5th Wedding Anniversary: Wooden gift Guide

Our 5th wedding anniversary is just around the corner on June 2nd!! Crazy to imagine it's already been five years and a lot has happened in these past five years (hello two kids!!!?!?!!!). And as with every past anniversary, I thought a themed gift guide would be fun! The traditional gift for the 5th anniversary is wood, although apparently silverware is the modern version, LAME! 

I love wood and I figure one could have a lot of fun with this theme- a new wooden bed, or big piece of wooden furniture- be it a new table, teak outdoor furniture... etc etc. OR if your a home owner planting some trees would be a nice take on the wood theme. So I went through my etsy favorites and gathered a little round up together of some nice wooden gift ideas. Enjoy!

Above: Desk Caddy by PegAndAwl, they have a lot of nice wood gifts!

Pine Wood Shelf, 19c

Woods, poster

wooden wall clock

Picnic cooler

Small Geometric house

DIY your own Russian nesting dolls

wooden magnets

Salad Bowls

Master Bedroom Makeover, final pictures

As I mentioned many weeks ago, one of my bigger nesting projects was to redo our bedroom, by updating our headboard, and giving the room an overall neutral and relaxing feel since I knew with a new baby around I would be spending a lot more time in our room during wakeful nights of nursing etc...  The finishing touches came with the artwork, which was hung shortly after our son was born. And so I wanted to share the final pictures with you as well as some process pictures...

BEFORE: Master bedroom when we moved in, October 2012. 

(yes there's a dog on the bed. eye-spy)

The original window treatments in our rental were a bit dated and didn't move very easily without breaking... so per our request our landlord bought faux white wooden blinds for every room in the house, which was awesome and instantly updated the house and especially our bedroom. Since the biggest uninterrupted wall is basically a series of windows, curtains can either make or break this space... and these felt visually overwhelming and like we were living in an old motel.

After installing the blinds in late winter, we lived without curtains for a while, as I shopped around and weighed our options. In the end I went with pre made gray linen curtains from Ikea. They were very inexpensive at $49 for two panels, and since we needed 5, this would work well with our budget! Much cheaper than buying fabric to make them myself, plus I was running out of sewing time before our baby's arrival.

They are a bit sheer and perhaps some day I will line them, but they soften the room and keep out the extra light that peeks through the blinds. But since they are sheer they don't feel as visually overwhelming as the opaque original curtains felt. (yes that's a baby on the bed!)

 I wrote a post about my search for artwork above the bed, and I chose this landscape I found on etsy by FallowPhotography. It was a picture she took in England that she gladly had printed in a larger size for me! I really wanted a landscape with a lovely atmospheric quality that was also very simple. Since it came with a white border, I simply bought a frame at Michaels, slipped the photo in and hung it!

As for the other new additions to the bedroom- I recovered our large red pillow with a new blue pillow cover (sewn by yours truly). And the linen pillow case came from ikea for $12, can't beat that! I also updated my lamp with a smaller and more tailored paper lampshade. It fits the lamp so much better, plus I'm no longer worried about knocking it over!

As for the other artwork in our room, I went around the house and gathered together a little tryptic for above my bedside table. These two paintings were perched on our mantle, but the mantel was beginning to feel a bit crowded, so this was the perfect- two birds with one stone- solution! Plus I wanted to have older oil paintings in the room as a balance to the more modern photograph above the bed and to add texture and visual interest in contrast to the neutral color pallet of the headboard and bedding. Plus I love how they look above my ISIS lamp. And the metal piece, that houses sea glass I gathered from lake como, adds a sculptural balance to the two paintings. (The lighthouse was painted in Maine in the late 1800's and I found it on etsy for a song. And the floral painting has been in the family... and I acquired it somehow!)

Above: is my inspiration for our bedroom makeover.

This was my first decorating project where I came up with an inspiration board in order to fine tune what I wanted our room to have and to reflect, with more specifics, etc. Then I worked with what we already had on hand as well as adding a few new things to the mix- updated headboard, curtains, and a new photograph. I think it would be functional and fun to also have a colorful throw at the end of the bed (pictured is our striped seasonal only- winter down duvet). So I'll be on the look out for a cotton throw that adds a pop to the room, while providing a cozy layer for snuggling with the kids post nap time.

This was a very fun and perhaps a more grown up way to decorate a space. I look forward to one day doing the same for our family room!

crickets... ie: explaining my blog absence..

I'd like to think and thus be able to say that this blog post in an indication that I'm Back baby! That I'll once again be blogging on a regular daily basis, that I haven't given up on this mini creative outlet, or outreach... And I haven't given up, just simply finding a new rhythm and prioritizing my new life as a mom of two. (which is still kinda wild to say and type!)

So where have I been this last month and what's been going on!?

Well, firstly I didn't expect to take a month off from my blog, in fact after our daughter was born blogging became a very regular thing but that's life with one... now we have a toddler AND a baby and even though the baby sleeps well and gives us nice 4-5 hr stretches, our daughter has suddenly started not sleeping so well. BUMMER. After 4 months of being a stellar sleeper in her big bed, she now gets out of her bed a few times during the night... so that's awesome (eye roll). I'll be sure to blog more about this toddler wakeful thing later (fingers crossed).

So this past month has seen its challenges, mainly in the nursing department... I got sick, had to heal, and get breast feeding back up and running... it was rough for a few weeks there, but we are back on track. Our son is gaining weight at a crazy pace and thanks to our awesome lactation consultant, I stuck with it and have been able to continue to nurse. (it was touch and go there for a while, thought I might have to throw in the towel). But now nursing still takes forever and requires both hands... so add that to the baby needing to nurse every 2-3 hrs... and thats all I've been doing, but I have the perspective that babyhood is fleeting and this time next year I'll have more free time- yah know to stay on top of the dishes and laundry, like a true cliche.

Besides all the nitty gritty, we are having fun with our newest addition! He's very sweet and chill. He's smiling a bit more this week.. like he's thinking back on some inside joke. We managed to go the shore at the end of April for a long weekend, and it was fun to see how we faired out and about as a family of four.

Well, thats the condensed version...! I hope to elaborate on some hidden themes in future posts. I hope your last 5 weeks have been glorious with spring time! Cant believe we are half way through May!!!

See you back here soon!

xo

abs

Introducing Our Son...

Our son Ansel Norman was born this weekend. arriving early Saturday morning at 2:23 am and just a little less than a week before his due date (gotta love that!).  We are all doing well. His Big Sister is over the moon in love with him. She claps in the morning after waking up to find that Ansel is still here!! (I hope this feeling lasts! lol) It's been a great past couple of days and we are excited to see how this all plays out, what type of little guy Ansel will be and his relationship with his sister and with us of course. It's very exciting.  Here are just a few pictures... I hope to return to a some what regular blog schedule next week-ish!

xo

abs

Links and Such

Hi All, Happy Thursday!  I like the above quote... it reminds me of when I was a camp counselor and after being particularly goofy a camper told me "You're Weird!" she said it admiringly (I tell myself). But honestly whenever I've received this observation I've chalked it up to that person's sheltered exposure to Awesomeness.  ; ) Below are some links and things I've been book marking this week. Have a great Thursday!

adorable little girl's swim suit
Recipe: How to make coconut butter
Organization Inspiration: Tea Drawer
Reupholstery yardage chart
How to Prepare a Toddler for the arrival of a new baby
Parrot Lamp
Adorable knit goods
Money saving and budgeting concept: the 7 bank accounts every family should have
FYI: How to get out Dry Eraser Marker stains from clothes (this happened to our daughter's new hoodie... rubbing alcohol helped a lot)

And our Master Bedroom makeover... more updates and pictures to follow tomorrow!

A round up of Landscape and Nature themed Artwork for our Bedroom

As I mentioned in yesterday's Bedroom makeover post, I would love to have a new piece of artwork above the bed. Artwork qualifications are- something subdued in color and of a landscape or nature related subject matter. Here's a little round up of what I've been finding...

Above: Sticks by Katie Ridley

Into Dusk, by Jane Beharrell

Highway 17, by Jamie Hogge

Water, by Jamie Hogge

Antlers, by Natural Curiosity

Foggy Forest Creek, by Kevin Russ

And below are a few photoshop mock ups to get an idea of what these pieces would look like in the space.

It's so interesting to see what they look like above the bed... photographs that might not be a first choice, suddenly read very well and much better than others...!

We shall see...!?

Before and After: DIY Headboard Makeover

As I mentioned in last month's Bedroom Makeover post, I've had a real desire to make over our master bedroom with the goal to make it more subdued, neutral and cohesive, less visually busy and thus more of a retreat.  I wanted this bedroom makeover to be a gift to the husband and myself, a little "Treat yo-self" moment... the ultimate gift for when we become the parents of two children (any day now!). ABOVE is our original bedroom beside my photoshop envisioned room makeover inspiration. Scroll down to the very bottom for the AFTER shot! ; )

Side note: It's funny that 3 years ago, and the last time I was pregnant, we made our original king headboard and for only $70! And now here we are, pregnant again and remaking and fine tuning our headboard. Anyway, here's a little tutorial on how we made over our king headboard. 

First we pulled out the original staples from the recycled quilt lining, allowing us to draw out our outline and cut out the final shape.

After messing around with a few sketches, I settled on the bolder line outline. I looked around for headboard inspiration and found this classic headboard shapes image very helpful.

Then I traced the outline onto tracing paper- in order to repeat it on the right side, by flipping the tracing paper.

Here is the tracing paper cut out flipped over for the right side of the headboard. NOTE! I did not measure and compare the two sides originally as I should have. You want to measure out some key points from your original side to have the second side match up. For example: the first dip is 7 inches from the top and so many inches in from the side. Then you repeat this measurement on the right side in order to allow for a better tracing paper line up.

Then the Husband cut out the shape. (you can see my original mis measuring goof up with the red marker).

Next came covering the headboard with the gray wool I purchased (could not find a lighter gray linen anywhere that wouldn't break the bank!). After reattaching the quilt padding with our staple gun, I soon realized that I couldn't just staple the fabric over our new headboard without getting some serious puckering along the curves... So my mom graciously came to the rescue and helped me with this stage. And when I say help, I mean she made us a semi-slipcover for our headboard.  And here's how she did it.

She pinned the slipcover to the padding, and then traced with sewing chalk along the edge- to indicate where she would cut the fabric.

Here are two detail shots of where she cut. She gave herself enough leeway for a 5/8 (?) hem.

Then she cut out a strip for the side of the headboard and a faux strip for the back (not pictured).

Here is our daughter helping my mom remove the pins before sewing.

After the Slipcover was made and ironed, we stapled it along the back, along the sides and then at the bottom of the headboard.

Detail shot of the slip cover my mom made.

And here is our completed headboard in our bedroom! We love it!!! Thank you Mom for helping us with our headboard once again.

Note about the area rug, I switched out the floral oval one for this more geometric rug we already had. (not as great as the Anthro Rug- IE not easy to vacuum, but does it's job visually and financially!)

Next up in our bedroom makeover: 

1) We have light gray linen curtains (finally) that I bought from Ikea that need hemming.

2) I'm going to recover our red pillow in a relaxing light blue fabric.

3) One more throw pillow for the bed, in a neutral kaki color linen. (I bought the cover for $12!! at Ikea and I already have the down pillow insert)

4) Artwork: One single piece of artwork for over the bed, I'm on the hunt for a moody landscape photograph.

5) A taller lamp for next to my bed, or a new lampshade for my green lamp, one that isn't so wide and will take up less room (and won't have me feeling like I might knock it over)

I plan on doing a follow up/progress report post later in the week with images of the hemmed curtains, recovered pillows etc, so stay tuned!!

Easter Pictures, from 2013

Hey everyone, I wanted to check in and share some pictorial highlights from this year's Easter Sunday.

Above: our daughter's genuine reaction to her first jelly bean.

Saturday night I had a bit too much fun assembling her Easter basket! I might have gone a tad over board this year... and for a few reasons. This "to-do" got caught up in my general nesting to dos and thus had been in process for a while... accumulating little bits here and there! Also I was subconsciously worried that if the baby came before Easter, there was a possibility that her basket might take a back seat. Hence the extra planning. But mostly, these things are fun to do with our daughter as each year she is more capable and interested in new things.

I knit her two bunnies (that went into the plastic eggs for the egg hunt). We also found some tasty organic jellybeans and lollipops at our local orchard that also went into the plastic eggs (along with some pennies, and hair bows).

In her basket went a little potted plant for her to plant outside, 3 wooden eggs, a chocolate bunny, a no spill bubble thing, a pink sun hat, three nature/spring themed books, and a vintage wooden puzzle.

She was pretty pumped.

We spent Easter lunch at my folk's house where we had some incredibly delicious lamb, and coconut cake for dessert!

There was a second Easter egg hunt at my folk's house. It was a lot of fun to watch her look for eggs.

It's pretty wild to look back on the past two Easters and see how much she had grown and changed...! and Next Easter there will be two baskets to fill. pretty wild!

First Easter

2nd Easter

Have a great Start to your week!