Thursday, October 2, 2014

Cat Lady

October is here, and the cat is out of the bag.  We are obsessing over all things kitty. 

It's the purrrrfect time of year to put your ears on, and embrace your inner cat. 

Pretty Kitty. 


Sweet Cat. 


Curious Cat. 


Happy Cat. 



Cool cat. 


My favorite cat.

Tee: Stella McCartney Kids | Cat Ear Headband  Crazy 8 | 
Leather Shorts  Gap Kids | Shoes Mini Melissa


Yours Truly,
Melissa 




Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Picasso Pumpkins

Let me just start by saying this is not a Pinterest worthy craft. I'm telling you right now there is not a crafty bone in my body, and I much prefer to save myself the time and buy these beautiful masterpieces you crafty people whip up. One thing I do love about crafts is the experience of it all. One of Stella's favorite things to do right now is color, so I thought it would be fun to attempt pumpkin painting this fall.

I bought the washable paint from Michaels, (which is less messy, yet takes forever to dry), some cheap pumpkins at Trader Joe's, and a disposable spider web tablecloth from Target, and we were all set for a fun filled evening.










It was the cutest thing to watch Stella's face as we painted. She would ask for each color to be poured on the plate, and painted with such intense concentration. We sat in the backyard, ate some candy corn, and painted our pumpkin masterpieces for close to two hours. This was definitely the easiest, and most fun, of all the crafts we have attempted.




Even our bulldog got in on the pumpkin fun! 




This is a must do for all parents with toddlers this Halloween! Of course I can't break tradition, and pumpkin carving is next, but this is definitely a new tradition we are adding to our calendar every fall.

Fashion Credits:
Witch Hat Headband (Last years design, but they have a super cute one this year too!) 

Tee & Leggings : Carters

Yours truly,
Melissa


Friday, September 26, 2014

Meow!

I have always loved the holidays! Being festive, and carrying out traditions just makes my heart happy. Growing up my parents always made the holidays a big deal, especially Christmas. These memories of trick or treating at Halloween, and visiting Santa Clause are memories I cherish. Now being a mom, my love for the holidays has grown even more, as watching Stella's face light up for "pumps" (pumpkins), and already making a wish list for "Sata", has made this time of year so special.

During Christmas & Halloween I always like to send out a greeting card, to send our love and well wishes during this magical time. This year I saved on a photographer and opted to do Stella's Halloween photo session myself. My favorite place to order greeting cards is definitely Tiny Prints. They always do a great job, and have some of the cutest layouts.

Dress: snagged for an amazing deal on Brickyard Buffalo | Cat headband Giddy Up & Grow | 
Cat shoes Mini Melissa












To all my friends, family, and readers... I hope this holiday season is full of fun! May you and your family have a "Meowvelous Halloween"

Yours truly,
Melissa 



Thursday, September 18, 2014

"This is Halloween" Round Up

If you are new to the blog, you should know I'm like a big kid. I love anything to do with Disney, and the holidays are my jam! Halloween is one of my absolute favorite times of year, the costumes, the candy, the decorating, it just gets me giddy. So yes it may only be September 18th, but please know Halloween has been in my blood, and on my wish lists since July. You got to see a little sneak peek of some of the goodies we have gotten Stella for the season, but just know that's just a sample. We are rocking black, orange, and skeletons all month long!

When putting together outfits for Stella I love to get festive. From cats, to witches, to skeletons, and bats, mummies, jack-o-lanterns , and even creepy clowns, there are no shortage of fun Halloween symbols. It's too bad October is only 31 days...

Here are a few favorites I'm loving this Halloween for our kiddos. Oh, and that "Don't call me princess" Wednesday Adams tee is freaking genius!

1) Mini Rodini  | 2) Gap Kids  | 3)  Kira Kids


Happy Haunting! 

Yours truly, 
Melissa 


Sunday, August 31, 2014

A Disneyland Inspired Stellabration

When deciding on a theme for Stella's second birthday, it was an easy choice! Our family has always been Disneyland enthusiasts. Even before Stella was born, her Dad and I would go on dates there often. When Stella came into our lives, we started to take her about 3 times a month, and have loved watching her love for the "Happiest Place on Earth"! Since we couldn't afford to take our whole family to Disneyland, we decided we would bring Disneyland to them and throw "The Happiest Birthday on Earth". 

Me, my husband, and the birthday girl! 


We kept to the vintage Disneyland color scheme, yet still included some modern touches. When deciding on the snacks I wanted to include the yummy treats Disneyland is known for. We bought churros from a local bakery that were absolutely delicious, Mickey shaped pretzel snacks, and of course some popcorn! We already had this awesome popcorn machine, which we had received as a gift for our wedding. We filled it up with bagged popcorn, and it was a hit, (especially among the kiddos). I purchased the lollipops from Disneyland , and my husband made the awesome stand to display them. I am not crafty at all, but I will say that I am a visionary. My husband is the true talent and makes those visions come to life.

For decorations, we used Sleeping Beauty Castle mason jars filled with carnations, and photos of Stella's Disneyland photo shoot as center pieces. Of course one of the the most impressive decorations was the Disneyland banner custom made for us by The Banner Shoppe. She nailed it, and helped pull this whole "Disneyland" inspired look together. Equally as impressive was the personalized chalkboard sign made for us from Art by Kristen Lee. Not only did she capture Stella's personality, but the theme of the party as well! 
















We wanted just a fun and casual afternoon at the park with our closest family and friends for this years "Stellabration". We hosted the party at a local park, where the kids were able to run and play at the playground as well as entertain themselves with some simple activities at the party site. We had a bubble blower for popping bubbles, a Minnie Mouse bean bag toss game, an "Autograph" station where kids could color and autograph their masterpieces, and a boom box blasting Disney tunes, which broke out a full on dance party. 

For these coloring pages, I simply googled "Disneyland" coloring pages, downloaded the images, then printed copies. Such an easy and CHEAP addition to the party. 






We encouraged our guests to show their Disney side by wearing their Disneyland attire. Mouse ears were available at our souvenir stand, so everyone could get in on the fun.






Inside the goody bags we included princess swag for the girls, and pirate loot for the boys. Mickey and Minnie shaped ring pops, board books, bubbles, tattoos, pirate patches, and princess wands were just some of the fun we sent home with the park visitors. 



Vendor Credits:
Cake Great Dane Baking Company | Tinkerbell Cupcake Toppers The Pretty Paper Shop |.
Popcorn Buckets Party Garden | Glitter Mickey Stickers JessicaSue34 |
Disneyland Custom Banner The Banner Shoppe | Pixie Dust Bottles Fairies Welcome |
Pixie Dust Print A Vintage Poster | Disney Princess Favor Bags One Crafty Hippo |
Pirate Favor Bags Baby Bundles and More | Mouse Ear Souvenirs Rocky Ba Bow |
Personalized Chalkboard Sign Art by Kristin Lee | Chalkboard Banner Target |
Sleeping Beauty Castle Mason Jars Firefly Atelier | Stella Flags Let's Get Decorative |
Party Hat Little Blue Olive | Vintage Inspired Mickey & Minnie Dress Little Bow & Arrow |
Minnie Mouse Clip & Vintage Mickey Charm Necklace Giddy Up & Grow |
Minnie Mouse Shoes Mini Melissa | Mom's Mouse Ears House of Mouse

Stella had an amazing day! It truly was "The Happiest Birthday on Earth"

A HUGE thank you to our family and friends for celebrating the day with us, and all the fantastic vendors we shopped from to make this party such a perfect day. Yours truly,
Melissa 

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Birdie Thirty (Fall)

When a new season comes around, I love to share with you all my favorite accessories from our go to bow shop Birdie Baby Boutique. Her accessories are not only beautiful, but her shop features endless possibilities, and genius color combinations. Even before Stella was born, we were stocking up on the beauties from her shop, which have lasted over the years. Each season Katy from Birdie Baby Boutique releases more fun color combos, as well as her existing creations, making it a perfect accessory shop to collect from. Not to brag or anything, but we are huge collectors of this shop, and have over 300 at this point! Two drawers in Stella's room are completely dedicated to Birdie Baby Boutique's creations. (Obsessed much? ABSOLUTELY!)



For the fall season I have broke down my favorite bows in her shop into 5 Key trends; Blush Romance, Fall Florals, Mustards, The Crown Jewels, & Fall Festivities. Links to all my favorites below.


Blush Romance



The Crown Jewels


Fall Festivities 


Fall Florals 

Mustards 


I hope you all enjoyed my Birdie Thirty picks!! Which ones are your favorite??  
 Make sure to follow @birdiebabyboutique on Instagram and Facebook for flash sales, giveaways, and new bow releases. 

Yours truly,
Melissa 

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Come on Fall!!!!

My absolute favorite time of year for fashion is the Fall season. The colors, the layering, and accessories make it such a fun time to get dressed. Although I can't quite put textured tights and motorcycle boots on Stella yet, I can start using pieces from her fall wardrobe that are still easy to run and play with in this 90 degree heat.


One of my favorite pieces in Stella's look today is this "rainbow" tee from a line called Kid and Kind which launched just this past June and is making quite a splash in the kids fashion world. The items in the shop are all designed by Jackie, the owner of Kid and Kind and are playful, unique, and modern. 





To accessorize her outfit I paired her neutral tee with a pair of Cat eye leopard print fashion glasses I picked up at Target Her Grammy and Grandpa wear glasses, so Stella thought it was pretty cool she got to wear some today too. 

Of course no outfit is complete without a Birdie Baby Boutique bow. This (Meadow Lark) is one of my favorites. I have had it for a few years now and pull it out ever Fall season. The black and white, paired with this grey and mustard make it an essential piece to Stella's fall wardrobe.


So who else is ready for cooler temps, and falling leaves?!! It's been real summer, but Fall your on deck! Yours Truly, Melissa