Tag Archives: style or lack thereof

Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

Today I’m writing about the super cool glasses from Fetch Eyewear. I was provided a set of frames to review and one to giveaway. I was not compensated for this post.

I’ve talked a little before about the Year of Jess. This year I’m taking back myself and trying to move into a more mature and sophisticated style. I don’t have a big budget to go buy myself a new wardrobe or a closet full of shoes. So instead I’m gradually going piece by piece, little by little. But one of the easiest decisions about how to up my style game was something I already use every day: my glasses.

me in glasses 300x300 Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

Practical but Boring

I’ve worn the same set of frames since I first found out I had to wear glasses at the ripe old age of 26 when I did a physical for a new job and told the lady administering my vision test that the machine was broken because the letters were all blurry. My frames have been with me for 7 years and while they compliment my face shape they haven’t done me a lot of favors style-wise.

I want my glasses to do a few things:

  • Highlight my best features. I have nice eyes but my cheeks are quite chubby and I have a weak jaw. I want frames that draw the eye up. And while I know a rectangular frame works well for the chubby-cheeked crowd, I also want more of my eye on view.
  • Be a daily accessory. I don’t have to wear my glasses for reading and such, it’s more for far-vision, but it’s best I wear them often. I want something that will work with a lot of different outfits and styles.
  • Contribute to my style. I’m done with boring frames. I want a set of frames that people compliment the way they’d compliment a cute pair of earrings or a nice shade of lipstick.

Then there’s one other obstacle: shopping for glasses. When I had an eye exam last week it was awful. Not the exam, but having to do it with a 1-year-old in tow. When I have time alone I don’t want to spend it doing this kind of stuff. And that baby wasn’t going to let me stand around trying on glasses for a few hours.

fetch logo Finding My Style with Fetch EyewearSo I reached out to Fetch Eyewear. I chose them because 1) they let you try on at home, 2) they have frames that are classic, stylish and distinctive and 3) they’re a nonprofit who support animal rescue. (All together now, awwwww.)

They’re basically perfect for me and I loved the variety of styles. Because I wanted to branch out I chose 6 different frames that covered a spectrum from rectangular to slightly more square/round. If you want to be more specific, the site lets you sort frames by face shape as well as by width. I have a wide head but my eyes are close, so I stuck to narrow & medium frames that worked for oval faces. I should also mention they make prescription frames, reading frames and sunglasses. Awesome.

 Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

Also: lifetime warranty against breakage. Which is a big deal because did you see what happened to my last set of frames? (The perpetrator is unknown…)

Once you choose the frames you’d like to try you get a package of them in the mail along with a return postage slip. I loved the Fetch frame box (you can see it displayed in the pics below) and I toted it around with me for a couple days so I could try on a pair in front of someone whenever the urge struck.

I also found all the frames to be sturdy and beautiful in person. Photographs just can’t portray that. They’re well-made without being heavy. And they have a great variety of colors and finishes. None of them pinched on my wide head. A big plus.

One of my favorite things? A lot of these frames are unisex. And I love looking at the pictures on the models, one frame can look so different. (This was proven true by my friend Kathy, who tried on all 6 pairs of mine and looked amazing in all of them while I felt like there were a couple more obvious choices for me.)

Let me introduce you to my favorite pairs and give you an idea of what Fetch frames look like:

fetch alex collage Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

fetch jill collage Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

 

fetch sadie collage Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

 

After a while all frames can look the same but I was amazed at how subtle changes in shape made such a huge difference on my face. For example, the straight brow of the Jill seemed to dominate my face while the more feminine Sadie looks somehow delicate despite its strongly shaped corners. You really do have to put them on. (You can see my frightening no-makeup frame try-on pics here.)

For me, I felt that only a couple frames really didn’t work. Besides that it was just about picking a style. 

It ultimately came down to Sadie and Alex. While I also loved the Carolyn, neutrals don’t work for my coloring. (Note to Fetch: please make Carolyn in a lovely blue-ish shade, okay? I would get them in a heartbeat.) When I crowdsourced, both frames had strong fans and I had to really think. I’m getting down to the final decision and I’ll get back to you on that.

But right now I want to talk about you. YOU and your frames. As I’ve been talking about glasses with people for the last couple months in anticipation of this post I found that almost everyone who wears glasses wants a new pair. You want to try new colors and styles. You feel restless and a lot like I did. So let’s make it happen, okay? 

fetch pin to win Finding My Style with Fetch Eyewear

Fetch Eyewear has graciously agreed to provide a set of frames to the winner of this giveaway and I so want one of you to have as much fun as I’ve been having picking out and trying on frames. 

Since their glasses are so much fun to look at and have such a neat style I want to run this whole giveaway around that: style.

I built myself a nice little Fetch Style Pinterest Board and that’s going to be your mission, should you choose to accept it. Finding the right frames means finding something that fits your style, or maybe the style you want to have. Here’s a peek at my Fetch Style board. I pinned the Alex and the Sadie and then went crazy in all directions. Not just clothes and shoes and jewelry, but where I want to go in my frames and the puppy I’d like to take on a walk in them. (I don’t technically WANT Rachel McAdams, I just want her haircut.)

And now you get the chance to pin your wear to a new set of frames. Here’s your instructions.

  1. Follow Me (Jellyfish Web/jessicaesquire) and Fetch Eyewear on Pinterest.
  2. Create a board for your pins. You can call it “Fetch Style” though that’s not required.
  3. Pin 2 pairs of Fetch frames to your board. This is your style base, where you’ll draw your inspiration. (When you’re looking at the pair you like in the color you like, you’ll see some social media buttons right below the description of the frame. The Pinterest button will let you pin them super easy.)
  4. (Updated rule!!) Please re-pin the Giveaway pin. (The hashtag is being a little unreliable and I don’t want to miss you.) Here’s the link.
  5. Fill your board with your style. Tell us what you want to wear, what you want to do, what you want your house to look like, etc. 
  6. Make sure all your pins have the #fetchstyle hashtag in the pin description.

The top 3 boards will be selected by me (and showed off on the blog next week) and then the folks over at Fetch will pick a winner with their favorite board. (It’s very likely that pics of cute pets will help you win favor with them…)

You can leave a comment here with the link to your board to help us find it. They do men’s and women’s frames (not kids, sorry) so feel free to do a board for you or your friend or your partner or your dad or whoever. Just show us your style. Full rules at the end of the post.

Frames are one of those things that can take a bite into your budget, so I know this will be huge for the winner. (Although Fetch frames are nicely priced at $125.) You may even want 2. (Can I admit that I kind of want both of my final 2 frames?)If you have questions about what kind of prescriptions they can fill and whether you can use your flex spending account, check out the Fetch FAQ.

So get to work, my pinning friends, I’m super excited to see what you get. And you can follow along by using the #fetchstyle hashtag on Pinterest.

Rules: No purchase necessary. By leaving a comment you agree to the rules of this giveaway. One entry per household. Limited to entrants over 18 in the US and Canada. Contest begins as of the time of this post and entries are final on Wednesday, May 22nd at 6 pm Eastern Time. The winner will receive a set of Fetch Eyewear Frames, a retail value of $125 US. The number of eligible entries received will determine the odds of winning. Three finalists will be chosen by Don’t Mind the Mess. The winner will be selected by Fetch Eyewear. The winner will be chosen based on the pinterest board described in the instructions. Winner will be notified by email and must respond within 48 hours to receive their prize. If the winner does not respond within that time, a new winner will be chosen. The prize will be provided by Fetch Eyewear. Don’t Mind the Mess is not responsible for any problems with receipt of the prize. This contest is governed by the rules of Massachusetts, void where prohibited.

First Round of Fetch Eyewear Pics

I asked Fetch if I could do a review/giveaway of their at-home frame service and they kindly agreed. I received the frames free of charge. Giveaway to come!

So I’ve kind of been a maniac on Facebook the last 24 hours since I got my Fetch frames. I am kind of obsessed. So to keep everyone there from killing me, here’s the first round of self-pics. And my first-ever self-pics, for the record.

To start things off I wanted a set of pictures of me with no makeup. Well, I have a smidge of eyeliner on and moisturizer, but that’s it. This is often how I go out so I want to make sure I keep it in mind. Plus it helps me get a clearer look at my face shape, the colors, etc.

So here’s the first round of pics. I’ll have my full review next week and I hope to have a set of with-makeup pics to follow in the next couple days.

I definitely have my opinions already. (Top pick: Sadie, then Alex. Carolyn is oddly growing on me though I don’t love the color.) But I also want to hear what you guys think. Some of these are available in different colors and I tried to get a variety of colors to try on. Alex, for example, has a bajillion colors but is one of the only frames with that bright blue so I gave it a whirl. If I pick it, I can always change to one of the others, like the Cadet I ordered in Jill, for example. I’m definitely wondering if the bright blue of Alex is too crazy or if it makes my eyes pop just right.

So here goes, leave comments, tell me what you think.

And sorry about the glare. It’s really hard to find good light in my apartment.

Fetch no makeup collage First Round of Fetch Eyewear Pics

Best Bras After Breastfeeding

This post contains affiliate links. Caution: ladies without shirts on ahead!!!

When you’re breastfeeding you can find yourself limited in a lot of ways, especially when it come to clothes. Nursing bras are pretty heavy on the fabric and suddenly you find that v-neck you love is no longer an option. But then when you finish breastfeeding, you can’t just go back to your old bras. Things change. Sizes adjust. Things… sag. So it’s best to go back to the drawing board. Get yourself some new bras as you get back in the swing of things.

Before we proceed any further:

Get Fitted.

Lots of things can change so you definitely want to know you have the right size. I recommend you go to a local boutique or you can hit up my regular spot, Nordstrom. And make sure you get lined cups.

You can get fitted earlier, but it’s best to wait until a month after you’ve fully weaned.

Once you know your size we’ll start with the comfiest and work our way up. (Or down.)

Warners Its Not a Bra Best Bras After Breastfeeding

Warner’s This Is Not a Bra

First off, Warner’s This Is Not A Bra. I first tried on one of these at a bra fitting event and seriously it was the most comfortable bra I’ve ever worn. I wore that thing into the GROUND until I got pregnant again and it just didn’t fit anymore. I am going to be getting myself another one next month when some space opens up in my bra budget.

A fantastic t-shirt bra and a great one to get yourself used to the feeling of underwire again. It can be weird to go from the sports-bra style of the nursing bra with its super wide straps back to the old-school bra we all know and love.  

Plus the Warner’s is CHEAP. When I put in my size and color Amazon lists it for me as only $20. Score.

 Best Bras After Breastfeeding

Bra llelujah Best Bras After Breastfeeding

Bra-llelujah!

Next up, the appropriately named Bra-llelujah! (No, seriously. That’s its actual name.) It’s brought to you by our friends at Spanx. This was my go-to bra after I stopped breastfeeding Graham. It’s front-close, which threw me at first, but it has the most comfy back ever. It’s very wide, and all just soft and stretchy and heavenly. Plus wider straps and super soft cups make it a delight to wear.

My only issue with it is that since it’s all made from stretchy fabric and it’s front-close, you don’t have the option of expanding to the next set of hooks when it starts to stretch. That said, I got a lot of good use out of it.

 

 Best Bras After Breastfeeding

Wacoal Seduction Bra Best Bras After Breastfeeding

Wacoal Seduction

Now on to some of the more practical bras. Plus lace! Sexy lace! Right now my favorite daily bra is the Wacoal Seduction. I do my fittings at Nordstrom and my favorite of their brands is definitely Wacoal. I love that this is a middle ground with some lace details but still very comfortable. I also love the breathable cups that aren’t quite as heavily structured. Wacoal still considers this a “t-shirt” bra, though everything except the cups and the straps are lace. If you want something a little more dressed up, it’s a great option.

Wacoal will run you a higher price than some other brands. But they’re excellent and worth the money. (Plus you can scour Nordstrom Rack for sales.)

 Best Bras After Breastfeeding

Natori Feathers Bra Best Bras After Breastfeeding

Natori Feathers Bra

I knew I would need a good black bra with a serious plunge neckline for some of the dresses I have. And who doesn’t want to rock a little cleavage when you’re feeling a bit unsure about the girls? For that, I chose the Natori Feathers Bra. (Natori is another brand you can find regularly at Nordstrom and the Rack.)

It manages to be both lacy and comfy and has skinny straps for cocktail-dress-wearing. Plus it gives a great shape if you’re wearing a v-neck or low scoop neck. This is definitely my go-to for every dress I have. And I’ve been wearing a lot of them lately.

Would love to hear your thoughts. When I went bra shopping after my first baby I felt kind of lost. Everything seemed so uncomfortable and none of my old bras fit anymore. And this time after wearing nursing bras for a year of the baby’s life and half my pregnancy I definitely needed to start with something simple and comfortable and reliable. 

I started with 2 and now I’m buying one a month until I have a good store again. 

Share your favorites, please!

This Year Is For Me

You may not have received the memo, but this is the Year of Jess.

Why is this the Year of Jess? And what is it exactly? It’s my time to get back to me. It’s my time to get comfortable in my own skin again. It’s my time to move out of milkmaid-mode and into not-just-a-mom mode.

After Graham was born, the first year of being a mom was hard for me. I didn’t feel like myself. I was anxious to get back to normal, but it didn’t happen quickly. So when Tessa came along I decided in advance that I’d take her first year to not sweat it. I wouldn’t worry about my weight. I wouldn’t worry about looking super cute or wearing makeup or any of that. I would just let that first year be and take it as it came.

And you know what? It was a great plan. And it worked really well. Losing that pressure that we women feel all the time was really liberating.

Now that the year is over I feel really ready to get back in touch with myself and not go too fast or work too hard or try to do too much at once. Which is good, because I’m already overwhelmed and overworked as it is. (I’ve realized that the reality of working from home is that I basically never make dinner. It’s a problem.)

How to start the Year of Jess?

Step 1: Weaning

BAM. Done. Killed it.

Tessa’s been daytime weaned for a couple of months, but night  feedings have been the only way I’ve managed having the two kids sharing a room and keeping them both asleep as much as possible. 3 feedings a night. Or more. Not my favorite.

But I knew Blissdom was coming, so there was an end date to breastfeeding. Tess would be spending two nights without me. The last time I fed her was on the plane flying out to Texas. I tried to feed her the morning before I drove up to Dallas but she wasn’t interested. Looks like we were both ready.

DSC 0002 e1364843932497 This Year Is For Me

 

I know a lot of people get mushy and emotional about the end of breastfeeding. For me it wasn’t that kind of experience. Breastfeeding was a roller coaster of ups and downs. There were things I loved about it and things I hated. In the end, we just felt ready to move on.

Step 2: Ditch the Nursing Bras

I don’t know if you’re familiar with nursing bras, but they’re basically like sports bras. They just keep you all mushed and smushed and firmly held in place. I was ready for underwire again. Well, kinda. It’s a big change to start wearing real bras after wearing totally-not-real bras for well over a year.

My store of choice for bra fittings is Nordstrom. Go when they’re not busy. They’ll set you up in a swank fitting room, get you measured and bring you as many bras as you like. Seriously awesome service. Plus, once you’ve picked out a couple bras you like and know brands you enjoy, buy some from the regular store and then follow up at the Rack for some deals.

None of my old bras fit so I’m currently living in the two I just bought. A few more weeks and I’ll get more once I’m sure everything’s going to stay the same size. They are awesome. Having an actual bust again is so nice. And it helped for my boobtastic Blissdom headshots.

Now I can go back to v-neck tops. I can wear dresses again. Wardrobe opportunities are just opening up.

Speaking of wardrobe…

Step 3: Gradually Acquire Cute Clothes

Because it’s a whole YEAR of Jess, I’m not expecting the weight to fall right off. I still want to look cute and start feeling cute, but I don’t want to go buy out the stores, since my size will probably change soon.

With that in mind, I’m focusing right now on dresses that will fit me well even with a little less around the belly. I’m saving pants for a few more months. Summer’s coming up and dresses are perfect for warm weather and I can dress them up or down depending on the event.

c600x419 This Year Is For Me

(You guys, I made a mood board! (That’s what it’s called, right?) It’s almost like I’m a style blogger or something!)

I started at Old Navy because I don’t have a big clothing budget. And I had a chance to try on some of their spring dresses for a Spring Blogger Fashion Show in Burlington at Middlesex Commons. I was given the v-neck jersey dress on the far right to wear. I immediately felt so comfortable in it. I bought it in pink to wear to Blissdom, along with one of the cropped cardis. And after our show I bought the striped dress, too. Super comfortable and works great for bigger busts. (The eyelet dress is super adorable, but better for the smaller busted ladies. These are my favorites of the spring dress collection, for sure.)

 This Year Is For Me

I think you can tell from the fashion show pics that I felt super comfortable in this dress, even without a cardigan. And even when I’m being upstaged by a super adorable baby.

8610370824 338fac83cd z This Year Is For Me

Photo by Joel Alper

The flouncing around the tummy is my friend.

Also my friend: a-line dresses and empire waists.  I found a super-cute a-line while shopping at the outlets. It was my Girls Night Out dress for Blissdom. And my BlogHer dress last year was an empire waist. It can feel like nothing is flattering but there really are options out there.

If all this sounds small and stupid, I get it. But it’s these little things that help me feel more girly, more cute and more myself. More like a functioning female member of society rather than a mom with a baby on her hip.

There are plenty of steps to come:

  • Doing something about my acne, which has come back full force now that all the pregnancy/nursing hormones have worn off.
  • Deciding whether to get my hair cut–this mane of craziness seems way more than I can handle and right now I’m addicted to the super-quick bun. (My sister insists that I should just get one of these. I’m skeptical.)
  • Watching my diet. I’ve already started this and I’ve lost about 3 pounds in the last month. I still have another 10+ to go, and I need to do more than just cutting out the bad stuff and actually work on adding some good stuff.
  • Working out. Ugh. I know I need to but I don’t want to. And if I’m going to do it for real there will have to be classes or something to show up to and childcare to drop the kids and all that ain’t going to come cheap.

Oh, and I forgot my last step: update all my avatars so I now have this super cute pic representing me all over the internet.

blissdom @ gaylord 0313 7DN0051 1 e1364845788469 This Year Is For Me

 

Oh, and I’m thinking about dying a pink streak in my hair just for kicks. Too much?

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. For the Old Navy Fashion Show at Middlesex Commons I received a discount on products of my choice which I used to buy way too many baby clothes in addition to the stuff for me.

Bringing Sexy Back with Dear Kates

Remember when you used to buy cute underwear?

You had a whole bunch of pairs, maybe you did lots of colors or maybe you stuck to black or those scratchy lacy things. Maybe you liked boyshorts. Maybe you liked thongs. But remember how cute and sexy you always felt in those? Good times.

Have you looked in your underwear drawer lately?

I won’t lie, the last time I bought cute underwear was for my honeymoon. 5 years ago.

Then we were trying to live cheaply and I started buying the bargain packs at Target. And then I started having kids and I bought a size or two up. These days my underwear drawer is not anything too impressive. It is kind of sad. Full of cheap underwear that’s worn down to practically nothing in colors and patterns that aren’t exactly screaming young and fun and sexy.

But there’s a predicament. I don’t want to buy cute underwear because, well, because…

Ahem.

YOU KNOW WHY.

Babies, y’all. Babies mess with you.

Let’s just get all these words out of the way right now. Incontinence, discharge, periods, all kinds of other delightful things.

Phew. Feels good to get that out there.

Seriously, though, if you’re like me you don’t have much of a reason to invest in the cute underwear because you don’t want to ruin it. And because sometimes, well, you have to change your underwear unexpectedly during the day. Or you’re walking around with a pantyliner.

This baby thing. It’s rough on you.

I am going somewhere with this, of course. I got a cute new pair of undies in the mail from Dear Kate. Undies for ladies who need cute undies that can handle our, well, our stuff. As Dear Kates founder Julie Sygiel is quoted as saying in New York Magazine, “People say ‘I laughed so hard, I peed my pants,’ but I never knew it was real.”

dear kates 2 Bringing Sexy Back with Dear Kates

At first I was kinda hesitant. Because who wants to be the one wearing moisture-wicking panties? Who wants to be in that category? But I am stuck in that category so I gave it a go.

I even asked for a pair of bikinis because it’s been so long since lately I’ve tended for the granny-style high-rise kind and I could really use a little esteem boost.

They were comfy. Definitely a step above the cotton, which are soft and all, but these were a nice stretchy and silky fabric. And as for the “leak protection,” I give them a thumbs up. On the inside they have extra layers of special absorbing material that can hold up to 3 teaspoons of liquid. (I am tempted to be like the tampon commercials and pour blue liquid on them but I will spare you all that. Also: I promise not to talk about feeling “not so fresh.”)

This is good timing for me because (okay, let’s just stop with the hemming and hawing, I’m gonna just be straight) not only has my period just come back after 18 months of pregnancy and breastfeeding, but I’m still going with the breastfeeding so I have all the hormonal weirdness to go along with it, too. I could use these every single day because I never know what’s going on down there.

I don’t know why a piece of clothing no one sees can have such an impact on how you feel, but it does. And I feel much nicer knowing I won’t have to change halfway through the day and that I’m wearing something cute and I don’t have to put on any extra protection.

dear kates 3 e1356013560831 Bringing Sexy Back with Dear Kates

The Dear Kates Pinterest Page

Other stuff I love: not only do your undies stay dry, they’re also leak-resistant. They’re lined with a black fabric so you won’t have to sit there soaking your undies in cold water in the sink. They’re MACHINE WASHABLE. (Dry flat is no big deal for me, I’m just so thrilled they’re not hand wash.) They come in a variety of shapes, from high-rise style to hipster to bikini to thong. Yes, you can get a thong version for you crazies who like that kind of thing. They’re stretchy so they’re perfect for pregnancy (though I still recommend going a size up if your bum tends to grow the way mine does).

Oh, and if you’re one of those weird… exercising types, they’re great for the gym to keep things from getting all… swampy. (You’re welcome, Lexi.)

Anyway.

I don’t know if you noticed but I kinda love these undies. And if you want to try some, I have a discount code for you!!

dearkates Bringing Sexy Back with Dear Kates

And should the opportunity strike for someone to see you in your mom-undies, they’ll be so impressed at how cute and sexy you are.

Thanks to Dear Kates for giving me a pair to review. Any time you guys want to send me more, that would be awesome. I was not obligated to blog this. They’re super fun to follow on Facebook, too.

Art That Makes a Statement

As a blogger, I see more than my fair share of people who have an eye. You know, those people who just make everything pretty. There’s Allison’s beautifully DIY’ing her way through her dining room…

281897257896280745 wxX9zeth c Art That Makes a Statement

 

and Melanie’s gorgeous eye for food… (her new site is GORGEOUS, you guys!)

150096600052494065 IQOSGN3U c Art That Makes a Statement

 

and soooo many more. There are always people making things look beautiful. And people making their homes look beautiful.

This is not one of my talents.

I’m not particularly stylish. I do not have an eye for decor. I do not scour Pinterest for things I will never be able to do.

Our walls have been mostly empty, and it doesn’t help that we generally live in bland, boring apartments with Ikea furniture.

When it comes to cute, the best I can manage is that I made a couple cute kids.

But I’m grateful for the people who have an eye and put it to good use. Thanks to them I have one thing I’m happy to hang on my wall.

Alphabet Photography Logo 610x224 Art That Makes a Statement

Lots of things are hard for me. Things like color. And finding a frame. And where to find something good for my walls. But I was immediately enjoying Alphabet Photograhy‘s concept.

They went around the world taking beautiful pictures, but not just any pictures. They took pictures of buildings, sculptures, railings, benches, anything that looked like a letter of the alphabet. And you can build your own piece of word art out of them.

(I do keep up enough to know that word art is very in right now. But I doubt you’ll find any font as cool as these pics.)

Here’s a look at just a few of your options for the letter A, for example:

alphabet photography 1 Art That Makes a Statement

So many choices. And while they’re all in various black and white, the tone and shade varies so much. You can go classic. You can go edgy. Or you can mix and match to create a variety of moods. I spent well over an hour playing.

The only problem someone like me has is choosing a word.

I went through a lot of options but could never quite pick one in particular. I couldn’t do just one child’s name… I didn’t know where we’d hang it or what would happen if we moved to a new apartment… so I kept it simple:

 SEVERSON

Name art is always good. It can go in any room.

So I put in my order and I waited for my package…

 Art That Makes a Statement

It was big and beautiful, even before I unwrapped it. I love the size. It makes a definite statement.

 Art That Makes a Statement

Big lovely chocolate frame. I was immediately in love with how solid it was. This is not a skimpy frame.

These are my favorite letters:

 Art That Makes a Statement

(Those are not imperfections, just the reflection of the room off the glass.)

That Guggenheim V… I admit, it’s one of the reason I kept going back to Severson, I adore it.

The only decision left: where to hang it. Ultimately I chose our accent wall. I’ve always been proud of it. I chose the color to be bright and eye-catching without going too sharp. It manages to be soft and pleasant and match everything. The color is great against the black and white of the piece.

alphabet photograhy 2 Art That Makes a Statement

This is a big piece of art, yet it’s also simple and lovely. It’s a reminder to me that I need to be more gutsy and just go for it when it comes to decorating. I also love the dark frame with the dark wood of our bookcase.

It’s definitely classier than the rest of the room. Gives me something to aspire to, right?

alphabet photography 3 Art That Makes a Statement

Hmm. The room does look a little prettier in a frame…

(And one question. I think it’s time to be done with the B-U-G for Bug. Maybe move it to Graham’s room. But I don’t like having it in the living room and it does seem kind of mean to Tesser, no? Eric wants to leave it be. I dunno, our new SEVERSON art looks so nice on the wall, I’d like to see it up there all by itself.)

You can make your own word and play with all the beautiful letter pictures at AlphabetPhotography.com.

If you have other decorating-challenged people in your family, this is a great gift. Or if you just want something cool to spruce up your walls, go for it.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Alphabet Photography through SITS Girls. I received my artwork free of charge.