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Our first beach trip with Rowdy was a success. Little man loves the water!

Leading up to our trip, I spent a lot of time researching, planning and packing. I've had several of you interested in what worked for us - so I'm sharing our beach/travel essentials below. 

Beach/Pool Essentials

1. Air free float. I was influenced an Instagram ad and he LOVED it. Baby can float on his back or belly. Comes with a UPF 50+ canopy shade. We used this primarily in the pool at the house but on a calm day, I would have taken this to the beach as well. He loved being able to float around on his own, especially after a hot day at the beach. HERE
2. Travel High Chair - This is purchase we've used every day since it arrived and we will continue to use it. A lightweight, foldable travel high chair/booster. We used this at the beach a few times when he was playing but we used this every time we fed him at the house. **A great affordable baby gift** HERE
3. Stroller Fan - After a walk by the river several weeks ago, we realized Summer was going to be way too hot for a baby. Immediately went home and added this fan to my cart. We use it all the time in his carseat and stroller. It attaches to virtually anything so it was a lifesaver at the beach. #1 tip for the beach with babies... you can never have enough fans. It is HOT. If you plan on using it all day, charge it every night. HERE
4. Cordless Fan - Remember where I mentioned you can never have enough fans. That is one thing we were short on at the beach but our SIL had this for her 10 week old and it is a must for hot days on the beach or at the lake. HERE or HERE
5. Hooded Towels - I've talked about these a lot because we love them. But we took two hooded towels and used them daily at the beach/pool and after baths every night. HERE
6. Ice/Food Pacifier - This was another TOP essential at the beach. It was so hot. I put ice chips in this pacifier all day and he loved it. He stayed hydrated and it entertained him. I can't wait to try it with fruit soon! HERE
7. Sunscreen - We survived the beach with a VERY FAIR SKINNED baby and no sunburn! He is so pale I was terrified. Our pediatrician recommended THIS sunscreen and we loved it. My SIL used these two HERE and HERE on her 10 week old and we will be adding these to our rotation!
8. Sun Hat - We took several hats for Rowdy and honestly this is the only one we ended up using. He wears it almost every time we go outside. Pale baby probs. HERE
9. Tent - This tent is big enough for a few people and great for kids when they are napping at the beach or playing. Glad we bought it and I know we will use it a ton in the future, but honestly for a 10 wk old and 6 month old - we barely used it. Neither of them can sit on their own so they were in our laps the whole time. We are going back to the beach in August and now that Rowdy is starting to sit, I know we will use this a lot more. For older or multiple kids, I think this is a must. HERE
10. Pacifier - I have to throw this in as a must because Rowdy loves these pacifiers. And they are so cute! HERE
11. Disposable Swim Diapers - I have mixed feelings on swim diapers. They're great but getting a pull-up style diaper on a wet baby is challenging. And when they say they don't swell - it's because they don't absorb water so don't use them until you're really ready to go to the water. They were great for the beach but at the pool at home we mainly used reusable swim diapers. Side note: don't buy these on Amazon. They are like double the price. HERE
12. Reusable Swim Diaper - We loved this one and he wore it by itself in the pool and under swim trunks at the beach. HERE
13. Onesie Rash Guard - Most rash guards are shirts - we loved THIS onesie rash guard because it didn't ride up.
14. Diaper Trash Bags - Dog waste bags are genius for traveling. We used these for dirty diapers at the beach, beach house and for the car ride. We had a few blowouts (yikes) on the trip back so I put his dirty outfits in these as well. HERE

Honestly, I could go on for days with my favorite products so far for Rowdy. Is that something you're interested in seeing on our blog? Shoot me a DM or comment below, I'd love to know. And I know all you mommas have all the tips and tricks, I'd love to hear them!

Welcome back to our series, The Power of Paint. In the first part of the series, we talked about how wall color can really transform a space. We showed you several client before and afters, see here if you missed it!

Today we're going to dive into transforming furniture with the power of paint. The exciting part about today's topic is this is something totally achievable for a weekend project or during quarantine. 

All of the pieces below were refinished using Amy Howard's Chalk Paint line. We carry this at The Mill if you're looking to rehab some pieces now! If you've never used Chalk Paint, you are missing out.

It really is as simple as:

1. Clean your piece. Use a degreaser like Simple Green to remove any build up or residue. If there are any rough areas, gently sand those down. You DO NOT need to sand off the existing finish, you just want to create a smooth canvas.
2. Shake. Shake. Shake. Before you open your can of paint, make sure you shake it really well. You want to make sure the chalk base mixes really well with the pigment. 
3. Apply 2-3 THIN coats of chalk paint. Depending on the color of the paint you are using and existing finish, you can apply 2-3 thin coats. You will be able to tell if you need another coat. This paint dries pretty quickly and you will be able to tell when it is dry because you'll notice a very chalky finish. 
4. You can either leave it the chalk finish (it is completely fine like this) or apply a wax or sealer. If you are going for an antique finish, I would recommend light antique wax all over and dry brushing dark wax in areas it would naturally distress. 

​
Displaying several examples below

Not all chalk paint finishes have to be "Shabby Chic." For this space below, I did a simple sleek finish to tie into this modern, lived in space. 

What I did: Black Chalk Paint, Gloss Sealer. 
We also reupholstered the cushions in a textured black leather. 

Amy Howard finishes can be as simple or as complex as you want. For this fireplace below we refinished EVERYTHING, tile and all in Amy Howard. This was a bit more complex and something I would recommend after you've done a few smaller projects.

What I did: Refinished the mantel with Black Chalk Paint, distressed with light antique wax, dark antique wax, dust of ages, liming wax to give a little more depth and gilding on the details. For the tile, I refinished in a light gray chalk paint with a darker gray glaze to give a marbled look in the crevices and sealed with gloss sealer. I feel like I could do an entire post on just this mantel, it turned out great!

This is our most common refinish. It is simple and can be tackled in an afternoon or weekend.

What I did: Refinished the frame in a gray chalk paint, covered with light antique wax, distressed with dark antique wax and dust of ages to give a antiqued look.
We also reupholstered the cushion to give this chair a whole new life. 

Grab a chair, side table, or a chest of drawers and let's get to painting!
​
Have questions about refinishing? Leave a comment below so others can see too. 

Welcome to our new series “The Power of Paint.” Over the next several posts we are going to dive into just how powerful paint can be when transforming your space. We’ll talk about the power of paint on walls and refinishing furniture/accessories in your space.

Getting a little cabin fever? These are all things you can tackle when in quarantine. 

We’re kicking off this series with a dramatic start. This post is going to show you how paint can drastically transform a space. Paint has the ability to make a space feel closed in and busy but it also has the power to make a space feel much larger, brighter and fresh. 

Let’s dive in to a before and after in one of our client’s homes. ​

Reagan: As I am sure you can relate to also, it can change from day to day. Once I’m in the flow of things and working on shaping, a lot of new designs will come to me as I’m piecing them together and I can continue to build on from there. I’ve never been much for drawing, but there are times that while I’m at work or even at home cooking in the kitchen, I’ll think of certain patterns and shapes that I have to be sure to draw out before they slip my mind. It is sort of funny how once you’re so invested in a project, you’ll get new creative ideas to elaborate on even when you’re not necessarily in the middle of working on that project!

The Mill: Traveling and fellow creatives are a huge source of inspiration for us at The Mill. Where/what do you find you are most inspired and influenced by?

Reagan: Anyone that has met me knows I have a huge heart for nature and plants, so I tend to find a lot of inspiration from those ethereal textures and tones and is why I feel so lead to work with clay. Also, I am really inspired by artists like Bobby Clark, Renne Gouin, and Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec. I find it intriguing when artists create pieces purely driven by a texture or pattern, or tones that speak to them to create a new contrast. Something as simple as my mom’s rosemary bush in her front yard, or seeing an abstract painting that resonates with me can all be inspirational when deciding new pieces for a collection.

The Mill: I know for me personally, there a few things that spark creativity and get those juices flowing. Do you have any workspace must-haves? Like a cup of coffee, or a certain kind of music playing in the background that help make the process more enjoyable?

Reagan: One of the greatest things that I love about working with clay is that it is such a change from a usual day working on my computer! I can put on a Phoebe Bridgers or Brother Bird playlist, cozy up with a latte and really get immersed in working. Of course, I always have to make sure my favorite candle from The Mill is lit in my work space too, the Prosecco candle from Antica Farmacista.  

The Mill: If you had to, could you pick a piece you’ve created that is your favorite? What draws you to this piece? ​