Love and Lion

PARTY IN AN ENVELOPE

It was my boys’ last day of preschool today! It’s actually a year-round school, but it was their last day with their current teachers who have loved and cared for them like they were family. I think it’s always the most meaningful to write a handwritten note, but to step it up a notch, I added a little handmade banner and confetti to let them know they were THE BEST! My sister and I have this thing with “the best”. It’s the best donut, it’s the best movie, it’s the best book… we tend to think a lot of things are “the best”, and these teachers really were the best!!
You could totally use this idea for any occasion by switching up the saying on the banner. How cute would it be to get a “congrats” or “happy birthday” party in an envelope?! I’d for sure go [delightfully] inappropriate when sending it to some of my friends… but we’ll keep the blog PG.
Here’s what you need:
Pencil
Paper scraps
Scissors
String
Hole punch
2 pieces of washi tape
Time: 20 minutes
You can freehand cutting the letters or trace them out with pencil. I actually have a cutting machine but wanted it to look more homemade. I made the letters about 2 inches tall.
Using the scraps from cutting out the letters simply cut little squares to make confetti.
Punch holes through the top of the letters and string.
 Tape one end of the string to a piece of cardstock and wrap the letters around it, securing the other end with tape when finished.
Fill envelope with confetti (and add a handwritten note)!
Voila! You’ve made the tiniest party in an envelope! 
We’d love to see what you come up with! Tag us on instagram @loveandlion so we can see!
-L

MODERN MINT & NEUTRAL BABY SHOWER

We LOVE planning parties, especially baby showers! It’s so special and important to shower that mama-to-be with lots of love and thoughtful details. I was honored to co-host with 2 fabulous ladies, Dara and Emily, friends of the guest of honor, Leeron. It will be the second boy for Leeron, but we didn’t want to go all blue blue blue. We went with white, neutrals, and pops of mint and sage green. 
Lauren of Rock Paper Scissors designed the invitation, and I really went off of that for decor. It always starts with the invitation for me! The big letter “R” is just a paper mache letter from the craft store… use painters tape to mask off a straight line, paint, and remove tape. 
Diagonals, squares, and triangles mixed with all white flowers and live moss made for a simple and pretty party! 
The drink tags were my fav! Guests remembered which drink was theirs by the baby picture of the mama and pop-to-be and the color tag. Leeron’s amazing husband, Matt, secretly emailed me their baby pics, I changed them to black and white in photoshop and cropped to a square. Just punch a hole in the corner of the picture and the colored square and tie with string. The color tag was nice so that you didn’t have to have a different baby pic for each guests. Just use different colors for each pic. Leeron was so surprised (and immediately removed that one embarrassing photo from her tween years)!
Use painters tape to mask off a diagonal line. Paint and remove tape when dry! Super simple!
Every baby shower needs a diaper cake, right? See our TUTORIAL HERE. I used double stick tape to add on the triangles of leftover scraps from the garlands to keep that geo-mod vibe.
Cake topper by Rock Paper Scissors to match the invite.
Every party needs Campfire Crispies, especially a baby shower when you can be punny and say “She’s about to POP!” These were SO. GOOD. Fluffernutter flavor: toasted marshmallow and peanut butter with a white chocolate peanut butter coating. Droooool. Order HERE.
And of course us being us, we needed a tattoo station with the party’s hashtag (from our little shop HERE)! 
Here’s the actual party! It was at night, so I took the photos above so you could see the details!
 The simplest projects make the biggest impact. Jenni and I have done these live moss letters several times. Simply cut the tops of paper mache letters you can find in any craft store, and stuff with live moss from your florist!
Even though Leeron couldn’t enjoy it, we all loved the signature cocktail “The Leeroni”.
Hostesses with the mostesses: Dara, me, Leeron, Emily
The gorgeous and glowing mama-to-be, Leeron!
Loved throwing this baby shower for a very deserving mama!!!
-L

ROCKSBOX: ONE MONTH FREE

 Hey ladies!! Please tell me you have heard of Rocksbox!! Leah and I are newbies to the club, but man, oh man…. what have we been missing? We signed up, and Leah and I got our first month of FREE  jewelry. Such gorgeous pieces too!! I don’t know about you, but Leah and I trade jewelry and clutches like nobody’s biz. We just get tired of what we have, so whenever we have an event we call each other first for a closet raid. It just allows you to try something new without breaking the bank. Consider Rocksbox your personal GF that you borrow things from. If only she offered us chocolate also… hmmm.
We are so happy to bring you all a code for ONE FREE MONTH OF ROCKBOX!!! Trust me, it will have you hooked and begging for more. I am already like a 5 year old waiting on Christmas morning to receive her next box. You simply set up your account, add pieces that you love to your wishlist and wait to receive them in the mail. Can we say “Happy Mail!”? These pieces are so great for a date night, a girl’s night out, or just a day running errands with your kiddos and you want to wear something to make you just feel good. My daughter loved opening the box up with me and drooling over each piece. Code at the end of post…

It is impossible to see the jewelry in this pic above, but can we talk about these sandals?? Leah and I are both obsessed and own a pair. Purchase them here! I am considering going back for the black pair aaaaand maybe this pair. Thank you Target.
Be sure and sign up for your FREE ONE MONTH today friends!!
Use code loveandlionxoxo

XO!

NURSERY REVEAL: WILDLIFE UNDER THE STARS

Is that really a theme? Wildlife under the stars?? Haha! I am not a super fan of nursery “themes”. I prefer to just create a room that is full of pieces I can’t live without… hoping that in the end, it all comes together and looks cohesive. To be honest, life was chaotic during my entire pregnancy. We were doing so much to our house because we thought we would be putting it on the market (and moving) before Remy got here. YEAH. FREAKING. RIGHT!! So glad that didn’t happen! Although it nearly killed me, I am glad we made so much headway ( painting the inside of our entire house) because there were things that should have been done to our home a long time ago just for US to live in and enjoy.
After working on our home so much and gratefully enduring the busiest season yet for Love & Lion’s Etsy shop, I looked up and realized about 4 weeks out that we had a tiny bit of paint on the wall and that was it! I immediately just started online shopping madness, and just hoped that everything would come together and look like what I was envisioning. I truly work best under “pressure”. We kept the walls neutral with Behr’s Chocolate Froth, which is also the color we have chosen for our entire house. I. LOVE. IT! I wanted a bold navy color somewhere in the room! We chose Behr’s Rush Hour
for the ceiling to create a “night sky” for the room. I truly love how it all came together! I think I even had more fun doing Remy’s nursery over Amara’s ( our first) simply because I didn’t think about it too much. My husband picked up a Petit Collage print on one of his work trips, and brought it home. I loved that he was already thinking of this baby before we even knew the gender! It meant so much to me that I immediately decided to build the nursery around the colors in that print!
So here are all the deets…

I really focused on keeping the room simple and clean! It isn’t a super large room, so filling it with clutter is senseless to me. I didn’t want things hanging on the wall or sitting on shelves just because! It is so much easier for baby no. 2, in my opinion, because you know what you actually put to use and what you don’t. 
I thoroughly enjoy walking down my hallway and peeking into this little gem in the corner of our home. Making a space for this little guy in a room that literally served as a storage room just solidifies his presence in our home and our family. It makes me happy to see my home lived in! When we bought our home 6 years ago, we thought 5 bedrooms sounded ridiculous for just the two of us. However, we envisioned filling these rooms with babies and having room to host friends and family. I could have never imagined that two of these rooms would be filled with two of the most perfect little humans on the planet! 😉
Sources:
Rocker / local baby store (purchased and used for Amara’s nursery)
Throw pillow / Dwell Studio
Accent table / Target (clearance)
Lamp / Land of Nod
Rug / Land of Nod
Ottoman / Land of Nod
Curtain Rod & Finials / Land of Nod)
Curtains / DIY ( don’t look too closely at my sewing skills) Fabric was a Nate Berkus print!
White Honeycomb shelf / Land of Nod
Crib Skirt / Land of Nod
White Dresser / Babyletto at Target
Changing Pad cover / Aden + Anais (also got this print)
Crib Sheet / Aiden + Anais (also got this print)
Triangle garland / DIY
Giraffe head / White Faux Taxidermy
Wonder Print / Petit Collage
Mobile / Petit Collage 
Gold Bear Print / Sycamore Street Press
Star decals (ceiling) / Fairy Dust Decals
Pendant / DIY 
Elephant blanket / Orla Kiely (Target)
Crib / Babies R Us
Elephant Toy Chest & Lion Hamper / 3 Sprouts
Book shelf / Ikea – can’t find online.
Collage wall / DIY – I used old frames and some new ones from Target. All prints (except ones sourced above) were free printable prints offline. Gold mirror was a thrift find. 
Hanging Letters / Michael’s find
Have a great week!!
XO!!

FEATURED: SWEET BIRDIE BIRTHDAY PARTY

We adore DIY parties- that’s our fav for our own kids, so we’re always on the lookout for new creative yet achievable ideas. That’s why we’re so thrilled to feature this Sweet Birdie Dessert Birthday Party by Shauna Younge! You’ll love her pastel and wood grain color palette, pretty dessert table, and simple touches that made this party memorable!
 
SHAUNA:
After I designed the hexagon and faux bois invites and found a great cake recipe, I planned a bash that was full of bright, spring-y colors offset by lots of white and gold accents. I created DIY faux bois color block placemats to bring color and warmth to my white desk for the girls to dine in style. 
Along with sliders, powdered donuts, and popcorn, the girls devoured vanilla ice cream and my strawberry cake. I customized labels with each girl’s name to decorate the paper ice cream cups from Sweet Party Shop. I also designed faux bois labels for the milk bottles to add a natural element to the all-white room. Land of Nod’s birdie garland and cupcake kit added a bit of whimsy to the dessert table that really kicked up the color a notch. 
CREDITS
Party concept, styling, and dessert table: Shauna Younge
Images: Sydnee Bickett
Birdie garland and cupcake kit: Land of Nod
Ice cream cups: Sweet Party Shop
DIY projects: DIY starburst birthday crown and DIY faux bois color block placemats


Check out more of Shauna’s ideas on her blog, Sweet Tooth, and contributor to Momtastic. Also do NOT miss her dessert table portfolio HERE!

OUR FAV: BUMBO MULTI SEAT

When I truly love a product, I feel the need to tell everyone, like rando moms in the grocery store or people passing by on the street or strangers reading this blog post! Bumbo just came out with a new seat and it is AWESOME. 
 We had the original Bumbo when 4 years ago when Ari was a baby but now it is new and improved and all tricked out! It transitions from a baby seat all the way up to a toddler booster seat. Seriously cool. Remy is too little yet for the seat (he needs to be able to hold his head up) so Jenni let me borrow the seat for Max who’s 1 1/2. The inside rubber part for babies pops out easily and turns into a booster seat. The best part? My little maniac easily straps in and the booster easily straps to our chair. No escape!
Max pretending to sleep here… weirdo! See how easily it straps to the chair? The straps tuck inside the seat itself so there are no messy straps hanging around!
The Bumbo multi seat also comes with a play tray that suction cups to any surface. Such good distraction when this mama needs to drink her coffee in peace.
Max loves it! I love it! And when Remy is big enough I’ll begrudgingly give it back to Jenni whooomp whooooomp. Seriously guys, we highly recommend! Get it HERE! Thanks, Bumbo! 
-L

FATHER’S DAY CARD – FREE PRINTABLE

I don’t know if this resonates with anyone else besides Jenni and me, but we thought we’d share this free printable anyway! I think our hubs will be pleased!! 
Now you too can spend $0 on your husband by downloading this card and printing! OR show him on your computer screen… now that’s really being frugal 😉
Download HERE

GIFT TAGS – FREE PRINTABLES

I made some gift tags for my baby mama friends, and thought you all might want to use these too! The “impractical” tag was for Jenni when she had Remy. I got her a ring with an “R” on it… completely impractical like I said, BUT I mean, still fun. The “push it” tag would be fun for a push present! Oh Salt-N-Pepa… the best. And a push present would be really fun for the new mama.
Push It Tag HERE
Impractical Tag HERE
-L

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

These are some of my favorite things for summer! I am pretty low maintenance and ease is my #1 requirement for most things. Cuteness is my #2 🙂
Click item names for links:
Lip Balm / Tinted Moisturizer / Dress / Picnic Blanket / Sandals / Hand Sanitizer Spray / Backpack / Shaving Cream / Foot Lotion / Sunscreen Spray
Lip Balm 
I loooove this Loreal tinted lip balm in Rose Elixer. It is the prettiest pink, sheer, and slightly shiny. Just enough color for day and even a casual date night! 
Tinted Moisturizer
I wear tinted moisturizer daily, and I love Laura Mercier’s because it has SPF in it! I’m bad about putting on sunscreen just to run out of the house for an errand, and when I put this on at least I know my face is covered. It also gives me just the right amount of coverage while looking completely natural. 
Dress
I wandered into American Eagle a couple weeks ago and was blown away by all the cute not-so-teen stuff! I got this fun swingy dress that works well as a swimsuit coverup or dress up for a date night! You guys seriously need to venture in. Just ask for the “non-booty shorts” like I did, and be pleasantly surprised. They have some pretty earring sets for $12 too. I walked out of there with a good haul!
Picnic Blanket
Jenni and I are coveting these Let’s Playground mats HARD CORE. I have a fold up picnic blanket tote from Target, but I can’t find it online anywhere! So you can just drool all over this one. You’ve gotta check out their site- soooo cute! Easy clean up and cute patterns. 
Sandals
These are my daily sandals. Cute, comfy and they zip up on the sides so they’re super easy to get on and off when you’re holding 50 things in your hands including a squirmy toddler! I’ve gotten so many compliments on these and everyone is surprised when I tell them they’re from Target! 
Hand Sanitizer Spray 
Spray, people. Spray. I don’t care so much that it’s all natural (which it is) or smells good (which it does). I care that it’s ridiculously easy to apply on the go and doesn’t drip off my kiddos’ hands onto their shirts. 
Backpack
If you know me, you know I love me some backpacks. You’ve gotta have your arms free, ladies! I constantly have a child and tons of stuff in my arms while pushing a stroller, etc. Target has a million different colors, they’re all light (faux leather y’all), and they’re all around $30! So you wont care if sippy cups spill and make the mashed up crackers in the bottom of your bag congeal into a mystery substance. This served me so well in Disney and traveling for week in San Diego. 
Shaving Cream
I have super sensitive skin and this is the only shaving cream that doesn’t irritate my skin! Love it.
Foot Cream
This turns my winter feet into summer feet if ya know what I’m sayin’. It makes my feet super soft and has aloe that feels so good on tired feet. Necessary for summer sandals! 
Sunscreen Spray
Again, spray is the easiest for squirmy kiddos! They actually don’t mind the spray and giggle when it “tickles” them! My kids and I all have sensitive skin, so CeraVe products are best for us, or so my dermatologist tells me! 
Any summer time favs we need to know about?
xo
-L

RECIPE: MINI PEACH PIE

This was SO GOOD. If I do say so myself ::pats back, rubs belly::
I used a sugar cookie recipe for crust, because I’m intimidated by pie crusts. 
I made up the filling but it turned out delish! Anything using The Peach Truck peaches is bound to be good right?
RECIPE: MINI PEACH PIE
CRUST:
(Since this is a mini pie, you can 1. halve this crust recipe or 2. make the full recipe and make cookies out of the rest… you should obviously pick this second option)
1 lb butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
3 1/2 – 4 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
1. Cream sugar and butter for about 5 minutes. 
2. Add egg yolks and vanilla. 
3. Slowly add flour until it doesn’t feel sticky anymore. 
4. Press saran wrap on dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 min.
FILLING:
4 small ripe peaches, thinly sliced
1/2 tbsp brown sugar *if you like a sweeter pie, use 1 tbsp
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/8 tsp orange zest & a smidge of juice
Pinch of salt
1. Mix the filling topping together.
2. Using floured hands, press about 1/2 of the chilled dough into pie pan – just wing it, it’s rustic. Try not to go too far out on the sides of the pie pan. Since it’s a cookie dough recipe, the dough will spread a bit when it bakes. 
3. Pour in the peach filling.
4. Top with a little extra dough in a pretty shape (and save the rest of the dough for cookies!). 
5. Chill the pie in the fridge while the oven preheats to 350.
6. Place pie on a baking sheet in case of the filling or dough bubbling over.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for around 15-25 minutes until crust is lightly brown and filling is bubbly. My oven bakes way faster so just keep an eye on your pie!
Enjoy!
-L 

ROOM TOUR: LIVING ROOM

I had to capture the one moment in time my house was clean by photographing it! This is my living room which opens up to the kitchen (not clean enough to photograph). It’s not particularly “styled” with design pieces and plants (I wish) since my 1.5 year old would destroy it, but it’s just enough so it feels like home. 
We love this room for two main reasons: the rug and the beams! The oriental rug was passed down to us from Jeffrey’s Nanaw (she truly was a fabulously glamorous lady), and I love every little detail on there. It makes the room warm and cozy, and we love thinking of Nanaw each time we look at it! 
This room, being a double story felt a little too open and cold, so we added beams a couple months ago. It’s changed the whole feel of the house to us- we are obsessed! The Tenneessee Barn Project found these 100-year-old hand hewn beams in an old barn. We love all the beautiful inconsistencies in these beams and the iron supports that hold them up. Industrial chic at it’s finest! I still have plans for a laundry room makeover and a new kitchen table from them eventually!
Thanks for taking a peak! Click links below for sources.
-L
SOURCES:
Beams – Tennessee Barn Project
Fan – Lumens
TV console – Restoration Hardware
Leather club chair – Restoration Hardware
Coffee table – Crate & Barrel
Glass jugs – Haven
Couch – Havertys
All throw pillows – Ikea
Blanket – Jonathan Adler
Glass lamp – Ikea
USA map print – Alison Hardcastle
Nashville print – Rock Paper Scissors
Buffalo print – Animal Print Shop
Entry way light fixture – Joss & Main
Door wreath – Target
Kitchen bar stools – Restoration Hardware
Metal orbs (similar) – Target

MOTHER’S DAY WISHLIST | BLACK, WHITE & NEON

Hey you guys!! I am squeezing in a last minute Mother’s day post before the weekend. I just thought I would share a couple of things that I am SERIOUSLY wanting, whether it be for MD or not! I am obviously getting the best gift in the world this year right around this sweet holiday, which is the birth of my SON!!! We are still anxiously awaiting his arrival, but when my hubby asked me what kind of prezzie I would like for Mother’s Day, I immediately asked for a bathing suit. It is super important for me to have a bathing suit that I feel more than comfortable in as I will be diving into the pool with the toddler weeks after giving birth. Ummm….. nightmare? Yes, I think so!
I can’t get my mind off of this one, so that usually means that it will be in my drawer soon! The scalloped edge has me swooning!! I will probably end up with black, although this tan one is soooo lovely!
Have you guys seen this closet DIY? I have had it pinned for quite some time on my personal Pinterest page, and have added to the hubby’s “to-do list”. They did SUCH a fantastic job AND it is super budget friendly. A Mother’s Day gift is made much sweeter when it is handmade, right? ha!
I always have a couple of expensive/time consuming ideas on hand when it comes to gifts for myself. For the more low-key/ budget-friendly requests…. these are mine..
These sandals look super mom friendly (buuuut still stylish), and for every pair purchased, they donate clean drinking water to children. Win Win! I also love this pair and this pair. What is even sweeter is that they make them for little kids too!! You know I love a good mommy/daughter dress alike day. 😉
 I NEED this bag from Target!! It is always good to have a breakaway from the diaper bag that you carry 90% of the time, right? It is so chic, and the quality is impressive! It would make a great date night bag! I am also loving this all white weekender ( for the small getaways I never take) yes, please!!
 I think key chains are super cheeseball ( despite my collection I assembled as a teenager), but truthfully, I need an easy way to actually FIND my keys in my bag. I always challenge myself to put my keys in the same pocket, but that never happens. This neon tassel key fob is perfect!!
I have been wanting a great pair of aviators for a while now, but these are kind of winning in my book right now!
Leah and I both love our Helen Ficalora necklaces! It is kind of a little tradition to add initial charms to my necklace! I am in need of another chain because it feels like a lot to wear all of the charms on the one that I have. I reeeeaaaallllly want this “R” in all diamonds 🙂 Since this is a pricier option, and it may be farther down the road… I would LOVE this one in the meantime to mix with my Helen necklace for summer! Love layering dainty gold pieces.
Gifts are FAB… don’t get me wrong, but just being loved on and served that day is the real winner. Leah and I love a super thoughtful card and a super delish brunch at the very least!! That is simple, right? We hope you all have a Happy Mother’s Day weekend! We love getting to know you all through blogging and Instagram. We truly love being mommies ourselves, and at the end of the day, we just want you to feel celebrated because you are freaking awesome!!!
XO!
  

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