The Mombot - the money-saving, dinner-cooking, fashion-loving mom machine

WIWW: The versatile cable knit sweater

Amy — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 17:25:07 +0000

As the weather is cooling down, I am thinking all sweaters all the time. Truth be told, I don't own very many. The main reason is because long sleeves tend to be too short for my super long arms. It's a real problem…

So the ones I do have get worn in rotation and get worn often. Luckily they are pretty versatile in nature, so I can create several different looks with one simple sweater.

This past week, I took my black and white Old Navy cigarette pants (originally seen here) and paired them with a cable knit sweater, red flats and pearl earrings. An undershirt is also a must since the sweater is a bit itchy. This white tank is from Undercover Mama and I wear it ALL the time for breastfeeding purposes. It attaches to any bra so you don't have to wear ones of those tanks with a lame shelf bra; it is by far my favorite breast feeding tank.

This look is simple, fall appropriate and comfortable. I even dragged three kids to lunch in it by myself; and though they drove me crazy and made me almost pull my hair out, my outfit didn't bother me a bit (though I may have started ~~sweating~~ glowing for a minute there).

Oh, and full disclosure - this picture was taken the day before the clouds opened up and dumped snow and 1 degree (yes, 1 degree) temps on us here in middle America. Brrrrrr.

Sweater: Gap (similar) | Tank: Undercover Mama | Pants: Old Navy | Flats: H&M (similar)

Disclosure: Post contains affiliate links

DIY autumn burlap banner

Amy — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 17:46:40 +0000

Last year I decided my mantel needed some sprucing up, so I took about 15 minutes to create a burlap banner using some simple burlap ribbon and twine. It hung over the fireplace during Thanksgiving and satisfied my need for something easy and fall-like.

But this year, I decided it needed a little somethin', somethin' - especially because the burlap sort of blends in with the tiles surrounding my fireplace. So I went to town creating a stencil of the word "autumn" and painting it on my banner using white acrylic paint. The result was enough to make me go "yippee!" It looks 10 times better than it did last year and the upgrade literally took me 30 minutes.

Feeling in the mood for a little autumn DIYing? To make this banner in under an hour, here's what you'll need:

Supplies:

Burlap ribbon (mine is 6" wide)
Twine/Hemp Cord
Big needle (I used a large plastic crochet needle)
White acrylic paint
"Autumn" stencil template (download here)
Xacto knife

Here's how:

Cut 8" pieces from your 6" ribbon (or adjust to size according to your ribbon width). If you'd like, vary the bottom edge of each piece to create different shapes like mine (some at an angle, some in a triangle point, some with an inverted triangle).
Thread your needle with the twine and sew a couple of stitches through the top edge of each banner piece (make sure not to get too close to the edge since burlap unravels; 1" is a safe margin). Keep threading banner pieces until you have achieved your desire banner length.
Cut out your stencils with an Xacto knife from the download provided, or make your own. My letters are about 3" x 3" in a serif font (Hoefler Text).
Lay each letter stencil on top of a banner piece one by one and paint over the stencil with white acrylic paint and a wide brush. I used a stippling effect (dabbing up and down inside of sweeping side to side) when painting to keep my paint within the stencil. Each time you paint a new letter, lay down a fresh piece of newspaper or scrap paper underneath because burlap is very porous and the paint will soak through each time you stencil. If your banner has more than 6 pieces, you'll have to center the word "autumn" and surround it with blank banner pieces.
The best part is you get immediate satisfaction - since the banner needs to hang to dry, you can put it up in its final resting spot and enjoy it right away!

Here's a video tutorial:

Need a visual? Here's a quick little video tutorial that I put together for the stenciling/painting process of the banner. It's not rocket science, but sometimes a visual helps!

How to make a burlap autumn banner from Amy Taylor on Vimeo

DIY fall decor

Amy — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 18:24:26 +0000

{ source }

Ahhhhhhhhh, fall.

Though I have fully embraced it now, in early September/October I was so enjoying the warmth of summer that I resisted the onset of fall for quite some time. I was loving the feeling of the sun on my skin and the ease of throwing on a simple dress and some sandals and heading out the door; so as the leaves started to turn and the temperature dropped, I began to pout.

But I think I've finally come full circle. This week I lit the fireplace for the first time since last winter, I made chili and lit a pumpkin pie scented candle, and suddenly all seemed right with the world. The crisp, cool air is growing on me and I think I'm finally ready to pack away the swimsuits and pull out the boots - and the fall decor.

Now that Halloween is over, I can focus on sprucing up the house a bit for fall and Thanksgiving. I have to be honest, I am not a huge fan of Halloween decor… in fact, I pulled it out this year to decorate, but then I ended up taking it all down and replacing it with fall decor pretty much immediately. It's just not cute and I don't feel like it makes my house homey, so I resist it. But now that Halloween has come and gone, I can go all out for fall and not feel guilt over skipping ahead.

I've been keeping my eye on some DIY projects for fall and slowly making a to-do list. For starters, I am loving some of the ideas below. From a wreath for the front door to a Thanksgiving-appropriate banner, I intend to have this house autumn-ready in just a couple of weeks.

Have you started decorating for fall yet?

Give thanks banner (tomkat studio)

Corn kernel candle for $6 (passionate penny pincher)

Cork leaf trivets (live, laugh, rowe)

DIY pumpkin mason jars (the 36th avenue)

Paper leaf autumn wreath (polka dot chair)

Rustic DIY chalkboard sign (love grows wild)

Fall monogram wreath (source unknown)

Little Bo Peep and her sheep {Halloween 2014}

Amy — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 15:20:35 +0000

Good news! Little BoPeep has found her sheep!

Coming up with costumes this year was pretty easy. I had found a little lamb costume last November at Pottery Barn for $22 (originally $69) and quickly snatched it up for the baby I was cooking in my belly. If you ask me, there's no cuter lamb than my little Graham (yes, it rhymes).

I knew Mia wanted to be something extra girly this year after last year's Dora debacle, and I still have some influence over her so I talked up Little Bo Peep pretty hard and told her about all the ruffles and lace she would get to wear. It was an easy sell. Lincoln has no opinion yet as to what he wears, so he too, would be a sheep.

I purchased Lincoln's costume from Chasing Fireflies, knowing they had a cute sheep one, and Graham's was already bought, so that just left me Mia. Little Bo Peep costumes are pretty lame on the whole. There are some gorgeous ones on Etsy that run about $50-70, but that was a little out of my range considering she would only wear it for one day. So I decided that hers would be the only costume I made this year.

True to form, I made it last weekend… I had such big intentions to make it in mid-September, but one thing after another prevented me from doing so (and by "one thing after another," I mean procrastination). When I finally went and got all the fabric and sat down and sketched something out, it actually came together pretty quickly.

I made the whole thing from scratch, using her regular clothes to create patterns. It was my first time making a circle skirt (success!) and my first time making a shirt with sleeves for such a little person. I almost threw in the towel a couple of times trying to sew those darn sleeves in. But in the end, it all worked out even though I made some modifications along the way.

She absolutely loves it, which is all I needed (it's just too bad she's so camera-shy... she said sarcastically). I am pretty happy with it too, and oddly enough, I even enjoyed making it - you know, except for the sleeves. I also decided to forego the traditional bonnet that Bo Peep wears and I think that helped keep the cursing to a minimum...

Now we get to party hardy at Mia's school this morning and then go out for trick-or-treating tonight. Which means mom needs to sweat and curse twice today (and I already did that yesterday for these photos) while trying to dress three kids in costume… yay. Have I mentioned how much I looooooove Halloween??

The candy I steal from the kids after they go to bed almost makes it worth it. Almost.

Layering for fall: Sweaters with dresses

Amy — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 01:25:43 +0000

As previously discussed here, sweaters in all shapes and sizes are a "must-do" for fall 2014. One of the biggest sweater trends I'm seeing lately are those with a southwestern edge - and I say, bring it.

If there's one thing I love, it's transitioning my summer dresses into fall by pairing them with big chunky sweaters, tights and boots. Southwestern, printed sweaters give you the perfect opportunity to do just that; because they pair so nicely with rugged boots and are an ideal topper for your favorite dress.

For example, this look I put together from Modcloth has me weak in the knees:

Sweater: Indefinable Beauty Cardigan $74.99

Dress: Full Recommendation Dress $54.99

Tights: Accent Your Ensemble Tights $14.99

Boots: Amplifier and Higher Bootie $139.99

Bag: The Nouveau You Bag $59.99

Earrings: In with the In-verted Crowd Earrings $9.99

I'm sort of obsessed with this sweater from Modcloth because it reminds me of being wrapped in a big ol' blanket, and since I'm usually freezing when the temperature drops, it sounds like we were made for each other. I also love that although voluminous, this sweater can be belted to define your waist. If pairing with a dress (like above), belt it right at the natural waist for an hourglass silhouette. If you plan to wear this sweater with jeans, choose a nice pair of skinny jeans to offset the volume and wear it open or belted - your choice! If this sweater isn't your thing, check out the entire selection of cardigans at Modcloth - they have everything from Southwestern to sweet!

This sweet vintage-inspired dress would be adorable on a warm day with some little brown flats, wouldn't it? But throw on some plum tights and boots and it's perfect for the fall! Mustard is one of my favorite fall colors; it's subtle (i.e. it doesn't scream "look at me!" when you walk in the room) while still bringing some colorful cheer. Plum is another great color for fall, and can easily be considered a fall neutral; in fact, it works just as well as charcoal in just about any outfit scenario.

These little triangle earrings are so stinking cute. When paired with this outfit, they take on a tribal feel, but if worn with a tee shirt and jeans, they can feel more geometric and artsy. That's a whole lot of versatility from one little triangle.

And you know I've got to have the biggest bag on the block. This faux leather bag is screaming "put all the things in me, amy!!" The perfect place to stow your fall scarf and gloves when you're not wearing them. Or in my case, the perfect place for diapers, wipes and snacks for my always-starving children (I feed them, so why are they ALWAYS hungry??)…

Are you a fan of layering in the fall? Are you brave enough for the summer dress paired with a sweater combo? I know you can do it. Shop your closet and join me in transitioning your wardrobe (oh, and buy some cute stuff, too, just for fun).