Weekend Inspiration - Wall Hanging Made of Vintage Baseball Sports Cards

This past weekend I was out antique shopping, as always, and was inspired by the unique displays I found. I always drive by this small antique store, which is located close to my parents house, but have never gone in. I had some extra time so I decided to go in, I'm so happy I did.

I was inspired to get home and create some of my own unique pieces, especially a one of a kind wall piece with baseball cards. There were tons of vintage signs and sports memorabilia, which I'm usually not drawn to but the way they presented it, it was so cool! I bought some old baseball sports cards and am going to try to re-create their displays. (sorry I don't have pics) but I know what I want this wall hanging to look like in my head. It will be perfect for a little boys room or infant nursery. Stay tuned!

September Tunic - Adorable!

Okay this outfit is just plain adorbale, eeek! I would defanently wear this outfit myself, but how adorable is it on a little girl? This September tunic was created by Sarah, owner of LouBee clothing boutique. I literally can't get enough of this top.

This is adorable on little girls (and infants) of any age. Comfy and chi with buttons down the back, this top would go with so many outfits. For cooler weather during the Winter months add a long sleeve top underneath for extra warmth. Simple, chic and designer inspired.

Create Your Own Baby Couture

 
Baby clothes can get expensive, especially when you're buying designer labels. Although it can be fun to purchase those items it also feels a bit wasteful, to me at least. I still buy them but every once in awhile I get in the crafty mood and want to mock up my own.

I found a really helpful blog all about creating baby clothing, designer and couture inspired. There are free templates, helpful tips and tutorials throughout the blog. If you are a sewer, or know someone that is, this blog is worth checking out.

See the blog here

Uni-Sex Mini Blue Moccasins

I love babies and I love moccasins so when I hear these two words in the same sentence, it makes me very happy. My friend just had a baby and I have already purchased these for her. I love that these moccasins are uni-sex, perfect to get as a gift for the Mom that is keeping the gender a secret!

I'm not a big fan of really girly colors for baby girls. I mean a little pink goes a long way. I think it's cuter to use more neutral color such as blush, champagne or taupe. It's classier and these colored items will last you longer, since they aren't overly colorful. What is your take on baby colors? This goes for clothing, nursery and all things related to baby.

Best Baby Boots

Baby boots are the best thing to dress your little one in during cooler months. They are comfy, warm and hard for them to kick off (which in my book ranks number one in importance). If your little one isn't walking yet I wouldn't indulge in really expensive designer boots, unless you can afford it of course, rather, invest in a decent pair once they are old enough to walk and need good support.

I am obsessed with baby boots and baby moccasins and always buy a few pairs every year. If you ask me they a re the best shoes you can get for your child when they are really young. These are my favorites! How cute are they? I can't wait for cooler months just for the fact of dressing my little ones in cute comfy winter clothes, shoes and accessories.

 

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Back to School Fashion for Little Girls

Do you have a little one headed back into school next week?

My kids are seeing their friends and cousins getting excited for going back to school. They aren't quite old enough for school yet but want to get in on all the excitement that their cousins are like: back to school shopping, school supplies and riding the bus. I decided since they will be in school in just a few short years that I would take them "back to school shopping".

My sister and I are planning a shopping trip with the kiddos and will be getting some school supplies and new fall fashions for the girls. My little one, who is 3, will be going into Preschool so we are making her feel like a big girl shopping with her older cousin for back to school clothes. I found some of the cutest little girl outfits and am hoping I will be able to find some of them when out and about today!

 

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Cinda B Handbags Made Into Chic Baby Bags

I'm not the type of person to carry around a diaper bag but when I had my babies I was sort of forced to. Call me picky but I won't carry the typical "mom diaper bag" full of pockets and compartments. Just because I have a baby doesn't mean I have to downgrade my style. I knew I wanted a sleek, clean lined diaper bag that wasn't huge but large enough to fit the essentials: diapers, wipes, snacks, etc.

I registered for my Baby Shower and found one bag I really loved out of the Cinda B Handbags collection that I wanted to turn into a chic baby bag. Although not named "Diaper bag" this bag has been god sent to me. My really close friend purchased it for my Baby shower and I have used it for years! I got a neutral color so I wouldn't get tired of it and have used it through all my kids. It may have been a bit more spendy but the quality was well worth it. It holds everything I need and is easy to carry or hook onto the stroller.

Who Said Dressing Baby Boys Wasn't Fun?

It's no secret that there are tons more baby girl clothes then baby boy clothes out there. When going through the stores it's like a 5:1 ratio of boys to girls clothes. It's so hard to find decent, designer clothes for little baby boys compared to girls. Even shopping for a shower present is kind of a struggle.

If you read this blog you know I'm a sucker for Etsy Shops. There are so many fabulous, one of a kind baby items that I find there and this is another one that I have found. A cute onsie with removable bow ties and suspenders.These would be precious with denim pants or slacks, how sweet and timeless!

Infant Headbands and Turbans

I'm a huge headband wearer so naturally when I had a girl I dressed her in infant headbands and turbans. When I see them they make me melt, they are so darn cute! I know they are pretty simple to make but I'm not sewing savvy and would rather buy someone else's really cute creation. I have been seeing tons of baby headbands and turbans on Etsy (go figure) in all kinds of colors and patterns.

These are my favorites. I love the baby turbans and wrap headbands because they are soft and don't irritate baby's skin. If your baby has hair these will help keep them out of their eyes and look darling. I pretty much wear a headband every single day and now my baby does too!

These are some of my favorites

 

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Body Wraps Orange County Helps Ease Stretch Marks After Baby

A friend of mine just had a precious baby boy, healthy and perfect. He is so sweet and Mom is doing well also. We all know after having a baby, we get the "baby blues". I know after I gave birth I was so thrilled to have my baby finally but I was a little sad with myself. Not to sound selfish but I was disapointed with the stretch marks, different body and weight gain.

Since my life changed from that moment on, putting all the focus on my baby and not myself, I told myself this was a normal feeling. Instead of feeling down on myself I started exercising, eating right and getting body wraps Orange County salons had. It helped lighten up the stretch marks, making them almost invisible, and helped me tighten up my skin again. I got my friend a gift card to get one as soon as she is able because they work so great for newly birthed mommas. Haven't tried one before? I recommend it highly! (I still go get them regularly to give my body a boost after my regular workouts)

Chill Weekend Toddler Look - Overalls & Moccasins

It's almost the weekend, hooray! What do you have planned? Sadly Summer is almost over, which is why my family and I are headed up to the cabin for one last weekend of Summer fun. I'm looking forward to lounging around in the sun, getting some sun tan lines and spending the weekend out on the boat.

This is one of the cutest girl Summer outfits I have seen the whole season, I want to dress my little one in this.There is something about little moccasins that strings with my heart; it's so sweet and innocent. Also, I'm loving that this little toddler is leaving that headband on her head! Usually that would be on in 5 seconds. She can pull these overalls off like no other :)

Add Some Fancy to Your Babie's Closet

Today I'm feeling ambitious and I am going to clean out every closet in our house and re-organize. With a new season approaching I want to re-organize my closets and get rid of old stuff we no longer wear/use anymore. Why have the clutter? I'm making a donation, throw and keep pile and I plan on adding some fun features and new organization totes to keep things in order.

With not much space and a lot of stuff, it's hard to decide the best way to organize. I'm on the hunt for ideas and found a few. I'll be stocking up on rolling totes from Target and adding some cute wallpaper to the backs of our closets. If you have to organize you should have fun with it too right? It's cute to have a backdrop of color behind our pretty clothing. I got the inspiration to do this from here.

Simple Toddler Fashion

Lets face it, toddlers can are a handful. If they don't want to get dressed, they aren't going to get dressed. My little one is so stubborn like that, she gets dressed when she wants to and on her terms. I have picked out so many cute outfits for her but if she isn't in the mood she won't wear it which is why I stopped trying.

I now lay out three options for her every morning to choose from and those are her options. I have stuck with simplistic clothing that is easy for her to dress herself with. Now that she is "a big girl" she wants to dress herself. I have been getting lots of simple dresses and leggings, she needs help getting the leggings on of course but shes doing really well with the dresses. This is my favorite latest purchase. You don't see much black for girl's clothes so when I saw this I had to snatch it up.

5 Fashionable Babies

These 5 fashionable babies are following their mother's footsteps. Dressing better than many, they are decked out in designer labels and chic trending outfits. These outfits are so sweet for a fashion shoot and have been caught at the right moment. If you don't want to purchase designer labels for your child to wear everyday invest in a few pieces to have a photo shoot in. They will last forever and make for super cute wall hangings.

Baby Nursery Design Inspiration

When designing your baby's nursery try out different color pallets. Many stick to the typical blue or pink theme but I think it's much more interesting to use unique color schemes. Still incorporate blue or pink but don't over do it. Many times we get so sick of the overly done colors because they are on everything! Kitchen wear, clothing, bedding, wall hangings etc. Instead try a more design/chic approach, I found inspiration from these nurseries.

Bohemian chic nursery with seafoam green for little girl's room. This refurbished dresser with all different knobs add so much detail to the nursery. Rather than focusing on pink this Mom used accents of seafoam gree. Love!

Add a design element to the wall - this retro nursery is still incorporating blue into the overall theme but used a different technique on the walls instead of traditional painting.

Baby Cardigan Onsie

There is something about babies in "adult like" clothes that gets me. It's so sweet to see tiny infants, or toddlers, in clothing that I would wear myself. This adorable leopard onsie has buttons down the front that gives the illusion of a cardigan. This would be so sweet with tiny skinny jeggings or colored denim. These are so nice for little girls and the pattern brings some color up by their face. This cardigan is a specially created one of a kind onsie by Etsy.

One thing I'm always concerned about when purchasing baby clothes is the material. I'm always looking for the softest material, as to not scratch or irritate baby's skin. This onsie is nice for cooler weather because of it's knit/light sweater heaviness. Perfect for the upcoming Fall and Winter months.

Mini Black Cat Designer Dress

 

There is something about baby and toddler girls in dresses. It is so sweet and innocent, I especially love when there are unique prints on them. Unlike your typical baby outfits of cartoon characters and obnoxious colors, this chic dress is simple and has an adult like print throughout.

The mini cats are made out of black lace to give the illusion of cats all over the white dress. This would be so cute with colored flats and/or colored tights. I don't like when parents dress their kids in baseball or football outfits, they just look outdated and tacky. Go for prints such as these: unique and sweet.

The Cutest Gender Reveals

There are some pretty creative people out there. Announcing the birth of your child is now a big deal and has become a huge trend. Many couples will host birth announcement parties or gender reveals through professional photography shots. I think it's so neat and exciting. Although there are couples that choose not to reveal the gender of the baby until birth, I could never wait to see. I wish I would have thought to hold a gender reveal party or photography though, a little late now!

I found these adorable photos of gender reveals. If you know anyone that is pregnant or is planning to be, show them these ideas. For a baby shower idea it would be really cute to take on of these images and put it in a baby book. So sweet and special.

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Corner Changing Table

A changing table that saves on space and gives access to everything you could need makes everyone's lives a whole lot easier. This changing table is sleek and up to date. With shelves on the side you are able to easily grab lotion, wipes, diapers etc. without having to walk across the room or bend over. Having the table fit in the corner saves a lot more space and helps avoid baby moving around.

The cushion to change baby on fits securely into the top of the table, which is nice for when your baby becomes a squirmy worm, they can't move the cushion around! I always have to keep toys easily accessible so when the squirming happens I can quickly grab a toy to avoid it and get the job done!

Waxing Poetic as a Push Present

Whenever one of my friends has a baby I love to get them a push present.

What is a push present? 
A push present is a gift a husband, or friend, gives their wife, or friend, for pushing out a baby. It has become really popular more recently. A push present is usually jewelry, but doesn't have to be.

My friend just had a baby over the past weekend. We have been really close friends for years and live near each other. I of course was one of the first to find out about her going into labor so I immediatly rushed to the hospital. She had the baby a week early and luckily I already had her push present ready, I was on top of my game. Usually, I end up purchasing gifts the day of birthdays or the day before Christmas, I'm terrible planning those kinds of things ahead of time.

Anyways - I got her a really sweet waxing poetic necklace. It is simple and beautiful. Her favorite color is turquoise and she had a boy so I thought this would be perfect. It is classic but still trendy and will pretty much go with everything in her closet. Her hubby got her a push present too, a diamond ring! What a lucky girl.

Have you ever received a push present? Let me know in the comments what it was!

Top 4 Most Fashionable Toddlers

These toddlers look like mini model celebrities, seriously. It's crazy how a small child can look like a grown up just by wearing "adult" like clothing. These toddlers are dressed better than most people I know, including myself. I wonder what their parents look like.

Hunter Boot Babes - This fashionable couple looks like the stepped right out of London. Hunter Boots complete their ensemble of laid back knits and mixed textures. 





Studded Shorts & a Bow - This look is so sweet and innocent. A flannel, studded shorts and a bow complete the school girl look. I wonder what she will look like when she's older?






 The Rocker - This little tyke reminds me of a celebrity baby. A Romones shirt, with skinny jeans and a slouchy hat is so hipster.


Miss Polka Dots - Polka dot skinnies, moccoasins and a sweater layered combo is cool and chic. Perfect for Fall this look can be created from pieces you already have in your kiddie's closet.

Sports Cards Made into Chic End Table

New Moms and Dads get used to staying up all night, rocking baby at random hours and feeding their newborn during the waking hours of morning. Well maybe it's not that they get "used" to it but they just adjust for it. What makes this adjustment a little easier? Lots of coffee, a comfy chair to feed in and a side table to set coffee on.

I recently saw the cutest side table made of sports cards and Modge Podge. Remember my pregnant friend I always talk about ? Yes, I'm going to make this for her :) She has been dilated for a few days so we are thinking the little nugget will be arriving any day now, literally. I want to quick push this project out before she pushes the baby out, haha, I had to.


I got this idea from the Modge Podge Rocks blog, super helpful blog full of craft and DIY ideas by the way. The post is laid out in a tutorial form and shows all the steps necessary. However, instead of creating my own side table I plan on purchasing a junky little table from a thrift store and re-painting it then adding the sports cards to the top with Modge Podge. Hoping it will turn out as cute as this one!

Chic DIY Wall Hanging for Baby Nursery

Baby Nursery's have to be one of the funnest rooms to decorate. I'm a huge DIY'er so I absolutely love creating soft colored decor for nurseries. Most of my friends are not the type to create their own items, they feel it's much easier to purchase from big box stores so I usually create personalized items for them.

I believe every nursery should have a large letter of the baby's first name on display over the crib. This is pretty common in nurseries, it's kind of "trendy" right now. I mentioned it in a previous post but I created a large "J" for my friend who is due any day now. Her nursery theme is owls, along with rustic nature, so I incorporated into that theme by wrapping the J in twine like rope. I added a few buttons and this is how it turned out, pretty cute isn't it?

Baby Swimwear on Clearance at Target

We are in the heart of Summer and usually right after 4th of July swimwear, and all summer clothes go on major sale. I won't argue, I'll take cheap prices on Summer items while we are still in mid- Summer. It's hard to believe that in just a few short months school will be starting again, sorry I said it! I'm trying to soak up the last few months of Summer and do something "summery" every single day.

Of course I will be taking the kiddos swimming and found a ton of clearanced swimsuits from Target. I usually don't like spending too much money on baby swimsuits since they grow out of them so quickly. Most of the swimsuits at Target are $10.00 or under right now! Might as well stock up on some for next Summer while your buying now. Get a few different sizes and save a lot of money.

Baby Barefoot Sandals

Okay honestly what is cuter than little baby feet? I'm not quite sure. One way to really show off those chubby tootsies is baby barefoot sandals. These things are so cute and cheap, only $6.50! I found a really cute vendor on Etsy that creates them.


Since most babies aren't walking till they are at least 1 these are perfect during hot Summer months. The sandals are really secure and never fall off. They are made of two elastic bands, so there are no specific sizes. They don't futz around and best of your baby will love watching her little feet bobble around with a large fabric flower on her feet. Love the barefoot sandals? There are also cute baby headbands made of same material so it's really soft on baby's head.

DIY Baby Mobile

Baby on the way? Friend's baby on the way? Either way, creating hand made goods for the baby nursery is always cuter than purchasing out of a store. Although it may seem intimidating, creating a baby mobile is way easier than you think. My friend is 37 weeks pregnant, expecting any day now, so we have gotten into full baby mode.

The nursery is all set up and now I'm getting crafty creating unique touches before the baby arrives. Diapers are set up, outfits are hung in the closet and handmade baby swaddles are ready to swaddle baby. I created this large "J" a few weeks ago (baby's name starts with a J). I bought the large letter from Hobby Lobby and wrapped rope around it until it was fully covered. Added colorful buttons and we hung it above the crib, sadly I didn't take any pictures :(

Now, it's time to create a mobile. I found this DIY baby mobile on botts-net and loved it! I will be making this tonight. It seems pretty easy, she really layed out the steps nice and easy. I have all the supplies and love the way she mixed different fabric prints together, looks so shabby chic!

images via botts-net