So I am really excited to finally be sharing these photos with you today!  I teamed up again with Taryn and Shelby of JOIELALA to create a spring inspired lookbook.  And this is the first of the series! I really can’t get over how good those girls are!  Yeesh!  All the photos are just so dreamy.  Their play on light is what always gets me.  I wish I knew how to use a camera this way! Haha.  I’ve been saying that forever.  But I guess I am just glad I have talented friends to collaborate with! …..more to come!

What I’m wearing:

Crocheted Top by Free People / Re-constructed silk dress (from mom’s closet!) / Ecote T-Strap Wedge from Urban Outfitters / H&M bracelet

Rylee and I leave today to head to Wisconsin to attend my grandfathers funeral and to spend some time in the north woods with my grandma.  For those of you who have sent encouraging notes and emails….thank you so much!  I truly appreciate it.  I hope our time there can be a celebration of his amazing life.  Tears, no doubt, but I am so happy he is home.  As hard as it is to say goodbye, we all know he is in a better place now.  It will be Rylee’s first time on a plane…and away from daddy….so we will see how that goes!  She is a little trooper so I’m sure we will be fine!   I have some wonderful bloggers who will be filling in here while I am away!  So lots of fun stuff coming up!  Enjoy!  I will “see you” soon.

This tutorial is easy peasy! And it only takes about 15 minutes to make!

Here’s what you will need to get started:

-An old t-shirt you don’t mind cutting up (or any jersey fabric).  I suggest finding a jersey knit with a bit more “give”.  It’s a little harder to handle, but will make for a more comfy fit on your baby’s head.

-a needle and some thread

-fabric scissors

-hot glue gun

1. Measure your baby’s head. Cut a strip of fabric that is just barely shorter than her head circumference, since the fabric will stretch.  The width is up to you.  I cut mine at about 2 1/2″ wide.  And no need to make it perfect!  The fabric edges roll and can easily be tucked under when the headband is worn.

2. Thread your needle and overlap your fabric ends.  Sew them together with a loose stitch.

3.  Cinch the fabric tight and knot it at the end.  Creating a secure gathered center.

4.  Cut out a handful of circles ranging from 3″ being your largest to 1″ being your smallest.  I found that 8 worked well.

5. Stack the circles on top of one anther beginning with the largest and ending with the smallest.

6. Take your needle and thread through the center of your circle stack a few times.  Pinch the circles together from the bottom so they appear to form a flower bud.  Then thread through the bottom (as many times as you want) until you feel like the bud looks right.  There was no specific method to my stitching.

7.  Now all you have to do is use your glue gun to secure the bud onto the headband (in the center of the “cinch”).  Or, if you don’t have a glue gun, you can always just hand stitch the bud to the band as well.  And there you have it.  Fini!

I hope you guys have fun with this one!  If you try it out, post it on your blog and send me the link.  Or just forward me a photo!  I’d love to check it out!

Unconditional.  Motherhood defined.  I would do anything for this little girl.  Tonight, Sam and I remembered how Rylee came into this world and how incredible that day was.  She was a surprise to us.  One that we were neither expecting nor entirely prepared for.  But as she grew in my belly, I just knew that life with her would never be the same.  The things that I once cared so much about all of a sudden became much less important.  SHE was now my priority.  The love that overflowed within me the day I first looked into her eyes was like nothing I have ever felt before.  She was ours.  Our first born. A part of me.  A part of Sam….Love had never felt so big.

I wrote Rylee a letter the day before I gave birth to her.  I am saving it for her to read one day.  I read through it again tonight.  I still tear up remembering those moments as I wrote those words.  It’s about six pages too long to write here….but I wanted to share a snippet.

“You were an unexpected surprise to us.  But certainly no accident.  Your dad and I always knew we wanted to grow our family and raise kids together, so although you were unexpected, we were so excited to know you were coming.  You will be the first grand daughter of the family!  I can’t wait for you to meet your Grandma’s!  They have been busy praying for you!  You are going to enter this world one loved baby girl.  I am not sure if I could love anything more than I do you.  You are a part of me, knit together by God, made just perfect.  You will change my life forever and I will love you, support you, and encourage you for as long as I live.  I don’t know what tomorrow will bring….but be strong little one.  My heart tells me that you will be alright despite the doctors concerns.  Tomorrow our world will change, and I can’t wait.  Your name will be Rylee Jean.  Now get ready, because tomorrow is your birthday!”

I had such a peace that night.  I was induced  a week earlier than my delivery date because of concern that Rylee was not growing enough inside of me….but I think I knew as I lay there in bed the night before her induction, that everything was going to be ok.  And it was.  More than ok.  She was perfect. Healthy. Beautiful.  I am so proud to be her momma.  For the rest of my life.

Happy Mothers Day to all you mama’s!

I can’t remember how I first stumbled upon VIBYS shop on etsy….but I’m SO glad I did.  They have the worlds, yes, the WORLDS, cutest baby shoes. Haha.  At least in my opinion anyway.  Handmade all the way over in Estonia!  That is one thing I really love about Etsy…is that is connects people from all over the world with the one common love of all things handmade.  I ordered these braided leather shoes for Rylee a few weeks ago and I melted when I opened the package.  They are even better in real life, if you can imagine that, and 10 times better on two pudgy little feet.  Next on my wishlist are THESE….but really, I want all of them. I mean Rylee does….I mean….

I ordered her a US size 2 (she’s almost 9 months) and there is definitely a lot of room to grow.  But she has abnormally tiny feet…and tiny everything for that matter.  The size 1 probably would have fit her perfect….but this way I can just extend the wear.  Win win! Also check out Sprinkles for Sprouts for some uber cute headbands.

Happy Weekend!!

A lot has been going on here at the Larson household! Did you know I am a Larson? I guess I rarely say that here.  After getting married, I was in a bit of a predicament trying to figure out if I change my website and shop to my new name or just keep my maiden name of Murray.  Obviously, you know what I decided on…..but it still feels a little odd to me.  I get all mixed up sometimes with my signitures because for checks or personal documents, I need to sign Kelli Larson, but for art prints I need to sign Murray.  I can’t tell you how many checks I have had to rip up because I sign it with Murray! Ugh…the worst.  Aaaanyway.  This weekend was a ton of fun for Sam and I.  His family, who all live in 4 different states, came out to visit.  Sometime’s I don’t realize how lucky I am to have my whole family within driving distance from me.  Sam’s twin sister, Hannah (in the 4th photo) has a baby boy, Jonah (5th photo) who is just 4 weeks younger than Rylee.  Although sitting side by side you would never guess Rylee was the older of the two.  Jonah kills her in the weight department.  But then again, most babies her age do.  I am still waiting for that growth spurt (hair included!) Anyway, it was the first time out little ones met each other so we had fun watching them get acquainted!  Mainly, it was Rylee jabbering away and plowing over Jonah, poking his face and stealing his pacifier.  Ha!  She is ALL over the place right now.  But Jonah just sat there like a gentleman and let the crazy girl go at it.  I had no idea Rylee was such a social butterfly.  But get her around a crowd of people and she is the bell of the ball.  I’m not sure what I’m getting myself into with her! She is developing quite the personality, and is certainly more mobile than ever. Notice the crouching tiger pose in the first pic?….that is her favorite of the moment.  And I worry every time about a face plant.  It’s the only time in my life I have ever wished I had carpet.  But she is getting stronger and stronger every day.

Currently….

THINKING ABOUT – My mom.  She left two weeks ago on a last minute trip to Wisconsin to help my grandmother care for my grandfather as his health continues to decline.  She told me this morning that the hospice nurse that continues to check in on him said that it will be just days, if not minutes, before he passes.  I cry every time I think about it….so I can’t imagine what my mom is going through just watching him slowly fade away.  I will certainly miss my gramps.  But soon he will be in heaven with his Savior, and with that thought, I am comforted.  I am so thankful for my mom for her strength and unwavering love.  She is one of the most selfless people I know, and I am sure it means everything to my grandmother to have her there by her side.  My mom will still be away on mother’s day this Sunday, which makes me sad, but I am so glad she can be with her own mom, who needs her more than ever right now.  I didn’t realize it until tonight when Sam said to me “Sunday is a special day for you” that I too get to celebrate mothers day this year! It’s amazing how much life can change in one year.   One life ends just as another begins.

LISTENING TO – Down Like Silver. I kind of stalk Kelly Ann’s blog to find new inspiring music.  I’m not great at keeping up with the music scene, so I rely on people like Kelly Ann to help me out! (thanks girl for your music monday’s).  I discovered them about a month ago through this post and was instantly hooked.

WATCHING – Revenge.  I’ve been watching it on hulu while I feed Rylee.  It’s the perfect waste of time! haha.  Have you seen it!!?  It’s so addicting.

EATING - On the healthy side – spinach & arugula salad with dried cranberries, walnuts, and gorgonzola. One the very opposite side of healthy – Trader Joe’s Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Pretzels. Killing me.

OTHER HAPPY LOVELY THINGS - 

- Coury has a baby in her belly!!  So thrilled for her!  I can already visualize her baby’s vintage wardrobe.

-  THIS breakfast (dessert!) that I MUST make.  P.S – Sarah’s blog is a new found fave.

- Katie’s hair.  I have been seriously considering going red….and it’s all her fault.  ha!  But honestly, isn’t she just the cutest?

-Loving these DIY notebooks that Whitney made.  I am in desperate need of one about now! Time to get crafty.

- Lots of great blogging advice HERE from Elsie.  So much I still feel like I can learn and get better at.  One step at a time I guess!

Ohhhhh my.  Playing a very big game of catch up right now!  Sorry for being away for the last few days.  Sam and I have had family in town, so we’ve been all over the place!  We had so much fun (but I will have more on that later!)  Today I am featured over on Emmadime, as one of her “Lovely Ladies“.  I’m so honored!  Emma’s blog is pretty great….and so is her design work, and her knitted accessories, and her Paper Shop.  Talk about multi talented, eh!? Thanks so much Emma!

I was also just featured in the streetstyle section of just another fashion magazine, issue 10.  The mag is designed specifically for the iPad, so if you’ve got one, be sure to check it out.  Thanks Lisa!

I have a big heart for companies and organizations whose focus is on making a difference in the world, or just making a difference in general.  I guess working for Jedidiah for so many years really opened my eyes to the incredible impact just one company can make by simply leveraging the power of retail to make a positive difference through a recurring model of giving.  It’s the idea of “embedded generosity”.  Can you imagine if every company developed some form of this give-back model!? It would be huge….life changing.  I was introduced to the organization ROWAN through a family member, and was so inspired by their mission.  This  I wanted to invite Kelsey, the co-founder and visionary behind the organization, to share a bit of her story.  Traveling to more than 17 countries in the last eight years, Kelsey has developed a passion and zeal for every nation, tribe, and tongue. But if you ask her today, she would say her heart is “always in Uganda.” She lives with her husband Thaddeus in Colorado and frequently ventures to Uganda as she serves full time with ROWAN.  The “Beads of Hope” necklace that I am wearing above is handmade by women in Uganda and is available HERE, on their online shop. And you can also watch THIS VIDEO to see how they are made.

ROWAN = empowerment. We bring the women together in focus groups frequently to hear their needs and discuss how we can help those needs together. Our greatest strength is our home visits that we do daily, to ensure we encourage each individual and hear from them about how we can best serve them.

What is the single most important thing that you want people to know about ROWAN?

ROWAN started with the local leaders, and this ministry is in their hands, which is the best place for it to be. The international team serves under the Uganda board, because they know best and they are ready to lead. ROWAN is successful because of this!

Our goals are self-sustaining projects on the ground, because at the end of the day, we want to see more local income than international donations. Main goals include agricultural projects and higher quality vocational training both for the orphan and widow. (The Beads of Hope Project was started by our widows because they simply love making beads and hanging out together in community. It is a great tangible item for people outside of Uganda to wear and promote the dignity of our women for all to see!

Yes! First we say, COME. COME to Uganda and meet our ROWAN family face to face! Our doors are always open. Second, a piece of encouragement to you is this: Even giving a little makes a huge investment in our ministry. We are challenging people to join AMAKA- which means “family” in our language. How to become an amaka member? Simply by committing a min. of $5 bucks a month! Something small as $5 can take us farther- and with that you join our closed AMAKA facebook group and talk with orphans, widows, local staff and the Founder himself in the village! You can talk to those who you are investing in! They are not that far away! www.loverowan.com

These days, I spend more time on the internet hunting down cute things for Rylee than I do for myself.  But I think if you were to ask any mother, they would probably say the same.  Little things are just so much cuter!  Needless to say, this roundup was a breeze.  I just ordered THESE for Rylee….but I literally want every single pair from VIBYS.

1. BG Star Full Length Tights  /  2.  Eleanor the Bear  /  3. Wovenplay featherband  /  4.  Little Lief Tie Romper in Gold  /  5. Cloud Shaped Pillow by Colette Bream  /  6.  VIBYS coral suede shoes  /   7.  EVA & OLI Vanilla Storage Box  /  8.  Pom Pom Cardigan

Geeking out a little over this today! Wildfox Kids Fall 2012 collection.  If only they made baby clothes! I suppose it’s best they don’t because I would want it all!  How precious is Violet Hume!? (imagining Rylee in ohhh….7 years!)  Oh my, it’s too much to think that far ahead!  School and boys and training bras.  Oh Lord.  Speaking of Wildfox, a few surprises came in the mail a few weeks ago.  I’ll be blogging them soon.  Can you tell i’m a fan?!

Well, it’ been one of those weeks! A whirlwind of projects and deadlines…late nights and early mornings.  I am officially spent! Talk about TGIF.  I think I need a vacation.  I’ve been dreaming of reliving our honeymoon in Cancun (literally…in my dreams) with the white beaches and room service and nothing on our agenda but each other.  I miss that.  It’s all quite euphoric in my mind.  (*sigh).   I get a little sad sometimes thinking that Sam and I will never have a trip like that together again, or at least in the way in which we experienced that one.  But perhaps that is the way it’s supposed to be.  Those memories I will forever treasure, but now we are building a whole new set of memories that includes not just the two of us…but 3 of us.  And in a way, that actually makes me feel proud.  Proud that we made this beautiful little human being and proud that we are on this journey together.  Yes, it’s a challenge.  And yes, I certainly have my days of missing my independence and, let’s be honest…selfishness.  But just one giggle from Rylee and every selfish desire is immediately wiped away.  I mean, look a that face up there!  How is it possible to love something so much?

Tomorrow we are going to take a short road trip to celebrate a close friends wedding.  It was only after having a wedding of my own, that weddings all of a sudden became very emotional for me.  Mostly because it reminds me of how incredible that day was for us, but I also think that maybe I am just getting more sentimental in my “old age”. haha.  Hopefully I can keep my blubbering at bay!  Hope you all have a wonderful relaxing weekend.