One Bathroom Two Ways

happy monday loves! how was your weekend? i had such a great mother's day - huge thank you to mr. r for making it special. 💙 it started with the boys bringing me a gift in bed and singing happy mother's day to the tune of happy birthday. 😂 i had mentioned that i needed a new wallet and they surprised me with this one and i LOVE it!

tory burch perforated logo wallet in navy

speaking of perforation, isn't this bag sooo pretty?!

tory burch perforated logo hobo

anyway, short post today but i'm helping an existing client who is finishing her basement with some design choices. they're adding a bathroom so i came up with two different looks for the space using the vanity she's already chosen.

the tub area will be white subway so we're trying to keep it classic but not too serious. i'm more than a little jealous!

School's Back!! And Some Great Totes

hallelujah, choirs singing, and parents everywhere walking around with stupid smiles on their faces. oh no? just me? 😜 i love my little boys but there comes a time when we're all ready to get our routine back. we had a great christmas and new year - we saw sing, went skating in boston, and hung out with friends and family. and we're not even done yet because their birthday is just around the corner! we took down our decorations and the tree which always feels good to get that done and not have it hanging over your head (literally).

anyway! mr. r said that he thinks we could own fifty canvas tote bags and it still wouldn't be enough and i know what he means. it's always nice to have an extra bag around and somehow they all end up being used. so it got me thinking about my favorite place for these kinds of bags and that happens to be landsend. side note: i have ll bean ones too but there are no pockets - inside or out - which kills me. i also don't love how stiff their canvas is compared to landsend although mr. r likes how the ll bean canvas feels sturdier. still up for debate (and yes, this is an actual conversation we've had 😆)! i rounded up my current faves which reminds me of another thing i love - they're always putting out new patterns/colors.

i may or may not have a few of these 😉  p.s. happy new year everyone!!

Crossbody Bags

yeah, i want one. do you have one? do you love it? i ran a couple of options by a friend who i affectionately call the bag lady. she is an expert. my faves are:

1.

and 2.

the thing i like about both of these is that they convert into a short strap shoulder bag so they're actually two bags in one! i also love the chain and whipstitching details. and the size - they are small enough that it doesn't look like you have a briefcase slung across your body but larger than some of the tiny style. i don't like the second one as much because of the flap which is just annoying to get into when i'm in a rush. and by rush i mean someone needs applesauce immediately. but it does have great pockets inside. then my friend pointed out that the first one might too long/deep meaning things could get lost at the bottom. p.s. these are both from the TB marion collection and i'm kind of obsessed with every bag in this collection. my mom got the hobo style for christmas and it's really cute.

so anyway, i guess i'm looking for a squat bag without a flap. is this even possible? this wouldn't be an everyday kind of bag for me at this point in life - it wouldn't hold nearly enough stuff! but for times that i have to myself or date nights, i think this style would be perfect. any favorites out there?! i might try #1 to see if i can make it work. treat to myself for making it four years with twins ;)

Kayu Bags

have you recovered yet from the christmas coma?! our house still hasn't. the office is where we put our tree and it's a dumping ground for the aftermath. it literally looked like we had been robbed after everything was opened on christmas day! stuff everywhere. but our christmas started with a bang when we got a call on xmas eve eve from my brother in law that he proposed!!!! it's the best news ever and i am selfishly very excited to get a sister in law!! congrats uncle chris and soon-to-be-aunt katie!

in case you didn't get that perfect gift for christmas or santa gave you a little cash to spend, i recently stumbled on the cutest line of bags from kayu. they would probably need to be saved for summer, unless you live where it's always summer. or maybe you're traveling to a summery destination this winter (florida anyone?). my favorite is this tote which would be great for the beach and can be monogrammed.

the clutches are to die for!

and a couple of these are on sale - that watermelon one!! do you love?!

Treat Yo Self

hope you all had an awesome long weekend! we had a really nice time relaxing at the cape and going to a great small town parade. it's so fun seeing it all through the eyes of my three year olds!!

a long time ago i did a post on tory burch flats - back when they weren't quite as common as they are now - and basically said "just do it" as in, just buy them. buck up, bite the bullet, and buy yourself a pair. several people told me afterward that the post pushed them to buy a pair. and they were so happy they did! so today i have another for you. gigi new york bags.

for christmas i asked for (and received - thanks mom!) the all in one bag in pebble leather with my initials. i love it.

their totes and bucket bags are gorgeous too.

they're having a massive sale right now and it's a great opportunity to scoop one up for fall!

PSA: Awesome Bag Alert!

i came across this bag the other day while doing some xmas shopping and i think it's a total steal! i love the side zippers, it would hold a ton of stuff which for a mom of 2 toddlers is critical, and it looks way more expensive than it is - $54!! for real! granted it's faux leather and i'm a bit of a bag snob (#truth) so i'm a little leery but i think it's definitely worth a try.

any good steals you've seen lately?

Sea Bags

happy labor day everyone. you might have seen on instagram that while we were in maine we stopped at the official sea bags store and production facility. they wouldn't let me take pics of the production area but it was ok to snap a few shots of the little retail part.

i brought that navy anchor tote home with me and it ended up being a lifesaver because our beach bag that we brought was entirely too small!

GiGi New York

i had never heard of gigi new york until erin gates from elements of style unveiled the bag she designed with/for them. and since then i keep seeing their bags pop up on my instagram feed. isn't that always the way? once you're aware of something it's everywhere! anyway, their bags are so pretty and i love all of their fun colors.

i think the teddie tote is my favorite style - and the same style of just about every bag that i own!! easy access for snacks, wipes, and every other random thing you can find in my bag these days! bonus - you can get it monogrammed :)

loving this iris color:

pretty clutches:

which one is your favorite?

p.s. apologies for the sporadic posts - work is killing me lately.

Killing It: Dash & Albert

so i saw this on someone's instagram (can't remember who!) and it's perfect. not that i'm even that put together or charming on this blog, but i'm even less so in real life!

ok but on to the real point - dash & albert. i love love love their rugs (here) and have two of their runners in our upstairs hall. and we used to have one in our master bedroom that i sold in my yard sale last year. anyway, here are a few of my current faves!

samode:

herringbone:

rope:

jute:

they also have some great bags.

A Happy Bday!

hi friends! how was your weekend? i have lots to report. first, thank you to my parents for a very yummy dinner out and a particularly delicious (homemade) ice cream cake with 3 (!) kinds of ice cream and an ice cream sandwich crust. nummy as my boys would say!

a major highlight of my day was a total surprise and was actually on instagram! i was so excited to find out that caitlin wilson textiles (@caitlinwilsontextiles) shared one of my instagram posts on their feed. it was of my office (a similar shot to the west elm one last week but before i had the lamp) and it got over 650 likes!! that's a big deal for me :)

also mr. r took me shopping which was another highlight and i stumbled on a brand new tory burch store at a local mall! i picked up this beauty - she's way prettier in person even!

of course i had to take pics of the inside of this store. have you been in a tb store? they're amazing. you leave wishing your house was half as nicely furnished. here's the entrance and front room - lacquered orange and lucite!

this is the second room where all of the shoes are complete with velvet sofas, an awesome chandelier, and a beautiful braided rug. swoon.

plus on top of all that they served corona and champers!! mr. r was actually happy to be shopping! thank you again to all who made it a great day!!

iPad Mini Case

today is patriot's day in massachusetts which means we celebrate the beginning of the revolutionary war. yep. and in our town there is a parade with minutemen (people who dress up like they are in the revolutionary war). it's actually a nice reminder that we live in a pretty historic place. they also fire cannons which are quite loud but i digress.

i finally ordered a case for our ipad mini that we gave ourselves for christmas. i'm in love with it!

thought i'd share :) etsy of course. happy patriots day!

Beach Bags

our vacation is about two months away and to say i'm looking forward to it would be the understatement of the year. we are taking suggestions on what to bring for the beach for the babies (i guess i should stop calling them that WAH). we got a giant radio flyer wagon complete with cup holders and a sun canopy. a beach bag or three might also be a good idea.

these two are from ballard - loving the handles.

this one from jack spade could be fantastic if you're hauling gear for your whole family but it's $145. oops.

love the casual (hence beach) feel of this one although it's a little costly too.

and then there is also etsy. type in "beach tote" and you'll get approximately 14,000 hits. good luck with that :) this one is for the monogram lovers (which includes myself!):

I’m Sure It’s Just Me But…

have you heard of everlane? you probably have. i’m still living under that ab (after babies) rock. they seem to have some great pieces for great prices. in particular i like this duffle bag – it would be a great gift for a guy. i find that guys like duffle bags, or at least my guy does. i’m not a duffle bag kind of person.

sign up with this link (in the name of full disclosure, i get a $20 credit if you buy something hehe): https://www.everlane.com/n/8hawhc

Spring Bag Guide

a friend requested a post on spring bags which i thought was a great idea. and i love requests! for me, spring mean color and a time to break away from basic black. so here you go...

i saw this one by hammocks & high tea in the most recent house beautiful and instantly fell in love.

a friend at work recently bought this bag from rue la la and i helped consult on the color. :) i love the fresh kelly green for spring!

nautical & nice from boston boutique mint julep!

leather and canvas:

via landsend canvas

love this clutch from furbish.

i actually have this bag in gray and love it. it has perfect pockets for keys, lip stuff, etc. (inside and out) and now i wish i had it in yellow!

via bloomingdales

can't you picture carrying this clutch to a nice dinner out on a warm night? yum.

via shopbop

just for kicks, let's add in this one because who wouldn't want this bag on her shoulder for spring?

via neiman marcus

i adore this bright red number from foley & corinna and it can be worn two ways, short strap or long.

via piperlime

this list could go on and on but i'll finish with a very cute (and affordable) ikat clutch:

via south moon under

what would you choose for the new season?