Smile And Wave

What She Wore: Cauliflower Kids

Outfit Details: Dress c/o Cauliflower Kids. Jeans, Target. Shoes, Payless. 

Cauliflower Kids is one of my favorite on trend, handmade kids' clothing shops right now. Each of the designs is fresh and each collection is so cohesive. This is one of the dresses from the spring collection and I love how unique it is. The keyhole back, the raindrop print, and the way it's pieced together all contribute to it's charm! Ruby likes that it's made out of jersey because it feels like a t-shirt and she's all about t-shirts right now. 

Do you think she'd go for this top? I'm gonna ask her.

-Rachel

Mother's Day

These two have permanently changed me in so many ways. My heart will always be bigger, my stomach less flat, and my mind always slightly distracted by where they are and what they're doing. For the past (almost) seven years I've had to think about their needs before mine and Brett's, plan around nap times and potty breaks, think three steps ahead to make sure I catch the potential safety hazards, all the while hoping I was staying in the moment long enough to see them as they were.

They grow so quickly.

These two treated me to an adventure up a creek and an afternoon in the backyard with only one timeout needed and hardly any whining while we drove the alleys of downtown Colorado Springs in search of a shaded but colorful backdrop. I got all the dandelions on our hike, a new ironing board cover (I asked for one), and Chinese takeout. There were no pedicures or naps or fancy shopping trips but I got what I am always craving these days - time as a family adventuring in this pretty little part of the country.

Our extended family got some happy news when my cousin and her husband announced they were expecting over the weekend! They had a long wait for their twin girls that they had through in vitro and were told they had about a 1% chance of ever getting pregnant on their own in the future. Turns out that 1% chance is due in December! So happy for you, Sarah and Jason! 

I know Mother's Day isn't easy on every heart. There are so many ways to ache over both being and not being a mama (yet). While we've had a little heartache in the past with an early miscarriage and are coming on two years of wondering if this month is the month, I am so thankful for what we have right now. 

Thankful and hopeful. 

-Rachel

Outfit Details: Dress, Target. Shoes c/o ModCloth, Necklace c/o Moorea Seal. Watch, gifted. Ruby's dress, vintage. Skinny jeans, Target. Shoes, Payless. Sebastian's vintage shirt, gifted. Cords, Target. Shoes, Old Navy.

What I Wore: Mountain Mama

Outfit Details: Dress, tights, Target; Denim Jacket, GAP. Boots, Nine West. Belt, thrifted. Scarf c/o Scarves Dot Net. Bag, ModCloth (last year). 

Spring has never been more welcome in my heart than after a full winter here in Colorado with more cold days and nights than we've ever known and a bit more snow than we're accustomed to. Cold in the mornings, warm in the afternoon, and freezing in the evenings always means layers so I've been turning to my ten-year-old denim jacket and this jersey infinity scarf. 

Can you see Pike's Peak behind me? I get to see that every day from our backyard in the winter. It makes all of this cold weather worth it. 

Well, most days. I still can't wait for green grass!

Here are a few more of my favorites from Scarves Dot Net for spring. I love all of the bright prints. -Rachel

What I Wore: St. Patrick's Day

Ruby and I attended the St. Patrick's Day parade downtown without our boys last Saturday decked out in green. We spent Friday afternoon trying to help decorate the float that the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts were going to share but Saturday morning Sebastian woke up with a fever that lasted through Monday so he didn't get to ride in it. Ruby wasn't about to miss it just because her brother was sick so we joined our friends outside the Pioneer Museum and waved at the brave firefighters and fancy leprechauns. 

Outfit Details: Top, Target. Jeans, Jessica Simpson. Vintage cape, gifted. Boots, Nine West. 

My friend, Jessa, who we watched the parade with found this darling vintage wool cape for me recently and St. Patrick's day was the perfect occasion to wear it. 

We didn't do much the rest of the weekend since we were homebound with a sick boy and I really forgot it was St. Patrick's Day most of the day Sunday. Last year we went all out with a full green breakfast but the kids didn't seem to mind that we skipped it this year. 

I'm so excited we've finally officially moved into spring! It's going to be freezing the rest of the week here and we won't see flowers popping out of the ground quite yet but at least it's close! I'm hoping all of the sickness is on it's way out with winter, too. Time for more weekend adventures!

-Rachel

40 Projects Just For Fun: Woven Clutch DIY

I love when non-traditional supplies come in pretty colors. The rope section at Lowe's has woven and braided cording and rope in almost all the colors of the rainbow so I chose pink and red to make something for our next date night. This ended up as a clutch but if I had made it six inches longer I could've turned it into a tote. 

To make you're own you'll want to start with a frame. I built this one from scrap wood with a hammer and nails. I made it as long and as wide as I wanted my clutch to be by nailing two nails in each corner (to keep it from getting wonky). It measures about 16" wide and 32" long. There are 21 nails on each end spaced about 3/4" apart. Then I tied a knot on the top left nail and wound it back and forth between the nails until I got to the bottom right corner and knotted it again. This is a pretty rudimentary frame but it does the job. I used a cabinet to make my first frame as seen here but this one is much sturdier. I decided to make my clutch from rope because of it's texture and sturdiness. The red is really thick and the pink gives a little. 

I purchased two of each color rope and started with a six foot strand of pink. I tied a knot to the bottom right corner and wove over and under all the way across. Then I went back the other direction and went over and under the opposite strings. When I got close to running out I got to one end, wove it in about three inches, and trimmed it. I tucked it under to the back side. Then I started with the red so that I was going in the same direction and pulled it all the way through so that the end crossed under the same string as pink end. I pulled the rope down to keep the weaving tight and made sure I didn't pull so tight that it turned into an hourglass shape. 

Once I got to the other end I tucked it down and back under so as not to have to tie another big knot. Then I unhooked each white strand at the top and tied a knot flush with the red rope so it wouldn't unravel. Once I had my knot I trimmed my twine down. Then I unhooked the other side of my hooked twine. 

To turn it into a clutch I laid it down wrong side up and trimmed the tails a bit before folding the bottom up as shown. Fold it into almost thirds for a clutch or just in half for a tote. Cut two sections of twine about 32" long and fold in half. Start at the bottom fold and lace one half of the twine through the sides and then the other half. Knot at the top and trim excess. Repeat for the other side making sure your clutch is folded evenly. 

Just the right size to tuck in the essentials. Now I wouldn't travel with bobby pins or anything but it's guaranteed to add some happiness to your wardrobe! 

Have you tried weaving anything before? 

-Rachel

40 Projects: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Giveaway: Albion Fitness and Swimwear

If you went back and looked at summer photos to see what kind of swimsuits I've owned they've almost all been solid black. I have opted for slimming suits even since before I became a mom and up until recently hadn't paid more than $30-$40 for one (and usually got my money's worth). Last summer I spent a little more for something retro-inspired and loved how it looked on me but it was still pretty safe-black with small, white polka-dots. 

When Albion, a women's fitness and swimwear company, contacted me to see if I'd like to partner with them to share their line of swimwear with my readers it took only a moment to fall in love with this one. It's such a classic style but a little extra special with a red bow and straps. I tried it on as soon as it arrived a few Saturdays ago and couldn't believe how flattering it was on my curves. As a mama who still has a few fitness goals to reach before it's warm enough to wear it outside, I already feel pretty in it. 

The exciting part is that Albion Fit wants to share this same swimsuit with one of my lucky Smile and Wave readers!

To enter to win:

* Like Albion on FB.

* Pin your favorite swimwuit from Albion onto one of your Pinterest boards. 

* Come back and leave a comment sharing that you did both.

Albion also offers workout clothing for those of you who are working hard to get ready for swimsuit season. (Raises hand). Use the code smileandwave15 for 15% off your order before March 10th.

Have you already gone swimsuit shopping or do you have one from last year that you love?

-Rachel 

Note: Swimsuit and giveaway provided by Albion.

Giveaway: Ever + Mi Crush

I have a growing collection of date night dresses-extra special pieces that usually don't get worn unless it means leaving the house for fun reasons. I loved pairing this flirty, vintage-inspired dress from Ever+Mi Crush with my worn in clogs and bright tights for spring. The collar is probably my favorite part. 

Ever+Mi Crush is offering a $40 gift card to one lucky reader to add something pretty to your own wardrobe! To enter to win, head over to their shop and share your favorite piece in the comments below. One winner will be picked on March 8th and announced here. 

Ever+Mi Crush is also offering a 10% discount to readers with the code SMILE&WAVE10.

Hurry! Go pick something out!

-Rachel

Outfit Details: Dress c/o Ever+Mi Crush. Tights, Target. Clogs c/o Lotta from Stockholm. Necklace, Anthropologie.

What I Wore: Polka-Dots Again

Can we talk about spring? We had two warm 50 degree days this weekend which meant bare legs! That's halfway to short sleeves! I think this polka-dot dress has seen more action since V-day than anything else I own. I wore it to a birthday party with orange tights, clogs and a cardigan as well as with a lace top and my favorite vintage cardigan. 

Outfit Details: Dress, shirt, Target. Vintage cardigan, thrifted. Boots, Nine West. Headband c/o Oh, Sweet Joy. Necklace, Anthropologie.Kim of Oh, Sweet Joy was sweet enough to share one of her new Colette headbands with me recently and I love the minty blue color-perfect for spring! You can find your own in a few color ways in her shop, Oh, Sweet Joy!.

"I'm so happy to introduce a new line of headbands named The Colette. Fayette has been good to us and I'm thrilled to offer my customers an even more feminine bow style headband. You can still tie it any of these ways for a more bohemian look as well, but the bow is a fun spin on this retro style headband that I'm loving for Spring styling. I can't wait to see how all of you style this retro candy shoppe inspired headband line with flirty dresses & colorful outfits this spring!" -Kim

She's offering my readers a 10% discount with the code SMILEANDWAVE at checkout!

I guarantee we'll have more snow before it stays warm for good but this sunshine is doing all kinds of things for my spirits!

-Rachel

What I Wore: Date Night

Brett and I were able to hit the town for our first date night since Christmas break last weekend. These nights are pure gold for us as they are for most couples with young kids and I always enjoy a reason to put on a dress. We went to see Quartet at our downtown theater and then had dinner at Shuga's. I am obsessed with their salmon bruschetta and their atmosphere can't be beat in town. Next time you're in Colorado Springs you need to stop in and try it.

I tend to stick with the dress, tights, cardigan combo when it's chilly out but I'd recently seen Katie style a similar skirt with a sweater and happened to have something I thought would work. It felt a little more casual and comfortable for a cold night out with my love. I think I've also found my favorite new shoes for spring and summer.

Outfit Details: Sweater, thrifted. Dress, tights, flats, Target. Vintage velvet bag, thrifted. Gold watch, gifted. Stone necklace c/o Moorea Seal.

Brett and I were running a bit late to catch the show but I still insisted on taking a few outfit photos because special occasions need to be documented in my world. Ha! We pulled into a paid parking lot across from the theater and one building had a fun mural of horses running across the middle. We got out to take just TWO MORE photos and saw a sweet couple taking what I imagine were their engagement shots by a professional. It was sweet. I liked thinking about our time as newly engaged sophomores in college and how I really only wanted to spend time with Brett and could care less about my Western Civ. classes. I still can't get enough time with this guy. We could go on date nights every night and I know I would always wish for more.

That's the way it should be, huh.

-Rachel

What Ruby Wore: Pigtails!

Outfit details: Shirt & tights, Target. Skirt, handmade. Vintage loafers, thrifted. Teepee c/o PlayHaven.

I was able to talk Ruby into pigtails for about twenty minutes on Valentine's Day! Her hair in the back is long enough to make it work so I'm thinking I can start with twenty minutes once a week and work my way up. Ha! She helped me pick out half of her outfit. She loves her lion shirt and these sparkly tights and I picked out the skirt and shoes. She ended up wanting to change them into her geriatric looking gold loafers and I'm not one to stand in between a girl and her favorite shoes. 

While we were opening our Valentines at breakfast the doorbell rang and a man with a tall, thin box greeted us telling me I just barely looked over 21 so he needed my signature on it. He gets a gold star for being charming. The kids were thrilled with their teepee sent over from Play Haven and spent the rest of the morning playing in it. As a girl with a lot of teepee making experience under her belt, I have to say I'm quite impressed with the craftsmanship of this kid-sized teepee. It's beautifully made, just the right size so that it doesn't swallow a room, and I pulled it out of the box and was able to set it up right away without needing to assemble it. It doesn't get much better than that.

Here's to pigtails and teepees. 

-Rachel