Yep. We’re crazy. Work starts on the fireplace project today. The goal? To have every single room in the house under construction at once. Jokes. ;) It’s to square out those awful 1960s-style rounded edges, and to make our living room more usable before the baby arrives. (Please excuse the terrible nighttime photo, but above is what the room currently looks like. You can see some better shots here and here!)
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Hallmark Gold Crown, but all opinions are my own. As always, thank you so much for supporting the partnerships that keep Kelly in the City up and running!
This Mother’s Day (May 8th!) is going to be a very special one for Mom and me, as I’m about to become a mother, and my mother is about to become a grandmother. I can’t even tell you how excited we are, or how much time we spend chatting on the phone every day. (Sorry, Dad. #familyplanprobs) There’s a nursery to decorate, clothing to pick out and essentials to buy… and so much to look forward to and reflect on. I mean, in only a few short months, another person will be joining our close-knit family. A person! A tiny one, yes, but one who’s already loved beyond measure.
Pom-Pom Beach Tunic (Sold out; shop my other favorite pom-pom products below!)
I’m not doing very much shopping these days, as I’m pretty limited in terms of what I can wear. ;) I’ve invested in a few pairs of maternity jeans (my favorites are the Paige Skyline and J.Crew’s Toothpick), a couple of Lilly Pulitzer maxi dresses, a larger Elsa, and two or three t-shirts… but I’m hoping I can somehow make it until July without acquiring too much more.
First, Mitch and I have a ton of construction- and baby-related expenses right now. Second, I find it kind of silly to spend money on clothing I can only wear for the next few months. (What happens if my next pregnancy is a winter one?!) Third, I’m trying really hard to cut down on what I own. (While we now have more space than we’ve ever had before, the goal is to have a capsule wardrobe this year. Less is more.) And FOURTH, I kind of love the simplicity that’s come along with being pregnant. (As I only have a few pieces that fit, getting ready in the morning requires almost no thought. That said, it makes running this blog very difficult, haha.)
Anne Klein Bag c/o Stage Stores (Clutch and Larger Bag versions here) / Burberry Raincoat (Borrowed from Mom; Old — Similar here — And AMAZING DEAL on my quilted Burberry Jacket in Light Tan! Nordstrom has it for even cheaper, but supplies are limited.) / J.Crew Jeans (Mine are the maternity version) / Lilly Pulitzer Top c/o / Similar Sunglasses (On sale!) / Sole Society Pumps c/o (On sale!)
The Sheehans have recovered! For the most part, at least. Last night, we even ate Manco & Manco Pizza! (An Ocean City tradition.) Of course, we’ve recovered just in time for a rainy Friday and Saturday… but, hey. We had a FABULOUS week with more sunshine and warmth than I ever could have wished for… especially for April.
Lilly Pulitzer Scarf c/o / Paige Jeans (Love this darker pair and this white pair, both of which are on sale! I’m wearing the maternity version.) / Similar Sunglasses (On sale!) / Vineyard Vines Collar
I have another post that’s going up today, but there’s a nasty stomach bug going around the house right now… so I’m keeping things short and sweet for the time being. (Making sure that I get enough rest and keep my distance! Stomach flu + pregnancy = no bueno.) The upside is that I think it’s passing quickly, as Mitch and Dad have already started to improve. (Poor guys!)
While the stomach bug has certainly been a bit of a downer, we’ve had SUCH a great trip so far. Here’s what we’ve been up to:
Sail to Sable Top c/o (Dress versions here and here, and LOVE this top and this dress!) / Burberry Jacket / J.Crew Jeans (Mine are the maternity version) and Bracelet (Thicker version here; link bracelet here) / Sole Society Pumps c/o / Vineyard Vines Clutch (SUPER old. But love this clutch and this clutch, too!)
There’s some exciting news on the Sheehan front: my parents moved into a new Shore house! (Not the house in the background, but still in Ocean City.)
Timex “Fairfield” Watch c/o / CLU Top (A Shopbop sale find! Dying over this dress and this top. Someone who isn’t preggo, please wear, hehe.) / Converse Shoreline Sneakers c/o / Moon and Lola Necklace c/o — Elephant, pineapple and letter charms / Tory Burch Earrings / Similar Sunglasses (On sale!) / Paige Jeans (Mine are the maternity version)
Shooting into direct sunlight is one of my absolute favorite photography techniques, but I don’t do it as often as I like since I typically miss the “Golden Hour” — when shadows are longer, the light is softer, and everything is “warmer.” While on vacation, though? We’re always available during it, and we have all the time in the world to fool around with lighting. SO FUN. (Also, my adorable navy-and-white striped Timex watch is set to Central Time, haha. So, in reality, it was almost 6 p.m. when these photos were taken.)
Wondering how to shoot directly into the sun without getting that overly backlit look?
Here’s how I do it:
Lilly Pulitzer Maxi Dress (Old, this year’s version here) / Jack Rogers Sandals (I’m wearing them in “Platinum,” but the gold is majorly on sale!) / Sea Bags Custom “Noodle” Baby Bag c/o
Greetings from the Jersey Shore! I have to tell you: I’m utterly exhausted as I’m typing this, but the best kind of “utterly exhausted” possible. ;) Mitch and I arrived in Ocean City on Saturday night after a 14-hour-long car ride, approved by the doc. (Just lots of rest stops!) And since then, we’ve been packin’ in the activities.
Paint job: c/o Paintzen (Use code “KELLYINTHECITY” to take 5 percent off your quote!) We used “Gray Owl” by Benjamin Moore, diluted by 50 percent.
Birch Lane Night Stands and Chest / Wayfair Lamps (Also love these!) / L.L. Bean Bed and Duvet Cover (Newer styles here) c/o / Pottery Barn Monogrammed Pillow / Dachshund Brass Animals (Thrifted; similar here) / Target Bed Skirt / Flooring c/o BuildDirect
I can’t believe I’m typing this, but construction on the master bedroom has been completed! Now, keep in mind that we have quite a bit of decorating to do, some of our furniture is backordered, and the master bathroom isn’t even close to being done. (Which is why we can’t yet do things like lay down rugs. So much dust!) But hey: finally some visible progress, right?! We’re so happy. :)
Something else we’re thrilled about? The paint job! A couple of weeks ago, New York City-based Paintzen, a new on-demand painting company that just recently arrived in Chicago, reached out and asked whether Mitch and I would like to give the service a spin. The offer couldn’t have come at a better time for us, as we had SO much going on and were completely overwhelmed by all the decisions we had to make and trips to hardware stores we had to take for the bathroom, staircase and nursery/guest room projects. Every night was being spent on renovation-related stuff, and painting was taking the back burner… despite the fact that it was the one hurdle that stood between living out of suitcases and moving back into the master bedroom.
J.Crew Blazer and Jeans (Non-maternity version here) / Lilly Pulitzer Elsa Top / Henri Bendel Tote (Borrowed from Blair) / Jack Rogers Sandals / Similar Sunglasses
I didn’t love what I wore for the rewardStyle conference (which I wrote about yesterday). Actually, I LOVED this dress, and I’ve since ordered another “Sloane” dress on eBay. While it’s technically not a maternity dress, it gets the job done really well! I’m also featuring yet another LP maxi with Zappos soon. ;)
My Elsa tops were extremely helpful, too… but I really wish I’d found some dresses–besides the magical Sloane dress–that would have worked. Mostly, I just covered up ill-fitting clothing with my favorite blazer and coat.
Below is what I managed to pull together, but it was HARD.
