Tea?

Hi, I know, I know, it’s been a while. There is so much I don’t even know where to start. I created this blog when I started college. I was young, creative and outgoing and I loved fashion and art so I started this blog Black & Olive to express that love and show my creativity. Somehow in between then I found my passion in photography, and for what I can remember, Instagram sparked that passion. I went out and bought my first professional camera; I carried it every where and shot whatever I thought that was beautiful. I became obsessed, but it was a hobby that wasn’t making any money. But now my life has changed, I am a full time mom raising two children and a dog with my fiancé. My home is in chaos 24/7, so the only things I can get creative with is how to keep the kids busy so I can wash a dish, load the laundry etc etc. You moms know what I am talking about. Anyway, so back to I was saying before I got all story telling. I created Black & Olive to share my creativity with the world, but now that I am a mom, I figured I change things up a bit in here and dust off the place because it was looking extremely outdated, like who I was before (young, fun college student. I was no longer sharing art and beauty, I couldn’t with baby spinach on my clothes and running behind a potty training toddler that wants to pee every freaking 5 mins! The only I can offer is motherhood, my journey through motherhood with a little photography of course because that’s still what I love to do.

Tea?

2-22

Shirt - Vintage
Jeans - Levi's
Earrings - Madewell
Vase - Target
Faux Eucalyptus - Target
Runner - Pottery Barn

Leon

Love the Uncomfortable

"It's good to do uncomfortable things. It's weight training for life" - Anne Lamott

For at least two years I have been very reserved, especially since having Sage. I was going through a rough life transition; I think I was unsure on who I wanted to be. I am still unsure at times; but I think that is apart of "the life journey". Anyway, I made a promise to myself this year to try some uncomfortable things for the sake of love. Love for family, love for work, love for time, love for passions and most of all love for me. 

Robe: Pottery Barn

Bedding: Ugg

Blanc & Black

 Some days I have so much to say, other days I prefer to just keep my damn mouth shut! Look for today…

Hat - Brixton
Jacket - Levi's
Sweater - Lucky Brand

Watering the Soul

I was more creative than articulate growing up. I’ve always been ashamed of it then, not knowing how to express myself verbally to people. Which ultimately affected my early adulthood, it lowered my confidence, self-esteem; to avoid embarrassment I didn’t speak up. And it wasn’t because I was dumb; I was good in other subjects like math and science, I just didn’t know how to put words together. I struggled in reading comprehension, even up until community college. I didn’t understand words, I couldn’t comprehend sentences to try and figure out what I was reading. It was terrible. So you know how bad it was when I had an essay assignment.

My passion was art, and how I can make things beautiful, no matter what it was; painting, drama, theater, dancing, sewing, jewelry and clothing designing, photography or drawing. What ever it was, I was into it. I remember going to summer programs at schools and bypassing the athletic activities, and headed straight for the art room. Where they had everything a girl could dream of. I loved going

Be Friends

Be Friends... With you 2

Comfortability

I just had to talk about these pajamas from The Gap. Now I've never owned a Pj set. (I am serious) This is my first time wearing one. Growing up, we just wore old clothes to bed, an old t shirt, some tore up shorts and that was considered comfortable. As I got older, I matured and realized it is not cute walking around tattered throughout the day. Part of it was my fiancé begging me to get some decent pajamas, it wasn't attractive, and I can respect his honesty, and if your partner is telling you to "go shopping" then girl, GO! Make yourself comfortable and sexy at home, not just for them but for you.   

Dreamwell Long Sleeve Top in Satin - The Gap

Almost Mid-Januray

Since moving out here, anxiety has held me back from exploring. I assume it's the foreign environment, literally not knowing where I am or going. Before Sage, the risk of wondering was never a thought in my mind, it was more of an adventure, of possibly catching something beautiful, something unforeseen. Though I feel where we moved is very safe, the way the world is going, I just don't feel right being some where that is unfamiliar and deserted. However, I try to listen to my inner self, and if where I am feels peaceful, I will shoot something. Today, Sage and I took a 5 minute detour from our daily errand, and I am glad we did. We ran into to what seems like a Horse farm of some sort, followed by a private cemetery and some land. It was stunningly foggy out and damp, just perfect.

How to Create Your Holiday Cards

Happy Holidays guys! Christmas is almost here and you are probably receiving your holiday cards from family through the mail now. You know what I am talking about, the gloss cover professional photos that you know cost a grip to print and mail out. You would love to do it yourself but that holiday list is top priority. Not only that, some times to get your whole family out the house to a professional studio can be a pain especially if you have cranky babies. So, to create your own holiday photos, you would need a few things that are cost efficient. You'll need:

1. Minimal decor - Considering that your home will be already deck out with the holiday decor, you should use them to your advantage every year. Save some of the items for photos for the following year.

2. A camera - it doesn't matter the brand or style, as long as it can point and shoot.

3. Holiday attire - Now I love the matching jammies look. Where mom, dad and baby have matching looks, while smiling down at a rambunctious pup with reindeer antlers while opening a present, yea that! I feel like the jammies scream Christmas Day!

Thats it!

Here I took some photos from home.

Pajamas: Burts Bees Baby
Throw: Pottery Barn Denver Plaid 
Pillow: Marshalls

Mini DIY

I told myself when I moved in that I would do more post on DIY's. Not only for the blog but for myself, I wanted to teach myself to be a little more independent with mini repairs and make overs. Oppose to paying someone, we can save money and have it done the way we wanted it. Sounds good doesn't it? Well, truly, I have no time. I am still adjusting to mom life, almost two years later and I am still trying to figure where did the time go? So big jobs like this takes more than one, and a little more time, so we had to pay someone to do it.

Pretty much every room in the house is furnished except the guest room that still remains as a semi storage/play room for Sage. We are still figuring out the little details of the home, so I think the guest room would be last on our list. One of the rooms that meant a lot to me to do was Sage's room. For a while it stood cold, just toys, bed and a dresser, it needed more. It was driving me crazy that it didn't scream "life of a child". If I was a child I wouldn't want to play in there. So, moderately we began filling it in, but it still needs more. Before moving in, Sage had her own dresser that a friend had bought for my baby shower. It was a simple dark brown glazed dresser. It was too dark for her current room, or for at least the look I was going for. I didn't want have to buy another dresser because of vanity for god sake. So, why not just paint the darn thing. I went to Home Depot and purchased the Rustoleum spray paint. There is a huge selection, however most options were with gloss. I wanted a matte finish, and just when I was about to lose hope, I realized they have a special line of chalked spray paint. Unfortunately, they only have a few colors in the matte finish, wishfully, with popularity they'll drop some more cool colors. I picked Aged Gray. Check out the finish.

 Before

After