Happy Halloween!

Hope you all had a spooktacular holiday!

A Pretty Smitten Party: Tate's Little Red Wagon 1st Birthday

I love it when customers share party pictures with me...it's so fun to see Pretty Smitten party items in action. This one features our red wagon theme and celebrates Tate's first birthday. Mommy Anna did an incredible job!!

The birthday boy

Pretty Smitten cupcake toppers, stickers and birthday banner.

LOVE the cake!! How cute is that little red wagon on top? And our cake topper finishes it off. The adorable coordinating hat and bib are from the Etsy Shop Blooming Babies.

Mommy and her sweet baby boy. GREAT JOB and thank you for sharing!!

And on the baby front...I'm still waiting and I'm still very pregnant!! This little girl's due date is THURSDAY. Any guesses when she'll arrive??

EmersonMade Giveaway at Elements of Style

Oh my! It's giveaway day over at one of my favorite blogs, Elements of Style...and guess what's up for grabs?? An entire EmersonMade outfit!! Remember this post? I've had a crush on EmersonMade for a while now and would be so thrilled to win this giveaway! Erin at Elements of Style has decided to spread the love, so each winner will win a piece of the outfit.

First up, these amazing bluebell jeans. I picture my post pregnancy body to be just like Emerson's...hmmm, yep, high expectations :)

The beautiful black and white silk ribbons top is also up for grabs. This is definitely my favorite of the bunch. So fabulous.

And how about some go-with-everything pumpkin/nude heels?

A beautiful EmersonMade flower...

And an adorable clutch to top it off.

Now I do realize that by telling you guys this I will diminish my chance of winning. But that's just how much I love you! Good luck everyone and Happy Friday!!

Owen's 'almost' big boy room

Remember this post, when I said I wanted to update Owen's room to slightly more 'big boy?' Well it's done! It's been done for a while actually, minus a few details, but I'm finally getting around to photographing it to share.

No major changes were made, but a few important things did get done. First off, I moved the changing table to the nursery and replaced it instead with a dresser. A cute little red one from Ikea. For now I still have a changing pad on top. It's a little high, but I find he doesn't squirm as much when he's on a traditional changing pad.

Second, I removed his crib bumpers and updated the bedding. And if you recall from my earlier post, his crib bumpers were starting to look a little worn because he used them as a pillow! So Owen is now the proud owner of his very own pillow. His new sheet is from the Pottery Barn Kids surf line (which doesn't seem to be available any longer online) and the pillow cover is from the Pottery Barn Kids Madras collection. I had it embroidered myself at a local shop.

I also took down his mobiles. For decoration above his crib I added a monogram decal from the Etsy shop Elephannie and in the corner a 16x20 version of Pretty Smitten's You Are My Sunshine print. Another change was the addition of a blue and cream striped rug from Rosenberry Rooms. It's cute and adds a bit of color and texture to the room.

His reading nook remains largely unchanged. Alphabet print is from my shop, blanket and pouf are from Pixie Dust and the bookshelf is a nice Target buy.

So there you go! What do you think?

Hope you are having a good week!

Leopard Print Flats

Remember how I wanted these from Kate Spade? Well, I'm not saying I still wouldn't be thrilled if they showed up on my doorstep...but the $245 price tag is a bit steep! Luckily Old Navy to the rescue. Found these over the weekend. Price tag? $16.50. Um, done and done. They are making their debut today, just had to share. Have a lovely day!

Candy Corn

After Owen's party I have a TON of candy corn leftover. I had bought a bunch thinking I would use more in the table centerpieces, but I ended up going with the pumpkin candies instead. So the result? A couple of huge bags filled with candy corn that I have to tell myself I just should not eat (really, it will make me sick)...repeat to myself so that I believe it....

While in all honesty I will likely end up just tossing the candy, here's a cute idea if I got the crafting urge in this last week of pregnancy. A candy corn wreath! Super cute, right? Fun to dress up an interior door.

All you need is a styrofoam wreath form, black duck tape, ribbon a glue gun, and of course candy corn! Find full directions here.

With candy corn on the brain I wanted to check out some other fun candy corn projects. Here are a few from Etsy...

Having a Halloween party this week? Print Your Party has a printable candy corn favor treat bag. Fun and easy!

Or feeling more ambitious? Here's a pattern to make your very own candy corn knit hat for baby from Sugar Lane. Awwww, now that's pretty cute. Especially for a baby who doesn't really need to be dressed up on the big night out. A cozy outfit and this hat would be perfect!

This weekend I was over at a friend's house and we were discussing the upcoming Halloween festivities. We're heading to their house for a little get together followed by trick or treating (assuming I'm not in the hospital that is)! But anyway, she mentioned making Candy Corn Pizza. First thought, yucko. And then she explained it's just made to look like candy corn with the cheese. Cute idea! A quick google search pulled up this recipe from Taste Buds.

And how about these for dessert? I don't think I in the bakers world that could attempt macaroons (I hear they are notoriously difficult to make), but I sure do love to eat them and thought these were super cute. From Barbara Bakes.

Hope you enjoyed this candy corn overload! Happy Monday!

It's the little things in life...

Remember this mug I blogged about last week? Well with the 20% friends and family discount at Kate Spade I just couldn't resist ordering one. It arrived today, yippee! The packaging - ADORABLE. Think I'll have to keep the box. And the mug, fun and cute and the perfect size for afternoon tea. So I brewed up a cup of my favorite decaf chai with a touch of milk. Perfect for the gloomy afternoon we are having here.

And doesn't it just brighten up the console table behind our couch? It sat here while I folded laundry and Owen played on the floor. Not a bad way to spend the afternoon.

Happy Friday!!

Good Design...with Kids in Mind

Kirsten at 6th Street Design School is devoting a whole week to "Good Design, with Kids in Mind". So far posts have been titled "Can Kids and Nice Things CoExist?", "How do you Kid-Proof your House?" and "What are the best fabrics and finishes to buy with kids?" She has a panel of experts from the blogosphere chiming in with their tips and tricks. With a busy toddler and another baby on the way this feature definitely caught my eye! I'm constantly trying to infuse our mid-90's track home with some personality, but I of course have to do this with little ones (and future little ones) in mind.

Here are the experts...some of my favorite design bloggers, including Janell from Isabella and Max Rooms, Emily from Emily A. Clark and Jenny from Little Green Notebook.

So what is some of my favorite advice, tips and tricks? Here are a few of my favorite quotes in response to the first question....can good design and kids co-exist?

"You just have to roll with the punches and not freak out. Rules should be set, but I try to remember that no thing is more important to me than my relationship with my child/children."

- Jenny, Little Green Notebook

"Yes! Being a mom doesn’t mean living in a day care center! Just because you

have children doesn’t mean that you forfeit the right to enjoy an attractive home.

I also believe that growing up around nice things (expensive or not) helps to

teach children respect and self-discipline."

- Traci Zeller

"Relax and accept the fact that your idea of great design may have to be altered a bit. Not given up. Just altered. I still believe that every space can be beautiful and have incredible design. But I also have accepted that some spaces need to be kid zones. And that is the new beautiful. I had to change the way I looked at the mess!"

- Courtney, A Thoughtful Place

And some of the best tips to "kid-proof" your home?

We don't do a lot of "kid-proofing"...we just tend to stay away from items that aren't kid friendly. For instance, a coffee table. I'd love to have one, but inevitably a kid would fall and crack their head open on the side of it (plus my boys wrestle all day, every day, and a coffee table would be right in their way). So rather than having some ugly "bumper" on the side of it, we just don't have one. One day, when my kids are older, I'll pull stuff back into the house that I love (like a coffee table...I love coffee tables, sigh.)

- Emily Anderson, Three Boys and a Little Lady

I don't know if this falls into the kid-proofing category, but my tip is to have everyone take their shoes off in the house. It is amazing how much dirt those little shoes can drag in and when they stay at the door so does the dirt, cutting down on how much damage and mess is made in the house.

- Janell, Isabella and Max Rooms

I say YES and YES. We don't have a coffee table and I'm all for a shoes off rule.

And the best fabrics and finishes for a kid-friendly home?

"I also use indoor/outdoor rugs a lot. Dash and Albert makes some really great outdoor rugs that don't look or feel like many others do. I also use FLOR tiles a lot in homes with pets and children. It's so nice to be able to replace a tile or an area that gets damaged.

Make sure to invest in good rug pads with kids. Keeps rugs from sliding and gives some extra padding for slips and falls."

- Jenny, Little Green Notebook

"We install wainscoting or bead board painted in semi-gloss paint in high traffic areas, like halls, stairways and bathrooms. Little handprints easily wipe off of semi-gloss paint, and the added architectural trim adds character, warmth and value to any space."

- Autumn, Design Dump

Be sure to check out 6th Street Design's blog to see all of the other fantastic tips. She also included this photo of her own living room. Love the pillow, rug, dark blue/yellow and pops of orange color combo. Oh and yes, that huge exersaucer for her baby. Because seriously, those things are handy right? And with a baby in the house, it's nice to see that even designers live with both fantastic pillows and an exersaucer.

Hope you find some of these tips helpful in your own home! Happy Tuesday!

DIY Flower Pins

I recently discovered the website Jones Design Company and it's fantastic! I'm especially in love with her DIY tutorials and I wanted to share two for flower pins. I MUST try these. I see them everywhere, Etsy, Anthropologie, even Target...how fun would it to be to make some of my own?

First up, a fluffy version made from wool. Full directions can be found here, but below is a quick rundown.

Here's what you need....

Cut out a few petal forms...

Fold and snip...

Attach to the main circle base...

Repeat, repeat, repeat....and voila! So cute right?

And here's one that's a bit more fancy. Requires a needle and thread...and a candle...see told you it was a bit more fancy. Full directions for this one can be found here.

Materia

ls you need...

Cut out a few squares and then round the corners...

Burn the edges...

And you have these!

Layer them up and sew together...

Add a few beads...

And here you go! Another adorable flower that can be attached to a pin, magnet, hair clip...

Or some super cute baby shoes. Yep, have to make these. Lets see I have about two weeks until my little girl arrives. Luckily they don't wear shoes right away :)

Check out Jones Design Company for a lot more great DIY tutorials, giveaways, and some great inspiration for your home. Enjoy and Happy Monday!

Pretty Smitten with Kate Spade

Checking out Shelterpop today and found they have a sneak peek of Kate Spade's new bedding line! Definitely just a peek, only three images to share, but I like what I see so far! Bright colors, fun patterns...and good prices too. Duvets range from $129 to $179. The line will debut this February.

And have you checked out Kate Spade's website lately? Love it. Again the colors, right up my alley. She's bold, fun and a little glamorous. Here are some items on my wish list...are you reading this my darling husband?

Not sure which I love more, the brooch or the adorable box it comes in...

I've been on the lookout for some leopard print flats - these will do just lovely thank you

And I'm sure my morning coffee would taste even better in these adorable mugs. Or how about afternoon tea while my babies are napping? Yep, both sound fantastic. Plus they would make great gifts. Find them here and here.

The best part? This weekend is Friends and Family on the Kate Spade website. Everything is 25% off! Enter the code FALLFF10 at checkout. Enjoy and Happy Friday!