Guest post: Ally of Life As I Know It

Today, Ally is taking over the blog while I am away. She is fabulous and I couldn't be more excited to have her here! And how fabulous is this look she put together! Perfect Paris look.

 

Hey guys I'm Ally from Life as I know it. I'm taking over for Jessica today while she's in gorgeous Paris with her mom for the week. I don't about you but seeing all of the amazing places Jessica gets to visit makes me uber jealous! She and her husband have had some awesome opportunities and I love following along on their journey through her blog.  

She told me I could post about anything so my mind automatically went to fashion. I'm a Registered Nurse as my real job but if I could have any job I'd love to work in fashion. Maybe it's the fact I wear scrubs everyday but assembling outfits and shopping is my passion. I decided to put together a simple but cute outfit to wear whether you're touring Paris like Jessica or walking around your own town.

First I chose this adorable Chambray shirtdress. I love how chambray is a neutral and you can wear it for any season. Madewell makes the softest denim so I'm sure this dress will feel like you're wearing you pj's. With the sun beating down on your head a hat is a necessity. This cute bucket hat would shield your face from the sun while still looking chic. I can't rave enough about the Cuyana Leather tote. I own one in this caramel color and it goes with everything. It's the softest leather and I love that you can personalize it by adding your initials. I'm sure Paris is a bit cooler temperatures right now than where I am in Charleston, SC so I figured a cute scarf could protect you from a cool breeze. I love how this scarf has so much going on with the pop of red and the polka dots. Lastly, you need a comfortable pair of flats. I have yet to try a pair of Tieks but I have heard nothing but great reviews. A pair of bright red shoes are just what this outfit needs to bring it all together.

Hope you're having a great time Jessica and I know we all can't wait to see pictures of your trip when you get back! Thanks for having me! xoxo

Bonjour Paris!

I don't have much to bring to you today, except to say that I am enjoying this special time with my mom in Paris.

Rooftops of Paris // image via

I am going to soak up this time with my mom this week, but have some lovely guest bloggers lined up to fill my spot.

Send me an email or comment below if you have any recommendations & follow along via Instagram (@birdietobe).

Hope you had a great weekend!

Converse Inspired Friday

I have seen Converse around the web lately and am dying for a pair. I love the look of them for spring and summer.

one // two // three // four

Here is my take on a perfect go-to outfit for summer with these white sneakers:

tank top // silk scarf // distressed denim // converse chuck taylors // beach bag

I am so excited for my trip to Paris tomorrow and even more excited to see my mom. It has been over 4 months. Dublin certainly makes me homesick and I look forward to recharging with her this coming week.

Stayed tuned for some fun guest posts and follow along in Paris via Instagram (@birdietobe)!

Linked with A Liz Adventures and Meet at the Barre

Midweek Musings

Today's third edition of midweek musings comes in the form of lovely Pinterest finds.

The weather here is gloomy again today and I thought this board would brighten things up a bit.

1 // The brightness and colors of this bedroom are gorgeous. I hope to recreate this look & feel once we move back home.

2 // I love this pineapple print design. So fun and summery.

3 // This would be such a lovely piece to take to the beach this summer. I need something like this for our cruise in July.

4 // What better treat than homemade pretty pink ice cream in waffles cones.

Here are past midweek musing editions I and II.

Happy Easter!

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! It has been such a lovely long weekend with the bird chasing down the last of the cherry blossom trees here in Dublin.

This week is full of outfit planning and prep for my trip to Paris! Can't wait to spend the week there with my mom starting Saturday. Any last minute suggestions would be very well received. :)

Friday's Round up + Winners

Yay for Friday and the long Easter weekend ahead!

Paris trip planning // abstract canvas // pink cocktails // spring flowers

1 // A week from today, I will be traveling to Paris! I am beyond excited! This is a trip for just my mom and I and it seems like the perfect mother/daughter getaway to me!

2 // After this lovely giveaway, I have been inspired by gorgeous abstract art everywhere. Even though it isn't the real thing, I found this gold leaf abstract canvas diy on Pinterest that has me seriously inspired.

3 // It's spring... and pink cocktails are in order. I may have to start with this pretty Rhubarb Sour.

4 // April showers bring may flowers. These would certainly brighten up our place and actually make it feel like spring around here.

5 // Lastly, here are the winners from the giveaways last week:

• $30 Art Print Credit + 1 Turkish towel  //  Winner: Natalia

• 1 necklace, 1 bracelet + 1 8x10 or 2 5x7 Print  //  Winner: Emi

• Crocodile Fold Over Clutch  //  Winner: Claire

Congrats to the winners! And thank you for everyone who participated and has supported Birdie to be!

Happy Friday & Easter weekend! Here's to a long weekend of indulgence in chocolate eggs and jelly beans.

Linked with A Liz Adventures

Weekend in London

A couple weeks ago my brother was over for a visit. It is so nice having family over... but makes us miss home so much!

During his stay, we took a quick trip over to London to show him the sites. It was such a fun weekend!

We managed to cover all the touristy attractions, including Big Ben, The Parliament Buildings, London Eye, Kensington Palace, Westminster Abbey, St. James' Cathedarl, Soho District and Abbey Road.

The last two times we've been over to London, we've stayed at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge. I highly recommend this hotel. The rooms were very nice and it's in the perfect location for walking around site seeing & taking the Tube.

Weekend Recaps

I hope you had a great weekend. Ours was lovely and I am already looking forward to the long weekend coming up!

The morning sunrise along the canal on the way to yoga Friday morning.

Saturday date night here, complete with Champagne Mint Juleps. Yum!

Arguably one of my favorite things about spring are the pretty pink cherry blossoms.

On Sunday, we took another hike along the Howth coastline.

Here are pictures from our last hike there.

Don't forget about the giveaways (one, two and three) from last week. They are all open til Friday. I will announce the winner in my post.

Linked with Join the Gossip

Fold Over Clutch giveaway

Yay for Friday!

Today I am hosting the final giveaway of the week from the MimicDesigns shop.

Leopard Clutch // Crocodile Fold Over (giveaway) // Calf hair Fold Over // Camel Fold Over

How lovely are these clutches... handmade all the way from Bali! I love them all.

The details:
-You will win the Crocodile Fold Over Clutch; my favorite!
-Enter below for all your chances to win!
-The winner will be announced Friday, April 18, 2014.
a Rafflecopter giveaway In case you missed them, the first giveaway was an Art Print credit and Turkish Towel and the second giveaway was a Necklace & Bracelet combo, plus an Art Print. (Both are also open until April 18, 2014).

More goodies to giveaway

As promised, I am hosting my second round of giveaways today in honor of my 3 year Blogiversary!

Today I have 3 goodies for you win! The first two are a lovely necklace and bracelet combo from lizas little things.

She has so many more gorgeous colors and combinations to chose from at her shop!

The second giveaway are the sweetest prints you ever did see.

Those flamingos are my favorite! Be sure to visit the Wrens Roost shop for more fun prints to chose from.

The details:
-You will win the choice of 1 necklace and 1 bracelet (up to a $40 value) + 1 8x10 or 2 5x7 prints of your choice!
-Enter below for all your chances to win!
-The winner will be announced Friday, April 18, 2014.
a Rafflecopter giveaway In case you missed it, the first giveaway was an Art Print credit and Turkish Towel (also open until April 18, 2014).

Giveaway week!

Happiest of Mondays!

I put together a few giveaways this week in celebration of my 3 year blog anniversary. It's my way of saying thank you to all of my readers and followers. You always make my day! To kick off the week, I have two fabulous things to give away today!

The first is from the gorgeous art print shop of Parima Creative Studio.

Here are a few of my favorite abstract prints. There's a lot more to see and chose from at her beautiful shop!

The second giveaway is very exciting since I will be traveling there in July: a handmade Turkish towel from Istanbul.

The Anatolian has so many more beautiful colors to chose from!

The details:
You will win 1 $30 credit to Parima Creative Studio + 1 Turkish towel of your choice!
Enter below for all your chances to win!
The winner will be announced Friday, April 18, 2014.

Good luck! And don't forget to stop by Wednesday and Friday for more giveaway goodies! 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spring Essentials

I am wrapping up the week with my spring picks for this year. In case you missed it, here's a link to my winter favorites.

Linen scarf // Sunglasses // Bucket Bag // Striped espadrilles // Denim shorts

The bucket bag design is growing on me and I definitely like it in this cool gray color. And if you ask me, you can't go wrong with a combo of blush pink, denim shorts and striped espadrilles.

Don't forget about the giveaway week starting Monday, April 7th!

And thanks for putting up with my consecutive vacation recap posts last week! 

Have a lovely weekend!

Linked with Long Distance Loving and A Liz Adventures

Italy: Amalfi Coast recap (part III)

I am wrapping up the final recap of the Amalfi Coast with our last leg which we spent on the island of Capri. This place is beyond dreamy. I already want to go back.

Here is a panorama shot from the ferry ride into Capri.

You can get to Capri via the ferry, fast ferry or hydofoil (fastest) and during the high season, boats depart from multiple destinations throughout the Amalfi Coast. We purchased our tickets at the dock.

We went right before high season, which was good and bad. It was busy, prices were good and we were able to get a free up grade at our hotel: Hotel Floridiana. The downside was that a lot of the shops and a few restaurants weren't opening until the next week.

Either way, I loved Capri. It was absolutely gorgeous and a place I never thought I would get to travel to.

Here are the other recaps from the Amalfi Coast if you missed them:

Part I: Sorrento & Positano

Part II: Path of the Gods hike