Hallie Says: Let's Do a Mini Bathroom Makeover

Something about a new year makes me want to redo everything in our home. I actually started my apartment makeover before the holidays because I couldn't stand to live in what looked like a college dorm room for one more second. 

 

My most recent undertaking was the bathroom counter. After we renovated the apartment (3 years ago) we moved back in and basically did nothing with any of the spaces. Who had the time or the money? I finally decided that when you are on a super limited budget you have to be smart about your projects and resources. I didn't need expensive pieces to make our space look chic - I just needed a little creativity and patience. (I'd like to add that patience is not one of my many virtues, just ask my husband.)

 

With the help of West Elm, a nice little sale and free shipping I managed to update and organize our bathroom counter for under $30. I'd like to add that we're not those people that have to keep every toiletry product on the counter top - we keep the necessities on hand and everything else in a cabinent. (Yep - including the mascara!)



Bathroom counter before
 

West Elm Clover Bath Accessories

 

The finished product - everything is organized and I love how the silver detail on the trays and cup matches the grain in the marble and the monogramming on my towels!

 

Sometimes I'm a Bad Mom

I find it really hard to be a good mom all the time. There has never been a time where I have parked my son in front of the television and ignored him. Mostly because he really isn't into tv at all. There have been times that I've put him down in a pile of toys and sat next to him and read the IPad.  When I do things like that I often feel guilty.

Should I be engaging him more? Should I be teaching him something. I've come to the conclusion that sometimes I'm actually a better mom because I take these time outs. Afterall - if I'm spending time in his presence letting him explore on his own - surely he's learning to be semi-independent.

Chips and Salsa For Dinner

It's very rare that moms get nights to do what they want (read: sit in front of the computer and pin things on pinterest while eating salsa directly out of the jar.) Tonight is my night! J has a movie date with R. (The real sign of a true girlfriend who will accompany your husband to an Imax movie you have no interest in seeing.)

It got me thinking about the stigma attached to menu planning healthy meals each night. Shouldn't we all get a night off to not have to do anything? For some reason it primarily falls on the "mom" to decide the menus for the week. This is my least favorite "chore" next to actually doing the grocery shopping.

As a person who generally loves going to supermarkets I have an extremely low tolerance for food shopping in NYC. I like to peruse the shelves, read labels and daydream about what my cooking life was before I had to get dinner on the table in 15 minutes. NYC stores don't allow you to do that unless you arrive when they open their doors first thing in the morning. If you tend to market at any convenient hour of the day and you find yourself stopping to check a price or read a label you will inevitably be run over by some other New Yorker on a mission with a shopping cart. This brings me back to my point that sometimes it's nice to just be able to have chips and salsa for dinner!

A Fresh Start!

I've taken a 7 year break from my blogging so let's catch up.. moved back to NYC, started working for Rapunzel's Closet in Palm Beach, FL, got married, had a baby. Feel like we know each other again? Good! Now we can move on to bigger and better things.

You are never really prepared to be a mom - it's baffling to me that the doctors actually let you leave the hospital with these little creatures without some sort of a class or at the very least a signed affidavit that you won't screw things up. Needless to say - when we brought the little guy home - we eventually figured it out. It turns out that we actually make cute kids.

This is all i've got for now! Hooked yet... didn't think so. I promise to come back with more enticing posts. I just had to get my feet wet again.

PS..tried on the Trish McEvoy concealer today and still like the Laura Mercier secret camouflage better.