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!

Florence, Italy {3}

Our third and final day in Florence was spent -- you guessed it -- sightseeing! We wanted to take full advantage of the Firenze Card so we hit some lesser known spots: Museum of Precious Stones and Palazzo Medici Ricardi. We also climbed the tower of Palazzo Vecchio, which I had no idea you could do! The views were pretty spectacular but I had had enough of the really tall stuff so I didn't accompany G all the way to the top but he said the views were even better at the very top. 

Our next stop was Santa Croce (seen in the 2nd picture) which is the burial place for some pretty famous Italians -hence why it is also know as the Temple of Italian Glories- Machiavelli, Michelangelo, and Galileo are all buried here. There was apparently some kind of event happening in front of Santa Croce at the time as there were chairs and tents so this was the best picture I could get of the structure. It was stunning, as most structures in Florence are! 

At this point we were pretty sight-seed out and I had figured we would be, so I set us up with a wine tasting class at the Tuscan Wine School just across the Ponte Vecchio. We took the 2 hour class called Tuscan Classics and it was SO much fun! If you are planning a trip to Florence, I would highly recommend taking a class at the Tuscan Wine School. Our instructor, Sofia, was so knowledgeable and really made the class interesting.

To end our time in Florence, we bought some wine at the Tuscan Wine School and headed up to the Piazza Michelangelo. It was breathtaking and one of the highlights of our trip. It was so, so beautiful and when I look at the pictures, they seem like paintings! Our favorite bartender, Simone, suggested we hit up Piazza Michelangelo just as the sun was setting and he was spot on with his recommendation, as you can tell from the pictures below it was truly gorgeous.

The wine drinking didn't stop there as we headed to bid farewell to Simone, at Golden View!

Next stop: Positano!

Tuesday Trend: Obsessing over Green

I have a dresser in the baby's room that I plan to re-do and am thinking that a rich green color will be perfect to complement the light blue walls. The nursery doesn't really have a theme per se, I'm just kind of going with colors and pieces I think work well together and want it to be a combination of soothing and fun. That being said, I am obsessing over adding green in where I can. Take a look at some of the beautiful green inspiration out there on the interwebz: 

Ah. Love this color (Behr Pine Grove) and this dresser redo by Camilla at Something is Done is stunning and currently my first choice for the dresser paint color. 

I love the richness of this color (Sherwin Williams Evergreens). I feel like it is a great blend of army green and emerald green. It is currently my 2nd choice for the dresser but is moving its way into first. I love the way the green door looks with the white house//photo from Lee at Lee's Hideaway. 

I'm definitely going to be adding a throw pillow to the glider and this one would help to tie in the green dresser with the rest of the room//pillow is by Emerey on Etsy. 

Obviously, something like this has no place in my nursery or even my current house but how gorgeous is this armchair? I die//Velvet Lyre Chesterfield Armchair 

Not house related but damn, is this not the most splendid dress? This shade of green is simply stunning. I wish I was bold enough to wear something like this on my wedding day!//I Love Wednesdays Photography // Polka Dot Bride

Ahhh! I just cannot get enough of this color! What color are you loving lately?

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. 

Fewer, Better Things

Many of you are probably familiar with the brand Cuyana that makes gorgeous leather totes and beautiful clothing. Their company philosophy is "fewer, better things" and they strive to create products that will last a lifetime rather than a few months. This idea has been in my head for quite some time now and especially as I have been cleaning out closets and reorganizing our house in anticipation of our little one's arrival in a few months. 

Last weekend, I tackled my side of the closet and although I look at my closet every day, I was a little shocked by a.) the amount of clothing I own and b.) the amount of clothing I own that is cheaply made, doesn't fit correctly, or is simply too trendy. So out went a lot of clothes to be shipped off to Threadflip to be sold. I use their full service option in which you send your clothes in and they photograph and list them for you. It isn't the best way to do this but in all honesty, I am too lazy to photograph and list the clothing myself. 

Being pregnant and all, I am not purchasing a lot of clothes right now except those that I absolutely need to get my through this period of time. But now that I have weeded my closet and will eventually start to add pieces to it, I plan to follow the fewer, better things philosophy. Let's be real, I wear mostly t-shirts, sweaters, jeans, and leggings. I am a very casual person by nature but I think sometimes I force myself to buy clothes that are "in style" to keep up with the fashion choices of those around me. This has led to my current state: a closet full of clothes that I don't wear because they aren't comfortable or aren't "me." If you look at my Pinterest clothing board here is a sampling of what you would see:

VIA

VIA

VIA

VIA

Casual but polished and put together. This is not what my closet currently reflects and that needs to change. Too often I find myself buying a $35 dress here, a $20 shirt there and eventually that adds up and I am unable to spend more on a piece that I truly love because I've spent little bits over time instead of waiting to purchase something that may be more expensive but is nicer and will last longer. Call this a side effect of reading blogs on the regular. Almost every blog I read features some kind of sale at least 2-3 times a week (i.e. did you know that Nordstrom is having a sale right now?? LOL) and it is hard not to get caught up in purchasing something especially when it looks great on someone else and is on sale. Going forward, I am vowing to only purchase items I love, will wear for a long period, and that will last me for a long period of time. Not just something to feed my need for instant gratification. 

What do you think of the fewer, better things philosophy? 

Musings on Monday

We had a lovely weekend filled with celebrations -- a bridal shower, an engagement celebration, and a 2nd birthday party for our nephew, I didn't want it to end! But alas, here it is Monday again and it's time to hit the ground running on all of the projects that need to be completed. This might be a negative spin on things but once July 4th comes and goes, the summer is on a downward slope. I mean it's already less than 2 months until I go back to school! 

Really wishing I could hit up the pool today but I have a week left of grad school and two assignments to go, neither of which I've started and one that's due tomorrow! Procrastination at it's finest. I also have laundry that needs to be done, a dishwasher that needs to be emptied, a refrigerator that needs to be cleaned out, a grocery store run to make, and bathrooms that need to be cleaned. I'd also like to get to the gym or at least out for a long walk today. Lots to do so I'd better get started -- hope you all have a great Monday! 

Five on Friday!

1. I've checked one thing off of our mile long to-do before baby list and purchased our nursery furniture about two weeks ago. It will be delivered next Friday, which is exciting yet scary because there is so much furniture in the guest room that needs to be moved before then. We went with the Gemma Campaign dresser and crib from Pottery Barn Kids. Scored them on sale, too! Now just keep your fingers crossed that a tennis ball cannot fit underneath either of these pieces. We have a dog whose absolute favorite activity is knocking the tennis ball underneath of furniture and then barking until we get it out and throw it to her. 

2. I swore I would no longer buy Ikea furniture but we are need of a new bed frame and given the dog's favorite activity, I'd really like one that goes all the way to the floor. Julia of Lemon Stripes  recently featured her master bedroom and she has the Ikea Brimnes bed frame and I think it looks pretty fab. Since this isn't really a need situation but rather one I'd like to tackle pre-baby, the price is a pretty big factor as well. Does anyone have any experience with Ikea bed frames? What is the deal with the slatted bed base? Is that a necessary purchase? We have a really nice mattress that currently sits on top of a box spring so not sure if this is something we would need to buy as well. 

3. In less than a month we are headed down to Puerto Rico! We had initially planned to head out to the Pacific Northwest for our vacation this summer but with a baby on the way, we decided a beach destination was a better fit for us. Further, with airline miles and hotel points, we were able to score our flights and hotel stay for free! Can't beat that :)  Anyone been to San Juan and have recommendations for us? We are definitely going into town and to the rainforest at some point but any other recs are welcomed and appreciated! 

I hope you all have a lovely Friday! I'm off to the pool with my mother-in-law and niece and nephew and then headed to pre-natal yoga- should be a good day!