Friday, September 28, 2012

.product review: luxe Box from loose button.

Today I wanted to share this super cool product "club" of sorts called Loose Button
It's this cool company that Quarterly [that's 4 x a year people!] ships a pretty box [perfectly named The Luxe Box] plump full of beauty products right to your door for you to keep and try out [you can also choose Annual or Semi-annual options]. What a fun treat! 

I just received my first luxe box and was immediately impressed with the products that they sent me. First of all, in my opinion, you can usually tell quality by the packing....and I have to report that I was very impressed! My items came all wrapped up in this gorgeous white box, with each product wrapped in cloth! CLOTH! Seriously, because of the packaging alone, I immediately thought what a cute gift this would be to send someone for the year......
I was also impressed with the actual products inside. Some are small tester sized, but most [and I'm not kidding here] are full to medium sized products! And these aren't your crap o' products. Nope, they are from some major brand names.....Moroccan Oil, Benefit, Stila, Cargo, Lancome, Philosophy, KMS, Laura Mercier, and Purminerals just to name a few! I also thought it was a very cool way to try out products that I've never heard of before, like the black skinny liquid eyeliner I received in my box by Eyeko.
You can watch a little video review I did showcasing each individual product below :)

**Also in my fall luxe box along with the full sized Eyeko liquid eyeliner, was a full sized China Glaze Nail polish, Benefit Stay Don't Stray eye primer, a Bamboo exfoliating pad, Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray, Vichy Dark Spot Corrector lotion samples and Madonna Truth or Dare perfume. 

The luxe box costs $24 per season [so 4 times a year, as you get 4 luxe boxes a year], which includes all the products and shipping costs. Personally I think this is a great deal, because if I added up the full sized products alone, it would have cost me approx. $40!

So how do you get your hands on this? Well, first you need to request an invitation. You can do that by singing up here [trust me, it doesn't take very long to receive the invite]. Then you simply walk through all the steps and viola! Come winter [which is the next available seasonal box], your Luxe Box will be on it's way to your front door! What a fun treat! And just what this pregnant momma needed!

*Originally only offered to Canadian gals, I am happy to report that you US girls can sign up now too!

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

.baby things: gap dorchester | girl.



While I have been super hesitant to buy any girl items as I know you can't really 'boy up' a dress, these particular pieces are to die for cute. And come October, if this little babe of ours is a girl, you'd better believe the little miss and her momma will have a date to Gap.

Here's a round up of my favorite pieces from Gap's Dorchester fall girl collection:

PURCHASE:
1| Bow A-line Jacket | Probably my most favorite piece in this line and I absolutely MUST get this is we have a little girl. It's the most perfect party-ready jacket and in the most adorable blush color. LOVE.
2| Garter-Stitch Pom Pom Hat | I just simply love this color mixed with the grey fur pom. Super cute.
3| Intarsia Dog Graphic Sweater | This sweater is pretty simple to love. Dogs. Plum Purple. A little Bow at the collar. Done.
4| Legging Cords | Isn't this the most perfect color ever? And legging cords? Thumbs up for comfort!
5| Ruffle One-Piece | Just awesome in every way.
6| Big Bow Ballet Flats | Because every little miss needs a great pair of black ballet shoes [especially with a great big bow on the front].
7| Raglan Dot Dress | I can just imagine this with a little braided belt, leggings and some ankle booties. Adorable!
8| 2-in-1 Pleated Shorts with Tights | Polka dots, shorts and tights. In winter? Hell, yes! I promise you, this will be my little girls outfit [and secretly makes me want a little miss so badly. Simply for shorts with tights. In winter.]
9| Big Bow Headband | Comes in 4 awesome prints and could easily be added to any of those 'boy' pieces I spoke about yesterday [check out my fav boy picks here!]

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

.baby things: gap dorchester | boy.

Yesterday, I strolled into Gap Kids in search of a gift for our friends with a new baby boy. And I have to tell you, I was pleasantly surprised with one of their new fall lines, called Dorchester.

It has a mix of cozy and cute, with a pop of bright colors throughout. Lime green and plum purple - Yeah! I even felt a little "halloween-ish" and I loved it all. My simple purchase of a baby gift turned into a mini treb shopping trip as well. I just couldn't help it!

Here is a run down of my favorites in the "boy" section [although I really think a girl could wear a little of this too!].
1| Handsome Fella Body Suit | Loved this one, but also have my eye of the King of the Castle onesie. If this baby turns into a little boy, each will be bought. I promise you that.
2| Elbow Patch Cardigan | Pretty darn cute, no? And I think a boy or girl could both rock this sweater. Under a cute little dress or over a simple tee and jeans, cute cute cute!
3| Twill Toggle Vest | Perfect for boy or girl. And I just had to have it, so I bought it. And it's pretty awesome.
4| Ribbed Pom-Pom Hat | Even though mini treb has enough toques to last it through the next 5 winters, I couldn't help myself and this was instantly put into my basket. So adorable!
5| Ombre Sweater | Purchased and love it! Perfect for fall and if you add a cute collared shirt underneath, you will have one stylish babe.
6| Knit-Waist Lined Jeans Black Wash | Great quality and warm. Comfy and Cute. What more could you want in a baby jean?
7| Slub Terry Hoodie | Purchased and one of my fav new hoodies.
8| Lace-up Sherpa Boots | Even though these are super similar to the moccasin booties [which gap brought back into this line as well] that I bought baby treb a little while ago, I adore these and am considering if I should just buy them in a different size.
9| Striped Knit Pants | Just an all around great pant for boy or a girl. And yes, these came home with me as well.
10| Long Sleeved Chambray Shirt | Love this shirt a little too much. Wondering if this would work for a girl too? If so, then yes this will be next on my purchase list. 

So as you can see, I simply adored this line and after buying #3, 4, 5, 7, & 9 [and seriously considering #1, #8 and #10] my little babe [girl or boy] may just be looking like the next Gap mannequin. 

Monday, September 24, 2012

.happy six.

cute handmade orders for the nursery, both from etsy.
Last week I had a pretty hard week at work. It was technically my last couple days in the office before a little vacation time and then maternity leave and well, it was busy, busy, busy. That, and the combo of really starting to feel the pains of pregnancy, I thought I should remind myself of some things that are currently making me happy.
husband's breakfast special. greek yog + strawberries + blueberries + raw almonds + maple syrup. yum.
homemade apple pie, made from delicious apples from our apple tree [and my mom and my dad's too].

while i'm not one to show you the typical bare belly shot, having our hot tub running hot again [we drained it for the summer & while i am pregnant] has certainly been a pleasure. even if i still can't go in all the way...

my favorite soup [zuppa toscana] boiling on the stove.

knowing that we are going to be meeting this little person of ours any day now
[and i can finally fill these adorable little person shoes]

.it's my momma's birthday.

Happy birthday pretty lady! 
I hope you know how very much you are loved.
You bring warmth and sunshine to every one around you and you continually remind me what it means to be a better person. To be a better momma. 
I know you're going to make an amazing grandma [amazing!!] and I can only hope I raise my child like you raised us. Surrounded with unconditional love and support.

Anyways, today is all about celebrating you and I just wanted to let you know that you are so very very loved. now and forever. xo.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

.what's in baby t's diaper bag.

The other day, I posted a baby update and featured our newest addition to baby t's [or rather momma's] wardrobe: Our new Diaper bag. It's really such a gorgeous piece and after receiving a few requests, I've decided to give you a little glimpse on what's inside.

First of all, I knew that I wanted a diaper bag that would be stylish and functional. I mean you carry this thing around with you everywhere! I also knew that I didn't want to spend big bucks on a bag that I couldn't use as a purse or day-bag long after baby t has outgrown actually needing a diaper bag.
A classic shape, great color, and quality materials gives me the confidence to know that this bag will be with me for many years to come, and it even appears that each scratch it receives makes if look even better! I think we have ourselves a winner my friends.
I also want to point out that this beautiful bag [thank you mama + tata T!] is crammed full of all the baby necessities that I could think of and then some. I guess I tend to swing more along the motto of 'better safe than sorry', and I am happy to report that it all fits!
Here are some of the actual items** that I already have crammed into my diaper bag.
bag | diaper cream | blankets [my favorite brand!] | fuzzibuns fitted cloth diapers [we have these ones although we may just use disposables while out and about for ease] | pacifiers | small glass bottle | natural diapers wipes [frangrance free] | cute baby socks | adorable cuddly stuffed animal | comfy cozy pants [and a bunch of onesies, not shown] | baby book [just in time for halloween!] | modern burp cloths 
** As well as a few other things that I will be toting around but didn't make this board: Robot Change pad, Wood Toy Beads, Snacks [for momma!] and Hand Sanitizer [pocket sized].

So friends, I'm curious...what's in your diaper bag? Did I miss anything?

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

.my fall picks.

With the weather cooling down [yay!] and my inner style-maiden craving warmer chunky layering pieces, I figured I'd share what I am currently lusting over right now. My favorite fall picks.

As you can see, most has a sort of natural earthy native vibe to it and I am scooping up whatever I can in this style. They all simply elude warmth, comfort, and coziness and I cannot get enough.
I am also loving those darker berry shades for anything beauty related after a summer of bright corals and pinks.
And while I understand that my body isn't going to be back to normal shortly after the baby, I feel that most of these items are pretty forgiving and I have actually starting collecting a few of these for the occasion when I can get back into those 'normal' person clothes.

PURCHASE:

Monday, September 17, 2012

.at 37 weeks.

leggings: H&M | shirt: Joe | skinny belt: Old | bag: Fossil | bracelet: Club Monaco 2011 [similar]  |
shoes: Zara 2010 [similar
at thirty-seven weeks:
::the countdown is officially on. only 3 more weeks till baby's due date means this little sucker could potentially come at any time [and i'm hoping it's earlier]!
::i have now resorted to pretty much leggings full-time when leaving the house. they are just the most comfortable for me at this stage. i guess dresses make an appearance too.
::and flat shoes are absolutely a must.
::i am feeling pretty good considering how far along i am. frequent backaches bother me more, but that's nothing that husband can't fix with a good rub or a warm bath.
::i just discovered the tennis ball massage trick. heavens! i am in love!
::i am craving orange juice, with lots of pulp. and i'm still on the chocolate milk kick.  
::i have now moved from being scared of child birth to being excited. i feel more prepared. i just want to meet this little one so badly! something my friend chelsea said that really stuck with me was this "i actually kinda love being in labor [weird, right?]. every contraction brings you one step closer to meeting your babe. it's a magical feeling". so thank you chelsea....this has encouraged me  tremendously. 
::peter and i are now officially ready to bring baby home. car seat and hospital bags are all packed up.
::i have noticed myself sleeping in a lot more later than usual. maybe my poor body is just trying to get every last drop of sleep in before the 'fun' begins.
::baby has stopped kicking and punching and has begun rolling and stretching a lot more. it's not a short jab, but a sort of grinding move now. guess there isn't much room left for the little sucker to play.
::i've noticed that people tend to answer their phones a lot quicker now when i call then they did before...perhaps waiting for the 'baby' call? especially the poor husband. he's a giant ball of nerves right now!
::peter treated me to a maid service. sweet heavens, what a treat that is!
::i've been reading up on what to do after bringing baby home. for some reason it's like i have completely blanked out on how to manage a baby after the hospital. maybe my husband isn't the only ball of nerves around these parts.

For those of you who don't think in terms of weeks...this works out to 9 months + 1 week pregnant with only 3 more weeks to go!

Friday, September 14, 2012

.quiet moments.

In the final few moments before we become a family of three, I sometimes like to steal myself away for a few quiet moments alone.

Moments that I talk to myself. I tell myself that things will be okay. And that I can do this. That I am strong and capable of handling all these new changes. To remind myself that my husband loves me unconditionally. To remind myself that my true friends will support me and be around during this crazy life changing event. I tell myself that I am not alone. And to relax. Slow down. Appreciate the beauty of life. And appreciate all that I have and all that is coming.

Moments that I talk to my baby. And I tell it how much we love it already. How we will all learn and grow together. I play it my favorite music. I play it Peter's favorite music. I rub it and massage it tenderly. I sing it songs so that it will know my voice. I feel it kick. I tell it of all our adventures we will have together. How we will travel. How we will play. How we will become this wonderful little family. And I tell it that everything will be okay. We will all be okay, our family of three.

Moments that I think of my husband. I think of how proud I am of the man he has become. How we works so hard for us to live comfortably. I think of how he worries about us in his own little way and of how I want to comfort him in those times. Tell him how much I love him. And how that love grows so much when I see him interact with our baby still nuzzled in my belly. I think of how it melts my heart when he whispers to my belly. When he rubs my belly. When he kisses my belly. I think of how he will make a truly great father. And how our little baby is going to love him so very much. I think of how they will play. How he will teach our child to ski and skate and laugh. And perhaps speak polish. I think of how he will love our baby unconditionally. And I feel so grateful that he chose me to do this with.

Moments that I think of our family. And how much love this baby has brought to them already. How both our mother's [aka. baby t's grandmother's] voices crack when they speak of meeting the little one or how their eyes fill up with tears of joy at the thought of meeting our new mini family member. I think of our babe's grandfathers [lucky little peanut gets 3!] and how they are each prepping to love it in their own ways. And of all the activities I can already see those old guys brewing up to do with our little babe. Skiing. Horseback riding. Catching Goldfish. Building Cars. Then I think of baby t's auntie and how much she is going to spoil it rotten, in both toys and love. And how she is almost just as nervous as I am about having a baby around. I also think of all of baby t's uncles who seem both relaxed and indifferent about having a baby around, but still so excited to meet it. I then remind myself that Peter and I have this amazing support system around us, that at times, can be filled with so much love it's overwhelming. I tell myself to appreciate it. To welcome it. And I remind myself that it's okay to ask for help, and accept that help with open arms because they all want to be a part of our new crazy life too.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

.photography + blog love.

Just wanted to take the time to share a sweet blog message from my new friend, Erin over at Project Life Photography. She was one of the brilliant minds behind our maternity shoot a couple weeks ago, and if I didn't make it clear enough then....I am in love with both the pictures and this woman. Kind, gentle, and one hell of a photographer. Can't wait to see more.
And if you live in the Edmonton + area, I highly recommend seeing Erin for some pic's. You won't regret it.
xo

Check out her link here.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

.and then we had a shower - a baby shower, that is.

As mentioned previously, my absolutely lovely mothers threw little treb and I a baby shower this weekend. And heavens was it fun!
Our families, and a few close family friends, all came out and we not only got a room full of love, support and more encouragement than a berenstein bear would know what to do with, but also totally and utterly spoiled with some much needed baby gear.
[And I say much needed because the husband and I can procrastinate to no end and the car seat, stroller, baby monitor and breast pump [just to name a few! i mentioned totally SPOILED right?!] are the sort of essentials needed before the little ones arrives home.....or at least the car seat is....we actually wouldn't be bringing baby home without it. And we would sort of like to bring baby home. Yes, that would be very nice indeed!].
SO a million thank you's to all who attended!!! Baby T and I really [really!] did feel the love. 
[Peter, who arrived at the end to help pack up and well lets be honest - eat, also said he totally felt the love. So a thanks from him as well] 
I also want to mention that when we got home, Peter and I shared a laugh and a cry [okay, I cried] over those letters of love to baby t. It's something that this old sap will cherish long until our babe is old and grown. You all have lovely hearts.
soon-to-be mommy + daddy
Now we just need the baby to arrive!

Sunday, September 9, 2012

.a blur.

The past few days have been quite the blur. Busy at work cleaning up and finalizing jobs. Busy at home prepping for baby. Washing clothes. Cleaning house. Packing the diaper bag. Packing the hospital bags. Busy setting up the nursery. Busy with doctors appointments. Busy with last minute lunches and dinners with friends. Busy making freezer meals. Busy with attending prenatal classes. Basically, busy with life before a baby comes I guess [1 month to go!]. So yes, I feel a little pooped out.

And it's funny. The second I get home, I jump in the same comfy clothes that I have worn the past 4 days straight. I just don't feel like wearing anything else. At least I change my underwear. That's a bonus for the hubby [poor guy].

On the bright side, my hair is washed....And I haven't had to cook dinner for the past 2 nights [thanks steph + rob for friday! thanks hubby for the pizza break on sat].....And my family baby shower is today! Which I am super excited about :)

I guess I'll have to find myself a new outfit to wear....unless dirty sweats and a smelly t-shirt passes as acceptable? 

Thursday, September 6, 2012

.diy: the map love frame.

About a month ago I finally finished a personal diy project that I've been working on for some time now. It was actually a gift for some very wonderful friends of ours and I'm so pleased with how it turned out.

Since we travelled to see them get married in England [yes, mr. james + mrs. fiona] , we struggled with the whole 'gift' option. The good ol' question, 'What do you get them?'
You can't pack up a giant present abroad, and we knew right off the bat that giving money wasn't an option [too impersonal for how close we are with this couple]. We also knew that we wanted it to be something thoughtful and hopefully very meaningful to them. Something, so that every time they look at it, they are reminded of their special day.
So after throwing around a couple ideas, we decided to run with an adaptation from this original idea.  What do you think?
While, we spent the extra $ to get a custom frame and mat made for this gift, you can certainly diy this yourself [for cheap!] with these simple steps:
one] Just grab an old frame lying around.
two] Measure 3 holes and cut out the background mat from thick card-stock of your choice [you could really have some fun with matting options here!]. I went with squares, but you could do ovals, hearts, or even just use a pre-cut mat that comes with the frame. Easy! 
three] Print off some favorite map pictures or just tear from a atlas. Position your printed or cutout map picture over where you want it to show (for example the town or city) using your background matting cutout as a template. I choose to show the entire country [Australia + England + Canada] but you could also just show the town/city with a close up of roads or streets.
four] Grab some colored embroidery thread and a big needle and poke holes in a heart shape over the town that you met, married, and live on your printed map pictures. Then thread your heart, being careful not to pull to hard which might tear the paper. Tape down the ends of the thread on the backside of the map picture once you are finished.
five] Now position your finished embroidered map picture into the matting and tape down the picture onto the back. I choose to go with we met in the first square, then we married in the middle square, and finished with we live.
six] Choose a stamp color and small alphabet stamps in the font of your choice. Measure a straight line with a pencil [go light so its easy to erase and doesn't leave a mark] as a guide to stamp down your wording. Again I went with 'we met', 'we married', and 'we live' but you could choose whatever you'd like.
*Another idea would be to add the couples name or last name to the top of the map too.
seven] Put the finished picture and mat into the frame, seal it all up and viola! Cute and memorable picture for your home. 
And I am happy to say that it is now in their possession and I think that they really liked it.
xo

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

.loving: the moose.

shop and purchase information below
These days, I simply can't get enough of this damn moose print. In some way or another the moose just seems to sneak into all of baby t's little items. While it feels a little like christmas and we are just beginning to move into fall, I can't help myself from loving it to bits!
It started with a pair of pajamas. Then moved onto the crib sheets I made.  From there, I discovered Hatley [and basically own every moose article on that site]. It's a weird, weird addiction considering I am no hunter [rather opposite in fact!] and don't do that much camping or outdoorsy things.
However, I do feel it slowly moulding into a 'wilderness' theme of sorts as I move onto obsessing over bears, feathers, deers, foxes and lumberjack items, but man-oh-man I certainly do have a lot of moose's.
So I beg you, someone please stop me. 

Friends, I'm curious.......what's your newest baby themed addiction?
.shop the moose items.
no.1: moose and arctic animal magnets from etsy shop, original animal magnet. how cute would these be to hang your little ones art on the fridge? damn cute if you ask me.  
no.2: okay, "making the moose out of life", seriously? i just love this sweet little book. from hatley
no.3: my favorite moose pajamas for baby t. from hearthsong [on sale!] or from hatley.
no.4: moose long-sleeved onesie from eeni meeni miini moh.
no.5: some cozy and comfy sweats from eeni meeni miini moh.
no.6: moose wood toy / teether from etsy shop, buddy and jojo. the perfect little teether for your little one  to chew on. cute toy too! 
no.7: possibly the coolest room decor item for your little one. from zgallerie.
no.8: cutest moose slippers around don'tcha think?! would be great for both the little and big people in the house. from etsy shop feltingbyeglut.
no.9: cute waffled baby onesie for those colder nights and days from joefresh. i just love what joefresh is putting out lately. i seriously think i own it all! no joke!

Also, On a completely different note....THANK you so much for all the kind comments on my previous post about our maternity pictures. We had such a great time taking them, our photographers were amazing, and we will cherish those pictures for a long, long time. I mean how can you not, when they document your little baby growing in your belly!?!
We totally felt the love...
xoxo

Monday, September 3, 2012

.sneak peek.

A little sneak peek at a couple shots from our Maternity shoot that we took last week. Not a big surprise to my facebook friends as I couldn't wait to share them, but for everyone else....I hope you like :)
Pretty darn unique, right?
Our photographer Meg @ ELS Photography approached me with the wild idea of jumping in the river and getting a little dirty. I thought 'What the hell. She's the artist' so we went for it and I am absolutely over-the-moon with how they turned out.
She also asked if it would be alright for a 2nd shooter to tag along with us, and we of course jumped at the idea! And how very spoiled we felt!
So Erin @ Projectlife Photography came along and offered laughs, a different eye and just made the night that much more fun.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Ladies!!! I couldn't yell loud enough for my love over these pictures and it's something that we will cherish for a lifetime. Just me and my two babes.

I also wanted to give a shout out to my friend, Chelsea. She swooped in and saved the day with a much needed hair touch-up and I was in love with the outcome. You, my friend, are one talented lady with those sheers. Thanks again. xoxoxo.

More pictures are surely to come.....stay tuned, xo.