Oh Joy!

bites to go... 17 May 2012

{1. food cozy from Branch, 2. to go containers from Crate & Barrel, 3. striped steel flask from Ikea, 4. Black + Blum's lunch pot from A+R, 5. lead the pack lunch bag from ModCloth, 6. heart utensils from Poketo. — Joanna}

{sponsor} serena & lily... 17 May 2012

painted snapshots... 17 May 2012

I love the fun painted accents overlaid on photos in these prints by Les Zigouis and how everyone looks like they are part of a really beautiful circus...— Joy

dreamy lounging... 17 May 2012

When I dream about that sunny tropical getaway or a weekend trip to somewhere beautiful and warm, I always imagine prancing around in some lovely sheer cover-up or caftan like these gorgeous pieces from Jules Moore. They make me want to kick off my shoes, sit in the sun, and drink some fruity, cold something rather... — Joy

my {tropical} uniform... 16 May 2012

We're switching things up a bit over here at Oh Joy and have decided to bring the "Closet & Casa" series to a close. We've featured some amazing creatives and loved seeing their favorite items over the last year and a half. And now we're ready to change it up a bit. Bri will still be here on Wednesdays now with "My Uniform". Inspired by My Daily Uniform post, she'll be composing two outfits she'd wear for various occasions, themes, or destinations. We hope you like it! — Joy

I was just on a much-needed mini vacation in Mexico, and it was fun to switch up my normal style routine with some more festive options.

During the day, we walked around and shopped or headed to the beach, and I wore a pair of striped shorts & colorful flat shoes. It was so hot that all I needed was a sheer white top over my swimsuit.

In the evenings, these wide-leg white pants with a beaded top made a perfect dinner outfit. The patterned head scarf and yellow heels make the look more playful. — Bri

{Beach (top to bottom): The Row sunglasses, Anthropologie sheer white top, Azzaro swimsuit, Topshop striped shorts and Osborn sandals. Evening (top to bottom): Topshop head scarf, Rebecca Taylor silk camisole, Altuzarra white pants and Madewell yellow wooden heels.}

baby essentials {update}... 16 May 2012

Earlier this year, I wrote a master Baby Essentials post for those of you who asked for help or suggestions for your baby registry. Now that Ruby has passed the six month mark, I've updated that master list with some new things I've learned or discovered since then. It mostly includes some things we now love and use for Ruby as she got older, started eating, sitting, and being not as much of a tiny baby anymore. All new things are marked with an asterisk and in italics. I've also added my favorites from each category to a Pinterest board to make it easy to repin and add to you boards.

Also, for those of you who want to follow more of my Mom/Baby picks, I'm now a contributor over at the new site Mom.Me where you can find weekly galleries of my favorite home decor, fashion, and other fun things for babies, kids, and their mamas. — Joy

{A few of my new favorites above: Blabla dolls, Guava Mitts, Honest products, Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair.} 

this & that... 15 May 2012

...wear this pair of Seychelles sandals, decorate with that Crate & Barrel cushion...

—Bekka

a summer bed {giveaway} with auggie... 15 May 2012

One of my favorite things to constantly switch up at home is the bedding. I love throwing together a mix of sheets, pillow cases, and duvets in various patterns so it always looks a bit different every time. I'm not one of those people who can sleep without any covers, even if it is a warm summer night. So when summer comes, we usually store the duvet away and add a lighter quilt on top. As an ode to summer bedding, we've joined together with Auggie {whose mini quilt we have in Ruby's room and love!} to give one lucky reader a queen-sized cross-stitch quilt and shams perfect for layering with your existing bedding for the upcoming summer months.

One lucky reader will receive the cross-stitch quilt and shams {in color of your choice!}. To enter, simply visit Auggie, then leave a comment below telling us which color you'd choose and how what bedding you'd mix it with {is your current bedding striped, floral, solid, etc.}. Entries must be posted by this Friday, May 18th at 8am PST*, and one winner will be chosen at random. Good luck!

{*Limited to residents of the US or Canada only. Please do not leave your email or web address in the body of the comment, only in the allotted boxes. $403 total value. Winner will be contacted by email once comments close and announced on the bottom of this post soon after. Photos by Oh Joy. Other bedding in photo: duvet by DwellStudio & dotty cases by Castle.}

summer hound... 15 May 2012

I love Chicago-based clothing company, Hound, and their use of color and pattern season after season. The newest Spring/Summer 2012 collection was inspired by thoughts of lazy warm days, bright umbrellas dotting oceanside beaches, and beautiful summer sunsets. It has me dreaming about long, sunny days and weekend getaways already... — Joy