronicle life’s inspirations and share my beauty knowledge while keeping myself in the habit of writing every day.  But I’ve noticed lately that daily posts have become more of a task than an inspiration.

I don’t think I should be publishing posts just for the sake of publishing.  I mean, who wants to read that?

So I’ve decided to shift the focus of this space, slightly.  I’ll still be posting regularly, but probably not every day.  It’s likely to get a bit more personal— I plan to share things with you as they pertain to my life.  So, if I’m working on an awesome craft or I discover a new beauty product you’ll be the first to know :)

And, as always, if you have specific questions or need advice, I’m happy to write a post about them.

I’m also going to stop bombarding my subscribers with daily emails announcing new content.  If you’d like to be updated on the happenings of the blog, I’d love it if you’d become a fan of {bb} on Facebook.

I look forward to seeing this space grow and evolve and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading, commenting, and making {blending beautiful} as fun and fabulous as it is!

I’ve got some fun surprises set for the blog next week, so make sure to check back on Monday :)

Let’s kick the weekend off right with some fun links from around the web!

Obsessed with this braided updo!

Easy DIY votives…

Trav and I tried out a similar recipe this week and it was delish!  (We added bacon and grilled onions :)

Sweet doorstop.

I love when ladies post weekly pregnancy updates… so cute!

How cozy is this mug sweater?

This home would be the perfect spot for a dreamy weekend getaway…

Is it bad that I’m already reeeeeallly excited for Christmas?

Boot lust!

For more fun finds, follow me on Pinterest…

What are you up to this weekend?  Any fun plans?  Got some links of your own to share?  Comment below!

Travis and I have dreamed about hosting Thanksgiving, but with a large family and a series of small apartments, it hasn’t exactly been doable.  This year, with a slightly bigger place, we’re hosting a day-after Thanksgiving with our immediate families.  I look at it as a dress rehearsal for the day when we can tackle the whole shebang.

Needless to say, I’ve been scouring the web for ways to make our gathering special and these free printables from The Tomkat Studio are just the thing!

The perfect blend of elegant and rustic, I plan to dress up our table with a few of these cute details.  Up next: creating the perfect centerpiece!

Are you hosting any gatherings for the holidays this year?  How will you make your gathering look and feel extra special?  If you’re a fan of these printables too, click the link above and download away!

This year, Travis and I dressed up as a spelling bee (note the letters on the tutu of my bee costume) and a spelling bee champion :)

How are you celebrating Halloween this year?  Will you dress up?  What’s your costume?  Tell me what you’re up to in the comments!

This year, I’m loving opaque tights.  They have a retro 60’s feel while still looking totally modern.

{via}

{via}

{via}

{via}

The color I most want to add to my collection?

Yellow!

What do you think of opaque tights?  Do you own any?  Got a must-have color in mind?  Share in the comments!

These are technically pumpkin muffins, but with the addition of homemade cream cheese frosting, they are truly decadent (and perfectly festive).  Here’s the recipe…

The Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour                                 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon                                  1/3 cup water

1 tsp. baking soda                               1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. salt                                             6 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. ground ginger                            1 1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs                                                    1 cup pumpkin puree

1) Preheat oven to 350.

2) Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl and the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.

3) Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet.

4) Bake for 20-24 mins.

*special trick* for extra moist muffins, place a glass dish with ~4 cups water under your muffin tin in the oven.  The water creates a more humid cooking environment and creates the perfect muffin consistency!

The Frosting

1 stick butter

1 tub whipped cream cheese (8 oz.)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1) Melt the butter and beat into room temperature cream cheese.

2) Add vanilla.

3) Slowly incorporate powdered sugar.

4) Try not to eat it all before applying it to your cupcakes :)

Let’s kick off the weekend with some fun links from around the web…

Sneak peek of Mad Men!

Awesome decorations for a Halloween party.

Would you rock spider lashes?

A friend of mine is making these for her sister’s baby shower… so cute!

Cool fall nails.

What a fun way to plant succulents!

Fun eyelash ideas for Halloween.

On my fall wish list: a collar necklace…

Are you serious?  PECAN PIE BARS!!

Herringbone floors are my latest design obsession.

What are you up to this weekend?  Going to/hosting any Halloween parties?  What’s your costume this year?  Share in the comments!

{via}

Travis, on the other hand, can’t wait until we have a “real” house so he can go all-out on decorations.  He has fantasies of creating a haunted house every Halloween and hanging tons of lights each Christmas.

What I look forward to most: trick or treaters!  :)

I’m curious, do you decorate your house on Halloween (or other holidays)?  Have you ever created a haunted house or any other extravagant decor?

The Giants clinched the pennant on Monday in a dramatic downpour that only added to the drama.  I stumbled onto these photos of the big win, and they just melt my heart…

{all photos via}

I love seeing grown men turn into little boys :)

The Series starts tonight in San Francisco.  Go Giants!!

I’m excited to share a few snapshots of our wedding album with you, if you’d like to see.

Nevermind that we’ve been married over a year already.  I was the ultimate procrastinator and didn’t put our wedding album together until a couple weeks ago.  This is not a sponsored post, but I have to give serious props to the company we used, Photobook America.

The quality of our album is awesome, and I was able to put the entire thing together myself with an easy-to-use downloadable software from the site.  When it’s time to order, you can choose all kinds of fancy options to make your album extra-snazzy.  We chose not to go above and beyond, and our book still turned out beautiful!

If you’re thinking of ordering an album of your own (I’m thinking a custom photo book would make great holiday gifts!), become a fan of Photobook America on facebook for a 40% discount!

Faded glitter!

My base color is Sally Hansen in “Eel Skin” and I added Essie’s “Golden Nuggets” once the polish started to wear.  The trick for getting a nice fade from tip to base is to paint upwards and apply multiple coats where you want the most glitter concentrated.

The glitter hides my stale manicure and will keep me from having to reapply for another few days.  Perfect :)

Do you hate having chipped nails?  How often do you paint yours?  Have you tried this glitter trick to keep your manicure looking fresh?  Got another quick fix to share?

This woman is absolutely beautiful inside and out, and I had so much fun working with her on the big day.  Her wedding was completely personalized and absolutely dreamy… want to see a few pictures?

The first awesome thing about this day: Ingrid got ready on a houseboat!  The weather was foggy all morning and I was worried about her outdoor wedding, but as soon as she arrived, so did the sun.

I love the braided hairstyle Ingrid chose for her big day— so relaxed and romantic, don’t you think?

Her sister-in-law, Stacy Bostrom, is an amazing photographer based in southern California (you can check out more of her work here.)  Despite having had a baby only three weeks before the wedding, she still managed to take the rest of these amazing snapshots of the day… she wasn’t even the official photographer and she still knocked it out of the park!

Check out the rest of the photos from the day on Stacy’s blog.  Isn’t the whole feel of this wedding just a dream?  *swoon*

Have a great weekend, my sweets!  See you back here on Monday.

It took a lot of work— when my hair was super-short, I had to trim it every two weeks!  But I thought I’d share the stages with you lovelies to give you some ideas of how to rock your hair as it goes from super-short to an average bob (which is what I’ve got going on now.)  Care to see?

The Pixie- just a refresher of how my hair looked after it was first cut…

Add body- pixies are all about structure, which is why they often look bad when they’re growing out (they get floppy).  You can work with this, though, buy adding curl and body to your hair with a tiny flat iron or curling iron.  And don’t forget to rock cute hair accessories!

Needs a cut- I knew I needed a trim when my hair would start to get this mullet-y quality.  It was still short in the front because of my original pixie fringe, but the back was losing shape fast.

Quick fix- If I didn’t have time for a trim, I’d wear a front braid to pull the bangs back and tiny pigtails to keep the rest contained.

Neck trim- Otherwise, I used a razor along my neck line to keep the back nice and short while the front layers were growing out.  You can see in the photo below that my front layers were allllmost in line with the back.  When the front and back are even, you can let all of your hair get longer and it’ll naturally turn into a bob without much fuss.

Half Up- While I was waiting for everything to even out, I often pinned the short layers back, giving the illusion of a half-up style (even though I didn’t actually have enough hair to pull it into a ponytail in the back).

My Little Pony- Finally, as the entire look grew, I was able to pull my hair into a mini ponytail (with the help of a few bobby pins, of course!)

A Bob with Body- This photo was taken a month ago, when we were in Italy.  By this point, I had a bona-fide bob and could play with a curling iron to give it bounce and curl.

Now that I have a short bob, I can let my hair grow without having to cut it much.  I’ll clean up the layers every couple months, but I’m finally done with the bi-weekly trim that I had to deal with at first.

Overall, when trying to grow out a pixie, invest in some cute hair accessories and don’t be afraid to trim your neckline on your own with a razor (the kind for cutting hair, not the kind you shave your legs with).

Have you gone through the process of growing out a pixie?  Any tips or tricks that I didn’t mention?  Got photos?  Email ‘em to kim@blendingbeautiful.com or share your thoughts in the comments!

]]> http://www.blendingbeautiful.com/how-to-gracefully-grow-out-a-pixie-cut/feed/ 10 http://www.blendingbeautiful.com/perk-up-your-pumpkins-how-should-i-decorate-mine/ http://www.blendingbeautiful.com/perk-up-your-pumpkins-how-should-i-decorate-mine/#comments Wed, 17 Oct 2012 15:30:12 +0000 Kimberly http://www.blendingbeautiful.com/?p=10701 Travis and I visited the pumpkin patch over the weekend and I’m dying to do something with the pumpkins we found…

Rather than carving— which is always a huge mess and makes the pumpkins decay SO quickly!— I’ve been looking at other fun decorating options.

Cool decoupage

Painted chevron

All-out chalkboard

Gold pumpkin featuring your house number

Now I just have to decide which to do!

Which of these decorating options do you like best?  Got any other non-carving pumpkin ideas?  Planning to try any of these yourself?  Share in the comments!

Here’s what you’ll need:

-1 onion

-2 lbs. beef (many grocery stores have “stew” meat that’s already been cut into chunks— how convenient!)

-3 celery stalks

-red wine

-2 carrots

-6-8 small white potatoes

-1 container beef broth

-1 packet McCormick beef stew seasoning

-flour

The recipe:

1) Chop up the entire onion and sauté in your stew pot.  Once the onions are nearly cooked, add in the beef and chopped celery.

2) Cook the beef until lightly browned, then pout half a bottle of red wine into the pot and simmer with a lid for two hours.  (Feel free to pour yourself a glass of the leftover wine around this time.)

3) Check in on the meat every half hour or so and give it a stir to make sure the wine isn’t evaporating too quickly.

4) When the two hours are up, mix your McCormick seasoning with 3 cups water (per their instructions) and pour it into the pot.  Add the entire container of beef broth as well.  (Some people call cooking with a packet “cheating”.  I call it convenient and delicious.)

5) Continue to cook your stew on low heat as long as you’d like— the longer, the better!  About 90 minutes before dinner, add in your chopped potatoes and carrots.

6) Just before serving, mix 1/2 cup of water with about 1/8 cup of flour and whisk until there are no lumps.  Stir this flour mixture into the stew and turn off the stove.  This will help to thicken it to the perfect consistency.  (Add more flour if it’s not thick enough for you.)

7) Serve with a big slice of sweet french bread for dipping and enjoy!

Are you a fan of beef stew?  What’s you’re favorite cold weather dinner?  How do you feel about “packet” cooking?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

{mini succulents in our window}

{giant ones in our entry}

{surrounding a buddha in my DIY terrarium}

{hanging out in a terracota pot with a cactus}

They’re so beautiful and varied (and so easy to care for!)  I just can’t get enough.

Do you have a favorite flower or plant?  Are you a fan of succulents too?  Do you keep plants in your home?  Share in the comments!

The weather has been gloomy and perfectly autumn— I am loving every minute of it!

So let’s kick off this weekend with some fun links from around the web…

Cute nails!

Would you trash the dress?

Awesome DIY stools made from side tables!

Fall in a box.

Pumpkin frozen yogurt… mmmm :)

Have you used a mattifier to keep your face from getting shiny?  I’m thinking about picking up this one for my clients…

I adore this hair color!

Cute idea: plant flowers in pumpkins for Halloween/Thanksgiving.

I’d love to curl into this bed with a good book…

And don’t forget to enter this week’s hair happy giveaway!

What are you up to this weekend?  Doing anything cozy or fall-related?  Is the weather changing in your neck of the woods?  Tell me what you’re up to in the comments!

{via}

{via}

{via}

{via}

Awesome, right?!  Start following @braidsforgirls and get your own daily dose of swoon-worthy braided hairstyles…

What do you think of these braided looks?  Where do you go for inspiration when you want to try something new with your hair?  Are you following @braidsforgirls?  Share in the comments!

I used a tiny brush to paint the detailing, which made the process easy and relatively mess-free.

Do you change up your nail art based on the time of year?  Are you a fan of my Halloween nails?  Have you tried your own version of Halloween nails lately?  Share in the comments!

P.S.- Un-Cheesy Christmas Nails

To get YOUR hair ready for the colder months, I’m giving away a bottle of It’s a Ten Miracle Leave-in Product (a $42 value!)  This stuff will make your hair more manageable, soft, and smooth… you’ll adore it!

Here’s how to enter:

1) Leave a comment on this post for ONE entry.

2) Leave a comment on another post (and tell me about it here) for ONE entry.

3) Become a fan of {blending beautiful} on Facebook (and tell me about it here) for TWO entries.

4) Follow {blending beautiful} on Pinterest (and tell me about it here) for TWO entries.

5) Post a link to {blending beautiful} on your blog/website/facebook page/twitter (and tell me about it here) for FOUR entries.

That’s TEN ways to win!  All entries must be in by midnight on Sunday.  I’ll announce the randomly-picked winner on the blog on Monday morning.  Good luck!

Update: Congrats to our winner, Jaque R!

Creating this piece is quite the undertaking… the entire thing has to be sewn by hand.  I’m hoping it’s worth it :)

So far, even though it’s a lot of work, I love how meditative sewing is.  I loved sitting by the fire, listening to music, and stitching away!

Are you up to anything crafty these days?  (Is it just me or does fall/winter make you want to be extra crafty?!)  What do you think of my quilt?  Am I crazy for sewing it all by hand?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

(P.S. My nail polish is Sally Hansen’s “Mint Sorbet”.)

I’m hoping to be back on my feet by tomorrow— there’s lots of fun events happening in the city this weekend!  Until then, I plan to lay low and browse the web… care to join me?

I just ordered new business cards!  (Aren’t they cute?!)

Glen Hansard is playing the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival… be still, my heart!

So many boot socks, so little time.

Pretty sailboat tattoo…

Love this simple design esthetic.

Who wouldn’t want to wake up to this on their birthday?

Lovely hair for fall…

Neat idea: wallpapered stairs.

I am OBSESSED with this light grey nail color!!

These thin crust pizza bites would make the best appetizers, don’t you think?

What are you up to this weekend?  Got any big plans or laying low at home?  Have you stumbled onto any must-share links this week?  Leave ‘em in the comments!

Here are a few of the pieces I’ve been eyeing lately…

The ever-coveted Michael Kors watch (which is now on sale!)

Rose gold nail polish!!

Hammered bangles…

What do you think of rose gold?  Are you a fan?  Do you own any accessories in this hue?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

As an adult, I definitely don’t have the energy for multiple costumes, so I plan to start early this year and stick to one thing.

I love dressing up with Travis, and since we’re going to a costume party, I think it would be fun to go as a duo.  For those of you who are new to the blog, last year we were…

Boobs!  This costume was so easy and so FUN.  We were cracking up all night!

I’ve been pondering this year’s couples costume, and here are a few ideas I like…

A tooth and the tooth fairy

Mary Poppins and Burt

Perfect if you’re pregnant: The solar system and Galileo

And one more that is not a couples costume, but is the cutest thing in the world…

How are you dressing up for Halloween?  Are you coordinating your costume with a significant other or a friend?  Got any other clever couples costume ideas to share?  Spill ‘em in the comments!

{via}

Songza: A playlist for every mood
If your usual music app is Pandora or Spotify, change it up with Songza, the handy (free) music app based on mood and occasion. You choose playlists based on day/time of day, mood, activities like girls night out, and much more. You’ll never get bored because there is absolutely no shortage of playlists. I love that the music stations aren’t based on narrowly defined genres that play the same artists over and over, and because of that, I’ve found this app has a much more varied song selection within each playlist. And, did I mention Songza is free of audio ads?

Level Up & GoPago: Convenient (and sometimes free) goodies
If you hate using your precious lunch hour standing in line waiting for food and if you like free credit, download Level Up and GoPago. These apps tell you what restaurants are nearby and allow you to order and pay for your meal via a credit card you upload. All you have to do is pick it up! The apps can even be used for a mani or apparel. The best part is that you can enter promo codes to get credit and sometimes the app people are just nice and give you credit without having to do a thing. Follow them on Twitter to get the promo codes and start hitting your favorite spots for cheap!

MySkin: Skincare recommendations tailored for you
Aisles of skincare products can be overwhelming, so that’s where the MySkin app comes in. It catalogs over 160,000 beauty products for you to compare and zeros in on the ones that are best suited to your skincare needs. How does the app know your needs, you ask? Well, when you sign up (for free), you fill out a short questionnaire about your skin type and concerns. Then, it recommends products for you based on percentages of effectiveness (you want at least 80%). Of course, there are reviews and Q&As, but you can also find users that have a similar skin type as you and trade skin regimens.

Download these apps and I guarantee you may just fall in love all over again with your smartphone.  (And for some icing on the cake, check out these oh-so-cute monogrammed iPhone cases!)

Do you have any favorite apps that help make your life easier or simply more fun? Share your go-to apps with us so we can join in on the fun!

I’m a big fan, but I don’t think Travis is sold on it.  (When I squealed after putting it on he said, “So… it’s just the color of your skin?”  That’s all he needed to say :)

Since our little duo is split down the middle, I want to know what you think!



Is khaki polish hot or not?  Do you own a nude polish without a pink undertone?  What do you think of this shade?  Share in the comments!

Adorable playhouse makeover!  (Can I please have one of these?)

Fall wish list: biker boots.

Tempted to buy this nail polish… so cute!

Did someone say pumpkin pie cinnamon rolls?

A tattoo of your parents’ handwriting— love!

How to make your own boot socks from old sweaters!!

This vintage ponytail tutorial is making me wish I had long hair again…

Trav & I are on the hunt for the perfect Halloween costume.  Last year, we were boobs :)

And a few {bb} posts you may have missed…

Thanksgiving table inspiration (in case anyone is thinking ahead!)

Colored piano love.

Affordable fall makeup looks!

What are you up to this weekend?  Is it chilly in your neck of the woods, or are you soaking up the sun?  Got any good couple Halloween costume ideas?  Share in the comments!

Q: What is your favorite type of shoot to do? What sets your great models apart?

A: I definitely enjoy doing fashion editorials the most. When I can execute my own idea, have the perfect team working with me on this vision, come up with a storyline, find the perfect location, the right models, the right wardrobe and when I can see it all come together perfectly. I really enjoy shooting outdoors, in unique locations, that tell a story.

As for the models, I really like when they have very unique features, a beauty that cannot be found everywhere. I prefer their personalities to stand out and they know how to not only take a pretty picture, but they know how to tell a story and make the shoot their own.

Not every model fits every concept I have. I choose the models depending on what shoot I’m doing and if they turn out to be exactly who I’ve been looking for, they can take a photo to a whole other level.

Q: Any tips for girls having their photo taken casually? Poses and clothing that photograph well? Lighting to steer away from?

A: Lifting up your chin is probably my number one tip. It stretches the neck, avoids unflattering chins, and weird/harsh lighting that can create deep shadows on the face, especially the eyes. Eyes are beautiful, so everyone should make sure to show them and not squint too much.

There’s a few tips for posture everyone can follow as well. Standing up straight is always a big plus, as it makes the body always seem longer. Don’t take the photo from above, as it makes your body look shorter. And turning your body ¾ can make it look more flattering as well.

But the most important thing to remember is, to try to feel comfortable in front of the camera!

Q: Any further last-minute beauty tips that you use on a shoot? What do you look for in a perfect portrait shot?

A: I think the only beauty tip I have on shoots right now is: Less is more. Lately I’ve been concentrating on showing the model’s natural beauty, without cakey make-up or overdone brows and lips. Clean skin is always a must and natural beauty is wonderful.

In a perfect portrait shot as far as beauty goes, I once again look for a unique face, angelic beauty, clean skin, an interesting expression on the model’s face, her personality and an interesting look in her eyes.

Photography wise, I make choices of lighting, the lens I use, the depth of field I choose, the angle I shoot the portrait from and the directions I give the model.

So there you have it. Be yourself, even when having your picture taken, and stand up straight like your mother taught you. To see more of Martine’s photography, check out her website.

What do you do to look your best in photos?  Have you used any of Martine’s tips?  (Isn’t her work gorgeous?)  Share your thoughts in the comments!

{via}

I know when it comes to weddings there’s a ton to plan. In fact, when I went to my friend’s wedding this past weekend she did things I had never even thought of, like making welcome baskets of snacks, toiletries, and an itinerary for guests staying at hotels . Read this article about wedding etiquette and you’ll see that apparently this is a must-do!

Each of my four friends had very different ideas about how she wanted her special day to be and I can respect that since every bride (i.e. woman) has unique personalities and preferences. But as someone who has carved time out of my schedule on four different occasions for these weddings, I’ve compiled a list of three things that brides should consider when it comes to managing their bridal party.

1. Pop the question

Once you have set the date, choose your vital bridal crew and ask them early on to be part of your wedding, letting them know how much they mean to you. I loved the way a friend of mine got asked (see the picture above). Of course it’s perfectly fine not to get crafty when asking, but a few kind, meaningful words go a long way.

Also, make sure you are clear with your intentions. If you want someone to be in your wedding party, let her know. It sounds simple but recently a friend invited me to her wedding with only six weeks notice and then a week later, asked me to be her maid of honor. I was first confused by the initial invite as a guest when I thought I’d be in her wedding, and then I was even more thrown when the maid of honor invite was seemingly an afterthought.

2. Give a token of appreciation

My friends who made the bridesmaid experience most enjoyable are those who recognized her bridal party had taken time and money to celebrate her future marriage, and in turn, found a way to show their gratitude. One friend made us cute shirts to wear while we got ready and gave us each an adorable necklace to wear on her wedding day, while another wrote the sweetest personalized notes. For me, it’s not about a gift. It’s about being thought of and feeling included and important.

3. Keep your bridesmaids in the know

Not everyone is a great planner, but if a bridesmaid is going to fulfill her duties of attending to the bride’s needs and being present at important wedding-related events, then the bride needs to properly communicate plans. Someone who doesn’t do this could actually just be a very laidback bride who doesn’t want to sound bossy, but you can still provide logistical details without being a bridezilla. Trust me, your bridesmaids will be happy to know the plan so they can be there for you!

If you’re married, what did you do to make things easy and fun for your bridesmaids? And if you’ve been a bridesmaid, what did the bride do that you appreciated?  Got anything else to add to the list?  Share ‘em in the comments!

{via}

{via}

{via}

This bold color has always been a favorite of mine, but I’ve never been able to find the perfect shade for my skin tone.  I think it’s a great look, though, and these ladies look amazing, don’t you think?

What do you think of chartreuse?  Would you wear one of these dresses?  Which look is your favorite?  Share in the comments!

We started our vacation in Rome, which is a very bustling city with tons of beautiful museums and churches.

It was raining our first day, but we braved the weather and checked out the Vatican.

This is a close up of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which was BEYOND stunning.

This might be kind of strange, but I was obsessed with all of the beautiful doors in Italy!  I kept forcing Travis to pose in front of them— they were so much cooler than anything we have here in the states…

At the Colosseum, we met a couple from Florida who were taking their 1 year old daughter on a year-long trek across Europe.  (So cool!)

We arrived in Florence next, which was still very city-like, but much less so than Rome.

We celebrated our anniversary with a 16 mile bike ride and wine tasting tour of Chianti.

One major highlight of the trip: our daily gelato!  Travis and I both have a big sweet tooth, and the gelato in Italy was beyond scrumptious!

Venice was stunning and super relaxing.  They don’t allow any cars (or even bicycles) on the main island, so the only way to get around was by boat or on foot.

We took a ferry to the charming island of Burano— one of my favorite excursions of our entire trip!

On the flight home, we got this jaw-dropping view of the Swiss alps!

If you’re considering a European vacation, I highly recommend an Italy trip.  There was so much to do and see, but the entire country maintains this very mellow energy— it was a perfect mix of adventure and relaxation.

Have you been to Italy before?  Planning a trip to a new and exciting place?  Tell me about it in the comments!

]]> http://www.blendingbeautiful.com/italy/feed/ 3 http://www.blendingbeautiful.com/have-a-celebratory-weekend-2/ http://www.blendingbeautiful.com/have-a-celebratory-weekend-2/#comments Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:18:20 +0000 Kimberly http://www.blendingbeautiful.com/?p=10311 We leave Italy tomorrow *tear*, but Sunday is my birthday and we plan to transition back into the real world by celebrating with brunch and a lazy city day.  It could certainly be worse :)  Plus, tomorrow marks the first day of fall (my FAVORITE season!)

I’ll be back to regularly scheduled blogging on Monday, but until then, here are some fun finds from around the web!

Mmmmm… breakfast bites…

Anyone dying their hair darker for fall?  (I love this color!)

Cute cobalt trousers.

I want to have a little girl just so I can do this to her hair :)

Superhero nails.

What a cute way to organize makeup brushes!

Swoon-worthy nursery…

Is this Halloween costume okay for a grownup? :)

Beautiful headband for a wedding.

I can’t wait to try my hand at DIY stick votives!

What are you up to this weekend?  Getting excited for the official start of fall?  Got any plans or links of your own to share?  Comment below!

Personally, I’m always aware of the fact that I should be budgeting and I am conscious enough of my money to know that I can’t go on a crazy shopping spree, but somewhere between this thought and the action of getting out 40 bucks every now and then to pay for cabs, my social life, and the random Starbucks run, something is amiss.

(how cute is this piggy bank?!)

In an effort to make my budget a reality and not just some lofty idea bobbing around in my head, I decided to take control of my finances. Luckily, for our generation, we almost have no excuse to not have a budget with all the online resources available to assist us. Drumroll, please…

Try a budgeting website and app

I just joined Mint, a totally free (and secure) budgeting site/app. It connects to all of your accounts so that you’re able to manage all of your money in one place, rather than logging into multiple sites.  And it’s more than a list of transactions.  Based on how you categorize your purchases (ex. concert tickets would be entertainment), you can visually see exactly what sorts of items and activities you spend your hard earned dollars on.

The site is very user friendly and helps you create a budget while doing all the math for you (score!). You can even create goals, such as saving for a trip, and Mint will guide you through the financial steps necessary to make that achievable.

Find a credit card that works well with your goals

Recently I realized that my credit card wasn’t rewarding me for the types of purchases I make (mainly groceries, dining, entertainment, and personal care) or with the type of benefit I’d prefer (travel). The Consumer Credit Card Guide breaks down the types of credit cards depending on your rewards preferences, from air miles to redemption at restaurants.

Double-check your checking account

Are you still using a college account? Hey, me too! Unlike so many accounts, it’s free. But if you’re curious about what’s out there, check out Nerd Wallet to search for free checking accounts based on your zip code.

How do you keep track of your money?  (Or do you?) What steps do you take to budget your expenses? C’mon, share the wealth!

Take it away, Lindsay…

In the profound words of Charlotte York-Goldenblatt of “Sex and the City,” “Everyone knows you only get two great loves in your life.” Well kids, mine are clothes and makeup. And since I blog about affordable clothes 24-7, I am thrilled to be take a break from the norm to write a post for {blending beautiful} about my second love.

The makeup trends for this fall are going to deliver a flare for the dramatic and below are three of these looks for less than $100 each.

Look #1:

Wear this look for an outdoor, afternoon wedding. If you’re like me and happen to live in the Bay Area, you are just now starting to enjoy some warm weather. And, it’s our wedding season. The pink and brown hues paired with big, fat, long lashes will give you that doughy, “I’m just naturally this gorgeous” look and you won’t look overdone. Poifection!

Makeup: 1) Eyeshadow: Mac Cosmetics in Motif and Brown Script, $33; 2) Eyelashes: Kara Beauty at www.gojane.com, $3.80; 3) Lipstick: Bobbi Brown in Bare Pink, $24.00; 4) Maybelline: $7.44; 5) Blush: Smashbox in Passion, $24.00. Total look: $92.24

Look #2:

Burgundy is not only showing up on every red carpet, but it is also hot for fall in the form of a bold lip. The trick to pulling off this pout is to pair it with simple, chic eyes and cheeks. Over-smoking the eyes will be too garish and take the attention away from your beautifully painted mouth.

Makeup: 1) Eyeliner, Aveda Petal Essence in Black Orchid, $16.00; 2) Eyeshadow: Cover Girl in Champagne, $2.99; 3) Foundation: Estee Lauder in Double Wear, $36.00; 4) Lipstick: La Crème in Bordeaux, $21.00; 5) Mascara: Maybelline in Falsies, $7.49; 6) Blush: Sonia Kashuk in Petal for Target, $9.89. Total look: $93.37

Look #3:

Mixing of bright colored eyeshadow is totally in for fall, but enjoy this trend while it’s on trend, because it will not last forever. Girls just wanna have fun, so bring on the color!

Makeup: 1) Eyeshadow: L’Oreal HiP Shadow Pigments in Rebel, $5.08; 2) Eyeliner: Stila All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Indigo, $20.00; 3) Lip Gloss: Makeup Forever Aqua Rouge in Pink, $24.00; 4) Foundation: Sephora Brand Microsmooth Foundation Face Powder, $22.00; 5) Blush: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour in Amused, $25.00. Total Look: $96.08

Please stop by One Hundred or Bust to find some fun fall fashion to go with these gorgeous makeup looks!

You can enjoy the summer sun year round if you know where to go. The southern hemisphere’s summer months are December through February! This means that with the right map and a lot of frequent flyer miles, it can be summer forever.

{via}

SEPTEMBER: Start here in San Francisco! We usually get a nice late summer period that is incredibly balmy and surprising. It’s like the summery eye of a Bay Area storm made up of wind and fog.

When the sun goes behind the clouds, head south to Palm Springs. The desert is always a little bit hotter and the pools are always open. In the 50’s the movie stars would all escape to Palm Spring’s oasis-like setting and the spas are still the best around. Once you’ve worked on your tan and mellowed out it’s time to move on to…

OCTOBER: Vegas, baby.  Las Vegas is going strong even in slower months, and there is always a way to see and be seen. Just don’t gamble all of your money away because next you’re heading to…

NOVEMBER: Fiji! There’s nothing more summery than a fruity drink with an umbrella in it as you sit with your toes in the sand. Palm tree forests and white sand beaches will make you feel like you’re in a sunscreen commercial. The weather is moderate to mild year-round here.  Just make sure to leave your girlfriends in Las Vegas— this destination is for romance.

DECEMBER: Head to Australia! These friendly upside-down people experience the most heat when we’re bundling up for Christmas. Leave your traditions behind for a new adventure of Australian beer, culture, and Hugh Jackman stalking.

JANUARY & FEBRUARY: Stop in Miami. It’s still in the 70’s here, and you might need to cool off from the scorching Aussie heat! It actually rains later in the summer here so go ahead and wear something skimpy to the clubs— you won’t get a cold!

MARCH: Head to Greece. Southern Europe is starting to thaw and you can enjoy some beach time while looking up at the last of the snow! Try Santorini, where the black volcanic islands are packed with other summer-seekers. Or try Crete or Corfu. (And bring me with you!)

APRIL: City girls delight! It’s time to head to Hong Kong. By now you’re a world traveler and according to Go Hong Kong, April is a mild and warm month, one of the best to visit this bustling city. Peer down from Victoria Peek, soak in a mile-high infinity pool, and enjoy your early taste of summer.

MAY: Africa gets sweltering hot in the summer months so May is a great time to visit. Morocco’s weather doesn’t get below 60 and you can pretend you’re in Casablanca the whole time.

JUNE, JULY, & AUGUST: We’re back to summer here in the states. You have your pick of where to travel in these months. Try Alaska, Hawaii, or wherever else is on your dream list.

It is possible to follow the sun around the planet if you want to! Time to become an international stewardess…

Which of these locations would you most like to visit?  Are you sad to see the last of summer or are you looking forward to the change of seasons?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

This year has gone by so fast, but marriage has been absolutely magical so far.  Today also marks our five year dating anniversary, and I can truly say that our relationship has only gotten better with time.  We have so much to look forward to and so much to be grateful for, and I feel beyond blessed to have ended up with such a kind, intelligent, funny, compassionate man.  (Who also happens to be easy on the eyes :)

Happy anniversary, sweet husband of mine.  How lucky are we to be celebrating in beautiful Italy?!

P.S.- Our wedding trailer :)

The blog will be active the entire time we’re abroad, so make sure to come back and visit all next week :)  Until then, let’s browse some fun finds from around the web…

Love this little boy’s bedroom!

Dreamy wedding dress…

Apple pie cookies to welcome fall :)

Who’s your lobster?

Rainbow nails…

I picked up this coat last week– LOVE the flattering cut and big collar!

DIY project: squishy knot pillow.

Sweet anchor tattoo…

Check out just what highlighting and contouring can do to your makeup…

And take a virtual tour of our flat in Rome!!

What are you up to this weekend?  Got any big plans?  Taking any trips yourself?  (Any advice for our time in Italy??)  Share in the comments!

Well, these days, discounts and deals abound— you just have to know how to find them! So, read on for tips and tricks to becoming the savviest traveler possible.

{via}

Buying airline tickets

Finding, booking, and purchasing a flight is somewhat of an art if you’re trying to score a good deal. According to the Airlines Reporting Corporation, the best time to buy tickets is six weeks before your flight, and of course, flying on unusual days (namely Tuesdays and Wednesdays) and inconvenient times (like 6 am or midnight) gets you cheaper flights. Even if you want a good price, sometimes the limited times and/or days just aren’t worth it, though, so for more tips learn how to score cheaper fights, including links to a number of handy sites, check out this handy guide.

Know before you go: To avoid exceeding airline weight limits, get a Digital Luggage Scale from The Container Store. For about $20, this worthwhile investment lets you know just how many pairs of shoes you need to lose in order to avoid excess baggage fees. Plus, it only weights eight ounces so you can take it with you to use for your return flight.

Easy lodging

Ever heard of Airbnb? Well, go head and familiarize yourself with this travel site that’s become the go-to for affordable lodging. (Kim and Travis are using it for their entire trip to Italy!)  Airbnb is pretty much like a home stay. After creating a profile, you can browse listings for your desired destination and contact hosts to book something.

The perks: it’s much cheaper than a nice hotel and much nicer than a cheap hotel! Plus, there are no hidden hotel fees and your hosts can give you the local lowdown on where to go, what to eat, etc. Some hosts cook for their guests (mine made French toast!), but if a solo stay is more your style, there are definitely options without the host actually being there.

Prefer a hotel stay or on a major time crunch? Download the Hotel Tonight app for last minute hotel deals. You can only book hotels through the app (not the website), and since it’s used solely to book a hotel for the night of booking, prices generally go live at noon.

Join deal sites

The only downsides to deal sites like Groupon, Living Social, and Bloomspot is that your inbox will start to overflow, but hey, at least it’s full of great deals! By signing up for these sites, not only will you get notified of travel specials, you’ll also learn about new products, services, and events you otherwise may not have.

It can take some extra effort to get great deals on travel, but the elbow grease is definitely worth it once you’re enjoying an awesome getaway!

Do you have any travel tips on getting cheaper flights or hotels? Tell us about them and any other ways you save while traveling below!

The Santa Cruz County Fair!

With fall comes the appearance of state and county fairs all over the country.  Travis and I had our first “official” date at the fair five years ago— I love the gooey cinnamon rolls, hilarious hypnotist, and adorable baby pigs as much now as I did growing up.

I stumbled onto these awesome state fair posters, and I thought I’d share…

All images {via}

They’re part of a series called “Poster-On-A-Stick”… pretty cool, right?

Do you have a state or county fair in your area?  What’s your favorite part?  The food?  The festivities?  The cute animals?  Share in the comments!

{via}

{via}

{via}

I love the effortlessly feminine feel of denim (especially with the sleeves rolled!) What are your thoughts?

Do you own a denim jacket?  What outfits do you wear it with?  Are a fan of this look?  Share in the comments!

I was so distracted by the ooey gooey deliciousness that I only managed to snap this one photo before digging in (oops!)

Let me start by saying that these are WAY too sweet for breakfast. This recipe is perfect, but I couldn’t finish an entire pancake so early in the morning. Still, I highly recommend that you try it for dessert this week.

The pancakes themselves are light and fluffy, and the cinnamon “filling” has the perfect sticky consistency of a Cinnabon cinnamon roll. But these pancakes don’t stop there: of course they’re topped with an out-of-this-world cream cheese frosting. (See what I mean? Not so much a breakfast food…)

Check out the entire recipe (complete with much prettier step-by-step photos) here and let me know what you think!

What are your thoughts on cinnamon roll pancakes?  Have you tried them before?  Planning to make some this week?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

I hope your weekend is lovely!  Let’s kick it off with some share-worthy finds from around the web, shall we?

Dream bedroom.

Can’t wait to wear cute floppy beanies this fall :)

The beauty of aging.

I’m drooling over this duvet!

Easy, beautiful updo for long hair.

Just picked up this legendary eyeshadow primer… can’t wait to give it a try!

DIY room scents…

10 recipes every home chef should know (I definitely don’t know all of them :/)

And a few {bb} posts you may have missed:

How to do a top knot.

DIY yarn necklace.

Wedding inspiration for short haired gals!

What are you up to this weekend?  Got any big plans?  Want to share a cool link?  Comment below!

Happy Thursday, my sweets!

I’m starting to gather all of the necessities for our trip, and I thought I’d share some of my must haves with you…

1) A sleep aid. I have a hard time sleeping on planes, so I started packing Nyquil for longer flights and it helps to knock me out!  I don’t usually take sleep aids, but it’s no fun to start off a trip feeling sleep deprived.

2) Lip balm. Long plane rides suck the moisture from your skin.  This lip balm doubles as a cuticle moisturizer and smells heavenly!

3) A journal. Writing in a journal will help you remember little details about your trip years down the line, but it will also help you remember locations and dates when you’re showing off your travel photos to friends.  (Believe me, once you’ve seen a few beautiful old churches, you’ll start to forget which one is which!)

4) Red lipstick. When you’re on the go and don’t have time for your entire makeup routine, swiping on the perfect red lipstick will make you feel instantly chic.

5) An outlet adapter. Different countries= different electrical outlets.  Make sure you pick up one (or two, or three!) of these so you can charge your cell phone, ipad, travel alarm clock, etc…

6) A money belt. Italy is known for pickpocketing gypsies, but there are many other countries with similar issues.  It’s best to keep your valuables in a money belt (which goes around your waist and is less bulky and obvious that the ones you wear around your neck.)

7) Yummy lotion. As I mentioned, planes are known for zapping moisture from your skin.  So keep a favorite travel-sized lotion at the ready!

8) Cleansing cloths. Remove your makeup and any other grime from a day of traveling with these easy-to-pack cleansing cloths.  (No need to bother with fancy soaps and wash cloths when you’re on the go.)

9) Lavender body mist. If you’re going someplace with water, there’s a good chance you’ll be battling mosquitoes and other insects.  Rather than spraying yourself with Deet (yuck!), try a lavender mist instead.  Not only does lavender smell great, it’s a natural insect repellant!

10) Comfy sneakers. Travis and I each picked up a pair of Sanuks on our honeymoon and we wear them nonstop!  They’re super comfy for long days of walking, and the lack of laces makes them perfect for navigating airport security.

What are your travel essentials?  Have you used any of the items on my list?  Got a few to add?  Please share in the comments!

P.S.- My Italy wardrobe wishlist :)

{via}

Seeing the world through a local’s eyes and from their couch, floor, or guest bedroom makes the world seem a little smaller, and couch surfing encourages both travel and new friendships.

I recently talked to a few women who have both hosted these notoriously easygoing travelers, all of whom had tried out couch surfing themselves. One was just back from surfing in Japan and loved her experience. “It’s not just about finding a couch to crash on,” said a multiple-time guest and host, “but sharing interests, ideas and learning about a place from a local’s perspective as well.”

Of course I asked them if traveling this way was safe for a lone woman. “Be aware of the necessary precautions and do research before going,” one warned me, and another two women stressed the importance of browsing the possibilities to find the right host (or hostess) for you. However, one traveler made a great point: that being with a host is often safer than going it alone!

Each traveler I talked to urged me to try couch surfing.  It definitely seems like a great alternative to booking a boring hotel and never straying past the overly-touristy spots.  Maybe it’s time to surf a couch!

Have you ever been a couch surfer or hosted one? What was your experience like? Would you try it out? Let us know!

{blending beautiful} is going to take a long weekend as well, so I’ll see all of you lovelies back here on Tuesday.  But before I go, let’s visit these fun links from around the web, shall we?

Gorgeous updo!

The sweetest. video. ever.

A rundown of the best hairdryers (the winner only costs $30!)

Identical twins prove that how you dress can really age you.

Supermodels as kids.

Have you heard of Yes Day? What a neat idea!

I would never leave this waterfall shower…

Keri Russel’s home is to-die-for!

This rainbow cheesecake looks too pretty to eat!

Cool tattoo.

Can’t wait for winter coats!!

Make your inner liner last…

What are you up to this long weekend?  Headed out of town?  Hanging outside?  Got any links of your own to share?

One of the colors repeated on runways and beauty pages alike is deep plum (i.e. almost-black). From eyes and lips to fingertips, this cool-toned color is oh-so-hot. So, it’s about time to retire summery corals in favor of sophisticated, sexy plum and give your makeup routine some oomph! for the new season.

{via}

Getting Pouty

Yes, dark lips are kind of a tricky makeup choice because you run the risk of the color feathering or transferring onto your glass or (eek!) your guy. But don’t let this stop you from rocking fall’s hottest lip color! To keep your fab new color in place, start out by choosing a lip primer like Too Faced Lip Insurance, which helps lipstick last longer and prevents feathering. Or, opt for Urban Decay’s clear lip pencil. It creates an invisible barrier around the perimeter of your lips so that your lipstick won’t have anything to do but stay put.

Want to find the perfect plum shade? For lipstick lovers, try Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre #104 or Too Faced Le Crème in Divine Wine – Bordeaux. For a not-so-lipstick feel, use Fresh’s Sugar Lip Treatment in Sugar Plum for a pop of plum with optimal moisture.

{via}

Pretty Peepers

If black eyeliner is a bit too much or maybe too ‘been-there-done-that’ for you, why not trade it in for deep purple? It’s softer than black yet still provides definition for your pretty peepers. It looks good on all eye colors but is especially flattering on hazel eyes. If you like pencil eyeliners, try out Too Faced Black Orchid, but if gel eyeliner is your preference, MAC’s Fluidline in Dark Diversion is the perfect blackened plum. Just remember, wear your plum lips and eyes on two different days!

{via}

Femme Fatale Nails

When fall rolls around, I love trading in my neon nails for the total opposite – dark, dark, dark! These vampy shades are bold yet feminine in an edgy sort of way. Black nails are, of course, a fashionable staple but if true black is just a wee too much, give almost-black a try. Endless Night by NARS is your go-to for an ultra-dark plum. For a cooler-hued companion with blue undertones, try Zoya’s Monica. Or, rock Essie’s Velvet Voyage— a deep amethyst with a hint of chocolatey brown.

What’s your take on trading in black for plum? Do you like to experiment with dark, bold colors or do you prefer to stick with understated everyday colors? Tell us what you think below!

I’ve been seeing it everywhere, take a look:

Tiles

Engagement Rings

Shelving

Quilts

Photos like this last one have inspired me to start a hexagon quilt of my own (which seems like a very tedious task because it’s a hand-sewn project, but hopefully worth it!)

What do you think of the hexagon pattern?  Have you noticed it popping up all over the place, or is it just me?  What do you think of my quilt plan?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

Are you thinking about getting a new dog? Or are you and your furry best friend moving to a new place?  Here are some things to think about if you want to ensure that your pup is a happy, healthy apartment dweller…

{via}

The Space: Finding the right living situation is incredibly important when you have a pet. Not all buildings accept animals, and many now restrict dogs according to their breed. Not only pit bull breeds, which include the American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and American Staffordshire Terrier, this list also includes dogs like the Husky, German Shepard, and Dalmation. Others restrict by size, so your lovable Golden Retriever would still be out of the question. Sometimes, if the apartment is small, the dog needs to be too. It makes sense, though, because bigger dogs needs more exercise. Which brings us to…

Exercise: There is literally nothing more important (especially when your dog lives in a confined space) than making sure you give your pup the attention and socializing that they deserve. It’s the worst part about owning a dog for those of us who don’t love mornings or exercise. In the mornings, your dog wakes up rested, and if you don’t want them tearing up your place or barking due to pent-up energy then head outside! If there’s no time for a jog a quick game of fetch in a park will do. I find that putting off exercise never works out for my pup because I’m tired at the end of the day, and the last thing I want to do is head out when it’s getting dark and cold outside.

Crating: It’s a big debate among dog owners whether or not to crate train your dog. The essential idea is to get your dog accustomed to its crate to the point where it is a place of comfort. This enables you to lock your dog up without any negative reactions from them like crying while you’re gone or chewing it open. Some dogs won’t take to it but others may benefit from the training. And you’ll head to work in peace without wondering which shoes you’ll come home to in pieces.

Accessories: Last but not least, I want to leave you with an adorable Etsy treasury of everything you need to have a stylish life with your canine companion.

What are your doggy must-dos? Tips for living in a smaller space? How do you feel about crating? Let us know!

I was doing weddings VERY occasionally on the side, and I wasn’t sure I could make a real career out of it.  But the moment I invested in myself and went for it, I had plenty of work!  Want to see some of it?

Weddings are my absolute favorite thing to do— there’s nothing more fun than hanging out with a bride and her family right before she’s headed down the aisle…

And more recently, I’ve been doing hair and makeup for photo shoots, which is a LOT of work, but also incredibly fun.  (I’ll be sharing some of those photos with you soon!)

You can check out “my other life” by visiting www.kimguiley.com or liking my hair & makeup page on Facebook.

Do you have “another life”… something that you do on the side of work?  Ever thought of making it your career?  Are you a fan of any of the wedding looks above?  Share in the comments!

Here are a few snapshots of our trip so far…

I was nervous to fly on such a tiny plane (it had propellers!!), but Travis held my hand during takeoff…

This awesome sign reminded me of Santa Cruz!

Portland is FULL of trees… Something I miss, living in San Francisco.

There’s an Italian festival in our neighborhood this weekend, so of course we stopped to listen to some great Italian music. (This guy gladly posed for a photo :)

Our pretty array of famous Voodoo Donuts…

This GIGANTIC bookstore is 68,000 square feet!! They offer you a map when you walk in… I fell head over heels instantly.

We’re off to see what else this city has to offer… See you back here on Monday!

What are you up to this weekend? Any big plans? If you’ve been to Portland, do you have any suggestions for our trip? Share ‘em in the comments!