I know that picking a word of the year is not a new concept. But I love it. I can remember when my former boss told me they were having all the managers pick ONE word for the year that sums up their goals for the year and they read THIS. I loved the idea of picking one word to define my goals. That year I picked CONNECT for my word. I had just moved to Connecticut and felt a little lonely away from all my friends and family I loved. So I decided I would try to CONNECT with new friends, CONNECT with God, CONNECT with my hubby and CONNECT with people on my blog and Instagram account. Having ... Read More
Whole 30 and Paleo- How I survive
I can list about 10 people I know who are are trying to eat better and are giving Whole 30 or Paleo a try with the new year. I have shared before on THIS post that I have eaten Paleo for about 3 years. I was not as strict while I was pregnant and while I have been nursing. I didn't want to restrict anything for risk of losing my milk, I ate oats, dairy and wheat when I wanted it. Now that Finn is 9 months I have started again to be a 95% Paleo eater. I have to admit I did try macro counting for about two solid months. I got burned out on that real fast, I don't have the time to weigh all my ... Read More
How I Grew my Instagram to 100k
I started my Instagram account on a whim. We had been in our new home in CT for about 4 months and I needed a creative outlet. I was unsure if I should just use my personal Instagram account and share design ideas that way. I bounced ideas off of my good friend Rachel and she was SO great to encourage me to use my nestingwithgrace account and get serious. And I did just that. Within the first 6 months I had close to 50k followers then a little over a year I had 100k followers. It was crazy to me and a lot of work, but the type of work that I love and am passionate about, the ... Read More
How to Keep a Kids Room Clean and Organized in a Small House
We have been enjoying the little changes we made to the girls shared bedroom in and sitting in their new hanging chair every night since we got it and reading. Such a cozy little spot. I wanted to follow up on that post. I get a lot of questions on how I keep my girls room clean and organized and where we keep it ALL in a small house. So I thought I would share our little tips on keeping our kids room clean and organized. With any house the kids stuff is not all confined to their room, so I am sharing a few spaces that actually help to keep their room organized that are not in their room. Does ... Read More
Love in the form of our new Hanging Chair
I can not even handle how much I love this chair. Who knew something like a hanging chair could make me so happy! Actually I knew. I have been wanting one ever since birth...not really but close. Funny thing is my mom saw our new hanging chair via a picture and she reminded me of the one we had growing up, the one that my sister got stitches after falling off of it. It was one that didn't hang from the ceiling, just from an arm attached to the chair and it had metal parts and was probably really not safe at all (I should find a pic of it), not like this magnificent chair we just hung from ... Read More
Hanging Chairs- Add some character to your home
I have been eyeing hanging chairs and indoor swings for awhile now. I just love how much character and charm they add to a space. Not to mention the fact that my kids and their friends will think it is way cool! I actually finally have one coming and can't wait to show you mine next week- if all goes well with the hanging process. My husband wants to hire someone and I just want him to do it so we can get it up NOW...so I will be letting you know who wins that battle. Until then these were some of my inspiration photos! I found this image in my new favorite design book ... Read More
Top Blog Posts of 2016
I have been blogging for about a year and a half now and really love it. I started blogging when I moved to Connecticut as a way to keep up on my design skills and stay current with what was going on in the design world. Not to mention it has been another form of journaling I didn't consider. I had quit my job as a manager/buyer and designer to stay at home with my kids, I was thrilled to start this new chapter of my life but I also knew that setting goals and accomplishing tangible things contributes to my happiness. So a blog seemed like it would fill that need. Little did I know how busy it ... Read More
Love your Hair- Easy Hairstyles with Dove
Hair is a big deal at our house. I have always had a lot of hair- my husband will tease me and call me "Simba" from the Lion King after I blow dry it. It gets pretty frizzy! I was excited to partner with Dove's #LoveYourHair campaign to encourage mothers to pass along hair confidence to their daughters. I have to admit that there are tears some mornings from my girls about getting their hair done- they have soft heads, or maybe most young girls do? Either way we have learned a lot through trial and error on how to love doing your hair and less tears. It comes down to hairstyles that are EASY, ... Read More
Bar Cart Styling Ideas and Favorite Holiday Drink
I have shared my love for bar carts before. I think they are probably one of the greatest piece of furniture to own. They are so versatile. You can style them for everyday use in your home or deck them out for a Christmas or Holiday party. I am pretty over the moon with THIS new bar cart I found from Serena & Lily. I love mixing in different textures and the rattan is one that goes with most any style. The trick to a well styled bar cart is layers. I broke it down for you on how to style your own bar cart! #1- Add height- use a vase or a pitcher with some flowers or ... Read More
Painting Tips and Favorite Paints with Trimaco
I have had a few painting projects in the back of my mind....just waiting for the right time to be painted. Or I should say the right time for the husband to be around to paint them. Painting projects can seem overwhelming- no matter the size. One of the reasons I put off painting my piano and big sideboard for years was because I thought I would have to have a garage to paint them in or even have to move them out of my home. I was excited to come across Trimaco and all their great products to tackle any project in your home. I partnered with them to share some of our painting tips that we ... Read More