Let's Celebrate PJ Masks Style!

Yesterday was my older son's 4th birthday!  I can't believe it's been 4 years already!  I'm sure every mom says this and I think I'll be saying this every year as both my boys get older.

To celebrate my Little J's birthday he requested a PJ Masks theme.  Here are some highlights, DIY's, and info on where I found PJ Mask themed decorations for the party:

Cake & Cupcakes

The cake was part DIY part local grocery store bought.  I'm a big believer in DIY but I'm also realistic about how much time I have!  For most of my parties I go to my local grocery store bakery and ask them to make the cake without decorations (so either whipped cream, vanilla frosting or chocolate frosting only depending on the theme).  This saves me a lot of time, money and the cakes are guaranteed to be delicious!  

To decorate the cake I used Wilton Color Mist in Green, Blue, Red to color the frosting and Wilton Primary Colors Fondant to make the PJ Masks badges.  This was actually the first time I used fondant!  I bought these fondant tools and this roller to help me cut the PJ Masks badges.  I also used my Cricut Explore cutting machine to cut out the stencils using cardstock for the badges.

I was able to find the free PJ Masks cupcake toppers printable on daisycelebrates blog!  They were easy to cut out and the kids loved them!

Decorations & Costumes

For all my kids' parties I always try to find a fun drink cup!  It's a great favor!  I couldn't find an exact PJ Masks drink cup so I bought these Ninja straw cups instead.  I told they kids they were Night Ninja's in a different color....I think they were fine with it!

The PJ Masks banner was a free printable that I also found on daisycelebrates blog!  I printed these at my local printing store, cut them out, punched holes on each corner and threaded the string.  Easy Peasy!

  

For fun and for a favor each child received a PJ Masks Cape & Mask set of either Catboy, Gekko, or Owlette!  These were a hit!  You can order them over Amazon here if you do it ahead of time.  I ordered mine directly from SummersPhotoProps ETSY Shop.  The price was reasonable since I was ordering in bulk and they arrived within a few days of placing the order.  I was also able to customize.  I highly recommend these costumes!

Little J's shirt was purchased here.  His brother also wore the green one.  So Cute!

More PJ Masks Printables

For Little J's school party I found these printable masks on AllMommyWants.com.  I printed the masks at my local printing store, cut them out, and added elastic cord.  I recommend doing this ahead of time because it is a little labor intensive.  I also recommend using a xacto knife and cutting mat for the eyes and string holes.


You can Download the file here:  PJ MASKS FREE PRINTABLE MASKS 

I also made stickers with the PJ Masks Badge.  They can be printed on Avery Oval Labels.  When you print them make sure you hit the toggle for "actual size" otherwise they won't fit the stickers correctly.  The .svg file to make the stickers came from ETSY Shop SVGdesignStore.  This shop had lots of great files and I was able to download them right away!  The kids loved the PJ Masks Badge stickers and they went perfect with the masks!  I was also looking at this PJ Masks file as well.



You can Download the file here:  PJ MASKS FREE BADGE STICKERS

Overall, I think my Little J had an awesome 4th Birthday!  Happy birthday to our little buddy!

Feel free to comment or contact me and let me know how your PJ Masks Party turned out!  Also, follow me on Pinterest for all the info above and more!

Summer Lovin' Cocktail Recipes

With Summer weekends and warm weather upon us it's not only time to rotate your wardrobe but also time to change up your beverage choices.  A lighter and cooler drink is just what you may be craving while hanging out in the hot summer sun.

My hubby has been testing out new drinks lately so here are a few of our favs!  Just in time for Memorial Day Weekend!

Pistachio Colada

This Pistachio Colado reminds me of sandy beaches and blue ocean...ahhhhh!  If you are a fan of anything pistachio you will L-O-V-E this frosty drink.  Pistachio liqueur can be hard to find in a regular liquor store.  We tend to purchase it in the Caribbean however you can order it online as well. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ice
• 2 oz pistachio liqueur
• 2 oz cream of coconut

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender.  Blend until smoothie consistency.  Pour in a margarita glass and garnish with cherry, coconut, or leave it naked!

Bikini Martini

Martini's are such a fun drink and this one is a tropical twist on the standard martini!  Not only does it look pretty it tastes so good you feel like you should be laying in the hot summer sand!

Ingredients:

• 2 oz coconut rum
• 1 oz vodka
• 3 oz pineapple juice
• 1 dash grenadine syrup

Directions:

Combine rum, vodka and pineapple juice in shaker with ice.  Shake until combined and frothy.  Pour using strainer into martini glass.  Add dash of grenadine in the middle. Garnish with citrus fruit if desired.  You can change the amount of ingredients depending on how strong you want it.

Bikini Optional!

Aperol Spritz

This light and refreshing cocktail takes me back to our wedding!  I blogged about our wedding in Rome in my first ever post.  I first had this drink on our honeymoon and have been a huge fan ever since. Whenever I'm craving some nostalgia I grab for this drink!

Ingredients:

• 3 oz Prosecco
• 2 oz Aperol
• 1 oz club soda

Directions:

Fill wine glass 2/3 full of ice.  Add Prosecco, Aperol and club soda.  Stir if desired.  Garnish with citrus wedge (I prefer orange).  Salute!

Below is some barware we cannot live without in our home:

A Little Shoulder Please...

This weekend we went out to celebrate a friend's birthday!  It's not often we venture out without the kids these days so a friends night was definitely in order.  This gave me the opportunity to to wear something nicer than a t-shirt and sneakers.  Yay!

Off the shoulder tops have been very popular this season so I jumped on the 90's bandwagon and followed suit.  The last time I think I wore an off the shoulder top was for my 8th grade school picture... I should really post that :)!  This top is so pretty, feminine and versatile!  If you've read my other posts you know how much I love versatile items in fashion and home decor!  This off the shoulder eyelet top from 1.State was fun to wear with my Jessica Simpson Jezelle Sandal which I highlighted in last weeks post.  The off the shoulder top is sold out so similar tops are here and here.  The jeans are Vigoss Chelsea Skinny Jeans and so comfortable!

Outfit details and some similar suggestions are below:

Sizzlin' Summer Sandals Under $100

My favorite time of year is when I can ditch my closed toe shoes for my sandals!  Break out the pedicure ladies because its that time of year!

This season I've seen so many cute open toed shoes. Style and comfort are key for me as well as  something I can wear from a day at the office to a night out.  Here are a few of my favorite shoes this season.

Pop of Color

These Jessica Simpson Jezelle Sandals are beautiful and under $100!  They add a great pop of color and a little sass to any outfit! 

Tie Me Up

Lace up shoes are so in style this season.  I highlighted these Indigo Rd. Haylei Wedges in a previous blog post with a dress I wore for Mother's Day.  These shoes are so flattering on and soooo comfortable!  I definitely recommend a pair of lace up wedges, heels, or flats this summer!

The Nude Review

These Chinese Laundry pumps are great for the office to a night out on the town.  They are dainty and the nude color can be paired with just about anything.  Nude sandals are a staple in your shoe closet!

Comfort is Key

 

I talked about these sandals on my last post about Casual Weekend Wear.  They are extremely comfortable and easy to wear with jeans, shorts, or a casual dress. There are similar sandals out there that are much more expensive. I highly recommend these!

Hey Stud!

These VenEli Belita Patent Flat Sandals are on style point with the studded detail and under $50!  They are comfy and have a slight heel for those who don't like completely flat shoes.  They look great with basically anything!

There are so many fun styles in fashion this season!  I encourage you to have fun with it from cage, to mules, to pom poms (all the rage) and more!  Nothing makes a girl feel sexy more than a great shoe!

Here are some of my other favs under $100 this season:

Weekend Wear - Layered White T Shirt

Don't you wish it was the weekend again?!  I know I do!  Most of our weekends consist of running errands, taking the kids to fun places, and finding some time to unwind.  Basically, just spending time as a family!  Personally, I like to be in comfortable clothes on the weekends unless I have a special event to attend.  

My weekend go to outfits usually consist of T-shirt and jeans.  This weekend we did a lot of outdoor and playground time.  It was a little chilly in NY so I layered to keep warm.  This white T fits great and it's under $10!

This fringe sweater is soooo comfy and warm and it's currently on sale!!  I can pretty much throw it over anything and even wear it with leggings and sneakers.

I love these shoes since they are stylish, comfy, and more of a platform then a wedge.  Similar sandals are here and here.  The jeans I'm wearing are from American Eagle and are very reasonably priced and fit great.  I have a similar pair from AE, here, that are distressed and I tend to wear more often (if I'm not going to church :).

By far my favorite item is my military jacket from Abound.  I purchased it last year from Nordstrom Rack and I can tell you it's the one layering piece I wear most often.  It goes with everything.  Similar jackets can be found here, here, and here.

Can't go anywhere without my sunglasses!  Aviators are classic and the rose gold color makes them a little more trendy.  Similar versions are here and here.

My overall goal on the weekends is to be comfortable enough to run around and play with my boys!  Little T even has his own military jacket to match mommy!  He is just too cute for words!  xx

Upcycled Antique Singer Sewing Machine - Kitchen Table

What's your personal decorating style?  I've been trying to figure mine out for ages.  Generally, I like a combination of antique, contemporary, traditional, with a little rustic thrown in.  I guess you can consider that pretty eclectic!

My goal in designing my space is to harmonize old and new or upcycled with purchased.  I also gravitate towards unique and pick up items in my travels.  For me, it's important for my home to reflect our family's personality and not necessarily one style.

Today I'm going to highlight our kitchen eating area which has been in the works for a while!  About a year ago we went through a kitchen refurbish where we had the cabinets painted white, renovated the back splash, and replaced the linoleum floor with tile.  The results, a totally different space with different decorating needs.

We have an eat in kitchen which is a good size but an odd space due to the sliding glass door.  I really wanted a banquette but I didn't know how to make it work without blocking the light from the sliding glass door.  So, I decided on a table with a fabric bench instead.

I have always been in love with antiques and am constantly trying to figure out how to fit them into my design scheme without looking dated.  The idea of industrial antique legs on my table was fascinating and as I searched online I saw some really great DIY tables with antique Singer sewing machine legs.  Ultimately, we decided to have the table custom made with reclaimed wood through M Fine Lumbar's shop Brooklyn Reclaimed.  They also did the solder work on the iron legs adding cross bars to make it more stable. I worked with Warren Hemenway who listened to our needs, especially considering our boys, and really included me in the process.  He was amazing to work with and the results were exactly what I wanted!  You can see some of his work in South Street at Northern Grade.

The Tori Double X Bench from Ballard Designs is covered in Trilby Basketweave Charcol fabric and brass nail heads.  I sprayed scotch guard on the bench as a stain repellent.  My boys are bound to drop something on there since they can't keep away!  I love the way the X looks with Singer sewing machine legs.  The Tori Double X Bench legs are just decorative enough that it doesn't take away from the beautiful iron Singer sewing machine legs and it brings some contemporary to the antique.

The shelf,  wood and metal plate wall decor, and the burlap bulletin board are all from Target.  The mercury glass vase is from Pottery Barn and was a gift.  It is no longer available however, similar vases can be found here, here, and here.

The pallet wine rack bookshelves are custom made from the Etsy Shop PrettyRough.  The bistro steel chairs are from Overstock and the blue antique toddler chair is another upcycle I did using chalk paint and gold leaf paint a little while ago.  I plan on doing a similar post on using chalk paint for furniture in a future post.

We are loving our new "eclectic" styled kitchen space.  There's always a way to make your spaces work for you and your personal style!  Don't be afraid to take chances and express yourself!  Happy Decorating!

Weekend Dress Up

What a fun family filled Mother's Day weekend we had!  I hope you all enjoyed yours as well!  I love Holidays like this.  Not because it's all about Mommy but also because I have an occasion to dress up!

I bought this dress a while ago hoping I would have a reason to dress it up.  It drapes so beautifully and it's neutral but not black which I wear way too often!

The weather started out rainy like it had been doing for the past week or so here on the East Coast...booooo!  But then, the sun started coming out like someone was shining down on all the mommy's out there.  Perfect dress and light jacket weather!  Confession...I would have worn this in the rain anyway!

The jacket I have on is an older one that I've had literally forever.  It's kind of like a cross between a blazer and a jacket.  Very versatile which is what I look for in my wardrobe choices.  I've seen similar ones such as here or here.  Or you could even wear a denim jacket like here.

A green bomber jacket like this one here, would also give the outfit a little more edge and look fabulous!

Ohhhh, these shoes.....LOVE them!  They are beautiful, sexy, and comfortable!  What more can you ask for.  I've worn them with jeans and dresses so totally versatile as well.  I think they are my spring/summer favorites!

Here are some Spring dresses I am loving!