Flare denim, I’ll never quit you.

January 27, 2015

Denim: Paige Denim // Sweater: Lookbookstore c/o // Blouse: Old Navy // Coat: Lookbookstore c/o // Hat: Anthropologie // Reversible Tote: Urban Outfitters // Necklace: Velina and Kendra Scott // 360 Stud Earrings: Bauble Bar // Nails: Julep

If I could just wear dresses from the fifties, glasses from the sixties, and denim from the seventies, there would be no need for anything else in my closet’s life.

I am very serious about denim friends. In fact, I could talk to you about various denim brands for hours and my opinions about them. What companies run big or small, long or curvy, etc. What material is worth the designer price, and which ones wear thin fast.

Jeans are that clothing item every girl hunts for till they figure out that perfect fit. And when you find those jeans, they are worn tried and true, in and out. Being on the shorter side, my 5’5” frame usually requires me to hem most designer jeans. Since the seemed to be designed for 6 foot women only, they can swallow me whole in length….truth. However, it is nothing a ten dollar hem at a seamstress does the trick though. (Case in point: the jeans above I had hemmed!)

Last year I realized I had stacks of denim that developed over a dedicated hunt to replace my Seven jeans. I have slowly narrowed them down to a few styles and rotate them daily. The boyfriend, the skinny, the flare, and a few distressed.

So let’s talk denim. Favorite brands and the ones that have lasted you the longest? Best fitting? I would love to hear!

X, Anna

P.S. I am sharing what a day in the life looks like on my wednesdays. It’s an instagram takeover on Amazon Fashion tomorrow if you want to follow along!

Amelie’s French Bakery

January 27, 2015

As you may remember, I did a round up for Conde Nast Traveler of Atlanta’s best coffee shops. Haley and I should work on round 2, because we both agreed it was our favorite project to work on obviously so;)

These are additional shots of the quaintest little french coffee shop, Amelie’s French Bakery. There are quite a range of sweets for the stomach as well as for the eyes! Vintage couches, plate walls, intriguing portraits, and mismatched chairs. I think it’ll take a few visits to soak it all in!

Mark this spot as a must visit, especially with February around the corner. Its got that old romantic feel;)
x, Anna

Amelies French Bakery
840 Marietta St. NW
Atlanta, GA 30318

P.S. More Atlanta must see spots here!

All photos by the magnificent Haley Sheffield!

Before and After Dining Room Makeover Reveal

January 22, 2015

We spend the most time as a family and with friends around this table. I knew it was one of the first rooms in our rental house I really wanted to take time to make it feel inviting, as if it were to say, come and sit a spell as we pour you a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. Here are a few of the before and after dining room makeover photos…

We started from scratch with nothing but this table Gabe built. (He might share the directions for this one soon!) I knew I would never be able to execute decisions to save my life, so I called in the expert Kristin Jackson of The Hunted Interior. She is my brilliant and super sweet friend here in Atlanta who does no wrong in the interior design realm. I am so thankful to her for teaming up with me on this project and completely nailing my style. We have another project we are working on we will share soon!

A few behind the scenes things you may want to know…

– Wallpapering was not as difficult as I had anticipated! I followed tips from Yellow Brick Home which was super helpful. Hygge and West also has some fantastic removable wallpaper options for those of you who may not want to commit to permanent.
– We only keep out glassware when we are hosting. When you have busy little ones running around, acrylic glassware is a good option! Otherwise, we keep the rest hidden:)
– Gabe built the bench (measurements and details coming soon), so that we could fit more people on one side! Leaned it up against the wall with pillows for a comfortable lounge area.
– We left the windows without curtains to maximize the natural light. I love as much natural light as possible in a room, and since it is a smaller room, I didn’t really feel like it needed the extra textiles.

So thankful to West Elm for teaming up on this project (they have that mid century modern edge to their pieces that makes me swoon.) All Modern had the statement chandelier that was a welcome and dramatic change to the rental fixture. Plush Rugs had just the right selection of overdyed rugs, and we found the peacock blue hue I was hoping for.

I look forward to many brunches, birthdays, and long lingering dinners around this table, and hope my little ones can have some of those memories to keep.

Head on over to Style Me Pretty Living for the full gallery of images, why we chose to makeover the dining room first, and how Kristin came up with the color palate and layering the design elements!

All the details:
Rug // Table – Handmade // Chairs // Bench – Handmade // Pillows // statement chandelier // Wallpaper // Mirrors // Bar Cart // Decanters // Mercury Vases

Spring Break Dreaming with Teva

January 21, 2015

It hit a warm and sunny 60 degrees this week in Atlanta and my sun soaking heart was dreaming its way out of winter. Thankfully, we have a big lake with sandy shores nearby that does the trick until we meet saltwater season again. Getting to team up with Teva this week for some spring inspired photos was timely and welcomed!

I will be guest pinning for Teva all week long as I share some of my favorite spring break dayscapes and ways to upgrade spring break travel plans:) Come on over and join me!

*Wearing: Sandals: Teva, Dress: J.Crew, Sweater: Lookbook store
Tennis shoes: Teva, Tank: Transforming Beauty, Jacket: Albion Fit

The art of getting dressed.

January 20, 2015

(photo source)

I see myself in some of these women above. I have a feeling I will be wearing big sunnies and a yellow scarf at the age of 73. There’s a reason for that…

I have three beautiful children, each with their own inquisitive, curious, and unique personalities.
They ask me approximately 143 questions each and every day.
Since Max cannot talk yet, he smacks me on the leg an equal amount of times to get my attention or show me something new.
Oh how I love those little dimpled hands, and their dimpled cheeks and wonderous eyes.
And oh how weary I can get by 5 PM.
Motherhood is my favorite aspect of life, and so I commit each week to try to become a better one.

One of these ways is getting up a little earlier than my little ones to get spiritually and physically dressed.
I have a little prayer/meditation time, and then I sometimes (sometimes mind you!) I get dressed.
I go into my closet and instead of being on the receiving end of many questions, I get to make some decisions. I get to creatively assemble what reflects the weather, mood, or goals for the day. Sometimes that is workout wear, but sometimes, it is my favorite jeans, oversized sweater, and bold lipstick.
The art of getting dressed.
It does something for me. It gets me equipped for what the day will bring like a fresh cup of coffee and a clean kitchen. You see, we each have this ability to choose who we will be in this life, and how we will give to those around us. We each have our own set of physical characteristics as well as personality and character traits. There are not two of us who are the same. In this fact alone, I celebrate! I celebrate the ability to have a fresh start each morning, with the choice to be the best version of myself.

My grandmother Lucia had a marvelous hat collection.
She is one of the strongest women I have ever met.
Having lived through poverty, the loss of children, moving her spanish speaking family to an english speaking city, and feeding many mouths faithfully and lovingly every day of her life. Lucia dressed her best every single Sunday, and would pull out one of her many hats to wear to church. She would smile and hold her head high, and you could sense the pride in which she felt when she was her best dressed.

My grandmother Margaret still does her makeup.
She also raised a large and wonderful family, and worked every day as an oil painter for my grandfather’s photography business.
In every photo she is breathtakingly beautiful.
She can ride her bike around town, and her old victorian home draws in many grandchildren and visitors who love to have her ear. She is such a good listener.
I received a handwritten letter from her this week I consider it a treasure.
She still has incredible style, and puts on lipstick for all the right occasions.

I get dressed every day because it is the art of womanhood.
It is taking the example of the great women who exemplified living a life of purpose.
It is small step in the goal to pass on with grace the life giving love we are capable of.

I think I’ll read this essay again tomorrow afternoon when my son’s peanut butter stained hand is patting my favorite jeans…

Raspberry Coconut Flour Muffins

January 19, 2015

Don’t be fooled. I am actually kind of lazy in the kitchen for breakfast. We have yogurt and fruit most mornings and muffins are few and far between, but since I love them so! I had to come up with a version that we could eat guilt free so I played around with a few recipes. We don’t strictly follow any diets, but we aim to do a mix of Weston Price(wouldn’t survive without grass fed dairy!) and Whole30 lifestyle so this recipe should pass the test for clean eating, gluten free, dairy free, and all the rest!

You can make with any fresh or dried fruit you have on hand and are extremely delicious fresh out of the oven. I especially love them lathered in kerrygold butter, but you know, to each his own;)

Hope you enjoy and happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
Anna

[yumprint-recipe id=’3′]

P.S. I can’t figure out how to edit the recipe card for the life of me but it is supposed to be titled “Raspberry Coconut Flour Muffins” in case that confuses you!

Battle the Winter Blues Pt.1

January 16, 2015

I grew up in Ohio, where Spring doesn’t arrive till May. I loved to ski, and would rejoice over snow, but ohhh by March I would swear I was moving to warmer temps. Well that dream eventually happened (hello Atlanta!), but I still have a tough time with January. It has been dreary and cold all week and when you are confined indoors and cut off from Vitamin D, it is too easy to get in to a chinese and netflix rut, am I right?? So I decided to be pro-active this season with doing things that will help me battle the winter blues with my fists up. I started this over on instagram, but thought it would be good to carry it over here! I’ve got ideas for my little ones integrated in this list too, because poor things are like caged tiger cubs longingly waiting for the sun to come out and play. They have much more imagination than I do though, so usually they are giving me ideas:) Read on and then leave me your ideas please!

1. Surround yourself with quotes that butter your bread – Ones that get you up in the morning, that keep you going through the tough deadlines, that remind you of your purpose, and ones that make you laugh. You should see my mirror…
(This print was a gift, and hand painted by Bianca Cash)

2. Make a hot breakfast – Food is my love language….as well as my children’s…and my husband’s. Sooo win win with this one. I get pretty lazy in the kitchen for breakfast. Cold cereal is much easier than getting pots and pans dirty, but you know what, when your belly is full of hot food, you feel like no one can rock your boat now! At least for me…:D Again, food is my love language friends.(Heart waffles were a little ambitious…)

3. Act of service – We can get so caught up in our own daily schedules and routine, and it is so easy to coast through a month without having really looked around us. So many people need to be reminded they are cherished, loved, or appreciated. There are so many ways to share acts of service, so I’d love to hear your ideas??! I picked up some flower bunches and gave them to a few pals for various reasons because unless you are allergic to them, they can remind you there is life beyond winter and that maybe someone was thinking about you;) I also had a mother from Gabe’s school recently who made us a meal for no reason, and I tell you what. That went a long way in my most appreciative heart.

4. Vitamin C – Loads of it. I’ve been making it a goal to give my family and I plenty of Vitamin C through the fruit of the season! As well as fruit in general. Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries (thanks Sprouts), Omega Swirl, and all those good brain foods that battle the colds and keep you feeling energized.

5. Put on some bold lipstick, and maybe get it all over someone you love. Pucker up.

This is just the start of my list, but I’ll be adding to it! So please, leave your ideas in the comment section below so I can make this stretch till the end of February (when Spring usually arrives in GA;))
Play along on instagram: if you do any of the above over the next few weeks, use the hashtag #BattletheWinterBlues because it is much for fun to troop through this together.

Enjoy the long weekend friends!