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Color Coded | Bright Chrome

Dress : Mara Hoffman Embroidered Cutout Maxi Dress

This color code is brought to you by a new hair color that requires bi-weekly toning and a dress plucked up from Anthropologie’s sale on sale on sale.

I read a quote the other day that I’d never read before, it’s by the great Dr. Seuss of course. “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory”.

Last Saturday I was sitting with my girls in our living room while Jeff was away at work. Macie was unfolding all the laundry I’d just organized, Marlowe was screaming because her milkie’s weren’t heating up fast enough, they’d both just pooped and needed diaper changes and was about an hour past their nap time; which every parent knows is a the most sacred daily event known to mankind. I hadn’t showered in 48 hours and was covered with food and slobber. The pre-child Michele would have been traumatized by the future if given a glance into that moment. There’s no doubt that it’s the most exhausting, challenging and emotional time in my life but it’s also the greatest pleasure. It’s taught me patience, selflessness and most of all has allowed me to be the nurturing human I’d been yearning for. It has put life into a new perspective… Shit really doesn’t matter. No one cares if the house is messy or if I wore the same t-shirt and jeans the last 3 times you’ve seen me and I’m not hard on myself if I don’t post anything on here for 3 months. And, most of all life is as good as it can get if my family is happy and healthy.

So, cheers to you Dr. Seuss. And cheers to dressing up and getting a sitter for the night every once in awhile.

Home

Home Remodel | Part 1

Are you ready for this? You’re about to get a crap load of posts about remodels, babies and one happy wife and mommy who almost has her life back.

We broke ground mid-April on what we thought would be a two month project. Four months later we’re wrapping up the last two segments of the remodel, one of which was a last minute add on with Jeff doing all of the work.

This “Part 1” post is showcasing the “cooks” portion of the kitchen. We’ve repositioned appliances, hung fresh sheet rock, replaced ceiling, refinished floors, well, every inch in this space is brand new.

These cabinets you see, they’re Ikea. You might not recognize them if you’ve considered using their product because these are not one of the ten panel options they carry. Instead, there’s a company that builds custom doors and drawer faces for ikea cabinets called Semi-Handmade. It’s handmade craftsmanship for a lower price, which allowed us to splurge a little in other places. It was imperative for me to have a kitchen that was clean, open and airy. I didn’t even want a gas stove, the idea of running a cleaning rag across a flat induction cooktop was way more appealing to me, and lets face it, I’m not a chef by any means. We also opted to do without upper cabinets because I want to live minimally; this space is really organized for our daily cooking and eating. It’s nice to not have room to store multiples of things and stay clutter free. It doesn’t seem like that much cabinet space but the bottom large drawer by the fridge is completely empty. There is however a very large pantry that beautifully stores our food, small appliances and bakeware which I’ll show in Part 2 or 3.

Jeff and I work really well together on remodels, we both appreciate good design and love the challenge of rehabbing old homes. But we’re both glad it’s almost over.

Details of this remodel after photo’s below.

BEFORE pictures of original kitchen:

AFTER:

Lighting : Cedar & Moss
Door handles : School House Electric
Countertops : Caesarstone Pure White Quartz
Sink Faucet : Newport Brass
Pot Filler : Newport Brass
Wall Shelf with Brass Prism Brackets : West Elm

Personal Style

Wardrobe Basics | 10 Favorites for Spring15

Madewell Overalls, J. Crew Sunglasses, Reformation Dress, BingBang Necklace ,

ASOS Jacket, Anthropologie Sandals, J.Crew Jeans, ZARA Jumpsuit,

Etsy Backpack, Madewell Sculptor Cardigan

Your closet has seen trends come and go, but the basics – your perfectly worn-in blue jeans, comfortable lived in white tee, and go-to nude flats – are forever. You can rest assured that these key pieces will never go out of style or lose their street-chic appeal. Simply put: great basics are the building blocks to a perfect wardrobe. So whether you’re looking to start over or simply wish to update an old favorite, consider these top 10 pieces that are on my list!

I was in San Diego last week for work to shop and research the market. One of the big trends in 2015 is called Streamline. It’s a sophisticated minimalist approach to design. Simple silhouettes, modern and relaxed with of course, an athletic attitude. Athleisure is everywhere and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. That’s okay because it’s hard not to love that comfortable yet slick aesthetic.

Personal Style

Dress up, dress down

Button up : Madewell
Necklace : Madewell
Pants : Urban Outfitters
Heels : Fiel (old)
Denim Jacket : Levi’s
High tops : ConverseI’m in a book club, it’s great I love the girls in the group and all 3 out of 24 books we’ve read! The other 21 books were great too, I bet, but I wouldn’t know because I never read them. Anyone else a part of a book club just for the wine, good food and great gossip? Once or twice a year we’ll opt to meet out for drinks instead of one of our houses and it’s mostly been the Heathman. Do you know where this is going? Or am I getting… grey? hint hint! PS… The Fox Tower serves wine/beer during movies. They even had a signature 50 Shades of Grey vino if you’re really into it?This post was inspired by this book club outing. I have high aspirations of wearing heels, blouses and layered jewelry but reality is I just want to be comfortable. At the end of the day I want to be able to run in the house, grab a mini lady and not worry about their excessive drool, massive blowout or throw up getting on me. I mean, it’s these things that really keep the bond between mother and child extra tight. These pants I found at Urban Outfitters (which are now on sale) made it easy to go either way and still feel pulled together.

On another note. I cut my hair into a lob. Need an introduction? Meet long bob. Long bob is a bob cut but longer in length. Documentation of this cut with this color was necessary because in T minus 90 minutes this lob is going an all over platinum.

Portland, enjoy this amazing sprummer weekend. Get it, summer weather but it’s spring, sprummer? no?

Family

Macie & Marlowe | A half birthday

A couple of weeks ago Portland had a 70 degree weekend in March. It was one of those Saturdays where you tip-toe over every project and chore going on in your winter cabin to seek outdoor seating for taco’s and beers. Jeff and I have kind of mastered at doing this with the girls when the weather allows. The special part about this particular day wasn’t the weather, it was the lovely couple we met who had 3 week old twins themselves. They looked just as happy as they did completely scared, sitting there with their sleeping soldiers. They wanted to know everything, “start from the beginning” she said, as if we were the ones who knew what we were doing. But we have 6 month olds now, we’re professionals for God’s sake, surely we had something to share. So we sat and shared stories of our successes and failures one at a time over well, taco’s and beer. She apologized for not being able to hold a good conversation, she was foggy brained and couldn’t focus herself to talk about anything but baby. It was at that moment that I realized how much time had past, I remember that bubble so well. My father past away three days before the arrival of our girls. The most angelic lives handed to us to care for just days after losing the man that taught me how to love. Everyday since has been the most challenging and life changing days of my entire life, and still continue to be.

To all those new moms out there, when times get tough just remember this poem. It’s such a beautiful reminder of how easy it is to let life slip through our hands. Cherish every moment:

The Last Time

From the moment you hold your baby in your arms,

you will never be the same.

You might long for the person you were before,

When you have freedom and time,

And nothing in particular to worry about.

You will know tiredness like you never knew it before,

And days will run into days that are exactly the same,

Full of feedings and burping,

Nappy changes and crying,

Whining and fighting,

Naps or a lack of naps,

It might seem like a never-ending cycle.

But don’t forget …

There is a last time for everything.

There will come a time when you will feed

your baby for the very last time.

They will fall asleep on you after a long day

And it will be the last time you ever hold your sleeping child.

One day you will carry them on your hip then set them down,

And never pick them up that way again.

You will scrub their hair in the bath one night

And from that day on they will want to bathe alone.

They will hold your hand to cross the road,

Then never reach for it again.

They will creep into your room at midnight for cuddles,

And it will be the last night you ever wake to this.

One afternoon you will sing “the wheels on the bus”

and do all the actions,

Then never sing them that song again.

They will kiss you goodbye at the school gate,

The next day they will ask to walk to the gate alone.

You will read a final bedtime story and wipe your last dirty face.

They will run to you with arms raised for the very last time.

The thing is, you won’t even know it’s the last time

Until there are no more times.

And even then, it will take you a while to realize.

So while you are living in these times,

remember there are only so many of them

and when they are gone, you will yearn for just one more day of them.

For one last time.

-Author Unknown-

I couldn’t love anything more than I do you two, Macie and Marlowe. Happy half birthday.

Color Coded

Color of the Year | Marsala

one // Butter nail polish

two // Baby Hello onesie

three // David Lerner leggings

four // Urban Outfitters bedding

five // Fisherman’s scarf

six // Modern chair & ottoman

seven // Matt Bernson boots

eight // Gap utility jacket

nine // CB2 filing cabinet

ten // Zara mini skirt

eleven // Aritzia pant

MARSALA PANTONE 18-1438
Being that it’s already March and I’m just addressing this years Pantone color of the year might be a giveaway that I’m underwhelmed by their choosing. 2012’s Pantone color was Tangerine Tango but it really should have been Oxblood (click here for a previous post). The market was flooded with this shade, almost to the point where it was the only hue you could buy an item in. It was 2012’s black. I do think this new earthy, elegant shade will translate well to fashion, beauty and interiors so it’ll be fun to see how it’s used this time around.
So of course I have put together a little collection of items for your peepers that suggests this colorway is on it’s way in. So far the hue is being played much deeper then the Pantone shade so I’m excited to see how it will be used as the seasons progress.

Color Coded | Bright Chrome

Home Remodel | Part 1

Wardrobe Basics | 10 Favorites for Spring15

Dress up, dress down

Macie & Marlowe | A half birthday

Color of the Year | Marsala

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