PROJECTS > SPRING CLEANING 101

Spring is just around the corner which means it's time for fresh flowers and….deep, deep cleaning?  Yep!  

The best way to kick off Spring is with a fresh, clean house.  So open those curtains, let in some light and let's get going! 

First off you're going to need some supplies.  I prefer natural products that don't contain any toxins and don't require I wear a gas mask while cleaning. 

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7

Next you'll need a plan, right?  I've rounded up just a few checklists for you to get you started: 

• If you can't trust Martha to help you clean….
• Glitter Guide promises you'll get it done in one day
• A few shortcuts from Real Simple

Ok you're ready to get started...Happy Cleaning! and Happy Spring! 

{top photo via 100 Layer Cakelet} 

LIFE LATELY > THRU MY iPHONE

Happy Friday my friends!  Hope everyone has exciting (or relaxing) weekend plans.   We're headed to the desert - yay!  Here's what we've been up to lately - according to my iPhone.

My best friend recently had a little girl so it was only fitting I send her my go-to baby gift…bib and booties from Bink & Boo. 

I made these homemade brownies for Valentine's Day and holy wow were they good.  Seriously!! I was so proud of myself.  I added about 1/4 cup of Black Strap Molasses (something my acupuncturist recommended I add to my diet for more iron) and they turned out so moist and delicious! MAKE THEM.

FINALLY I got around to printing photos from our 2012 travels including New York and Tulum.

And that's my sweet Zu girl doing what she does best ;)

Happy weekend to you all! xoxohttp://www.pinterest.com/pin/265360603018045047/

ON TREND > QUARTZ

The girly side of me is really feeling this whole quartz trend.  Especially anything rose quartz.  So think outside of the (jewelry) box and go for some quartz around the home or maybe just on your phone?

1. Earrings // 2. Lamp // 3. Serving Platters // 4. iPhone Case // 5. Bracelet

NON-MATERNITY MATERNITY WEAR

Ok when I found out I was pregnant I told myself I wouldn't need to go out and buy maternity clothes.  That has been mostly true.  (The exception being leggings - those go without saying - and one maternity top from Target - more on that later.)  I knew with the latest style trends I would be able to get a lot of oversized tops and maxi dresses and avoid buying something I would never wear again.  Enter: 

Free People is probably my favorite place to shop for my belly.   Lots of oversized, comfy tees like the Circle in the Sand and the Sibela.  And my favorite item of clothing ever - the San Jose maxi dress.  I have it in black and white and wear them at least once a week. 

 Being a SoCal girl, Swell is one of my favorite online shops and it was one of the first places I looked for good maxi dresses like this Tiare dress.  I then stumbled upon this embroidered mini dress and fell in love with the color.  However - it's way more muted in real life so keep that in mind - but I still love it and wear it with leggings and look forward to the day when I can just wear it as a mini and my belly won't make it 6 inches shorter.

Ok so my one "maternity" purchase?  This super comfy Liz Lange top.  When I bought it a light bulb went off and I kinda realized why people do buy maternity clothes - it makes my belly look so cute! It really is flattering and I can dress it up with black leggings, booties and a cute scarf. 

So there you have it - those are some of the pieces in the rotation these days.  Most of the time I'm in sweats and pjs if I'm not leaving the house because it's getting to the point where dressing this body can be a bit of a chore...but it's nice to have a few items that make you want to show off your growing belly. 

Tell me what are/were your favorite pieces to wear when pregnant…and no, your bathrobe doesn't count. 

PALETTES > INDIGO

Lately I've had a total crush on indigo.  I can't get enough of it.  I want to dip dye/tye dye just dye stuff with it.  I want to remodel my guest bathroom around it (more on that later).  I want to bathe in it….well, you get the idea.  Maybe it's this baby boy brewing inside me? 

1. I'm not really wearing much lace these days but once this boy is out and it's time to get back into it (if you know what I mean) this Hanky Panky Lace Bra is definitely on the list.

2. This. Glass. Platter.  Enough said.

3. Butter London polish is hands down my have.  It's 3 Free so safe for me and safe for the babe.  In Indigo Punk and Giddy Kipper

4. Remember when I was talking about dip dying stuff?  Yeah.

5. Another item on my never-ending to do list/resolution is to have more candles around the house.  This hand-painted votive would do the trick.  Imagine soaking in the tub of my newly remodeled indigo bathroom with soft light flickering from this little guy.  aahhh.

6.  We just bought a velvet glider for the nursery and after sitting in that thing I don't think I could ever sit on something that wasn't velvet.  It is life-changing.  Change your life with this guy.

7. If you've ever been to my house than you know I own 1,456,213 pillows.  What's one more?

8.  Snakeskin cross body in the perfect shade of indigo.  What more could you ask for?

Follow Shelby Clark's board Indigo on Pinterest.

THIS TIME LAST YEAR...

This time last year we were packing our bags for a wedding in Cancun and a little vacay time in Tulum.   

Tulum quickly moved up to the top of my list of favorite places I've traveled (still behind South Africa but we'll talk about that later.)  

We stayed at Ahau Tulum which was just magical.  I would definitely stay here again.  It felt like home as we walked everywhere barefoot, sipped on smoothies every morning and lounged in the hammocks during the hot afternoons.  While we had a fairly relaxing few days there are plenty of adventurous things to do in the area.   Here are a few shots from our time at Ahau: 

 

We also brought along our vintage Yashica and snapped a few film photos - these are by far some of my favorites from the trip.  There's just something about film, isn't there?  One day we rode bikes into the little town for some coco locos and a little local shopping.  There are lots of super affordable little shops to check out and fun little outdoor bars to stop for a margarita or two.

While the food at Ahau was really, really delicious we wanted to check out a couple of other spots we had heard about .  Hartwood was incredibly tasty and had the best atmosphere on the jungle side of Tulum.
We also had cocktails at Casa Jaguar - again the most incredible atmosphere! We never wanted to leave.  When we had our fill of Mexican food (crazy, right?)  we walked down the beach to Casa Violeta for some pizza and wine.  It was a small, low-key restaurant with a great international wine selection and excellent pizza.

I can't recommend Tulum enough!  It feels like a hidden, unexplored gem.  Whether you go for the adventure, a yoga retreat or just to relax it really has so much to offer.  The people are so kind and welcoming, the food incredible and the sea is warm.  Keep in mind that it is a little on the rustic side so if your idea of a beach vacation is a 5 star resort you may want to stick to Cancun.  Adios!

OH MARA...

Ms. Hoffman can do no wrong in my eyes. Perfection in every detail as evident by her 2014 Resort Swim collection.  I'll take one of each, please.