Mint, Gold, and Coral: Picking out a Fun Spring Outfit

I LOVE being a mom more than anything in the world. I never really thought much about having kids, or planned for it until it happened. My husband and I met in high school, dated through college, and got married after graduation. 10 months after our wedding, our son Benjamin was born, and 16 months later, our daughter Lyla was born. The whole thing was like a whirlwind. My life changed so quickly and completely. I went from an adventurous, fashionable college student living in California to a married, stay at home mother of two living in Florida in what felt like the blink of an eye. Now my kids are 2 and 3 years old, and they keep me busier than ever.

By far, the most difficult part of becoming a mother, was getting used to the new flow of my day to day life, and dealing with the fact that being a parent (especially a stay at home mother) is a 24-7, 365 days a year kind of job. There are no breaks. Ever. You get woken up in the middle of the night when you're sound asleep, called home to your sick child when on a vacation, and you even have to take care of your sick children when you yourself are the sickest you've ever been. So as much as I adore my sweet kids and love being a mom, sometimes all I want in life is to be left alone. I've heard other moms joke about how a trip alone to the grocery store on a Friday night is like a mini vacation, and I totally relate.

It has also been difficult dealing with a constantly changing body. In the past 4 years, I've gone through about 10 different sizes of jeans. So lately, when I've gone shopping for myself, I usually try a few things on as quickly as possible while my kids sit in the changing room with me fighting over my phone. I'm not usually happy with how something looks or fits, and then I find myself picking out something cute for my daughter to wear (because it's always cute on her and I know exactly what size will fit).

So when I got the opportunity to go to Sears to shop for something fun and stylish for myself for Mother's day, I was thrilled. Shopping by myself would be fun enough. Honestly though, I had never shopped for clothes at Sears before, and I figured I'd end out picking a new pair of shoes or a summery purse. (Check out more pictures from my shopping adventure here.)

When I got there, I wandered all over the store checking out all of the fun departments. Without my kids grabbing at things and wandering all over the store, I was actually able to enjoy myself, and take the time to look around. I was actually slightly underwhelmed with their selection of shoes and purses (although there were a few that I would have taken home with me in a heartbeat), but I was really thrilled with their selection of stylish clothes. I especially loved the Kardashian Kollection from the Kardashian sisters. I picked out a lot of different pieces to try on, even ones that didn't seem like my style, in a lot of different sizes.

I was thrilled with what I found. By actually taking the time to look through all of the clothes on the rack and try on styles and sizes that I wouldn't have 5 years ago as a college student, I was able to find things that fit my body and lifestyle now as a mom, but that were still stylish and fun. I ended out getting this gold striped loose fitting top, and these mint capris, both from the Kardashian Kollection. I also used my Shop Your Way rewards membership. It's free to sign up, and you can download a convenient app for your phone, or just give your phone number when you check out. The prices were also great!

I love this outfit I picked out, for three reasons:

1. The color pallet. I LOVE these colors together, and they are very popular this spring: Mint, gold, pearl, and coral.

2. The style. Since I live in Florida where it's HOT HOT HOT, I need clothes that aren't too constricting or warm. But of course, I don't want to wear shorts and a tank top all of the time. Capris are a great alternative to jeans or long pants, and even though this top has sleeves, they are light, loose, and cool.

3. The stripes. I love stripes. The end.

I paired this outfit with boots and coral wedges from my closet. I think it would also look great with gold or pearl accessories.

What about you? Has your style changed since you had kids? Do you find it easy to shop with your kids, or do you need to shop alone? What color pallet do you love for the spring/summer?

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and Sears. All thoughts, opinions, and photos are 100% my own. #cbias #SocialFabric #ThisisStyle

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Geometric Flower Pots and Oriental Lilies

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of iBulb for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.



What are your favorite flowers? I absolutely LOVE lilies. In fact, the entire theme of our wedding was built around gorgeous stargazer lilies. There is something so modern and dramatic about lilies that I just love. We had fondant lilies floating down our wedding cake, and included them in our centerpieces.



I especially love potted plants and flowers, because they can last for years and years, instead of just for a few days like cut flowers. Lilies make great gifts for all occasions, from Mother's Day to birthdays to anniversaries. They are available at your local grocery store, garden center, or florist, and make a big impact.
I found these BEAUTIFUL potted Oriental Lilies at Home Depot for just under $7, and I had to take one home with me. They look and smell incredible. They are perfect for my front porch, because they need 6 hours of sunlight a day, and I live in sunny Florida. They make me happy every time I step out of the front door.



A fun and quick way to turn these into a more personal gift, is to makeover a flower pot. I made these geometric spray painted flower pots to create a beautiful, handmade, long-lasting floral gift that costs about $10 total.



What you need: Oriental Lily, plastic flower pot, spray paint, tape



What you do:
1. Wipe down your flower pot of dust and dirt. Tape off geometric patterns around the pot with painters tape or washi tape. Make sure the paint is pressed down fully and evenly. My favorite pattern was the Chevron one seen in the turquoise pot.

2. Put your flower pot face down onto newspapers outside. Spray two coats evenly around the pot. Make sure that the spray paint you're using is intended for plastic surfaces.

3. Flip the pot over, and spray paint the top and the inside.

4. Let it fully dry, then remove the tape carefully. To protect the pot and pattern, spray a sealant or top coat of paint over the finished pot.






The vibrant colors of these lilies are so beautiful that I had to create an Oriental Lily color pallet.



Visit this Pinterest page for more lily ideas, arrangements, and inspiration.

What's awesome is that iBulb is giving away a $25 gift certificate so that you can enjoy some lilies in your home. Enter by leaving a comment below telling me what kind of craft project you would make with your lilies if you won.