Oh Boy(s)!

Ask anyone who runs a vintage kiddo clothes shop:  cute, fun vintage girl clothes are just easier to come by.  Our shop definitely has more baby girl clothes than boy clothes. Almost every pregnant mama I know, prior to finding out the baby's gender, has made mention of the fact that dressing a girl is "so much more fun" than a boy.   Maybe because boys' clothes tend towards basics.  They're made with dirt in mind. But basics don't have to be boring!

I found a great little haul of boys' stuff at the thrift yesterday, and can't wait to put them in the shop!  Mamas of little guys, check out these fun pieces!  I'm especially partial to the bright green flared overalls with the hand stitched train (The wheels are individual buttons! It's amazing!).

As always, if you see something you like or want to know more, drop us a line! 

Hope you're all having a great weekend...work is done here for today, now it's off to play in the sunshine!

xo,
Amanda

Sleep.

Lyla has come leaps and bounds behavior-wise since she was born (almost 5 months ago!!).  The one thing we are still struggling a bit with is sleep.  She's always been pretty decent at sleeping during the night (she usually wakes a couple times and I can nurse her back to sleep within 15 minutes....knock on wood!).  Day time naps usually consist of two or three half hour to one and a half hour snoozes.  But what I must admit is that we were generously given a beautiful brand new crib in which Lyla has yet to sleep a wink.  At night she sleeps in our bed with us and her day time naps are done so in my arms.  She could be passed out cold and within seconds of leaving my arms she startles herself awake.  It can be frustrating.  I get stuck under her for hours a day. I sit and think of all the things I could be getting done if she would just let me put her down.  But secretly I can't help but revel in the fact that she wants me so close to her all the time.  That she can rest so peacefully with the assurance that when she opens her eyes she will see my face.  I know it won't always be that way, so I'm taking it slow.  I'll put her down when she's ready.  Those dirty dishes in the sink can wait.

Hope you all have a relaxing weekend!

xo
Jayme

Aurora Style: Mixing Patterns

Welcome to a fun new segment where Aurora shares some of her favorite looks for spring!  Or rather, Aurora's mama shares some photos in which Aurora looks very cute.

It's fun to dress kids.  I won't lie: I'm excited for when Aurora can choose her own outfits, but right now, it's more fun getting her dressed and buying her cute stuff than it is for myself.  That's because no matter what she wears, she always looks spectacular. Because she's my baby (okay, toddler, I guess...since, as you can see in these photos, she has entered toddle-dom!)

Tee-Target, Overalls-vintage (thrifted), Sandals-vintage (thrifted), Softie Bear-Angel Dear, Bow-random

I think it's so much fun to mix patterns, for kids and adults alike!  I paired this ruffly floral tee with some red railroad stripe overall shorts.  These sandals came in Aurora's Easter basket...they're still a tiny bit big since she is almost directly between a size 3 and 4.  But aren't they awesome?  Little gal gladiators.

Miss Aurora just got up from her nap, which is why she did not want to let go of her softie bear.  Before she was born, Q bought her two of these super soft blankies from Angel Dear: a pink flower and this bear.  Last week, she was very grouchy and insisted on bringing her pink flower softie into the store, where she dropped it and we never found it. :(  I was pretty sad!  But as soon as I told Q, he went right to the computer and ordered her a new one. They no longer carry the flower, but he got her a sweet pink lamb. 

It's lunchtime for us ladies, then we are off to get some groceries.  Stay tuned for more Aurora style!

xo,
A & a

A Miskabelly Easter

Q, Aurora, and I traveled up to Pennsylvania on Friday evening, through traffic and rain, all the way to grandmother's house.  Aunt Jayme, Uncle Andy and little Lyla were there waiting for us too!  Aurora was awake in the car the whole time and only took a half an hour afternoon nap.  She was totally wired when she got to see some of her favorite people, so she didn't go to bed until almost ten o'clock. But it was worth it!

We had to get back to do Easter dinner on Sunday w/ Q's family, so we made Saturday our "Easter." I got a little excited about Lyla's first Easter and had so much fun finding little treats for her basket (including the sweetest vintage wooden puzzle and  little sandals!)

My parents did an Easter egg hunt for the girls (mostly Aurora) and we had our huge Easter dinner. During the day, we went on a couples date to Barnes and Noble and Ross for a little shopping while my parents played with the kiddos. In the evening, my parents brought out the Easter baskets for the Big Kids (who cares if we're 27 and 29?).  We watched "Morning Glory" with Rachel McAdams/Harrison Ford. Then it was bedtime.

Sunday morning we got all prettied up and went to church at 9:30.  Aurora was so excited, she wouldn't stop talking, pointing to babies and yelling "BABY!" (especially to Lyla) and trying to walk on her own.  Q and I had her out in the lobby most of the time.  After a big leftovers lunch, we headed back to VA, to sunshine and warm weather, and a fun family dinner/Easter egg and basket hunt with our big girls and niece.

Q and I w/ Aurora, Madelyn, and Emma

In other news, Aurora is walking and talking all over the place! She is a great big ball of energy.

It is so much fun to see our girls together--Lyla is getting SO big and Aurora loves her so much.  The trip felt too short, but we're looking forward to a long, more relaxing weekend sometime in the future.

We hope that you and your sweet families had a wonderful Easter weekend!

xo,
J&A

Vintage Easter Dress Redesign

I had a bunch of pretty little vintage Easter dresses to choose from for Lyla, but I loved the pale aqua of this one! The one thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the fact that it had little pink fake flowers on it that reminded me too much of the 80s. I like doing vintage as modern. Taking styles from other decades and translating them into this decade. Here's how I changed the dress:

I simply removed the flowers and the bows and then replaced them with white buttons.  I then stitched one of the bows back on--but at the neckline.  I love how it looks like a little bow tie!  Babies can take part in the menswear trend too!  haha.

Hope you all had as lovely of a weekend as we did!  We'll be sure to share more photos from our Easter weekend sometime this week.

xo

Jayme

Happy Friday!

Just a little baby eye candy to get your weekend started off right!

This little lady had her 4 month check up today and had to get two shots. Poor thing. She was such a trooper! Cried for a second and has been happy as a clam ever since. She now weighs 12lbs. 7oz. (she was in the 4th percentile for weight last time and now she is in the 25th percentile!). As you can see....she has discovered her hands and her little upside down thumb sucking is the cutest! Cousin Aurora is visiting this weekend and she is pumped (as am I!). Have a lovely Easter weekend!

xo,

Jayme

Date Night Confessions

Last night Andrew and I went on a little date, just the two of us.  We got all dolled up so I wanted photo documentation (and Lyla looks gorgeous everyday so of course she HAD to be in our photos)!  She couldn't keep her gaze of the bright lights!

My first confession:  I almost ruined our evening by throwing a mini-tantrum after seeing these photos.  So many were super blurry.  We were using studio umbrella lights and no flash--which looks great...as long as you can hold the camera completely still AND your subject stays still (a difficult task for a baby).  And my camera is just a Canon point and shoot.  I've been super jealous lately of how lovely the photos are on some of my favorite blogs.  I think I'm going to start a "fancy camera fund" jar.

Anyway... after Andrew got me calmed down, we ended up having a really nice evening.  We spent dinner talking about Lyla and comparing photos of her on our phones.  We tried to take our time eating and even went to Starbucks afterwards for some decaf lattes.  But alas, we were anxious to get back to our baby.  Which leads me to my second confession (which Andrew and I both reluctantly confessed to one another....):  We care more about Lyla than we do each other.  It sounds weird.  And I hated even typing that just now.  But I suppose that's what it means to be a parent.  Lyla is the product of our love for one another.  And though the experience of pregnancy and child birth and the past four months as parents has made me love Andrew even more than I thought possible...Lyla trumps it all.  Being a momma is truly incredible.

xo
Jayme

4 months old.

Lyla is 4 months old today.  This past month we've been able to travel, go out to dinners and take her shopping.  We're starting to really enjoy taking her places and getting super excited for this summer.  Lots of family trips will be planned!

She's still not a big napper...but she's been sleeping for a 6 hour stretch at night.  She wakes up in the morning smiling and "talking."  She's gone from oo's and aah's to now adding in the 'b' sound (bah, boo) and most recently 'pfff'.

I live for her giggles!  Sometimes my face hurts from smiling at her so much--trying to get her to laugh.

She is getting so big!  She finally is fitting in some 3-6 months size clothes.  Her 4 month check up is on Friday--I think she will weigh in at around 12-13 pounds.

My favorite thing to do is sit outside with Lyla (and daddy, when he's home!).  She loves feeling the breeze on her face.  Such a little sweetie.  

xo,

Jayme

Lyla's Vintage Nursery

Lyla's nursery was put together with a small budget but a big amount of creativity and love.  It is a mixture of vintage knick knacks, handmade decorations and a few store-bought items.  Looking through these photos, I realized the only item I actually purchased was the area rug!  Everything else was made by me or gifted.

TOP LEFT: Aqua dresser (DIY here),  purple toy trunk-handmade by Lyla's uncle (Amanda's hubby),  vintage "L" tote bag, garden painting by me,  handmade curtains (DIY here), floral mini mural under window hand painted by me

TOP RIGHT:  handmade wooden "L" (DIY here), vintage framed print, gifted stuffed animals

BOTTOM LEFT: gifted crib, Lyla nameplate handmade by Lyla's uncle's girlfriend, mobile by Tiny Love, area rug from Target

BOTTOM RIGHT: gingham crib bumper, floral sheets, cute stuffed animals (ALL gifts!) 

LEFT: hanging tissue paper pom poms (DIY here), gifted glider chair, vintage dresser (refinished by my mom), handmade shelves (by Amanda's hubby), decorated lamp (DIY here), triangle bunting made by me, canvas bins from Target, vintage knick knacks

RIGHT: little owl handmade by Amanda, dresser runner handmade by me, vintage ceramic baby shoe

purple shelf (reused/repainted), vintage wicker baby doll pram, vintage baby playsuit and sweaters, vintage ballet shoes (they were mine!)

I had so much fun putting together a bright, eclectic room for Lyla and I can already tell she loves! I was determined not to just go out and by all matching bedroom sets and accessories. I love that a lot of the items have a story behind them--and so many were made or bought by people who love her so so much.

xo
Jayme

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Thrifty Mama Finds: Spring Edition

Q and I have been talking about getting a wagon for Aurora since the winter.  When we saw how excited she got riding in her cousin Zoe's wagon, we knew that spring would bring a wagon to our house.

But wagons aren't as cheap as you might think. And I really, reeeeeeeeally wanted a vintage one, like the Radio Flyer Jayme and I had as kids.

Put something out into the Universe and often times, if you're paying attention, you'll get it (the thrifting gods seem to listen especially well, in my experience!).  I found a wagon at a local thrift store for less than half the price we'd pay for a new one. 

so happy in her wagon!

If you follow me on Twitter, you may remember that I tweeted a week or so ago that I also fell in love with this antique daybed at the same thrift shop, but wasn't sure I would get it.  It was absolutely perfect, though, and in the end, when Q saw it, he agreed. So we got it!  It will be Aurora's big girl bed when she's ready. For now, it's still in her room, and she loves playing on it. (I love it too.)

The sheet and dust ruffles came with the bed!

I found these two large pillows at my favorite thrift...I want to get a few more small ones to make a perfect pile (yes, I'm one of those people who loves piles of pillows!)

The sweetest cherub detail on headboard and footboard:  Aurora likes to tickle them! It is beyond cute.

I'm not only about vintage things--I like new stuff too. But I still operate on a budget, especially for Aurora's stuff, since she grows so quickly.  She has really started to get around on her little feet, so it was time to get some new shoes.  Daddy needed new work shoes, and ordered a pair of Keens...the same website just so happened to have kiddo Keens on sale too. I couldn't pass them up!

pink maryjanes to match her pink wardrobe!

love the rugged sole!

 

 

Big Girl Shoes for my big girl.

And last, but not least, I have tried for the longest time to stay AWAY from Zulily but when I saw they were having a sale on baby backpacks by Kelty (we've been scouting them for spring/summer hikes and walks, since Aurora is slowly becoming a hater of her stroller), I couldn't resist.  We got this one:

Do you see that little sunroof?!  Just perfect. And it goes up to 40 pounds, which means we can still use it for a while.  I can't wait! (Although, I'm sure Q will be doing most of the carrying.  I let him pick the color for that reason.)

As you can see, we're all ready for spring here!  Now, it just needs to stay here.

xo,

Amanda

Forgot to mention....

I am a little (ok...a LOT) flighty these days.  I totally forgot to mention that we were featured on Mama Loves Papa on Tuesday!  It is quickly becoming one of my new favorite blogs--written by Morgan, a mama of four who is gorgeous AND has great style!  Not sure how she does it.  I'm still trying to figure out how to "work it out" with just one bambino!  Thanks again for having us on your blog, Morgan!  Click here to read our interview.

Thrifted vs. Vintage

I think it's safe to say that most of us vintage lovers are all about finding a good bargain.  I think my love for vintage definitely stems from my love of all things cheap (which can be both a blessing and a curse).  So when I'm out on a thrifting trip, searching for vintage goodies, I'm definitely not one to turn down a name brand (or otherwise) piece that isn't vintage, just because it's cute.

I must confess that this extraordinary find comes from Amanda (people--she is a thrifting PRO).
This little romper is by the Italian brand Aletta.  And when she stumbled across it at the thrift store it still had the original tags on it!  Rompers by Aletta (found HERE) run anywhere from $50 to $100!!  And honestly, this one's even cuter than any other Aletta pieces I've seen online!  It's a bit small already for Lyla (she is growing like a weed!!) so I doubt she'll get to wear it again.  But boy oh boy was she CUTE in it!

\

That smile!!  She obviously was feeling a little sassy in her designer onesie!  

xo

Jayme

April, this year

Yesterday I painted my toe nails for the first time in at least 6 months.  As silly as it sounds, it really got me thinking.  Thinking about how I used to paint my toe nails almost every week.  Thinking about how (before Lyla) I used paint my toe nails because I was bored.  Because I needed something to do to fill my free time.

This time last April I was pregnant and didn't know it yet.  In April two years ago I was pregnant and ended up having a miscarriage weeks later.  Then there was the inevitable waiting time before we could start "trying" again,  followed by a couple more months of not wanting to try again (for fear of another failure), followed by months of trying and feeling as though it would never happen for us.

Now here we are in April 2011--with a bouncing (kicking, cooing, screaming, laughing, wiggling) baby girl consuming all of that free time I used to use to paint my toe nails.

Last night Andrew was talking on the phone to a friend who just became a daddy this week.  I could overhear him comparing daddy stories.  Talking about solo trips to the grocery store to pick up 'feminine products' and sleepless nights spent rocking a newborn.  It was hilarious to hear (at one point he was making conversation about breast feeding...!) but it made me happy.

We are parents.  It's been a long journey (though nothing compared to some couples' journeys--and my heart goes out to those couples) but we are finally here--spending this April dreaming of warm summer days--with our sweet little baby.

xo
Jayme

Jump Around

It's hot and sunny here in Virginia today.  It feels more like summer than spring--but I'm just thankful it doesn't feel like winter.  We're getting ready to post some pretty darn adorable stuff to the shop this week in anticipation of warm weather, so here's a little sneak peek of one of my favorite kiddo pieces for spring/summer, the jumper!

pink seersucker w/ balloons

ruffly yellow w/ umbrella and rainbow

soft yellow terry with rocking horse

red and white polka dot potted plant  (my favorite!)

toddler plaid w/ criss cross straps

Coming to the shop in the next day or two!

Now, off to enjoy the day while it lasts.

xo,
Amanda

Pretty Little Dresses

Looks like I'm coveting something in Amanda's Easter basket!

It is no secret that Amanda and I have enjoyed dressing up since we were little.  We always looked forward to getting a new dress for each holiday.  Our mom would curl our hair (and in Amanda's case, sometimes crimp it..haha), we'd pack up our miniature purses with lip smackers and juicy fruit gum (to keep us busy during church) and put on our freshly ironed dresses.  I always felt so pretty on those days--even though looking back at photos I was a super awkward child!

Our mom really was into hats!  I plan on having Lyla wear little sun hats all the time too.

We had completely matching outfits this year...I will spare you the dresses!

We have some great little dresses in the shop that remind me a lot of dresses Amanda and I wore when we got dressed up for Easter as kids.  Here's a few of my favorites:

Polly Flinders Blue Smocked Dress, $18

Square Neck Cap Sleeve Easter Dress, $14

Yellow CI Castro Bib Collar Dress, $18

Embroidered Smocked Jacket, $18

Easter is just 2 weeks away!!  I can't wait for Lyla and cousin Aurora dressed in their sweet little Easter dresses.  What's your little one wearing for Easter?

xo

Jayme

My Girl

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day...and her name is Aurora.  (Yes, it's Amanda! Writing a blog! Surprise!)

in a vintage dress that just sold!

Just wanted to give you a little peek into what my toddler--she is for sure toddling these days--has been up to.

Aurora loves...

 Strawberries and Blackberries

Riding in the wagon with her cousin Zoe

Giving Hugs and Kisses (especially to little Lyla!)

  Her Da-Da

 ...and Ma-ma

 Warm milk in the morning (and Da-Da w/ his coffee and crazy hair)

Playing the big piano

Being outside, especially in her swing.

 

Aurora Says...

Mama. Dada. Ly-la. Up. Shoes. Dance. Poop.  

Thank you. Oh jeez.

Arf-ruff...(when asked what a puppy says.)

Kiss. Milk. Nana.

Aurora is...

Long and lean.  She needs 18 months for most clothes in terms of length, but they are too big on her belly most of the time!

in another vintage look from the shop!

Aurora is sweet and loving and playful and very talkative.  She has taken only three steps on her own so far.  She loves animals and babies and music and dancing.  She also loves just about every kind of food, but especially sweets and fruit (just like mama!).

And she's also just awake from her nap, so I must be off!

xo,
Amanda