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Raise your hand if you are at the brink of pulling your hair out getting kids ready to go back to school? Just what I thought! Hopefully you are among those whose kids go to a school where UNIFORMS are required and that is one less thing you have to worry about. I used to think that uniforms "stifled a child's ability to express themselves". HA! That lasted a hot minute after a disasterous first day of school "what am I going to wear?!" moment from my 9 year old. Uniforms are most definitely a mom's best friend. And there are plenty of ways for your kid to express themselves with these "too cool for school" accessories we found at Nordstrom.
For the boys; hip sneakers, rad backpacks and lunch bags and don't even get me started on these fab socks. And for the girls; sneakers in all the hot trends including colorblock, floral and animal print, cute and whimsical backpacks and lunch bags, and fun accessories because you know, more is more.
Shop Nordstrom's Back to School Shop for all of this plus uniform tops and bottoms, outerwear and more.
Happy First Day of School! This post contains affiliate links and we are compensated when purchases are made via these links.
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So, we are starting a new blog series spotlighting all of the amazing artists we have discovered along our design journey. Today we’d like to introduce you to Captain Casual, a graffiti artist based in the DFW area.  SGD: So, should I call you Captain Casual? Just Captain? CC: Captain Casual is good! SGD: OK, Captain Casual. Can you briefly walk us through your story? How you started and how you got to where you are today? CC: My story is an interesting one. I haven’t always been an artist. I actually was a stock and options trader for quite a while. And of course we’ll get into it in a second; but after dying and coming back to life, I completely changed my life around. I actually like to think I just woke up as Captain Casual. People know me for my bright colors and happiness, but what they don’t know is that it’s rooted deep in an appreciation for life and the desire to spread joy. I didn’t study art in college, and I’ve never taken any lessons. But I do know a lot about happiness and the colors just seem to flow, truth be told I’m completely winging it. But I think that’s something we find out as we grow older, that everyone is winging it. SGD: Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way? CC: Being an artist is never a smooth ride. I don’t think it’s supposed to be. That’s one of the ways I got the name casual. Because no matter how crazy life gets, I stay casual. I mean, other than dying, of course. My road has been a bumpy one but I like to think I’m paving it for others. My whole mission of color and happiness is meant to smooth the ride for others. A warm feeling on a cold day. Struggles come in all shapes and sizes, last month I sprained my thumb, couldn’t paint with a brush all month so I just spray painted everything. Haha just adapting and trying to stay casual. SGD: It's obvious that we are impressed by you and your talent. Tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others? CC: I think one of the things that sets me apart from other artists is my understanding of colors and how they all work together. When used correctly they can elicit emotions, excite you, or even motivate you. You see, motivating people to be happier and kinder to one another is top priority for me. Like I mentioned earlier, I’m on my second life right now! Not everyone gets a second chance and I try to take full advantage of it. When time is approached as a scarce asset rather than something to pass, you realize the beauty in even the smallest of everyday occurrences. My wife also helps me out so much, she does virtually everything that isn’t painting, true team player and trooper, because believe it or not, I wake up with this amount of energy and I know it has to be exhausting. SGD: What advice would you give to someone at the start of his or her career? CC: Advice for other artists, hmm... to stay true to yourself, do it for fun, appreciate your own work and only compare yourself that. Oh, and of course, and most importantly, just be casual.    Check out Captain Casual and his work here:
Instagram: @captaincasual Website: Captain Casual Art We are always on the hunt for new and colorful artists to work with. Email us if you are an artist or know one that would be a good fit for SGD! 
If you saw Shauna's Instagram story yesterday, you read that she has joined Weight Watchers to try to get back on track with her weight. For those of us with zero will power, it can be such a struggle to eat right and exercise. Having a system where you are held accountable AND where it is easy to count the calories (or, points) makes it so much easier. At the end of the day, we all just want food that tastes good and is good for you. Healthy eating doesn't have to be boring or tasteless, and when fresh produce is in abundance, there is so much to work with.
In a moment of "I have nothing to make for dinner", Shauna pulled ingredients out of the fridge and made something that not only tasted amazing, but added up to only 2 points on Weight Watchers. We're firm believers that you can add pretty much anything to eggs or pasta and come up with an amazing meal. Considering eggs have ZERO WW points, well, eggs for the win all day. Spinach Tomato Frittata 6 eggs beaten 1 shallot, diced 1 large tomato, sliced 1/2 cup shredded cheese (we used gouda and swiss because that's what was in the fridge, but use whatever you love) 1 cup baby spinach (can also use kale) salt and pepper cayenne pepper (optional) olive oil Preheat oven to 400. In a cast iron skillet, saute shallots in olive oil until soft, 4-5 minutes. Beat eggs in bowl and season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Set aside. Add spinach to skillet and saute until just wilted. Add eggs and cheese to skillet. Top egg mixture with sliced tomatoes. Put skillet in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until center is just firm. Remove from oven and let sit 1-2 minutes before cutting. 2 POINTS PER SLICE!!
Have a great Weight Watchers friendly recipe you'd like to share with our audience? Email us at info@shaunaglenndesign.com for the chance to have your recipe featured on a special blog post.
This post contains affiliate links and we are compensated when purchases are made through these links
We are big fans of travel here at SGD. We love discovering new places, immersing ourselves in new cultures, trying out traditional food and drinks and drinking in all the sights and sounds the world has to offer. Portugal has been on Shauna's list for a while, and she is even more inspired now that Kalen has just returned from there gushing about how amazing this country is. We spent most of the time in Lisbon and Porto with a side trip to Tomar to see the 12th century convent built by the Knights Templar. Put Portugal on your travel bucket list. You won't regret it. Lisbon After being mostly demolished by an earthquake in 1755, rebuilt Lisbon is characterized by the glazed tiles that adorn building facades all over the city. Food is reasonable and amazing pretty much everywhere you go. The traditional cocktail is a Port and Tonic; port wine, tonic, lime and mint served over ice. Trust me, you'll love it.       Tomar A sleepy village that reaps the benefits of tourists visiting the nearby 12th century convent built by the Knights Templar.       Porto With Porto on one side of the river and Gaia on the other, there is plenty of exploring to do in this town. Nicknamed the Portugese San Francisco because of the hilly terrain and their own version of the Golden Gate Bridge, Porto is the Austin to Lisbon's Dallas. Port wine bodegas are on the Gaia side of the river and worth the hike for tastings and a killer view.         So, summer is in full swing. And if your entertaining menu is in need of a refresh, we've picked our top five cocktails from our friends from Williams-Sonoma to add to your rotation. Whatever your taste, citrus, bubbly, herbal, fruity, these cocktails are sure to please any crowd. Or just you and your bff on a random Wednesday night. Also shop our essentials in barware, accessories and gadgets also from WS and get 20% off your order with code FRIENDS.
All recipes from Williams-Sonoma. This post contains affiliate links and we are compensated for purchases made through these links.
We interrupt our regularly scheduled home decor and design blog for a bit of fashion. Early Access for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale starts on 7/12 (credit card holders) and yes, even though it is only July, we're gonna just ignore the wool coats and boots for now and focus on stuff you can wear now AND stuff you can stash until November and be super excited to pull out when the temps dip below 60. If you are not a Nordstrom Credit Card holder, you can apply here. Otherwise, preview the sale catalog here and shop starting July 19. So, what are the trends we are following? Bright bold colors, animal prints, and florals. But really, there is something for everyone. Here are some of our favorites. BRIGHT AND BOLD ANIMAL INSTINCTS FAB FLORALS    Shop early for best availability! We now return you to your regularly scheduled home decor and design.
This post contains affiliate links and we will be compensated for purchases made via these links. So, if you are in the market for anything for your home or patio, this is THE week to buy. The sales are ridiculous and well, one of the reasons for this post is so WE can figure out what's what and where we need to go spend some money. Check out the sales at our favorite brands and what's on our shopping lists: Pottery Barn --Up to 75% off Outdoor Serena & Lily -- 20% off with code GOCOASTAL West Elm --20% off with code JULY4TH Pier 1 Imports -- Extra 25% off with code FIREWORKS World Market --20% off with code WMJULY4 (more of our faves here!) St. Frank --20% off collection with code FIREWORKS John Robshaw Textiles -- 50% off Summer Clearance Want more great deals? Watch our Instagram story feed @shaunaglenn all week for great fashion and accessory picks.
This post contains affiliate links and we are compensated for purchases made through these links. 
We have been known from time to time to bite off more than we can chew. Or more accurately, to think that "it'll just take an hour" to pull of a major project. Case in point was this patio at the home of our recent Playroom project. We had run to World Market for some last minute accessories and discovered all of their outdoor furniture at amazing deals. Wouldn't it be great to surprise our clients with a new patio too? So, load up the van with all the goodies and while it turned out amazing and our clients were thrilled, it DID take a bit more than an hour to set it all up. In the end though, totally worth it. Shop the entire look here.
And while you're at it, check out all the other fun products for your next outdoor party now up to 50% off at World Market.
1. Santiago Outdoor Collection
2. Acrylic Party Tub 3. Patchwork Placemat Set 4. Napa Acrylic Tumblers 5.LED String Lights 6. Avocado Pool Float 7. Unicorn Corn Cob Holders 8. Aqua Pacific Tumbler 9.Cactus Lidded Cups 10. Maraca Cocktail Shaker 11. Fruit Pong Game 12. Giant Tiki Checkers This post contains affiliate links. We are compensated for purchases made via these links. We were back in Aledo last week at the home of some of our favorite clients. Their kitchen, dining room and master bedroom were projects we tackled in 2018 and while they were out on vacation last week, we did our magic on three more rooms of their home. The first room used to be Dad's office. But we kicked him out and made it in to a playroom for the kids. The room is downstairs and just across from the kitchen and living room so Mom and Dad can easily keep an ear on what's going on, making it an easy decision to kick Dad out. He doesn't need any supervision. Normally. Our friend Captain Casual painted the custom mural on the wall and we couldn't be more thrilled with how it turned out.  Resources Table and chairs: All Modern Bookcases: Target Poufs: CB2 Rug: Crate & Barrel Giraffe: Melissa & Doug Toys So, where did Dad's office go? Well, we incorporated it in to the adult space upstairs that used to be a family room/playroom. There is a wine cellar off this room (we knew there was a reason we liked these people!) so again, made sense to relocate Dad and all the other grown ups to this room. It still amazes us what a new coat of paint can do. Sherwin-Williams Modern Gray for the walls and Snowbound for the trim made this such a bright new space. Before:  And After:  Resources Sofa: Restoration Hardware (similar here) Swivel chairs: Scout Design Studio (similar here) Coffee Table: Mitchell Gold-Bob Williams Console: Lulu & Georgia Bar: Anthropologie Rug: Empire Rugs (similar here) Lamps: Ballard Designs Light Fixture: Rejuvenation Our last room was the guest room. The homeowners wanted to keep the bed and one of the nightstands so we found them a matching one, added some paint and brighter accessories and they for sure are gonna have a line of people waiting to stay over. Yes, we did put an area rug on top of the carpet. It's a great way to update a room without the huge investment and hassle of new carpet. Before:  And After:  Resources
Bed: Homeowner's (similar here) Nightstand: Restoration Hardware (similar here) Bedding: Annie Selke Rug: Home Goods (similar here) Lamps: Ballard Designs Desk Chair: Anthropologie This post contains affiliate links. We are compensated for purchases made via these links. Good ol' Dad. Mower of lawn. Griller of burger. Wearer of cargo shorts. (Must to our dismay). Dad, who's needs are usually simple and is truly happy in those cargo shorts from 1993, he deserves better. We've recruited our token male in the office to help with picking the best gifts for Dad this Father's Day. No, Mike is not a dad. But we think he has pretty good taste after hanging out with Shauna and the crew for so long. His go-to store for cool stuff for dad? West Elm. Modern and moderately priced, it fits any budget and he'll be proud to show it off at the next guys night.  Metallic Base Decanter + Glassware Set Any man can have a bar. In fact, most men do. However, most men do not have a distinguished bar. This classic decanter and glassware set just screams CLASSY!  Deco Barware Collection - Nickel + Marble Have you ever heard someone brag about their bar tools? Neither have I. Until now. Check out this deco barware set. He’ll love it! Guaranteed!  Vintage Style Cooler Forget the generic Igloo. Keep drinks chilled in style with these vintage looking stainless steel coolers.  Gentleman's Hardware BBQ Tool Set Remember the Swiss Army knife? A bunch of tools all wrapped up in one tool. You have to see this concept applied to BBQ accessories. Pretty much the greatest Father’s Day present ever.  Deco Stacking Game Who doesn’t love Jenga? Throw in some alcoholic beverages to the mix and now you have a party. This upscale acrylic version of this classic game will absolutely entertain your discerning guests for hours.  Sonos PLAY 1: Wireless Speaker Compact in size (only 6.5" high!) but big on sound this wireless speaker brings the party where ever you are.  Matte Black Flatware Set Selfishly, I had to add this. The first time I saw this in the store, I wanted it. And it wasn’t even Father’s Day. This matte black flatware is definitely masculine while still emoting a strong sense of class. Give this set this year and it will be warmly received. Even better, you likely won’t find this at any of your friends’ homes.
Find more cool stuff for dad here. This post contains affiliate links. |
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