Tuesday Trend: Playroom Dreams

Even though J is still an infant that can't do much and we live in a 1500 square foot rowhome, I can't help but dream about a place in our home for the babe to run wild. I absolutely love the idea of a dedicated playroom and hope that in our next house this can be a reality. The space needs to be functional for young kids but can't be an eyesore either. How great is this tufted couch by Novogratz 9 from Walmart? Only $349 and it turns into a futon! Perfect combination of modern and budget friendly, a playroom necessity! The kid-friendly sheepskin rug is also a personal favorite and I'm dying over the personalized busy board by Mortimer's Busy Boards on Etsy! I think I know what someone is getting for his first birthday (...9 months from now)! I'm a sucker for gold accents and love the bright red color of the lamp. The alphabet print would be great for youngins learning their ABC's!

couch//print//storage bin//sheepskin rug//teething toy//NogginStik//personlized busy board//lamp//pillows

Monday Musings: Gallery Wall Inspiration

Happy Monday! Did everyone have a lovely Valentine's Day? We celebrated Saturday night with dinner at home after putting the babe to bed. He is finally sleeping a fairly long stretch at night which gives me a little more freedom. Loving it. 

One of my focus areas for 2016 is our home. I have so many pictures from our travels and moments with friends and family that I would love to display on our walls. We also had newborn photos taken and we have a few those of I'd love to get on the walls as well. He is already growing so fast! We have a wall just outside of our bedroom that is just begging for a gallery wall! Today, I've rounded up some gorgeous gallery walls to serve as inspiration as I start to gather frames and photos to hang in our space! 

One// I love the idea of using picture ledges to create a gallery wall. It gives you the ability to switch things up without having to change photos out of frames. 

Two// While I do appreciate the symmetry of hanging photos in a grid, what I think is really pretty here is the color photographs in the black frames and the thin black lining of mat that was used to frame the picture. 

Three// Loving the texture this eclectic gallery wall provides. I love the idea of mixing it up and using more than just pictures. 

Four// This gallery wall provides the symmetry of a grid but gives a little more interest. One day I hope to have a staircase where I can do this! Love the ascending gallery wall look. 

Five// For me, this gallery wall is all about the frames. I think keeping the frames in the same color family but different sizes and with different detailing is really stunning and provides great visual interest. 

Six// Absolutely love this statement making gallery wall. I love looking at pictures in other people's houses so I could probably spend hours taking a gander at this hallway! 

So tell me, what do you think of the gallery wall look? Is it a must for your home or do prefer a more minimal look?

Monday Musings: Wish List

J. McLaughlin Shane Sweater//J.McLaughlin Doran Cashmere Sweater//J.McLaughlin Frida Colorblock Sweater
J.McLaughlin Sataya Sweater//J.McLaughlin Margaret Sweater//J.McLaughlin Pence Cashmere Poncho

Crushing hard on these sweaters from J.McLaughlin this fall! Loving the laid back but structured silhouette of these options. There are other colors available but as usual, I'm partial to the neutrals. I am especially into the Pence poncho, it looks so comfortable and I love the sleeves! The back of the Doran sweater is super cute and the Sataya sweater has a vegan leather elbow stripe that gives a typical striped sweater a little something extra (currently on sale)!

I hope everyone has a nice Monday and your weeks get off to a good start. We were very lucky that the hurricane missed us this weekend. We've experienced what's happening down in South Carolina and my heart goes out to all those affected. 

Thoughts on Thursday: Master Bathroom Refresh

InterDesign Shower Curtain//Swan Comfort Orange-Pink Turkish Towel//Evelyn Henson Animal Prints

I mentioned a few weeks back that with the impending arrival of the tiny human, we've been tackling some house projects that we've wanted to complete. One of those was the master bathroom. The first order of business was the paint. The color, honestly, wasn't terrible and I probably wouldn't have changed it but the paint job itself was really shoddy. I made a terrible mistake initially and painted the bathroom Sherwin Williams 'Watery'. Uh, it was AWFUL in our bathroom which is a shame because it looks beautiful in other peoples' homes. The color was too bright for the space and made the space look very outdated. Very early 90s turquoise. Perhaps if I had cut it, it might have worked but ultimately I decided to repaint the bathroom Sherwin Williams 'Sea Salt' and am much happier with that decision. It is a green-blue-gray color but reads mostly light green in our bathroom. It is a beautiful, versatile color! 

The hardware that was used for the toilet paper, towels, and the hooks on the back of the door were improperly hung and have been falling off the walls since we moved in. We are replacing all of that hardware with the Glacier Bay Constructor Series from Home Depot. I love the bright chrome and the clean lines of thiseries. Given the airy nature of the Sea Salt in the space, I think the hardware will contribute to the overall serene feeling I am going for. 

As far as new decoration is concerned, we are in desperate need of an extra long shower curtain and I love the bold stripes of this shower curtain as it adds some color without being too overwhelming. I'd also love to add some color in with these turkish towels but I am a little hesitant to click buy on these as I really prefer thicker towels and I'm just not sure these will cut it. How adorable are these Evelyn Henson prints? I am a sucker for a cute animal print and I think I could get my husband on board with these, as well! 

Linking up with Nat and Annie today! 

Monday Musings: Wish List

Devon Baer Tartan Ruffle Dress in Pewter// Kristin Cavallari for Chinese Laundry Oracle D'Orsay Pump

Bringing you something other than sweaters and booties for this Monday Wish List! I've been a big fan of Devon Baer fan since she was selling clothes via Etsy, The clothes are beautiful but unfortunately, the price tag has kept them on my wish list and not in my closet.  I'm hoping to score this dress for the holidays this year  - maybe this could count as a push present?? How cute is the ruffle neckline and the gray tartan print? LOVE. I am also loving these half D'Orsay pumps from Kristin Cavallari (whom I have such a girl crush on) for Chinese Laundry and think they would pair quite nicely with the Devon Baer dress! I love the open side and the 3 inch heel is the perfect height, in my opinion.

 It's hard to believe but there are only 66 days until Thanksgiving and only 96 until Christmas... which means there are only 47 days until this baby's due date! Yikes.

*affiliate links used* 

Monday Musings: Wish List

Leith Dolman Sleeve Pullover // Spanx 'Look-at-Me' Shaping Leggings//Sole Society 'Natasha' Boot 

Did not mean to step away from the blog for a whole month but no matter how many years I've been teaching, the beginning of the school year is always hectic! But as usual, things have settled down and I'm getting back into my school year routine which means back to blogging on the regular.

Bringing you another comfy and casual fall outfit on this Monday. As I've mentioned, I love slouchy sweaters and this one is no exception! It does have dolman sleeves which give me pause because they can really go either way, they either enhance the outfit or they're restricting. You just never know! I've heard great things about these Spanx leggings and am eyeing them specifically for my post baby days, with the hopes they'll hold some of the inevitable jiggly bits in for some time. Oh, these booties. If I am being honest, this is not the type of shoe I would normally go for but I saw these in the Sole Society catalog that I got in the mail and I was instantly drawn to them. I love the color and the flat heel with leggings and a slouchy sweater is exactly the type of look I am going for this fall. Pair this with a pumpkin spice latte and it's the perfect #basic outfit!! Here's a side note confession for you: I don't like PSLs. I'll stick with hot green tea or a vanilla latte any day!

*affiliate links have been used in this post*

Monday Musings: Wish List

Nike 'Internationalist' Sneaker  // Jena Limelight Booties  // Madewell Chronicle Texture Pullover

Another Monday is here, friends. It is my last week of freedom before school starts. I enjoy starting Monday off with sharing some things that I am loving. I need another pair of  sneakers like I need a hole in the head but these are so cute and would look great with a pair of ankle jeans and the sweater above! I am a casual person by nature and since I'll have a newborn this fall, I am definitely looking for cute outfits that will allow me to be put together and able to bend to the whims of a newborn!

I had to include these booties that I spotted at Rack Room Shoes this past week! I've wanted a pair of booties for a few years but haven't wanted to spend a ton of money on something I will only wear occasionally. However, in my search for a cute but affordable pair, I found that most of the cheaper options look well, cheap. These are $64 and look like a pair you could pick up at Nordstrom for a much higher price, Plus, they are super comfortable. I am already thinking of all the ways I can wear them this fall!

Happy Monday, friends! Tell me what you are loving today!

Monday Musings: Wish List

Wayf Roll Sleeve Tee//Sweatshirt Tunic Dress//Cuyana Classic Leather Zipper Tote 

Hello and happy Monday! G and I just returned from a week long jaunt to San Juan, Puerto Rico and as usual, I am struggling to get back into my day to day! Although it was sunny and beautiful in PR and is sunny and beautiful here, I can't stay away from my most favorite color or all time: gray! I really need to be looking for a dress for my upcoming baby shower and two weddings I have coming up but I saw these non-maternity items over the weekend and had to share. The bag has been on my wish list forever and while I am also in the market for a fun, stylish diaper bag I know myself well enough to know I will want a separate purse as well. 

There are just two weeks left until the new school year starts! Honestly, where does summer go? I try to be optimistic but August, to me, feels like a month of Sundays with the start of school looming just around the corner. 

Tuesday Trend: Skincare Essentials

L to R: frank original body scrub//frank original body balm//soapwalla almond luxe body polish//kiehl's original musk body lotion//crabtree&evelyn lavender hand cream//aveda hand relief creme

Years ago I saw an Oprah episode about women who looked several (and I mean SEVERAL) years younger than their actual age. No joke, one woman was 75 and she legit looked 40. She said everyone thought her son was her husband when they went out to dinner together. The one thing the women all said they did to keep their youthful glow? Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Not just your face, they said. Your entire body needs to be hydrated at all times.I was a teenager but it has stuck with me all of these years. The skin is the body's largest organ so it makes sense, right?

Here's the thing, though: I HATE moisturizing. It is so time consuming and tedious but I make myself do it anyway because I know it's good for me. Using products like the frank body scrub and Soapwalla Almond Luxe Body Polish are great at helping to keep skin moisturized so if I do miss a day here and there my skin doesn't suffer too much. These products are on the pricey side so I do not use them everyday and sometimes I choose an area that needs it the most and skip other areas. The frank body scrub and body balm is an excellent combination and such a treat to use! The almond luxe body polish smells heavenly and leaves my skin so soft it's unbelievable!

My mom gave the Kiehl's Original Musk body lotion a few weeks ago and I have to say, it is the best lotion I have ever used! It is light so it dries relatively quickly and doesn't leave behind a greasy or sticky feeling on your skin. The smell is also a huge plus! I try to put this on right after I've toweled off so it feels like a part of my shower routine and not like an extra step.  I am a recovering nail and cuticle biter so hand cream is a must in my book. I haven't bitten my nails or cuticles in almost three months but they are still ravaged from 20+ years of habitual biting. Ugh. Such an unsightly habit but I am not going to lie, it has been really hard to kick! I alternate between using the Evelyn and Crabtree hand cream and the Aveda Hand Relief cream. Both moisturize really well and dry quickly so it's usually a matter of scent preferences that decides which one I use on any given day!

What skincare products do you use? Any tips or tricks to make moisturizing easier??

Tuesday Trend: Nighttime Beauty Products

L to R: Shea Moisture African Black Soap/Bare Minerals Deep Cleansing Foam/Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins (oil free) Night Cream/Beauticontrol Defend and Restore Night Creme


With my skin being more combination now than it used to be, I switch up my nighttime routine depending on whether my skin is feeling dry or oily that particular day.

Routine:

If oily/breaking out: I wash  my face with the African Black Soap which helps to dry up the oil and blemishes. I have definitely seen a decrease in blemishes since I started using this soap I use the Beauticontrol Defend & Restore Night Creme pretty much every single night regardless, it is a truly amazing night creme. It hydrates without clogging my pores and I feel like my face looks refreshed in the morning. If my skin is feeling extra oily, I'll use the Origins Night-A-Mins instead to help moisturize but also clear up some of the excess oil-- that is where this night cream really stands out to me. 

If dry: I wash my face with the Bare Minerals Deep Cleansing Foam which I have used on and off for years. It does a great job of cleaning my face without that super tight feeling afterwards. I follow up with the Beauticontrol Defend and Restore Night Creme every night that my face is feeling dry. 

I recently added Burt's Bee Garden Tomato Toner to the rotation and while I haven't been using it long, I am happy with the results. It definitely appears to be balancing out my skin tone which is a welcome relief. It doesn't feel overly drying but I do follow it up with one of the night creams. 




What do you use at night? I love hearing about people's daytime routines but I am fascinated by what people do for their skin at night. Please share!



*At times posts on this blog contain affiliate links. You will never pay more for an item found by shopping through an affiliate link. The small commission received allows me to bring you original and creative content. I only link to products I love and use or would use myself. All opinions and statements are my own. *

J. Crew Factory Favorites

Happy Monday! I have another snow  ice day today so I am pretty pumped. Four day week? I'll take it! We had a great weekend spent babysitting our niece on Friday night and hanging out with friends on Saturday but I took nary a picture! So today I'm bringing you some of my favorites for spring/summer that I found while browsing J.Crew Factory during the ice/rain storm we had yesterday. 

1// Varsity Stripe Tee: I need another gray t-shirt like I need a venereal disease but this one has pink varsity stripes which makes it different from the other 35 gray tees I own, right? I have a t-shirt hoarding problem but I also have a serious love for being comfortable. Pair this with jean shorts and I've got my spring/summer uniform. 

2//Scalloped-hem Top: I love the look of this top from the drapey sleeves to the detailing and scalloped-hem. It is the perfect top to be worn with white jeans and a pair of wedges or with shorts and sandals. The color is so pretty, as well!

3//Printed Flutter-sleeve Top: How gorgeous is the print on this top? I love the dark navy with the pop of the green clovers, it is stunning! My job doesn't require fancy clothes but if it did I would be wearing this with cropped pants during the week and shorts on the weekend. 

4//Pom-Pom Tunic: This cover-up was super popular last summer but I missed the boat so I am glad it's back! My sister, mom, and I are heading to FL at the end of April and this would be perfect to throw on and head to lunch after lounging at the beach.

5//Boardwalk Pull-on Shorts: I ordered these shorts last spring and J.Crew did that thing where they cancel your order when it takes too long. So annoying! I am determined to get them this time. I need them to go with all of my t-shirts, ha! I love the red, it's so fun.

6//Scalloped Bodice Dress: Love the scallop trim and the black and white. Perfect for summer weddings!

What are you loving for spring/summer? I absolutely love snow days but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't ready for warmer days! 

*At times posts on this blog contain affiliate links. You will never pay more for an item found by shopping through an affiliate link. The small commission received allows me to bring you original and creative content. I only link to products I love and use or would use myself. All opinions and statements are my own. *

Tuesday Trend: Daytime Beauty Products

L to R: Vasanti Detox Nutrient Rich Purifying Facial Cleanser/Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator/Egyptian Magic/Dr. Hauschka Clarifying Day Oil 

I've mentioned before that I don't wear makeup Monday-Friday because it will just melt right off my face after first period but I still want my face too look clean and bright during the day. Over the past two years, my skin has gone through some changes. My skin used to be primarily oily and now it's more combination of oily and dry. The past few months it has been incredibly dry so I had to make some changes and these products have really worked for me.

Routine:
Monday - Thursday: I use the Vasanti Detox Nutrient Rich Purifying Facial Cleanser and follow up with Egyptian Magic-- this stuff is actually magic. It really saved my skin from the red and flaky look. It starts as more of a salve but turns into an oil when rubbed between your hands. If I am wearing makeup that day or going to the gym, I will use the Dr. Hauschka Clarifying Day Oil as it is lighter than the Egyptian Magic.
Friday-Sunday: I use the Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator to exfoliate my skin after the long week. I follow up with either Egyptian Magic or Dr. Hauschka depending on what I am doing that day. 

I love to hear what products other people are using, so tell me what you use during the day! I have a different routine for the nighttime which I'll share later. I have found that mixing it up between day and night works best for my skin. Do you have a different routine for night and day? Do tell! 

Snow Day Lounge Favorites

I'm basking in the joy that is a snow day! Unfortunately, it is so cold in my old rowhome that Macy and I are camped out in bed because it is too cold everywhere else in this house. I ventured out yesterday to try to find a space heater to no avail. Apparently, everyone else in Baltimore had the same idea as me. So here we are blogging from bed.

Snow days consists mainly of coffee, tv marathons, reading, blogging, and most importantly: comfy clothes! Old Navy was running a huge sale yesterday so I stopped in and ended up picking up all of these pieces below at insanely good prices! One of the perks of teaching P.E. is that  lounge wear can always double as work wear!

Snow Day Lounge Favorites by prissyt 

Clockwise from the top left:
1. Women's Skinny Sweatpants. I've been wanting a pair of jogger sweatpants for quite sometime now and these are great. I'll be honest, I picked up on this trend from my students, ha! Although, they've now taken it too far and are rocking these Emoji joggers and it is truly hysterical.
2. Women's Cocoon Open-Front Cardigan. This cardigan is one of those pieces I always hesitate purchasing and then end wearing it all the time.
3. Women's Vintage Style V-Neck Tee. I'm a sucker for a good tee shirt. I actually only tried this on because I wanted to see what the cardigan looked like with something underneath but ended up loving it and at $5, I couldn't pass it up!
4. Men's Heathered Henley. I often buy clothing items, especially tee shirts and oxfords, in a men's small for a slouchier look. After Hello Fashion posted this shirt with white jeans and the blue scarf above-- tell me she doesn't look the perfect casual cool-- I decided I needed to add these pieces to my comfy clothes arsenal.
5. Women's Lightweight Infinity Scarf. If I absolutely must leave the house, I throw on a scarf for a pulled together look without too much hassle (i.e. when I get back to my bed all I have to do is take off my shoes and scarf and I'm back in chill mode).

Today only, Old Navy has 30% off with the code PRESIDENT!  

In Pursuit of..

I have been searching for months for the perfect black crewneck sweater and the search has not been as easy as I thought it was going to be. I want something quality that will last a long time but also needs to be the correct price point as we're on strict budget over here. 

I looked at and ruled out a bunch of different options and finally narrowed it down to these two above. The one on the left is the Cashmere Crewneck Tunic from Garnet Hill that comes in at $98 dollars has 94 reviews for an average of 4.25 stars. The one on the right is the Hayden Carbon Cashmere Sweater from Bluefly.com and comes in currently at $79.20 but only has one review.

Therein lies my dilemma.. I like both of these sweaters for different reasons but as a consumer, I give credence to customer reviews and often spend a good deal of time sifting through the reviews to see what others have to say about the item. The sweater on the left has 94 reviews the one on the right only has one. I've gotten Garnet Hill catalogs for years but have never purchased clothing from them because well, nothing ever caught my eye. I've never purchased anything from Bluefly.com either so I'm really at a loss in that department.

They are both very adorable sweaters and I just can't decide which one to go with.. I like the neckline of the sweater on the left but like the tighter fit of the one on the right. Obviously, the price of the one on the right is better. 

I'm putting it out there in hopes that one of you reading has purchased an item from either of these places and can speak to the quality of the products! 



 images courtesy of garnethill.com/bluefly.com

Summer Wish List

Summer Wish List by prissyt featuring roxy bikini


Spring has finally sprung in Maryland but I can assure it won't be here for long! Soon, we'll be bemoaning the heat and longing for the few days that Spring is actually here. BUT! BUT! that means that summer vacation is right around the corner! There are 41 days left in the school year and with that, I've been dreaming about the warm weather and all that comes with it! Unfortunately, husband says I am cut off from buying anymore clothes for summer but here is my wish list if my bank account was bottomless!

1. J.Crew Dree Dress // This dress is so beautiful in person. I was really tempted to buy and then ask G for forgiveness for having bought another dress "that I'm going to wear to every wedding we have this summer!" Go buy it if you still have a summer clothing budget!
 2. Rikshaw Design Waves Classic Kurta // I recently saw this tunic in person as. I seriously wanted to put it on and walk out of the store. It is a lightweight fabric that would be perfect for summer. Alas, my aversion to jail stopped me from taking the damn thing and running. 
3. J.Crew Chino Short in Sea Glass // I probably own 10 pairs of these shorts in an array of colors. Adding this punchy green would be the perfect complement to all the colors I already own!
4.Anthropologie Fontes Blouse in Blue Motif // I posted about this blouse awhile back. I still don't own it and I still love. It would be so cute with white jeans or shorts. 
5. Roxy Draped Bikini // Sadly this bikini is unavailable right now. I guess it makes sense since scalloped anything is like the coolest thing since sliced bread. It looks comfortable. 
6. Kate Spade Trendy Sandal // I love the bow detail. Think its adorable. However, I just bought Chucks so I'm not really sure where my shoe style is going right now. 

So, tell me- what's on your summer wish list? 

Happy Thursday, friends!  

Day at the Aquarium!

Day at the Aquarium! by prissyt featuring petite straight leg jeans


The sun is shining and the temperature is slowly rising in Baltimore! G is off work today so we are heading down to the Inner Harbor to go to the aquarium which I haven't been to in years so I'm really looking forward to it. I've recently decided that my closet is lacking in decent looking "chill" clothes if you will so if I had a budget for these types of clothes this is what I would be rocking to the aquarium!

Anthropologie Wish List

Anthropologie Wish List featuring a silk blouse

Anthropologie Wish List featuring petite dresses

Yesterday, I popped into Anthropologie to pick up this adorable shirt (it is more than likely a Scottie but I don't care I want it to be a Schnauzer and it will be so!). It should be known that I am like a young child in that I absolutely love animal prints. Like prints of actual animals not like leopard or cheetah or zebra. I have shirts with the following animals on them: bunnies, horses, foxes, various breeds of dogs and a dress with lobsters on it. I digress. The clothing in Anthropologie right now is to die for! I seriously could've stayed there for hours fawning over all the cute stuff. The Anthropologie here in the city just opened last summer and I am so grateful I can walk to it! I'm debating getting a job this summer and was considering trying to work at Lululemon for the work clothes discount but stopping in Anthropologie has me questioning that choice...