Chicago

ok, so today is just a photo dump from our chicago trip. i didn't get them edited any earlier and there are more so there will be a part 2. no more than that though, I promise ;) 

we had such a great time. jason had an off day while there so we walked a lot, stopped at navy pier and shedd aquarium and ended the day with take-out from the cheesecake factory. i have never seen a bigger portion size from a restaurant, ever! 

of course that day the weather was a little off but the rest of the trip was gorgeous. logan and i did a ton more walking, stopped by the free zoo at lincoln park, played on the beach, had sprinkles cupcakes to see what all the fuss was about... holy goodness! i hope they come to pittsburgh ;) 

but more on that stuff in the other post.

i hope you all had a great weekend. ours was pretty quiet and uneventful. it's nice to not too anything for once and just regenerate. i need that quiet time to myself. 

effortless

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i truly admire jane birkin's effortless style and natural beauty. 

at the same time, she also makes me want to cut bangs again... and lighten my hair back up since it's just too dark for winter. her style is simple and chic yet never overdone. 

i am still in the process of simplifying my wardrobe. i've been collecting too many things that are just trendy or don't go well with my existing wardrobe and so they hardly ever get worn. 

i have found that the pieces I always go back to are the most simple and timeless items I own.

a few weeks ago i signed up for a big, local re-sale event coming up in october. what i haven't donated yet and most things from the shop my closet section on here will be going there. 

my goal is to de-clutter and simplify my closet as well as the rest of the house before the end of the year. we've only lived in this house for 4 years and already the attic is packed (we don't have a basement) and so are the rooms and closets. 

do you ever feel like the clutter in your life is taking over? how do you handle that? 

i do not own the rights to these images. all images via avantfind.com. 

jeans and boots it shall be...

sweater: esprit (similar) or (similar), t-shirt: old navy (here), jeans: american eagle (here), boots: jessica simpson (similar)

oh how I love this time of year. not only can I finally pull out my boots and knit sweaters but it's also time for fall festivals, fresh apple cider, pumpkin pie and that gorgeous autumn landscape.

we went for a little walk yesterday morning, the air was brisk and I have to admit that I really welcomed that unfamiliar chill. the sky was covered in big pouffy clouds and showed off the most gorgeous ombre blue I have seen in a long time.

this time of year also makes me long for more family time. when it gets cold outside and the rain tends to sneak up on me and turn my mood a little bit sour, I like to surround myself with all of my favorite people. i know i won't see my parents until closer to the new year but i am eager to start planning now. it always helps me to have a plan, something to look forward to, something set in stone.
right now things are a little bit too undefined for my taste but I know we'll get there soon.

baseball season is coming to an end as well, which means a lot more family time than I've had for the past 6 months.
so i am optimistic that this beautiful fall weather will stick around for a while and keep me in a happy mood with lots of things to look forward to before the end of the year.
i actually can't quite believe I am even talking about the end of the year... didn't it just start?
there were christmas decorations out at Kohls today, folks!!!


still time to enter the gage huntley designs giveaway here :)

linking up with Jenny at MMB

Gage Huntley Designs Giveaway

It's time for a giveaway and this one is sponsored by the lovely Amanda of Gage Huntley Designs.
Please take a moment to check out her website and take a look at her beautiful, handmade jewelry.

Amanda graciously sent me one of her best-selling initial bracelets and this cute dainty heart bangle, and I am in love with both.


These are pieces you won't find at just any of your local stores and what makes them work for me is that they are basic enough to go with just about anything.
I don't buy a ton of jewelry so when I do, it has to be something that is versatile and classic.
These pieces will most definitely see a lot of wear from this girl :)

If you're looking for something a little more bold to make a statement, Gage Huntley Designs won't disappoint here either. Bright colors and the combination of dainty feathers and hearts with bold, gold chains and faceted beads sure make for jewelry that's one of a kind.


Here is what Amanda has to say about her business:

"I am a work from home wife and mother of a 2 year old ball of energy named Gage Huntley. By day I am in real estate and by night I am designing all these amazing pieces that I, myself, would LOVE to wear. I have been making jewelry all my life but gave birth to this business in 2012 when I finally got the courage to dive in. It makes me happy being able to hand make items that each person is so excited to receive and show off.

Jewelry is a statement. It’s your style front and center for everyone to see. It just makes you feel pretty! You can never have enough!" 

You can also follow Gage Huntley Designs here:

Facebook

Instagram: @amandalovesgage

One lucky winner will receive a black and gold initial bracelet and the gold heart bangle as pictured in the top photograph.

If you're ready to place an order now, Amanda is offering a 15% discount with code: TheForge15 

The giveaway is open to all US and Canada residents! Good Luck!

You have to complete the first two entries to be eligible to win! 

1. Be a follower of The Forge
2. Visit Gage Huntley Designs and leave a comment about what item you like best

a Rafflecopter giveaway

we're back...

we're back home and man does it feel good.
as much as I love traveling and seeing new places, I really love coming home just as much.
there's just something about the familiar smell and the way it feels to crawl into your own bed at night with the dryer steadily humming until you fall asleep. is that just me?
i think even logan could tell since he went straight for his toy box and then, when he curled up in his bed to go to sleep after this long and stressful day, it definitely seemed like he had missed it as well.

traveling with a 15 month old is much different than traveling with a 6 month old or even a 12 month old. he is just so much more active now and hates being confined to his stroller or a tight airplane seat.
i sure am glad the flight was only an hour long ;)
i am planning to share a little bit more about traveling with an infant vs. traveling with a toddler in a separate post soon.

the rest of this weeks posts will be way too many pictures from our trip to chicago, a giveaway that I can't wait to share and maybe a style files post?

if I haven't returned your email or comments, please forgive me! i will try to catch up this week :) i really appreciate every single one.

this week I...

... found two humongous and luckily already deceased spiders in the house. one under the dining room table and one on logan's play area rug. i still get chills wondering about whether he played with it or not.

... turned the oven on preheat and forgot that I still had the dessert from the night before in there.   covered with plastic wrap. yup. did you know that plastic wrap easily peels off of glass after it's been melted? now you do.

... cleaned up baby pee in the living room.

... thought the play yard was locked. realized it wasn't when I caught logan stirring my cold morning tea with my iphone. i have no idea how it survived but it still works.

... found a box of shoes underneath a box of purses in my closet. cool. new shoes :)

what fun stuff happened to you this week. do share :)
happy friday!

family pictures

a couple of weeks ago I had the glorious idea to take family pictures, on our own, with the tripod and remote. yahhhhh i think the first picture shows quite well how that turned out and the second how logan felt about posing and sitting still, looking at the camera and of course: smiling.

we ended up with some quite hilarious out-takes so it was definitely worth it.
however, i guess i'll just have to suck it up and pay someone to take our picture next time.

are you a control freak like me? because i sure always feel like I just can't trust anyone else with my creative vision. like i'm the only creative person in the whole world, right? right!  ;)

i am now taking recommendations for Pittsburgh area photographers.