Thoughts For Friday

Thanks for all your input yesterday on the fabric, one was the clear winner but I have to be honest I still have not stopped thinking about option two, but at least it is narrowed down from 3 to 2 options!   May reconsider doing the chairs first too.

I am so honored to be a part of The EveryGirl's Feature "Lesson's in Motherhood."  13 blogger moms are featured and we all share our advice on Motherhood!  It is a great read check it out HERE!  Seriously some amazing advice on what products are useful and not useful and some real honesty about the trials and triumphs of being a Mom.

I feel like lately my mind is going in a million directions, I can't just focus on just one project.  In addition to the den I am already envisioning and planning out baby girl's nursery.  I have at least narrowed down fabric selections for her nursery and that is half the battle.  You will have to wait and see how I use these- and not all of them made the cut.

I was totally sold on a light gray/purple nursery but after talking with my friend Katie I am now considering one pink option- Farrow and Ball's Pink Ground.  It is more of a fleshy light pink and I really dig that.  So the nursery will either be a pale purple/gray or Pink Ground.

This is Pink Ground in a Living Room, so subtle it really is gorgeous.

I plan to test out the paints next week and make a decision!

I am loving my Marc Jacobs Smash Dress.  The colors I ordered are sold out but it is available in this other color palette that I equally love for 50%, you can't beat that for a Marc Jacobs Dress!

{Marc Jacobs Smash Dress}

I am thinking about snagging this Splendid Dress for the rest of my pregnancy and after.  I mean it is only $57.  It comes in 3 different colors, all are neutral and I love that because they can be worn anytime of the year!   Now that I have a full on bump I am into wearing tighter fitting dresses to show off my bump.  I love the idea of this not pregnant too with my Rag and Bone Booties or flats for casual wear.

{Splendid Tank Dress}

We have had an abundance of Zucchini lately, these are two recipes I can't wait to try out:  Zucchini and Carrot Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting and Zucchini Chips.

I feel like there is nothing on TV to watch this Summer (two weeks til Breaking Bad starts back thank goodness).  I have however started watching Devious Maids on Lifetime and love it.  It is produced by Eva Longoria and pretty darn entertaining.  Kind of like a soap opera and juicy! Anything else on that I should be watching?

 Saturday is my handsome Hubby's Birthday.   We have alot to celebrate this year as he just started his own law firm this month.  I am so incredibly proud of him and if you need an attorney please contact Matt!

Have a great weekend!

xoxo

Let's Talk Fabric- I Need Help + Winner

I am slowly but surely crossing things off my house to-do list for 2013. Painting the den and hallway was such a huge task looming over me and now that it is done I am ready to focus on seating in our den.  My parents have a great upholsterer in Charlotte who is super affordable.  He made my mom and sister in law some custom ottomans for a steal that look awesome - think small square nail head cubes.  Anyways I would love a pair for our den to have some extra seating.  

Here is our den layout right now.

This is the size and shape the ottomans would be.  My Den is not huge so I don't have room for massive ottomans.

 

 I would use the two ottomans on the other side of the coffee table across from the couch. This would be more conducive for entertaining.  I also still need another cane back chair to flank the other side of the coffee table- if you find one let me know, I am still searching! 

I have narrowed down the fabric to three choices- but I open to suggestions if anyone has any.  I am clueless when it comes to decorating decisions.  

FABRIC ONE

FABRIC TWO

FABRIC THREE

This is what they all look like on my rug to give you a better idea.  Our den is pretty neutral with the rug being the most colorful aspect we need to match.  The Cane back Chair is upholstered in navy velvet.  

So which fabric should I go with?  I was pretty sold on option two til I came across one, I think three is my least favorite.  And another option is to scratch the ottomans and recover my wing back chairs in one of these fabrics- it will be much pricier of a project though, but maybe I should do that first and the ottomans second.  I mainly want to do the ottomans first because we are desperate for extra seating!

In case you don't remember our wing backs flank our TV (which is massive, thanks to Matt- men and their TVs).  They are a gold plaid fabric right now.  The fabric is in excellent condition I just don't love it.  They will eventually be recovered too just can't decide if I should do them in a solid color with some piping or a pattern.

Help a sista out and give me some decorating advice!!

xoxo

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The Winner of the $100 Lulu & Georgia Giftcard is Juliana (Ocean Akers)!  We will email you with details how to redeem your gift certificate.  Enjoy shopping!!

You can still use code DBDD20 thru today for 20% off all purchases!

 

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

I can't take full credit for this recipe, it is my Dad's specialty.  I love a good Spinach Salad and my Dad's is out of this world!  It is perfect for entertaining because you can make the dressing ahead of time and just reheat when ready to serve.  We like to mix the hot bacon dressing and store bought honey mustard (we always use Marzetti) it is such a good combo!  You can toss anything you like in this salad but we like to use the classic spinach salad ingredients.  It kind of makes me want to add hard boiled eggs to all my salads, they are so good in this!

Enjoy!

:: S P I N A C H  S A L A D  W I T H  W A R M  B A C O N  D R E S S I N G ::

- Fresh baby spinach

- Diced cherry tomatoes

- Thinly sliced red onion

- sliced mushrooms

- diced hard boiled eggs

- goat cheese

-8 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

- Honey Mustard Dressing

Combine Spinach and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl.

Fry the bacon and remove to a paper towel to drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

Transfer the fat to a small saucepan set over low heat and whisk in the red wine vinegar, sugar and Dijon mustard. Season with a small pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper.  Add in crumbled bacon.

Drizzle over salad, we also drizzle a little honey mustard with the bacon dressing, such a great combo!

** I recommend doubling or tripling the dressing if you are entertaining several people.  It will save in the fridge for several days.**

Obsessions

{JOIE ASHLEE LINEN TEE} 

I posted this pic on Instagram yesterday and several people wanted to know where this shirt was from. It is not maternity, it is Joie and I have been living in this tee shirt. It is so comfy and goes with everything. I could not find the blush color online but found the charcoal which to me is even better for now and into Fall. I picture it with leggings and booties come Fall. A great tee to wear pregnant and afterwards since it is non maternity.  Pretty sure I will be adding the charcoal one to my collection too!

ps- how sweet is my nephew Finley?

{CHUCK TAYLORS STREET SNEAKERS}

My mom took Sterling to do a little back to school shopping this weekend and we picked up these Converse shoes at the Nordstrom sale.  I love Chuck Taylor's but the high top ones can be a pain to get on, not these they have a built in stretch panel on the side so they are super easy to side on and off.  I love the gray paired with the blue laces.  They are a steal right now at $19!  Plus they are adorable on!

 {LINE AND DOT COLORBLOCK DRESS}

I am seriously contemplating getting this dress.  I love the black and white and it would be perfect to wear pregnant since it looks loose.  

{FREE PEOPLE ESSENTIAL SCRUNCH SKIRT}

This skirt reminds me of my Pleasure Doing Business mini skirt I wear all the time!  I love a mini skirt like this paired with a loose flowy top.  It comes in three fabulous colors black, brown, and pink and I want them all and it is under $50!

{LOREAL COLOR VIBRANCY SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER}

I kept reading rave reviews about this shampoo and conditioner and decided to try it out.  I am really loving it.  It smells great and I swear my hair is sleeker and less dried out when I use it.  And its super cheap, less than $10.

{BABY GAP BLOOMERS}

I picked up a few pairs of these for baby girl while I was home this weekend and I am obsessed.  They are the cutest things ever and on super sale.

CHAMBRAY BLOOMERS | POLKA DOT BLOOMERS | PEAR BLOOMERS

{REBECCA TAYLOR COLORBLOCK SILK TOP}

My mom got this blouse at the Nordstrom sale and I so wanted it.  It is the cutest blouse on, and the perfect Mint color.  Sadly it was too snug on my belly but you better believe I will be borrowing it post baby. It is still on sale at the Nordstrom Sale so snag one before they gone!

{EQUIPMENT STRIPPED BLOUSE}

Equipment has quickly become one of my favorite brands for blouses.  They fit so well and I love the patterns.  I snagged this one this weekend on super sale, it is like 60% off right now.  It looks great with jean shorts or white jeans for Summer, then in the Fall I will pair it with dark skinny jeans!  It is under a $100 and trust me that is a steal for an Equipment Blouse.

I am telling you the Nordstrom sale has some pretty sweet deals!

Summer Reading: What's On my Nightstand Part 2

Remember that Jamie Foxx song, "Blame it on the Alcohol"? Well that is what I blame my surge in reading on this Summer,  the lack of alcohol in my life.  I don't have happy hour anymore so I get in bed with my full wits about me ready to read.   Plus I get in bed super early so I have more time to read now too (ah the joys of pregnancy).  I have been powering through like a book a week.  Such a book worm, I know.  I have read some really great books though and wanted to share.  Here is what I plowed through:

BEAUTIFUL RUINS- Several of you recommended this book to me last time I did my books post.  It was a really entertaining story about an old Hollywood actress and a secret she kept for years.  

BEBE DAY BY DAY- I really liked the first book by Pamela Druckerman, Bringing up Bebe, so I checked this one out at the library.  It is a super short read just 100 little blurbs and tips on French parenting. Everything in it made so much sense to me.  I mean seriously the French have this parenting thing down way better than us.

ROB LOWE STORIES I ONLY TELL MY FRIENDS- I have always loved Rob Lowe but my love for him grew even more after he was on Brothers and Sisters- why was that show canceled again??  This was a juicy autobiography about his life in Hollywood and growing up, it made me like him even more.

WHISKEY BEACH- I am a huge Nora Roberts fan I always love all her books.  This one has it all from mystery to romance.

GUILTY WIVES CLUB- My mom recommended this book to me and I read in 3 days, it was so good.  It is about a group of 4 women arrested in Monaco and put in jail for a crime they did not commit.  James Patterson books are always such quick easy reads

PROOF OF HEAVEN- I have wanted to read this book for a long time and I finally decided to read it after my grandfather died.  I no doubt believe in Heaven but it is so interesting to me to read others accounts of near death experience's.  Eben's story is amazing, he was a neurosurgeon who was more scientific than religious until he contracted meningitis and was in a coma for 7 days.  It is a miracle he survived.  While in his coma he visits Heaven and this is his story of his coma, near death experience and life after.

ENGAGEMENTS- I kept reading write ups for this book in all my fashion magazines.  It was such a compelling story following 5 people around thru their lives.  Each person had a different story relating to marriage, adultery, divorce, or the decision not to be married.  I loved that the chapters switched from one persons perspective to another.  I could not put this book down.  Interesting views on marriage and what it means to others.

REVENGE WEARS PRADA- I loved this sequel as much as the original.  Highly recommend if you loved The Devil Wears Prada.  Such a fun read filled with fun fashions and life in the magazine world.

Now I need to know what to read next, please share some great book recommendations!
xoxo

Thoughts For Friday

Happy Friday Friends! This has been a whirlwind week. I still can't wrap my head around the fact we are having a baby girl. I am so excited. Of course the first thing I wanted to do was go look at baby girl clothes. Turns out I don't love all the girl stuff as much as I thought I would.   Alot of it is too pink, too sparkly, and too fluffy for my taste,  even the traditional smocked stuff that I loved for Sterling I don't love as much for baby girl.  I had a hard time finding anything I loved but I did snag this adorable onesie for Baby girl.    I found alot of cute stuff at Baby Gap, which is funny because I never shop there for Sterling!  Their prices are great though!  I am smitten with this cute outfit.  You must click on the link to see the back of this romper it is adorable!

{Contrast Bow Flutter One Piece}

 Also loved this Baby Gap Dress. The colors and stripes reminded me of LemLem.

{Stripped Bow Dress}

If you love Greek Food as much as I do, you must try Papa ZuZu's in Mt. Pleasant.  My friends Chassity and Sarah urged me to try it and it was amazing.  One the best Greek Salads ever and their warm pita bread and hummus is delish!  I picked it up after my doctors appointment as a treat and I am still dreaming about it!!  Plus the salad is so big I ate off it for two days!

Our first box from Citrus Lane came and it was great!  Sterling was so excited to get mail and it was filled with such fun stuff for him.  I highly recommend.  You can sign up HERE to try it out.  His box came with a race car painting set, a pack of reusable/washable stickers, a lunch container you can use the stickers on to decorate, two cold packs for lunches or booboos, and dried banana snacks.

Of course now that I know we are having a girl my wheels are spinning on the nursery design details.  My sweet Dad has graciously offered to paint the nursery for me, I think he felt sorry for me after I painted our den and hallway myself.  So I am searching for paint colors.  This is so weird and normally I am not a purple girl at all but I am leaning towards doing the nursery a pale purple gray.  After seeing Pratt and Lambert's Quartz Moon in the new House Beautiful I am loving it.  Any other great neutral purple grays I should consider?

I am so excited both my boys from Breaking Bad got nominated for Emmy's, they deserve it.  I am counting down the days til August 11th when the final season starts.  I miss Jessie and Walt.

Can we talk about how amazing Jenna Dewan looks 7 weeks post baby.  I mean how do these celebrities do it??  I need tips.

Normally my little cougar crush Zac Efron can do no wrong but I am still trying to wrap my head around the tragic jean shorts he is wearing.  All men need to take note,  jeans shorts are never a good idea.  His body still looks pretty amazing though.  Is he 21 yet??

My ASOS dress finally came and I can not say enough good things about it!!  It is such a fabulous pattern and looks way more expensive than it is.  It is fitted on me because of my belly but I think it will fit perfect post baby too.  For those curious on sizing I ordered a 6.  Highly recommend this cute dress.

{ASOS MIRROED TEE SHIRT DRESS}

Have a great weekend Friends!
xoxo