Skunkboy Blog

Weekly Wears: Mother, Daughter

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 03:28:00 +0000

One of our summertime "hobbies" is eating ice cream. That counts as a hobby, right? Last summer we went for ice cream almost everyday... to the point where I had to quit the cream for a bit. We are a family who gets really into whatever we're into. One day I'll tell you about the vacation that made me quit pizza for a few months.

Hope's details: vintage top, cut-off Levi's, flats from Marshall's, headband from Claire's, sunglasses from the mall
Poe's details: vintage romper, shoes from Marshall's, sunglasses from BonLook

Katie's details: Dress: Sugarhill Boutique c/o ModCloth; Purse: c/o bali ELF; Sandals: BC Shoes; Sunglasses: c/o ModCloth; Necklace: Maya Brenner

Poe wanted pink ice cream (lavender), I chose green tea, and Hope got salted caramel. Half-way through Poesy wanted to trade cones, which was fine by me because I LOVE the lavender and didn't fall head-over-heels for the green tea. I like my green tea ice cream to have a strong tea flavor. Anyway, I'm sure I could talk about ice cream for a good while. It was a nice day, and we learned that Poe is much better off with a bowl + spoon combo than a cone. ;)

Do you have any summer traditions? We seem to have a lot of them!

Snapshots

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:54:00 +0000

Poesy passed out at the table before lunch made it to her// Leftover bouquet// Neon nails// Hope working on a Father's Day present (and NOT being very impressed with her toy pottery wheel after being in pottery class for 2 months// Biscuits with locally made raspberry jam and apple butter// Breakfast on the porch is a weekly tradition

I saw so much love for dads on IG yesterday for Father's Day. It's nice to see such an outpour of love for such a special person. Dads are so important.

I hope your weekend was great! We've got a super busy week in front of us around here and I'm looking forward to diving right in! Happy Monday!

****Special Happy Birthday wishes go out to Nicolle Lopez!****

Giveaway With ShoeDazzle

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:07:00 +0000

Today we have a lovely giveaway from ShoeDazzle! ShoeDazzle offers a monthly showroom filled with shoe and accessory recommendations. Rachel Zoe leads the ShoeDazzle style team, giving fashion inspiration, guidance, and style advice. The shoes start at $39.95 and feature the exclusive ShoeDazzle label as well as designer brands.

ShoeDazzle is offering two winners each a $60 credit to be used toward any pair of shoes that they'd like! To enter, visit ShoeDazzle, register an account (totally free!), and then leave a link to your favorite pair in the comments here!

ShoeDazzle also offers a "Daily Fix" deal, which is a pair of shoes or an accessory for a reduced price for one day. There is an optional VIP membership for added discounts, and your first purchase gets 25% off plus free shipping!

The winner will be drawn next Friday, June 21st and announced shortly after. Good luck, friends!

**You can find the winner of the Ever+Mi.Crush giveaway here.

Out To Work

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:02:00 +0000

I probably wear this dress 3 or more times a week right now. I'm really into simple clothes lately, and a black tank dress is about as simple and effortless as it comes. I decided to dress it up with this crocheted top... mostly so people don't notice as quickly that I am starting to wear a uniform. ;) I wore this outfit when I went out to work this week.

Dress: Local; Tank: c/o ChicWish; Necklace: PoshLocket; Glasses: c/o BonLook (La Marquise in Crystal Sand); Shoes: c/o ShoeDazzle

I hope you're having a great week so far!!

**You can see my other "Out To Work" posts here.

The Rest of Our Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 04:08:00 +0000

I'm not joking when I describe this past weekend as a whirlwind. We were going to parties and assembling bouquets in the wee hours of the morning... everything was done with love, and even though we were a little sleepy, it was all worth it. I stopped carrying my DSLR around with me because everything got a little too busy... and then there was that whole 'being in a wedding' thing. Here's what I did manage to grab with my phone. Check out Elsie's post for even more peeks (and way more pictures of the couple).

After the bride and groom shipped off, we had a wind-down day on Sunday. Brunch, flea markets, thai food, and drinks on the patio... it was a good slow-paced day to soak up the little bit of extra time we got with Rachel.

This weekend was about as close to perfect as a weekend could get. Also, isn't it so awesome to be able to carry around your phone and still get really decent pictures? If it weren't for my phone, I would have no record of most of the rehearsal or wedding day!

And the Garden Rewards Us

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:35:00 +0000

I think it's likely that there will come a time when I look back on this season of my life and chuckle at how much I was into my tiny garden. Either that, or I will remember this excited feeling with sentiment as I look at a much larger version of what I have now. The thing with pet projects-- those projects you start as babies and nurture and obsess over-- is that they become so dear to your heart. Looking back on this tiny garden season of my life, I will also remember Poe sneaking drinks from her watering can, the way her wild hair was always half falling out of her itty bitty bun, and the way Hope would cautiously put a berry into her mouth and pucker her lips when it wasn't quite as ripe as she was hoping for. It's a little silly the love I have for this hobby... and it's also something really special.

Wedding Weekend: Emma's Bachelorette Party

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 04:12:00 +0000

This week has been all about Emma (and Trey). We spent the first part prepping for the many parties and finishing up decorations, food, etc. (Oh, and her wedding dress!) Thursday night we celebrated Emma with a fun bachelorette party. All of her closest friends came and it was a blast!

Sarah and Rachel came to town, so I crashed the sleepover party a few times. You have to soak up time with out of town friends when you get the chance!

We had drinks, her (now) SIL set up a taco bar, she smacked the crap out of a piñata, and we danced like crazy. I had the opportunity to give a toast highlighting how wonderfully thrifty Emma is. The cocktail of the hour was called the CHEAPman (her last name is Chapman). ;) My Blythes came along to help.

Here are a few more phone photos from the night:

It was an amazing night spent celebrating an amazing girl. I love her like crazy.

**My dress was from Lulu's.

My Happy Place

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 04:19:00 +0000

As I've been looking through pictures from the last week or so, something has resonated with me more than anything else: home is my happy place. I love going out, traveling, and nights with friends, but I'm happiest when I'm home. Having breakfast on the porch, reading books with the girls, digging in the garden (yes, in a dress)... these are all things that really make my heart swell. I know people talk about enjoying the "simple things" in life... I think this is what they mean. I'm very thankful for all of it.

**My new glasses are from BonLook. :)

Weekly Wears: Dress It Up

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 04:43:00 +0000

Wedding week is among us! Emma and Trey get married this weekend, which means getting all dressed up for extra get-togethers and parties! We've been having (a little too much) fun talking dresses and shoes and party decorations, but it's not everyday that one of your best friends gets married. You have to make it count! :) I really can't wait for this weekend-- it's going to be so special.

Okay, let's talk about these shoes for a second. These are my summer dream shoes-- they'll be cute dressed up or down, with dresses or jean shorts. So picnic-y. Oh, and this dress. Guys, I'm wearing a Lauren Moffatt dress. (!!!) I never thought I'd say that. It's so lovely. It's moments like these where I'm extra thankful that my friends like to swap around clothing. I will definitely be sad to say goodbye when the time comes to return it.

Dress: Lauren Moffatt (borrowed from Elsie); Shoes: Cloth by Ann Roth via Emerging Thoughts; Clutch: Red Velvet; Bracelet: Urban Legend; Necklace: c/o Massi; Starlette Sparkler: Giant Dwarf

I hope you are all having the best week so far! Thank you so much for all of your wonderful comments about my bedroom. I was pleasantly surprised by such an incredibly warm response!

Welcome To Our Home: Bedroom/Studio

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:29:00 +0000

One of the biggest reasons we fell in love with this house was the upstairs bedroom. It runs the length of the house, so it has ample space for us. This room serves three functions: bedroom, sewing studio, and music room. Having the bed nook is great, because that solves the "where to stick the bed" issue. I have a bad habit of bringing my work (sewing animals) into my bedroom, even when I have a sewing room, so it was important for me to find a space where I could work and play. I can sew when I want, but also separate work space from relaxation space when I need it.

We like to call the big yellow chair my 'throne'. This is where I typically sit and sew. The cedar chest was my great-grandmother's. That's where I store my stuffing. You wouldn't believe what a hassle it's been in the past to find a clever/functional way to store that stuff. I keep extra fabric in the dressers and I have a lap tray that holds my supplies (not pictured because it's always a huge mess). My studio side of the room is pretty girly, I have to admit. I need a space where I feel inspired, and this particular space with these lovely, happy things does just that for me. I'm thankful I have a husband who really doesn't mind what I throw into the mix... even when it's Blythe dolls and embroidered portraits of myself. ;)

In addition to the built-in cubbies and drawers, having random baskets tucked around has really helped us keep this place tidy. In a room this open, it's easy to let the clutter build up, and honestly, we need all the help we can get in the tidiness department. Adding simple things like the hat hooks on the wall and small storage benches are great ways to have a designated place for everything.

It's nice having our own personal space to work and unwind. Of course I always want to be welcoming when the girls want to spend time in our bedroom, but I have to admit that it's nice to be able to shut the door, put on a record, and cut off the noise when I need to get some real work done.

If you'd like to see more of our bed nook, you can read about the makeover right here.

Here's a short list of where things are from:

furniture: all thrifted; lampshade: Target clearance; rug: Urban Outfitters; sewing machine: Amazon; pillow cases: Stay Home Club; pajaki (paper chandelier): DIY here; art by: Olivia Mew, Laura Berger, Caitlin Shearer, Leah Goren, VOL 25, Lucky Jackson, Elle Moss, Shana Hampton, Quill & Fox.

Thanks for letting me (finally) share our space!

Juice Trucks, Neighborhood Walks, and Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 11:18:00 +0000

This weekend during our typical walk to get ice cream, we were stopped in our tracks by the juice truck. It was a fun surprise to see it in our neighborhood, so we picked up a little cup of "pink" and continued on our way. We try to do at least one special outing every weekend, and on the pretty days, ice cream is our top pick. Poesy commandeered my lavender ice cream, so Johnny went back in and ordered me a lavender latte. It's a new favorite, for sure! We finished the day playing finger tag (Poesy made it up) and hanging out with friends. I really couldn't have asked for a better day. :)

Days Gone By

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Fri, 31 May 2013 15:37:00 +0000

Last night our basement flooded. Johnny happened to catch it early on, so we spent a good portion of the night laying our old photos out to dry. It was a pretty big bummer, but it was also really fun seeing all of our memories laid out like that. These are a few snippets from our past. :)

Remind me to tell you the story of this last photo sometime.

Putting Plants In Bird Cages: Kind Of A DIY

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Thu, 30 May 2013 05:50:00 +0000

I have a lot of these smaller vintage bird cages tucked in corners around my home. When I found this bird cage this weekend, my first thought was to leave it behind because HOW MANY bird cages does one person really need around their house??? I continued to stare at it... it was just so cute and so cheap, I wanted it to have a purpose. Then I thought of one. Duh. Plants. Right now my brain should go straight to plants. I've been spending enough time on/with them.

I wanted a plant that would eventually spill through the side of the cage, so I found this delicate purple something-or-other (I can't remember what it's called). I cut the bottom of a plastic container to fit inside the cage and jammed it through the slats. Then I potted the plant in the container. This really didn't need written instructions. If you are still reading, you are a good sport. ;))

We made these plant hangers at work using Elise's tutorial, so after I got the bird cage hung, I made a little companion for purple planty. They became fast friends.

Notes on this project: if I were to do this again in the future, I would use a solid color container. From far away you don't really notice the printing on the sides of the plastic container, but in these pictures and up close in real life it is noticeable.

My front porch still needs a little TLC, but these new additions to our plant family are helping dress it up. Now I just need to decide on a paint color so we can do a little painting!

Weekly Wears: Light A Fire

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Wed, 29 May 2013 05:09:00 +0000

Dress: c/o Exile Vintage; Purse: ELF; Shoes: c/o Minnetonka; Bracelet: belonged to my mama

Warm weather is my favorite weather to get dressed for. Why? Because you can be totally lazy and no one can really even tell. Grab a dress, throw on some shoes, don't forget your purse... you're good to go. As you may be able to tell from my recent pictures, I'm going through the laziest lazy phase where I just wear the same outfits over and over and over. I was glad to get this dress from Exile Vintage to kind of bust me out of that rut this week. I probably need to get a few more exciting pieces to light a little fire under me. Otherwise, I may stay in the same t-shirt and cut offs for the rest of summer! ;) Who am I kidding? It will get way too hot for that! You can't beat a dress on the muggy days.

**Exile is offering you guys 20% off with the code SKUNKBOY for the next week! Check it out-- they have SO MUCH good stuff!

Snapshots

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Tue, 28 May 2013 15:45:00 +0000

1. Our new rope swing in the backyard. We surprised the girls with swings while they were away at Grandma and Grandpa's house. 2. Chalkboard panels on our door give the girls something to do in our room without bringing in a ton of toys! 3. Poesy in her playhouse. 4. & 5. We found Hope's old Little Tikes table in our basement and happened upon this kitchen at a flea market, so we set up a little kitchen area outside for the girls. We are trying to fill our backyard with lots of fun things to encourage outdoor play. Our yard stays extremely shady, so it's the perfect for just that. :)

I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day! Johnny and I went to a concert and had a day sans-children where we did... well, whatever we wanted! It was really nice.

OMG... We Grew Something

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Mon, 27 May 2013 03:29:00 +0000

My new favorite thing is to go out early and water the plants. It's such a peaceful, relaxing time. It makes me feel a little like a grandma... like I'm just getting a taste of what I'll REALLY be into one day when I'm retired. Poesy and Hope usually come out with me. Hope inspects the fruits and veggies while Poe helps me water all the plants. One day when we went out last week, there was a green pepper ready to come off the plant and into our home. You could've almost mistaken this day for Christmas in our home.

My kids took turns holding it, carried it around, and named it 'Pepper'. (You can see Poesy snatching it to have a look when it was first picked.) It made me wonder why I ever spend money on toys! We could just grow play things!

It really was a lot of fun watching the girls get so excited about growing this pepper. It was a good reward for all of the time they have been putting in with me to start our little garden. We did enjoy the pepper in our salads a couple of days later... I had to give them a little time with Pepper before they had to say goodbye. ;)

**My top is from Ever+Mi.Crush and shorts are these jeans cut off. :)

Summer Ad Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Sat, 25 May 2013 15:51:00 +0000

I figured summer was a good time to have my first ad sale! Get 20% off the purchase of 3 months (or more) from now until June 25th with the code SUMMER! You can check out my sponsor page for more details, and if you have any questions, feel free to email me!

Snapshots

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:40:00 +0000

1. Being suuuuuper coordinated and falling over on my bike (Really, that happened. Not in this picture, but it happened.). 2. The girls having ice cream on the porch and Poesy having the sleepiest eyes ever. 3. Accidental color-coordinating. Quick, we're ready for family portraits! 4. Hers and his treats outside when all is quiet. 5. Hide-n-seek with Poe: "Ready or not, here I come!" "I over here!"

Happy Friday, friends!

Giveaway With Ever+Mi.Crush-- CLOSED

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:15:00 +0000

Ever+mi.crush is an online boutique that carries adorable clothing and accessories. Today, they are offering a $50 gift certificate to one lucky winner!

To enter, stop by ever+mi.crush and pick out a favorite. Share it in the comments here! For additional entries you can:
Follow ever+mi.crush on Twitter
Like ever+mi.crush on Facebook
Follow ever+mi.crush on Pinterest

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be drawn on Tuesday, May 28th. Good luck, friends!

Winner (!!!):

***Here's a bonus discount code: get 10% off with the code "EMC10".

See the winners of the giveaways with ShoeMint, InstaThis, and BonLook.

Thrifted Bench: A Love Story

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Wed, 22 May 2013 04:29:00 +0000

Sometimes I feel like a really lucky gal to have a counterpart (husband) who loves going to flea markets as much as I do. He's usually looking for good old drums or guitars, but it's still nice to have a companion by my side. While we were out thrifting a couple of weeks ago, I happened upon this couch-y/bench-y guy. It was pretty gross, but I decided to take the plunge and bring it home. Once we got it out of the dirty flea market, I was horrified at my decision. It looked SO much filthier once it was in our bedroom. I grabbed some wet-wipes and went to work. Nothing but surface muck came up, so we brought out the big guns: toothbrushes. Some friends on Instagram suggested things like Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and tile scrubbers, but I didn't want to harm the surface of the couch. My friend, Kate, suggested baking soda and that REALLY helped. Johnny and I scrubbed our Friday night and Saturday morning away. Here are the results:

By the time we finished, the couch was a much different color. It was really rewarding to see such drastic results, and I still feel like photos don't even begin to do it justice. It went from brown to orange in a weekend. High five for vigorous scrubbing and major persistence!

Like I say every time I share a portion of our bedroom, more photos of the upstairs are coming soon! It's one of my very favorite places to spend time. :)

Also, I wanted to share what my friend, Anita, is doing to help raise money for the Oklahoma victims. I can't even imagine the sort of devastation these families have been through, but I do know that I want to help in any way I can. Hello Merch is selling these tanks and donating all of the proceeds to the Oklahoma Red Cross. There are many ways to help. Please consider helping in any way you can.

Park Days

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Tue, 21 May 2013 03:27:00 +0000

This weekend one of our local parks had a celebration in honor of its birthday. The weather was awesome, there was jazz music, and the kids loved the games. Poesy met a fluffy puppy that made me realize that there is a whole other level of cute to be attained. Puppies and kiddos?? Melt. I'm looking forward to many more days like this. Springfield, we officially love you.

Let's Talk Makeup/Beauty Products

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:36:00 +0000

I love talking beauty products with friends. It's fun to get recommendations and find new things to try. Last year I did an Everyday Styling over on ABM, where I shared my basic daily routine. I've found some new products since then, stuck with some old standbys, and changed up my routine a bit, so I thought I share some of my current favorites!

1. Sephora Smoothing and Brightening Concealer-- I use this for under my eyes to brighten up. I used to use the Stila version, but my local Sephora doesn't carry it anymore. I was pleasantly surprised by the Sephora brand in this particular product, plus it's quite a bit cheaper (win!).
2. Sumita Raina Contrast Eye Pencil-- This is a blue eyeliner that is really bold and pretty. I originally got it in my Birchbox, but I have been using it a ton.
3. Kiehls Line-Reducing Concentrate-- This is the only product in this grouping where I'm unsure on how I feel. This is a sample that I have been using off and on for a bit now, and I'm not sure if I'll buy the product or find something a little less harsh. I did feel it was worth mentioning because A) I have been using it, and B) I know you're not really supposed to talk about getting fine lines and whatnot, but I've hit that 30 mark, guys, and I'm starting to explore these sorts of products.
4. Sephora Eyebrow Pencil 02-- I seriously stocked up on these eyebrow pencils when they were on sale a year or two ago (I bought 20) and I still love them!
5. Maybelline Falsies Mascara-- I'm still going strong with this brand of mascara. It gets the job done and doesn't make my lashes too stiff.
6. Clinique All About Eyes Rich-- I love Clinique eye creams. I had been using the Anti-Gravity version of this, which I think I liked a little better. I do really like this one, though.
7. Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-- I also got this in my Birchbox semi-recently and I really like it for those days when I wake up and my eyes are all swollen underneath. Gotta love allergy season!
8. The Balm: Mary-Lou Manizer-- I love this eyeshadow as a highlighter on my brow bone, cheeks, and inside corners of my eyes. It has such a pretty shimmer.
9. Mary Kay Loose Powder-- this is my good ol' trusty. I've tried a lot of other finishing powders and loose powders and I always come back to this guy.
10. The Balm: Hot Mama Shadow/ Blush-- The name of this blush makes me feel a little embarrassed, but it is a really great blush! It has a lovely shimmer and the color is great with my skin tone.
11. Maybelline Line Stiletto-- I also find myself using Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner, but between the two of these, I have my liquid liners more than covered.
12. Dr. Jart+ Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm-- Before I got this particular BB cream in my Birchbox sometime last year, I never wore any sort of foundation or tinted moisturizer. This stuff goes on really light and doesn't settle in my (ahem) fine lines like a lot of others do. If you are in the market for something like this, I highly recommend this one.

I've found a lot of new things from signing up for Birchbox (this is my refer-a-friend link, FYI) this year. It is $10 a month, but even in the months where I'm not that excited about the contents, it's still fun to get a surprise package. Otherwise, I just try things that friends have recommended or use the samples they give you at Sephora to find new products.
Where do you find new products? Do you have any especially exciting things you'd recommend?

Brunch Date

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Sun, 19 May 2013 06:00:00 +0000

There isn't a lot better than having brunch out as a family. We try to do this at least once a week. It is important to try every single breakfast place in town. Right?? I judge a town by the breakfast options. :)

***Glasses from BonLook.

Hey. You.

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:52:00 +0000

If you are sitting there right now, thinking of the 500 reasons you disagree with this: JUST STOP. Accept the damn compliment. Be kind to yourself.

Home School Diaries

noreply@blogger.com (skunkboy) — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:34:00 +0000

A few weeks ago we talked about the effects of pollution and acid rain. This experiment was kind of a dud, but it was a starting point for a great discussion.