DIY Mobile

The mobile for the nursery is the one thing I have put off the longest. Simply because I knew I wanted to make it myself, and my motivation and creativity was lacking big time. I LOVE the mobiles and dream rings on blablakids.com, but it isn't quite in our budget to buy a $100 mobile. So, I took inspiration from my favorite mermaid dream ring, and worked with what I had. I had not thought of doing an all pom mobile, but after looking at some online....I got inspired. Plus, it is super easy and I had a lot of yarn. I started to try and stay in the color scheme of the mermaid dream ring, but I loved all the colors of yarn I had, so I just went crazy! I hope Amara appreciates it! :)

Inspiration...

Inspiration...

BTW.... I am aware that I need a better camera, but my Iphone just makes it easy sometimes. Excuse the bad pics :)

Sadie stayed at my feet for hours begging me to throw her toy CONSTANTLY.....eventually she gave up!

What is a girl to do on a Tuesday night?

I had such a fun day with my hubby today!! I could really get use to him being home days at a time :). It is very rare that I can drag him to craft stores and to Target and keep his spirits up...ha! It is so boring for him, but lately, he has been a trooper. Carrying everything, actually giving input ( not saying " whatever you want babe" and we have had a lot of laughs. Besides, driving around is our favorite thing to do together!

We think we have noticed a SLIGHT difference in the smell of the nursery, and we bought an air freshener today with high hopes! With this in mind, it is making doing stuff to the nursery so much more fun for me. Today, I worked on the project below and Gabe sat in our new glider and entertained himself on the computer. It was sooooo nice to just be in here together! 

It all started with this little number below. Amara got this bathing suit from one of our dear, super trendy friends at her shower. Between this, blankets and accessories, I realized I needed to make some baskets.

 I am way too cheap to to just go buy baskets full price, so I have been waiting on them to go 50% off at JoAnne's ( which they were today) and I had some Dwell Studio fabric left over........ little bit of yarn, stitch witchery and a huge mess later....

It took me way too long to do this, but it was worth it! I am a brand new "DIYer", I do not sew and I hate measuring. Great qualities to have! :)

Happy Tuesday everyone! 

Inspiration...

I am just making some final decisions on a print for the guest/baby bathroom upstairs. I came across this artist http://www.etsy.com/shop/Cocodeparis?ref=seller_info on Etsy today, and I am obsessed. Some of the designs might be a little crazy for the little one, but they are nothing short of interesting! I will definitely find a place in my house for a few of these!


Here is the one that drew me in ......

a few more....check out her work...

Nursery Update

To say that the nursery has been a "stress" for me is an understatement. While it has most definitely been a labor of love, the paint fiasco alone has caused more tears to fall from my eyes than I bargained for. Gabe and I have been diligent over the last few days to just get stuff done so that the room starts to look like an actual nursery! My handy husband hung his first pendant light, our glider came in, I put together the diaper genie, finished all of her laundry ( with the help of my 13 year old sis), repainted our stripes, Gabe hung a curtain rod, and we just cleaned up a bit! Here are a few pics of what is going on so far! Lots more to go, but it is definitely starting to feel like a peaceful room to be in. I don't want to take a full room view just yet :)

 I sat in the glider today and just thanked God for this special room, the means to create it, a husband who tries to understand my crazy moods and the special place in my heart that is making room for this little girl! I am beyond grateful!!

Enjoy....

Baby Bathroom pics coming next....

thoughts....feelings....emotions

Here we are....going on week 33 of 40! I feel like the last time I looked at my baby bump app on my phone, I had 200+ days left, now I am down to 50 something!?! I personally feel like I have done so much growing over the last 8 months, however, like this precious baby inside....I am doing the majority of it right now.  It has been a crazy couple of months for me, and Gabe has been traveling a lot! I have been just waiting for this night that he gets off the plane and I get to have him home for 2 months pretty much!

 I went to church today for the first time in what feels like an eternity, and it made me realize how much I missed my pastor and how much I needed the message that he delivered ( it was about how clueless we are to the debt that was paid by Jesus dying on the cross. He wants us to really love Him, not try to "repay" Him or win Him over with our "works") I went with my mom, but I missed Gabe TERRIBLY! I just wanted to hold his hand and have him rub the side of my arm ( as if he is warming me up) throughout the service like he always does. I know I can take Gabe's presence for granted when he is home, and today I just missed my husband. 

All of this to say..... I honestly can't say that my life isn't anything less than perfect in the grand scheme of things. I am so blessed even BEYOND the debt that Christ paid for my sin. I don't want to be a person who wishes for MORE...I just want to wish differently. As we are approaching the birth of our baby girl, I am so anxious for time. All of the time we spend with our family is so easy to take for granted, but when a big part of my little family is traveling a lot, it puts things into perspective. I am not wishing for more, I am wishing to enjoy what I already have! 7 weeks will fly by and I am foolish to be praying for anything other than this miracle that I have growing inside. I still don't think that Gabe and I realize how much of a life change we are in for, but I am so excited and I just want to shout it from a rooftop! I am looking forward to all of the little things that are so easily taken for granted. My wish list right now: waking up next to my husband, keep enjoying these little kicks in my belly, a safe delivery for me and the baby, great naps and lots of laughs! 

Farmhouse Dining

I have become obsessed with the idea of getting a new dining room table. I am a southern girl at heart, but I tend to be very cautious when it comes to decorating. I love modern design, but sometimes it can lack that "homey" feel. Sooooo, with that being said, I am going to attempt to land somewhere in the middle to give my dining room a modern farmhouse makeover. In my dreams.....

My dream wall covering....grasscloth!

I am in L-O-V-E with this dining table! 

The industrial feel of these bulbs hanging over my table .....yum!

I snack on fruit all day ....this would be so cute
to have out on the counter filled with fresh berries!

Nothing completes your Farmhouse look like your favorite
blooms in a mason jar! :)

I want to trade in my saddle seat stools for these beauties around my island!

Amara's Dresser!!!

I can 100% say that I am an instant gratification type of girl! Especially, when it comes to doing projects. I can also 100% say that I get that from my dad. We don't like to read instructions, or feel the need for a good challenge....we just like to "Get 'er done!" as he would say. 


 With that said, I bought this fabulous dresser that was inspired by one of my favorite blogs laybabylay.com. I posted this picture on my facebook page when I first found out I was pregnant, but didn't know what I was having. After seeing this nursery, I could only hope for a baby girl :) 

my craigslist find...

  The one thing I went "gaga" over was her dresser/changing table. I LOVE the color, the detail....everything. So, I found my own "little" version on Craigslist for 70 bucks and began working on  it!!

Ordered my knobs/ handles from Home Depot!

I used Martha Stewart's Bedford Gray paint, and I plan to use it on the crib, and in Amara's bathroom....the color is gorgeous!! I tried  to take the "miss perfect" route and sand the dresser, then prime, then paint blah blah blah, but since it IS laminate on the outside, I used Zinser primer since the dresser doesn't handle sanding. It was liquid sandpaper basically and it worked like a charm! Two coats of primer, two coats of paint and then a polyurethane spray ( it helped take the "sticky" feeling away) and we are done! 

Last, but not least...the drawers needed cute drawer liners of course. I picked up some good quality wrapping paper from Rock Paper Scissors ( amazing paper boutique in Downtown Franklin), and I came home and got busy!

Once I measured my drawers, I cut my pieces of wrapping paper to size planning to "glue" them in with Mod Podge, but I am not the best glue spreader and when I did my first drawer, The paper bubbled on me. Also, it is a VERY old dresser so all the measurements differ by teeny bits of an inch and the glue did not allow me to scoot my paper around once I got it in the drawer to make it fit perfectly. Honestly, the paper doesn't move around...I just wanted some extra durability. I get tired of things quickly though, so just laying the paper in the drawer allows me to change it out whenever I want!

I am so relieved to be done with this project. It is one of my most rewarding ones yet. After Gabe moved the dresser upstairs, and I was able to actually see Amara's first piece of furniture in her room....I felt so joyful! Here are pics of the drawers....changing station still in progress...more pics to come! :)

Thanks for reading.....