DESIGN: Feminine Bedroom Decor

Hello dear readers, it's Monika from Style Loves Home here, bringing fresh dose of design! I've been lusting over those bedrooms for a while, I love their "boutique hotel" feel, pink shades, furry accessories and soft lines. They are so feminine and stylish, I would love to decorate my bedroom this way or all least add some of those cute accessories for a girly touch. 

This is what I would suggest if you're looking to give your bedroom a feminine flair!

 

1 Candelabra //2 Zincdoor // 3 Arteriors // 4 Inside avenue // 5 Kathy Kuo Home // 6 Simply curated // 7 Clippings // 8 West elm // 9 H&M //10 H&M

pictures via vintagechicblog / livingpink / bhg

by Monika

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Our NYC Apt. Photos

Being featured in Style at Home's special issue called 'Designer Secrets' was so awesome. The main reason is because it was the first time my paintings were featured in print! I was also featured in Adore magazine earlier this year in which Taleen Dersdepanian shot for, and also Better Homes & Gardens Magazine! I couldn't be more grateful.

Here are a few shots from a variety of the issues that may or may not have been shown - hope you enjoy them and please pin them but link back to my blog please.

-images above by raquel bianca

- images below by taleen 

- above: white parsons desk via:  west elm

......& you will not believe how AWESOME the new black decoupage marble desk is.

above: gray velvet sofa from jayson home & garden, similar style here. 

above: indian chief art by jenna snyder phillips

below: dress by milly

-post by jen ramos

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REAL LIFE: Iced COFFEE, dirty looks & spit up.

I used to love sitting quietly at Starbucks sipping on a soy cafe mocha & reading a book. Watching the people shuffling in & out with their coffee cups, listening to the annoyingly long names for coffee and everything else that happens in a big-city Starbucks.  Yesterday, I walked into Starbucks with my son Noah, who is now 7 months old.  We were alone and he was in his stroller. We stopped because I was hungry & figured it would be a quick way to get a breakfast sandwich & iced coffee. 

Ordered & then sat down while Noah sipped on some pedialyte next to me.  He is now holding his own bottle at 7 months, not perfectly coordinated.... but pretty darn good!  He started at 6 months, so I let him try when he wants to.  Anyway, all of a sudden his 3 ounces were finished & I was still eating my sandwich.  He needed to BURP, so I got him onto my lap.  My meal was now on hold...NORMAL occurrence when I'm with baby.  As I'm burping him, he spits up onto his pant legs, then all of a sudden throws up the pedialyte & it lands on the bench we're sitting!

My thought was "ugh, where is the napkin I had?" I scrambled to find a napkin, and noticed one under my sandwich!  Ummm, I realized I couldn't reach MY DIAPER BAG within the tight quarters we were in to get a washcloth, so I had to make due with one napkin!  The girl a seat away from me SAW EVERYTHING.  She even had 5 napkins or so on the bench next to her.  She looked at Noah & gave me a "not-so-nice look" then turned away.

Of course, for 2 seconds I wanted to tell her how "crappy" that was!   I mean, would it have killed her to offer one or two napkins?  BUT,  I kept my cool.  After that, I also had to change his pants in the middle of all the commotion around us......THANKFULLY, I managed to reach my bag and take out his emergency outfit.  So, there you have it.  That is what my Starbucks experience looks like as a mother.

It used to be me, my book & my cappuccino - now, it's me trying to juggle several things in my hands.  Every day that passes and I fall more & more into my role as a mom... & I realize why mothers are so tired by the end of the day.  Zzzzzz.

Oh, Starbucks.  I kinda miss our quiet time.

-post by jen ramos
-please excuse my punctuation, I am obviously not an English major.

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REAL LIFE: Bonding with Noah

Hello everyone, hope you had a great weekend!  

I used to wonder what it was like being around other moms in baby classes..... today I got to experience that.  It was such a joy being there with my little guy & bonding with him.  He was quiet at first, looking around, then slowly opening up & starting to smile. 

It's cool to see the other kids & their personalities...then compare them with your own.  As we were 15 min into the class, he spit up 3 times onto his socks, & a little on his pants! That is why he's wearing a bib in every photo!  Ha.  - Then he farted & I thought "yikes, did he just poop?"  - luckily no! All in all, it was REALLY sweet watching him smile up at me while I blew bubbles & clapped my hands... It was also cute seeing him stare in awe at the other children.

The classes are held at the Y, & they have many to choose from depending on your baby's age. I definitely recommend the 'babies together' classes!
 

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6 Stylish Fall Boots

With Fall soon approaching - we have a ton of COOL, fashionable boots to choose from.  

Last year I bought a gorgeous leather pair, so unfortunately, I won't be shopping for boots this year. However, for those of YOU looking, I made your search a big easier & selected a few of my favorite styles you also might like!!

Remember.... these can be worn with skirts or skinny jeans. I prefer to wear mine with a pair of tight denim jeans. Let me know which ones suit you?

1 | sergio rossi (on sale)

2 |  jimmy choo

3 | tom ford boots

4 | cole haan
5 | sigerson morrison
6 | aquatalia

Have a great weekend! 

-post by jen ramos

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The NUNA ZAAZ High-Chair

It's official. Our NYC apartment now has a high-chair.  I was dreading this day, I SWEAR.

Why? Well, because  I pictured this HUGE, ugly piece of metal in the middle of everything. Sort of like the one I used to have when I was baby. That thing was just plain UGLY!

However, thanks to NUNA, the Nuna ZAAZ (the coolest high-chair) was delivered to our place a few weeks ago, and I thought I'd review it for you. This is a sleek & modern looking chair for kids.
It grows with your baby, which is perfect at mealtimes for years to come! The ZAAZ is safety tested, super comfy, customizes to any size & matches our pre-baby lifestyle.

Trust me, I LOVE trendy furniture and chic home design...so I prefer (as much as possible) that the baby items fit with the decor.  So thankful to companies like NUNA who design baby products that look nice & are functional & safe! As for color, we chose the pewter, its as close to black as they  have. It's actually a blend of dark gray + black. The seat is the dark gray & the rest of the chair is black. Great for hiding food stains etc. right??

Noah seems to enjoy it, we use it every day during all his meals. Right now he is fed by hand, so he doesn't use the tray much.  I can't wait to see the DISASTER he makes when the time comes to eat everything with his own little hands.  Ha! One of the coolest features is as he grows we can remove all the extras & it converts into a classic dining seat!

Anyway, I recall visiting a few baby stores here in Manhattan prior to receiving this chair from NUNA, & I noticed this was one of the most compact chairs. Big PLUS for City living! I def recommend this chair!

Below are some GREAT features & why we chose the ZAAZ for Noah:

It is smart design.

• customize the ZAAZ to any size, height or amount of wiggles
• a hidden lift behind the footrest adjusts height easily and lets baby join in at the table
• three or five point anti-loop harness, featuring quick click release button provides ultimate safety and peace of mind
• unique air-foam cushion custom-fits each chair and pads both small and bigger bottoms
• no-crevice design outwits crumbs and cleans up like a dream
• removable plastic components are dishwasher safe
• extraordinarily sleek leg base, chic color options and smart look makes the ZAAZ feel like designer furniture
• made of high quality materials that do not contain bpa, pvc or dehp

You have to see this video below - if you're looking for a high-chair, check this out!

-post by jen ramos

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FALL MUST-HAVES

Fall is def my fave season.

With the HOT & HUMID temperature here in NYC lately, I cannot wait till it arrives. With the new seasons I usually tend to do a little shopping to update my wardrobe a bit. I also have the Better Homes & Gardens Stylemaker event to attend the middle of this month, and I still haven't figured out an outfit! I am SO picky that sometimes, I just end up wearing all black to make life easier. I have to say it's def easier to choose an outfit for an event or a night out when I'm blogging about it.... So, with that said, here are 3 I'm looking at right now.

Of course, I also added a new phone case....since my phone is in my hand often. BAD habit, I admit it.

Which do you like?

Have a great weekend!

// all black outfit:  
alexander wang knit top
croc effect leather pencil skirt
jeffrey campbell mesh bootie


// casual outfit:
striped shirt via zara
blank denim distressed jeans
adidas sneakers 


// casual/dress outfit: 
striped shirt 
denim skirt 
lace-up flats top shop

phone case via gigi ny



-post by jen ramos

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New at Made By Girl

Please excuse my absence, but I am mostly updating on my instagram these days. I'll be trying to figure out if I want to take my blog in a different direction and post more personal posts. Wonder if that would be of interest to people out there.....hmmm.

On another note, we have a cute new print called The "Um, Ok" Bunny, but it's already sold out!  BUT, you can pre-order it here! - Great for kids rooms!

 Check it out below!

-image by jen ramos

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BEAUTY: RED LIPS FOR FALL

Is it too early to think about Fall? Hi, Monica here from Beauty Parler.

My favourite season is around the corner and although many of you might not want to think about Fall it is coming. Fall brings us gorgeous hues of browns, oranges, and reds. The crispness of a cool night, stomping on leaves and drinking lattes. But, my favorite is the look of a red lip. I find that many either love a red lip or hate it. Primarily due to the fact that finding the right shade of red can be difficult. Honestly, I embraced the red lip in my early 30's.

I'd be jealous of my friends that wore a red lip because they always seemed; sophisticated, confident, and sexy. Of which I didn't have the confidence to wear in my 20's. Although I loved shades of deep pinks I couldn't find the right shade of red. I've narrowed down a few of my favorites. Admittedly, hands down my ultimate red lipstick is MAC Dubonnet.  A true classic that has been around since the 1990's.  Have a great weekend!

01 MAC Dubonnet //02 Maybelline Color Sensational Red Revival //03 NARS Fire Down Below //04 Mary Kay Red (Satin)

Do you love a Red Lip? Which are your favorite shades?

-post by monica darosa

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Real Life: Dark Circles & Exhaustion

Being a mom is great. But being a mom also means putting myself second.

I've always known that placing myself second would be pretty challenging since I love taking care of myself.  There's nothing wrong with doing things for me, but nowadays I rarely do. YES, I miss it. 

Ever since Noah came into our lives - we've been learning many things about him & ourselves.  For one, I was never a patient person. With baby, I find myself practicing patience even when I DON'T want to!  

The most challenging days are the ones where I just don't know why he's crying.  He isn't much of a crier to begin with,  unless he's tired or hungry. Go figure.  Other than that, he's pretty relaxed. When he's not hungry or tired & he cries, I get the most anxious.  I find myself trying "everything" I've learned to get him to stop, and the few times it doesn't ....I feel LOST.  I'm sure I'm NOT the only MOM to feel this way.... so, this is why I'm writing this today.  Real life has an interesting way of surprising us & making us face our our biggest fears.  Every single day I realize I'm facing new challenges & new fears while raising our son, and I can't stress enough... the importance of patience.  I'll be honest, I'm still trying to master the patience 'mode' myself.  

As I write this, another thought is running through my mind..... BUSINESS + BABY.  Believe it or not, I am still trying to manage my business while raising our son.  Yes, I have some p/t help with a nanny & family members, but I find myself letting go of one thing or the other.  Don't get me wrong, I love what I do,  but I also know that Noah will need more of my time at some point.  In my heart, I've always wanted to be a mom...but not an 'absent- mom' where work becomes more important than my family.  So many thoughts keep coming to mind about just quitting my work & focusing more on him for a few years.  Although he drains most of my energy, I love being around him & his BIG smile. He is such a blessing.

I'll be blunt, the thought of being a stay-at-home mom SCARES the heck out of me.  Why? Well, I always imagined it would be boring & lack the amount of creative outlet I'm used to.  I honestly would love to know if any moms out there quit their jobs to tend to their kids at home?  Would that be a life that would drive me crazy? OR would I embrace it?  How many moms out there are doing both??? Working & caring for their kids? or How many moms left work altogether to care for their children? -  I've been wondering about this.

-post by jen ramos
-please excuse my punctuation, I am obviously not an English major.

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