Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Craft Space Refresh- Sponsored by Wayfair

When we were looking at houses to buy, we wanted to be sure that both my husband and I would have "spaces" that we could call our own, an office of sorts for him and a crafting/sewing area for me. We thought that we had found the perfect place in our finished basement, a series of corners where we would make our house a home. Fast forward to present day and you'll see on any given day, that the "office" and "craft area" are one in the same, crowded into a nook in that very same basement where we saw so much promise. It was just recently that I was like "THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!" because I'm more worried about what I've got to clean or organize that I never actually create anything.

I had an idea what I wanted to do, which is to revamp the area with some simple organization and some great little pieces that would help me do that. I wanted to give my husband an L in our square for his desk and office equipment (shredder + printer) and give myself the same space but ensure that it didn't feel cluttered (because neither of us want to work in clutter)


So I'm going to show you some pretty embarrassing BEFORE pictures. I mean, I've seen some messy craft spaces but I'm thinking that mine takes the cake based on size and how much I was shoving in it. I mean, the whole point was to organize right? In order to show you a true transformation, I've got to paint a picture so here we go. You'll see vision boards, patterns, notions, zippers,books and so much ore strewn in a corner.


See? I was kind of desperate for a revamp/organization/upgrade... Creativity, or at least mine, is stifled by the mess and enough is enough. You know that I love me some Wayfair so I took to the site to see what I could find that would work on a budget and in my space... thankfully there was more than enough to choose from to make a svelte new little space that begged to have me creating! What I knew that I needed to do was to get all of my crap and organize it in a way that I knew where it was and it wasn't hanging out all over the place. Of course, this took me weeks to do but I was finally able to pull together not only a space that was functional but on that is cute as well. I moved all of the office stuff (the printer, magazines, stapler, books) to the desk area using a closet organizer (so affordable but so effective!) and make the craft corner just mine. Getting all the pictures and trinkets moved and/or into storage left the natural light situation much better and the space was really starting to shape up.



WHAT I USED:


To be honest, a lot of my problem was letting the clutter get the better of me but with the help of lots of stacking bins and drawers and baskets, I was able to get my business under control. I am really happy with my new, sleek space. I'm more comfortable being creative in this space as it cultivates peace and not anxiety! I still have plans to label my drawers but in the meantime, I need to start "making" again!


What do you think? Did I improve the small space? I think the question answers itself!


*Wayfair did provide some products for free while I purchased some others. This was a collaborative effort to help me be more creative! Thank you for supporting the brands that support Prim and Propah!

Thursday, July 14, 2016

What I'm Reading...

I miss reading and I'm sick of only reading articles on the internet. I've taken it upon my self to stock up on physical books as well as on my iPad so that I can spend my Summer into Fall reading more for pleasure and not all about the ridiculous celebrity gossip. Also, to be perfectly honest, I need to stop reading every negative piece of news that hits my google alerts; it's not good for my psyche lately and I need to do a little resetting. So do you want to know what's on the docket for me in the future?



Live Fast Die Hot by Jenny Mollen- If you follow Jenny Mollen on any of her social media channels, she is sure to make you laugh. I have read reviews of this book and it's supposedly laugh out loud and especially poignant if you are a mother. I feel like Jenny and I would be Mom friends but then I'm probably just thinking that because we have toddlers and aren't perfect.

123 Magic! 3 Step Discipline for Calm, Effective and Happy Parenting by Thomas Phelan- Speaking of toddlers; I've got a live one at home... this particular toddler is spirited and I'm looking to regain control of my life. Our pediatrician has recommended it and so far, counting to 1,2,3 has brought in mixed results but you can't blame a Mom for trying.

Zoo by James Patterson- I just recently binge watched the first season of CBS' Zoo. I loved it and have to think, since the book is always better, then I might as well read the book. I'm one of those people who won't remember enough of the details from the show to have the book spoiled for me after the fact.

Patternless Sewing Mod Style by Patty Prann Young- Who knows if I will actually be able to put any of this into practice but I think it looks like a really neat book, and you know what? Cutting out patterns is the WORST so I'm down with measuring then sewing looks for myself!


Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard- It's been awhile since I indulged in some really good YA Fantasy so I have been on the lookout for something piques my interest. Red Queen has the makings of a long term relationship (hello, trilogy) and also has that dystopian feel that I usually gravitate towards. I'll let my cousin know if this works for me since we've read our way through Twilight, Divergent and
 the Delirium series.

Cravings: Recipes for All the Foods You Want to Eat by Chrissy Teigen- Ugh I love Chrissy Teigen and this cookbook reignited a love of physical cookbooks. I grabbed this and it's in no way, shape or form good for your diet but the recipes are decadent and perfect for hearty family meals come Fall and Winter. Practice makes perfect, right?

Cell by Stephen King- Oddly enough, despite not wanted to read negative things, reading the horrible reviews about how the upcoming movie in no way compares to the great source material, made me want to read this book about cell phones turning people into homicidal maniacs... something tells me I won't be able to read this before bed though because nightmares.

The Clean Eating Kitchen- My cousin just got me this cookbook for my birthday and I'm loving the delicious takes on clean dishes. We aren't ever going to be 100% clean eating family but I can certainly do my best to bring more fresh and non-processed ingredients into our home.


Have you read any of these books? Which do I have to move to first in line?

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Sidewalk Sale + Street Festival at The Street, July 23rd

It's no surprise that I love The Street in Chestnut Hill, MA. I love to treat myself to almost everything there but nothing excites me more than the opportunity to hit up some amazing sales, eat some delish food and have a one stop shop for a day of fun. What am I talking about? I'm talking about the Annual Sidewalk Sale and Street Festival taking place on Saturday July 23rd, 10am-8pm. I took the Propah kid last year, and he had a great time running around, eating his first Shakeshack burger and helping Mom pick out some awesome stuff to take home. I expect this year to be much of the same!


Part 1 THE SALES!

        Polka Dog Bakery: 15% off storewide
        Ku De Ta: 25% off storewide
·         Brookline Liquor Mart: multiple in-store tastings throughout the day
        Juice Press: spend $25 and receive a $5 gift card in return
        Showcase SuperLux: purchase a $60 gift card for $50 or a $175 gift card for only $150
        Treat Cupcake Bar: $3.75 each for one DIY Cupcake (typically 4.25) + decorate your own "I like my cupcake with" t-shirt for $9, or enjoy both for $12 (20% discount)
        VINCE: Enjoy up to 60% off select men’s, women’s and children’s apparel
        skoah: enjoy complimentary hand facials + discounted product from this Best of Boston winner
·         Bluemercury: gift with each purchase over $75 + Bronzing Bar and Strobing Station set-up outdoors

I also hear through the grapevine that there may be some amazing offers from Portobello Road and Splendid who will be presenting something special for the day... As well as Adler, Davids Tea, Pottery Barn, INTERMIX, Calypso, The Cottage – truly, everyone.

Part 2 POP-UPS!

Have you visited any of The Street's Pop Ups? I've seen almost all of them and absolutely love the concept.... whether we're learning or eating or simply shopping, the Pop Up Project is an amazing idea. Kane's Donuts, OMG! Bagels, The Third Piece, Sweet Lydia's and Papers + Presents will return for this day only. Hooray! They will be set up outdoors and “open for business” at various times throughout the day in various locations on property.

Part 3 NEW ART!

“CELEBRATE LOVE & HAPPINESS WITH ARTIST CURTIS KULIG. SATURDAY / JULY 23 / NOON - 2PM

Join the team at The Street as they unveil his new onsite mural ’99.9% Happy’ and enjoy a once in a lifetime opportunity to participate with Kulig in an interactive public stickering
installation that gives friends, families and fans a chance to be a part of his ‘Love Me’ movement first hand.” My toddler is OBSESSED with stickers so I am very much looking forward to this interactive art!


Part 4 EVERYTHING ELSE (and it's a lot!)

Live Music all day long, face painting and balloon animals, passed cotton candy and whirly pops... the atmosphere is sure to be AMAZING! I know that if I bring the family, there will be shopping, treats, fun and lots to see no matter what we're looking to do. I'm thinking a little "Treat Yo Self" to some Ku De Ta and Shakeshack is in the cards for lil' ol' me! ;-)



Will you hit up The Street's Annual Sidewalk sale on Saturday July 23rd?

Thursday, July 7, 2016

Checking My White Privilege

Yet again, I move some "puff" pieces to another week because honestly, I don't even feel like talking about my home, baking or what we did last weekend. I don't even care about your outfit posts or what you did last weekend. All I can think about is the turmoil affecting our country in so many ways, most recently, in the murders of two black men this week by police--- both of which we have seen video of. I'm heartbroken. I feel helpless. I'm so distraught by the evidence of racism being channeled via our police force... but guess what? This isn't about how I feel. I'm white. I am a white person who has really never experienced racism first hand or been judged by the color of my skin. I wouldn't even know what it feels like to be racially profiled because guess what? I have blond hair, blue eyes and very fair skin. We can all say that "skin color shouldn't matter" but dude, it still does. I have an exact replica in my son and you know what? I won't have to worry like the mothers of young black children. Will my son be walking down the street in a hoodie and be profiled based on the color of his skin? In all likelihood, never in a million years. Can I say the same about one of his black friends? Nope. The sad reality is that whether we like to talk about it or not, our country has a way to go before black people are treated, and at the foundation, viewed in an equal light.

So I'm white, and I consider myself an ally to my black friends and those in my community. What do I do? Well, for one, I can think about the way that I act and the things that I say that no doubt speak to my white privilege. Even the most thoughtful and well versed white people will exhibit the affects of their privilege... we don't even know we are doing it because we have never been up against what black people have. I'm not even talking about slavery (which is obviously a huge deal), I'm talking about the people we interact with everyday, our friends and colleagues who have been mistreated by someone who views them as less than or talks down to them because of the color of their skin. Depending on where you live in this country, you'll see varying degrees of the racism that still exists in the every day lives of the black population.

I'll give you an example of how I had to check my white privilege today and I'm not proud of myself. After seeing the news about Philando Castille, I was of course reading everything that I could get my hands on(line). My husband and I were still reeling from the news of the day prior about Alton Sterling.  My first comment to him was, Oh shit, another black man was shot by police. You watch the videos and you're flabbergasted that this is happening and has been happening (before cameras started catching it)... I could see all the black women that I follow on twitter, posting articles and making comments about how white people won't ever stand up for them, articles about the ways that white people can be better. My first instinct was to be defensive. I actually said to my husband "I'm on their side and they're generalizing about all of us [white people]".. geesh, way to make it about me aka "hello, white privilege"... I'm outraged that these incidents are happening, as I should be, but the thing is, black people know this has been happening and have been standing up to fight to be treated fairly for a long time and over the course of many senseless killings. It's not too much to ask to not be executed in front of a mini mart or being pulled over at a traffic stop (while your 4 year old is in the car for the love of God!) for crimes you did not commit. Crimes, whatever, no matter what a person's record is, there is no reason for an execution in the street.

Black Lives Matter, yes All Lives Matter but in order for All Lives to Matter, Black Lives have to Matter. Get what I'm saying? Until we are truly equal, there should be no place for me to question the anger of a black person based on what I am seeing unfolding before my very eyes. It's my job to listen, support but most importantly, it's my job to speak up. If I sit idly by while these things continue to happen, then I am a part of the problem, to be sure. I have a voice. I'm teaching my child to use his and I'm not shying away from having an uncomfortable conversation with my friends and family regarding racism. If you make a racist joke? Not only am I not going to laugh, I'm going to tell you that it was wrong. If you voice an opinion that is more "whoa is me, poor white person", I'm going to politely engage you in a conversation where I can hopefully help you open your mind. It's not enough to "not be racist", you've got to openly denounce it and make it clear that you're pushing our country in the direction of true equality. We know that our government has their heads up their asses (today they're investigating an investigation) so it's up to us on the ground level, to start clearing the shit (years of ingrained racism, among other things) and making way for a population that accepts and loves each other no matter the color of their skin... easier said than done, I know, but you gotta start somewhere.