Dreaming of: Dairy

Logan has Fpies. I can't eat Dairy or Soy because of it and so this week this is what I've been thinking of, none of which actually need labels....all of which are mouthwateringly good.

Dreaming of: A Pop of Pink

With a windchill of 8 degrees, I've been dreaming of Spring. This year I'm really into pink, not bubble gum pink or ballet pink but NEON pink! Here are my key picks for the upcoming season!

1. 3.1 Phillip Lim Dress // 2. Gap Belt // 3. J.Crew Sperry Top-Siders // 4. Diane Von Furstenberg Clutch // 5. Blank Denim Jeans // 6. Splendid Bikini // 7. House of Harlow Sunnies // 8. Rebecca Minkoff Diaper Bag

Dreaming of: DIY Play Kitchens

I really, really, really want to build Logan a kitchen for Chanukah. I know...I am a year early in my planning and I haven't even purchased his birthday present yet, but I really want to do this. Problem is, I'm not so good with power tools. I don't own any or know how to use them....and I am the crafter one in this house when it comes to this (I bet my husband doesn't even know what a wet saw is.) You need a surround sound system wired? I'm your girl. You need Ikea furniture build? I can do it...but actually making my own piece of furniture makes me want to hid in the bathtub.

Seriously.

Here is the thing though, I have vocalized my desire to do this to quite a few people now. My husband, my mom, my sister-in-law, my handy man (because I am not capable of wall mounting a TV or regrouting the outside stone work.) - they all look at me like I am crazy. My mother-in-law actually yelled at me and told me I take on too many projects, while my husband nervously nodded his head in agreement after I had earlier asked a relative if they owned a miter saw.

Now you would think that with all signs pointing to NO, I would get this idea out of my head. Except that when people tell me NO...I just want to do it even more. While I continue to hem and haul over if I should buy him this lovely KidKraft Kitchen that would look great in my basement or this Hape Kitchen which is charmingly made of wood...I still drift back to the following images and dream that I too can be as handy as these fine DIYers.

1. Small and Friendly

Seriously - it has a backsplash!!!

2. The Crafting Chicks

I like a spacious kitchen, it gives Logan more room to play. Love the lines on it too - minus the dress skirt - he is a boy!

3. Young House Love

Simple + Pretty + Young House Love = Perfection.

4. N/A

I'm pretty sure this kitchen is nicer than my kitchen. It freaking has a working light!

5. Pilar Valtierra Photography

That is a marble countertop. MARBLE. For a child. Ridiculous - and beautiful.

So after those images I really want to do this for Logan. But then again...

Help!! Should I or Shouldn't I? Decisions, decisions...

Dreaming of: Cabinet Organization

Today, I had pots fall on my toe, mixing bowls crash to the floor, infant puffs fall on my head, and baby gear fall all over the countertop.

I think it is time to organize my cabinets. So today I present my dream...Organized Cabinets

Storage for Pyrex

Coordinating Spices

Measuring storage

Dry good containers

Under Sink Storage

Baking drawer

 Pot and Pan Storage

Anyone have good organization tips? I might try to tackle this project piece by piece this weekend.

Dreaming of: Stories Set in England

While I was perusing my Amazon wish list looking for presents to get for Logan's birthday, I noticed a trend on things I had saved for myself. Of the 50 or so books I had marked to read....30 were set in England!

What is it about the English countryside - or anything royal for that matter - that gets me every time. Daphne Du Maurier wrote my favorite book, Frenchman's Creek, so she has been on the list for awhile and J.K. Rowling is...well...J.K. Rowling - but here are a few others I've marked over the years.

 I might just have to purchase some for myself when I order Logan's gifts.

From Notting Hill with Love...Actually // A Royal Pain // The Distant Hours // The Casual Vacancy // The Rose Garden // My Cousin Rachel // The American Heiress: A Novel // A Vintage Affair: A Novel

Dreaming of: Home Blogs

Every since I was a little kid I've gotten on what my parents deemed "kicks"...Where I pick a topic and have to know ALL about it and obsessively read and read and research and then I'm over it and I move on to something new.

In elementary school it was Barbie - I had those crazy collectors books of Barbies dating back to the original one (full disclosure...they are still on my book shelf in the guest room.) In middle school it was the Titanic. In highschool it was Royal Families - mostly from England and Russia (seriously revealing some nerdy behavior here.) In college it was Disney - I actually wrote 2 papers on the early films and Walt. (A+ on both thank you very much.)

Fashion "kicks" were always coming in and out - I'd get obsessed with certain clothes and wear the trends over and over (not unlike my Jcrew polka dot pants now) and was probably the most relevant post college kick until I got a house (home decor obvi) and then had Logan. WHEW... That's a lot to deal with.

Well thanks to Young House Love - which I just discovered - I'm on a DIY home decor kick.

So here is my round up of the blogs that I am dreaming of with projects that have me drooling every day!

1. Young House Love - Their hallway frame project has inspired me to do a little something, something at my house...details to follow as they unfold (stay tuned!)

2. Bower Power - Funny and cute and the kids are ADORABLE. Really easy DIY items that make me think I can actually learn to spray paint!

3. Design Megillah - Great ideas to decorate for the Jewish Holidays - sort of a hard think to find actually.

4. Kate's Creative Space - She makes me want to start DIYing really interesting Toy furniture. Obsessed.

So there you have it. The four websites I look for everyday. Hopefully I'll start DIYing my first project soon!

Royal Baby: King of the Skies

I posted my take on the female version of the royal nursery here, but I wanted to show how I would decorate for the future King of England below.

I envision the nursery to have an vintage pilot theme to it. So lets take a look at what that would mean!

Let's start with the crib and bedding. I loved the clean lines of the crib and think it plays well with the more traditional wood color. The crisp colors in the bedding combined with the traditional map print would compliment the crib nicely and serve as the color scheme for the room. I also love the idea of the globe mobile with the vintage model airplanes flying around it.

The dresser pics up the same colors from the crib and would make a good changing table. I would repeat the mobile idea with these wire planes - a nice touch to keep the baby's attention during diaper changes.  The union jack tarp wall tapestry has a nice vintage feel and gives a gentle nod to the baby's future role.

I love the idea of outfitting a rocker in a nice manly leather. The combination is so unexpected and decidedly masculine. The vintage ticket stub rug is graphic and fun - it even includes a nod to London!

Now onto the fun stuff - Every room should have a little fun it. I love this pilot tent (yes I realize that it is for the US air force instead of RAF, but I'm pretty sure they could have it custom made with Will's division logo.) and the matching pedal airplane. Both should inspire hours of imagination and fun. The final touch is the aviator chair which is miniature sized and perfect for quiet reading time.

Dreaming of: Emerald Green

Pantene had named Emerald the color of 2013. It is actually a little hard to come by right now, but like Tangerine before it, I have not doubt it will show up in mass by mid-March. This should keep you satisfied until then.

1. BaubleBar Earrings // 2. Alice and Olivia Pumps // 3. Posh Tots Rug // 4. Illamasqua Nail Polish in Viridian // 5.Baccarat Champagne Flute // 6. J. Crew Pants // 7. Wizard of Oz DVD // 8. One Dress

Dreaming of: Wooden Toys

In honor of the holidays these are the items on L's wish list. We've already gone shopping for his presents (he has #7) so these might make it onto his birthday list instead - but this is for all the procrastinators out there.

1. Melissa and Doug Sushi Set // 2. Woodours Squirrel Pull Toy // 3. Tegu Magnetic Blocks // 4. iWood Chalkboard Notebook // 5. Hape Push Toy // 6. HABA Magica rattle // 7. B. Toys Zany Zoo Activity Block // 8. Sevi Jumping Lion

Dreaming of: Polka Dots

1. Built Neoprene Lunchbag // 2. J. Crew Pants // 3.  Urban Outfitters Duvet  // 4. PrettySmitten Iphone Case // 5. Marc by Marc Jacobs Bag // 6. Elegant Baby Ducks // 7. Kate Spade Tights

I have a HUGE obsession with polka dots…much to the chagrin of my polka dot hating husband (seriously, who hates polka dots?) It seemed only fitting to start off my Dreaming of: series with my undying love of all things spotty, especially because they are on trend in a major way.

Full disclosure: I bought the pants two weeks ago. I’ve worn them 4 times already. See…..OBSESSED.