Sundry Mumsy: A Sketchy Situation

A year ago,

almost to the day,

I commissioned a piece of art 

to be made for our house 

before it was shot for Apartment Therapy.

I paid (too much) for an illustrator

to draw our almost family

to hang in the girls' nursery.

The picture was of Tyler & me

in our standard kissing pose...

but each holding a little baby

in a tiny yellow blanket

and a little gold headbands

in our arms.

I was really excited for it to arrive

and when I opened it...

I was just really confused.

It looked nothing like us.

Tyler had big baggy jeans and huge shoulders.

I'm wearing big, clunky boots that I would never wear.

The best part of it was the cute little pair of babies...

Today that picture

of the unfamiliar couple

holding a pair of twin girls

 sits half-hidden on a bookshelf.

It bums me out pretty much every time I see it.

So when Hannah surprised me with this gift,

my heart swelled big time.

A year later

and I finally have a family illustration

that will make me smile

to have hanging in our home.

I love it.

*    *   *

Thank you, Hannah!

hannah carpenter of sundry mumsy

You can enter to win

a custom illustration

and a lineup of other cool gear

in the giveaway she's hosting.

Check out more of Hannah's crazy creative work

on her cool blog, Sundry Mumsy.

Girls will be Girls.

Though the settings may change
as life evolves and moves on,

the ridiculous female shenanigans continue.

I think we all shake our heads

and "mmmm hmmmm" when we hear such talk...

But it's still happening.

So can we all make a promise:

Can we, as ladies,
just believe that people are doing
 the best that they can
and to take things for face value.

I think it would do the world some good.

How do you deal with girl drama?

Confront it & nip it in the bud?

Or ignore it and hope it goes away?

(Me? I think there is a time and place for both responses.)

*    *    *

While you're dreaming up a response,

here are some cute picks

that I hope every girl can agree on...

*image

Come one, come all | Girls Night Out

Hey, wanna do dinner sometime?

I know a good pizza place

in Notting Hill- Otto.

(In fact, you've probably seen me instagram from it quite frequently.)

This won't be anything fancy or formal...

Just a way to hang out and get together

for some chatting and good food...

Like "good food" as in 

"two hot chocolate chip cookies 

straight from the oven

separated by a mountain of vanilla ice cream" good.

(aka- the best kind of good)

So who's invited?

If we've met before, you're invited!

If we haven't, you're invited, too!

If you just moved to London,

don't know anyone

and would feel super awkward coming-

hey, you're invited, too!

(In fact, you may need to be there the most. It's lonely being in a new country!)

* * *

Monday, Jan 13th

(yes, like this Monday)

at 6:30pm.

No pre-paying or anything

for this shindig.

Just RSVP to me

lauren@aspiringkennedy.com

so I can know how many people

will be there for the fun.

Happy Weekend!

*images via

In The Houzz: Babyccino & Co.

This month,

I hit the jackpot

when getting to do 

a Houzz hometour 

of the Adamo Family.

If you aren't family with the Babyccino Kids site,

well, you should be.

Even if you don't have kids,

Courtney's instagram will win you over.

Her life/family/style is just...  gorgeous.

So it was no surprise to find 

that her home in North London

near Hampstead Heath

was anything other than charming.

I got to go with my friend, Noah,

for the home shoot

and we had such a nice morning

working around the house

while the Adamos ate breakfast

and got ready for a weekend in the country.

Go on and check out the home tour...

and, in the meantime,

 enjoy a few outtakes 

from our fun morning 

with the Adamo family.

Check out my other home tours 

as Houzz' London contributor here.

*photography by Noah Darnell for Houzz

Pretty Cookies? London Bloggers? Me? You!

I'm happy to finally announce that there will be

a London Blogger Meetup.

Finally!

To get this sort of thing planned

and hosted at an amazing place, 

well- it's nothing short of a Christmas miracle.

I'm smitten to have Biscuiteers oblige to host 

our fun crew for a night out

at their *gorgeous* Notting Hill Boutique

for a night of Christmas fun.

So if you have a blog, read blogs, like blogs, 

or just think that being a Christmas party in London

would help fulfill all your Love Actually fantasies...

and you're up for an amazing night 
getting to ice pretty cookies, 

chat with sweet girls & sip some fizz, 

 we want you there!

Since the boutique is small,

it's a first-come-first-served operation

for the first people who sign up.

The icing classes are normally £78 per person,

but you'll get to experience that

-plus cookies to nibble & yummies to sip-

for only £35.

{This truly is the best time of the year.}

Snag your spot now

and plan to spend the night making new friends.

Oh, and don't worry about feeling awkward. 

Everyone always kind of starts out that way...

 including me!

*image via

Talented Talkers: Blogging Tips!

Hey, you!

Yeah, you the cute girl 

who just started her own blog

and is trying to find the rhythm 

of how this crazy little world works.

Yeah, you.

I've got something for you:

a quick how-to 

for getting your feet firmly set

in the blogging community.

It's live here on the Talented Talkers new blog.

Just remember me when you get all big & famous, okay?

xo- LBK

Rise To The Occasion

On Friday,

there was a small table

of really nice people

having a great time

over some awesome soufflés

at Dallas' beloved 

Rise No. 1.

It was such a great time,

and- as admittedly awkward as those parties can be at the beginning-

turned out to be a FUN evening.

It's always so refreshing (and dare I say, "flattering?")

to meet people who read my blog.

The internet can be a tricky place

with false identities (ahem, Aspiring Kennedy?)

and tiny little profile pics...

You can never be too sure about who you're meeting out there.

So to show up and meet completely awesome/normal people

really floored me.

I can't believe that such cool people 

 take the time to read my blog.

I'm not even sure my own mom reads it.

Ok, I'm drifting...

All that to say,

I was on a high from getting to hang out 

with so many sweet ladies.

Thanks for coming out-

blogger meet-ups wouldn't be nearly as fun

if no one was there to actually meet up!

And now, 

some pictures

to prove that it actually happened.

the set-up.

fancy fizzy water

viola got some swag from the party. a sophie giraffe from helen! merci. :)

getting our instagrams on... #dallasbloggerbash

marshmallow soup  with floating "marshmallows" of mini goat cheese souffles!

crab souffle.

les femmes du blogging :)

bread pudding soufflé

table dancing.

me & my co-host, beth dotolo.

this strawberry souffle has been on my mind ever since the party. gorgeous!

last ladies standing. closing down the party!

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

#dallasbloggerbash

Don't forget-

tonight's the 

#dallasbloggerbash!

We will be meeting 

from 6-8:30

at one of my favorite restaurants

(in the entire world),

Rise No. 1

My favorite: Marshmallow Soup with "marshmallows" made of goats cheese. Mmm...

It's gonna be 

Beth Dotolo of Pulp Designs

and myself relaxing 

with some ridiculously good souffles

with nice people around us.

So, if you think you're a nice person, too...

we want you there!

There are a few spots still available

(three to be exact),

so if you'd like to join us

email me at

lauren@aspiringkennedy.com

so I can get you on the list.

Whether you blog, read blogs,

follow along on Instagram or whatever...

you're invited!

Dallas Blogger Party

Hey Y'all Pillow, Two Peaches Etsy. $29.

If you've been following along

with my Instagrams,

you may have noticed

I've crossed over the pond

and am residing in the US

for the month of August.

Tyler had to work

and I figured

I should be here in the sun

instead of alone in our flat

taking care of a baby

all by my lonesome.

Duh.

I am obsessed with these custom/affordable pillows from Two Peaches. $29!

So here I am,

back in Texas.

And here (some of) you are, too.

Wanna meet up?

Beth Dotolo & I are having a get together

(a really casual, super-fun get together)

to meet up with some of Dallas' finest...

and then regular people, like us.

It'll be next Friday, Aug 16th here in Dallas.

Details to come, 

but go ahead and plan on being there

that evening.

We can't wait to meet & mingle with you!

Let me know if you'd be interested below

so I can know what/where to plan this thing.

A Few Of My Favorite (Blings): Viola Edition

My friend, Meg, is Australian.

We met her & her husband at Oxford

while our boys studied in the same "programme,"

and we all eventually ended up working in London after graduation.

We both also had baby girls.

She teaches me silly words that Aussies use

like arvo (afternoon) & bub (baby).

Meg is extremely creative

 and loves to bake & throw parties-
as you might have seen from my instagrams this weekend.

But most importantly to this blog post,

Meg makes Viola some of the cutest headbands.

 I begged her to put some on my site

so that anyone that had asked about them

could finally get some...

And, of course, like good friends do

I asked her to discount them. ;)

(And, like good friends do, she humored me & agreed!)

These are my three favorite styles that she makes.

The first two are made with fabrics from Liberty London-

only my favorite shop in the world.

For as busy as they are,

I think they somehow go with everything.

The third is probably my very favorite... 

with it's (handmade) over-the-top glittery gold bow.

You can also choose what color band you'd like from:
navy, pale pink, grey, white
& grey chevron

Suri Cruise only wishes she had worn one of these as a kid.

So, for this one time only, you can buy them directly 

from Aspiring Kennedy at a heck of a deal.

So here you go...
each style has a limited run,
so get 'em while they're hot.

Aspiring Kennedy Collection

One Headband £6.50 GBP Two Headbands £12.00 GBP Three Headbands £17.00 GBP

Indicate which headbands here:

Child Age (for correct sizing)

You can also check out Meg's Etsy shop for more styles & goodies.

***

In the meantime,
I hope your weekend was killer
and that the week ahead is even better.

*images via MegMade

Life's a Beach: The Ups & Downs of Expat Living.

Living in England means I can travel to Italy 

several times throughout the year

on a budget that is anything less than luxurious.

Living in England means

I can be a ten minutes walk 

from Kensington Palace...

and that much closer to becoming 

best friends with Kate Middleton.

Living in England means

I get to dress my baby in Baby Zara.

Living in England means

I get to wander Notting Hill's Portobello Road

ever single day and still be enchanted 

by the colorful houses & stalls of aged wares.

But living in England also means

that I'm far away from home...

and that we live, as expats, in a transient society.

People come for a few years

to work or study,

and then, it seems, 

that they leave in waves.

Right now, we are in one of those times

where it seems like life is pulling our friends

back out to the lives 

where they originally came from

and our community is washed down

like a sand castle by the tide.

image via

This month, we are saying goodbye to several of our friends here

and also the two expat bloggers that I've spent my time abroad with:

Liz (Explore. Dream. Discover) & Megan (Across The Pond).

I'll be honest,

as excited as I am to see our friends so happy 

for theses new chapters of life,

it kinda sucks to start over.

When I arrived at college 

and was feeling the standard freshman awkwardness

of the gap of loneliness that happens

when you leave your high school friends,

but are yet to make your college friends.

My friend, Amanda, was a sophomore at the time,

told me that her freshman year,

she asked God to give her just one person for that day

to help her feel less lonely.

So that's what I decided to do,

and over a few weeks & months,

those small interactions became friendly faces

and then those friendly faces became friends...

and by Christmas, 

I had more friends than I knew what to do with.

So when we moved to England,

I did the same...

and, again, God was good

and brought some ridiculously sweet, smart & talented people 

into our lives.

When you live abroad with family far away,

your community of friends 

becomes like family to you.

When our babies were born,

our little group of friends rallied

in a way that made us feel so loved.

I'll always be thankful that our lives were so full of dear friends at that time.

image via

Now as it begins to drain back down

I can only wonder what new, wonderful friends 

the tide of relocation & expatriotism will bring our way.

It can be lonely.

It can be awkward...

but it always shakes out to be okay, doesn't it?

Yup.

I think so, too.

You're Not As Big {Or Small} As You Think

 I recently went to a party for bloggers 
here in London.

It was a fancy party 

 in a gorgeous venue
full of pretty people
hugging each other 
and catching up over pretty drinks...

and I knew, like, no one.

I had a small handful of friendly faces,

but as people began to talk shop 

and discuss other blogs & other events,

I kept laughing to myself.

I had no idea who anyone was

or what any of the events were

that people were talking about so naturally.

I mean, I started to question if I was actually a legitimate blogger.

{Even though calling myself a "blogger" has always made me cringe.}

As I sat at the bus stop 

on the way home,

I clicked through twitter

and saw that a guest post I had written had gone live
 and had been linked from a blogging friend
who has a really cute new blog.

As I read her introduction to my blog,

she referred to me as a "major blogger."

And it got me thinking.

{Oh no. Here I go again.}

Benjamin Franklin Quote & Enamel Sign: $28

Here I was in the middle of feeling like a nobody

and, also, feeling pretty good about myself.

Could I actually be both?

I think the answer is... yeah, we can.

I think that most of the time it is easy

to lean one way or the other:

we feel pretty important at some moments

and totally insignificant in others.

We get over-inflated by people who like us, 

and then deflated by others who don't notice us.

Especially in blogging

when the number of followers

and posted comments is consistently present.

You get more "likes" than others on a picture. Plus one.

Someone else has a big time blogger comment on their post. Minus one.

Back and forth it goes.

But I have to tell you, 

and I can say this with a lot of certainty after 3 years of blogging....

None of it really matters.

Blogging is so fun. 

I've made some of my best friends 
through this crazy hobby.

The relationships are amazing...

but if you aren't finding yourself here

or making those relationships,

it's really okay.

Instead of going out and searching for new relationships

why not foster the ones that you already have?

Give attention to the people that already like you

and start forming deeper relationships with them.

Because you'll never be the biggest fish in the pond in blogging,

sorry- it's true. 

The Pioneer Woman, Naomi & Cup of Jo have already won that title.

But you can be a really big deal to someone else.


_____________________

Travel Advice? I can help... some of you!

Did you know that when you start blogging

it means that you also starting connecting with a lot of people

off the regular streams of social media

and behind the scenes on email?

That's where people really get to know each other.

Blogs are like online dating profiles.

You shop people out.

See if you like what they're all about.

And if their daily blabbing entices you to want more...

well, you take it to the next level.

That's when the fun starts.

That's when you really get to know people.

Or so, I'm told
because lately, I don't really do it.

See, I used to have loads of free time.

{AKA I worked behind a desk in an office.}

I made some pretty awesome friends back in the day

over email and blogging.

But these days,

I am busy with my job directing study abroad programs

that fling me from place-to-place,

I work with a handful of clients on social media consulting & branding,

I'm scouring Portobello Road for pretty antique pieces, shooting them,

packing them up & dragging them down to the post office,

I try to keep blog posts up on here to give you guys something to read

in your free time while you are behind desks at your offices...

Oh...
and I have a newborn.

My 45 minutes of non-manic time each day

is most commonly spent staring blankly out the window,

eating girl scout cookies at my kitchen table,

or laying on top of my unmade bed clicking through instagram.

Sometimes, if I feel really crazy

I take a bath &/or wash my hair.

You get it,

I'm busy.

{Then again, who's not?}

ALL OF THAT TO SAY...

I'm sorry that I don't do a better job of replying the emails I get

asking questions about travel Europe.

But you have to understand, I get- no lie- around 10 every day day.

People need help on hotels in Paris and 

where to take their 14 year-old daughter
 for dessert & shopping while they are there....

or first-time tourists wanting to take on Europe 
but aren't sure where to start

and how long to spend in each city...

or honeymooners looking for an affordable way to spend 2 weeks in Italy

and needing to know which city to fly into and where they need to fly out from...

I have all of these answers in my brain.

And I get it...

planning a trip to a place 
that you never been to can be daunting.

You're spending a lot of money

and you want it to be just right.

I just don't have the time to spend an hour typing out

 the unique logistical thought that each circumstance requires-

which is what it typically takes me if I'm putting my heart into it.

So from this day forward,

I'm making myself more available to less people.

{Gulp.}

I'd rather give ten people each month

really good information

than crappy generic replies (or nothing!) to everyone who writes.

If you're committed to planning your European vacation,

I'm offering 30 min, 1 hour, or 2 x 60 minute sessions over Skype

to talk logistics & general consulting matters

like transportation, time frames
 & must-sees for your specific areas of interest

that will help you plan a trip that fits you best. 

Obviously, I don't know everything there is to know,
but I can be especially helpful when planning your trip to Europe
and can offer detailed advice on these specific topics:

England | France | Scotland | Italy | Ireland | Iceland 
Budget Airlines | European Rail | Accommodation

 Consult Session Length

  30 Minutes $35.00 USD  60 Minutes $55.00 USD  2 x 60 Minutes $95.00 USD 

If you're just emailing to ask a simple question, send it my way....

but from now on, emails asking generic trip structuring will be referred to here. 

In the mean time, 

I'll keep posting travel finds

for the various places I go here on the blog

and filing them under my travel log.

Bon Voyage!

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy