SALE! (and some family photos)

Just some photos of our little family enjoying one of the first summer-ish days here in Pennsylvania!  We went for ice cream (but we waited to take photos till after we finished our treats--once I have a dish of ice cream in my hands I kind of have a one track mind).  

We are so pumped for the upcoming long weekend!  In honor of Memorial Day both shops (Miskabelle and Miskabelly) are offering 30% off your purchase!  Just enter the code MEMORIAL30 at the check out. 

Have a lovely weekend!

xo

Jayme

My Vintage Baby v.5

Things are bit in limbo around these parts.... You may have noticed the redesign of the blog header/background.  We hope to polish it up a bit still!
I'm also still working out my new camera.  My brain can't handle all the 'aperture', 'ISO', etc. lingo...so right now I'm still using it on the auto-setting.  These days, the simpler the better.  I'm feeling an overwhelming amount of unwarranted stress.  So silly.  Remember a couple posts ago when I talked about setting "mama goals"?  Turns out, if those said-goals don't get accomplished I feel more stressed than if I hadn't set the goals to begin with.  So let's just focus on the good right now.  Miss Lyla Georgette, looking sweet in a little vintage sweater:

I tried to complete the outfit with her vintage white sandals but she kept kicking them off!  Babies will be babies I suppose.  That pretty quilt she's lounging on was made by my great-aunt.  I can't get over how many pretty things this little lady already has!  She is spoiled.  And she totally deserves it.

xo
Jayme

We were featured...

While we love blogging, the main idea behind Miskabelly is actually our etsy shop.  We love bringing our vintage finds to YOU!   One of our lovely customers, Jen of The Closet Narcissist recently posted photos of her adorable baby bump all decked out in vintage from Miskabelly.  She was also so sweet as to tell about her experience with our shop.  Check it out HERE!

Thanks Jen!

xo

J&A

Mama Guilt, Mama Goals

I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to be a stay-at-home-mom.  I love being able to spend every second of the day with my little Lyla.  Though lately there’s been this little bit of guilt creeping up on me.  I mean…I feel like I have the hardest job in the world (taking care of another human being, 24/7), but I know from the outside some people think it’s all fun and games… the whole “you get to hang out at home all day!” mentality.  So the guilt is kind of me projecting on myself what I feel like others are thinking.  Yes it is amazing being at home all day with my baby…but it is also the hardest job I have ever taken on.   And yet I still feel like I want to do more (Darn you, inner over-achiever!).

This weekend I decided I need to set some goals for myself to help me feel a sense of accomplishment throughout the week (and hopefully push aside this pesky guilt).  I flipped through cookbooks to plan ahead new/interesting meals for the week.  I made a list of things I want to clean/organize each day.  And my next task is to try to get on more of a work schedule for Miskabelle/Miskabelly etsy stuff and blog posts. Because while the idea of living a life free of restrictions and plans set in stone seems like bliss…I think it’s human nature to want a little bit of structure.  This way we can celebrate our small daily successes—even if that just means making sure the toilet gets scrubbed every Wednesday.

xo

Jayme

Funny Girl

Aurora is a character...I don't know how else to describe her.  She is funny and a little wild and very independent, but also sweet and cuddly.   She is figuring out what she likes and dislikes and what she can and can't do. I find myself taking pictures of something funny or cute almost every day. She doesn't pose the way she used to, but I've caught a few moments in the last week or so that I wanted to share with you.

The other night, Aurora found herself a new seat in the kitchen...

As I've shared in this week's fashion blog, Aurora has a new favorite treat:  BEANS!  See if you can spot the bean in the photos below...

(She also loves reading.  Here, she explores a Rilke compilation.  Baby genius, I tell ya.)

One of Aurora's favorite words for the longest time was HAT!  It has quickly become her favorite accessory.

And this week, Aurora has been practicing her Mommy skills and taken a lot of interest in her Cabbage Patch baby.  Baby gets lots of kisses (and also drops onto the hardwood floor).

That's all the time I have for now...my funny little girl is going to be up from her nap, and we're hoping for a family bike ride before it rains! I just got Aurora a helmet and we set up her bike trailer. I really hope she likes it! (Photos to come!)

Have a wonderful weekend!  Thanks for reading.

xo,
Amanda

{Lyla} 5 months old.

On this date 5 months ago, Lyla was born.  I recently read somewhere "the days are long but the years are short."  That pretty much sums it up.  Lyla consumes my time 24 hours a day--but it's by my choice.  She really captivates me...especially now that her personality has developed so much.  I don't want to miss one smile, one laugh, one coo (this also means I witness every dirty diaper, every screaming fit, every sleepless night).  This past month Lyla's nightly sleep habits have gotten worse (last night for example, she went to bed at 10, was awake at 12:15 and didn't fall back asleep until 4:30....yikes), but her day time persona has become SO much more easy going.  She plays independently on her play mat, will sit on my lap and let me read a book to her and even has spent some time time in her little swing (gasp!).  Oh, and did I mention she gets cuter each day?  Here are the photos to prove it:

Still daddy's girl.  She smiles so big when she sees him come in the door from work!

She loooves being in her crib...to play.  She watches her mobile and scoots around till she's turned 180 degrees from the direction we lay her down!  Still no sleep has taken place here....

She's been spending time in her Bumbo chair!  I can't get over how hilarious she looks sitting in it.  

I love dressing Lyla in little summer outfits so her little rolls can be exposed!  Her hair is slowing disappearing, except for the small patch in the front which has gotten really long.  So she's been wearing a lot more hair accessories.

We gave Lyla her first taste of rice cereal.  I know most people wait till six months, but it was a desperate attempt to see if it would help improve her sleep habits at night.  We've only given it to her 3 days now (and she does so great eating it!  she's a natural...) and I'm not sure we'll continue because I feel like she's even MORE active in the evening once she's eaten the cereal.

So there she is.  My 5 MONTH OLD.  I have moments of "she's growing up toooo fast!" but honestly she just gets better with age--more cute, more fun, more pleasant--so I really can't complain.

xo

Jayme

Aurora Style: The Hipster

Recently, I took to our big thrift store to buy Aurora almost a whole new wardrobe for spring/summer. She has outgrown just about all of her onesies and pants and shoes!  Luckily, my thrift has a substantial and awesome selection of both vintage and modern kiddo stuff.

I found this top and pants for Aurora--the peasant shirt is just OshKosh Kids, but the pants are vintage!  Cotton parachute pants, with elastic at the bottom and waistband.  The print is kittens peeking out of roses...how 80s (early 90s?) is that?!  The sandals are vintage and they came in Aurora's Easter basket this year.  As you can see from the photos, it took her a little while to warm up. Now that she walks, it's hard to get her to stay still! As soon as she's standing, she's off!  But I was lucky to get a few shots of this fun outfit.

peasant shirt, printed pants, leather gladiators--all thrifted.

Aurora has really been keeping us busy--she's running, not walking, and she talks almost non stop.  She will say back almost any word you say to her (or at least, try to say it!).  Which means:  it's time to be more careful with our language around here when we're frustrated/mad!  Seeing her understand a new word is so fun.  One of her favorite new phrases (thanks to her grandma, who watched her for a few nights while Q and I celebrated our anniversary in Cape May) is "Good girl!" (which she pronounces like guh-gull).  We say it to her a lot to affirm when she does good things (stops touching something she shouldn't touch, lifts up her legs when we're changing her diaper, eats all of her food).  Another favorite word (and item), which she learned around Easter, is: "BEAN!" as in, jelly bean.  A jelly bean is a special treat that makes her very excited. Just mention the word "bean" in conversation, and it's all over...

So there are some Aurora tales and Aurora fashion!  Coming soon, a tour of her nursery (finally)!

xo,
Amanda & aurora

My Vintage Baby- The Sleepy Version

I sort of die over babies in pajamas. There's something so darn cute about a sleepy-eyed, bed-headed baby in a nightgown. This one is vintage and belonged to Aurora. I love the delicate print and the ruffles at the sleeves, neckline and hem.

Doesn't Lyla look so innocent and sweet in the morning? Makes it easy to forget that she's been waking every two hours (and sometimes not going back to sleep for another two) for the past couple weeks!

Sorry we've been a bit M.I.A. lately. Sometimes life just gets in the way of blogging!

xo

Jayme

Mother's Day Everyday

Funny how for Mother's Day most moms take the day off from their usual mom duties. I guess the idea is that handing over the baby to daddy for the day will help him gain even more appreciation for what you go through each day as a mom. And while I did relinguish a little of my usual Lyla-duties to Andrew, for the most part we spent the day as a family. To be honest, every day is like Mother's Day at my house. My husband thanks me for what I do all the time. He jumps in whenever he's needed. He does laundry. He washes dishes. He comes home from a long day at work and scoops Lyla into his lap so I can get a much-needed break. I guess I should be saving this post for Father's Day...but what I'm really trying to say is that I don't think I could be as good of a mom without the constant support of my husband. He encourages me daily and tells me I'm doing a good job. My Mother's Day was just the same as any other day--but with roses and a bag of gummy bears (Lyla picked them out, of course!).

xo

Jayme

Happy Mother's Day

Wishing all you moms out there the happiest of mother's days!  This is my first and and have to say, I feel pretty special.  How could you not with a baby as sweet as this??

The past few days I helped my mom take care of Aurora while Amanda and her husband celebrated their one year anniversary in Cape May.  And wow.  One year olds are a handful!  Aurora is the sweetest little ball of energy though.  We took some photos of her in this sweet vintage outfit and had them framed as a gift for Amanda for Mother's Day.

We love our babies so much!  And we love our own mom so much!  Amanda and I are very blessed.

our lovely mom with her grand-baby Aurora

I'm off to enjoy this sunshine and get some rest after a busy weekend.  Happy Mother's Day!

xo
Jayme

Wednesday.

Wednesdays aren't exactly my favorite day of the week.  It's the point in the week where my renewed energy from the previous weekend has depleted and the upcoming weekend seems way too far away.  Today wasn't all that bad though.

1.  When catching up on my blog roll I noticed one of my favorite blogs, Smile and Wave had photos the author, Rachel's adorable son, Sebastian wearing a Miskabelly shirt.  She was also so kind as to include a link to our shop!

I love this segment on Smile and Wave, Vintage Here, Vintage There.  SUCH a cute family!

2.  I've made a breakthrough with Lyla's nap time situation.  Since she only will nap while being held (which is sweet...but makes for an unproductive day), I found that if I carry her around in her Beco front carrier she will fall asleep and sleep so soundly that I can get lots of work done!  I spent this afternoon making some chocolate covered strawberries to add to a little anniversary picnic basket gift for Amanda and her hubby (hopefully she doesn't read this before I give her them!).

3.  I am LOVING experimenting with the new camera!  I'm still learning, but even just messing around I have gotten lucky and captured some lovely shots.  

Here's to the end of this mid-week slump!  

xo

Jayme

Aurora Style: Tights and Shorts

The first time I saw someone in tights under denim shorts, I was at a bar in NYC. My friend Elise (a very fashionable lady herself) and I gave each other one of those omg-looks.  The girl did not look cute.

And yet, that look of tights under shorts grew on me. And while I have yet to rock it myself (I'm not sure it's for me--a little too young and not flattering to my figure), I think it's a great kiddo look for in-between weather.

Aurora is so much fun right now.  She loves the word (and the items) shoes and hat. She can recognize herself in the mirror, and she likes to give herself lots of kisses.

I think we could all learn a lot about self-love from little ones, don't you?

xo,
A & a

My Vintage Baby v.3

I am in love with this little embroidered tunic.  It is currently for sale in our shop but after seeing it on Lyla I'm tempted to keep it!  The little minnetonka-esque booties are also vintage; a gift from her Aunt Amanda.  They still are a little big, but not so much so that they look ridiculous...and I'm excited that she'll still get some months of wear out of them!  The leggings are hand-me-downs from Aurora, from Baby Gap.  Not sure where that little carrot-top hair is coming from!  

This is my first set of photos with the new camera (finally gave in and got a DSLR).  I'm determined to really learn how to use it well and make the most of all the features it has to offer.  So please bear with me as I'm learning... 

xo 

Jayme

Back to the Arboretum

You may recall this post from back in November when Andrew and I visited Penn State's arboretum for a little afternoon coffee date.  I was verrrrrry pregnant and daydreaming of coming back in the spring with our baby gal.  Yesterday we did just that.

Lyla perks up so much when we venture outdoors.  She loves the sunshine and wind on her face.  Her eyes dart back and forth, taking in the scenery.  She was outfitted in her little bonnet.  Amanda and I grew up wearing bonnets and hats.  They are perfect for protecting tiny faces from the sun and they look so darn cute!  This one is vintage of course!

The tulips were gorgeous but we were hoping for a little more foliage.  We'll have to go back in a few weeks and see what other plants have bloomed!  Today I took the plunge and splurged on a DSLR camera  (that's what credit cards are for........right??).  So hopefully my next batch of photos to share will be a bit better quality...that is, if I can figure out how to use it!  
Hope you all enjoy the last bit of the weekend!

xo
Jayme