tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34813348856901778212024-03-14T06:08:19.343-04:00bryn alexandrabryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.comBlogger1627125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-35375785572099148342014-06-03T07:30:00.000-04:002014-06-03T08:30:28.233-04:00The Nursery Diaries: Cole's Finished Room!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Finally!! I <i>finally</i> got around to taking some pictures of Cole's nursery and I'm excited to share them with you :) We are very lucky that Cole has been sleeping in his room from week 1, so we spend a lot of time in this room. It's probably my favorite room in the house... mostly because my insane love of it's occupant, but I am really happy with how it turned out. <br />
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This room is very small and the usable area is pretty much a square. Because of this, I had to be creative with the floorplan. But luckily nurseries have small furniture, so it worked out. The glider is sort of "floating" in the room, but it works. Here is a full room shot:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn98T18fUI7vKLTRHqQmx0KDb7BndeQpo6tpUpmbyn-6gp6sOvmWiEb4KSUnbBeYVbbABG76u1Wzrr9NdIwlmRpqQn_Nw7r3ARgmC0rick1JWlFArIQSPndNcvVCJAdcg7fGdsDYZ4MarX/s1600/room2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn98T18fUI7vKLTRHqQmx0KDb7BndeQpo6tpUpmbyn-6gp6sOvmWiEb4KSUnbBeYVbbABG76u1Wzrr9NdIwlmRpqQn_Nw7r3ARgmC0rick1JWlFArIQSPndNcvVCJAdcg7fGdsDYZ4MarX/s1600/room2.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jPpodHdP0j385OYAgrIZCdvUw3g8QF39NtINtSuhrfdDG1nLw_gEVMrqX1KK_7KlX94EhtlWBiQMAheelESlGnm9rb8aS-YTKlaFkZG-5WT5VjPo5bzaCPLBYHPI_CaTIkKTPkStjWSq/s1600/room2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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One of my favorite pieces of furniture is the dresser that functions as a changing table. We spend a lot of time at this dresser ;)</div>
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Another favorite in this room are the custom roman shades. These roman shades were made by the talented ladies at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/people/rerackgals?ref=pr_profile">Drawn Company (on Etsy)</a>. I wanted to save some money so instead of using my usual workroom here in Charlotte, I turned to Etsy. I was <i>SO</i> impressed by this Etsy shop... the workmanship was just as professional as if I had gone to my professional workroom! They have awesome pillows, too.. and I am going to host a giveaway from them soon! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiya9BeXlH5UAJPMeAavve9TH4woguW3qvC_1zE1l6fstWiM_vXzL6A0aOtA4VXuEgohEAyd3V1UYc1qLBOjDluXl_hPSQVQkDhO9ZuxCn48Y_D-HenkWejF82Dg-EkWHl_XO4oG6BDDwml/s1600/changing+table.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiya9BeXlH5UAJPMeAavve9TH4woguW3qvC_1zE1l6fstWiM_vXzL6A0aOtA4VXuEgohEAyd3V1UYc1qLBOjDluXl_hPSQVQkDhO9ZuxCn48Y_D-HenkWejF82Dg-EkWHl_XO4oG6BDDwml/s1600/changing+table.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwQPa5vmEQg_5nwmQ4iNFYY7tGqdDNWDnI-rt_fIx0aV9dg1uPwX5neQg1SMxboD-ogNIWGxtJuM84b-skEv_JuCL5yVXM7m4ErKRjeZlZ7JsNkndcCLaIEI9J0uF9jbiYEcHHoNux0FR/s1600/books.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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Cole's room has this interesting little nook, which ended up being perfect for books and a toy chest. Even though he's only 6 weeks old, I love reading to him.. especially all the books that are new to me. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAEXDSwwkc6srBKxYNkRHM7D_VjjQPliompHJu7w7OuVTCrr_QQlWByCwmud-Ee6bUhuAKVBC1jMrI6ZW5FhcH-bUMazNV98q58MZAflVWz6u3DGm-ik1M89q5RhV_LiTbZTPbi4k_UHQ/s1600/nook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAEXDSwwkc6srBKxYNkRHM7D_VjjQPliompHJu7w7OuVTCrr_QQlWByCwmud-Ee6bUhuAKVBC1jMrI6ZW5FhcH-bUMazNV98q58MZAflVWz6u3DGm-ik1M89q5RhV_LiTbZTPbi4k_UHQ/s1600/nook.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cTmQPqtZBGq__CSTBB0f3xSElmEDgTiZ1WuvXNMLOTfO8zoucDZGud4Kls_tFCUi8IaVfwPRxT2iUJbw-UrF0FO2wgw-ghJEMi-DqXTxg_Uv-LrK-eMRf_GZs7WuZMImc1kQTtNc6eFS/s1600/nook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT08JGeon09XIXN8n1lpIV6LCS324T4Q-OLzI6GqK74XAOYsUbHgHzusppYYNKp3pSDUUPk4exoPnslZ_-cxYSsr8VmmCF7NpAgC6moRXokCtR5YKSCYROz9g5IO237c0CkoLOAJjVE2ni/s1600/books.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT08JGeon09XIXN8n1lpIV6LCS324T4Q-OLzI6GqK74XAOYsUbHgHzusppYYNKp3pSDUUPk4exoPnslZ_-cxYSsr8VmmCF7NpAgC6moRXokCtR5YKSCYROz9g5IO237c0CkoLOAJjVE2ni/s1600/books.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwQPa5vmEQg_5nwmQ4iNFYY7tGqdDNWDnI-rt_fIx0aV9dg1uPwX5neQg1SMxboD-ogNIWGxtJuM84b-skEv_JuCL5yVXM7m4ErKRjeZlZ7JsNkndcCLaIEI9J0uF9jbiYEcHHoNux0FR/s1600/books.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
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This lucite stool below is one of the first things I bought for the nursery, but was the last thing finished. I could NOT decide on a fabric and looked at dozens of options. I finally settled on this greek key from Pindler & Pindler, and I love it! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqX2PNC6P52fr9cgdGFWYJFpl2IH8nsHD8rfkvX_IDb5jx6LClbIC6JDLepvniEBGgdWdYI305O6NBfrKQiUB2Xh7eIzdIMqRmHOIUW2wN9oi2jkmmR4HyzpZ419naOy-l6mBihESwVL8/s1600/glider.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqX2PNC6P52fr9cgdGFWYJFpl2IH8nsHD8rfkvX_IDb5jx6LClbIC6JDLepvniEBGgdWdYI305O6NBfrKQiUB2Xh7eIzdIMqRmHOIUW2wN9oi2jkmmR4HyzpZ419naOy-l6mBihESwVL8/s1600/glider.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj086Eu8lEzTBZZq5xTql1zrmUCGFCeIV267696cs5oxQyXcuR1nRZ94cAxWghIfNdmIWn9xYQGVpGxDMzRZEO0XnXGsoZ6CjTV2OaHb1jwVyaORZPur_MZaygQaK7jP7TcxwRJVH3VGM0z/s1600/glider.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
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While I worked on this room, I didn't really have a plan like I do with my interior design clients. I just started pulling colors and things that I liked, and then realized I had a room that was sort of a hodge podge. I knew a piece of artwork would tie everything together. So I went on Etsy (again) and commissioned the artist <a href="https://www.etsy.com/people/pamelam">Pamela Munger</a> to create an abstract using the colors found in the room. I didn't want it "matchy", but I did want it to tie everything together. I LOVE love love it. I let her do her thing, and I love what she came up with. It reminds me of all the Saturdays we spent at Laguna Beach when Matt and I lived in Orange County.</div>
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The painting is on a piece of paper instead of a canvas, and I had it floated in a frame. Honestly, the artwork and custom framing is one of the biggest splurges in the room, but it's something I'm going to have and love forever. I hope Cole loves it someday, too :)</div>
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I debated whether or not to do a crib bumper, and decided against it. I chose a classic Jenny Lind style crib and a natural linen crib skirt (custom made) that would work for the next kiddo, even if it's a girl. I love the subtle bit of orange in the crib sheet.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hVaeL9bscu5WVCvrg2DViKTn3jaefRAOFNUCeNCTVocuJl6k4lWOIMWV4hb0hupFl5csqQOR6uRXGDvK3ySyDc8I2ek2-5a9XqoLK4nolYQcMc23bUxmQoCoEdrXATsHdRHAKkvOqI2d/s1600/crib.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hVaeL9bscu5WVCvrg2DViKTn3jaefRAOFNUCeNCTVocuJl6k4lWOIMWV4hb0hupFl5csqQOR6uRXGDvK3ySyDc8I2ek2-5a9XqoLK4nolYQcMc23bUxmQoCoEdrXATsHdRHAKkvOqI2d/s1600/crib.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeApEgSjQaCdQIDMeBWeF310JOqgxJ5eAO_pDZ5U9-K7bmUlrglBeqyWkzHdYR_ucLj5q70TCFvwU3OsOLuMX_LeymztA-9NSDteSIh6ix8OVcINvtPTnSqTiUNv9UAlWeAo0jowDQo4rW/s1600/crib.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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Last but not least, I have this sweet little bookshelf that Erin (owner of Isabella) gave me. It holds all the little pieces that are really sentimental to me, and I love seeing them when I sit in the glider while nursing him. The first shelf holds toys and things from when Matt was a child, and the middle shelf holds all the little stuffed animals that have given to Cole by friends and family. There is even a stuffed animal that was Matt's as a child (the bunny on the far right) that my mother-in-law found on eBay! So sweet!</div>
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And here is our sweet little Coley Guacamole sleeping in his crib: </div>
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<b>SOURCES: </b></div>
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Wall Color: Benjamin Moore "Chimichurri"</div>
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Rug: <a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Indoor-Outdoor-Courtyard-Navy-Beige-Rug-710-Square/8379353/product.html?refccid=2OIWTVAFERBLUNKH2BZ5PELJDM&searchidx=304" target="_blank">Overstock.com</a></div>
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Glider: <a href="http://www.crateandbarrel.com/hathaway-swivel-glider/s597113" target="_blank">Crate & Barrel</a></div>
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Throw: Isabella</div>
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Crib: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/DaVinci-Jenny-Stationary-Convertible-Ebony/dp/B0034JM660/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1390861110&sr=8-7&keywords=jenny+lind+crib" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a></div>
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Crib Sheet: <a href="http://www.landofnod.com/orange-dot-crib-fitted-sheet/s681965" target="_blank">Land of Nod </a></div>
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Crib Skirt: Custom via Global Weave</div>
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Roman Shades: Custom via <a href="https://www.etsy.com/people/rerackgals?ref=pr_profile" target="_blank">Drawn Company on Etsy</a></div>
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Dresser: Vanguard</div>
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Lucite Footstool: Vintage, Fabric Pindler & Pindler</div>
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Toy Chest: <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70167124/#" target="_blank">IKEA</a></div>
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Toy Bins: PEHR</div>
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bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-80330942156165354182014-04-30T13:31:00.002-04:002014-04-30T13:31:46.513-04:00Introducing.. Coleman Dunn!He's here! And OMG I am so completely and utterly in love. Cole arrived early Friday morning 4/25/14.<br />
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I always enjoyed reading birth stories of my favorite bloggers, so I thought I would share the condensed version of mine. It was such a hard, yet amazing experience. <br />
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At exactly 41 weeks (Thursday) my water broke around 2 pm and I started
having contractions right away. This was exciting because I had no
contractions or anything before that... We had just had an NST that
morning and the tech even said I wasn't contracting. We even had set a date for an induction that morning!<br />
<br />I was really surprised that the contractions came on SO fast and hard. They went from about 30
sec and 10 minutes apart to 1 min and 1-3 minutes apart in 2 hours. I labored on
the birthing ball during the time and Matt was at work finishing up
some things. Once he got home we really were contemplating whether or
not to go to the hospital - I had always planned to labor at home as
long as possible. But the contractions were so long and close together
and had been for at least an hour, so we left for the hospital around 5.<br />
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By the time we got there, I was shaking and could not talk or walk
through the contractions and we were admitted immediately, I was 4 cm. I wanted to wait on the epidural, so I got into the birthing tub. It helped me relax in between contractions, but since they were so close together I didn't get much relief. I decided it was time
to get the epidural at 7 pm. <br />
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They checked me immediately after getting the epidural and I was 7 cm! Woohoo! I was able to relax and get some rest and was complete at midnight.<br />
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The hardest part of everything was the pushing. They turned the epidural
way down and I could feel everything for pushing.. It was intense and
painful but I'm glad I could feel it all - because pushing took 4
hours!!! It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. It's true what
they say.. It was like running a marathon. But finally, he came into the
world at 6:27 AM on Friday morning and it was the best moment of my life!! He was 8 lbs 6
oz.<br />
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Here are some pictures!<br />
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I'll post pictures of the nursery very soon! I still have a couple last minute things to do to it :) But for now, I'm spending every waking moment I can snuggling this little guy.. I'm so obsessed!bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-5804748809802395692014-03-31T14:10:00.001-04:002014-03-31T14:14:37.630-04:00Our Home In Four MagazineYes, I'm alive! And things are great.. still no baby, but I have about two and a half weeks until my due date... it's coming so soon! We are so excited to meet our little guy :) The nursery is also coming along great, I can't wait to share it with you! It's 95% done.. I'm just waiting for the artwork to get back from the framers and my little bench to be upholstered. Crossing my fingers both of those are finished this week!<br />
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I wanted to share a great little magazine feature with you in a local magazine called FOUR. It's a really cool, artsy magazine but unfortunately this was their last issue :(<br />
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It was really fun having them come shoot our home and interview me though! It was very different than being featured in HGTV Magazine.. it was very laid back and the photographer shot our home as is (for the most part). I am glad she was able to capture some images of what our home looks like on a day to day basis!<br />
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You can read the article and see the images better <a href="http://issuu.com/fourmagazine/docs/fourv4_final-digital-low/76">here</a>! bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-7651291075619114682014-02-17T10:37:00.000-05:002014-02-17T10:38:21.656-05:00The Nursery Diaries: Chapter 4This chapter is all about the paint color. As I shared in <a href="http://brynalexandra.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-nursery-diaries-chapter-1.html">the first chapter</a>, I knew I wanted a deep, dark green color on the walls. But boy, that color is HARD!! And I wasn't 100% sure exactly what type of green. Did I want emerald? Or Army? Or something that read as almost black?<br />
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So I bought a TON of paint samples and put them up on the wall.<br />
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These four pictured above were my favorites.. there were even more samples than this! The trouble I had was... and I'm sorry this is gross... I didn't want to be changing his diaper and have the wall color be the same as what was in his diaper. I know - interior designer mom problems! So the warm-toned greens were out ;)<br />
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The color I finally decided on was Benjamin Moore Chimichurri.<br />
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Of course, I am always drawn to the most expensive thing available.. and this paint could only be mixed in Aura paint. Matt wasn't too happy about that ;) HOWEVER - after we painted the room, we realized it was worth splurging on the best paint. We only needed one gallon, and we didn't even need primer! I highly recommend it!</div>
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I knew we needed both the walls and the trim/ceiling painted, so we decided to do the walls ourselves and hire my painter to do the trim and ceiling. It ended up saving a lot of money and it really wasn't too bad painting ourselves since the room is so small. </div>
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And here is the current state of the room with the freshly painted walls & trim (and the crib installed!)</div>
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The color is exactly what I was envisioning, and it really changes with the light (which I love). During the day, when we get warm light the room is pretty green. When the light moves past the front of the house, the walls feel a bit more green/gray. At night, it's very dark and cozy... that means he'll sleep through the night right??? ;) </div>
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This picture below most accurately depicts the color:<br />
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I'm really excited that we are getting pretty close to being done... now for all the "fun" stuff like fabric and art! I have ordered the crib sheets and the crib skirt and roman shades are being made. I've also started looking into art.. but other than that I'm really at a loss with fabrics. So I'll share those details as soon as I figure them out! ;)<br />
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As I mentioned in my first post about the nursery, I really love nurseries that appeal to an adult aesthetic, but have fun & youthful details. So now that I have the masculine "base" that I was going for.. now is the time to bring in the "cute" stuff. For example, I've ordered two of these little Pehr bins:<br />
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I love these colors... I'm planning on pulling them into the room.<br />
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On a side note.. I can't believe my due date is in 59 days!! The nursery may or may not be finished by his arrival.bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-90882272522891194542014-02-10T12:06:00.001-05:002014-02-10T12:09:45.029-05:00My Pregnancy Wardrobe Must HavesI have to admit, I was hesitant about posting my last post because I didn't want it to come off as whiny or superficial.. but OMG I am so glad I did!!!! THANK YOU for each and every comment.. I read through every one of them and took them to heart. It is so comforting to know that there are others out there feeling the same feelings. I love you guys!!<br />
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And as promised, I put together a maternity clothing post for you! Unfortunately a lot of the clothes I was wearing in my previous post are no longer available because I got them on sale during the holidays (aka they are last season). BUT I compiled a collection of my maternity favorites and some pieces that are very similar to what I have and would totally work!<br />
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<b>1// <a href="http://rstyle.me/~1w2qF">J.Crew Leggings</a></b> (<i>non-maternity</i>) // I never really wore leggings before I was pregnant, but I am OBSESSED now. Seriously.. pregnancy and leggings are like peanut butter and jelly.. they are just made for each other. When I first got pregnant, I ordered two pairs of these J.Crew leggings - one in black and one in navy. And at 30 weeks, I'm still wearing them every week (although the band is getting kind of tight around my belly now). They are never see-through, never sag, etc. They are great!<br />
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<b>2// <a href="http://rstyle.me/~1w2GG">J.Crew Black Suede Boots</a></b> // I actually own <a href="http://www.clarksusa.com/eng/product/dacey_rose/26064851">these very similar Clark boots</a> (as pictured in my previous post), but they don't have many sizes left and I wanted to give you another option. (I actually like the look of the J.Crew boots better). I swear I wear these boots 3-4 times a week. Having a small heel is great when your pregnant because it makes you still feel somewhat feminine. And this style boot with the small opening is great with leggings, tights and jeans.<br />
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<b>3// <a href="http://rstyle.me/n/fcbr2vftn">Snake Print Shirtdress</a></b> (<i>non-maternity</i>) // This style dress works so well during pregnancy. It's loose and flowy, and you can choose to use the belt or not (I usually go with no belt). This type of dress has become a pregnancy staple for me.. I wear it with a jacket and tights and the boots that I just featured.<br />
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<b>4// <a href="http://www.zara.com/us/en/woman/blazers/combination-biker-jacket-c565218p1668364.html">Biker Jacket </a></b>(<i>non-maternity</i>) // I've been LOVING motorcycle jackets during this pregnancy. I have one from Zara similar to the one I featured and also one from Nordstrom Rack that is similar to <b><a href="http://rstyle.me/~1w3iq">this one from Anthropologie</a></b>. I especially love wearing them with flowy dresses. I think they work great with pregnancy because they hit right at the waist and work well with the bump.<br />
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<b>5// <a href="http://rstyle.me/n/fcb4fvftn">Blush/Black Chiffon Tunic</a> </b>(<i>non-maternity</i>) // I don't actually own this shirt from Target, but I think I need to buy it ASAP. Honestly - some of my favorite clothes during this pregnancy are loose non-maternity pieces from Target like this shirt. (And I always like them to cover my butt.. if you look at the pictures on the website, this one does!) I just buy a size larger than I normally do.<br />
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<b>6// <a href="http://rstyle.me/n/dyik6vftn">Black Opaque Tights</a></b> (<i>maternity</i>) // I have tried a handful of maternity tights (because non-maternity tights are just too uncomfortable) and these are the only ones that don't fall down. They look so cute with the black suede boots!<br />
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<b>7//</b> <b><a href="http://rstyle.me/n/fccdfvftn">Sleeveless Tunic</a></b> (<i>non-maternity</i>) // These inexpensive tunics from Target have turned out to be the BEST maternity clothing purchase I've made. In fact, I purchased one in store from the clearance section early on in my pregnancy, then I went online a couple months later and bought every single color. They are the perfect length.. they cover my butt but still look cute with the side slits. I layer them with everything.. the white is especially cute under sweaters! If you are pregnant, I swear you have to buy these (I bought my normal pre-pregnancy size)... you can't go wrong for $14!<br />
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<b>8// <a href="http://rstyle.me/n/fcch8vftn">Caravane Tunic Dress</a></b> (<i>non-maternity</i>) // Anthropologie has the BEST non-maternity maternity clothes. I own a handful of their tunics like this one. They are all oversized and flowy and work perfectly for a growing bump. I don't own this particular one, but the cobalt blue color is on my "to buy" list. I think it would be great for spring.<br />
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<b>9// <a href="http://rstyle.me/~1w4jt">Gap Always Skinny Maternity Jeans</a></b> (<i>maternity</i>) // I have to say maternity jeans are the one thing that I have really, really struggled with. As I've mentioned, my legs and butt have gotten so much bigger.. and of course all the maternity styles are "skinny" jeans :-/ ugh. Almost every single pair of maternity jeans I have tried are suffocating in the legs OR fall down. However, these Gap Always Skinny Jeans are/were my absolutely favorite. I would say they are ALMOST perfect.. but there is one issue - I had to stop wearing them around 25 weeks because the band became too tight around my stomach. Not just uncomfortable, but <i>unbearably</i> tight. And it wasn't the size.. the legs still fit perfectly. I tried on a size larger and the band was the same. I even took my own pair to the seamstress to widen the band and it still didn't help. Where it hit on my stomach and the amount of elastic just didn't work for me past 25 weeks. HOWEVER.. I still 110% recommend buying these jeans if you are pregnant (and especially if you have thick legs) because I wore them from around 10 weeks - 25 weeks and I know I will wear them all the time after the baby is born (who knows how long it will take to get into my pre-pregnancy jeans... boo hoo). Also, when you order these.. order a size down. I bought a size 4, and I DEFINITELY am not a size 4 in other brands. Gap's sizing is weird, and they also stretch out.<br />
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<b>10// <a href="http://rstyle.me/n/fcc6dvftn">Shelf Bra Cami</a> </b>(<i>non-maternity</i>) // I owned these camisoles from Target before I was pregnant and surprisingly I am still wearing them at 30 weeks. I wear them ALL the time under tunics, sweaters... pretty much anything sheer. They cover the weird dark fabric of full panel maternity jeans and tights so it doesn't look like your pants are up to your boobs (even though they are, ha!) I have a feeling I'll be switching to maternity camisoles soon, but so far so good with these!<br />
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<b>11// <a href="http://rstyle.me/n/fcdc8vftn">Liz Lange Tank</a></b> (<i>maternity</i>) // I LOVE these Liz Lange tanks. They are perfect when I need something longer than my non-maternity cami's (and they are pretty long).The fabric is also so soft and comfortable. I have a white one and a black one, but I may need to get more.. they are awesome! I know they will be great for post-baby, too.<br />
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Phew, I know that was a lot of info.. sorry!! It took me about 5 months to figure out things that worked for me, and hopefully it will be helpful for you, too!<br />
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You'll notice - the majority of these pieces are non-maternity. I'm currently 30 weeks pregnant all of these clothing options still work for me and my big belly. BUT I want to add that the majority of the clothes I'm wearing now, although non-maternity, I bought specifically for pregnancy and purchased a size larger than I normally wear. Pre-pregnancy I always wore small/medium, but everything I wear now is a size Large. However, these styles are so loose and flowy that a size Large will totally still work when I'm a non-pregnant size medium again (I can't wait!!!!).<br />
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If you have any maternity clothing must haves, please do share!bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-92174295394512552282014-02-03T11:39:00.004-05:002014-02-03T11:39:59.265-05:00My Changing BodyCheesy title, right? That's what I labeled a secret Pinterest board to store ideas about what-the-hell to wear during pregnancy. <div>
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I'm not going to lie - I have had a <i>really hard time</i> with the changes happening to my body during pregnancy. And I want to put this out there, because I feel like people don't really talk about it! Whenever I envisioned myself pregnant, I always thought I'd look like myself, just with a cute belly. NOPE. </div>
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I have always had a "pear" shaped body. In high school, I had a guy tell me my legs were "voluptuous". IN HIGH SCHOOL. When everyone is always the skinniest. (And no, he definitely wasn't hitting on me - he was openly gay). And it's true, I have always disliked my legs. But luckily to offset my "voluptuous" legs, I always had a flat stomach. Score! Well.. until pregnancy that is. It seems as though from day one, my legs started getting bigger and bigger and bigger. It's like my body was thinking "OMG, we have to sustain this baby! Let's store a TON of fat in her legs, and he will be content for 9 months!". It didn't help that during my first trimester, I was terribly sick and the only thing that made me feel better was eating lots of carbs all day long. They say you shouldn't really gain weight during your first trimester.. ha! What a joke. </div>
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I grew out of my pre-pregnancy pants pretty much right away. First I went to my "fat" jeans, then around 12 weeks I was in full fledged maternity jeans. UGH. And all the while, my flat stomach was no more, too. I know all this sounds like a pity party.. but it's a hard thing to go through when in a matter of weeks nothing in your closet fits and your self-confidence plummets. You know what they say.. when you look good, you feel good, and I was not looking or feeling good at all. There were a couple nights where I burst into tears out of frustration in my closet trying to figure out what to wear. </div>
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I got to a point where the frustration had to stop - I had to buy new clothes. So that's what I did. </div>
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I mentioned my secret Pinterest board above.. during those couple of weeks where I was desperate to find a solution to my changing body and clothing situation, I searched Pinterest for some ideas (which is also pretty depressing.. all the pregnant girls on Pinterest look AMAZING and are a size 2. UGH again). </div>
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Here are some outfits that I saved: </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14Q1vDOGR988KV7IS_Kq0WNLwUA5o9V3K0XIsfX0f32QzbKPlf5kaRORMQrNnj2MnhSvQtIdurb1YPIeoVDEOZqZh5eKiRuR3Yehag88nU8BqaKLQ_hacvh3KizoZulYaA_xcm9xGrsYc/s1600/8d35627cd9de9185455eb2e5bd39373b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14Q1vDOGR988KV7IS_Kq0WNLwUA5o9V3K0XIsfX0f32QzbKPlf5kaRORMQrNnj2MnhSvQtIdurb1YPIeoVDEOZqZh5eKiRuR3Yehag88nU8BqaKLQ_hacvh3KizoZulYaA_xcm9xGrsYc/s1600/8d35627cd9de9185455eb2e5bd39373b.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">source unknown</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxP6vyjyBjZgjzrrgLlqaIzHiafC_jSptU8Q7BPootuj87podfHGeXrL_n2lF-LREPgTN1WmFBIImIB-hrbVl_QD5Yqmzk7RnPOUIKO4zGSaKGzm9KPIPmSY_qWTylfp1CnnTPXJ94Rxn/s1600/8b0810ac706643453a5b358527b12976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxP6vyjyBjZgjzrrgLlqaIzHiafC_jSptU8Q7BPootuj87podfHGeXrL_n2lF-LREPgTN1WmFBIImIB-hrbVl_QD5Yqmzk7RnPOUIKO4zGSaKGzm9KPIPmSY_qWTylfp1CnnTPXJ94Rxn/s1600/8b0810ac706643453a5b358527b12976.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://the-northernlight.com/?p=46830">via</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtMzCOCmCGj-P7P5DISpxTuRlcWc4AuMBxEUoH-CJ14mMRMv2LBPi0xvucvgsXf7m7CnkU2b5ruZ5Cc6LQD2bQRoD2PwPAKEE2Txx6vCKPI_1484v4eMI91a0KbVC0ExgE7oQxfkFBwf7/s1600/db72cfb9b7a1bfa5c4ba149273b67cf7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtMzCOCmCGj-P7P5DISpxTuRlcWc4AuMBxEUoH-CJ14mMRMv2LBPi0xvucvgsXf7m7CnkU2b5ruZ5Cc6LQD2bQRoD2PwPAKEE2Txx6vCKPI_1484v4eMI91a0KbVC0ExgE7oQxfkFBwf7/s1600/db72cfb9b7a1bfa5c4ba149273b67cf7.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">source unknown.. but this is obviously Jessica Alba ;)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdiCoL8JAuyg_43VLr7EEw2VZI5UbOBp39eYBUgGpYD9hHcHHp2cRzK2D9D6PY7d8-HwOCoW0OQuccYxX4HQ4dm2P2K6Ck7PEueZ8OTDD67FuV1yGNKAASbsxX320LZ61OCQjuU8dYJIT/s1600/d7a3d2b555ed8cc8004a709932b12eb7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdiCoL8JAuyg_43VLr7EEw2VZI5UbOBp39eYBUgGpYD9hHcHHp2cRzK2D9D6PY7d8-HwOCoW0OQuccYxX4HQ4dm2P2K6Ck7PEueZ8OTDD67FuV1yGNKAASbsxX320LZ61OCQjuU8dYJIT/s1600/d7a3d2b555ed8cc8004a709932b12eb7.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://projectnursery.com/2012/11/best-bump-style-kristin-cavallari/">via</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn36fBb57mc5-Mn1Mj5YRy-wnENh8LqXGfEve3edXWsCMPNeSGManaaOb0SrMpMnrJELEXDfnvGakyAsZhCikEb9y2zEsCvunJgeQkWpLwnDWC1DDkhwFo1INIe9frK8HRm66LrMhWkjdd/s1600/43d5f886c1d7e66f75fdd16d27b7dd9a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn36fBb57mc5-Mn1Mj5YRy-wnENh8LqXGfEve3edXWsCMPNeSGManaaOb0SrMpMnrJELEXDfnvGakyAsZhCikEb9y2zEsCvunJgeQkWpLwnDWC1DDkhwFo1INIe9frK8HRm66LrMhWkjdd/s1600/43d5f886c1d7e66f75fdd16d27b7dd9a.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.casualglamorous.com/search/label/Maternity%20Style">via</a></td></tr>
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After gathering some inspiration, I went on a mission to find some pieces that I felt good in. And 90% of what I found was NOT from maternity stores (maternity clothing is THE WORST. I think that added to my frustration). Luckily all this happened during the Holidays, so I had a bit of Christmas money to spend on some new clothes and there were some great sales!</div>
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If I put on an outfit that didn't make me want to cry, I took a picture so I would remember it. Here are some of my "go to" maternity outfits (sorry for the bad picture quality): </div>
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All I have to say is... THANK GOD I'm pregnant during the winter. Being able to layer has been such a blessing. I've had a lot of people tell me "you don't even look pregnant!" and it's because I choose not to wear things that accentuate my stomach. Honestly - I feel the most comfortable in big, flowy clothing. I've found that maternity clothing that accentuates my stomach also accentuates my very large behind.. and that's not something I want out there in the world to see. </div>
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Some of you may be looking at the pictures above and thinking "she doesn't even look big!" But luckily I have found clothes that help minimize my "pregnancy induced thick leg and butt" syndrome. (Plus I think that angle in the mirror is flattering.) The same day I wore that last outfit, the Charlotte Observer came and took our picture and did a really cool little write up about us. Here is the picture they used: </div>
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I'm not going to lie - I cringed when I saw how wide I look, especially next to my husband who now officially weighs less then me. Talk about an unflattering angle! (I'm blaming the wide angle lens.. haha!) </div>
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I wanted to (and I am going to) share my favorite maternity clothing "must haves", but this post has gotten much too long for that. </div>
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Sooo.. I want to end on this note... I know it sounds like I'm super vain and whiny in this post. And maybe I am a little on both accounts. And honestly - I am SO HAPPY and BLESSED to be pregnant. We didn't have an easy road to getting pregnant and thought we were headed towards infertility drugs. But then we got that positive on the test and it was the <i>best thing ever</i>. And every time I feel our little guy moving around in there, it makes me so incredibly happy and excited. Pregnancy really is such an amazing, awesome, crazy cool thing. BUT I really believe that every woman wants to feel good about themselves, and I wish I had known how hard the "vain" side of pregnancy is.. when your body no longer feels like your own and you so badly want to feel good about yourself again. And that's why I wanted to share my experiences with you! </div>
bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com57tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-91503080498744100262014-01-29T09:19:00.000-05:002014-01-29T09:19:04.868-05:00Home Tour Round UpI am SUCH a sucker for home tours and I've come across a couple lately that have really WOW-ed me. Sure, homes in magazines are great.. but they are heavily styled and don't really feel "lived in", and it's hard to get a sense of how the home flows.<br />
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First up is <a href="http://theglitterguide.com/2014/01/28/style-at-home-stephanie-bradshaw/?slide=1#content"><b>Stephanie Bradshaw's home on Glitter Guide</b></a>. This home is so feminine and pretty and there are some major swoon-worthy spaces like her closet. I LOVE this image of her living room:<br />
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She has this room off of her living space that I am completely envious of. A sunroom is on my list for my dream house someday. A place to go with a glass of wine and some magazines.. sounds like heaven.<br />
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This sleek white sofa next to the bed is so cool. Why not put a sofa next to a bed? Sometimes you want to relax and read, but not necessarily go to bed yet :)<br />
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And the closet... enough said.<br />
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Check out the rest of this tour <a href="http://theglitterguide.com/2014/01/28/style-at-home-stephanie-bradshaw/?slide=1#content">HERE</a>!<br />
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Next up is <a href="http://www.remodelista.com/posts/jewelry-designer-kathleen-whitakers-hands-on-approach-to-remodeling-a-historic-house"><b>Kathleen & Bradford Whitaker's home featured on Remodelista</b></a>. OMG I love this home and it's simplicity (very much how I like to "vibe" of my own home). I'm always drawn to "less is more" type of spaces like this living room.<br />
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<a href="http://www.remodelista.com/files/styles/733_0s/public/fields/House-Call-Kathleen-Whitaker-Echo-Park-Living-Room-Remodelista-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.remodelista.com/files/styles/733_0s/public/fields/House-Call-Kathleen-Whitaker-Echo-Park-Living-Room-Remodelista-02.jpg" height="630" width="640" /></a></div>
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What an amazing office. If you know me, you know I'm a sucker for dark rooms!</div>
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And this den.. I'd probably not be bold enough to paint a room this color, but it works SO WELL! The trim painted the same color of the walls makes it. </div>
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Check out the rest of this tour <a href="http://www.remodelista.com/posts/jewelry-designer-kathleen-whitakers-hands-on-approach-to-remodeling-a-historic-house">HERE</a>!</div>
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<a href="http://www.domainehome.com/whitney-port-house-venice-photos/"><b>Whitney Port's home was recently featured on Domaine</b></a>, and it's amazing! I love how "California" it feels. I love the chairs in the picture below:<br />
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OMG.. again with the closet:<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.domainehome.com/wp-content/gallery/whitney-port/7-bedroom-closet-inspiration-wallpaper-whitney-port-home-tour-venice-domaine-home.jpg?a87c45" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.domainehome.com/wp-content/gallery/whitney-port/7-bedroom-closet-inspiration-wallpaper-whitney-port-home-tour-venice-domaine-home.jpg?a87c45" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
Check out the rest of this tour <a href="http://www.domainehome.com/whitney-port-house-venice-photos/">HERE</a>!<br />
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And last but not least.. I think this if my favorite recently. It's <b><a href="http://www.stylemepretty.com/living/2013/07/01/tara-guerard-interiors/">an interior design project from Tara Guerard Interiors featured on Style Me Pretty Living</a>. </b>This living room is AMAZING. I love everything about it:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgaXaWBnWB5gsEu0V8vlfdJBSsjW_zD2Fu8Duk80XBDYXMXmgKEb-QrXZzod_RjLlm8iXBYgee7y8lx9cNiGmPA3HOy9Z4x16mBMvH3FQKzdRou6Qc8to5wbWgMvocLxTw6D_4Di2ixlH/s1600/2012_tara_guerard_interiors_0005$!900x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgaXaWBnWB5gsEu0V8vlfdJBSsjW_zD2Fu8Duk80XBDYXMXmgKEb-QrXZzod_RjLlm8iXBYgee7y8lx9cNiGmPA3HOy9Z4x16mBMvH3FQKzdRou6Qc8to5wbWgMvocLxTw6D_4Di2ixlH/s1600/2012_tara_guerard_interiors_0005$!900x.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV77mwbJ3MkiC6a0a8oBDJYL2shPQeINs3IaB7Lqlb01At4oY-Jqs1ymPjgy01EF9MU8eKhKqSFAjnJoa_DFAbH_snbGzSNdhqZL0Wu8W-DdglZ4I8i1Yqosxuq_yy1sC1AwiE_OeLRp3H/s1600/2012_tara_guerard_interiors_0018$!900x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV77mwbJ3MkiC6a0a8oBDJYL2shPQeINs3IaB7Lqlb01At4oY-Jqs1ymPjgy01EF9MU8eKhKqSFAjnJoa_DFAbH_snbGzSNdhqZL0Wu8W-DdglZ4I8i1Yqosxuq_yy1sC1AwiE_OeLRp3H/s1600/2012_tara_guerard_interiors_0018$!900x.jpg" /></a></div>
And this bedroom.. I love this bedroom. So simple, a little bit masculine and a little bit feminine. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqxw_yZOVXhKIA1GwkPv7vQ_Fm6KyBrmq-7dq6QX-E34A7noUDiMwxVJYjjvJ4scG9dyPoLPeVfYA2q8Ubo-D2LHgAeWXg3BodQJGn3PvE0SNOM9ZznrqlmIWGReOpdAJwCwfdDvRjjt6/s1600/2012_tara_guerard_interiors_0052$!900x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqxw_yZOVXhKIA1GwkPv7vQ_Fm6KyBrmq-7dq6QX-E34A7noUDiMwxVJYjjvJ4scG9dyPoLPeVfYA2q8Ubo-D2LHgAeWXg3BodQJGn3PvE0SNOM9ZznrqlmIWGReOpdAJwCwfdDvRjjt6/s1600/2012_tara_guerard_interiors_0052$!900x.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a><br />
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Check out the rest of this tour <a href="http://www.stylemepretty.com/living/2013/07/01/tara-guerard-interiors/">HERE!</a><br />
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Home Tours is one major feature I wanted to be a regular occurrence on the <a href="http://isabellastudio.com/">new Isabella blog</a> because I love them so much. I just shot one last week and plan to get it up this week. I'll keep you updated!bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-3254623372090174472014-01-28T08:30:00.000-05:002014-01-28T08:30:00.518-05:00The Nursery Diaries: Chapter 3In case you missed my previous chapters, here are the links: <a href="http://brynalexandra.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-nursery-diaries-chapter-1.html">Chapter 1</a>, <a href="http://brynalexandra.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-nursery-diaries-chapter-2.html">Chapter 2</a>. This chapter is all about furniture. I recently posted <a href="http://instagram.com/p/jjga1Uka4q/">this picture </a>(for the rockaRoo giveaway!) on Instagram and had some inquires about the dresser.. and I'm here to tell you about it! <br />
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I know you shouldn't love inanimate things like furniture, but I'm sorry, I LOVE this piece of furniture. I came across it at Slate Interiors right before Thanksgiving and snapped this pic:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vOKiTq9PiTkBtxX4OzBqm-CmLxg0mnVffyHVoDXT9kAOYwnshvNSur1_k2lwMvgc_t_ck4o2oU9J9iJ9CztnwvZ2WFL8FNWo83TTx7JeTdIfK431PfYQOJSO_yMaaLhLajbod7NW2oHH/s1600/39fec3562d9fc2059cd5dfba2f1a33bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vOKiTq9PiTkBtxX4OzBqm-CmLxg0mnVffyHVoDXT9kAOYwnshvNSur1_k2lwMvgc_t_ck4o2oU9J9iJ9CztnwvZ2WFL8FNWo83TTx7JeTdIfK431PfYQOJSO_yMaaLhLajbod7NW2oHH/s1600/39fec3562d9fc2059cd5dfba2f1a33bc.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
You can't read the tag in the picture, but it says HOLD. I was so bummed.... but I took a picture anyway and told the girls at Slate to let me know if it's still available. We then went to Texas for Thanksgiving, and I couldn't stop thinking about this dresser. I figured, if it's available after our trip then it's meant to be and I had to get it!<br />
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Sure enough... it was still available!! <br />
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I honestly thought this was a vintage piece, but I was so happy to find out that it's a somewhat new piece from <a href="http://www.vanguardfurniture.com/">Vanguard</a> and has soft closing drawers. You know the kind that they use in kitchens? We plan on keeping diaper changing materials in the top drawer, so that soft closing feature will really come in handy. <i>(Note: I tried searching for the chest on the Vanguard site, but I don't think
they make it anymore. Also, I can tell the dressers have been hand
painted.. I have no idea what color they originally were.) </i><br />
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This piece was both a splurge and a steal. It was a steal at $600 for a Vanguard piece, but $600 was a lot <i>for me</i> to spend on a dresser for the nursery. But it was so, so, so worth it... this is a piece that will not only grow with our little guy, but I could even use it anywhere in any future homes if needed. <br />
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This brings up a point I want to make... <b>JUST SAY NO to "kid" and "nursery" furniture</b>. There is no reason to buy something specifically designed for babies and kids.. (unless of course it's the crib.. will get to that below). Buy something YOU love and that is good quality and you'll have it forever!<br />
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(And here is some more unsolicited advice... if you are on a very tight budget, buy something old/vintage and paint it!)<br />
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Here is the dresser in the nursery:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZAqYFdp-JWp6Ol8rJG0jtDh7JYevbq0QjBlDLZcQgNCr5XDAhES91vWUzInajnrsGiPNN40kNCd8gMTcuonJGdJr4ZI317pLf1JQTjrJorG2uDD5arKcWbuGDa1YafnKLYwaSg_kzAxb/s1600/photo(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZAqYFdp-JWp6Ol8rJG0jtDh7JYevbq0QjBlDLZcQgNCr5XDAhES91vWUzInajnrsGiPNN40kNCd8gMTcuonJGdJr4ZI317pLf1JQTjrJorG2uDD5arKcWbuGDa1YafnKLYwaSg_kzAxb/s1600/photo(3).JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Please excuse the messy room shot! </i></span></td></tr>
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This room is TEENY TINY... and the dresser (along with the changing pad that will be on top of it) has to be in front of the window. I know, some moms would NEVER do this. Honestly - I'm never going to have the window open and the baby unattended, so I'm not worried about it. <br />
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Moving on to the next major piece of furniture in a nursery.. the crib! It's funny, I spent WAY less on the crib then I did on the dresser. That large box in the picture above is the crib... and this is the crib I chose:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjK61Y6IoSZdjoWslMOwNIXJkahy9laq4zHjoe1c-pNHhesaZKV-br9zYBnrrfJ2QveA3a6eWyi91LsmYc1qIQyJD7uU42Me_-36gdLPLwiDtlxGkw0Po9xd3-CQASNNVK171A7jLVvqh/s1600/81G6KAyFxCL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjK61Y6IoSZdjoWslMOwNIXJkahy9laq4zHjoe1c-pNHhesaZKV-br9zYBnrrfJ2QveA3a6eWyi91LsmYc1qIQyJD7uU42Me_-36gdLPLwiDtlxGkw0Po9xd3-CQASNNVK171A7jLVvqh/s1600/81G6KAyFxCL._SL1500_.jpg" height="494" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/DaVinci-Jenny-Stationary-Convertible-Ebony/dp/B0034JM660/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1390861110&sr=8-7&keywords=jenny+lind+crib"><span style="font-size: small;">Jenny Lind Crib in Ebony</span></a></td></tr>
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Classic, simple, inexpensive. I know I just got done preaching that you should buy high quality, non-babyish furniture for nurseries... but when it comes to buying pieces that HAVE to be baby related (like cribs) - keep it simple and budget friendly. During the holiday sales, we paid around $175 for this crib, and it will easily last us through more than one baby and more than one nursery design. There are so many nurseries that feature this crib, and rightfully so! It goes with EVERYTHING!<br />
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You may also have noticed the small black bookshelf in the corner of the picture above... Erin (who owns <a href="http://isabellastudio.com/">Isabella</a>) gave this piece to me and it's so perfect for the space! I'll be using it to hold fun things like stuffed animals and my husband's vintage cars and some not so fun things like the humidifier and sound machine. <br />
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For the past couple weeks, we've been tackling paint colors... that's next up on the Nursery Diaries! I finally was able to find the perfect shade of dark green, but it took a million samples. Here is a picture with some samples up on the wall, and a better shot of my beloved dresser!<br />
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ps- If you are getting sick of my baby & nursery related posts, stop by <a href="http://isabellastudio.com/">Isabella Studio</a> where I'm blogging about an awesome new product we've been loving and I'm also posting an amazing home tour this week! </div>
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bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-70333170007468653572014-01-24T08:00:00.000-05:002014-01-24T13:04:16.763-05:004moms RockaRoo Giveaway!Wow, it's been a long time since I've hosted a giveaway, but I am <i>so, so</i> excited about this one. It actually was pretty serendipitous.... let me tell you why. <br />
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I knew when I got pregnant I was going to have a hard time with all the "baby stuff." A) I hate clutter. B) There is very few baby items out there that are aesthetically pleasing. For most moms it doesn't bother them at all.. I wish I were one of those moms! But there are some of us out there, especially those of us who work in a design related field, who get panicky at all the plastic and primary colors while walking through Babies R Us. <br />
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I know, I've heard it before from friends - you get over it. But luckily there are companies that know the importance of form <i>and</i> function. 4Moms is one of those companies!<br />
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When I started researching items for my registry a couple months ago, I came across this video (yes I am a crazy researcher.. I was watching videos about the new baby products that were introduced at the October market):<br />
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And I was SOLD. Form, function and didn't take up a ton of space? I knew I was going to put the rockaRoo on my registry the second it came out (I had always planned on adding the mamaRoo, but was bummed when I read reviews saying they wish it rocked back and forth like a traditional swing).<br />
<br />
Well, literally THAT SAME WEEK 4Moms contacted me about the rockaRoo Blog Tour and asked if I would be interested in receiving a rockaRoo and giving one away! Um, YEAH! It was meant to be!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6T7aK2du6e8M0KvbgslTEH7lHKEChrD6x2oLaTG3IktOFgVTbPrcgG_9afZtwtiTh7_eq7HC4i3X_wBWX4lugDYmIlaJfvA7O87rAsAs3srI6uwGw7SHsE7t-Vw3oWUXX2jDQ37f-T1z/s1600/Rockaroo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6T7aK2du6e8M0KvbgslTEH7lHKEChrD6x2oLaTG3IktOFgVTbPrcgG_9afZtwtiTh7_eq7HC4i3X_wBWX4lugDYmIlaJfvA7O87rAsAs3srI6uwGw7SHsE7t-Vw3oWUXX2jDQ37f-T1z/s1600/Rockaroo.png" /></a> </div>
My little guy won't be here until April, but the second our rockaRoo arrived my husband and I put it together and played with it. I love it! The rocking motion concept is so brilliant, and of course I love the sleek design and the fact that it's in a neutral, interior-design-mom pleasing color.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1EtulyaL9SWlmeu4qTWOrWgBslfaCzMfZDdJB_Lnklis-vNTvvz7wFjjgM3JRz3CXx_roFfUWWh7DseFeIObDabeQqfXkxCkRqISZ3OgsK5CZYnwn4Xl5U11ZCYrFeOwynqSIZae8Vcb/s1600/rockaroo2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1EtulyaL9SWlmeu4qTWOrWgBslfaCzMfZDdJB_Lnklis-vNTvvz7wFjjgM3JRz3CXx_roFfUWWh7DseFeIObDabeQqfXkxCkRqISZ3OgsK5CZYnwn4Xl5U11ZCYrFeOwynqSIZae8Vcb/s1600/rockaroo2.png" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKnuPUhAFtLfNFnkb8jiyuk9y2U01yhVz8OF-gMYs2E_nbzayAi45qnudJQe5zWTfPDSPwEdJqrLUefgKKZSiEMkaSYL7H4ThJGSf-95Vg7_yYjDqDRggbA52au0gux69wJNblcSwNOlo/s1600/rockaroo3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKnuPUhAFtLfNFnkb8jiyuk9y2U01yhVz8OF-gMYs2E_nbzayAi45qnudJQe5zWTfPDSPwEdJqrLUefgKKZSiEMkaSYL7H4ThJGSf-95Vg7_yYjDqDRggbA52au0gux69wJNblcSwNOlo/s1600/rockaroo3.png" /></a><br />
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As I mentioned earlier, since I'm a crazy researcher, FUNCTION is just as important as form. What's the point of a great looking baby item if the baby is going to hate it? Which is why I love the concept behind the rockaRoo (if you watch the video I posted, you'll see what I mean). But in short, here is thinking behind the engineering:<br />
<br />
<i>Why swing when you can rock? The 4moms rockaRoo flips the traditional
swing on its head. Literally. It rocks like a rocking horse, which
maximizes the sensation of motion for your baby. It features five
speeds, an MP3 hook-up, and removable toy balls.</i><br />
<br />
<b>GIVEAWAY DETAILS: </b>4Moms is giving away one rockaRoo to my readers, woohoo! All you have to do is comment on this post, but you get extra credit for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/4moms?sk=app_228910107186452" target="_blank">liking the 4mom's facebook page</a>. The giveaway will run for a week and end on 1/31. Be sure to officially enter through Rafflecopter below.<br />
<br />
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/edd5820/" id="rc-edd5820" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>
<br />
<b>DISCLAIMER</b>: The 4mom's rockaRoo is courtesy of 4mom's. However, all opinions expressed in
this post are 100% my own and as you know after reading this post, I had planned on purchasing one on my own anyway :) I only feature and support products that I
truly love. Thanks so much for reading and
entering!<br />
<br />
<b>MORE INFO</b>: Check out the 4moms Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/4moms" target="_blank">here</a>, the 4moms rockaRoo page <a href="http://www.4moms.com/rockaroo" target="_blank">here</a> and the rockaRoo blog tour page <a href="http://tinyurl.com/m6cyyse" target="_blank">here</a>! There are a TON of chances through the blog tour to win this awesome piece of baby equipment :)<br />
<br />
<b>PS:</b> You can see the dresser I purchased for our nursery in the pictures above... oh my gosh I love it so much. More on that in the next chapter of The Nursery Diaries ;) bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com607tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-20061083492285945502014-01-14T09:00:00.000-05:002014-01-14T09:00:11.599-05:00HGTV MagazineLast spring (wow!) HGTV Magazine came to shoot our house, and we're in the Jan/Feb 2014 issue!! Craziness, I know!<br />
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It was a really cool experience. Although I had done a photoshoot with HGTV Magazine before (as seen here), it was so different when it's your own house. They brought in a ton of props and accessories, and it was funny watching them come in and style rooms that you live in every day ;) We ironically updated our kitchen a couple months after the shoot.. oh well! (and I still need to finish a couple little things and get some after pictures!)<br />
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Since this was shot almost a year ago, our family room has actually changed a bit. Here is the space as it looks today!<br />
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bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-79693395087517716062014-01-13T14:01:00.000-05:002014-01-13T14:01:05.281-05:00You can find me at... Isabella Studio!This past week we launched a new blog at Isabella and I am soooo excited to share it with you! As you know, I started working full time at the shop during the fall of last year, and we have a ton of plans for Isabella for this year. One of them being our brand new blog:<br />
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<a href="http://isabellastudio.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="isabellastudio.com" border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGrPzgHd4SLK3eioMcoJXtCRK9ZAGB7SnHrRDstfX1KLSfQthJ4IFlmgmeI9gsX1tD5OUHygVZt46-KpbiicaEQuKSH6oeATT5VBYbZOcYTkMA_zeGm_3QaUt0A4Lu7XwYF0ZLrdUzGig/s640/1524981_10151873620008803_1469442457_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We worked with Hanna from <a href="http://gadaboutblog.com/" target="_blank">Gadabout</a> (one of my favorite blogs ever!) and she created a beautiful new site for us. I'll be posting regularly from <a href="http://isabellastudio.com/" target="_blank">Isabella Studio</a>, but I will also continue posting here about person things like nursery progress, baby, life, etc :)<br />
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I am so thankful for my readers that have watched me blog and grow since 2007, and I really hope you follow me to Isabella Studio to share the fun things we'll be doing over there! We have a ton of features planned like Home Tours, Scenes From The Shop, and "Get To Know" (small interviews with the coolest people in Charlotte). <br />
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I'm going to be shooting a Home Tour with jewelry designer and friend <a href="http://meredithjackson.com/" target="_blank">Meredith Jackson</a> this month... here is a little sneak peek of her place:<br />
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She lives in the coolest loft in Charlotte.. and wait until you see her jewelry collection!<br />
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You probably know that I'm obsessed with Pinterest, and I've also started pinning at Isabella too. <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/isabellastylenc/" target="_blank"><b>Follow us on Pinterest here</b></a>! <br />
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Working at Isabella is a huge part of my life now (and I LOVE it so much!), I hope you follow me on my adventures there :) Thank you for your support!!<br />
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I'm also getting back into the swing of things here at Bryn Alexandra. This week I'll be sharing with you our HGTV Magazine Feature and more Nursery Diaries :) bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-57381931842017649782013-12-30T07:44:00.004-05:002013-12-30T07:55:34.490-05:00The Nursery Diaries: Chapter 2Hi!! I hope everyone had an awesome Holiday break! We spent our Christmas in sunny Southern California with my husband's family and it was amazing. It felt like a little summer vacation in December - it was 75-80 degrees the entire time! We even enjoyed some beach time in Laguna Beach, one of my favorite places in the entire world.<br />
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It did feel awesome to have a little glimpse of summer temporarily, but honestly when we lived there I really missed winters and the coziness that comes with them. When we got home, it was also nice to put the fire on and curl up on the sofa with our animals :) <br />
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The weekend before heading out to California for Christmas, we took a quick weekend trip to Charleston. It was actually an anniversary trip scheduled in September, but I was too sick to go during my rough first tri, so we postponed. Here is a bump picture before we headed out to dinner. I'll have to do another post on that little trip... Charleston is another one of my favorite places!<br />
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Now.. on to the nursery! This is titled "Chapter 2" after all :) The very, very first purchase for the nursery was our glider. I actually bought it over two years ago. Crate & Barrel was having a huge Clearance sale to move out a lot of their floor models, and this glider was around $500. Knowing we had plans for a baby someday, I couldn't pass up the deal and bought it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.c-b.co/is/image/Crate/HathawaySwvlGldrSand3QF9/$web_zoom$&/1308302307/hathaway-swivel-glider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i.c-b.co/is/image/Crate/HathawaySwvlGldrSand3QF9/$web_zoom$&/1308302307/hathaway-swivel-glider.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://www.crateandbarrel.com/hathaway-swivel-glider/s597113">Crate & Barrel Hathaway Glider</a></b></span></i></td></tr>
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What sold me on this glider was the slipcover. I don't have much hands on experience with newborns, but I had visions of projectile spit up and I loved the idea that I can just throw the slipcover in the washer and dryer. I also feel like the style isn't too "boy" or too "girl", and it isn't too "baby" either. <br />
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For years, this glider sat in the "baby's room" as we called it just like this:<br />
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It had terrible 90's wallpaper and was used as an ironing room. We only just recently (right before I got pregnant) took down the wallpaper.<br />
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The second purchase for the nursery was the rug. It was a rather "large" purchase.. not in price, but in size. At that point, I really didn't have a plan for the design of the nursery. I knew I wanted dark walls and a masculine vibe.<br />
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I was browsing rugs on Overstock and came across this rug:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/7a/2f/0a/7a2f0a2a7dc74dfaccd148722ff25e23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/7a/2f/0a/7a2f0a2a7dc74dfaccd148722ff25e23.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Indoor-Outdoor-Courtyard-Navy-Beige-Rug-710-Square/8379353/product.html?refccid=2OIWTVAFERBLUNKH2BZ5PELJDM&searchidx=304" target="_blank"><b>Safavieh Navy & Beige Indoor/Outdoor Rug</b></a></span></i></td></tr>
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Let me back up a bit and explain the layout in this baby's room... it's teeny tiny. And it's a very odd shape. It has a little "nook" area (you can see it behind the glider in the picture above) and the usable space in the room is a square. I'm not usually a fan of oval or square rugs, but in this case a square rug was the best option. So I was really happy to find some square rug options on Overstock that were very budget friendly. (I'll be honest - I didn't want to spend too much on the rug or other items that
were space-specific because the truth is, we want to move closer into town soon and I'm
not sure a square rug will fit in our next space as well.) <br />
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I purchased this rug for around $150 including tax and shipping (It's currently on sale for $135!!). And it's Indoor/Outdoor which is another plus (remember my visions of projective vomit??). And it's actually really, really soft! Overall, it was a great purchase!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKExxYiaBgSNxGpZp_1CHPNsB6Hnt263gVtLnOV9c3F-fntyOULfeYog8DB1IY1XWKKwkXMOv5ZG_QHmGxlxhWMZDbu21k5yTLFJ5IZXoz0Hdn1OhON4GgkwJkWCU1AOTuQl9RR9yUhUQ/s1600/Nursery+Rug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKExxYiaBgSNxGpZp_1CHPNsB6Hnt263gVtLnOV9c3F-fntyOULfeYog8DB1IY1XWKKwkXMOv5ZG_QHmGxlxhWMZDbu21k5yTLFJ5IZXoz0Hdn1OhON4GgkwJkWCU1AOTuQl9RR9yUhUQ/s1600/Nursery+Rug.jpg" /></a><br />
Also pictured above is a little vintage lucite stool that I bought before I was pregnant. It will eventually be upholstered and used as a foot stool, like this:<br />
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I have no idea what fabric I'll be using.... there is so much more to do!bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-89207927901203280882013-12-12T09:00:00.000-05:002013-12-12T09:00:06.627-05:00Holiday Love ListHappy 12/12! Can you believe there are only 13 days left until Christmas? I've seen Holiday gift guides popping up all over blogs and Pinterest, but I thought I would keep things simple and share what's on my love list this Holiday season! <br />
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<b><i><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/169414729/vintage-1940s-1950s-shiny-brite-poland?ref=sr_gallery_22&ga_search_query=ornaments&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_vintage_rewrite=vintage+ornaments&ga_original_query=2&ga_page=2&ga_search_type=vintage">1 - Vintage Ornaments</a> - </i></b>I've always loved vintage ornaments, specifically for the colors. You can't find colors like this new! I've been thinking about starting the tradition of buying one set (like this) per year and work towards creating a huge collection that could cover a tree. <br />
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<b><i><a href="http://rstyle.me/n/cun8gvftn">2 - Golden Pinecone Stocking</a> - </i></b>Now that we have a little one on the way, I've been looking for stockings that we can monogram and hang every year. I love these because they are neutral and somewhat simple (and would go with a lot of different types of Christmas decor). I love the pattern!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Up-Bebe-Discovers-Parenting/dp/1594203334%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAIMLKPQSGTYE5YV6Q%26tag%3Delfster0f-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1594203334"><i><b>3 - Bringing Up Bebe Book</b></i></a> - I've heard a lot about this book and from what I've heard, I love the concept. I've added it to my Christmas list! <br />
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<a href="http://www.zara.com/us/en/new-this-week/woman/combination-biker-jacket-c287002p1668364.html"><i><b>4 - Zara Biker Jacket</b></i></a> - I've recently pinned a lot of outfits with big chunky sweaters and motorcycle jackets. I have my eye on this one!<br />
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<a href="http://rstyle.me/n/dqtqnvftn"><i><b>5 - Striped Baby Booties</b></i></a> - I put these on my list for baby boy.. I love, love, love them! I have a feeling the majority of his entire wardrobe is going to be stripes. <br />
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<a href="http://rstyle.me/n/dqtcrvftn"><i><b>6 - Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge</b></i></a> - My skin always gets dry in the winter and I've been wanting to get some cream or gel blush instead of my normal powder. I've heard great things about this one! <br />
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<i><b><a href="http://www.jaysonhome.com/furniture/chairs/clarke-chair-1.html">7 - Clarke Chair</a> </b></i>- I've had two new chairs for our family room on my "wish list" for a while.. I'll go ahead and add these to my "Christmas Wish List" :) I love chairs with upholstered legs!<br />
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<a href="http://bario-neal.com/jewelry/bracelets/oyster-bracelet"><i><b>8 - Oyster Bracelet</b></i></a> - I'd love to add more bracelets to my jewelry collection, and this would be the perfect "starter" piece. <br />
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<a href="http://www.pehrdesigns.com/products-type/hampers-and-bins/"><i><b>9 - Pehr Storage Bin</b></i></a> - I know we'll soon be overwhelmed with toys in our house.. I have this storage bin on my wish list to help round them up. bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-11906994433488713392013-12-10T09:00:00.000-05:002013-12-10T09:00:06.462-05:00The Nursery Diaries: Chapter 1Many years ago (in 2010 to be exact), I loved <a href="http://blog.urbangrace.com/category/nursery/">a little series on one of my favorite blogs called The Nursery Diaries</a>. It was written by Erika Powell as she decorated her nursery for her first daughter. She no longer blogs, and now has a second daughter, but I still adore the series three years later and have been going back and reading her old posts as I decorate my own nursery.<br />
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So I thought it would be fun to do my own "Nursery Diaries" (although it won't be nearly as great as her original!) Even though I wasn't pregnant at the time, I loved reading how her design unfolded and the thoughts behind the space.<br />
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As I mentioned in my previous post, we found out a couple weeks ago we were having a boy! And I was so thrilled. I was always hoping for a son.. there isn't really a concrete reason as to why, but I just always pictured my life with a son in it.<br />
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We closed our eyes during the gender parts of the anatomy ultrasound, and had the nurse write down what the gender was. Then we took the envelope to a bakery next door and they filled two cupcakes with blue or pink. Later that evening, Matt and I opened the cupcakes together... it was such a great experience! We video taped it and will charish that moment forever.<br />
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Once I found out we are having a son, the wheels immediately started turning for the nursery. I've been gathering inspiration pictures, and knew I wanted to do something dark and masculine.<br />
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I soon learned is HARD finding examples of nurseries that aren't "baby-ish". My favorite types of nurseries are eclectic and whimsical but are still spaces an adult can enjoy. That's one reason why I loved Erika's nursery so much... it was playful and eclectic but not juvenile.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.urbangrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/withikeachair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://blog.urbangrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/withikeachair.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://blog.urbangrace.com/category/nursery/">Erika's Nursery</a></b></td></tr>
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Here are some of my other favorite nurseries that all have that same playful-yet-works-for-adults-too vibe: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy296/lesueurinteriors/IMG_2654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy296/lesueurinteriors/IMG_2654.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lesueurinteriorsblog.com/2012/08/julians-nursery.html"><b>Julian's Nursery - LeSueur Interiors</b></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hollymathisinteriors.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/orywide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.hollymathisinteriors.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/orywide.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hollymathisinteriors.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/orywide.jpg"><b>Ory's Nursery - Courtney Loop</b></a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.semidesignedlife.com/2010/12/becoming-professional-house-stalker.html"><b>Ashley Putman's Son's Nursery</b></a></td></tr>
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So that's the beginning stages of our son's nursery! We have purchased a couple "big ticket" items and I can't wait to share them with you! Stay tuned :) bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-14687023756145396572013-12-03T07:56:00.002-05:002013-12-03T07:57:44.330-05:00A Trip To TexasI hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! Matt and I got home last night from visiting my family in Texas. We had a great time, and I have to share with you some pictures of amazing Dallas shops I visited!<br />
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First stop was <a href="http://mecox.com/"><b>Mecox Gardens</b></a>. They have stores in many big cities such as New York, LA, etc. It was a beautiful store full of really great eclectic pieces. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I really want an abstract piece of artwork like this for the nursery... this one was a bit out of my budget ;)</i></td></tr>
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The next Dallas shop we visited was <b><a href="http://blueprintstore.com/">Blue Print</a></b>. Honestly - I don't know how I've never been to this store before. It was one of those OMG moments when I was in this shop. It reminded me so much of Isabella, but on a much, much larger scale. It's located in an old home (similar to Isabella) and each room is like walking into a little jewel box. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFATTOZV_dSuhmY7W2A4JDsGNUWAnaWsYKFNizj9qF0eVKxTqcrGyJdUT9DmkXAoQea_kZvgt9isWDDRslitT7DzN2pmq0vyg1uJQ1hK-U2x5c2NUe_PQp_uWO-SjMXet-RCZuLnJPxyU/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFATTOZV_dSuhmY7W2A4JDsGNUWAnaWsYKFNizj9qF0eVKxTqcrGyJdUT9DmkXAoQea_kZvgt9isWDDRslitT7DzN2pmq0vyg1uJQ1hK-U2x5c2NUe_PQp_uWO-SjMXet-RCZuLnJPxyU/s640/photo+5.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was OBSESSED with this room!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTo88IZfJLTv2sazTqzWnhaJvqXRWyz28afUaOme-UKup6k7Skl4z-eWMEwaD2flWonQIWWg44UyLYUVDNae9C9T4n2db6WM3ECTyxsCk0wHzu4FBXHZjvaSk3-QvhCQ3g_ZdJ1AdJH948/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTo88IZfJLTv2sazTqzWnhaJvqXRWyz28afUaOme-UKup6k7Skl4z-eWMEwaD2flWonQIWWg44UyLYUVDNae9C9T4n2db6WM3ECTyxsCk0wHzu4FBXHZjvaSk3-QvhCQ3g_ZdJ1AdJH948/s640/photo+1.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The art, OMG the art. Their art collection was one of the best I've ever seen in a shop. And look at this room... an ENTIRE room filled with the most beautiful pieces of art. It felt a little bit like heaven! </div>
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I was telling my husband (who was so sweet to go with me to these stores) that it's funny how I would have never imagined I was doing design and working in a shop when was in college.. but here I am and I love every second of it. And then I walk into a store like Blueprint, and it makes me love it even more.... how I would love for Isabella to be on this scale someday!<br />
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Another highlight of my trip was visiting <a href="http://www.kendieveryday.com/">Kendi</a>'s store <a href="http://www.bloomdowntown.com/">Bloom</a>. Do you follow <a href="http://www.kendieveryday.com/">Kendi's blog</a>? She is one of my all time favorite fashion bloggers and I've been following her forever!<br />
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Her shop was SO CUTE. I wish I had taken pictures of the inside!! And Kendi was just as beautiful and kind in person as she is on her blog.. it was so fun meeting her!<br />
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I bought two really cute dresses that still fit over my growing bump.. I really love them (<a href="http://www.bloomdowntown.com/collections/dresses/products/contrast-dress-1">here</a> is one of them.. the other isn't on the site)! <br />
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And speaking of bump.. we tried to get a bump picture, but it just looks like I ate a little extra turkey and Matt awkwardly has his hand on it :-/<br />
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I'm officially past the halfway point, and you may have seen on Instagram that it's a BOY!!! We are so thrilled! More on that later :) <br />
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bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-37755769292669714002013-11-18T10:00:00.000-05:002013-11-18T18:40:02.696-05:00Great Rugs @ Overstock.comHappy Monday! I feel like I need to re-name my blog "The Monday Blog" because that's the only day I get a chance to blog. I <i>promise</i> I'm going to try and get better at this.. I miss blogging!<br />
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I've noticed that there have been some great (and affordable!) rugs on Overstock.com lately* and I wanted to share them with you!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/7573398/7573398/Chunky-Basketweave-Marble-Ivory-Taupe-Sisal-Rug-P15002099.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/7573398/7573398/Chunky-Basketweave-Marble-Ivory-Taupe-Sisal-Rug-P15002099.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Chunky-Basketweave-Marble-Ivory-Taupe-Sisal-Rug/7573398/product.html?refccid=XAY3HIJWMCHYJVKJIMIVE6PXBA&searchidx=46">Chunky Basketweave Sisal - a good, neutral staple</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/7751770/7751770/Safavieh-Handmade-Moroccan-Chatham-Grey-Wool-Rug-8-x-10-P15149860.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/7751770/7751770/Safavieh-Handmade-Moroccan-Chatham-Grey-Wool-Rug-8-x-10-P15149860.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Handmade-Moroccan-Chatham-Grey-Wool-Rug-8-x-10/7751770/product.html?refccid=I5KMHIJUZ2OKWH2CS4SZ4XIL7E&searchidx=236">A really great neutral!</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/8398239/8398239/Safavieh-Tunisia-Ivory-Rug-8-x-10-P15699562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/8398239/8398239/Safavieh-Tunisia-Ivory-Rug-8-x-10-P15699562.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Tunisia-Ivory-Rug-8-x-10/8398239/product.html?refccid=JT7TA4NDZ77IQESL5TKAQAAD4M&searchidx=107">This trendy 8x10 is less than $300!</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/7530665/Safavieh-Handmade-Moroccan-Cambridge-Light-Blue-Wool-Rug-P14967224s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/7530665/Safavieh-Handmade-Moroccan-Cambridge-Light-Blue-Wool-Rug-P14967224s.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Handmade-Moroccan-Cambridge-Light-Blue-Wool-Rug/7530665/product.html?refccid=JFZCBNPSES7ZQ3KFSB5AG3KNOU&searchidx=161">Safavieh Cambridge Light Blue Rug</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/8059346/8059346/Safavieh-Hand-woven-Moroccan-Dhurrie-Purple-Wool-Rug-9-x-12-P15415979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/8059346/8059346/Safavieh-Hand-woven-Moroccan-Dhurrie-Purple-Wool-Rug-9-x-12-P15415979.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Hand-woven-Moroccan-Dhurrie-Purple-Wool-Rug-9-x-12/8059346/product.html?refccid=EJMYWMZ6EXJ3WFSJPIVQBOWMFE&searchidx=20">LOVE this purple and red rug! </a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/8402654/8402654/Safavieh-Hand-woven-Moroccan-Dhurrie-Grey-Dark-Blue-Wool-Rug-8-x-10-P15703282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/8402654/8402654/Safavieh-Hand-woven-Moroccan-Dhurrie-Grey-Dark-Blue-Wool-Rug-8-x-10-P15703282.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Hand-woven-Moroccan-Dhurrie-Grey-Dark-Blue-Wool-Rug-8-x-10/8402654/product.html?refccid=MYXOZITOTNL3BNCJL7NKFLOQPQ&searchidx=216">Gray & Dark Blue Dhurrie </a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/8059352/8059352/Safavieh-Hand-woven-Moroccan-Dhurrie-Ivory-Yellow-Wool-Rug-9-x-12-P15415985.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/8059352/8059352/Safavieh-Hand-woven-Moroccan-Dhurrie-Ivory-Yellow-Wool-Rug-9-x-12-P15415985.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Hand-woven-Moroccan-Dhurrie-Ivory-Yellow-Wool-Rug-9-x-12/8059352/product.html?refccid=7XUGVAVNJLSLD7SJO6GSIL7DTI&searchidx=6">This rug feels very "David Hicks" to me!</a></td></tr>
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*They are not endorsing this post. This is just me sharing some good finds with you :)bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-90148682447874682272013-11-11T11:43:00.000-05:002013-11-11T11:43:09.205-05:00Loving Lately...Happy Monday! Here is a collection of things I've been loving lately :) <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I really need more jackets I can dress up or down like this one... (love this layered look, too!)</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Maternity style inspiration... yup, need more jackets. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>On a whim, I ordered these flush mount lights for my kitchen to replace the cheap pendants we currently have. We need more light!! And I actually really like the simple look of these. Kitchen post coming soon...</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bad quality picture, amazing room!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media-cache-cd0.pinimg.com/736x/5b/9f/fc/5b9ffcb286082c3c55f72b9de79a88a2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://media-cache-cd0.pinimg.com/736x/5b/9f/fc/5b9ffcb286082c3c55f72b9de79a88a2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I'm crossing my fingers for a boy so I can do a masculine library-like nursery with dark emerald green walls ;) </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/25/22/a4/2522a45e3d09bcc0b972111e94af5d1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/25/22/a4/2522a45e3d09bcc0b972111e94af5d1c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Okay, a girl would be fun too... I STILL love <a href="http://blog.urbangrace.com/category/nursery/">Erika's first nursery from about 4 years ago</a>... especially this little peek into the room that shows her eclectic mix of pieces. </i></td></tr>
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We find out the gender a week from today! :)bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-41504406699975889072013-11-04T10:46:00.001-05:002013-11-04T10:46:37.171-05:00Nursery On The BrainRecently an e-decorating client hired me to help with her baby boy's nursery. And of course, since I'm expecting, it was especially fun for me to do :)<br />
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This is her second baby, and she already had some pieces including an amazing vintage-style crib. Here are some pictures of the space and her existing pieces: <br />
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And here is the design board I created for her to finish the space!<br />
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I love that this nursery is a very traditional baby style nursery, but I threw in some funky pieces, too :) <br />
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I've also been daydreaming out about our own nursery. We find out on the 18th whether it's a girl or boy, and I cannot wait!!!!! Saturday night was a low key night at our house, and while Matt was watching football, I pinned some ideas to my nursery boards on Pinterest. They are currently secret because I don't know if we are having a boy or girl, but when we do find out I'll definitely share my ideas!<br />
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I've always loved nurseries, and back when I got our glider on clearance a couple years ago, I threw together some boards for both a baby girl or boy. <i>(I can't believe I'm even admitting this to you though... we weren't even ready for a baby at the time, but what can I say, I love to daydream about decorating haha). </i>I thought it'd be fun to share these boards that I made way back before a baby was even in the picture.<br />
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I've since changed my mind on some things, but I think the overall vibe will be the same. I can't wait to get started! (Which is why I could never wait to find out the sex..)<br />
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<i>As I've mentioned before, now that I'm working full time as a designer at Isabella, I've started doing more design boards on my day off and I'm loving it! If you're interested, <a href="http://brynalexandra.com/services.htm">HERE</a> is some more info and you can email me at bryn@brynalexandra.com. </i>bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-22283694434401125182013-10-21T08:32:00.003-04:002013-10-21T08:32:54.843-04:00Neutral At HomeThank you guys so much for the sweet comments about our exciting announcement! We are soooo excited!<br />
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Although my mind has been consumed with baby and work lately, I still think about design all the time :) <br />
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Erin (owner of <a href="http://www.isabellastyle.com/">Isabella</a>) and I have recently declared that we need to have mostly neutral spaces in our homes. We love and appreciate (and often use for clients) pieces with pattern and color, but since we are exposed to so many different things all the time, we need to go simple at home. (Or else we'll get sick of it!)<br />
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So let's revisit some of my most recently favorite "neutral nelly" spaces:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/36/fc/e8/36fce820544c58841b4561a0f47038ef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/36/fc/e8/36fce820544c58841b4561a0f47038ef.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Also filing this one under "Dream Home"....</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Neutral doesn't have to be boring! </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Neutral with high contrast... I love this!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This room has become one of my all time favorite rooms.. it's neutral but not boring. </i></td></tr>
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bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-6092535681051117622013-10-14T14:07:00.001-04:002013-10-14T14:12:06.780-04:00Another ChangeIt's crazy how life can change so much, so fast! Shortly after I made <a href="http://brynalexandra.blogspot.com/2013/09/change.html">the decision/plan to work as a full time designer at Isabella</a>, we found out we were pregnant!<br />
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We definitely were planning/trying for a baby, but it was a bit overwhelming how it all happened literally at the same time! I was adjusting to my new routine of getting up and going to a 9-5 again while battling morning (ALL DAY!) sickness. Luckily, I had both Zofran and Erin (owner of Isabella, who was very supportive). But as I have mentioned before, I had little time/energy to do anything else... which can explain my blog hiatus!<br />
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I'm finally getting back into the swing of things and feeling better, but I haven't quite mastered the art of regular blog posting AND working full time. But I'll get there!<br />
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And somewhat related to interior design, I cannot WAIT to decorate the nursery!! Our kitchen is almost finished, and this will be my next (and probably final) project in this house:<br />
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It's pretty much a blank slate... I bought the glider YEARS ago when Crate & Barrel had it on major clearance. I'm glad I have that purchase out of the way ;) This room had the ugliest 80's wallpaper ever, and we've already peeled it off. So now we just need to find out the sex, and I can get going! :)<br />
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Thanks again for sticking around while I've been going through these crazy life transitions... I think I'm on the upswing now :) Life is good, and we are SOOOOOOOO happy & excited about this baby! bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-38284452567431602182013-10-08T07:56:00.001-04:002013-10-08T07:56:17.432-04:00BACKSPLASH!We spent the entire weekend installing the backsplash. OMG it took forever! And it was pretty labor intensive. BUT it was really easy and it was sooooooooooo worth it. I love it!!<br />
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I guess you could say these are little "sneak peeks" since they are just Instagram pictures. I did take a ton of pictures during the process and will write a post all about it!<br />
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You can see in the pictures above our terrible, old stove. When we started this process we had planned on keeping it. But then we got the counters in and we realized it doesn't fit at all. We would have had to raise it onto blocks because it's too short, and then have moulding cut around the sides since it sticks out so far. I've been looking on Craigslist for ovens for the last 3 weeks with no luck :(<br />
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We were at Lowe's this weekend and luckily came across this floor model that was $500 less than the original price, and we decided to bite the bullet!<br />
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We are very excited, and very ready to have this kitchen done!!! We have just a couple more things to do (like have an electrician come in and do some things) and I think we'll be finished.<br />
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Although I've really been wanting new lighting now... ha! It never ends! bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-78847984802819254692013-10-01T08:02:00.000-04:002013-10-01T08:02:31.141-04:00Scenes From The ShopThank you guys for the kind words regarding yesterday's post. And congrats if you actually made it through the whole thing! haha ;)<br />
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Today I want to share with you the beautiful place I get to go to every day and call it "work". I took these last week after we got a ton of stuff in from our trip to New York market.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Both Erin & I are obsessed with this bed right.. specifically the two floral pillows with the velvet green bolster.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You may notice we're really loving metallics this Fall :)</i></td></tr>
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If there is anything you see that catches your eye and you want more information, email me at bryn@isabellastyle.com! bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-5521241008613420662013-09-30T09:33:00.000-04:002013-09-30T09:33:04.869-04:00ChangeRemember <a href="http://brynalexandra.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-note-about-life-some-etsy-picks.html">this post</a>? For the past month or so, I've taken a bit of a "blog hiatus" because things have been changing quite a bit for me. I've been in a crazy state of transition, but things are settling and I'm ready to tell you all about it!<br />
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I started blogging in January of 2008 (<a href="http://brynalexandra.blogspot.com/2008/01/blogging-2008-style.html">here</a> is my very first post if you are curious!) When I first started, I literally blogged about whatever I had going through my head.. which was mostly about decorating.. (and on a side note, I sometimes cringe at the things I used to put out there in the universe, ha! But I've never deleted any posts.. so you are welcome go back in time... but most of the image links are broken, etc.)<br />
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Some of you have followed me from the beginning (talk about humbling!) and have seen me go through some major life transitions. When I first started blogging, I had such a passion for interior design and I had a background in graphic design, so I started making design boards for people. Then people started paying me, then after a couple years and a transfer with my husband's job to Charlotte, NC.. I decided to leave my day job in Advertising/Marketing and do what I love full time!<br />
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When we moved to Charlotte from CA, the cost of living was much more affordable and it allowed me to launch my career as an interior decorator, Bryn Alexandra Interiors. However.. I still wanted some sort of steady income (because I really had <i>no</i> idea if anyone would hire me here in Charlotte as a decorator!) so a friend of mine (Thanks, <a href="http://www.bluefeathermedia.com/thoughts">Sarah</a>!) mentioned that a local interior design shop here in Charlotte has an opening. I interviewed, and got the job!<br />
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For the last three years, I have run my own decorating business (Bryn Alexandra Interiors) while working at Isabella every Tuesday and Friday. I have been blessed, and my own business really took off and things were <i>insanely</i> busy. It started becoming a struggle to juggle both. I knew deep down that in order for my business to continue to grow, I needed to eventually leave Isabella. That was a year or so ago... and the problem was, I never <i>wanted</i> to leave Isabella.<br />
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So I had to sit down and really evaluate what I wanted in my life. I obviously <i>love</i> doing interior design and being a decorator. But I would see other bloggers-turned-interior-designers continue to grow their business, hire employees, get studios, etc and the idea, to me, was daunting. Because let's be honest - being an entrepreneur/business owner is <i>scary</i>. And I had to really be honest with myself and ask myself... is it for me? Did I want to have employees, accountants, overhead, etc? <br />
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And while struggling with this question, I continued to work at Isabella and loved it so much that no matter how badly I needed those extra two days a week for my own business, I never wanted to leave. There are so many reasons I love working at Isabella. Every day at Isabella I grow as a designer and I learn something new. I learn from one of the most talented designers I've ever met, and I love being able to bounce ideas off of her. I get to work with beautiful, high end products that I normally wouldn't be able to work with on my own. I also have fallen in love the retail side of things, too.<br />
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So, one day I decided to bite the bullet and approached Erin, the owner of Isabella, to see if she ever thought about me possibly coming on as a full time employee. And I was ecstatic to hear she had been thinking the same thing! And when I heard the news, I knew which direction I was meant to go in.<br />
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So, after I wrote an entire novel, my big life change is: <b style="color: black;"><i>I'm now working (almost) full time at <a href="http://isabellastyle.com/">Isabella</a>. </i></b><br />
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I'm sure some of you have a million questions for me. I'll try to answer some of them!<br />
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<i><b>What will you be doing at Isabella?</b> </i>With my new position, I wear many hats. I'm a full time interior designer at Isabella, but I'm also going to be in charge of the website, blog and social media (which you know, I love to do!) I also, of course, will work on the retail side of things. Helping customers and also going to market and selecting products, etc.<br />
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<b><i>What is going to happen to Bryn Alexandra Interiors?</i></b> For local design clients, I will now only be working through Isabella. But it will still be very similar to how I worked through Bryn Alexandra Interiors. When working with a designer through a store, sometimes you have to purchase all of the items through the store. But we are flexible at Isabella, and still source pieces at West Elm, Restoration Hardware, etc depending on the budget. So if you ever thought of working with me locally, you still can! <br />
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However, my schedule at Isabella is Tuesday-Friday. I have every Monday off and <b>I still will be taking on e-decorating clients</b>. It's funny how life turns out.. because it's like a full circle from where I began (working full time and doing design boards on the side). <br />
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<i><b>Are you sad to leave your own business?</b></i> Yes, it's a little bitter sweet. It was obviously really great to have the flexibility of being my own boss. But with the pros, there were definitely cons. I realized that I missed working with other people, having a steady paycheck.. and I am very excited to not have to deal with business taxes and accounting anymore! ;)<br />
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<i><b>What will happen with this blog? </b></i>As I mentioned, one of my new roles at Isabella is to work on the website/blog/social media. Right now I'll be blogging here at Bryn Alexandra on a regular basis, very much like how I always have. But I'll be posting more about the shop now, which I think will be very fun for you guys, the readers! We'll be starting some new blog features, like Home Tours, Scenes From The Shop, Design Schemes, Good To Know (featuring other talented people around Charlotte), etc.<br />
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While I continue to blog here at Bryn Alexandra, I'll also be working on developing a new Isabella blog. Then, once it launches, I'll be blogging from there on a daily basis. <i>I hope you will follow me!!! </i>But I'll definitely keep this blog to post on about my life, etc... very much like I did from Day 1 :)<br />
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I'm so sorry this was such a lengthy post! But I really wanted you to understand this new stage in my life and why I decided to go in this direction. I've been working full time at Isabella for a month now and I haven't looked back! I absolutely love my (sort of) new job and I am so excited for what's to come in the future.<br />
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<br />Tomorrow I'll be posting some pictures of the shop that I took last week so you can see the beautiful place I work in!!!<br />
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Thank you, my dear readers, for always supporting me and sticking by me. It's amazing to think many of you have been "with" me through all of life's transitions. bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-20527688185795115932013-09-24T07:40:00.002-04:002013-09-24T07:40:59.611-04:00The West Elm Rug.. finally mine :)I've posted about my <a href="http://brynalexandra.blogspot.com/2013/07/professing-my-love-for.html">LOVE of this rug before here</a>. And I'm so excited to finally own it!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://rstyle.me/n/bdm7bvftn"><i>West Elm Jute Chenille Herringbone Rug</i></a></td></tr>
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I ordered the 5x8 size for our kitchen dining nook:<br />
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I love it!! I wish it were a little wider, but when ordering from places like West Elm you have to work with what they offer. However, this rug is just as awesome as I had thought... it's so soft and looks great. Someday I'd love to have a house with all hardwoods and I'd put this rug in the family room for sure!<br />
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As for the kitchen, our weekends are booked up the next couple weeks, but I hope to get to the backsplash as soon as I can!!bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3481334885690177821.post-23983632278040309622013-09-18T08:03:00.002-04:002013-09-18T08:03:29.578-04:00A Great Fall PalletteI'm not one to decorate seasonally, however the color palette of these new pillows I just added to the <a href="http://www.isabellastyle.com/">Isabella site</a> seems so perfectly "Fall" to me!<br />
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<a href="http://www.isabellastyle.com/shop/charcoal-velvet-pillow-with-green-trim"><i>Charcoal with Green Trim: </i></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.isabellastyle.com/shop/denim-velvet-pillow-with-glass-blue-trim">Dark Blue with Teal Trim: </a></i></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.isabellastyle.com/shop/john-robshaw-lindseed-bolster">Gorgeous Golds from John Robshaw: </a></i></div>
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bryn alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446345083442149906noreply@blogger.com6