SIMPLE AND SWEET BABY SHOWER

I love any reason to celebrate, but especially when my friends become moms. Baby (and bridal) showers feel extra fun because there's so much to look forward to and anticipate. There's an endless supply of topics to cover, details to hear about, things to hope and plan for. Everyone is buzzing with excitement. 

I hosted a shower last weekend for my friend Laura who's expecting a girl in July. It was a small group of her closest friends, and we sipped mimosas and had brunch. I skipped games in favor of chat time, because this group of close friends would rather get caught up on each other's lives than guess the size of Laura's belly. The one "activity" I incorporated that I've seen at other showers and loved is to "write an encouraging note to the mom to be" for when she's having a tough day as a new mom. I thought that was creative and useful and Laura loved it too. Now she has a stack of encouragement to reach for when she's in the fog of newborn.

I designed the invites with custom calligraphy. They were simple in design but felt fancy with the lettering and small details, like adding washi tape to the corners, and a "celebrate" stamp and gold sticker to seal the envelope. 

I saw this Barefoot White Zin favor idea on Pinterest and knew we had to do it. A really cute, inexpensive, simple baby girl shower party favor.

I created a simple mimosa bar with champagne, a few juices and iced teas, and sparkling water. Guests could create their own and that worked well. I had a coffee and tea station ready, and we had a variety of brunch items, from quiches and macarons to muffins and salads. My decor was a simple calligraphed banner and - the best part - tons of fresh flowers. Lilacs are in season right now and they are so fragrant they are almost intoxicating. We created a few small clusters of flowers in mercury glass vases and one big, wide arrangement, full of hydrangeas, roses, ranunculus, lilacs, and mums. They were stunning and all the decor we needed.

I feel like I'm at my best self when I'm hostessing. I think that's how you know you know your gifts, when you love doing something so much that it doesn't feel like work, it just feels fun and you feel like you could do it forever. I look forward to all the parties I get to plan and feel thankful to have a space that works for having people over. Our space is tiny, but we've hosted a few very large parties here and somehow it always works. People crowd the couch, sit on the floor, stand, no one really cares as long as there's good food, cold drinks, and fun company. And in our group of friends, there's always plenty of all three to go around.

Hope this gives you some ideas for hosting a simple but elegant baby shower!

DIY SEA SALT SPRAY

With spring and summer fast approaching, I'm always game for simplifying my hair routine. If I can skip a blow dry or curling iron in favor of enjoying the warmer weather, I'm in. An easy way to add texture, curl, and volume to your hair is with a texturing or salt spray. The high-end ones can be pretty pricey, and they are insanely easy to DIY (and cost next to nothing!) with just as good of results. 

RECIPE:
1. One part coconut oil, liquified. Run your glass bottle under hot water for a few minutes to melt it.

2. One part sea salt (I used 1 Tbsp coconut oil, 1 Tbsp salt)

3. Fill the rest of your spray bottle with water, and shake.

Spray on either wet or dry hair, it doesn't matter. Scrunch with your fingers and let air dry. Welcome the curls and heat-free styling! So easy for spring.

DIY SHELLAC

After coming home from Mexico, I was shocked to find my manicure has lasted an entire week without a single chip. This photo was taken on day SEVEN. These nails endured salty seas, sand, two full days of travel, and a ton of wear and tear. I am so impressed with the method, and for a fraction of the salon cost and no UV light needed. Here's how I did it:

1. Apply a layer of your basecoat of choice

2. Apply a layer of Gelous Advanced Nail Gel

3. Apply a layer of any polish (wearing Julep Myriam here)

4. Repeat steps 2 & 3, allowing to dry for a few minutes between each coat

5. Apply Julep Maven's Freedom Polymer Top Coat

You're good to go!  This the longest-lasting method I've ever seen with at-home shellac. Removal is easy, regular nail polish remover will take it off or, I can peel mine off and it comes off easily.

If you'd like to receive a free box of Julep Maven products, you can do so with this link here. 

NOTE: This is a sponsored post and links are affiliate. I occasionally receive Julep products to review, and because I love both the products and the company, I can wholeheartedly recommend them.