Guest Post: Megan of The Frugalista Diaries

5 Things A Stylish Mom Should Have ...

Being a mom is no excuse for not being fashionable, because as a mom of 2 rambunctious boys I know that it's completely possible and practical. Now I'm not saying you have to wear heels and dress up every days to be stylish, because you don't. Here are 5 things every stylish mom needs in her life....

1. A Maxi Dress

One of the most versatile pieces in your closet next to the little black dress is the maxi, it can be dressed up, dressed down, worn as a skirt and is always in fashion. I can't go a week without wearing one. Plus they come in an array of colors and prints, and always add a little bit of bohemian elegance to your style, whether you're playing with the kids at the park or catching up with your girlfriends over lunch.

2. A Good Pair Of Jeans

Jeans are obviously the easiest piece to have in your wardrobe, you can wear them with just about anything depending on the wash and style, which is why mom's should own at least one pair of "Good Fitting Make You Feel Like a Million Bucks" Jeans. Shopping for jeans can either make or break one's day, we all hate that dreaded feeling that it's not going to look good or fit, remember what works for one person doesn't always work for you, and that's fine because clearly you're fabulous too. So try one different fits, you might be surprised how good it looks, and don't be discouraged if it doesn't, your 'fit' is out there, promise!

3. A Great Big Fabulous Bag

You know to hold all that mom stuff inside, whether it's snacks, toys, diapers and wipes, we all have a load to carry for our little ones, why not look stylish while doing so.  Totes, satchels and carry alls now come in amazing shapes, prints and prices, making it easier to add a little pop of style.

4. When In Doubt Wear Red

When you're having one of those blah days going through your closet and feel like you  have "nothing to wear", look for the first splash of red to brighten your day, whether it's a pair or ballet flats, a colorful clutch or even a red top or dress. I guarantee you'll leave the house in a better, more confident mood.

5. A Sturdy Yet Chic Pair of Wedges (or Heels)

Sometimes heels aren't the most practical of shoe choices for chasing kids around, but it doesn't mean they should exist in your closet.  Wedges are the easiest to wear, and can be found in a number of heights from 1'' to 5'', plus they can be worn with just about everything. 

I hope you liked my 5 Things Every Stylish Mom should have and I hope you visit me over at The Frugalista Diaries for Outfit Ideas, Designer Looks For Less,  Recipes, DIYS and more!

xo Megan

A big thanks to my IRL friend, Megan, for popping in to guest post for me! Isn't she amazing? And don't forget to enter for your chance to win my Lulu's dress. The giveaway ends tomorrow!

Guest Post: Kat from Mary and Dyer

Good morning, readers! In continuation of a week of fashionable mommas, I'd like to welcome Kat to the blog! Her beauty and talent are only small reasons you'll adore her blog, Mary and Dyer! Just wait 'til you "meet" her family! Thanks for guest posting, Kat! I'm so glad to have found you and your awesome blog!

Hello readers of A Little Bit of This! I am Kat from Mary and Dyer and I am so excited to be guest blogging for Kimberly today! It is so fun for me to find other Mommy/Fashion Bloggers.

We all know how hard it is to just get through the day with kids, let alone find time to focus on our beauty, our fashion, and ourselves. I am lucky that my daughter is a little fashionista herself, so shopping, painting nails, and doing makeup becomes quality Mommy & me time. Here are some OOTD pictures that I recently took of our matching Mommy & Me Missoni Skirts. I love them! I’m thinking they might be our Thanksgiving outfits… ☺

Me:
Top: White House Black Market
Skirt: Missoni for Target
Boots: G for Guess
Necklace: Mary and Dyer

On Mckenna:
Top: H&M
Skirt: Missoni for Target
Shoes: Gap

I’m not the biggest advocate of Mommy & Me matching outfits all of the time, but when I saw these Missoni skirts I knew that we had to have them!!

I hope that you liked the pictures! I would love for you to hop on over to my blog and say hello! I love meeting new blog friends. I also just opened an online boutique this last week and I would really appreciate it if you checked that out too!! Thanks so much and I look forward to talking to you all soon!!

Blessings,
Kat
xoxox

Guest Post: Jasmine of AdamAlexMommy

When I put out a call on Twitter for momma style bloggers to help me out with a week of guest posts, the beautiful Jasmine of AdamAlexMommy was the first to volunteer her time and talents. Thank you SO much, girl! I'm so glad to be able to lean on my fellow bloggers in a time of need (for REST!). Jasmine is not only gorgeous, but is always finding time not only to share her awesome wardrobe, but also her family with us. Read on and be sure to visit her adorable blog! Thanks so much for stepping in, girl!

Mossimo sweater poncho ($24.99) | Xhilaration jeggings ($3.24) | earrings ($3.49)

Merona flower-detail cardigan ($7.49) | Merona wrap dress ($7.49) | J.Crew leopard belt (24.99)

Mossimo safari dress ($14.99) } Calypso for Target necklace ($9.99)

Merona floral shirt ($7.49) | Calypso for Target silk scarf ($6.49)

(Photos property of AdamAlexMommy.  All Rights Reserved.)

Hello, everyone!  I'm Jasmine of AdamAlexMommy, and I am very excited to guest-blog for "a little bit of this" blog.  I am a SAHM of two kids (5 & 2 yrs), and I refuse "to let go" just because my job is to stay home and take care of the kids.  

I believe that everyone can look fabulous with a bit of effort in putting together your look.  Comfort is key for me, since I am always chasing after my kids.  Instead of reaching for sweats and sweatshirts, I try to find pieces that flatter my frame while being comfortable at the same time.  I am petite, and I find that wearing leggings, skinny jeans or slimmer pants elongates my legs.  I love wearing dresses over leggings and skinny jeans, and absolutely love layering.   You can bring out any outfit by having fun with accessories--your look can go from bland to fabulous with just one accessory.  It doesn't have to match all the time... so wear bright earrings for a pop of color that doesn't match your shirt at all; or throw on a belt over your cardigan, which is a very different pattern than your dress or skirt; and wear a statement necklace or a multi-color scarf to for that extra "stylish" factor.  :)

And looking great doesn't have to cost much.  All the pieces I am wearing here are from Target, and with the exception of the sweater poncho (first photo), all the items were found on the clearance rack, which was marked down at least twice. (I am wearing the same jeggings in all the photos.)  Experiment with fashion and have fun with it.  We, women are fabulous, and it is our party!  :)

Guest Post: Meredith of Yours, Mine & Ours

Good morning, a little bit of this readers! I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. I had a lot of quality family time, spent two days with my dear new friend, M., adopted a dog for my parents (photos to come!), crafted my heart out, and lined up some wonderful guest posters for you this week! I have had some personal things going on lately that have taken my attention away from the blog. As much as I hate that (since I love YOU!), I've had to re-prioritize a bit and I knew taking a week off would help me get things in gear. That said, Monday-Thursday this week, you'll be graced by the writings of some of my favorite momma style bloggers. Today, you'll meet Meredith of yours, mine & ours! She's kind of amazing. Just sayin'. Stay tuned the rest of the week to meet some ladies you'll be sure to love! Thanks, Meredith! You're always such an awesome friend!

Hey guys! I'm Meredith and I blog over at yours, mine & ours.

If I had to sum up what I'm all about in a few words I'd say: modest, mom, and cheap thrifty.

Today the topic is fitting style into motherhood. I have a two year old little boy and he is where the wild things are. All day I'm playing sports, wiping up food, building forts and praying nap time would hurry up and come already. He's a handful and I love him. But I also love fashion. How do I mesh the two of them together? 

Here are the top three things that come to mind for me:

1. Buy second hand. I've been a thrifter my whole life and after having a kid I'm even more so. If something of mine gets stained beyond belief I don't freak out, it was most likely 2 bucks (not to say that we're intentionally messy/wasteful over here but stains happen). 

2. You CAN wear heels ... but choose wisely. I love my heels and wedges. I don't love crushing tiny toes that might be underfoot. (True story. :( I know!) So I wear my fun shoes when appropriate/safe: girls night out, church, date night, to the store, etc. Basically, if my little one has shoes on and I'm in the mood, heels it is. Safety first, as always.

3. It's OK to wear sweats occasionally. I said it!! With all the awesome fashion blogs out there, I think we sometimes feel like failures if we don't get ready every.single.day. Your style isn't just gonna disappear if you decide to phone it in sometimes. I agree that getting ready helps me get more done and be productive overall, but a good lounge wear day helps be re-boot sometimes too. As long as it's not an everyday thing, I say pull on those sweats and snuggle with your kid (if they'll hold still!). You can always top knot and lipstick it tomorrow.

Style and motherhood: best friends? Not always but definitely on very good terms. Good luck ladies!


Hi, it's Kimberly, again! Isn't Meredith awesome? I LOVE her!
Know who else I love? LULA of Lulapalooza Designs! If you're not stopping by for the first time today, you'll notice I have a brand spankin' new blog design and it's all thanks to Lula and her awesome talent! She asked me some questions, I gave her my inspiration ideas, and out popped this amazing *so ME* design! I'm very excited to have a look that I can grow with. Thank you so much to Lulapalooza Designs! And if you're looking for a beautiful, efficient, talented, and affordable blog designer, I highly recommend Lula! You definitely will not be disappointed!

Guest Post: A Texan Odyssey

Good morning, friends! It's hubby's and my 5th anniversary week (actual day- Friday) and I've lined up some lovely guest posters to handle the week while I pack and get out of town! Today's featured blogger is Valerie of A Texan Odyssey and she's here to talk to you a little about healthy crowd pleasing food and realistic momma style! Double whammy, say whaaat? 

Hi everyone! I'm Valerie from A Texan Odyssey. Those cuties you see with me are my husband Ryan, and my 14 month old son, Sean. I am very blessed to have them! I love my boys!

I've been following Kimberly's blog since I first started reading blogs earlier this year and I've had so much fun getting to know her and linking up to her Project Self as well! (I started my blog to track my progress towards my pre-baby weight and then it evolved to include fashion as well!) I love her style and am so motivated by her weight loss journey and inspired by her spiritual walk too. She pretty much rocks! For my guest post today I'm excited to be sharing a healthy and tasty meal with you all and a little bit about my style as a mom too! (It's a work in progress!)

Turkey Swiss Mushroom Burger and Sweet Potato Fries

This meal is very easy for a busy mom to make for her family and it's a lot healthier than picking up its fast food counterpart. Also, turkey is better for you than beef and the sandwich thins are only 100 calories each! Plus you can't go wrong with baked sweet potato fries! Yum!

What you'll need for the burgers:

• Package of ground turkey
• Whole wheat sandwich thins
• 1/2 an onion
• 1 egg
• Package of sliced mushrooms
• Swiss cheese slices
• Salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder
• Condiments 
• Greens and tomato (optional)
• Olive oil

What you'll need for the fries:

• 1 sweet potato for every 2 people 
• Olive oil
• Spices (I used garlic, onion and oregano)
• Sea salt
• A Ziploc bag

(Modified from this recipe)

Now before I get into the directions, let me say that this meal is all about what you have time for and what you like. If you're pressed for time, you can substitute the ground turkey, onion, and egg for ready-to-cook turkey patties that you can find at any grocery store. If you don't like mushrooms, leave them out. The burgers will still be delicious! You can adapt this recipe to fit your needs!

• First chop up your sweet potatoes into wedges or thin slices. (Thinner = Crispier) 
• Toss the fries in a Ziploc bag with seasoning of your choice and some olive oil.
• Arrange on a baking tray and sprinkle with sea salt.
• Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees.

• After your fries have been baking for a while you can start sauteing your mushrooms in a little bit of olive oil over medium heat. 
• Season with salt and pepper.  
• Stir occasionally. They'll be ready by the time your burgers are done cooking.

• For the burgers, chop up most of half an onion, leaving a few rings intact for topping your burger with.
• Next, combine the ground turkey, chopped onion, egg and spices.
• Form your burgers and cook on the stove top (with some olive oil if you don't have a non-stick pan) for about 6 minutes per side over medium heat. Add your Swiss cheese slices to the top when they only have a minute or two of cooking left to melt the cheese.
• Prepare your sandwich thins to your preference while the burgers are cooking, lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, etc. When the burgers are ready, top them with the mushrooms and add some fries to your plate.
• Finally, scarf your meal down and try to force yourself to only eat one burger. They're that good!

***************************************

Alrighty, now for a look at my comfy mom style! Since I live in hot hot hot Texas I gravitate towards simple, cool outfits. I definitely like to keep it casual and being able to run around after my son is a priority.

During the week when I'm rushing out the door to run errands, taking Sean to the playground, or just visiting family, my go-to look is usually shorts (or jeans) and a top with cute sandals. I know it's not fashion forward or haute couture but it's comfy and practical, and I'm fine with that.

On weekends however, I try to have a little more fun with style.

  Whether I'm going to church or out on a date with my husband, I know I'm not going to have a toddler crawling all over me so I can pull out my white jeans or some heels, or even feather earrings! It's all about dressing for the occasion and feeling confident in what you're wearing!

I also really love items of clothing that are versatile because you get more bang for your buck. (Which is always good in my book!) Take this maxi dress for example, tie on a shirt or layer a tee and vest over it and you've made it look completely different! 

I still have a LOT to learn when it comes to fashion and what works well as a new mom, but I'm enjoying the process of learning and growing and I'm happy I have blogger friends like Kimberly to emulate! You all are welcome to come visit me over at A Texan Odyssey, even if it's just to see more of these guys! Except the pirate, he won't be making any more appearances. Take care and God bless!

A big thanks goes out to Valerie for stepping in while we're away. You all have GOT to visit A Texan Odyssey and give my sweet friend some love. She's truly talented, beautiful, and inspiring and I'm glad to call her my friend!!!

Don't forget to check out this month's new project, Old to New in October!

Guest Post: The Frugalista Diaries

Good morning, friends! It's hubby's and my 5th anniversary week (actual day- Friday) and I've lined up some lovely guest posters to handle the week while I pack and get out of town! Today's featured blogger is Megan of The Frugalista Diaries and she's here to talk to you a little about the five minute face that most of us busy mommies have to embrace!


The Frugalista Diaries 5 Minute Make Up Routine


I spend enough time standing in my closet, racking my brain on what to wear, so my make up routine needs to be quick, simple, and of course, put together- not resembling that of a clown. I wish I had all the time in the world to sit around in front of the mirror putting make up on, but since becoming a mom of two, 2 and under, it gives me about oh, say 5 minutes.


1. I start with a fresh face. I normally don't wash my face in the morning, so I just throw on a nice amount of moisturizer which serves as my 'primer' so make up just glides on. Then I sponge on a little compact make up in my troublesome areas or wherever redness occurs.

2. Next, I dab some concealer under my eyes and blend. If I'm fighting a pimple, I dabe and blend on that as well.

3. After the concealer dries, I sweep my cheekbones and temples with a little bronzer.

4. Eyes usually follow and I tend to go with the winged eyes. I slowly line my top lid and add a little wing at the end to 'open up my eyes.'

5. Add mascara to the top lashes- I rarely do bottom lash mascara because it's been known to age and enhance dark under eye circles.

6. Then I sweep my entire face with a mineral make up to set the rest.

7. I'm a fan of bold lips, so I often throw on a little color, such as this bold pink.

8. And, Voila!

A big thanks to my IRL girlfriend, Megan, from The Frugalista Diaries! She's beautiful without make up but I'm so glad she could share her five minute face with us, because I still don't have it down! And... crap. I use mascara all over the place. Probably including my under eye circles. Oopsie! Head over and visit Megan to see gorgeous outfits of the day, splurge vs. steal posts, and lots of coupon and discount codes! You might even get lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her sweet little ones every once in a while!
Please take a minute to check out the October refashion collaboration I'm doing with Required 2 Be Inspired called Old to New in October!

A Day in the Life Too... Realistic Momma Style

Good morning, friends! It's hubby's and my 5th anniversary week (actual day- Friday) and I've lined up some lovely guest posters to handle the week while I pack and get out of town! Today's featured blogger is Brittney of A Day in the Life Too... and she's here to talk to you a little about some realistic momma style!

Hey guys, Brittney here from A Day in the Life Too... I'm a mom of three young kidlets and I don't run around naked every day (you're welcome, world), so I told Kimberly I'd be happy to write up a post about Realistic Momma Style: comfort, wearability, and versatility.

So. Here are my go-to Momma Style pieces.

1. Dark skinny jeans. Especially with fall just around the corner, these puppies are invaluable. They go with anything, they require virtually no brainwork to style (some days I let my brain sleep in a bit while I get dressed. It's only a problem when, at lunchtime, I look down and find myself in something like this), and they're both casual and chic, sometimes at the same time. Hello. Yes please.

More LOFT...

2. Skirts. They're cool in summer, cute (with tights) in winter, and always in style. I used to reserve skirts for Sundays only, which now seems odd to me. I mean, it's just as easy for busy moms to throw on a skirt as a pair of jeans, and they're so much more feminine, colorful, and fun! And you can still play barbies, legos, or driveway-basketball. Seriously. Wear skirts, moms! Don't wait for an "occasion"...unless you're like me, in which a trip to the grocery store is absolutely an occasion. (What can I say? I live an awesome life.)

More Milly...

3. Shoes. Sometimes, if I have nothing too crazy going on, I'll wear "non-mommy" shoes, like heels. Because they're sassy and awesome. But sometimes, let's face it, sassy shoes just aren't going to cut it for what I've got going on that day, so I'll do something like pull on a pair of Chucks (which doubles as a throwback to my teen-hood). Sometimes sandals. Sometimes boots. What I've discovered is that an otherwise "dressy"(ish) outfit can be made pretty cashe based upon the footwear you choose.

More J.Crew...

4. Fun. My kids compliment me on the oddest days, fashion-wise, and I just barely put my finger on it a month or two ago: When I was having a good time getting myself dressed, my kids must've sensed it and, despite the outfit's actual outcome, decided I looked good. (On an unrelated note, we've made a special eye doctor's appointment for my son...)

More Asos...

Welp. That's about all I got. Any other ideas? I'd love to hear them.

Thanks, Kimberly, for letting me come chat about mommyhood and style. To the rest of you: Come on by my blog if you'd like! Sometimes my humor isn't even lame. Sometimes...

A big thanks to sweet, sweet, Brittney for guest posting while I'm preparing for cabin-dom! Isn't here style SO COOL? Please check out her blog- you won't be sad you did! xoxo.
Please check out the upcoming Old to New in October project!!!

Guest Post - Law Mama Liz

Good morning, friends! It's hubby's and my 5th anniversary week (actual day- Friday) and I've lined up some lovely guest posters to handle the week while I pack and get out of town! Today's featured blogger is Liz of Law Mama Liz and she's here to talk to you a little about kid-friend home decor!

Hi Little Bit Readers! My name is Liz and I blog about mama style and life with an almost two year old over at Law Mama Liz.

I'm really into reading home decor and DIY blogs (anyone else obsessed with Young House Love and Apartment Therapy? No? Just me?), but a lot of the time I don't see houses and decor ideas that are especially toddler friendly. So I thought I'd write about the evolution of our living room from a completely adult space to something that is very kid friendly but also has room for the adult things too (get ready for a photo heavy post!).

When we first moved into to our house (almost three years), we didn't have a TV in the main living room, and the cats quickly took over the couches. I couldn't figure how where to place everything, but I really liked the idea of making a "conversation space" -- hello, I watch way too much HGTV for my own good.

Here's what it looked like initially:

I'd hit up Ikea and gotten a bit creative with the mantel, but we were still working with the tiny dining table from our itty-bitty duplex and I hadn't figured out how to use the space yet.

And then after watching far too much HGTV I decided to paint the fireplace wall brown. It took so many coats to get coverage (seriously, primer was invented for a reason), but the hard work paid off with a big impact.

Then something big happened that changed the way I looked at decor and home functionality: I got pregnant! We didn't do very much to change the space while I was pregnant other than create a "library" corner to the living room.

No, the big changes happened when Zeke started to get mobile and baby-proofing became something that was imminently important. And seriously, this kid went from laying on the floor playing with toys to turbo crawling all around the house in a week. I swear it was so fast!

So we needed more play space, and fast. The first thing I did was to move the coffee table in front of the fireplace to block access and to reallocate the shelving for his stuff.

Then we realized that we needed more space, and I finally gave up on having the big tan couch in the middle of the space. Once that was out of the way, it was AMAZING how much more open the space was.

So with that very long preamble, here is the finished current space (it's definitely still evolving and far from done).

As soon as Zeke started crawling, we decided to have a shoe free house. There's nothing like spending all day on the floor to help you realize how dirty shoes are. Now that we've gotten into the habit, we aren't looking back. I usually don't push the rule when we have people over, and entirely give up when we have parties, but I figure the main people tracking in dirt are us, so if we keep our shoes off we're doing our bit to keep our floors cleaner!

Having a designated spot for all the junk I carry around on outings has helped a lot with the clutter, and we keep the keys up high so Zeke doesn't set off our car alarms (of course, Jerm never manages to get his keys into the bowl and spends many mornings searching high and low for them. Is my husband the only guy that does that?).

Then, the biggest change help for making our living room kid friendly was to open it up and ensure that there's lots of room for playing. Now normally, this area is littered with toys, but I thought I'd clean it up before I put pictures of my living room up on the interwebs.

Having a place for the toys to go has made it much easier for Zeke to learn about cleaning up and it makes it much faster for me to clean up in the evenings after he goes to bed. I'm still on the look out for a good toy chest to fit in the space, but for now this system is working well! The toys are easy for Zeke to access, and easy for him to put away also. 

A few months ago, we added the chair rail and chalkboard paint. We had a clear spot for the rail (there was a line where the chairs had bumped the wall repeated), and we thought chalkboard paint would be a fun thing to try. Zeke loves it, but sometimes this happens:

Um. Yeah. We're working on that (and for the most part he stays on the chalkboard part).

So there you have it! A tour of my evolving, kid friendly space. It's definitely been an adjustment redesigning the space so that it's both stylish and toddler proof, but I think we've reached a happy medium! What do you think? How has your home changed to accommodate kids?

Thank you so much, Liz!