Happy Halloween!

photography by Elizabeth Messina

Giveaway Day - Arian Armstrong

"I'm Arian Armstrong--wife, mommy, drawer of cute things, and lover of all things vintage!"


This giveaway is for three free prints of your choice valued at $36. To enter leave a comment below sharing your favorite candy. Winner will be picked on Tuesday.

xoxo,
Rachel

Giveaway Day - Gussy

"Accessorize this fall with Gussy Sews ruffles! Inside the shop you'll find headbands, clutches and tote bags in warm, bold colors that you can easily use to accessorize your outfit. And check back soon for FUN holiday items. This season, share Gussy ruffles with a friend.
xoxo,
Gussy"

This giveaway is for $30 shop credit so leave a comment about your end of the month plans (Halloween, Harvest Fest, or movie night at home, etc.) and the winner will be announced on Tuesday.

xoxo,
Rachel

Giveaway Day - kmLittleSomethings

"Hello! My name is Candice Robinson with KM Little Somethings! KM Little Somethings is a fundraising outreach of KICKS Ministries (thus, the KM at the beginning of the name :)). All profit from every KM Little Somethings sale goes to help reach kids through the many outreaches of KICKS Ministries. This means every purchase you make helps make a positive impact on kids all over the world. All current items in the shop are hand made by me. For more info on KICKS Ministries, visit www.kicksclub.org/.
Candice"

Thanks, Candice! To enter this giveaway, valued at $30, leave a comment below with your favorite fall accessories. Winner will be picked on Tuesday.

xoxo,
Rachel

Giveaway Day - Gingiber

"Hello Smile and Wave readers! It's Stacie from Gingiber, and I am pleased as punch to be offering you lovely readers a chance to win a $20 credit to my shop! Gingiber is my online shop, but did you know that it is my happy place? Nothing makes me feel more content than sitting down and expressing a creative idea via paper and pen! My goal is to create products for children and adults alike that make people just as happy as i am!

I know that it is only October, but I thought that I would share with you some of the holiday goodies that I have been working on. I am participating in a holiday craft show this year, so my home is currently a Gingiber factory! You can read about my progress on my personal blog.

Thanks so much!

Stacie"

To enter to win this contest leave a comment below with what's on the top of your holiday wish list. Winner will be announced on Tuesday.

xoxo,
Rachel

Two Red & Black Libraries

Loving these two library rooms filled floor-to-ceiling with books and injected with black and red for an element of drama.

via canadian house and home

via traditional home

DIY Acorn Garland on A Beautiful Mess

If you haven't already jumped the shark and started pulling out the Christmas decor, head over to A Beautiful Mess and find out how to make your own wood grain acorn garland to see you through the rest of fall.

Disclaimer: Your company may keep you laughing with inappropriate nut jokes.

xoxo,
Rachel

My Kind of Pumpkin

source

Isn't this graphic pumpkin fantastic? I prefer saving our pumpkins for porch decorations past Halloween and through the rest of November so we haven't carved any yet but I'd be happy to let Sebastian go to town with a sharpie on the one he brought home from the pumpkin patch. The kids in his preschool class got a chance to carve pumpkins and pull out their guts earlier this month. I'm pretty sure the kids who used to hate getting anything messy on his hands thoroughly enjoyed it!

How did you decorate your pumpkin(s)?

xoxo,
Rachel

Interview and Giveaway at Poor Pitiful Pearl

Head on over to Poor Pitiful Pearl to read an interview we recently did and find out what I let Ruby do when Sebastian's not home. Shauna, of PPP, recently made her 2,000th Etsy sale and threw a big party to celebrate! She offers reworked clothing with laid back, California style and donates 10% of all profits to Casa Hogar Orphanage .

all photos belong to Shauna

Her stuff totally reminds me of the beach! Ahhh....the beach....(trailing off in thought)...(okay, I'm back). You can see Ruby wearing one of Shauna's beautiful, patchwork tops here.

While you're over there checking out photos from her blog party, read my interview and enter for a chance to win a free Mini Ad space for the month of November on Smile and Wave!

Thanks for reading! I'm in full sick mode over here and still have a little costume to make for my sick little girl that I am determined to get done before 4:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. It will happen! Check back later on Thursday to see the BEFORE and AFTER photos of the children's space I designed in the new RVA dress shop on Commercial Street!

xoxo,
Rachel

It's Not Too Late To Join Us for November!

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Smile and Wave is now offering a Mini Ad for the affordable price of $20! It's a great way to test the waters if you're on a budget or have just started out with your blog or shop and with holiday shopping just around the corner readers are eager to discover new handmade items from your shop, DIY's from your blog, and inspiration from your family's way of making this season special.


Smile and Wave continues to receive over 150,000 page views a month and between 3,000 and 4,000 hits a day! For more information on what each ad size offers and how to join Smile and Wave for November check out my advertising inquiries page and e-mail FreckledNest(at)gmail(dot)com to secure your spot before Nov. 1st.

Thank you for your continued readership and support!

xoxo,
Rachel

Beautifully Organized Space of the Week

Beautiful boxes, a basket, and vintage suitcase provide ample storage and keep the color story consistent. A white stand near the door keeps umbrellas contained and readily accessible. The dark wall colors (love those stripes!) help the TV and DVD player"disappear" and keep them from being eyesores.

via lonny mag

My Favorite Vintage Chalkboard

It doesn't have any holes for hanging nor is it thick enough to nail hooks into so it's been leaning against a wall for awhile. I'm hoping to hang it up somehow when Ruby has her own space because it's a beauty. I found it over a year ago at an old warehouse looking estate sale. I think they gave it to me for $3 or something fantastic.

Today is for getting over a cold, finishing up some work in the new RVA shop, catching up on laundry, and making more chili for dinner! Easy AND delicious. What does your Wednesday look like?

xoxo,
Rachel

Idea for the Kitchen: An Open Cubby Unit

Little bright spots of order can be transcendent, especially if they're resolved in a stylish way :-)

photo by jen siska via sunset magazine

You can tell everything in the cubby is purposefully there. With open units like that, belongings need to be edited down for it to look that good.

I Heart Etsy!

I've been wanting to buy Ruby a simple, wooden doll house since before she was born but felt like I should wait until at least her first birthday. I was doing some research (avoiding the laundry) on Etsy and came across these adorable vintage Fisher Price sets from Toys of the Past. I have vague memories of playing with these original Little People at our church nursery or maybe a friend's house and love the color scheme of the furniture!

I had them sitting outside after opening them and Sebastian came out and took an interest in them right away. He was telling the baby that she was in trouble for making a mess. Supposedly the baby had knocked over ALL of the furniture. It seems I need to be a little more patient with my mess maker.

This is the nursery set.

And these are the kitchen and sewing sets. The sewing desk is what sold me in the first place. It was such a major part of women's lives when these toys were first introduced and I'm glad Ruby will get to enjoy making up stories about what to sew in her doll house. I'll probably add pieces over the next two years, although, I've never run into these in all my years of thrifting.

She's also getting this adorable, handmade owl hat from Bzzyfingers. You can customize your colors so I chose the purple base with a light blue border and I will show you as soon as I can wrestle it on Ruby's head long enough to get a photo. That girl is quick! I'm hoping she'll start getting used to it so that her bald little head won't get frost bite this winter!

I saw that pink screen-printed stocking from Gingiber Snap on Twitter and went straight to her shop to make it my own. Ruby never got a proper stocking last year so this will be hers.

I was hoping Stacie would be offering a boy version and she soon added a green one so I snatched that one up for Sebastian. The colors match our holiday decor and the playful, vintage theme is just the right style for my kids. I'm so thankful to have that part of our holiday checked off the list because last year's good intentions to make family stockings out of recycled wool suits was a bust.

What have been some of your favorite Etsy purchases (or on the wish list)?

xoxo,
Rachel

Prudent Advice WINNER!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading through all of that great advice. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share. The lucky winner is...

A Slight Fever

One tidbit of advice from my mother was to sporadically brush your teeth with baking soda before using toothepaste. It really helps and I still do it today!

Congratulations! I'll pass your information along to the publisher so they can send you your free copy. Thanks again to Jaime for including us on her book tour!

xoxo,
Rachel

Getting Outside

Brett and I took the kids to the Nature Center this weekend like we have done every Fall since we've lived here. It's usually right after the trees have changed and there are five shades of yellow leaves lining the path. Last year I carried Ruby so this year it was Brett's turn.

I found this yellow leaf and couldn't pass up the easy photo op.

The rest of our weekend was spent catching up on laundry, going to a preschool fall festival, getting up early to participate in/watch the MSU homecoming parade, thrifting, grocery shopping, wondering why Ruby is boycotting her naps, and driving around town looking at rentals.

Why, yes, we are relocating!

Brett and I have been talking about finding a place with a little more space for a couple of months and are finally out looking. I've got my eye on one that has a great layout, tons of light, room for a designated studio space, a fire place, a driveway, and a garage! I never knew I could get so excited for those last two! I just have to twist Brett's arm and remind him that the pink subway tiles on the bathroom floor would only be for a year. (They're actually kind of fantastic!)

Posts scheduled for this week include recent Etsy purchases for the kids, a sneak peek at birthday party planning, and some recent vintage finds from the weekend. And the elusive but ever so charming DIY garland...(mwah, ha, ha, ha).

xoxo,
Rachel

I Used To Wear OshKosh

I found these OshKosh pants a few months ago and they finally fit this growing little girl.

I love the railroad conductor look but my favorite part are these heart-shaped pockets!

I paired them with Ruby's brown Mary Jane's from Old Navy last year and I'm afraid it's the last time those feet will fit into them.

With so many vintage dresses in the closet it was getting hard to want to put them on her when all she wanted to do was crawl through the dirt in the front yard so these pants are going to get their fair share of play time.

I'm not sure how much OshKosh was in my little girl wardrobe but I distinctly remember having a pair of OshKosh overalls. It was the typical mid-eighties wardrobe staple, right? ;)

xoxo,
Rachel

Prudent Advice by Jaime Morrison Curtis

Have you ever wondered what your parents forgot to spell out for you because they thought you'd probably just pick it up through the years? Have they ever wondered if you were really listening? If my mom had written a personal book of wisdom for me it would include, among other things, 'Enjoy the journey', and 'It came to pass, not to stay'. She would also encourage me to call my friends more often, remind me not to put off my work until the night before it's due, and to wash the towels separately from the socks and undershirts, even if they're all white.

I recently stayed up past my bedtime looking through page after page of Jaime's advice to her own daughter. Her honesty and wit made for an interesting read and I found myself wishing I'd learned a few of these a little earlier on in life. Some of my favorite pieces of advice:

Cultivate a genuine enthusiasm for the minutia of other people's lives.
This is how to be a friend.

Paint the inside of your favorite costume jewelry with clear nail polish.
No more green fingers.

Doing things inspires doing more and greater things.
Doing nothing breeds inertia. When you do anything at all, no matter how insignificant, you begin to create a sphere of action and intention that expands around you.

If you want to leave a party and you don't have a good excuse, spill something on yourself.

Leggings are not pants.

Prudent Advice is full of wit and wisdom and would make a lovely gift to any mother, no matter how long they've been at the wheel. You can find out more about Jaime's book here and purchase your own here. Other stops in the blog tour have included:

10/15 Cooking With My Kid

10/18 The Tum Tum Tree

10/19 ohdeedoh

10/20 Ish and Chi

10/21 Little Miss Heirlooms


If you'd like the chance to win a copy leave a comment below sharing some of the best advice from your own mom/grandma/influential person in your life. Winner will be chosen Monday, October 25th.

If Ruby ends up with curly hair she will definitely be getting this advice from me. Don't wash it every day. If it's feeling funky on day two get yourself to a curling iron and pony tail holder and you'll make it.

xoxo,
Rachel

Pillow Love: Get the Look for Less

I've admired the beautiful Sheesha pillows ever since I first saw 'em in the living room below. Unfortunately though the price tag on these babies is a bit more than I am able and willing to shell out for a pillow. John Robshaw sells a 20x20 version (pictured below right) for $200 (each!) and Jayson Home and Garden sells 'em for $250 for the 20x20 version and $345 for the 26x26 version (yikes!).

L: Karin Kohlberg via Page Six Magazine; R: John Robshaw Sheesha pillow $200

home of Karen of the blog The Art of Doing Stuff

Recently I was excited to find a few pillows that have a similar look for much much less. West Elm sells the Bijoux Dots Pillow (below left) for $34.00, and Etsy seller The Home Centric sells the White Mirrors Throw Pillow (below right) for $33.20 as well as the Light Beige Reflections Throw Pillow for $33.20 to $39.90 (price depending on size).

L: Bijoux-Dots Pillow Cover $34.00; R: White Mirrors Throw Pillow $33.20

P.S. I'm loving the large selection at The Home Centric! Check out her shop for more fabulous pillows!