Today was the last day of the year that we'll take the kids to our favorite splash park. We're sad to see it close but that means fall is right around the corner!!

Today I finished a new blouse, made from the 1940s Wrap Blouse pattern from Mrs Depew Vintage. I love this blouse so much! I'm a sucker for a sweetheart neckline and its as comfy as a tee but much more stylish. I used a really pretty cotton plaid that will work well in my closet year round.

I made this blouse for Daffny of A Vintage Nerd in a knit fabric and it was really cute- like a 1940s t-shirt!

Although summer is ending, it's still quite warm in St Louis so I wore my hair in no-fuss braided pigtails (never too old, I think!) with my fun yellow wedges.



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Last weekend, I thirfted this cute plaid blouse from a small town thrift shop in Bourbon, Missouri. I rarely find a lot of spectacular vintage in small towns but it's a great spot to find simple separates like this. Pj and I walked down to the pond and I tossed the net in to see what I could find. I pulled out a pretty big blue gill on the first go but I got him loose and let him go home. I can't wait for the weather to cool down a bit so we can take the little ones out on the pond in the paddle boat.


 

When Pj and I were first dating, we loved to go antiquing together. We'd hop in the car on a Saturday morning and make a day of it, whether it was a road trip or a long walk around a local antique mall. We got married, had kids and we kept doing what we love.

Antique shops can be scary places for parents of tiny ones but in our few years of taking kids with us, we haven't had any disasters.  Even with a wild 3 and 4 1/2 year old, it has continued to be one of our favorite family outings. Here are our tips for antique shopping with small children.


Start 'em young
 I remember carrying my little Olivia around the antique mall in her Moby wrap while I  looked through old post cards. When we had Rhys, he would nap in the stroller while Olivia walked with Daddy. Teach them at a very young age that antique shops are amazingly fun places but that it's important to be careful.

Ask, then touch 
We look at all of the pretty breakables, delicate jewelry and interesting treasures and we touch them. Little ones are curious and they want to touch as well. Imagine walking through an antique store without being able to touch a thing. I'd cry and fuss too! Our antique shop trips are great opportunities to learn and explore. Allow them to touch things, hold things and investigate. Talk about what things are, how they were used back then and how things are different now. Once Olivia was old enough to walk on her own while holding hands, we started a very important "ask before touching" rule so we can help her pick things up and explore them and return them to the shelf without breaking them. They're still little and we work on the "ask before touch" rule every time we go to an antique shop.



Plan Ahead
We like to go antiquing early in the day. The kids have had a good breakfast, they're feeling happy and ready to have some fun. If we go too late in the day, they're crabby and needing naps and we'll find ourselves not having any fun at all. Plan your trip when the whole family is feeling adventurous and well rested. The best part about antiquing is that its very tiring so they'll probably nap on the way home!

Know the rules
Most antique malls have basic rules such as no food or drink and no large bags. Make sure that everyone has had a bite to eat before entering and stick a diaper and small pack of wipes in your purse if they don't allow large diaper bags.We have one mall that claims to not allow large bags but I've always just shoved mine in the bottom of my stroller and no one has given me any grief about it. If you think you'll need your bag, they may even hold it behind the counter if you ask.

One of my local favorites has a small nook with tables, chairs and vending machines with snacks and soda. Sometimes, kids can get a little sensory overload so this is a great spot to sit and re-group before finishing up.



Bring Entertainment
I have a  bag that I keep in my trunk that includes a few small board books, quiet but fun toys  and extra change. They sit in the double stroller and read or play with toys quietly while we look around. Some of our favorite antique malls have candy machines by the door and they always have a vendor with $1 beanie babies and mardi gras necklaces, which my kids love! When we enter the store, I remind them that treats are for well-behaved kids and if they can follow the rules, we'll let them pick out a little something or get some candy on the way out. Sometimes we bring our tablets, which are loaded with educational kids games, puzzles and such.




Bring help or keep trips short
Since Olivia was a baby, I always went antiquing with Pj or my best friend, Amanda. If one of the kids started to lose their marbles, I'd have another grown up to help get them out of there. A few weeks ago, I took the kids antiquing by myself for the first time and it was actually really wonderful! Rhys rode in our small stroller and Olivia walked along. We walked from our house to two antique malls. Since each mall was very small, I think it helped them to not get too antsy. Well, and Rhys found a Spiderman book that kept him happy for quite a while!

Grow eyes in the back (and sides) of your head
This is where it helps to have help. Its hard to look at everything and keep a very close eye on little ones. Pj and I usually take turns looking at booths and looking after kids so everyone has a good time. When I find a booth that I need to spend some time at, he takes our wild boy and Olivia hangs out with me since she's old enough to behave while I look through boxes of buttons and such.  A stroller or baby carrier helps keep control over little hands. I've learned that those toddler arms can stretch like Gumby so I'm very careful about where I park the stroller too.


Be Regulars
Get to know the antique shop owners and pop in frequently. I'm sure that owners see our sticky, drooly beasts and cringe but when they see how well behaved and in control everyone is, they'll be pleasantly surprised and happy to see you come back! When we started going to antique malls on date nights, our ladies started to get upset that they missed out on seeing the little ones and giving them stickers at the register. We have one lady who is constantly in a crabby mood but when she sees those kids, she always smiles and chats with them. Frequenting local stops helps the kids to become familiar with the scenery and it may not be such a sensory overload for them too. They learn early that there are certain expectations for antique mall outings and if they behave, they're rewarded with praise, a fun afternoon and a little treat. This week, I visited a local place, just me and the kids and the shop lady looked so irritated when she saw me come in with kids. We stayed for a good hour, looking at things and by the end, she was so impressed with their good behavior that she complimented us and gave them each a kids movie for free, to watch before nap time after we walked home.



Have Realistic Expectations
The most important thing to remember is that children are tiny, curious people, still learning about the world and we must always have realistic expectations of them. I know that my limit with my kids is usually no more than 2-3 stops per day. Anything after that and I'm asking for trouble. I also know that although I've reminded them of the no touch rule 65 times today, I need to keep watching and reminding them throughout our trip. We have a lot of great antique shop outings but every rare once in a while, we have a bad day and we promptly leave when someone has a melt down. Usually, the melt down is a result of me not preparing enough for our trip (no naps, forgot toys at home, I've shopped too long and they're ready for lunch). Be mindful of how they're feeling and try to get on the road before anyone loses their marbles.

Have a great time hunting antiques with your littles- Before you know it, they'll be spotting the good stuff before you do!

 

Today we had the best time splashing and swimming in the river. My father in law invited us to bring his grand babies and go out to the Huzzah Valley Resort


We left home bright and early to make the drive and arrive early enough for a good spot.



I've never been to this resort but it was just beautiful! I yelled"Pull over!!" so I could jump out of the car and get a photo of the beautiful pastures.


The temperature reached over 100 degrees today but the clear water was cool and fresh. In this area, the water was about 8 feet deep and had tons of big fish swimming around under me, nibbling my toes. Even in the very shallow areas, I sat with my hands out, petting them as they passed by. Amazing!




My sister in law came and brought her two girls and we all had a blast. The kids were so brave, especially my oldest niece, Hannah! She must have jumped off the ledge into the river over a dozen times, yelling "Watch The Amazing Hannah as she jumps into the river!!" We made a river train, with the littlest in the front and I towed them all around.


My favorite part of river play is all of the beautiful rocks. This area has some amazing geodes and rocks with holes in them, which my mom always said you can peek through to see fairy land! I collected a ton of beautiful river rocks for her to put in her country garden. 











Swimsuit- Catalina Anchor print from Walmart
Crocs flats- Famous Footwear
Stripe dress- Modcloth

When I go to mom's, I always want to plan these amazing outfits because she has such great scenery but then I end up bumming around on the couch in my pajamas or running around outside in yoga pants and tee shirts. Now, I'm finally getting the knack of it and planning cute but comfy for weekends in the country. I haven't worn this dress in ages but you can't go wrong with a little cotton dress. I love the ric-rac trim and colorful print. Great for hanging out indoors, running into town or going on walks in the meadow.

I paired it with a 1950s cashmere cardigan that I was so proud of- thirfted last week for two bucks!







Oh and the brooch. I freakin' love this brooch and it was a total accident. We stopped at the craft store last Thursday night so could pick up my weekend craft supplies before our trip. I spotted a few really awesome jewelry findings on sale and this was one of them. I simply stuck an adhesive pin back on it and voila- epic novelty brooch!  If you love to make brooches, check out my e-book, Pins for Pin-Ups: DIY Brooches for Retro Girls

It's storming tonight in St Louis and the summer is coming to and end. This weekend, we're savoring the last bits of summer with a trip to the river for a day of water play. We still do have some warm days left in the season so here's some of my favorite end of summer essentials from Powder Vintage on etsy. These pieces transition well into fall and throughout winter with an added cardigan, tights and cold weather accessories.

Powder Vintage







 What are you doing to enjoy these last days of summer?



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 Last weekend, we went to my grandma's house for a family barbeque. It was very hot and humid outside so my hair went all crazy and makeup melted right off.  I wore my new favorite jeans, thrifted a few days prior.  These are the Amanda jean from Gloria Vanderbilt. They're high waist jeans and very long so I can cuff them all cute like Freddie's jeans. I'm pretty tall so a jean with a wide cuff is a rare find for me but apparently you can order these in short or long. I love them so much, I think I will have to find a few more pairs. Also, I know that there's a big fashion rule about wearing horizontal, stripes if you're plus sized but I like horizontal stripes, darnit! I like them so much that I bought this same top again in pink so there! haha!

 "Women think of all colors, except the absence of color. Black has it all. White, too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony."- Coco Chanel

I am such a fan of crazy bold colors but some of my most well loved pieces are black and white, grey or tan. Something typically drab with no color at all. There's a reason why the little black dress is a closet staple. Neutrals never go out of style. You can pair an otherwise boring dress with any accessory, any color and style it a million different ways.


Today, I want to talk about how to wear black, white and grey and make it really pop, without the use of other colors.


Play with Sharp Lines
On Friday I bought this killer black and white stripe dress by Tatyana Boutique, on sale at Modcloth and I can't wait for it to get here!  If you go for monochrome, try sharp lines like a stripe, check, hounds tooth or color blocking.





Incorporate Unexpected Details
a unique accessory may be small but it makes a big impact. Here, play with crochet gloves, polka dot scarves and quirky print tights. 60s style white sunglasses are an effortlessly chic finish






Focus on StructureA shapely garment with perfect fit or unique details doesn't need a novelty print or bold color to pack a punch.  White light fabrics with full folds in the skirt is crisp, light and feminine while this classic black dress is sleek and sophisticated. What might be a boring grey or black becomes spectacular with a beautiful collar, perfect drapes and darts in all of the right places.




Use Texture and Print
This black wool suit and veiled hat stand out with the strong texture of a lace parasol and veil. Black and white is always bold with a playful print like polka dot.

1. black ballet flats
2. black and white polka dot print
3. white 60s sunglasses
4. white peter pan collar
5. white pearl necklace
6. black seamed stockings
7. black or white capri pants
8. black corde handbags
9. snowy white cardigan
10. white gloves

Do you love the all black and white look?