Smile And Wave

Leather, Lace, and an Evening at Red Velvet

What a full weekend! Friday morning started out with a garage sale/thrifting run with my friend, Katy, where I found these fabulous vintage boots. Then it was an afternoon trip to the YMCA, a little housework, and then time to get gussied up a touch and join in the fun over at the Red Velvet shop.

I'm wearing: Vintage lace dress, Red Velvet. Black slip, a department store years ago. Vintage leather belt, thrifted. Vintage boots, thrifted.

Elsie, Emma, and the interns have been hard at work getting everything ready for the lookbook shoot for the Fall Collection. I hadn't seen anything except peeks they'd posted on Twitter so I was kind of gushing over everything when I saw it hanging on the sample rack. WOWZAS!

I think Elsie and Emma are the best at making work fun!

In between distracting Emma and eating peach pie with Mallory I tried on some dresses from the store racks.

This one is technically a wiggle dress but there's not a lot of wiggle room left! I felt like Joan in Mad Men. It came home with me.

This one needs hemmed to just above the knees and possibly taken in on the sides but it's quite comfortable and I love the large print.

It was a lovely night full of gorgeous dresses and shoes, some of my favorite friends, and yummy pie!

Brett was kind enough to watch the kids so I could have fun with girl friends all weekend! I got to have coffee with Stacie of Gingiber on Saturday afternoon and then the whole family went to Big Cedar Lodge to visit friends from college and their sweet family.

That much fun means we're recovering today and keeping things low key. However, I enjoyed every bit of it!

What kind of fun did you have this weekend?

xo,

Rachel

 

Date Night and A Guest Post

Jillian of Three for the Road recently started a new blog feature titled 'Keep Love Alive' and asked me to share a few things about mine and Brett's marriage. It was a good excuse to make that first date night after his return happen and we even found a fantastic new babysitter! You can read the full post here.

Thanks, Jillian, for having us!

xo,
Rachel

 

 

Giveaway Day: July Sponsors

It's giveaway day! Some of my sponsors have offered up their services/goods for ONE LUCKY READER to enjoy!

All you have to do is leave a comment below sharing your best summer memory thus far (or winter if you're in the southern hemisphere) and I'll choose a winner on Monday. Be sure to take one last look at all of my lovely sponsors this weekend before the new month starts. Check out the prizes below!

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Michaela Lynch//Golden Cat Studios

Hey there! I'm Michaela of Some Things Michaela Made. I currently attend the Cleveland Institute of Art studying Animation and Fiber & Material Studies. My work spans several mediums, from collage to silkscreen to stop motion to embroidery, and whatever else I can get my hands on. I like making things, and I need to make a living, so this summer I started my Etsy shop called Golden Cat Studios where I sell all sorts of marvelous things.

Most of my items feature free motion machine embroidery, in which I move an embroidery hoop around my sewing machine needle and draw. This month, I am giving away a Custom 8" Embroidery Portrait (1 Color), valued at $65. Based on a photo you submit and color and style choices (gestural or illustrative or realistic, etc), I will create a custom piece for you, which I can either hem for you to frame, or frame in a wooden embroidery hoop. I will contact the winner about their choices and create the piece within 2 weeks. 

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Emily Waechtler//Blue Corduroy

Blue Corduroy makes and sells clothing and accessories by the sea.  I use recycled vintage linens in combination with other prints.  I am so happy when I think about a little girl wearing one of my handmade dresses and creating her own relationship with something made from the past.

Each item I make is one of a kind. I live with my husband and two daughters on the central coast of California, where we play at the beach as often as we can.

Blue Corduroy is giving away $20 shop credit.

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Katie Scarlett//Charmed Earth

A sweet hello to you. I'm Katie, and in my shop I go by katie scarlett. I'm a lifetime artist who enjoys filling up every last page of my sketchbook with quotes, notes, and pretty designs.

During summer, I'm a full-time artist and poet; during the year I'm a full time high school English teacher. I have a box of poetry and stories I've yet to publish under my bed.

I enjoy taking photos, baking, and styling my hair all sorts of beautiful. I'm married to the love of my life, and we hope to travel the world over and back together, forever and ever. For more about me, please check out my blog. It chronicles my year of not buying a single new thing in 2010:) And I've posted lots of artful and crafty diys.

Giveaway: Two in One Bingo Tile Necklace, a set of four magnets, and the custom clothes pins shown above. Valued at $30 including shipping.

 

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Moxie Mandie's Blog//Shop

My shop is a fun & eclectic mixture of accessories for home, baby, and YOU. I love to combine modern with found vintage to create one of a kind items that work for anyone.

Giveaway item is the Gathered Clutch shown above, valued at $20.00.

Also, Mandie is offering a %15 discount to all Smile and Wave readers! Enter SMILEANDWAVE at checkout.

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Be sure to leave your comment below sharing your favorite summer/winter memory thus far and stop in to visit the rest of my sponsors for July. They help support Smile and Wave and I'm so, so thankful!

There's still time to sneak in a Small or Mini ad for August if you'd like to be a sponsor. Rates will be adjusted in September to keep up with blog growth so it's a great chance at the current price of $40 for a Small or $20 for a mini. Email admanagers@frecklednest.com for details!

 

xo,

Rachel

 

Vintage Here, Vintage There: Featuring Tea

This week's VH,VT is a little peek into a morning of family fun at the park. Well, actually it was fun for about twenty minutes and then Mama got hot and cranky and the kids decided they'd had enough picture taking. Nevertheless, they looked adorable in their Tea clothes.

I found a vintage croquet set at a garage sale earlier this month that brought back some fun childhood memories. I had Sebastian try it out recently in our front yard and he was hooked so I thought it'd be fun to take our game to the park and teach Ruby how it worked.

We grabbed Starbucks on the way there and told the kids they could have their treats after we took photos. Sebastian helped me set up the wire arches that poke into the ground. Ruby followed after him and pulled them all out.

Here Sebastian is stepping in front of our photographer, also known as Brett. Ruby stole his coffee while he wasn't looking.

Ruby was most interested in throwing the croquet balls around whilst chewing her fingernails.

I had to explain to Sebastian why throwing the croquet balls into the air to see where they would land was a bad idea. It had something to do with his little sister's head.

That's when Ruby decided it'd be fun to try, too.

Then I got serious. I lined them up and made them watch as I showed them how it was done. Pardon my blisters. I've been teaching Sunday how to go on walks, too.

Just kidding. I really don't know how to play either.

It's like miniature golf, right?

I'm wearing: Vintage button up shirt, thrifted. Cut-off jeans, tank, shoes, Target. Headband, handmade by Elsie. Vintage purse, thrifted.

Ruby's wearing: Dress and leggings, c/o Tea. Vintage Minnetonkas, thrifted.

Sebastian's wearing: Tee and shorts, c/o Tea. Toms, the mall.

I know both kids will get a lot of wear out of what I chose from Tea because the clothing is high quality and easy to mix-n-match. Ruby, being the petite thing she is, will be able to wear this dress over leggings and a long-sleeved tee through the fall and winter months, and possibly into next summer as a top!

Sebastian's shirt can be layered for back-to-school and those shorts, made of a soft cotton, are his new favorite. He's the kid who refused jeans for weeks at a time when he was younger in favor of his 'soft pants' (sweats). These shorts are the perfect solution! They're super comfy but still well constructed so they don't look sloppy. I think he wore them three times last week.

More favorites from Tea for girls: Ancho stripe baby dress, Polanco Chambray Dress, Skinny Pointelle Leggings, Racerback Stripe Tank.

More favorites from Tea for boys: Abuelito Cardigan, Tigre Graphic Tee, Workwear Cargo Pants, Surf & Turf Sneakers.

Rubyellen and I were more than happy to share some beautiful items from Tea clothing! Head 'over there' to see what her girls are wearing and what she has to say about her selections. I think we need to be real live neighbors so Ruby and Soul can trade clothes!

xo,

Rachel

 

The FORAGE Giveaway Winner Is...

"As much as I would love a bow tie for myself, I think the metallic stripe one would be perfect for my fiance to wear at our wedding. Too perfect!"

  -Jasmine Vanden Heuvel

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Congratulations, Jasmine! You've won the pink and white gingham bow tie above from FORAGE. Send me an e-mail at racheldenbow (at) gmail (dot) com and we'll get your prize to you!

Thanks again to Stephen and Shauna of Something's Hiding In Here for offering a giveaway in honor of FORAGE's first birthday!

xo,

Rachel

Making the Everyday More Special

Last weekend we had the pleasure of some out of town friends stopping in on their way across the state. We met the Reeves family last summer during Sebastian's birthday trip and have met up at a coffee shop in town since then. They're really lovely people so when they said they'd be coming through we invited them over. There's only so much fun kids can have at a coffee shop while their parents visit!

I try to keep a box of brownie mix on hand at all times and there's usually plenty of coffee so that was easy. We got the place picked up (although they did see the laundry pile mountain range in our bedroom) and got the brownies made with time to spare.

It gave me plenty of time to get things set up with our mix-n-match plates and cups. I made a handful of cloth napkins last year during Home Ec that we've put into use all summer. They're just so much prettier than paper towels folded up at the table!

Sebastian told me my brownies didn't taste very good. At least they looked good!

We rarely have guests over so it was fun to do something a little extra special. We enjoyed visiting with our friends and are already looking forward to the next time we get to share coffee and sweets!

Do you like to make a fuss over table settings?

xo,

Rachel

Instagram Rainbow

Our laptop is in the repair shop but all is not lost! Here's an Instagram rainbow from the last few days. Oh, how I love Instagram.

Later this week (once the laptop is back) I'll have a Haiti pillow case dress winner to announce, an afternoon at the park for Vintage Here, Vintage There, an exciting giveaway, and a little fun in the kitchen.

I loved seeing all of those happy spots in your homes over the weekend! Feel free to keep those coming in.

xo,

Rachel

P.S. Sandals are from Mysaltwatersandals. I figured you may ask.

 

Happy Spots In Your Home - A Photo Challenge

There are a number of places in my home that make me happy but sometimes I notice a certain arrangement of things - leftovers of time spent playing together, remants of a project, groupings of colors - that stop me in my tracks.

Don't worry about clean or messy, perfect or imperfect. Pay attention this weekend to places in your home that make you especially happy.

What do you love about that corner? Are there certain items that are nostalgic? Evidence of a good time had? A bargain piece?

Feel free to share any happy spot photos on your blog and link up in the comments section below for everyone to see.

xo,
Rachel

 

 

FORAGE is One Year Old: A Giveaway

Today Shauna and Stephen of Something's Hiding In Here are celebrating the one year anniversary of FORAGE, their stunning line of bow-ties for men and women. Each piece is made from hand-picked vintage fabrics and made in their own live-in studio!

To celebrate they are giving away a charming pink and white gingham bow-tie for one lucky lady! This will add some interest to your ensemble this summer and carry you all the way through the holidays.

There are THREE ways to win.

1. Head over to FORAGE, find your favorite bow tie, come back here and share where you'd wear yours (or where you'd take your man in his) in the comment section below.

2. Tweet about this giveaway with the hashtag #FORAGE and leave a comment below.

3. Share this giveaway on Facebook with a link back to Smile and Wave and let me know in the comment section.

I'll pick a winner at random on Tuesday, the 26th.

Stephen and Shauna are such a hard-working, lovely pair and I'm so happy to be able to help them celebrate such an exciting day. Congratulations, FORAGE!

xo,
Rachel

Friday Favorites

I loved this week! There are days when life feels overwhelming, monotonous, or just plain off but this week was mostly full of beautiful things.

Here are a few more beautiful things from the interwebs this week:

* This will always be my favorite kind of cake. Test out the recipe found on The Kitchn this weekend!

* These gorgeous necklaces in a DIY roundup at PoppyTalk.

* This Etsy collection featured on Sally Jane Vintage.

* I love triangles so this kids' room on Design*Sponge stole my heart!

* This diary from 1993 is adorable! Did you keep one?

* This reminder to be brave from Bueno, Bueno.

* An interview on balancing work and motherhood with Molly Stern on Girl's Gone Child.

* Six fool-proof tips for getting back on track shared on Scoutie Girl.

* This feature of Kendi Everyday on Creature Comforts. LOVE the color in her ensembles!

* Victoria's Sunday in the City posts make me want to pack our car and head West!

I hope your week has had plenty of beautiful moments.

xo,
Rachel