A Simple Kind of Life

Leave of Absence and a Mini Update

2013-05-15T09:53:00.001-04:00

I'm guessing many of you have noticed my lack of posts in the past few weeks. After some careful thought I made the not so easy decision to put this blog on hold for while. I've always said that if the blog ever interfered with or took too much of my personal life than I would stop. I feel that now is a time where I need to take a step back and focus on my family. I'm hoping to return back to my DIY days with lots of new posts in the near future. I'm still working on things around the house and have so many ideas I want to tackle. I may pop in from time to time to share a photo or project with you until I decide I'm ready to jump back into the blogging game.

In the meantime, I did a quick update on the DIY page to provide easy links to some of my recent projects that were missing. To see these ones and all of my projects, click on the 'DIY Projects' link to the right.

A Fresh Coat

2013-04-02T10:12:00.003-04:00

Is it fair to say a paint color changed my life? Am I being a bit dramatic? Maybe. Seriously though, I have found a new love in a certain shade of gray (no pun intended towards the book - I've never read it).

For some time now I've felt that something wasn't quite right in how our first floor was finished. I've swapped out pillows, added new wall art, switched rugs in and out, painted everything I can think of gold (kidding... sort of), and yet it still seemed so unfinished. It didn't feel like things flowed. I've slowly been adding gray tones (or colors that match gray tones) to the decor - a gray and white rug, gray curtains, navy, pink and gold accents - and it all just didn't seem to look right in the room. I finally narrowed it down to the wall color. Not long after we moved in, we gave the living room, hallway and kitchen a once over with Glidden's 'Cafe Latte' paint. The kitchen was previously a darker tan and I thought keeping the same color family but lightening up the shade would look nice. It worked in the beginning when our decor was all dark browns and wood with red and orange accents, but as I started to add lighter decor, the tan started to look dated and worn out.

Painting the downstairs is a beast of a job. It's all open space from the long hallway, into the living room, which is connected to an open kitchen. You want to paint one room, you have to paint all three. Now I'm going to admit something I'm not proud of. I actually considered hiring someone to paint this for me. Is that a DIYer sin?? Back before we had Lucy I could tackle a paint job like this over a three day weekend no sweat. These days it's not so easy. I lucked out that I have two great coworkers who eagerly volunteered to help. I can't thank those gals enough!

On Friday I scooted Lucy and Jordan out of the house for a daddy-daughter day and the three of us got to work.

The color I chose was Benjamin Moore's 'Stonington Gray' - aka my new favorite paint color. I am in L-O-V-E.

We also did a fresh coat of glossy white on the trim which made a huge difference. Trim is one of my least favorite paint jobs to do, but because of the traffic in our hallways and living room, we were long overdue. The gray wall looks so, so good with our wood floors. I can't stop staring. Jordan asked me the other day what I was staring at becuase I couldn't stop checking out our walls.

Here is a before shot of the living room with the old paint color.

And a recent shot with the new pretty gray.

Looking at the photos I have to agree that it might not seem that different, so here's a comparison of colors up close.

I also took this opportunity to shuffle some of our wall art around. I still love the framed Anthro napkins above the couch, but I did take down the gallery wall in favor of a new spot for the stained wood art I made Jordan for our first anniversary.

A view of the loooooong hallway that leads to our front door. I'm realizing now that it's probably been some time since you've all seen any recent photos of our downstairs living room/kitchen area.

A before of the TV area,

And an after.

The shelves will be going back up, but we will probably put two instead of three. Jordan and I agreed that we were a little nervous with how sturdy they were now that we have a toddler running around them and thought it would be best to completely remount them and add some brackets underneath for extra support. The shelves will be going up later this week.

I moved the wall o' frames above the leather chair and swapped up some of the frames and prints. The subway sign hasn't been rehung, yet. We haven't really decided where to put that, but I'm thinking of putting it in a new place. Perhaps above Lucy's toy box next to the couch. As I started hanging frames and art in new places I felt like things are finally where they are supposed to be. The pictures don't do justice to how different the room feels now.

A quick snap shot of the kitchen. The gray paint brings out the blue in the tiles so much more and seems to flow better than before. I'm still not 100% sold on the dark blue tiles (I love me some white kitchens), but I don't see us changing them while we're in this house, so I'm making the best of what we have. I did tell Jordan that I think this paint color bought us a few more years in this house.

Doesn't the wall color even look pretty with my new kilim rug? (Hi Lyla.)

I. Love. This. Color.

Easter Table

2013-04-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Hope you all had a Happy Easter. This Easter dinner was my first time hosting a family holiday. It was somewhat of a last minute thing, and technically my entire family wasn't there. Jordan had to work and one of my brothers spent the holiday with his girlfriend's family, plus we had no grandparents, aunts or uncles this year. So it was just my parents, one of my brothers, Lucy and myself. I think having a smaller group of our family made it a little easier to ease into my first holiday. In preparation I put together a somewhat impromptu table setting I thought I'd share.

The dishes are Target. The silverware is Kate Spade from our wedding registry. The multi-color polka dot napkins were a recent score in the Anthropologie sale room.

I mixed and matched Anthropologie and Pottery Barn glasses. I love the variety of colors on the table.

Two quick photos I snapped on my phone. Before and during dinner.

Of course no Spring table setting is complete without flowers. I purchased all of them from our local grocery store. The sunflowers were on super duper sale. Each bunch was being sold for $1.99 'while they last'. It took some restraint not to purchase the entire display. I did snag three bunches thought to sprinkle throughout the house.

Speaking of Easter table settings, iVillage featured the dipped silverware I did for Lucy's 1st Birthday on their Easter Table Decor feature. Check it out here.

Happy Monday!

Friday Favorites: Easter Egg Inspiration

2013-03-29T07:38:00.004-04:00

When I was a kid decorating Easter eggs consisted of staining them with colored water and spoons. These days people are using anything and everything they can get their hands on to spruce up their Easter eggs - paint, washi tape and even sharpie markers!

With Easter just a few short days away for my Friday Favorites post I set out to find some unique and easy ways to decorate eggs. Lucy isn't quite old enough to start this fun tradition yet, but I'm definitely collecting of ideas for future egg decorating. Here are a few of my favorite finds.

Also, why didn't we try decorating brown eggs before? I love the look!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

I seriously want to try them all. Luckily Lucy and I have years of egg decorating ahead of us! Is anyone working on any last minute Easter decorations?

Today I have some friends coming over to help me repaint our downstairs (living room, kitchen and entryway). It's a bit of a monster task but I'm so excited for a fresh look downstairs. Plus I'm having some family over this weekend and it will be nice to have the house looking pretty in time for guests.

Happy Friday!

Black Friday Find (A Few Months Late)

2013-03-27T08:47:00.001-04:00

It wasn't until I was taking photos in our living room this past weekend that I realized I never shared this great find from before Christmas. Let me begin by saying I'm not a Black Friday shopper. To start, I usually work on that day every year. I did do the whole Black Friday shopping things several years ago and while I scored some great deals, I didn't get the desire to do it again.

Here's a photo from several months back of one side of our living room. Ever since we've been in our home we've had this leather chair and ottoman set. Jordan brought them from the apartment he lived in before we moved in together.

It's a great set and I really love the contrast of the wood against the leather. It's been a nice spot to snuggle up with Lucy and watch a movie or sit during the day with a view of the creek behind our house.

While the chair has always worked fine in the space the ottoman often got in the way, specifically once Lucy came along and claimed the rug as her personal play space. After some time the leather itself started to get a little beat up due to age, animals and a toddler. However, none of these were reasons to get rid of them.

This past Fall I happened to go to Home Depot last minute, late at night on Black Friday. Like I said, I'm not Black Friday shopper, but I had a handful of things I needed to pickup for various projects I planned to tackle that weekend. I literally stumbled upon this leather chair way in the back of the store behind the paint aisle.

My first thought was 'Home Depot sells furniture?'

Second thought, no we didn't need another leather chair, but seriously who can turn down a great one like this for only $99? I immediately texted a photo of the chair to Jordan and he agreed it was a great piece for the price. What I really liked about this chair was that it seemed a little 'fancier' in comparision to our other one, and I liked the idea of having a more 'grown up' looking chair in our living room.

I purchased the chair on the spot and the next day my Dad helped bring it home.

I. Love. It.

This chair is so comfortable and fits in the space perfectly. I find I actually sit in it more than I did when we had the other chair.

Seriously, Home Depot? Who knew? P.S. Pillows are from West Elm. You can find the larger one here. The smaller one doesn't seem to be available anymore.

In case you're wondering, we didn't get rid of the old chair. It now resides in the corner of our master bedroom. While it may seem a little big for the space, I actually really love it in this spot. I'll admit at times the chair serves as my personal laundry storage (sorry Jordan), but I've had a few mornings snuggled up on that chair skimming my emails and blogs before getting ready for work. I feel like it cozies up the space in our room and provides somewhere to relax other than lying in bed.

Does it remind anyone else of the chair Aiden sold Carrie??

image via Apartment Therapy

I may or may not admit to sitting in that chair and pretending to be Carrie Bradshaw.

Paint Dipped Stool

2013-03-26T08:57:00.002-04:00

I tackled another paint dipped project this past weekend. This is by no means a new idea or project for me. Almost a year ago I dipped this table for our guest room. I really love this trend because it's so simple to achieve, yet makes a huge impact on a piece of furniture.

For a few months now we've had this old chair in our living room. It was actually one of the chairs from my family's kitchen set we had growing up (so there is some sentimental attachment to it). We have this awkward piece of wall that sticks out into our living room/kitchen. As far as I know it serves no real purpose. I've had the framed animal menagerie on that wall for a while now and I had the old chair against the wall underneath. I thought I was pretty clever using this chair to stack my collection of design books. I figured it could double as both decorative and extra seating when we had people over. Of course none of our guests ever asked if they could relocate my 27 design books so they could sit on this low, hard chair.

Lucy also grew fond of this set up and started taking the books off the chair and either 'reading' or just relocating them. After a while I figured it was time to change things up a bit. I had a better place for the chair anyway, but still needed something to put under the frame, preferably something with a little more height.

I purchased this stool from Target for $19.99. They had a $15 version, but I was afraid it would be too low in our kitchen. I already have a stock of spray paint and tape and didn't need to purchase any additional supplies, so $20 wouldn't be breaking the bank for me.

I knew right away that I wanted to dip the legs of the stool. The wood alone was just too plain for our taste. Plus when do I ever leave something as is?

Now I'll start by saying I had big plans for this stool. To start it was going to get completely sanded and stained a darker color. Honey wood isn't my taste. However, I asked Jordan's opinion and he nixed that idea, saying he liked the lighter wood (and I do seriously take his opinions into consideration). Plus the other table I dipped was darker and I was a little intrigued as to how it would look with light wood. I also really wanted to do a double dip, where I did white paint first, followed by yellow paint a few inches lower.

Before I could start painting, I measured how high I wanted the painted legs to be. In this case I chose the one foot mark. I marked with a pencil on each side of each leg, then taped the lines using painter's tape. Since I wanted to do spray paint I used some old grocery bags to cover the rest of the stool that I didn't want painted. We lucked out with decent weather, minus the wind, so spray painting outside was easy.

A few coats of white later and I had a 'newer' new stool. Once I painted the stool white and took off the tape I just couldn't convince myself to add the yellow. I really love the contrast of the white and wood. Part of me feels that this stool might still need something, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Who knows, in a few weeks I may decide to add the yellow, or more white on the seat, or something else. For now I'm loving the new addition to our living room/kitchen space.

Have you tried the paint dipped trend, yet?

Friday Favorites

2013-03-22T11:15:00.000-04:00

image via Pinterest

I'm off to NY this weekend to see some of my gal pals from college. We only get to see each other a few times a year, but each time we do it's like we never left.

Meanwhile here is a roundup of my favorite things from around the web this week:

My new favorite blog that I'm just a liiiittle obsessed with.

I plan on trying this recipe over the weekend.

This makeover is getting me excited about the sofa table I'm painting for our bedroom.

Am I crazy that this apartment tour makes me want to downsize?

Sending a big CONGRATS to Holly for some wonderful news this week.

I really don't need another iPhone case... or do I?

I've been wanting to do this to our house for years. Just having a hard time choosing a color that goes with ugly brown siding. Maybe our next house.

The gallery wall in the back of this post has me thinking of stepping up the one in our living room after our downstairs gets a fresh paint job next week.

Did you see Bri Emery's living room makeover? I'm craving some bright punches of color in our home now.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Spring Has Sprung

2013-03-21T12:55:00.001-04:00

Spring is finally here! Although it doesn't feel like it around here today.

Picture borrowed from here (with a floral crown tuturial!)

images via Pinterst, here and here

Now that spring is here all I want to do it wear pretty flowers in my hair from now through the end of summer. How about you?

Jewels On Display

2013-03-20T09:26:00.001-04:00

Jewelry storage can be a tricky thing to tackle. These days necklaces are bigger, earrings more flashy and delicate, and bracelets can be the size of your arm.

I'm personally not a fan of having a large piece of furniture dedicated solely to storing jewerly. I've tried jewelry trees and they just look like a mess to me. Even some of the DIY jewelry displays I've seen around the internet don't seem to satisfy the storage solution I'm looking for. I prefer to keep my jewelry storage a little more simple.

I love the idea of hanging necklaces on the wall. Not only are your most worn pieces easily accessible, but they double as pretty wall art without looking too cluttered.

via

My necklaces hang on small metal hooks on one of the walls in our bedroom. We previously had our bed against that wall and when we decided to move it between the windows, there was this huge empty space to fill. Limited on storage space in our bathroom and hating to tuck my jewerly into a dark shelf in our closet, I decided to take our sofa table and make a small vanity area to store my accessories. I'll admit I'm tempted to switch up the arrangement a bit in favor of the above styles where the necklaces stand alone spaced out along the wall. For now, I'm pleased with the way my necklaces hang and actually like how they are layered on top of each other.

As far as the rest of my jewelry goes, I honestly only have a small selection of earrings. I rarely wear earrings that aren't my round black studs or gold initial studs. I just can't get on board with large or dangle earrings, I feel like I look awkward in them. My bracelet selection isn't large either as my wrists are so skinny I have to stick to certain styles and fits. I generally wear my gold Michael Kors watch almost every day or a large gold adjustable cuff. All the bracelets I own are stored in the white Pottery Barn jewelry box I received for my birthday two years ago from Jordan.

What are your favorite jewelry storage solutions?

PS. See that sofa table? It's undergoing an emerald makeover! Can't wait to share with you all.

A Simple Kind of Life on Bloglovin'

2013-03-19T09:28:00.001-04:00

The buzz is going around that Google Reader will be nonexistent as of July 1st. Good news is you can still follow A Simple Kind of Life on Bloglovin'! What is Bloglovin'? It's a great and easy way to keep up with your favorite blogs. Head on over and check it out.

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Blog updates and some sneak peek photos.

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Blog updates and some of my random musings.

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A peek into my daily life and sneak previews of projects I'm working on.

Basically my huge to-do/to-buy/inspiration/wish lists.

New Kilim Rug

2013-03-18T08:54:00.000-04:00

After drooling over Dana's new rug on HouseTweaking, I realized that I shared with you all my love for Kilim and told you that I was waiting on a rug I had ordered, but never took any photos after it arrived. It can be hard to find a decent Kilim rug that doesn't cost in the $1,500-$3,000 range. I was so excited when I saw that Pottery Barn was selling them for a decent price. Even more excited when I realized I had a gift card leftover from Christmas.

As soon as I purchased the rug I knew I wanted it to be used in our entryway at the front door as a bright, cheerful welcome to our guests.

The style I purchased was the Kalista Kilim. I seriously love it and get a little excited each time I see it when I was through the door. I couldn't be happier with my Kilim purchase.

If you love this rug as much as I do, go check out Pottery Barn because it's on SALE! The sizes are somewhat limited, but they have so many other Kilim rugs available that you can choose from, too. I actually had to stop myself from purchasing another one last week.

Did you spot the feather art above our vintage key holder? That was a recent Etsy purchase from Fiddleheads for Fiona. I stumbled across this Etsy shop while ~~bored~~ hard at work one day and instantly fell in love with this feather print. Rebecca offers so many other great designs - antlers, foxes and birds galore.

(The key holder was a thrift find from where else? Goodeals.)

Each one is made on a piece of birch wood using vintage book pages and various pretty printed paper. I was quite impressed when I received mine and saw how gorgeous it was up close. Bonus that it matches the rug almost perfectly.

Oh and in case you were wondering about the rug. Lucy tested, Lucy approved.

UPDATE:

The DelVintage Turquoise Vintage Ring Giveaway ended on Friday.

The winner is Jhoanna M!

Amanda will be reaching out to you to send your vintage ring.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Target Does It Again

2013-03-15T11:21:00.001-04:00

Target has really done it again. I am more and more impressed each time step inside (and let's face it I stop by Target at least once a week).

I stumbled upon this great Tumblr and Instagram account, Target Does It Again, a few weeks ago and I've been hooked since. Jen and Laura post shots of great Target finds they spot each day. They even make sure to mention the brand and price of each item they feature. I'll admit I peek every once and a while at the clothing section of Target, but I usually immediately go straight to the home goods and skip the clothes. Once I started following this Instagram account, I have been loving what I'm seeing. So much that I had to take an impromptu trip to Target the other night and stock up on a few things.

Here are some of my favorites that I spotted:

1. Mossimo Cap Sleeve Graphic Tee, $17.99
2. Mossimo Knit Vest with Studs, $27.99
3. Mossimo Sleeveless Black Jumpsuit, $29.99
4. Merona Mali Tassel Flat, $19.9
5. Merona Floral Crossbody, $19.99
6. Mossimo Ombre Crew Neck Sweatshirt, $22.99
7. Xhileration Strapless Sweetheart Fit & Flare Dress, $24.99
8. Xhileration Challis Shorts, $17.99
9. Mossimo Patricia Fabric Cobalt Wedge, $29.99

I picked up a few pieces of clothing for Lucy and myself and also snagged these adorable mugs on clearance for $2.50 a piece.

Be sure to check out Target Does it Again on Tumblr and Instagram. You'll be hooked. It doesn't hurt that they both give me MAJOR hair envy. HAPPY FRIDAY!

Ikea Hack Part 2

2013-03-13T09:22:00.000-04:00

Today I'm sharing another Ikea 'mini-hack' with you all. I say mini-hack because I didn't so much 'hack' the piece, but just gave it a good spray paint to change it up a little. No matter how simple, it's nice to see a fresh upgrade to some old pieces we've had around the house.

Everyone who shops at Ikea knows the standard Ribba style frames. I have a collection in a variety of finishes - black, white and silver. In our living room we have a small gallery wall of frames inusing the white Ribba frames, including one of the square shadow box-type frames. While I was spray painting yesterday's table, I had a sudden inspiration to add a little gold to this wall to add some pop.

Super easy. I took out the wooden shadowbox insert and simply gave it a few quick coats of my metallic gold spray paint.

Once I put the frame back together, instant pop of color!

It's a subtle change, but one I feel definitely adds a little something to the wall of white frames. Since these photos I've also added a thin gold frame with a navy blue silhouette print to the wall to tie the gold together. Our walls will soon be getting a fresh coat of paint and I may rearrange the wall a bit when finished.

Check out some great Ikea Hacks here!

And don't forget about the Vintage Ring Giveaway! The giveaway runs through Friday and as an added bonus Amanda is offering 10% off any order when you use the promo code SIMPLELIFE10. Check out DelVintage and get shopping!!

Ikea Hack Part 1

2013-03-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

I love a good Ikea hack, who doesn't? I've been an Ikea fan since I moved into our home 5 years ago, but I'll admit I'm looking for a little more out of the same pieces we've owned for a few years now. I'm currently planning out a fun Emerald Ikea hack, but in the mean time I did two "mini-hacks" this past weekend. Here is the first.

In the beginning all my furniture consisted of dark, black-brown pieces. It wasn't until the last two years that I've finally learned to branch out with both furnutire and decorative pieces (like frames) and introduce some lighter, brighter, whiter pieces.

My first hack was this small metal Ikea table. It started out as a nightstand, but after a year or two found it's 'forever home' in our living room as a side table. Ikea no longer sells the nightstand and I still love the metal frame and curled design so I'm not ready to part with it - it simply needed a little upgrade. Of course when something needs an upgrade, what do I do? I spray paint it gold!

The side table was easy to take apart and I decided just to upgrade the legs and keep both the table top and shelf as is. One coat of primer and two coats of gold later, we have a 'new' table. It's great how a no-cost, easy little upgrade can make such a difference.

Check back for another mini Ikea hack.

Vintage Ring Giveaway by DelVintage

2013-03-11T09:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday! Did your weekend go by as quickly as mine? We were spoiled here with some beautiful warm weather. What better way to start another long work week than with a great giveaway. Amanda from the Etsy shop DelVintage is going to give one of my lucky readers this gorgeous vintage turquoise ring. DelVintage features a ton of great vintage jewelry pieces and other finds Amanda has collected over the years.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

No purchase necessary to win. Winner will be chosen at random using Random.org. Giveaway ends Friday, March 15th. Winner will be announced on Monday, March 18th.

As an added bonus, Amanda is giving my readers 10% off their order when they shop at DelVintage and use the discount code SIMPLELIFE10.

Be sure to stop by DelVintage and check out more vintage goodies. Happy vintage shopping!!

Inspiration: The Butcher Diagram

2013-03-07T09:20:00.000-05:00

Both Jordan and myself have worked a variety of aspects in the restaurant business. In fact, that is how we met and started dating almost 8 years go. Each of us worked as a host, server, bartender, and manager at some point. Jordan has since stayed in the restaurant bizz. After about a few years I learned that restaurant management was not for me and bowed out in favor of the booze industry. Still, we both consider ourselves 'foodies'. We love a good dinner and we love finding new places to eat. Our favorite styles of food include Tapas, Spanish, and Mexican cuisines. Take us to any Garces restaurant and we will be happy campers. That being said, only one of us can really cook - and it's not me. Jordan loves to cook, and what he loves to cook the most is some sort of beef, chicken or pork. This man is no vegetarian and he often experiments with new ways of cooking. Some of his favorite cookbooks include The Cook and the Butcher, Volt Ink, and Grillhouse Gastropub at Home.

I'm always mindful of Jordan's likes and tastes when I'm selecting decor for our house. I try not to get too feminine and ask his opinion on something before I do or buy it (although admittedly I may not always follow his opinion..).

I've been looking around Etsy a lot lately for some wall art to add to different rooms in our home and I came across a few butcher diagram prints that I think would be great to frame in our kitchen. I started digging a little deeper and founds all sorts of really cool decor pieces featuring the butcher diagram.

All of these items can be found on Etsy:

1. Beef Butcher Diagram Cutting Board, $40.00

2. Etched Butcher's Diagram Cow Cuff, $50.00

3. Pig Coasters, Set of 4, $20.00

4. Salt and Pepper Shakers, $22.00

5. Chicken Diagram 8x10 Print, Set of Four Animals, $38.85

6. Small Plate Steer Butcher Diagram, $15.00

7. Bacon Etched Whiskey Glass, $15.00

8. Butcher's Diagram Pig Necklace, $32.00

9. Butcher's Cut Pork Framed Print, $92.50

10. Butcher's Diagram of a Cow Flour Sack Towel, $14.00

11. Butcher's Pig Diagram Note Card, $4.00

I'm tempted to buy the cutting board to use as a serving piece when we have friends over. I'm also loving the salt and peppar shakers and whiskey glass.

What are your thoughts on the butcher diagram as decor?

Inspired by Color: Emerald

2013-03-04T11:34:00.000-05:00

I recently stumbled across pictures of this dresser on Pinterest and fell in love with the combination of emerald green, gold and black with a splash of pink.

I've been itching to add some emerald into our home since I learned it was the Pantone Color of 2013. These photos have finally given me the motivation I needed to go out and buy some paint last week. I have a plan to fix up one of our already owned pieces, but you will have to wait to see which one.

All images via.

Lucy's Play Kitchen: A Closer Look

2013-02-27T09:45:00.005-05:00

I'm finally getting around to giving you a bit of a closer look as to how we put Lucy's play kitchen together. I'll admit when I purchased the two mismatched nightstands from my favorite vintage shop, aside from slapping on a few coats of paint, I really wasn't sure how I planned to tackle this project. Once the ideas started rolling, things came together pretty easily, with only a few minor hiccups. I'll admit I had a few more grandiose ideas, but I let reality settle in that I'd mostly be doing them for myself since she's too young to really appreciate them, yet.

I spent just under $20 on these two pieces. I decided pretty quickly that the tall, skinny nightstand would be the sink and the short, 'fat' one would work best as the oven.

I purchased a cheap bathroom faucet for $11 from Home Depot and a metal bowl from the dollar store to be the sink and faucet. With Jordan's help (ok, he did it all...) we traced the outline of the bowl on the top of the skinny nightstand, and cut a hole slightly smaller to fit our makeshift sink. He also cut two smaller holes to attach the faucet. Since it's a pretend kitchen, we simply tossed any plumbing accessories for the faucet. Because of the depth of the bowl, the drawer wouldn't be able to open. We removed the drawer and detached the front so we could add new hardware, paint, and reattach.

Jordan attached these wooden dowels (similar to the ones I used for the schoolroom hook rack) from Home Depot to use to hold the fake oven rack I purchased from our local Dollar Deals shop.

We struggled a bit with how we were going to make an oven door. I really wanted to make one that looked as realistic as possible with a plexiglass window that opened from the top. We sort of did the oven door last since we were undecided, but didn't want to slow the process. Once the rest of the kitchen was finished structurally, it was time to paint.

In case you're curious, I purchased the adorable flea market fabric from my local JoAnn Fabric store and the paint is Martha Stewart 'Milk Pail'.

I fell in love with the fabric and wanted to use as much of it as I could so I decided not only to make a 'skirt' for under the sink, but to use some of the leftover material to make tea towels. Of course I have zero sewing skills so I left it up to my iron-on-hem skills to get the job done. The skirt was attached using a tiny tension rod I found at Target.

For the oven door we ultimately decided to pick up a piece of scrap wood from Home Depot and cut it down to size. We originally attached the door with the hinges at the bottom so that the it would open like a real oven, but Lucy kept trying to stand on the open door and I would have a mini panic attack thinking it would break and she'd hurt herself. I decided safety came first and we swapped the hinges so the door opened from the side.

The handle is a simple drawer pull and the 'window' is actually chalkboard paint. The oven rack also didn't last long .We still have it and keep it handy, but Lucy just wanted to remove it every time she played anyway. Maybe one day we will attach it 'permanently'. The oven burners are also painted using chalkboard paint and the cork trivets were a cheap Ikea purchase.

The best part of the design is that both the oven and the sink double as storage to keep all of Lucy's play food, pots and dishes somewhat organized when she isn't playing.

We decided to keep the kitchen in Lucy's bedroom for two reasons. First being that we are pretty much maxed out on space for more toys in our living room, but also because we wanted a place upstairs where Lucy could play and keep herself occupied when Jordan and/or I needed to get ready for work, do some laundry or take a quick shower.

As you can see, Lucy loves her kitchen. She particularly enjoys sticking some of her smaller stuffed animals in the sink for a 'bath'. No matter how she uses it, this project was well with the time and effort.

Our Girl

2013-02-26T09:30:00.000-05:00

It blows my mind that we have a 19 month old daughter. Time is flying by and she's growing so quickly. I am so incredibly proud of the girl she is growing up to be. Funny, smart, sweet, and a ball of energy. Whether she's running around the house screaming at the top of her lungs, singing and dancing in our living room, or snoozing in my arms, I love every minute with this girl.

DIY Floral Antlers

2013-02-20T08:53:00.000-05:00

The antlers are mounted and hung! I shared with you my love for all the floral antlers I was seeing around the internet, and after a coworker of mine kindly gave me a pair of my own, I was anxious to get them up in our house.

I cleaned my antlers up and purchased some fake flowers at the local craft store. I bought a few different types as I wasn't sure which way I wanted to go.

Once I laid everything out I decided to stick with just the largest two flowers with two big leaves.

I'll admit it took Jordan and me a few days of brainstorming to decide exactly how we were going to mount these antlers. I knew that I wanted them on the wall above our bed so it was pretty crucial that there was no chance they would fall in the middle of the night on our heads.

Jordan cut three piecess of wood from a leftover pallet we've had stored in the basement. Rather than measuring, he eyeballed the width of each as we agreed we didn't necessarily want them to be perfectly even. It would look better if they were a little 'jagged' like the hook rack I made a few months back. To attach the three pieces together, Jordan cut two smaller pieces and screwed them vertically into the wood. We chose this method so we could also use the scrap wood attach the mounting hardware.

The tricky part of this was how the antlers were going to be attached to the wood. We ultimately decided to drill four small holes through the wood at the bottom of the antlers where the flowers would be. We used sturdy wire to wrap around the antlers and the wood three times before securing on the backside of the wood.

Here is a side view to see how the wire was wrapped around the antlers. Three loops seemed plenty as I made sure to tightly wrap. By the time I was finished the bottom of the antler would barely move. I tightly twisted the wire around itself on the backside of the wood about two inches in length before folding the twisted pieces and sharp edges and tucking them against the wood.

Once the bottom was secured I used hot glue to attach the antlers at the top. We mounted metal hooks onto the back pieces and used nails in the wall to attach the antlers. The wood and antlers were surprisingly not heavy and we decided anchors weren't necessary with the hardware we used.

The antlers look great above the bed and the rough rustic wood balances nicely with our (new!) Ikea bedding. Our bedroom is finally starting to look like a put together room.

Lucy's First Valentine Party

2013-02-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

My sweet Valentine.

Lucy had her first real party with other kids this past weekend. My friend Lindsay hosted a Valentine Sweetheart Brunch for 8 kids and their moms/dads. I actually felt like a put-together mom as I managed to pull off bringing both some form of food and making valentines for all the kids. Of course, in normal Jessica fashion I did both the food and Valentines up until 1am Friday night.

At the request of the hostess I made these great mini parfaits for the kids using three easy ingredients - sliced strawberries, Graduates strawberry yogurt and Cool Whip.

For the Valentines I picked up these puzzles - Disney princesses for the girls and Lightning McQueen for the boys. The ribbon and baggies I already owned and I recently picked up the heart cards and owl/bird stickers for Lucy's other Valentines. I also picked up some reduced sugar fruit snacks as an added treat.

Lucy was in charge of decorating the heart cards.

I broke each puzzle apart and put the pieces inside the small paper baggies. I tied the bags closed with a piece of festive ribbon and stapled the fruit snacks to the bag. The birds indicated the boy puzzles and owls for the princess puzzles.

Of course we also had to make Valentines for Lucy's close friends and family. As much as I wanted to do some elaborate, detailed craft I opted for simple because I wanted Lucy to participate as much as possible. We picked up blank pink cards from Michaels along with varying Valentine themed stickers.

I encouraged Lucy to do as much as she could on her own, with just a little guidance from mommy.

I also made sure to translate her message in each card.

We addressed the cards to all Lucy's friends and family and shipped them out just in time to arrive for Valentine's Day. They were a hit as I received numerous excited texts and Facebook messages as soon as all Lucy's family and friends received their Valentines.

Hope you all had a fun and love-filled Valentine's Day! Can you believe February is half over??

Happy Valentine's Day

2013-02-14T11:54:00.001-05:00

Just sending a quick Happy Valentine's Day to all of you.

Also wishing my Valentine a Happy 31st Birthday. xx

3rd, 4th, 5th Time's a Charm?

2013-02-12T11:21:00.000-05:00

Guess which room I'm working on again?

The guest room. I made some progress this past weekend by starting this gallery wall above the guest bed. I'm waiting on 2 more frames I ordered from West Elm (along with some fun accessories for the laundry room), then I need to actually fill these frames.

I've made a vow that I need to finish some rooms in our house rather than all of them be half complete. Guest room, laundry room, dining room and master bedroom are high on my list to finish. I'm feeling motivated.

Enjoying the Small Things

2013-02-10T09:48:00.001-05:00

I don't do motherhood themed posts as much anymore. I'm not exactly sure why. Part of it is my fear of exposing Lucy too much and some crazy person knocking on my door trying to steal her. Part of it is trying to keep some parts of our life personal. The main reason is probably more that I just feel so busy that I don't take out the 'nice' camera or take the time to jot down her milestones anymore. (Excuses, excuses.)

Catching up on my blog roll this morning in bed and I came across this post from one of my favorite 'Mommy Blogs', NYC Taught Me. I never took the time to reflect my thoughts of the Sandy Hook tragedy on the blog, but I felt the same way every mom did that morning - depressed, angry, confused, heartbroken, and yet glad it didn't happen to me. I thought this post from NYCTM was such a great piece about the life of a mom - when things are so rushed and routine it's hard sometimes to step back and enjoy the perfectness of a normal, boring day. At that moment I decided to start doing so today.

I woke up just after 7am this morning when Jordan got up to take the dog out and feed the animals. For some reason I don't sleep well when he's not in bed. Lucy had a late night and a rough time going to bed so I was looking forward to some time to enjoy a cup of coffee and possibly do a few things before she got up. Less than five minutes later I hear 'Mommy?' over the monitor. Oh well, maybe a good nap later.

Lucy has been grumpy in the mornings when she wakes up, but we've learned what to do and say to work around it. I stick her in bed with Jordan to watch 'her show' (these days it's Fresh Beat Band) with the promise to bring her a bottle, which seems to satisfy her. While downstairs I start the coffee for me. Lucy will usually lie in bed with us for an hour in the morning, letting one or both of us (depending on the day) drift back in and out of sleep before she gets restless.

I especially enjoyed this morning and she was extra cuddly and not in one of her hyper moods where she wants to play and jump in the bed. I'm sure it had a little to do with her late night. I hear my coffee maker beep to tell me my coffee is ready, but I'm not going to move from this spot now.

Right after taking this picture, she grabbed by hand and wrapped it around her, motioning for me to rub her belly. My sweet girl.

I also tried to get a picture of her face, but these days she gets mad sometimes when she knows I'm taking her photo. And yes, we still have a pacifier, but it's only for bedtime and we make sure Lucy is the one who takes it out and puts it into the crib when it's time to get up. I promise it will be gone by 2!

Once Jordan gets up to get ready for work, Lucy is done with the bed and ready to play. We make a pit stop in her room to drop off the pacifier and have a reunion with Minnie, who we haven't seen in what, an hour?

(Note the little pacifier going overboard)

Afterwards we head downstairs for breakfast. I consider just giving her leftover pancakes from yesterday, but opt for a healthier breakfast of eggs, strawberries and Cheerios. I have a rule that I try to make sure Lucy has 1 protein, 1 fruit and 1 veggie (preferably a green one) each day.

While I make breakfast Lucy alternates between playing, scattering the recycling bottles around the house, yelling at me for not walking laps with her around the house, and harassing the animals. Jordan kisses his girls and rushes off to work.

Once breakfast is served it's my time to enjoy my coffee and Lucy's leftover eggs for just a few minutes.

My time is quickly up and Lucy tells me 'aw done' and I'm being instructed to join a dance party with the dog. We have lots to do today, but this is my vow to start enjoying the small things.

(Blog post title taken from the amazing Kelle Hampton. Check out her blog and read her story about her sweet Nella, here.)

Inspiration: Floral Antlers

2013-02-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

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It seems wildlife is making the rounds in the home decor world. Moose, deer, foxes, antlers, feathers and other animals (and animal parts) are popping up in everyone's home.

About two weeks ago I scored a set of antlers from a coworker (after posting a desperate plea on Facebook). I was thrilled to walk into my office the following day and find two beautiful antlers on my desk. Since then I've been debating how I want to use them in our home. Of all the ideas I've seen around the web, my favorite is pairing antlers and flowers.

There is something about the contrast of the solid, rough antlers and pretty, soft flowers that appeals to me. I picked up a few different types and colors of (fake) flowers and plan to get to work this weekend creating my own floral antler display.

How are you incorporating the forest life trend in your home?