B L O O M

it's here. for as long as i can remember, i've been a maker of things. when i was a little girl my mom would often find me hiding out in her sewing room tinkering around with her fabrics and sewing kits. i would beg for her to make clothes for my dollies and blankets for my ponies and stuffed animals. when i was old enough, she sat me up on her lap and gave me first of many sewing lessons. most of which i continue to relive today.

i've been making things for my girls since kaia was born. from her bedding to her clothes to the curtains that hung in her room to keep the sun from shinning in too bright for nap time, i made things instead of purchasing them. bloom has been something i have been working on for a very long time. a collection of thoughts and dreams that has sat with me for years. well, dear ones, today it is live. while it is still a work in progress as we continue to brand and build our website, it feels so good to have it out there to share with all of you.

i have big dreams. really big dreams for this… so please join me in welcoming our newest arrival, bloom!

a new space for our girls

after a year and a half sharing the same bed our big girls now have a bed of their own. we did a little bedroom swap the other weekend and moved our big girls into what used to be the nursery. for those that follow along with us on instagram, you have seen photos and heard me talk about kaia and kendi sharing a bed. for something that happened accidentally turned into a routine that was vital to them falling asleep and comforting for them during the night. it was much too sweet actually and luckily for us, it rarely came with squabbles. rather it was truly a ritual they loved just as much as we did.

we thought long and hard about this for awhile, probably longer than what is even necessary. but change is hard for me and well, the saying "don't fix what isn't broken…" yea. despite my love to rearrange things and put together a space in our home for all to enjoy, i was hesitant to mess with a sleeping routine. plus, i really looked forward to watching the girls cuddle up to one another after a long day, one of tears and fighting and maybe not playing the best, and see all that wash away. because truly at the end of the day, love is what matters. 

i gathered inspiration via pinterest and other sources as a starting point. i stalked craigslist for a matching jenny lind set, which took six whole months, and i sought out art pieces that represent the girls in the best way. a theme i like to incorporate in our home when it comes to most of the art work you see {you can read more about that on our house tours on a cup of jo and design sponge}. so ultimately, when it came down to adding some life to their walls the girls had a big part in that.  i pulled out my box full of pretty art i have collected of the girls' as well as gifts and things i have purchased along the way. kaia chose to frame the yarn weave she made early this year and kendi picked out the flamingo art piece, one of her favorites. and i picked out their beautiful profiles and some vintage floral we came across thrifting together. when it came down to framing them we used framebridge, an easy and affordable way to frame keepsakes, photos, and art. i love how user friendly their process was and when they arrived on our doorstep they were even more beautiful than what i had imagined them to be. 

this room is now where we gather every single night. after baths are had, teeth are brushed, jammies are on, and the linens are sprayed with essential oils, we climb into their pillow soft beds. aaron usually snuggles in next to kendi and i with kaia and klo. we read books, share our favorite stories and moments from the day, and it's lights out. what used to be a nursery, is now a room where our big girls will spend time in sharing dreams and secrets and laughter and tears, i'm sure from time to time. 

simply peeking in makes my heart smile for miles. 

sources of the things you see: 

bedroom furniture: 

- beds: from christeli 

- bed frames: thrifted on craigslist

- dresser: young america  

- school house chair: my mother's when she was little

decorative items:

- basket for toy storage: olli ella

- stuffed toy animals: hazel village and jelly cat

- stuffed unicorn: dainty cheeks

- rug: nate berkus for target 

- kids profile art: a family print shop

- picture frames: framebridge

- planter: anthropologie 

- basket to house hair bows and such: container store 

- essential oils: homemade blends made by us using young living essential oils. you can order yours here.

- bedding: school house electric
- white quilt: handmade by my grandmother

- embroidered decorative pillow: world market 

- alphabet hanging: gift from india 

- flamingo art: lady noel designs 

- various books: barnes and noble 

- be kind hanging sign: matriarch handmade

- hat: gap kids

- peg rack: container store 

i think that covers it… if i missed something please let me know! 

if you're looking to frame your artwork or family photos or maybe a even print you bought months ago but haven't found the right frame for it yet, framebridge has you covered darlings and is happily offering our readers 15% off their entire purchase. click here to get your frame game on and be sure to use MOMENTS15 to get your discount! 

* thank you dear sponsor, framebridge for being part of this special space and our readers for following along this journey with us. 

a mother's postpartum essential kit

i've had a few friends welcome new life into their families recently and thinking of what to gift them or any new mama or mama's welcoming more children is sometimes a challenge for me. often leaving me wonder what do expecting mother's really need and how can it be most helpful? what is considered essential? what can i give that is unique from all the other items on the registry but yet useful? what is something i can gift that is not only for baby but for mamas also?

around the time klo was born we were gifted this fridababy bundle of joy gift set. i had heard about their useful tools and kits but never had experience using them, outside of a nail trimmer of course. the gift set comes fully stocked with gas relievers, a snot sucker for those heartbreaking baby colds, a baby nail trimmer and file, and a mama washer for those postpartum lady parts (much better and more functional than the ones the hospital gives out, ladies!). this essential kit helped me through those first few weeks of healing and helped us through klo's first baby cold. and it continues to be useful yet today six months later, which is always nice.

so when the time came to shower and sprinkle some of my mama friends i knew, without question, what to give them. i put this little basket of essential goods together for one of my friends and love how it turned out. a basket plumped full with the fridababy's bundle of joy products, a brush for baby, and essential oil blends for both baby and mama. my friend absolutely loved it and the kit had all the other mama's talking. i especially love that it is something she can use overtime.

recipes for essential oil blends that are safe for both mama and baby:
freshening spray: in a 2 oz glass amber bottle; fill with distilled water. add 10 drops grapefruit essential oil. use to freshen up the nursery or any room. be sure to give a good shake before use.

linen spray: in a 2 oz glass amber bottle, fill with distilled water. add 10 drops lavender essential oil. lavender + gentle baby essential oil is a nice blend also. spray on baby's blanket before nap or bedtime. give a good shake before use.  '

calming spray: in a 2 oz glass amber bottle fill with one part witch hazel and distilled water. add 10 drops roman chamomile. spray on the baby's blanket or on yourself for a calming aroma.

postpartum mama soak: in a small dropper bottle fill with one part water and one part witch hazel. add 10 drops geranium essential. add 3 drops to the mama washer from fridababy's bundle of joy with warm water before use. one can also add drops to a warm bath for soaking. geranium is a wonderful healing for postpartum mamas!

it really is a lovely gift for all to enjoy!