Holiday bobby pins

How adorable are these bobby pins? They would be perfect for a holiday party or for every day:) 

And this necklace too.

        

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

Last week I mentioned that this is our first Christmas staying at our own house and not going home. I'm a little sad we aren't going to be with our families, but it's also nice to start thinking about starting some of our own traditions. When we were growing up my mom always made gingerbread houses for us to decorate. It was always one so my favorite traditions and one that I decided to start with Will. Although our gingerbread house was store bought (my mom makes them from scratch), it was still fun to see Will get excited about decorating it, when he wasn't thinking about filling his mouth with marshmallows.

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? I'd love to hear.

   

   

Gift guide: for toddlers

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? I just finished ordering a few last minute things, thanks to Amazon Prime. Toddlers are so fun to shop for, which made it difficult for me to narrow it down. Here are a few favorites. You still have a few more days.

1.Will uses these do a dot markers at preschool and loves them. Because they don't make a huge mess, I like that they don't require too much supervision.

2. I've heard so many great things about balance bikes in helping kids learn how to ride a regular bicycle, and the seat is adjustable as your child grows.

3. So I had to throw this in there. The softest pretzel t-shirt from my shop and it's cute for boys or girls:)

4. I like simple toys where kids have to use their imagination a little and these kid o colored blocks would be perfect for building towers and knocking them down.

5. Will has so much fun playing with coins and putting them in his bank. This little apple bank is to die for, plus it's a good way to start teaching kids about saving their money.

6. We love Dr. Seuss books, and they are the kind of books I'm okay with reading over and over again. I like finding books for my boys that I used to read when I was little like Green Eggs and Ham.

7. I don't know a kid that doesn't like to prepare a pretend meal or play with a kitchen.

8. Memory is a great first game to play with toddlers. Will loves playing it over and over again. This memory game is wooden so it will last through many rounds.

9. I love these little sets from Melissa and Doug. Not only are they adorable, but well made. The airplane one would be a favorite at our house, but I also like the school bus and fire truck.
   
Any other good ideas for little ones?
 

Gift Guide: for baby

This is my baby's first Christmas! Since he's only four months old, he really could care less what he gets, so most of these things are things I like for babies.

1. It's hard to find cute stuffed animals and the Maileg stuffed animals are some of the cutest ones I've seen. I also like the idea of getting him a little something he can keep as he grows. Maileg Wolf and I also like Maileg Fox.

2. I've been a long time fan of Kid O toys. They are so well made and designed and my three year old still loves playing with them. kid o car and kid o airplane

3. Babies always need lots of blankets and this black and white baby blanket is perfect for a boy or girl. Plus, it's something you would be happy to see in your house.

4. I once read that the first colors babies recognize are black and white. I love these little black and white wee gallery cards. The designs are fabulous.

5. Baby moccasins  are so hot right now and Freshly Picked makes a good pair that stay on baby's feet. Plus, they come in lots of fun colors.

6. There is something so adorable about stripes on babies and now that it's winter baby hats are a perfect gift.

7. These baby beads are so cool. They are attached with an elastic so they all stay together. Lucas is definitely going to need this.

8. Board books are great for babies and this one has been a favorite of ours over the past couple of years.

9. Winter Water Factory has such fun, patterned clothing for babies and kids. Plus, I love the fact I can put my baby in a romper because he's still little and little babies in rompers are so cute!
 

Weekend

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Hello friends. What are you up to this weekend? Last weekend we went and bought our first ever live Christmas tree. Since this is our first year not going home for Christmas, I'm trying to start our own traditions, even if it was -4 degrees outside:) This weekend we are hosting a little holiday party at our house with some friends. Stay warm.

Here are some of my favorite links this week...

How to be Comfy and chic.

I love Christmas lights.

How cool is this?

Forever and always. Love a good plaid.

A hanging chair for the bedroom. So cool.

Cute outfit.

8 things really successful people do.

Pretty winter coat.

Fun bobbies for holiday parties.

Will would get such a kick out of this.

Best DIY project I've seen in a long time.
 

Gift Guide: for him

1. I always use holidays and birthdays as excuses for getting my guy new clothes (when else will he buy something for himself to wear?) I like the idea of getting him a pair of well fitting and slim cut (not too tight) jeans.

2. I like that this laptop bag is a departure from the typical black and leather. It's way more casual, but still looks cool and does the job.

3. A desktop calendar of his favorite people or pictures is the perfect addition for a guy's work space.

4. We've been cooking up a lot of homemade pizza lately. My husband loves to cook and I thought this pizza cookbook would give him some new and fresh ideas and for perfecting that crust.

5. My husband wears his Ugg slippers all the time and has had the same ones for years. They may be more of an investment, but are definitely worth the splurge.

6. I love when guys wear scarves! This one is cashmere and looks extra cozy.

7. A buffalo print. What guy could say no to that?

8. Guys always seem okay with getting socks or sometimes even ask for them (my dad used to ask every year). It might not be the most original idea but definitely a practical one.

9. These headphones are the best! They are great for guys who spend a lot of time traveling or just like to tune everybody else out for a bit.

10. I don't know a guy that doesn't love to wear his alma mater. My husband can never own too many of anything with Duke on it which is why I included this sweatshirt in the mix.

Kids are next...

Holiday Gift Guide: for her

I put together a few little gift guides this year that I'll be sharing over the next few days. The first one is for her, but is pretty much the things on my wish list. Trying to make it easy for my husband:)

1. If you're going to wear sweatpants, they might as well be cute and comfy.

2. For those that may have to endure a long and cold winter, this slouchy beanie might make them feel better about it.

3. I don't wear a lot of jewelry these days, but sometimes it's nice to add something small and simple to your look like this feathered ring.

4. I've been a fan of Max Wanger and his photography for quite some time now and would love one of his prints in my home like this one.

5. You can never have too many scarves and I'm really liking the southwestern trend. This scarf would be so cute with a basic tee and jeans.

6. Because everyone could use a classic brown bag. I really like this one.

7. We've been entertaining a lot lately and it would be nice to give my flatware a little update to this set.

8. After seeing this amazing J.Crew shoot in the country I became hooked on the idea of getting a pair of new balance sneakers.

9. I've been wanting to enliven our meals a bit and I think this cookbook will definitely help in that area.

10. If I were to ever have a sweater that I had to wear everyday, this would be it.

Stay tuned for more gift guides. To see some of my gift ideas from previous years click here.

Baby favorites

Now that Lucas is 4 months old I thought I would share some of my favorite baby items. Since this is my second baby, it has been nice knowing what to get and what I really don't need. However, with new baby items constantly coming out, there are a few new items I've found and grown to love.

1. These Mustela Wipes are the best wipes. They are a little more expensive, but I like to use them when my babies are newborns because their skin is so delicate. Once my babies get older I switch to these.

2. When I opened my shop, my goal was to create playful and modern patterns for babies and kids. After going through one baby boy, I know it can be difficult to find cute and comfy baby clothes for boys. These baby leggings are gender neutral and made out of organic cotton so they are super soft.

3.  I love well made toys for babies. This little rattle is adorable. It's made from wood and it even makes a little sound when you shake it. Lucas is mesmerized by it.

4. Will was first introduced to Sophie the Giraffe when he was a baby and loved holding and chewing on it. Since Lucas' favorite thing to do right now is suck on his fists, we thought it would be appropriate to pass it down to him. Plus, I love seeing Lucas use something that was once Will's. I guess I'm a little sentimental like that.

5. My friend recently introduced me to these Indestructibles books and I think they are genius. They're called Indestructibles because they are rip proof, chew proof, nontoxic and you can even wash them!

6. I am such a fan of these swaddle blankets. They are seriously amazing if you're baby likes to be swaddled. Many times I have wrapped Lucas in this swaddle blanket and he calms down and has an easy time going to bed at night. Plus, the velcro makes it really hard for the baby to get out.

7.  I used the aden + anais blankets with Will and now with Lucas, but I recently discovered the aden + anais burpy bibs. I use them as burp cloths, but you can also snap them to use as a bib as well and they are really absorbent which is great for babies that spit up a lot.

8. I recently got this Skip Hop Duo diaper bag. You know I love a good stripe pattern, plus it goes with everything and was less than $100!

9. This organic cotton blanket I got because the colors pretty much sold me, but it is so soft and is used as a background when I take a picture of Lucas each month.

10. I like to have somewhere to lay down the baby when I'm not holding him and this bear blanket, that was given to us as a gift, is so soft, and Lucas will sometimes fall asleep on his own while on it (I said "sometimes").

11.  I got this stroller before Will was born and am now using it for Lucas. It was a bit of an investment, but it has been one of my favorite baby items, mostly because we go a lot of places and also because the bassinet has been used as our baby's bed for the first few months. I also love that you can add an additional seat to make it into a double stroller. For traveling, we mostly use this stroller just because it's smaller and more lightweight.

What are some of your favorite baby items?
 

Twin Cities Food Tour: The Buttered Tin

One thing I don't share about often is food, but my husband and I are major foodies. Even though we have favorite places to eat, we love finding new places and are constantly reading reviews about restaurants and eateries in the areas we live. So I thought it would be fun to start a new food series sharing places to eat around the twin cities. Plus, there are so many good places to eat around here.

I recently discovered a newer breakfast/brunch place in St. Paul that I wanted to try, so a couple of my friends and I decided to go. We went on a weekday before the lunch crowd so it wasn't too busy (by the time we left, the line was out the door). 

They serve typical breakfast dishes with a unique twist as well as delicious baked goods. I had the daily special scramble which was filled with mushrooms, capers, chorizo, and olives. It tasted really fresh and was complemented nicely with mixed greens and toast for a perfect sweet and savory mix.

 Because we had two 3 year olds in tow, I also got a taste of the pancakes which were equally good.

And of course we couldn't leave without a treat. We opted for a cupcake (designed after the hostess cupcakes). I also loved that they had Twinkies as well, however they called them "Twin Keys"

Do you like trying new places to eat or do you stick to your favorites?
 

Cyber Monday Sales

Lots of good deals today if you're shopping online...

25% off at Madewell with the code FEAST25

30% off at J.Crew with the code MONDAY

50% off at J.Crew Factory and Free Shipping with the code GOSHOP

30% off at ASOS with the code GIMMEMORE

40% off at Gap and Banana Republic and 30% off at Old Navy with the code CYBER

30% off at Piperlime with the code CYBER

33% off at Sole Society

15% off at Land of Nod and free shipping with the code SAVE15

20% off at Dwell Studio with the code CYBERCHIC20

Up to 25% off at West Elm plus free shipping with the code STOCKUP

20% off and free shipping at Serena and Lily with the code THANKS20

$15 off of $75, $25 off of $100, and $50 off of $150 and free shipping at Urban Outfitters

40% off of all classes at Nicole's Classes with the code CYBERMONDAY13

Winter Style

clockwise from top right: faux fur scarf / baseball cap / polka dot sweater leggings / gold watch / mixed metal bracelets / two tone clutch (similar) / reindeer sweater (similar) / buffalo plaid skirt (similar) / ankle boots / striped sweater (similar) / black legging jeans (similar) / statement necklace (similar) / pom beanie (similar)

Shopstyle has been my go-to shopping site for the past couple of years. Whenever I'm looking for a specific item of clothing, such as a dress for a party or a new pair of brown boots, I search on Shopstyle. I love it because you can search by style, price, color, and size, making it really easy to locate exactly what you want. So when Shopstyle contacted me, I was happy to collaborate with them on this project.

Since moving to Minnesota a couple of years ago, I've started accumulating a lot of sweaters, scarves and boots. In the winter I like to wear a lot of neutral colored pieces with different textures. I put together this board with some of my favorite winter items to create that warm, cozy and textured look.

And here are a few of my favorite items to help you get that cozy winter look...

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Shopstyle through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. All content and words are my own.  

What to wear on Thanksgiving

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What do you wear on Thanksgiving? Do you dress up or keep it casual? I like the idea of a sweater jacket because it's a little more dressed up but still comfy. For a more casual look, I would wear a tunic sweater with leggings or tights. And they're both perfect if you know you might be eating a whole lot.

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Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Going to movies alone

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Last week I went with a girlfriend to see the new Hunger Games movie Catching Fire. Because the movie had just come it, it was crazy busy and we were lucky to get two seats together. We were laughing because the theater was mostly filled with high school kids and us. It got me thinking though, have you ever gone to a movie alone? You don't talk during the movie so there isn't much time to catch up with a friend if you go to a movie together. The week before I had Will I saw four movies in the theater and one I went to by myself. It felt a little weird being there by myself, and while I do like to go with other people, it was also nice to just slip in, see it and then leave.

Would you or have you ever gone to a movie alone?

p.s. The costumes and makeup blew me away in Catching Fire. So crazy good.

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Style do or don't: pom beanies

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It's been cold here the past few weeks and we've had to bundle up before going outside. In Minnesota winter hats are not optional, they are absolutely necessary. I have kind of a bigger head (yeah I can wear all my husband's baseball caps) so I have to be careful what types of hats I wear. I love the look of the pom beanie. They have a playful and fun vibe, but some styles don't work on my big head especially tight ones.

What do you think, do you like the pom beanie? Do you have a favorite style of beanie?

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Taking online classes

Have you ever thought of taking online classes? I took a couple of classes in college about Photoshop and can't remember a thing I learned. I've always wanted to learn Photoshop and Illustrator and increase my knowledge in photography. I decided to try taking a an online class at Nicole's Classes and ended up taking several because I couldn't get enough. Today I'm sharing my experience over on Nicole's Classes' blog about skills I learned that helped me start my own business.

You can see it here it you'd like.

      

Tis the season...

for Holiday cards! This year I put some of my holiday card designs in the shop. Here are a few of them, but you can see all of them here if you'd like.

 
*Photos by Katie Perkes 

Weekend

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Today we discovered a new brunch place to eat in St. Paul. It was yummy! I'm excited to share more with you next week and about the new food series I'm working on for the blog. I'll also be adding a few new products to my shop.What are your plans this weekend? Tonight we are headed to a Korean BBQ place with karaoke, and I'm hoping I don't embarrass myself too bad.

Have a good one.
 

DIY Star Elbow Sleeve Sweater

The star pattern seems to be on trend right now. I've seen it on lots of products lately (and even used it in my newest product line). Last year I made the most simple heart sweater using some wool felt so this year I thought I would use the same technique to make an elbow sleeve star sweater. It would be cute to do on a kid's sweater too.

For a more complete how-to, follow the same steps here.

Cut out the stars after attaching the wool felt to fusible web.

Place the stars (probably the most important step), and iron them onto the sweater.

 Hand sew around the edges if you want it to stay on real good (I actually skipped this step) and that's it.

  

Fall Trend: Plaid Coats

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Lately, I've noticed lots of girls wearing plaid coats around. They have a cool vibe and are the perfect piece for making a statement when the temperatures drop. I like them best when worn with simple and classic pieces.

What do you think, are you a fan of plaid coats?

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Here's how I'd wear it...

sweater / plaid coat / jeans / handbag / slouchy beanie / ankle boots

Other Fall trends