All the Frills: Dining Room Redo

This week I’m featuring my dining room, which has undergone a rather dizzying number of decorating tweaks since we moved into our condo less than three years ago. We originally had a different chandelier, a round glass table, and different flooring in here but, gradually, worked towards modifying all that into the more minimal clean lines that characterize the space now. I’m personally really happy with how it’s all come together!


Before....

After...

Weekend Reading:

• So this guy had a notably bad job interview.
  
• Do you enjoy reading a story crime story as much as I do?
  
• How much do you want to visit this magical looking Italian villa.
  
• Well, the wolf shirt, which I’ve been ironically rocking on camping trips for a good ten years now, has gone high end.
  
• I’m just going to go ahead and add this to my list of dream travel locations.

I Always Knew I Owned So Many Leggings For a Reason

Now that my stomach has really “popped” (please, can we all agree to never, ever call it a “baby bump” or any iteration of that ghastly term?), I’m wearing a lot of leggings, loose fitting tops, and longer jackets or cardigans. It’s a combo that works well for me at the office but, that said, it will be nice to be able to wear my old clothes again ... or at least, hopefully, most of them.

leggings: ASOS / shoes: Primark / shirt: Oak + Fort / jacket: H&M

Anniversary Celebrations

Worn out to dinner with my helpmeet to celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary. I wish I’d gotten some better photos but we actually only just decided to dash out for dinner at the last minute (I’m basically tired and fatigued all the time and we’d spent the last two days straight working like crazy to get our nursery all set up; whether or not we’d even make it out to dinner this year was a bit of a question mark until the very last moment) and it was totally dark by the time I’d pulled myself together and we ventured out.

dress: Dynamite / leggings: ASOS / vest: Tom Tailor / choker: Stella and Dot

All the Frills: Statement Rings

jewellery for which I have quit an affinity. I seriously can’t enough.

Weekend Reading

• I desperately want to visit this place in Shropshire.
• So this woman transformed the exterior of her house into basically the most amazing thing ever.
• The catalogue entry for my book is out!
• Guys, I will defend the Oxford comma to the death. To the death!
• We could all use a hero these days – this lady is my new one.

Can I Live In This Shawl?

Worn to my mid-pregnancy ultrasound followed by some last minute work reviewing my book proofs. Side note, can I just live in this shawl for the next few months?

boots: ASOS / dress: Dynamite / shawl: Oak + Fort / leggings: Target

All the Frills: Nesting

Things are still very much in progress here, but I did recently get my ass in gear and made a pretty thorough start on getting the nursery ready. We’re welcoming a little girl but it will probably come as no surprise to most readers that I’m not really a fan of things pink and super girly so we kept things more in blues, greys, and yellows. Our wall art featuring notable queens and female leaders from history is my nod to the baby’s gender however.

Weekend Reading:

• Who doesn’t love a good ornate church? These images of Baroque churches can scratch that itch.
  
• Cats in tiny chairs – because the world is still a pure place sometimes.
  
• And then you read about this horrific crime against an animal and, just like that, the world is back to being a hell hole.
  
• This ongoing project to construct a thirteenth-century castle, using historically appropriate methods and supplies, is really something.
  
• Here’s a shocking revelation for you: lots of male marines hate that women have broken into their ranks and want to humiliate them. Surprising, right?
  
• And, of course, it’s bigger than just the marines. Because of course it is.

That Awkward Stage

I’m sort of at that awkward stage where I’m showing quite a bit but haven’t yet gotten so big that I’m ready for maternity wear (luckily I have a wardrobe that consists of a lot of loose-fitting tunic tops and leggings so it’s relatively easy to make due for the time being, all things considered).

This red tunic style dress was definitely a titch tight when I wore it (incidentally shopping for nursery supplies) so I think it’s now going to be relegated to the back of my closet for the next few months but I am glad I got one more wear out of it.

dress: ModCloth / leggings: ASOS / booties: Aldo / jacket: H&M / scarf: Target / purse: Stella and Dot

The All Forgiving Cape

I’ve fallen, and fallen hard, into the seductive snare of capes. It also helps that they are perfect for a five and a half month pregnant gal like me. Capes hide everything and are all forgiving. I love them.

Anyways, meet the newest addition to my growing cape collection.

leggings: ASOS / boots: Aldo / cape: ModCloth

All the Frills: Mountain Excursion

So I went on a little excursion to the mountains with a group of friends recently. I rode the gondola, lounged around and did a lot of reading, and visited Banff and the famed Banff Springs Hotel.

I had a blast – and here are few highlights from my trip.

Weekend Reading:

• Let’s all gaze at some beautiful libraries, shall we?
  
• I cannot wait to see Get Out.
  
• Hey, it's Women’s History Month – this article seems highly appropriate.
  
• I adore this article – let’s call it an ode to a jacket…and so much more.
  
• So Will Smith will act in just about anything, right? Seriously, this looks bonkers.
  
• Well, this is horrifying.

Favourites From Scotland

I seriously get a bit giddy every time I wear this jacket. It was easily the best thing I bought home from Scotland.

Also, Happy International Women's Day! My strident feminist self is wearing red today in solidarity with all the women observing today's strike action (I work in an all-women office and we've made the choice not to close but, solidarity!).

jacket: New Look / boots: Aldo / tunic: ModCloth