Baby #3 & Halloween

WARNING: Total mom-post / pretty much NO design stuff

Halloween is one of my favorite days of the year & it's even better with kids. 


My children are now both throughly sleep-deprived & coming down off sugar highs.

{Batman & Robin...  I swear they both have two eyes.}

They drove the Bat Mobile around the neighborhood and then we had to abandon it because getting in & out took too much time:


I am also sleep-deprived and have a slight stomach ache from the disgusting amount of candy I consumed.  Ah vell. 

...And now onto our Baby #3 news: We're having another baby!!  He/ she's due in mid May 16th & I have about a week or so to go left of first trimester.  {anyone who has kids probably remembers being completely exhausted during her first trimester...  I literally go to sleep between 7 and 9 every night...  If I even make it that late.  -- I think my husband is actually more excited than I am for my second trimester.  He's the best.  -- 

{Exhibit A}

 ...And if you haven't had kids, be prepared for complete & utter exhaustion.  Like falling-asleep-sitting up-tired. Add in some nausea/ dizziness & you get the idea.   But of course it's all completely worth it.}


We're so excited about the new baby, but I have to admit, with two already in the house,  I sometimes forget I'm pregnant. {until I fall asleep at 7 PM.}  I'm pretty sure it'll be another boy & would love to have 3 of what I've got, but of course I would also love to have the experience of having a girl.  So we'll see.  (we're waiting until baby comes out to find out)  I did save all of my Barbies just in case.

{Peaches & Cream Barbie was quite possibly THE BEST.}
   

So far I've had pretty great pregnancies & labors & I'm hoping for the same with #3.  It's been interesting to notice the differences in my pregnancies though.  For example, with the 3rd baby, my baby bump has popped SO MUCH sooner.  I guess the belly's just more pliable eh?  But I have to admit, I am scared of how big I might get.  I gained 60 lbs with each of my babies.  I'm already up at least 10, which is right on par.  {eeeeeeeek!}   My grandmother talks about when she had her babies, how she walked out of the hospital wearing her pre-maternity pants.  HA! If only I could! 

Watching my boys develop a relationship & play together probably makes me happier than almost anything else.  I took Justin (my toddler) to Christian's (4 yrs old) preschool last week for pumpkin-carving and Christian was just so excited to show off his little brother & introduce him to all of the kids.  He held his hand and stayed with him the whole time.  Seeing them get along like that literally makes my heart melt.  (At home, half the time they're hurting each other & the other half they're laughing.)  SO, I'm really excited to bring another little one into the picture.  The boys are already talking about how they're going to take care of the "new baby."  (By "take care" I know they mean be really sweet at first and then start running him/ her over once they get used to him. ;)

Anyway, I'll keep you posted.  We don't really have any names picked out yet, but I've got ideas of a soft blue & yellow nursery. 


{Fern Star in Yellow, one of my newer textile designs...  I'm pretty sure it's happening in there.}


xoxo, Lauren


ps- On the online store/ fabric line launch front:  we are launching any day now.  My web designer just got back from vacation & I'm having her take a look at the site to make sure everything's up & running properly before we launch it.  I can't wait for you to see it!!

I've decided to keep control of the textile company myself (vs selling designs to another large company & going the royalties route) & to approach showrooms across the country about carrying my collection.   I'm in conversations with some showrooms right now, so I'll let you know if any of it works out.  Suffice it to say I'm squealing inside because I'm so excited to even be considered and insanely nervous/ anxious because of how much I admire these companies. 

Halloweeeeeeeeeen!

We are having a costume party here in the office today.  There are only two of us.  And we're having a contest. 


{I am Pumpkin Head}
..And yes, that is a torn open bag of candy that I got into...
...And yes, I am pregnant...

And Meghan...
Is a ghost.

We're taking votes.

The winner will take this beauty home:


No, I'm just kidding.  I'm not giving Meghan my dog. 

But the winner will get THIS:


Happy Halloween!!  Feel free to cast your vote in the comments section.


xoxo, Lauren

ps-
If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love and you are not frightened away by this post, contact me about our design services.

pps- We just moved offices a week or 2 ago & are in the midst of redoing it.  Will be sure to post pics as soon as we have them!

Terrariums- Why Not?

I saw a couple of interesting terrariums at High Point Market that I just loved.  You might remember that although I love plants & flowers, I have a black thumb when it comes to indoor plants.  (Although there is 1 plant in my house that has been alive for a year now!)  I've always liked terrariums and have never given them a shot.  After seeing some "easy" (according to their owners) beauties at Market, I think I'll try them out. 


{Europe 2 You's terrarium filled with a gorgeous oregano that looks like flower blossoms- who knew??)

Here's a more modern version filled with succulents & tropical plants:

{At Bevara Design House}

I love this one:

{image via Design Sponge}

...And I can actually do moss.  Sort of.

This one is whoah:

{image via theoptimisticmuse.blogspot.com}

...And this little ferny fern I could maybe handle:

{image via weegohome.com}

My window boxes are half dead ( I have plans to add in some mums to replace the ferns I killed) and maybe when I've finished with that I'll get some terrariums in the plant hospice (my house).

Have a great one!! 

xoxo, Lauren

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Home from Market

Whew!  We're home from a whirlwind few days down in High Point North Carolina for the Furniture Market.  Before I was in this business I had no idea something like it even existed.  High Point is literally a little city of showrooms.  In the 3 days we were there we didn't even see half of it.  But we did get to my favorite restaurant, Printworks Bistro, at the Proximity Hotel:

{Seriously the most gorgeous restaurant ever: light, airy, fresh & completely unexpected (see the Louis dining chairs in chartreuse toile??)  They have curtains separating the dining areas and hanging boxwood balls and textural drum shades add interest.  The colors are perfection (go green!! ;)  and the food is HEAVEN. 

We found some really amazing new-to-us companies & artists:


{Owen Mortenen creates works of art out of the natural things he finds on walks. }

I'm crazy about his Golden Raintree Studies made out of seed pods found from a tree that grows in Utah:


Natural & organic-feeling yet totally modern.  To read more, click here.

I loved this sconce by Luna Bella:


Some of the showrooms had the most amazing displays:

{Luna Bella}


{Spicher and Company}

The next few are of the Karen Robertson Showroom: 




I loved seeing so many of these detailed pieces jam-packed on the walls.  Totally jaw-dropping and they made me want to do a beach house STAT.


and switching up to...

{Halo Styles}

As far as showrooms/ booths at Market go, I really love going into the "more is more" type showrooms that are jam-packed because they feel like trasure troves.  Even if they're not at all my style, I appreciate them.  Check this one out:

{Genesee River Trading Co.}

And another view of the same showroom:


I loved some of their old games tables & kitchsy things.

The best part is, I was with my partner in crime pretty much the whole time sans-kiddos.  (Although we did really miss them!!)



And we got to see some of our favorite people!!

{Me & Michele of My Notting Hill.  Michele was one of a group of bloggers invited to Market to see all of the lastest & greatest.  She sweetly invited me along with her to an Architectural Digest party as her "plus 1" where we saw lot of big designers & industry people including one of my favorites Margaret Russell.   I also met Bunny Williams (more like stalked her as she was leaving the party and she seemed to be one of the kindest, most genuine designers I've met.  She asked what my name was & where I was from (go VA!  If you know about Bunny, you might know she's from Charlottesville, VA) and  } and was just very nice. 

{scaaaary red eyes on me with my friend Paloma of La Dolce Vita & Visual Comfort.  Paloma is also an old blog friend & I've loved watching her career evolve.  She's now the director of marketing for Visual Comfort, one of the best lighting companies in the industy.  }

{Roxanne Lumme, one of my good local design friends.  We ran into so many people from home!!! }

{Me with one of my first & closest design buds, Eddie Ross.  My camera ended up going out on me that night and I didn't get a group shot Dave & I with both Eddie & Jaithan.  We're always all pretty much laughing the entire time we hang out. }

I also got to see  bloggers (but didn't get pics with- arggg!) Erin of House of Turquoise, Stephan of Architect Design , Jen Sergent, and Traci of Traci Zeller Designs.  We got to hang with Traci for a while at a party one night & it was so good to catch up.  At a Hearst Magazine party we saw our good friend Matthew Talomie of Elle Decor & got to meet the team from Elle Decor Magazine, who were all really sweet & down to earth.  We also ran into a bunch of DC Designers & friends throughout the weekend: Patrick Sutton, Erin Paige Pitts, David Mitchell, Victoria Sanchez, Barbara Franceski and Sally Steponkus.  It was SO much fun.

We got a TON accomplished at this market.  I found so many new great sources for projects that I can't wait to use.  Even though I'm exhausted right now I'm feeling pretty charged design-wise.


xoxo, Lauren

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.