Love and Lion

AMARA’S SIMPLE WHITE TODDLER ROOM

I just recently did a wall of gold dot decals from urban decals. I am totally in love with all of their designs. The customer service is awesome as well! (my product plug for the day! 😉 Moving on…. 
This is not the room we started with when my daughter was born. She was in a different room in our house, there was a lot of pink, a chevron wall, and it was right at the top of our staircase with two french doors. As Amara grew, I realized it wasn’t the most practical room to have her in. So, I decided to start fresh in a new room with white paint (Glidden’s parchment white color matched in Behr). It is the “perfect” white. I even have it as my dining room color. I love fresh white walls with pops of color.
Overall, I just wanted to create a simple, sleek space for her. It is one of my favorite rooms to be in!
^The kitchen was a DIY gift from our dear friends for Amara’s first birthday! I fell in love with Vivi’s kitchen from Lay Baby Lay , so that is what they mimicked! Amara loves it!!! ^

Gotta have a place for tea parties 😉
^ There is no really great shot of the curtains due to the lighting in this room, but they were my first real sewing project that I did on. my. own! I splurged on some of the most beautiful white linen fabric and some seafoam pom pom trim. I even lined them with a blackout liner. I followed this tutorial if you are ever interested in giving it a try. Take it from me…I can’t even sew a straight line. You might surprise yourself! There is no way I could have afforded the curtains that my little beginner skills made me. ^
^ These wooden photos from Picture Bungalow are one of my favorite things in the room. I love these photos so much, and was so happy with the print quality! ^
^ I found a pedant shade at West Elm for $15 dollars. I knew I wanted something yellow against all of that white, and I scooped it right up. My husband installed it using a light kit and I simply wrapped the cord in fuschia pink yarn! ^
^ I ordered a pack of felt balls and strung them myself to create this garland. Easy Peasy, and half the price if you do it yourself. I don’t remember who I got them from, but they are allllll over Etsy! ^
^ Amara’s first piece of artwork she created at the top is my favorite! ^
^ I saw this idea on Pinterest and totally copied it! 😉 I just cut some little plastic animals in half, spray painted them, hot glued them to card stock and voila! ^
^ I wanted something with Amara’s birth details on it, and I found this cute little alphabet print (you can customize your colors) on Etsy! ^

^ Found this old french provencial looking dresser on Craigslist. I painted it gray and added my own handles. I lined the drawers with Snow & Graham wrapping paper from Rock Paper Scissors ^
^ Hooks for hanging and a toddler height mirror, which I found at Goodwill and spray painted! ^

-J

OUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

1. If you know me at all, you know that I have the worst memory in the entire world. Not an exaggeration. I could go to the store specifically for diapers and come back with everything BUT diapers. Anyway, I want to document my life more. Little things that Ari says, or Max’s milestones, or concerts we see, or how I’m feeling that day. This is the BEST journal! It documents five whole years in just one little book, and it’s not overwhelming at all. You literally just write one or two sentences per day. The journal starts January 1st (you fill in the year) so get on that amazon prime, people!
2. Going on more date nights is a shared resolution for Jeffrey and me. We get so wrapped up between the kids, work, travel, etc. that sometimes we forget about spending quality time with each other, besides the 2 or 3 hours after the boys are asleep when eat dinner and watch our shows. So we’ve talked about getting a regular babysitter and going out to dinner or a movie or a concert twice a month! Even if it’s grabbing sushi and talking about our week, it’ll be nice to get back to the point of just being a married couple. That’s romance to me!
3. Must. Lose. Baby weight. Ugh. The only way to motivate a couch potato like me is to get some cute kicks and flattering workout clothes! Wondering if I’ll keep up with the fitbit? Anyone tried it? 
Good luck with your resolutions, friends! Happy New Year!
-L
1. Yep, you saw correctly. Read AAAAAA book! I am not a reader, unless it is an article in a magazine or a recipe. I do good to read my devotional at night. However, I always envy those who can find their “happy place” in a book. I don’t understand them, but I DO envy them. I would love to read all three of these books, but I want to be realistic here people!
2. I really want to take better care of myself and be pickier about what I am putting into my body in general, but I DEFINITELY want to drink more water. I notice a huge difference in my skin (since I have struggled with breakouts since birth), and as much as I love a good soda with a burger, it just isn’t worth it….well, it kind of it, but I am going to be better 🙂
3. Unplug! The irony of this one is amazing considering we just started a blog, and all I want to do is be on my computer sharing ideas and communicating with you all. However, I do think there is a balance there and I want to be “present” with my husband and my little girl. I wouldn’t say that it is a struggle now (being that Leah texted me the other day to see if I was okay since I had not responded to her early am texts and it was midnight…she is the best I tell ya), but I just want to be consistent and scheduled with my time on the gadgets.
Happy New Year everyone!! It’s going to be a good one! 
-J

DIY CONFETTI PACK AND THE PERFECT PARTY FAVOR!

We are doing a little NYE project over here to get ready for the festivities tonight! What is a NYE celebration without some confetti? I put together mini confetti packs and taped them to card stock that I printed little phrases on with my ol’ epson printer. Haha! Super easy project, and so fun to hand out to any party guests, host/hostess, or just keep in your bag for your own mini celebration when the clock strikes midnight.
Confetti can be made out of ANYTHING (that doesn’t give you a head injury). I used a lot of leftover materials from Christmas like metallic chip board letters, twine that I shredded, striped straws, gold ribbon, teal and white card stock, and aqua and pink crepe paper. Have fun with it!
This “kiss me under the confetti” card is my favorite! Lucky me, I get two kisses tonight! 😉

Just look at that confetti goodness… sigh…
 Champagne is definitely my drink of choice for a night such as this, but my husband prefers White Russians. Champagne is not always the manliest drink, so I get it. I put together a hostess gift for the couple hosting us tonight. I collected some mini shakers from the Target dollar section along with some chalkboard tags they had. Then, I added the mini drinks with a striped straw. It would also just make a great party favor for any party. You could even buy these items in a normal size and gift it. Confetti and cocktails….yes, please!!
I tied a chalkboard tag onto the mini shaker that read “Just add cream….Cheers!”

Cheers!! Please have a happy and SAFE New Year friends!! Have some of that responsible kind of fun!! 
{cue noise makers now}
-J

NYE AT HOME….WITH THE LITTLES

If you are planning on staying home this NYE, and maybe even have little ones join in the festivities, here are some fun goodies to make the most of your night in. 
{click on numbers below for links}
1 Lounge in style in this fabulous thermal set! They will still look great with a red lip 😉
2 We love Knot & Bow!!! They have a new metallic and white confetti bomb that will serve as a little party in your vacuum on New Years Day!
3 We weren’t on the up and up in time to order these, but personalized pjs for your kids?!?! LOVE!!
4 Confetti socks! Enough said.
5 It’s not a party without a noise maker, right? The prettiness of these outweigh the loud noise.
6 Let your littles get their drink on with a sparkling apple juice in a can. Add a festive straw for fun!
7 We are all about wearing some sort of NYE/2014 Head gear. This cute headband is an Etsy find.
8 Canned champs ladies!! Pop, Fizz, Clink Tsssss???
9 Photo props! A must at every party.
10 Confetti with color for your littles to make a giant mess with! yay!!!

NEW YEARS EVE PARTY IDEAS

We’ve been scouring the interweb for the coolest NYE ideas and recipes. Whether you’re throwing a big shindig or a having a cozy night at home, there’s always something special you can add. DIY garlands, fun balloons, confetti, glitter!!, yummy dips and apps, and of course…champagne! Check out our pinterest board for all things NYE.

NEW YEARS NEUTRALS

Hey friends!! Hope you are all recovering from the holidays nicely. Our tree is finally down, however, the pine needles allllll over my floor are another story. I decided to do a style board for you guys rather than vacuum. You are welcome! NYE is just around the corner, and its time to bring anything and everything that sparkles out of your ( or your friend’s) closet. I honestly have not been out on NYE since the year 2010/2011. I was pregnant with my daughter, Amara, and didn’t even know it yet! Let’s not talk about how many cocktails I had that night. 
Moving on….. New Years looks little different with the littles in the picture. We have just been at home the last couple of years ( happily), but this year, we are going to a friend’s house to celebrate! They are both stylists and one is additionally a chef. It will be a stylish night with great food! I. CAN’T. WAIT. Kids are tagging along, but it was requested that we dress up! Here is a look I am loving for this year.   Neutral with a little sparkle! It is typically hard to splurge on items to wear just for one night, but when you buy things you love that are classic mainstays, then it is not a waste of money. 
What are your plans for NYE? We would love to celebrate with you via Instagram that night. Be sure and follow us!
{click on numbers below for links}
1 This French Connection dress is so stunning! Classic, but the way it swings is so sexy! 
2 Bauble Bar will never let a girl down. PLEASE mix those metallics. The subtle gold on this bracelet   would be gorgeous against the silver.
3 The perfect nude color. 
4 Since the dress isn’t extremely form fitting and kind of loose, a dainty, strappy sandal is a must to add that feminine touch
5 My go to nail color. For those of you who are “afraid” of black nail polish…GREAT NEWS! Its really really really dark purple! 🙂
6 I have used these lashes while doing make-up for brides. They are so subtle and natural looking, but still offer that glam factor. Gotta wear lashes on nights such as this.
7 Lodis clutch to keep your necessities. Love that it is leather!
-J

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

Today we’re each sharing our Christmas traditions!
LEAH
We’re in my hometown of St. Louis with my twin sister and my parents for the holidays. And while we don’t celebrate the religious aspect of Christmas, we truly appreciate and enjoy the spirit of Christmas. We’ve been marathoning Christmas movies and listening to music all month! My three-year-old, Ari, loves the “pretty lights!” and trying to spot “Olaf the snowman” from Frozen. Each year our family makes and decorates sugar cookies. This year, Ari took the reins and made a beautiful mess in the kitchen. 
-L
JENNI
Christmas has been an extra fun season for me this year because my daughter, Amara, is really taking notice of all that this amazing season has to offer. The lights, the trees, opening presents, Santa Claus, and more importantly, Jesus! We have done our best to soak it all in and make this season a stress-free part of our year. Christmas shopping was even a breeze this year! Whoop Whoop!
Every year, we go to Opryland Hotel with my husband’s side of the family. His birthday is on the 23rd, so it is a great way to celebrate. We have a nice dinner (The Old Hickory Steakhouse was this year’s choice) and walk around to look at all of the pretty Christmas decor. Then we take a picture in front of one of their poinsettia trees (complements of a complete stranger who does not know how to operate the focusing part of the camera). No complaints here though! We are just happy to get a shot! I always enjoy our conversations on the way to and from the hotel. We just get to talk about our year, encourage one another, and talk about our goals and hopes for the year to come. 
Tonight, we will drive to my dad and stepmom’s for our Christmas Eve traditional dinner. We get all of the cousins, aunts and uncles together and feast to our hearts’ content and exchange gifts (dirty santa style). My aunt is extremely serious about it too! haha. We have done this since I can remember, and it is always such a fun night. Then, Gabe and I are excited to come home and set up Amara’s gifts “from Santa” and set out some baked cookies. I can completely understand why my parents had so much fun doing all of this Christmas stuff with us. Seeing the happiness on little ones’ faces….. I might start crying  just talking about it ;). 
Merry Christmas Eve from the Patillos!! We are truly blessed, and hope that your holiday is filled with nothing but JOY!
-J

MAX’S NAVY AND GOLD NURSERY

Very excited to show you all Max’s nursery! I had so much fun finding little details to personalize the room. Max loves looking at all of the animal-themed artwork and the shiny gold details, and I love the cozy retreat from the chaos of toddler-world. 
These wall letters were the first things I bought for the nursery… just a little excited when we finally picked a name!
Paint color is Valspar Mystified
Crib / Bedding
Mobile / Photo
 Pretty obsessed with Mr. Moose
The gold theme began with this lamp from Land of Nod.
Had to add this framed pic of big brother for Max to worship 🙂

Dog photograph by William Wegman
Wall shelves and toy bin from Land of Nod

This was a fun embroidery project! It comes as a DIY kit, but I added a little pompom to his hat.
1 / 3 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 9 / 10
2) I may have cut this out of my Picasso coffee table book!
4) Incredible paper cut made by my sister’s friend. Leave a comment if you’d like the artist’s info.
8) DIY inspired by this talented artist
Enchanting LED lights!
Mr. Max
-L

CONFETTI-FILLED LIGHT BULB GARLAND

Hey friends! We apologize for the late start to our week. Holiday travels and sick babies have kept us mamas busy! Christmas day is approaching, parties are still being thrown, and decorating is still taking place. If you are anything like me, the decorating never stops!! I just wanted to share a simple tutorial for the confetti filled light bulb garland I made for our wrap party last week. I love it so much, and I am definitely keeping it around for next year!
^ What you will need: yarn or twine, gold spray paint, clear light bulb ornament (purchased at Joann’s Fabrics) and crepe paper (festive colors a must!) ^
^ Remove top of ornament and begin spray painting. Allow time to dry, and then spray the opposite side. I began working on the steps below in between drying times. ^
^ Cut crepe paper into small strips. I cut roughly 10 strips of each color per ornament. ^
^ Then, cut those strips into small squares. ^

^ Begin filling the bulb ornament with the confetti. I only wanted to fill mine about a quarter of the way. ^
^ String those lights!! Space your bulbs out to your liking, and tie a small knot to hold each one in place. ^

-J

DIY MONOGRAM DOOR DECORATION

Here’s a simple DIY weekend project for you… grab your glue guns, ladies! I was inspired by a spring project by Urbanic and just filled my paper mache letter I found at Hobby Lobby with ornaments! I love how it sparkles when I’m driving up to my house. And it’s always nice to make your decor a bit more personalized instead of doing an ornament wreath (though I love those too!). Click here for the tutorial.
I’m planning on filling an “A” for Ari’s room with found objects when I have the time… soooo next year probably. 
You could even spell out a word like “JOY” and place on your mantle! 
Happy crafting,
-L

THAT’S A WRAP! [PART 2]


As if receiving a gift from someone isn’t enough to make you feel special already, we think that it takes it over the top when its wrapped with love. Just knowing that someone really took some time to add a decorative ornament, layer some ribbon to make the perfect bow, or even just writing your name out really beautifully makes it feel that much more special to receive. 
We absolutely believe that what is inside the box is made even better by the wrapping. We have some pretty creative friends, and it’s always fun around the holidays to give and receive each other’s gifts! Here are some packages that got a holiday makeover during our wrap party. Believe it or not, postal wrap and baker’s twine go a long way!! So simple, but it looks so stunning. Most of the ribbon we used was found in the Target dollar section, along with some metallic markers and ornament embellishments. We also purchased some clear ornaments to fill with glitter, jewels and snow. They would look awesome filled with confetti too. OBVIOUSLY! Ha! 
We had so much fun, and highly encourage you to get together with some friends or just members of your family and wrap together! Turn on some holiday tunes and sip some hot chocolate (after your champagne) and make some super special memories.

Confetti-filled ornaments, glitter glue, and simple kraft paper makes these gifts pop!
Love this “A” wrap by Rock Paper Scissors!

We topped off this Haute Papier wrap with an ornament filled with glitter and jewels.


Simple washi tape bunting banner- cut triangles and stick onto twine.

Glue jewels to Rudolph’s nose!

A washi tape mosaic!
Happy wrapping!

THAT’S A WRAP! [PART 1]

It is nearly impossible to make it through December without hosting or attending a holiday party of some kind. We decided to be on the hosting end this year, and throw a wrapping party. Wrapping gifts and eating every holiday treat out on the market is truly our idea of the perfect night! 
Cocoa drizzled popcorn cups with peppermint Oreos!

Wrap buffet…
We served Prosecco and peppermint hot chocolate. We are so in love with these drink toppers. Wouldn’t they be perfect for a NYE party as well!?!

Our bestie, Lauren of Rock Paper Scissors, came with these beautiful and tasty antipasto skewers.

No cup of hot chocolate is complete without christmas tree marshmallows. 
We placed mini ornaments (found in the Target dollar section) in shot glasses to add to the “buffet/bar” theme. They just looked so pretty!
You can find these little guys almost anywhere. We got ours from the dollar section as well. We spray painted him gold, and added a festive Santa hat. 

We are so in love with this garland, it pains me to think of taking it down in a couple of weeks!
(Tutorial coming this week incase you would like to make one of your own!)
Remember that large branch that adorned the top of my Thanksgiving tablescape? Well, I kept it around and hung “falling snow” and a couple of snowflakes on it. Just string cotton balls onto fishing line, and voila! So easy, but so beautiful we think!
Our finished products coming up in the next post!
We hope you all are enjoying your holidays and spending time with the people you love so dearly! It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! 

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