The Blue and White Table

Christmas is a week away! Cue the festive table settings. Don't get me wrong, I love the crisp greens and pops of golds that make their way onto a festive tablescape, but there is just something about a classic blue and white tablescape I love most. 

Sharing some of my favorite affordable products with you all to set your table for guests with pops of blue and white. 

Chargers / Blue and White Napkins (similar) / Classic White Tablecloth / Vintage Water Goblets (similar)

A few other blue and white tabletop items I love! The best part is most all items are well under $50! 

Cheese Knives / Platter / Dinner Plates

Cloth Napkins / Ginger Jar Placecard Holders / Water Goblets

Water Pitcher

Holiday Gift Guide - For Him

Today only, J. Crew is offering 50% off your regular price purchase and 60% (!!!) off your sale purchase. But it's only today! 

In case you still have some Christmas shopping to do, I'm sharing my favorite picks for the Mr in your life (with sale prices!) below. I especially love the navy quilted vest, they look great with jeans and just $26!

1 ($35 with sale) / 2 ($30 with sale) / 3 ($150 with sale)

4 ($150 with sale) / 5 ($11 with sale) / 6 ($4 with sale)

7 ($69 with sale) / 8 ($150 with sale!) / 9 ($40 with sale)

10 ($26 with sale!) / 11 ($225 with sale)

Baby Smith Nursery Inspiration

Still so hard to wrap my head around the fact we're already halfway through until Baby S joins us. 

One of the most exciting things we've done so far is begun to prep the sweet little nursery. With that, I've gotten a lot of questions on nursery inspiration and wanted to share with you guys the mood board I've created as my inspiration.

Some of the below pieces have begun to come in (be sure to follow my Instagram for the Nursery Stories highlight for updates along the way)

Some of the items are currently unavailable (I'm hoping the light comes back in stock for ya'll!) so I'm including similar links that may be helpful!

1 / 2 (similar) / 3 / 4

 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

Registry Research: Stroller and Car Seat!

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I was asked by Carusele to participate in the #BritaxOnAmazon campaign, sponsored by Britax on Amazon. Although I have been compensated, all opinions are my own.

Now, that we are halfway (pause....what!) through the pregnancy, I've spent countless hours researching top reviewed baby items for our registry. From best bottles, pumps to car seats and strollers, you name it! 

With a decision as important as the car seat and stroller system, safety and durability have been two of my main concerns for our search. After reading hundreds of positive reviews from other mamas out there, I was super impressed with the Britax brand. The brand offers tons of options to add to your Amazon Registry.

Did you know that Britax builds and tests their products locally in South Carolina?! They are a #1 brand in child and safety technology, which had me sold. The hardest thing to decide was picking a color! I ended up going with "Raven" (the solid black) to hide those inevitable stains with a little one.

The Britax B-Lively and B-Safe 35 Travel System checked all of the boxes during my registry research for many reasons: 

1. Car seats are HEAVY. This car seat is SO lightweight which was a huge win for me. Some carseats I picked up were so heavy empty, I couldn't even imagine with a 10-20 pound infant inside! 
2. Assembly was (literally) a snap. I was so overwhelmed at the thought of assembling the items upon arrival and was so shocked to find out that its truly just snapping together a few pieces and VOILA! You're done. So, easy assembly was definitely a win.
3. The price. Strollers can be expensive. Layered in with car seats and the car seat bases, it all adds up. This entire travel system is durable, safe AND incredibly affordable.
4. Austin says "this thing has a great turning radius" -- so I'll take that as a win too ;-) I hear many mamas struggle with some strollers to be too bulky when trying to navigate around tight store aisles, etc.  When you collapse this stroller, its so small and flat! Perfect for travel and frequent beach trips this summer.

Mamas to be, thinking about adding to your baby registry? Check it out here and read the reviews for yourself!  

Holiday Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers

It's hard to believe that Christmas is in just a matter of 2 weeks! This whole year has flown to be honest.

Today, I'm rounding up some of my top stocking stuffer picks! 

Best part?! All are under $25! 

1. This is a new scent for the holiday from Nest -- it smells divine! And the size is perfect for a powder room or bedside table.

2. I have multiple pairs of these exact earrings and get so many compliments. Stock up while they're on sale ($17!!), they really look like the real deal! 

3. I always have one of these sticks in my purse. They are so moisturizing for the dry winter air. The rose tinted is my all time favorite for a subtle pop of color. 

4. Champagne gummy bears?! Sold. 

5. Not only an adorable piece of art as a stocking stuffer but the perfect teacher, neighbor or friend gift, too. And just $15 with the stand included! So sweet. 

6. These socks will change your life. And the robes, and the blankets. All I need to say here. 

7. I live by these hair ties! I love that they don't pull or leave a mark from a ponytail! 

8. The sweetest tiny ornaments. Over 50% off! 

9. This mascara is amazing for giving you thick, full lashes! I've been a fan for years! 

Holiday Gift Guide: Etsy Favorites

It is no secret that I love Etsy. I source it nearly once a day for inspiration and ideas. 

It's a great source for gifts for friends, family or for us! I love to be able to gift one-of-a-kind, thoughtful gifts that you can't pick up just anywhere! Some of the most treasured gifts I have given have come from Etsy, so I wanted to share a few of my favorite shops with you as you continue on your holiday shopping journey. 

The best part?! Everything below is within the $50 price range! 

1. This hand-painted house ornament is perfect as a hostess, housewarming gift or just for that special someone who loves their home! 

2. I. Love. Applique. This tissue box cover is perfect for any powder room, master bedroom or nursery! They come in many color styles and monogram styles to fit anyone's taste! 

3. Charleston Candle Co is near and dear to my heart. Their candles are amazing and the price point at $20 cannot be beat! I have so many favorites, but absolutely love the Spanish Moss Scent and their Charleston Christmas scent is wonderful for the season! We have them in nearly every room of our house! Guest always compliment the scents! 

4. Similar to the tissue box covers, we have applique monogram shams in our master bedroom and guest bedrooms. They are so classic and dress up any classic bedding! I've worked with this seller on multiple occasions and the quality of the linens cannot be beat, they are SO SOFT!! 

5. How adorable is this precious handmade, gold foil dog collar? The price under $20 is perfect as a stocking stuffer or a gift for your friend with a fur baby. I love the rich look of the deep brown leather. 

6. This blanket looks so cozy. It's quite large (a queen size) so can be the perfect extra layer for your guest room, or cozying up on your sofa! I love love the soft gray.  

7. Hellloooo blue and white linens. These dinner napkins are perfect for all seasons, dining indoors and out! They are super similar to a tablecloth I have and the price point is awesome for sets of 2! Would also be adorable wrapped with Christmas cookies for neighbor gifts! 

8. I love thin, dainty jewelry and this gold cuff is no exception. It is 14 karat gold filled and comes in multiple sizes based on your wrist size! It would be perfect to add to your daily stack! 

Almost Halfway! 19 Week Bumpdate

First pregnancy update for you guys! Wanted to share a little glimpse on the first half of how my pregnancy has gone. In some moments, it feels like its flown by, and in others it feels like I've known I was pregnant for years. And now, we're nearly halfway there! 

Having the anatomy scan this week was the most surreal experience. Being able to see our sweet babe dance all around (and even suck it's thumb!) was such a humbling experience. To know we get to meet this sweet babe in just a few more months is truly the most exciting feeling. 

As some of you may know (if you follow me on Instagram) we are waiting until delivery to find out the gender. It was one of those things at the very beginning of the pregnancy that Austin and I just casually discussed like, "hey, what if it was just a surprise?!" and it just kind of stuck! So, here we are ;-) 

A few questions I've gotten along the way: 

• What have you craved? Honestly haven't had any specific ongoing cravings! Though, I have found myself at Chik-Fil-A quite often, and go through a crate of clementines every few days...so maybe chicken and citrus?! 
• Have you felt the baby move? Yes! Austin felt the baby for the first time this week and it was a moment I'll never forget!
• Have you started working on a registry? Yes! I've spent countless hours "researching" items and am excited to share some of our favorites with you! I have a fun one coming up next week! 
• What about the nursery? It's in progress! We've gotten the draperies hung and the rug down, which was exciting! I'll definitely share a full reveal later this spring once complete! The light fixture and crib are on backorder, but hope to have in soon! Though, I know it will be a while until the baby is in the nursery full-time! 
• Do you have a feeling as to what the baby is? It really varies! Some days I'm for certain it is a girl and then others I feel boy! I guess we will find out soon enough ;-) 
• Do you have any maternity must-haves? So far, I've tried to keep my maternity wear to a minimum (praise for oversized sweaters I already had in the Winter months!) But, I have gotten some great tops from Gap Maternity and ASOS! A friend of mine introduced me to the Blanqi maternity support tanks and they have been a LIFESAVER for my backpain. They are tight compression tops (with a special section with extra fabric for your growing bump) I got the Blanqi tank in both black and white and have worn maybe every other day, haha! I will say though, since it is a tight fit, after 5 hours or so, I find I'm ready to take it off, but it has saved my back! 
• How have you adjusted your skincare routine? I've made some slight modifications, though thankfully did a big purge last year of items that contained harmful, hormone disrupting ingredients. Here are a few of my faves: 
• Beauty Counter Shampoo and Conditioner
• Elta MD Daily Tinted Sunscreen -- Ya'll, I live by this stuff. My mother in law first introduced me to it a couple of summers ago and I've never looked back! This is definitely the best price I've found online for it and I wear it all year long! Its packed with Hyaluronic Acid to help increase skin smoothness and is fragrance-free, paraben-free, sensitivity-free and noncomedogenic, which is so important to me. You're probably thinking with a tinted sunscreen you only need in the Summer, but I wear it all year round! It is a great base before I apply my foundation and helps give a little extra glow, while also protecting your skin from the sun! Win Win. 

• First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Lotion - I also used this product long before I was pregnant and is something Austin swears by too! It's not overly thick or heavy and leaves none of that greasy feeling behind. I use head to toe and swear it has helped with not getting stretch marks (yet!) 
• Any advice for other soon to be mamas? I am still figuring it out myself! There are definitely very non-glamorous parts of pregnancy (helllllllooo hormones and drop of a hat mood swings) but I can say that having always been someone who wants to control most situations, this has been quite the experience in learning to let go. You learn to listen to your body very closely, and if you need that mid-afternoon nap, you go for it! The house cleaning and organizing can wait ;-) It's so exciting once you begin to feel your little one move about and I swear makes the already close bond nearly explode! We are so anxiously awaiting late April! 

I'll check in again soon with more updates on the pregnancy and nursery as we tick items off the list!

xo-

Katie

Holiday Gift Guide: On My Wishlist

One of the things I mentioned in my previous posts was that I aim to give gifts to friends and family that would be something I'd like too! With that, I thought it would be fun to share what's on my personal wishlist this year for some extra gifting ideas! 

Currently on the decaf train (they make decaf Nespresso pods!) but absolutely love this Nespresso System for especially after the baby is born and I need a quick cup of coffee. I currently make all of my coffee through a french press which I love, but this would certainly be more convenient when I need a quick pick me up! Not to mention, when you purchase through the link above, you'll also get FREE coffee with your purchase!

This Cornflower blue pajama set from Lake Pajamas has been on my list for quite some time. With the new baby, I get the feeling I'll be in pajamas quite a bit for the first little while and love how soft their items are! This robe is high on my list for my hospital bag! 

I included this Matouk throw in a gift guide last week and let me just tell you, it's THAT good. Matouk is known for their drool worthy, luxury linens and this blanket does not fall short. The best part? It's currently included within a Friends and Family sale through the end of the week that makes it just over $50! Yep. Go on and get you one.  The blue color is simply stunning.

Gifting candles is one of my favorite little luxuries. Especially this soft clean scent (also included as the same sale as the throw!) The smell reminds me of a crisp clean spa. It's heavenly! 

This wallet is definitely a major splurge item, but something you would have forever. The classic design and pattern would compliment any bag and give it a little something extra ;-) 

Who doesn't love a gorgeous red coat?! And especially at the holidays! If you act fast, you can score it before their flash sale ends and get it for half off! While it may not be able to zip up on me this year, I sure love it for next and the next! ;-) 

Perfect for layering, I love how dainty this thin gold cuff is! 

Because who isn't looking for healthy easy dinner recipes?! Can I get an amen?