Getting together is hard to do…I was literally just telling one of my friends this. …
baby blake’s nursery
Our nursery project is finally complete! And by “complete” I mean that we had to force ourselves to STOP. Like literally. I think we could have worked on this little project forever…and not because it was complicated or drawn out…but because it was a JOY. We loved this one folks. For reals.
I think I forgot how much fun putting together a room could be until this little number came along. AND it’s a nursery. Which means we got to swoon over the cutest accessories and the sweetest little details {like “Larry” above…<3}. AND our client was awesome and let us basically do whatever we wanted!? Yep. They didn’t have a direction in mind for this nursery but they trusted us, which also means they let us MAKE stuff. Oh the joy!!!
Here’s where we started…
The existing room was a blank slate. Beige carpet, beige walls, white blinds, and a ceiling fan.
Existing Room:
We came up with a design concept for them and helped them shop, shop, shop. We started with the most expensive of furnishings (like we always do for style and design) and then found better priced options where we could. For instance, we might have been pinning Restoration Hardware cribs to begin with, but that was more for concept and to get our design juices flowing. In the end, our Client actually found the perfect crib at babys-r-us…! We just led them thru the design process and gave them some specific details to look for…like bun feet, lol. (images to follow later in the post!)
Design Concept:
Since our Client is a huge lover of animals, we thought using animals as accents in the space would be perfect. From the start we knew we didn’t want this room to be overly themed in any way (I try to avoid themed rooms if it can be helped)… so we knew we were looking for pieces that didn’t necessarily come from the same store or line, but that would ultimately pull the look together without being too matchy-matchy. We also wanted it to be a room that would grow with him. Not too baby, not too grown up. And the room had to be a little glamorous…if you could see this little guy’s parents, you’d know why. They sparkle and don’t even try to. Seriously. They’ve got it going on. So we knew Blake’s little man room needed to be “man glammed”… if that’s even a phrase.
Custom Pieces:
We also got a little crazy and decided to make a few things ourselves…eeeek! Which is always one of my favorite parts. There’s something about using drills and saws and tape measures that’s just plain old exciting. But that’s usually only when our hubby’s aren’t around to watch and unknowingly “judge” of course. 🙂 They mean well…we know that! And we love them dearly. No doubt. But it’s sort of like trying to watch your husband ice a cake. Yes, he’s capable and could totally ice a mean cake. But it’s almost too painful to watch. There are tricks and short cuts they just can’t comprehend…and well…they’re just not as good at it. That’s how it is with our hubby’s and tools. They’re the experts. We’re just NOT. At least, not YET 🙂
We made two things for Blake’s little nursery. A wood name-board for his fabulous light up letters…and a custom robe hook to hold frames and hats and cute little man stuff above his changing table. Both made of reclaimed wood, sanded and then waxed with a dark wax. See below!
Finished Nursery:
To start, let me introduce you to Baby Blake. Doesn’t he just melt your heart? He’s the sweetest, happiest little guy…as if you couldn’t tell, right? And he LOVES his room. Seriously…we took these photos the morning we finished the room. And he just sat there smiling, looking all around and grabbing at his new rug. 🙂
And now the less cute stuff, but the stuff I LIVE for…here’s the “after” shot of the room.
Here’s the before and after side by side photos. The “before” is before we painted and staged everything. I show you this because a lot of people would buy all the stuff for their room and leave it just like this “before” picture. Which is fine. But it could be SO much more with drapes and a rug and the right accessories and the right paint color.
Here’s another before and after. The ceiling fan. Changing that element changed the whole room. It defined the space, brought things down a bit for a more intimate feel, added some texture and well…just made the room look “kool”.
And here’s the custom name-board we made again.
The details…it’s all about the details my friends. You can find pieces like this dresser at Babys-r-us…you just have to dig a little. Look at those pulls, and all the detailing on drawer fronts, and the bun feet. Oh, how I love a bun foot on a dresser 🙂
And here’s our custom robe hook we made from a piece of old wood, 3 pulls from Hobby Lobby and some rope.
And seriously. This might be my most favorite part of the room. A CHEWBACCA onsie!!! {a gift I hear from Baby Blake’s Uncle Luke…nice job dude!}
Project Princess Canopy
A few months ago I was helping my daughter dream up ideas for her room. One thing she kept mentioning was a princess tent. But we had one already, and it was partly broken and awkward and ALWAYS in the way. And I have to confess that one afternoon, when no little eyes were following me around, I secretly chucked that sucker into the trash. It was one of those silent victories you get as a mom…when you sit back and relax and watch the kids search and KNOW they’ll never be able find it 🙂
I knew what I was up against. A tent. They’re fun, and I’m all about letting these little people have some of it. Really. I just prefer tent fun to be had outside. People trip over them in the middle of the night and it’s no fun landing on dolls and combs and laptops and dishes when you’re least expecting it. Seriously. They pack them full, and shortly after, abandon ship…never to return.
So we came up with the idea to make a tent out of her bed. We shopped online for canopies at Lands End and Pottery Barn and Restoration. I’d put them in my cart and could never commit. It just seemed so expensive, even with the holiday sales. And I’m picky, let’s face it. There was always something “off” about each one of them. So as usual, I came up with the bright idea that we’d make our own. That was months ago. And this poor girl of mine has kept asking and asking and asking. So yesterday I took the day off while my little gal was home sick. Which basically means I worked on something around here that I don’t get paid for. At least not in cash. And sometimes those are the best projects. The ones I do on a whim and get paid in HUGS for. 🙂
SUPPLIES:
- 3 rods or sticks for a sloped ceiling, or 2 for a flat ceiling
- 6 ceiling hooks, or 4 for a flat ceiling
- burlap string
- curtains, sheets or fabric (I used 4 120″ long sheets and 1 king size bed sheet)
- string lights
STEP 1
You’ll need 3 rods a little longer than the width of your bed. (Or two if you’re ceiling is flat…see blue sketch above). One for the middle, and two for each end. You could buy a curtain rod or a wooden rod and cut them down.
Or if you’re cheap like me, gather STICKS. Long straight ones are best if you’re using a ringed curtain for the canopy. If you’re just draping fabric over the stick, straightness doesn’t matter so much. Either way, find some that can hold some weight. Then use your foot as a brace and grab one end and puuuull, breaking them to the length you want. It’s not perfect, but it works, let me tell ya. Especially if you’re going for the “natural” look…lol.
STEP TWO
Find some hardware. I used these little hooks and twisted them into the drywall ceiling right above where the rod/sticks will hang. I used two per stick, one on each end of the stick.
STEP THREE
Then I found some burlap string or twine I had lying around and strung it thru each ceiling hook and tied a fancy knot.
STEP FOUR
Weave the center stick (preferably the straightest one) thru the curtain rings. I used four sheer curtains and hung two at a time, alternating rings from one curtain to the other. This helped the curtains looked woven together at the top rod. I even drew you a little sketch to explain.
STEP FIVE
Stick the rods/sticks thru the knotted string holes.
STEP SIX
Drape your fabric from the center stick out to the end sticks.
STEP SEVEN
Stop and get some hugs from your happy tent lover.
STEP EIGHT
Grab a sheet or two and hang them on the front. I actually used an old king size sheet I had and cut it in half. Then cut small holes in the sheet and tie them with the burlap string to each rod/stick. I ended up folding the corners of the sheet back over the canopy since our ceiling is sloped. If you were working with a flat ceiling you wouldn’t have to do that.
STEP NINE
String up some lights if you’re feeling crazy!
cozy minimalist – master bedroom
I’m doing something surprising. I’m taking an online design course. What?! Yep. Me, doing something for myself. ??? Why not ya’ll? And yes, I realize that I’m already a designer. But it’s always good to stretch yourself a bit and to be open to learning new ways of doing things. Plus, I never do things for myself. I take on projects for friend’s nurseries and kitchens and never…and I mean NEVER…finish my own spaces. I think I get designer block because I love a million different styles, and get caught up designing and redesigning and then never end up doing anything. So I leave things as is. I don’t add to them. I don’t accessorize. I wait. And a year later…I’m still there. Using old and unwanted furniture that doesn’t belong in the spot it’s in, but that I have dreams for.
For instance, there were two or three quirky lamps and little tables in this house when we moved in. Now they’re being used as our night stands and lighting in our master bedroom, and they just don’t belong. Like at all. I have ideas for them of course. To paint and repurpose…along with a million other things I collect and stash away in corners of rooms, and our basement, and our barn. {sigh}
Our house is basically a blank canvas. Every room was painted white by the previous homeowners, probably to help it sell. And I LOVE it. There’s just something about a classic white backdrop that makes me feel happy. But my hubby has commented on it, more than once, and I guess that man needs color. So I know a few rooms will get a splash of something eventually. If I can ever make a decision.
A few months ago I spotted an old door in the barn that I thought would be perfect for a headboard in our bedroom. I measured it…and yep. The perfect size. I mentioned it to the hubs and got “the nod”. Then I waited. And waited. And well, we’re busy. Things just don’t happen around here until you put the drill in your own hand. And it usually happens unplanned, while in the middle of doing dishes. And you realize the kids are busy and the baby’s napping…so why the heck not?
Well, one reason might be because it has to weigh over 100 lbs. NOT KIDDING. But I heave hoed that sucker under my arm, then on my back, and even balanced it on my head. Oh what a show the neighbors had. Eventually, I made it to the patio and thoughtfully placed it where it could not be missed.
And then the hubs realized I was serious. And well…the rest is history. Isn’t he dashing by the way? Oh how I love this guy. {swoon}
And voila! Now I feel like a true adult. I have a headboard. For the first time EVER. {insert clap of hands emoji}.
This bedroom has a long way to go though. And I know this online course thru the Nester will inspire and equip me to actually finish something for myself. AND to do it better than I would on my own!
I’m seriously SO stinking excited about this course! It’s a 4 week course called the Cozy Minimalist…you pick a room and the designer guides you thru the design process helping you to finish it off . And it’s using a lot of the stuff you already have in your home, buying new, repurposing…whatever fits in to your style and budget. SO FUN! I’m doing it with a friend, so we’re both tackling our unfinished rooms together. I’m hoping to post her room on here as well. It’s impossible to overdose on “before and afters” right?
Here are my embarrassing before photos. And it’s embarrassing because it’s stark and empty and this is supposedly my JOB people. My rooms should not look like this, I know. But I’ve refused to accessorize and move forward since I haven’t had a plan. That will be changing though!!!
You can see we’re in the process of replacing old windows. It had to be done. This place is an ice house in the winter. It was built in 1889, which basically means no insulation. Like anywhere. Can you hear my teeth chattering??? [brrrrrrr]
The dresser above I got a garage sale like 6 years ago. I was pregnant at the time so I did a quick paint job of a chocolate color, but never got around to adding pulls or finishing it correctly…which is SO me by the way. I’m going to repaint it for my bedroom redo though. And finally do it justice. Yippee!!!
And you can see the blue beaded chandelier I made for a friend’s barn style wedding reception. It was a fabulous off white at the time and hung above their head table, lit with LED’s…so charming! Ever since it’s been making appearances at baby showers and IF gatherings. And of course, it ended up in the corner of my bedroom because there was an existing hook in the ceiling…lol. Not completely thought out. But it is lovely. 🙂
And then there’s my cow chair. I took an upholstery class in college with some friends and thus the cow chair was born. It was funny…at the time people kept coming into the upholstery shop asking to buy the “cow chair”. Who knew? It’s been thru a lot all these years though. The arms and legs need some major repair. Or maybe a paint job. Hmmmm…
And how about those lamps? The one on the left is somewhat hideous…but I see potential. I’ve thought about ripping the fabric off the shade and using is as a shell for a hanging pendant. And then painting the base and maybe adding a new shade {two lights out of one!!!}. And the table it sits upon…well…not my style. But I always envisioned it as a little vanity desk for my daughter. But that’s yet another project.
And I have some work to do on these doors below. I also need to figure out what to do with the high storage above. I thought about opening them up and making a little library up there with a rolling ladder. Crazy, right? Or basket storage. Oh the possibilities…
There’s lots to do in the next four weeks! Stay tuned 🙂
never forget
The hubs and I went on a drive the other day. And wow. Sometimes it’s nice to just BE. Be together. Be alone. And by “alone” I mean there was still an infant child asleep behind us in his carseat {of course}. But it still counts as alone in our world. Sometimes the busy days and meetings and long hours and to do lists keep us from just being. It was a chance to breath together and sync our hearts once again and remember why and what and WHO these days are really all about.
We were listening to some worship music and before we knew it, Chris Tomlin’s “God of Angel Armies” was on. There are a lot of times I hear that song and it doesn’t prick my soul. I don’t go THERE. But yesterday was not one of those. Sometimes they’re just words we sing. Other times, they’re words that cut straight thru to our very hearts.
Have you ever noticed how quickly we forget what God has done for us? That’s something I’ve been learning on this journey of ours. It’s one of the things that I take with me and try to hold close. I see us, you know, each day… praying less, reading less, relying on Him less. Forgetting that we can walk side by side with God in the normal-est of days, with the same closeness and reliance as we did in the most desperate of times. He’s HERE you guys. Even in the every day. We just need to take a good look around.
Think about the Israelites. I never used to understand how fickle and self absorbed they could be. How could they forget the parting of the red sea? The manna from heaven??? Now I get it. I’m no different. I think that’s partly why God’s people made altars. You’ll find altars all over in the Bible. Mostly right after God did something big in the lives of His people. Sometimes He commanded them to do it. He knew they would need to remember. But I wonder if sometimes they did it on their own as well. Built an altar of remembrance and NAMED it.
We never stopped and stacked stones the many times God came thru big for us last year. We made a photo book and wrote posts on our caring bridge and blog. Never Forget. I think that’s what we’d name our altar. The words that line the binding of the coffee table book we made documenting last year.
There are lyrics and verses and photos and words that are written on our souls now. And there are days we unknowingly stumble across them and we’re taken back and we REMEMBER. Just like the Israelites. What God did. Who God was to us in that time. WHO HE STILL IS. Who He wants to be for us in the every day, even still. These altars take us to a real place. To the cross of our lives. Where we meet our Savior and are changed again. And again. And again. And we retell pieces of this story and God is glorified. And we are brought to our knees. And somehow this life makes sense again. That IS an altar, isn’t it?
“What it takes to build an altar are really just broken things.” Rocks maybe. Or maybe it’s the tree you planted when your grandma died. Or the song that reminds one of my best friends of the dear sweet brother she lost all those years ago. “You can take the hard and broken things and arrange them before the Lord”… and use it as a place to grow and reflect and stand in awe of Him and how He brought you thru. “Or you can drag the rocks around and allow yourself to be burdened by them.” (rephrased from an article I read by Jack Hayford on altars)
So yesterday it was a song. These words:
whom shall I fear…nothing formed against me shall stand…you hold the whole world in your hands…the God of angel armies is by my side…the one who reigns forever, He is a friend of MINE…I know who goes before me…I know who stands behind. (by Chris Tomlin, God of Angel Armies)
We held hands. Not just strolling thru the parking lot or sitting in the car mindlessly holding hands either. It’s like our souls were holding hands on that drive. We held back the tears and sang, or I did at least, and talked about what we were doing at this time last year. How we had just learned about his heart condition… how he had just got out of the hospital (for the second time)… how he had started IV antibiotics and felt trapped and like he would never taste life again… how one time we had to drop in at a dear friend’s house and hang his the IV bag from their ceiling fan so he could get his meds on time. {Funny now…but at the time, not so much}. How he sat in THAT chair…for weeks. And the kids would fight over who would carry him the tray of food because he could barely walk or stand or make it to the bathroom without help… and how he had constant aching and night sweats and day sweats and would have to change clothes every half hour for months. How he was almost brought to tears every time he passed by a mirror and could see what his body had become.
But eventually, we peeked our heads out. We continued to try to play our hand in life. The body starting healing. The rest came in time. And yes, those scary curtains eventually came down too. We had to humble ourselves, in many ways, and let the scary drapes of our circumstances hang for everyone to see. We couldn’t hide them. We weren’t supposed to.
We had a baby shower…
We had a BABY.
We made funny faces and tried to act like it wasn’t a big deal to be in a hospital again. We tried our best to be “normal” and not think about the big surgery looming ahead for him. At least for the moment he wasn’t the patient, I was.
We had a birthday party for Rig. Probably a week after the baby came and my c-section…and a week or two before Derek’s big surgery. Crazy. But necessary. We chose to keep living. Even though most of the time we were ready to crawl back in bed and hide under the covers.
We watched people play with our kids. And eventually we started playing too. We went to t-ball games. Derek was winded and dizzy, but we did our best to get out there.
We sent the kids outside with Papa Dan and let him drive them thru the yard and woods on the top of his old truck. We let them be kids.
I think for us, this remembering…has to include the hard AND the good. It’s all part of what God did in us. So yes, it’s good sometimes to stop by the altar of remembrance and stand in awe of this God of ours. To wipe the smudges off our perspectives and SEE Him again.
I’m thankful that we’ve moved forward and don’t have these conversations too too often. We don’t live in the past, I promise. But when we pass by the altar and God invites us back to where He’s taken us…we slow down for a few hours and take it ALL in. And we get a good look at this God of ours.
I was reading Psalm 77 this morning. The writer is crying out for help…in distress. But then in verse 10…
“To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your deeds.”
[i.will.remember.]
IF: design & decor
I made it to my first IF gathering. I’m still meandering thru my thoughts on it all…there’s just so much to unpack. The speakers were raw and real. I felt such a sense of community and sisterhood being there with all of those women. It’s something I haven’t felt quite like that before. \
I had the privilege of helping with the decor for the event, and that was a blessing in itself. Months before a friend had asked if I’d be involved. I remember hesitating, feeling unsure of what I could bring to the table…but I’m so glad I stepped up and out of my world of crazy self doubt. We met early on at a coffee shop downtown to talk about her vision. We gobbled down our lunches and chatted and prayed and before I knew it, I couldn’t keep up with my sharpie. When our two hearts and minds came together, ideas just flowed. I was sketching and doodling and designing my little heart away. And I’m not talking about anything grandiose or over the top either. I was working with yarn and cans and sticks…{lol}. I made trips to Good Will for milk glass vases and old frames and used the old lace drapes that were in our house when we moved in. We did buy a bolt of burlap and A LOT of babys breath. But other than that, we didn’t break the bank on decorations.
We prayed about it a lot along the way…from our first meeting to the last moments of set up. That whatever we did and however we did it…that God would be glorified. {and oh did we mean it}. We wanted God to be in it. For women to come and be blessed and feel comfortable enough to pour out their hearts to God. Not like they were at a church or a luncheon or a function {and no offense to any of those fabulous ways to commune with God either}. We were just dreaming of something else for this thing. We wanted it to be an intimate atmosphere that whispered acceptance and grace. I’m not sure how decor in any way shape or form can do that…but I truly believe that when God is “in” something…when He shows up…it can come alive. And OH DID IT. Thank.you.Lord.
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The concept: Create a simple and elegant atmosphere using a collection of all things rustic and natural.
{old wood boards, cans, twine, green and cream yarn, chunks of wood, lace, burlap, twigs, string lights, metal buckets, simple milk glass vases}
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Here was the beginnings of our string art sign. It was sort of the basis of the our whole design concept. Lyndseye’s handy hubby built the pallet substrate for us. You can see my little helper there in the corner. He wanted to rip the paper and eat the nails. Eventually he ended up in baby jail. {aka the jumper}
I made a template on the computer so that I wouldn’t have to measure out the nail locations. I didn’t have time for that, and this sign was pretty big as it was. I’ve discovered that when I work, it has to be quick. Like lighting fast. The little people require snacks and hugs and tickles every 15 minutes. So sending a drawing to the local print place is just easier for me. It might be because I spent years in a design firm and that’s the language I speak. However you slice it, this little template made nailing my 3 foot “I” and “F” cake.
This next image might help you understand WHY I can only work in 15 minutes increments. This is what my 4 year old did while I nailed the pattern down. I was working on project IF, he was working on project TENT DISASTER. You can see he’s in mid jump here. Probably testing out the strength of his tent roof. {sigh…}
I tore the paper off after all the nails were in. It probably took me an hour to do the nails and the yarn. Easy peasey.
My dad even joined in on the action. He followed me thru our woods one cold afternoon and heave-hoed all the down branches and logs that fit the size and shape of my liking {what a sweet dad}. Then he even pulled out the saw and cut them in random lengths for me. I truly heart him.
I also got a little crazy and cut up old lace curtains and used them for table runners. Our original idea was to use chicken wire as a layer over the lace {it looked AMAZING) but it was just too hard to work with in the end. It wouldn’t lay flat and I didn’t have the patience to deal with all the sharp edges. We ended up layering a strip of black tule over the lace to get the same contrasting effect. Much easier, and still pretty I guess.
This “angel” puzzle was in one of the old frames I bought from Good Will … I thought it was fitting that it ended up being the straight edge I used to cut the lace against. God was in the details, like literally. But we knew that with or without an angel straight edge 🙂
I also made two large coffee filter wreaths. I decided to dye the coffee filters light gray by soaking them in a mixture of water and black paint for a few minutes. We laid them out on tables in front of space heaters to dry. Like I always say…whatever works, people! It was somewhat time consuming gluing them all together, but mainly because I was sort of OCD about bunching them together as close as possible. I used over 1000 coffee filters in the end. Thank goodness Aldi sells them cheap!
My son Rigby wanted to be in the photo below since he helped. He stayed up late one night with me separating all the filters. I heart him too 🙂 Who asks to be in a photo and then refuses to look at the camera??? I think I better pause here and apologize for jumping back and forth between serious design and sarcasm. Please know it cannot be helped. 😉
Since we wanted to atmosphere to be cozy and intimate, we surrounded the tables with walls of pipe and drape, basically pulling the walls of our sanctuary in. And by “we” I mean Tom…the amazing facilities guy at our church. He offered up a lot of suggestions and really helped us get everything just right.
We also used long runs of tables end to end so that it had more of a community feel. I think it helped us feel like we were all part of this thing together. Quaint and cozy, and well, just plain lovely.
And we can’t forget this little man. I know he was helping his Momma behind the scenes as well 🙂
And here she is…Miss Lyndsye…our IF coordinator extraordinaire! We had so much fun working together on this. Seriously. I swear we were finishing each other’s sentences by the end. We even accidentally wore matching shirts to set up…”twinning” as Lyn put it. So fun!
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And finally we were ready for IF:Valpo
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(photo credits to Liz Bradley and Jerry Grafton)