Handcrafted Goodies

As we all know, Etsy is the mother ship for all things crafty, unique, and one of a kind.

My favorite finds recently?

PomLove and Sycamore Street Press.

There have been getting lots of comments and inquiries about the posters I am going to use in the baby nursery, and Sycamore Street Press is the place to find them! They are part of the Subliminal Baby Series.

Image from Etsy

And what better way to create some texture and color popping than with a PomLove mobile? They come custom in any color you desire.

Image from Etsy

What are your crafty finds? 

Also, be sure to enter my accessories giveaway here! It's lots of fun and a great place for a laugh (you'll see when you get there)!

Have a glorious weekend ♥

Pillow Talk

This week is devoted to interior design. It's fashion for the house, so I still consider it very relevant to this blog, even though I blog about completely random things when I feel the urge.

Currently on creating the baby nursery agenda:

Finding the perfect accent pillows.

 

The adventure of pillow hunting is more arduous than it sounds. My criteria of them needing to be less than $20 and containing bold colors that can go either gender is rather tricky. The summer items are finally starting to go on clearance, so I am hoping to cash in within the next few weeks.

The blue, fuzzy pillow rang in at a whopping $3.99 (insert the catchy Ross ad song circa 1999). I had to get it and make it work, I just had to! The red felt number was my most pricey at $18, but that's what you get at Pier 1. I love it and will add on some pink and orange petals if the baby is a girl. As for the green, I found it on clearance for $12 at Home Goods. Green and a fun print is what I was shooting for, but I'm not sure I love the shape. 

Best deal of all comes in the form of this glider. You are going to die when you find out how much I got this for.

Drumroll, please...

FREE!

Yes, that is right. It was FREE! The most kind woman from my church has graciously bestowed mounds of free baby items on us that are hardly used. Her dear brother is the generous benefactor. I adore the man!

I am wanting to possibly find a slipcover. I toyed with the idea of daring to make one, but I don't have the skills yet, and my seamstress mother lives 15 hours away. Any ideas? Do you happen to make custom slip covers? Share your secrets!

Now I'm off to clean out the black hole that is supposed to be the baby nursery, and to paint the walls!

Be sure to hop on over here and enter my fabulous Fall giveaway if you haven't already done so! Thanks for reading and going on my life adventures with me! Lots of love to you all ♥

Aspiring Interior Decorator

At 14 and 1/2 weeks, I feel like a normal human again and not like a complete train wreck. That being said, my creative juices have finally decided to make an appearance as well.

What is on my mind? 

The Baby Nursery.

The usual safari or princess theme is adorable, but this bambino needs something extra special. I am trying to raise a child prodigy of some sort and they need a stimulating environment to harness that energy from day one! 

Enter the baby nursery that was made for me and my little genius.

Images from www.unique-baby-gear.com

My excitement is bubbling over the edges right now. The color palette is amazing, and the good news is it can go either way for gender. Just nix the pinks and flowers and you're set! Now we just need to find out what gender this little sprout is!

The vow of being a cute mommy is coming into play nicely, as I found the coolest diaper bag ever. 

Image from poshtots.com

This Petunia Pickle Bottom creation is an uber-chic messenger bag, but comes with all the diaper bag gadgets and necessities. I am wanting to use it as my handbag even before the bebe gets here! This exact style is made of felt material, but also comes in leather, and I have a feeling hubs will feel like more of a man when carrying it around :)

I am loving this whole pregnancy thing. You should seriously go for it if you are having even the slightest thoughts of starting your little family. 

Be sure to enter my super fun giveaway, especially if you like jokes! You will be both entertained and excited for entering since you have an awesome chance of winning some seriously cute accessories!

Have a lovely day!

Yellow Submarine

(Fun fact: Click on the post title to hear the song ↑)

Earlier this week, Matt and I explored San Deigo Harbor & Coronado Island as we took the ferry round trip from the harbor to the island.  The area is full of so much naval history and current naval activity, including the carrier that supposedly dumped Osama bin Laden's body! Crazy, huh? 

The views from the ferry are breath-taking. If your blood pressure needs lowering and your life needs a stress-free break, I suggest going on this excursion.

Coronado is the stuff fairy tales are made of. The houses are whimsically charming and the shops and restaurants are quaint and welcoming. Island Pasta is one of the best pizza and pasta shops in the world. All ingredients are made from scratch and the food is fresh, fresh, fresh! I seriously suggest it if you are going there anytime soon or live in the area and haven't tried it yet!

I was so excited to be able to wear my bohemian hippie skirt. Now, I'll let you in on a little secret. I bought that skirt back in 2004 at a thrift store as part of a costume. Multiple times I considered throwing it out, but my inner fashion guru told me to hold out! Now my tie-dyed little number is right on trend! Best $2 I ever spent! 

Moral of the story: Hold on to those wacky pieces you think you'll never wear, because you will!

Jessica's outfit from earlier this week inspired me to put together my own version of the look by pairing a long skirt with a striped tee, and I am loving my mixed print result! Try mixing your tie-dye and stripe pieces sometime this week. I think you'll love it!

Have a peaceful day ☮.

P.S. Follow Along Abbey Road if you would love to hear my latest news and findings. You can also 'Like' Along Abbey Road on Facebook to get daily updates! Thanks for sharing the love!

Happiness Is...

Watching the sunset on a deserted beach.

Discovering new places.

Wearing your favorite shoes.

Jumping for joy.

Running through the sand with your love!

"Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Can't Sleep...Let's Shop!

One of my least favorite side effects of being preggers is the loss of sleep. Your sleep schedule gets turned upside down and all mish-mashed, kind of like a wadded up piece of draft paper. That's how I feel anyhow.

With that being said, I am resorting to late night online shopping sprees. Minus the actual shopping part.

What's on my mind? 

Fall 2011. Pregnant Fall 2011. Cute Pregnant Fall 2011.

(you get the picture)

I spy with my little eye a very chic tunic that this mama can grow a belly in!

And this is just refreshingly preppy. I gotta have it, baby bump and all!

Looks like H&M and I will be seeing a lot of each other this week!

Hope you lovers are all zonked out in dreamland right now. Night night!

Mission Accomplished

I admit that yesterday's post fell into the category of a teeny-bop, Twilight-crazed Edward Cullen fan, but I was on a whim and had to express my excitement somehow! Let me just tell you that it progressed throughout the day.

We arrived at the UCLA campus where Real Madrid was practicing, which is beautiful by the way! We thought we were late, but then found out practice was an hour longer than expected. This led to us waiting forever and still getting stuck on the other side of the gate where they were to exit.

Finally, the team came out! People screaming everywhere, waving jerseys and banners all around!

We missed Sergio the first time around, so we starting running like crazy people down the sidewalk where his cart was driving.

He stopped again about mid-length to the locker room to sign some jerseys and pictures. We thought for sure we were going to get him here. I mean, after all I did have a jersey! That is worth stopping for to support a fan, don't you think?

But no, he hopped back in cart. However, at this precise time we had a moment. I yelled, "SERGIO!" and pointed at my jersey with a desperate, puppy dog face. He looked straight at me, smiled, pointed at me and said, "Later!"

How could I be upset with that answer? I mean just look at my starstruck face! Matt and I just knew it was going to happen. We waited for another 45 minutes and strategized our signing location. I finally relented to going on the opposite side of all the screaming girls, as Matt suggested, because according to his rationale, "There was no way I was ever going to get an autograph with a ton of screaming people in front of me! I had to be secluded!"

Then came the moment of truth...

We decided to stand opposite the girls around the same location Sergio had promised me his autograph. He was about to keep going, but I was shouting his name like it was going to save my life and smiling my cutest, sweetest smile. He halted his driver and ran out shouting, "quickly, quickly!" so he wouldn't get mobbed.

With my face beaming with a side-to-side grin, I told him "gracias" as he got back on his cart. He turned and smiled at me again with a "de nada" in reply. He also shook Matt's hand, which made him super happy.

Matt, you were right (you should probably print this so you have proof I admitted you were right for once)!

Sergio, you are a man of your word, which makes you all the more awesome in my book.

The rest of the night was spent in utter bliss, as we strolled along Hollywood Blvd admiring all the sites and Harry Potter fans at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

 Sweater: H&M. Blouse: F21. Belt: LOFT. Skinnies: Paige denim. Boots: NYLA. Tote: LOFT.

Thanks for sharing my first celebrity meeting with me, and reading my mini novel. It is now forever documented as one of my favorite California moments.

TGIF, loves!

The Tourist Thing To Do

After being here in Cali for almost 2 months, we are making the trek to do the Hollywood tour tonight. We do have a motive behind it all though. The LA Galaxy is playing Real Madrid this Saturday, and I have a little celeb crush on one of Madrid's star players, Sergio Ramos. Not to mention the all-star, Cristiano Ronaldo. It is my hope that we run into them while they are staying at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

These gents are European, which means that they are naturally chic. And hot. 

Cristiano, you have never made that eurotrash mohawk look better. Can I have your jacket? K, thanks.

Oh hey, Sergio! Lookin' good these days. I'm loving the blazer.

You know how to color block!? No wonder I love you...not to mention I think you and my hubs resemble one another.

Of course we will be visiting Grauman's Chinese Theatre to walk the boulevard of star handprints. I will be snapping pictures next to this icon's prints.

And what type of fashion slave would I be if we didn't take a stroll along the fashion heaven of the US?

Wish us luck and send good vibes our way for us to meet those hunky futbol stars!

All I've Got To Do

Last night I was pondering about all the great advice I have learned about blogging. Now, I'm in no way an expert, but I am happy with the way my blog is going thus far in its early life. Lately I've been a bit distracted with life, AKA getting used to the idea that I'm growing a baby, so the blog took a back seat for awhile. 

Well good news! I'm feeling better and I am ready to recommit to great blogging. 

I decided to start by giving my bloggy a little makeover. She looks grand!

So here is the advice I have compiled. I always love it when other bloggers share their tricks of the trade, as a lot of it helped me to get my blog going.

To Do & Not To Do:

• Do visit other blogs and comment! It shows that you are amiable and it's the way to make bloggy friends and build a following!
• Do not leave insincere comments. Everyone can see right through the ulterior motive and knows when you are doing so.
• Do keep your blog clean and orderly. Looking at a bunch of stuff all over the page is tiring to the eyes. A fresh header and easy-to-navigate page is appreciated by your readers.
• Do not, whatever you do, put music on your page. It's distracting and readers will just end up leaving to get rid of the music, no matter how great the tune is.
• Do post high quality photos. The more professional looking the pictures, the more credible your blog is and people will love to see your new posts (this is something I can get better at, but first I need a new camera)!
• Do not be a BB: Blog Brat, or whatever expletive you choose to insert. It doesn't matter if you have 5,000 followers or 5, it never gives you an excuse to be a diva. We are all here for the same purpose and have all started at the same place. What goes around comes around, so play nice!
• Do put yourself out there and network as much as possible! Use other social media to promote your blog. Get creative about your marketing. There is no wrong way to do it!

Well little lovers, I hope I have inspired you even in the smallest way. 

Make it a great day! And for all you Dead Poets Society fans...

P.S. Since my blog theme is centered around The Beatles, from the main title to the titles of my gadgets and widgets, I thought it would be fun to add a link to the song whenever I use a song as a blog post title.  Today is the first day. Just click the post title and you can begin to rock out. Hope you enjoy becoming a die-hard Beatles enthusiast with me.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game!

What better way is there to spend your summer days than going to baseball games?

It's the ultimate American pastime and who doesn't love hot dogs, ice cream, and those coronary-inducing nachos?

Our newfound team is the Anaheim Angels. It's their 50th anniversary celebration this year, which means we are cashing in on all the promos they are offering. Many promos = mucho baseball games for us.

I even got a free hat! Love me some free stuff!

And what does that mean for me? Well, I get to figure out cute baseball-going outfits, of course! You see, I am not one who likes to wear sports gear to games and you definitely won't see me decked out for a game. I would fall down the never-ending stairs in my wedges and bust a leg or two, and would surely smear mustard and ketchup all over my favorite blouse. Mad props to you ladies that can and do, though. It's a talent to be able to walk in heels on any terrain or locale.

 Shirt: Old Navy. Crops: LOFT. Scarf: LOFT. Earrings: F21. Bracelets: LOFT. Oxfords: Nordstrom Rack.

Loose fitting tees are my BFF right now. With my thickness expanding, this striped tee is a definite necessity and it supports the colors of my team! Flat shoes and comfy jeans are essential for a baseball game. Accessories are the key to giving your outfit some flair, as to avoid the boring jeans and t-shirt thing. Scarves, chunky bracelets and earrings are my go-to to add some glam.

Now you must go to a baseball game, right? You should. You won't regret it!

Also, if you like what you are reading, I would really love and appreciate if you would follow my bloggy blog, if you are not already doing so! I would like to expand & grow my blog, and you are the ones that make it possible! You can also 'Like' my Facebook page to get the most recent updates. Thanks again for reading and following! Love to you all!

The Best News Ever!

Okay, so I have been really trying to keep this a secret and now I can finally let the cat out of the bag!

We are having a baby!!!

Yay! Wahoo! Yippee!

I won't lie, when I first read the pregnancy test I did not believe what my eyes were telling me and I cried a little. I was in shock and definitely not expecting a positive sign on something that what was supposed to be a negative sign. After a few hours of letting the surprise settle in, I was happy as can be!

Today I am 11 weeks and 4 days. We had our second ultra sound and the baby was kicking its adorable legs! What a cutie pie, I tell you.

Here is a picture of what the little gummy bear looked like the first time we saw him/her at 7 weeks, 3 days!

And here is what they look like now!

It's a tiny, 1 inch human! Amazing, isn't it?

I have battled with morning sicknes, which should actually be called evening sickness. This explains the lack of personal outfit posts. Can you blame me? I haven't felt very cute as I am all bloated and adjusting to the whole prego thing. 

I do have to admit, this might turn into a bit of a pregnancy/baby fashion blog for the next few months, but baby clothes are cute, right? And I will do my best to invent cute maternity wear. It doesn't have to be ugly and I am determined to prove it!

Thanks for sharing this wonderful time with me! 

Have a glorious day! ♥