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Room Ready /  by Katie Brightbill

These days there are so many amazing resources for kids room shopping, and there's a lot of crossing over between adult furnishing stores and kids stores. I find items I want for my living room from some children's retailers, and amazing, child-friendly accents from adult stores! Today I've pulled together a few of my favorite gender-neutral kids room finds:

One. Lamp Two. Chair Three. Leaf Print. Four. Dresser Five. Rug Six. Side Table

Getting Back to Basics /  by Katie Brightbill



We kissed summer goodbye last weekend with swimming pools and grills, and now it's time to start thinking about fall! As the mornings get cooler, I like to start dressing Emma in layers. She loves to start the crisp mornings with a sweater layered over a little ruffle tank. When the weather warms in the afternoon, she has a stylish little ruffle surprise underneath. I buy a lot of soft, neutral grays to complement her fair skin, and she can feel free to add all the colorful and sparkly accessories she wants! 



All photos taken by the talented (and really fun!) duo at Pictilio.

Before and After: Toms Shoes /  by Katie Brightbill

Hello, we have our first guest post today! My brilliant friend Natalie gave new life to her daughter's old, grungy Toms shoes, and I asked her to share the how-to with everyone here! Also, visit her blog at rockyriverfarmhouse.blogspot.com 



I've learned not to get my expectations too high when picking outfits and fixing hair for my strong-willed firstborn daughter. Somehow, what I envision for Greta doesn't translate to reality. My recent enlightenment is that I ask her opinion before we buy and we pick outfits right then and there together so that we can avoid future morning disagreements. Enter Toms shoes. The most expensive shoes this little girl owned and she wouldn't wear them. They were faded, scuffed, and "yucky." One afternoon, I took out my fabric paint in all their glory and let her pick whatever she wanted.We agreed on light blue and got started painting them together. The next day I suggested we snazz them up with a heart and her eyes got wide and she said, "I would love that."I used more of a fine tipped paintbrush to freehand the heart and filled it in with a bigger one. If you are hesitant, just start with a small heart and even out the edges little by little until they match the way you like them.

Greta loves her new favorite "kindergarten shoes" (and I love that they're no longer her "yucky" shoes). Give it a try! Nothing to lose.

Before & After
Supplies: 


*A word about the Rocky River Farmhouse blog: I have a lot of projects that I'm proud of, but my most recent accomplishment is my 3rd child-- and the reason I haven't blogged since July of last year. So feel free to dust off the cobwebs and take a look around! Hopefully I can soon get back to writing all the things that have been happening this past year! *Natalie

Maggie's First Birthday Recap /  by Katie Brightbill


Today seems like a good day to recap Maggie's first birthday party! She was pretty pleased with the whole deal. Everyone was paying attention to her, she got to hear people sing the "happy birthday" song (one of her favorite songs ever!) and she got her first lollipop. She wasn't a big fan of birthday cake, but we made up for that by feeding her her favorite: enchiladas.

I made one paper puff and hung it in the middle of the drink station with some papel picado (handmade, it's easy! see the tutorial under "sources" below) and I cut the letters quickly by hand.  My dad made agua frescas for the party with fresh strawberries and melons. Tasted just like a taqueria... actually, better! The juice was a big hit with the kids and Maggie got her first taste and loved it. The entertainment was a pinata for the kids, who took home more candy than their parents probably preferred. We sent the little girls home with the bow hair clip favors that I made and attached to pretty paper from Paper Source and slid into cellophane bags. 

 It was a perfectly bright party for our sweet, happy baby! 









Sources:
* Maggie's party was featured on Apartment Therapy Family today too! Take a look HERE. :)

The Look of Comfort /  by Katie Brightbill

Sophie wore her favorite dress today. Surprisingly, it's my favorite dress of hers as well. I'd like to thank H&M for making dresses with such a perfect mix of playfulness and structure. It's pretty tricky to find dresses that aren't too "precious" for the park, yet somehow look put-together at the same time... that way, I can head directly to run errands after the park and not get odd looks from those people who have never had children about the appearance of mine. :) H&M has lots of options every single season, and they're almost all $15 and under. Win-win. She got the little flower clip for her hair and her gold sparkly purse from J.Crewcuts and her high top chucks from Zappos. Lucky for little girls that they can pair a dress & sparkles with converse and pull it off with such natural ease.

We've been pretty under the weather at our home this week. Looking forward to a weekend of rest and relaxation! Hope for the same for you!

Happy Weekend!

Kate
Current H&M Dress with a similar price
Similar Flower Clip, Similar Purse, Red Chucks