The Power of the 15-Minute Mama Break

Fashion

So, I haven’t posted about my new reality around here much. This is partly because I don’t want to inundate all of you design & style loving readers with “mom-blog” stuff and partly because I’ve really only begun to process this whole new job title I’ve taken on. But now that our little Carter is four months old {time is legit FLYING!}, I do feel like I’ve made a few good discoveries about my new role as mama that I want to share with you {is it weird that I just cannot call myself a mom. Cannot.}. I have quickly come to appreciate facts like takeout six nights a week is a-okay, the Amazon app is awesome at 3:00 am and showers are overrated.

But in all seriousness, as I slowly but surely get the hang of life with le bebe, there’s one thing I’ve come to truly appreciate — downtime — no matter how short-lived it might be! See, Carter isn’t much of a napper. He subsists on power naps {just like his papa}, which means I’ve had to learn to subsist on 30 minute chunks of downtime during the day, max. And once you factor in running to pee, getting a drink of water and maybe putting in your contact lenses you’re already down to 15 minutes of quiet time. But hey, I’ll take em and thankfully, I think I’ve figured out how to make the most of them too.

Once I get Carter down for a nap {that part is actually pretty easy. A little light swaddling, pop in his pacificer and some white noise and he’ll usually drop off quite quickly}, I try to maximize my me-time with something that is truly fulfilling. Sure, in the first few weeks right after Carter was born, I just trolled Instagram or Facebook or maybe returned one email, but I quickly realized that hopping on my phone did not help recharge my batteries, only increased my stress levels and made the time fly by in an instant. So now I make a concerted effort to partake in some old school analog activities that truly help me decompress.

What To Do with 15 Minutes of Downtime

> Write a note. It’s a little tough to have a meaningful phone conversation when you’re listening with one ear for your baby’s cries, so I decided to resurrect the art of the hand written note! Everyone loves getting mail right? Jotting down two or three sentence of heartfelt sentiment makes me feel as good, if not better, than the card’s recipient!

> Read. I was warned that I should read as much as possible before Carter was born and it’s true – my brain capacity is so limited right now I cannot make my way through a book. But my backlog of magazines on the otherhand – I can totally indulge in an article, maybe even two, from my favorite glossies. Even just thumbing through some good editorial helps me feel connected to the outside world.

> Jot down memories. I wanted to be one of those mamas who creates an over the top baby book, but alas that just isn’t me. So instead I’m following my own mom’s advice – whenever Carter does something new, I simply write a sentence or two about it in a notebook. The first smile, giggle, funny noise or silly game. It’s not some fancy bound book but it will help me look back and remember all the milestones that happen during these sleep-deprived times.

> Exercise. Yes, you can work out in 15 minutes or less! I had a fellow mama-friend recommend the 7-minute Workout app as the best way to begin to get back in post-baby shape. As you gain strength you can even do it twice a day. I’m totally hooked!

> Absolutely nothing. It’s amazing how refreshing 15 minutes of simple stillness can be. You don’t even have to actually nap. Maybe you meditate a little. Maybe you enjoy a cup of tea. Maybe you simply sit and look out the window. But a little bit of dedicated decompression can do wonders once you hit the witching hour, have no idea how you’re going to get your baby to sleep or any clue how many times you’ll be woken up that night. I’m all for grabbing a slice of serenity anywhere I can find it.

Oh and my favorite thing about the Latch pacifier? I can usually put it back in {it has an adorable little ribbon that attaches to Carter’s clothes so it can’t get lost} and get an extra 15 minutes! On those days I actually shower – score!

I do hope those with wee-ones found this post helpful or at least can relate to my current reality! And for those of you far from having babies, finding 15 minutes in your day to relax is really beneficial to anyone so I hope these tips might prove useful for you too!

first image by michelle drewes, rest of photography taken by me during one of my 15 minutes of downtime!

This post is in partnership with Munchkin and their Latch Pacifiers. Designed with pediatric dentists and moms, Latch Pacifiers are lightweight, easy for a baby to hold in its mouth and one piece so the germs don’t get built up in the tiny cracks. They are available online and at Target. Thoughts & opinions are 100% my own. Thanks for supporting collaborations that keep our doors open!

Blogs We Loved This Month

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It’s that time of month again – no, not that time ha! – but time to let you in on some of our best kept bloggin’ secrets! Every month, we share the blogs we bookmarked, the ones we kept going back to when we need a little bit of fresh inspiration, and this month we have some we think you’ll l-o-v-e. March was full of returning to fashion blogs to get the latest coverage from Fashion Week, relearning our love for food – apparently, we were hungrier than usual! – and naturally, it involved getting lost in tons of dreamy decor inspiration. Here are the five blogs we couldn’t get enough of!

One of New Zealand’s top design blogs, Milo & Mitzy, is chock full of wonderful design inspo. Here, you will get peeks into gorgeously styled lookbooks from Australia’s most well loved decor brands, tours of carefully designed restaurants in Melbourne and Sydney and certainly your daily dose of drool worthy home tours. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, those Kiwis and Aussies sure know a thing or two about design!

Just Another is far from being just another fashion blog. Covering all of the lifestyle bases, from great travel and hotel features, to the latest home decor collaborations, Lisa brings it all. The girl has impeccable, fashion-forward style. Not to mention, she just moved into a killer New York apartment with her very dapper man, who happens to also have an amazing mens fashion blog. We’re coveting all of her “current obsessions”, and her whole life, really, and we have a feeling you will too!

Kale has never looked so good! Tasty Plan is definitely a fun food blog to check out. The aesthetic is super clean – think a single photo of an avocado – and we love that the styling mimics the type of food that is featured. Recipes focus on highlighting quality, plant-based ingredients in a very simple and healthy way. Everything looks like it tastes so yum, clean and fresh. Just look at those quinoa sushi roles. If you’re looking for some healthy recipe ideas, make scouring this blog part of your tasty plan! Pun intended.

Sanna Tranlov is a beautiful lifestyle blog that will leave you scrolling, page after page – for hours. Unless you speak Swedish, you’ll have a hard time reading what’s going on, but if not, don’t fret, the pictures say 1000 words. Soft pink light filters on most of the photos of Sanna’s pretty apartment updates, her latest sneakers perched perfectly in her window or the shadows casting on her new bed linens make us swoon. Decor-obsessives must check this blog out. Did we mention you’ll be here for hours?

Vienna Wedekind is a fantastic fashion blog for those of us who are in need of new ways to wear basics and do so affordably. We love that Vienna based, Carola mixes pieces from Zara and H&M with higher end brands like Alexander Wang. Honestly, we can’t tell which pieces were under $100 and which were not – a sign of high-low fashion at its best. While sticking mostly to basics, we also appreciate the pop of trends and color {hard to find these days in the fashion blog world!!} in Carola’s outfits as well as the cute Austrian streets she struts down!

Did you stumble upon any new blogs this month that you just LOVED? We’re curious, what are some of your go-to sites? It’s always nice to be reminded of oldies, but goodies we haven’t frequented in a while!

Check out our archive of Blogs of the Month RIGHT HERE!

The iPhone Case That Everyone Wants for Christmas

Decor

First we started with the problem: there are just not enough cute iPhone case options in the world to go ‘round. It seems like every year, the new iPhone comes out and everyone is all excited- duh!- but then it takes AT LEAST six months until a case {that is remotely stylish!} trickles into production. We hate that! Don’t you?? So with our new iPhones in hand and nothing to protect them, we teamed up with the artist whose graphics are always. On. Point: Julia Kostreva.

Julia is an artist based right here, out of San Francisco and whose work we have long admired. We guarantee you’ve seen her pieces all over Pinterest. They’re all gorgeous. Simple yet impactful, Julia’s wall art, notebooks and calendars and phone cases are all teh definition of restrained, minimalist but beautifully impactul design. But what we really love most is that Julia has created super affordable pieces of art while collaborating with some of the finest in the biz, brands like Need Supply Co. and OfaKind.

Dying to find a way to work together, we knew this holiday season would be our opportunity. With one goal in mind; to come up with an iPhone case everyone would want on their phone, Julia took a picture of the sunset’s reflection on water and transformed it onto a slim hardcover. Here’s the original picture:

She simply flipped it upside down to create a chic ombre design. The movement from light to dark, sunlight to night, practically looks like it’s brushstroked by hand on each case. We couldn’t be more obsessed with it! Finally, a phone case that is neutral, simple and truly beautiful. This is the perfect gift for anybody on your Christmas list with an iPhone. It’s available in 6/6 plus/5 and 5s! So what are you waiting for??

Head on over to the shop and snag this exclusive design before they’re all gone. Your phone will be the talk of the Thanksgiving dinner table. I have mine on my iPhone 6 and people are stopping me asking where to get it!

image 1 + 4 original photography for apartment 34 by Aubrie Pick // image 2 c/o Julia Kostreva photography by Loren Crosier // image 3 via @juliakostreva

Instagrammers Delight

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Since we’re already talking about Instagram today, we figured why not keep the party goin’?! We aren’t even going to try to deny that we aren’t a little bit {or completely!} obsessed with checking our IG feeds. All. Day. Long. Really, there’s probably nothing we do more frequently {you too?! Phew!}. That’s why we figured you can always use someone new to follow, so here are three of our favorite accounts to further fuel your addiction!

As much as we love San Francisco, Nana makes us want to jump onto the first flight to Copenhagen. The city seems to be filled with the most drool-worthy moments and Nana manages to make them look even more beautiful than they are- if that’s possible. Not only that, Nana fills our feed with delicate ceramic still lifes, tranquil table scenes, and GORGEOUS floral arrangements. Nana’s photography is quiet and enchanting- making it impossible to scroll past!

Trotter Magazine’s founder, Eva Tsang, has a talent of making any person walking out of an all-you-can-eat buffet hungry again. Documenting her travels around the world, Tsang never forgets to stop and enjoy the things around her {with a cup of coffee in her hand, of course!}. If you’re planning a foodie-based vacation anytime soon, Eva is a necessary follow!

Have you heard of the #makemoreportraits movement? We are still trying to figure out how to break into the intimidating hashtag task, but Yuvali Theis has mastered it. Edited in a Polaroid-like effect, the photographer from London grabs our attention with every portrait. With a very minimal approach, gorgeous shadow play and intriguing angles, Theis’ instagram account looks like it came straight out of one of our favorite magazine editorials!

We know we aren’t the only ones that have an Insta-obsession. Remember, we’re in this together! Who are some people you love to follow? Please let us know – we need to feed our feeds! — Victor

for even more delightful instagrammers, CLICK HERE

Blogs We Loved This Month

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It’s that time again – at the end of every month we dish the blogs we’re loving most, big or small. There’s something in this month’s list for everyone: a health-focused food blog, a lifestyle blog out of Mexico, design, personal style – whatever tickles your fancy, we gotcha covered! Give this list a click-through – you’ll be happy you did!

Ale Besso is an amazing lifestyle blog written by Alejandra, a graphic designer, out of Mexico. She has a killer sense of design style- every inch of her house is covet worthy. Check out the snippet of her desk is above! And did we mention that she lives in Mexico?! Talk about paradise. She shares house updates, life with her adorable mohawk-ed 2-year old son, Leonardo, and she has some serious styling chops! It’s our fave find of the month!

Emma Dime is home to local Bay Area graphic designer {and friend!}, Emma Roberston. She has an artsy whimsical side to her that is energizing and friendly AND just so happens to be curated in her recently published book, Knitting by Design. This girl isn’t afraid of color, nor rad and off-the-radar editorials. But the thing we love most is that she’s passionate about highlighting local artisans- from jewelry designers to shop owners to graphic designers- our favorite series, “Lovely Lady,” is a must read!

Lush Loves is a beautiful, health-focused food blog featuring recipes that are simple and highlight fresh ingredients, yet look like mama’s cookin. We can’t get enough of the clean one-ingredient food shots and beautiful, soft lighting that is captured in each image. In fact, much like the photography, the entire blog feels airy and clutter free- a fresh start, in a sense- which is often exactly what we need after a long day of working and the dread of “what to cook” awaiting us in the kitchen.

The Haute Pursuit is an edgy fashion blog, run by Vanessa who can be described as blonde, blunt and beautiful- and we’re not just talking her hair! She’s often clad in oversized menswear, rings on every finger and a killer cat-eye. Although her everyday style may be a little avant for most people, we love her cool and tough exterior- perfect for days when you need a kick-ass outfit!

Interior design lovers unite! April and May is a stunning design blog filled to the brim with amazing apartment tours, new design lookbooks and retail spaces that will make you swoon. There’s eye-candy everywhere you turn, so it’s no wonder that they have a second {and gorgeous!} blog dedicated to all things baby and a shop dedicated to emptying out your wallets! Go check it out!

We’re seriously feelin’ this month’s round up. We found some brand new blogs, which is always exciting. It’s one of those paradoxes where we almost don’t want to share, but in the end, spreading the love and inspiring others is what blogging is all about! So what are you waiting for?? This is the day out of the month that we want you to click away from our site. Go on!

P.S. We felt a little low on fashion inspiration this month. Who are some of your favorite style bloggers? We’d love to get some fresh, fashion-forward blogs on our radar!

Blogs We Loved This Month

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Is it that time again? Wow- February, you sure do make a lady feel old, passing time so quickly like that. It’s the one month of the year that you almost always feel like you’re racing against the clock. Despite being gone in lightening speed, there was no way we could have made it out of those brutally fast 28 days without a little escape in the blogosphere with the help of the blogs we loved this month!

Beeldsteil, loosely translated into “photography and styling”, is an incredibly sleek and gorgeous blog mainly focused around great design and interiors, started by interiors stylist and Dutch photographer, Wendy. You’ll find Scandinavian style designs that are to die for {like that copper pendant!} and beautiful detail shots of Wendy’s home. Our favorites, thought, are her instagram roundups- this girl captures the most amazing shots on her iPhone! You just have to check it out for yourself.

Anouk is the editor in chief of CreatorsofDesire.com, and while we love what she does for her “day job”, we’re ob-sessed with her personal blog simply titled, Anouk Yve. First of all, the woman has the most incredible curly hair- it’s wildly untamed and perfect at the same time. Thought that may be her signature definer, her style holds it’s weight in gold. Chic to the max, we’d wear everything she puts on!

Flourishing Foodie is a food blog {obviously!} that you may already be familiar with, but it’s always a good one to be reminded to come back to. We love how approachable the recipes are {founder, Heather, blames her easy way of cooking on her “laziness” and love for ingredients in their most natural state!} – even the photography and styling isn’t at all intimidating. There are generally two types of food blogs- ones you visit just to see beautiful imagery and others you visit to actually find something for dinner tomorrow night. Believe us, you’ll want to cook straight from this one and that’s why we love it!

Oracle Fox is a fashion blog hailing from Queensland. One of the reasons we love it so much is the mix of great personal style posts with high fashion editorials from the likes of Vogue and Elle, mixed with inspirational and seductive photography as well as great product roundups- a balanced fashion blog is often rare to find. Just when you’ve decided to leave the page, she hits you with an outfit, paired to perfection with the most unexpected twists, and you just have to see more! Bet you’ve never seen a button down shirt with athletic sweat shorts before- so good.

I’m Breanna Rose is a gem in our world. She has mastered the way to talk with her readers through relatable story telling and thought provoking writing. Not only are her writing skills impeccable, but she also has a background in graphic design and is an art director by day a.k.a. everything she does is beautiful. You’ll fall in love with Bre and her freelance advice she openly shares, her stories of Portaland and most of all her witty and charming personality!

What’s the one blog you stumbled upon this month that you’ve now added to your daily reads? We’d love to know what you’re reading!

Looking for more inspiration around the web? Check out more blogs we love here!

Pretty Perfect Last-Minute Gift Ideas!

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T-minus six days until the big C-day and it’s nearly impossible not to have to scramble for last second gifts. For all of you busy-bees and procrastinators {we count ourselves in this category!}, there are still stores guaranteeing delivery before Christmas. You better {myself included!} finish all of your online shopping tonight because today is the shipping cutoff for so many sites! Yikes.

Here are a few cute pieces I’m planning to snag before the clock strikes midnight:

get your gifting on: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8

Fabulous {and affordable!} luggage and travel accessories are hard to come by which is why I’m in love with this denim weekender under $100. It looks like it’s worth three times the price and is perfect for the gym, ski weekend or quick trip home! Capture all of the holiday’s crazy moments and print them on the spot with this awesome instant photo printer that grabs images right from your iPhone- a great gift for a teenager or tech-savvy adult! I’m positive any baker would love this gorgeous two tone sycamore and cherry wood rolling pin. I know I would and I don’t even bake {that’s the husband’s forte}! All of these gifts are great to have on hand for that moment you realize you forgot someone on the list. Not to mention, they’re perfect for a man or woman!

Who wants to battle the crowds and over picked items in stores this weekend? Not I. So hurry ‘n order your last minute gifts now!

Still need ideas? Check out the rest of our gift guides:

– For the eco-friendly mom or mama to-be otherwise known as the Jessica Alba wannabe

– For the straight forward Wall Street wannabe business man

– For that perfect hostess in your life who idolizes Gwenie and seems to have everything

– For the design obsessed glamazon a.k.a. the Kelly Wearstler wannabe

– For the ultimate manly-man who lives a little rough around the edges

– For your fashionista niece or bestie who’s style is impeccably always on-trend

I’m also obsessing over any of these gorgeous gifts or these closet musts. Santa, my dear old friend, hear my cries!

Gift Guide: {Stocking Stuffers for Sale!}

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Stockings are one of my favorite holiday traditions. Yes, the big presents under the tree call my name, but I just can’t help but dig into the stockings hung on the mantel first. I love finding out what fun little treasures are hidden inside. I know there will always be chocolate and a satsuma down in the toe {do you have that tradition too??}, but hopefully {hint, hint!] some of these also make the stocking stuffer cut!

get your gifting on: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 6 // 7 // 8

I love the idea of filling a stocking with practical things that anyone can use, but at the same time making them a little more special! Take this hand soap, for example. It encourages its user to save water by way of a super cute label! Or perhaps you prefer this chic 2014 planner. It certainly will make organizing more enjoyable. Winter accessories are a go-to stuffer. I love this urban beanie that will add edge to anyone’s style. I also get excited upon finding {and gifting!} tickets and small gift cards at the bottom of my stocking. Movie tickets or a mani gift certificate are always fun frills to have on deck. And you just never know when that practical $15 gas card will save the day!

What are your favorite stocking stuffer standards? Any stand out surprises that you’ve found along the way?

Gift Guide: {For the Jessica Alba Wannabe}

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There is a lot of baby fever in my world these days. It seems every friend I talk to is pregnant! Today’s gift guide is for all moms out there, but no ordinary mom by any means. This is for the green loving mamas who support local, buy organic and want to give their baby nothing but the best {who wouldn’t, right?!}.

This incredible mom {or mama to be!} may not have started an eco friendly baby business, but she is taking notes from a career juggling mom of two, Jessica Alba. Here’s what to gift the one (of probably many!!) wannabe-Jessica Albas in your circle!

get your gifting on: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8

Every Jessica Alba wannabe needs a carry-all tote. This market bag made from recycled materials has a chic shape and roomy interior to hold everything from farmers market veggies to burp rags! For a busy mama, taking time to put on makeup in the morning can be a bit of a struggle. So keeping her pretty face nurtured to ensure a flawless sans-makeup glow is essential. This organic face scrub with sweet pea flour and pineapple enzymes will do just the trick. Plus, she’ll feel like she just left from having a much deserved facial. And if this Jessica wannabe has a little one on the way, these striped booties {perfect for a boy or girl!} are sure to make her heart melt. Adorbs!

Can you believe it? It’s already December 12th! Deadlines for ensuring your gift will make it before Christmas are fast approaching! And if you’re frantically in need of gift ideas, here’s what we’re loving.

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