nesting instincts

swan song

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:06:00 +0000

When my second child was born almost four years ago, I was ready for a change. I had been plugging away as a part-time worship leader in my church, but had grown tired and ready to be a stay-at-home mom for a while. I had always had a dream of owning my own redesign business. It was something I was good at and had been helping friends redecorate for years just for fun. I started thinking, "Wouldn't it be fun to give it a shot?" I was blessed with a husband who had a steady job and we had always been committed to living on just his income, so there wasn't a lot of pressure to make lots of money right away. In addition, I had just given birth to my second daughter, and while she is a huge blessing now and brings so much joy to our family - she was not an easy baby! She refused to sleep at night and I was exhausted...I wanted somethiing "fun" to focus on. Thus, Nesting Instincts was born! I began working on a simple website, and when I started blogging in January of 2008, the business just took off! For a year, the business was just above and beyond what I could have hoped it would be. I was having so much fun. I remember saying to my husband, "I don't know how long this will last, but for now, it's just such a gift from God. He didn't have to bless this business, but He knew it was something I really wanted right now and he's brought clients and just really smiled on the whole thing this year."

And it's so true. I haven't talked about my faith a whole lot on this blog, because it's always been about promoting my business, but the fact is, I am who I am because of God. And my faith in Him colors everything about my life. I would be a mess without Him. So when my business started to receive accolades from even the most unexpected quarters, I thanked God, because I knew that "every good and perfect gift comes from the Father above" as the Bible says. While all of this was happening, I started attending a new church closer to my home and, while I no longer had to lead worship on Sundays, God wouldn't let me forget about worship leading. People who hadn't even heard me play or sing kept asking me to join worship teams or to lead worship at women's Bible study or various events. And then, almost 20 months ago, I gave birth to my sweet boy. He has been a huge blessing to our family and we're so grateful for him! However, he's also been an unexpected challenge. He's developmentally delayed, and we've spent the last eleven months in therapy, evaluations, testing, etc. to try and determine what the issues are and what the cause might be. We still don't have a whole lot more answers now than we did a year ago (except we know a whole lot of diseases that he doesn't have now).

And so, in spite of some big challenges and other time commitments, I have continued to plug away at my little Nesting Instincts. Decorating, shopping, bargain-hunting, graphic design, entertaining and throwing parties...I've always loved those things! And I always will! But recently, God's given me a new direction in life. He's shown me that he wants me to focus more on ministry to Him and to others and that the season of Nesting Instincts, the business, is coming to a close. Honestly, if you had told me a year ago that I would be writing this, I would have predicted that I would be feeling very sad and nostalgic right now...that there might be great "weeping and gnashing of teeth" as I close this chapter of my life. Actually, there is some nostalgia, but I am not mourning the end of this season! Mostly because I'm so excited about whatever it is that God has in store for me next. (And in case you ask, I have no idea what that might be.) I just feel like this is the right thing to do. God has shifted my priorities, and I want to be a part of what he's doing in the world. Many would say that I could have still ministered through decorating, etc. And that is true! And there is absolutely nothing wrong with decorating...I will always love it! But I've had a personal encounter with my God and I want to be available for the "something new" that he's going to do next. The when, what, how....I don't know that stuff yet. But I do know the "Who"...that's God...and because of Him, my life will never be the same.

I will always be available to help (and will enjoy helping) my friends and family decorate or plan parties or whatever. But I am going to put my business to bed for now and continue to seek God's will for my daily life and for my future. I have plenty to keep me busy...leading worship, parenting three little ones (one with special needs) and trying to be a blessing to others. I also have a new blog. It is highly personal and is about my spiritual journey and the things God is teaching my heart right now. (It's just a way for me to remember this sweet time where God is really revealing some stuff to me...whether or not anyone reads it is immaterial.)

So, my friends...THANK YOU!!!!!! So many of you have had me into your homes, asked my advice, read my blog, left lovely comments, purchased my cards, inspired me, supported me, encouraged me, blessed me. THANK YOU hardly seems like enough, but there is so much gratitude in my heart for each one of you that has played a special part in my life and in Nesting Instincts over the last three years! I love each one of you and pray that God will reveal Himself to you and bless you in a special way this year.

Hugs, hugs, HUGS!!!
:-) Courtney

EDITED TO ADD:
PS I will leave NestInk, my Etsy shop, open until Thanksgiving, for anyone that wants to order Christmas presents!

the most important things in life aren't...chandeliers

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:02:00 +0000

So yesterday I was blessed with a few hours to myself in the morning. What a gift! I spent the whole time browsing along each and every booth at Monticello Antique Mall in Portland. I love that place! Many of the vendors are very gifted at display, and I like how each of their individual personalities shine through their choices of stock and collectibles.

this is one of my all-time favorite dining rooms from a magazine EVER.

I was on a bit of a fact-finding mission, scoping out vintage chandeliers and pricing them. For those that have followed my blog for a while now, you will be very disappointed in me when I confess that I STILL have no chandelier for my dining room. Yes, the room that received a makeover two and a half years ago. Uh-huh. That's the one. No chandelier. What I do have (don't be jealous) is a gaping hole in my ceiling where I have also neglected to even install a three dollar plastic cap to cover the electrical wires hanging from the ceiling. I'm trying to figure out some way that I can pass this off as some kind of new design trend, but you all are too smart. I'm pretty sure you'd see right through that one. Anyway...

Back to chandelier shopping. It was supposed to just be a pricing and fact-finding mission, so I could be properly researched and prepared when the big moment FINALLY arrived to actually make a chandelier purchase. (Oh my goodness, I just realized that I should have taken my camera with me and showed you pics of some of the chandeliers I found! Bad blogger! BAD!) But, lo and behold, apparently my guard was down or something, because I found one that I got sorta attached to. The price was really reasonable and it was a good combination of old, rustic, and glamorous (what with the silk shades and all!). To further sweeten the deal, the booth vendor happened to actually be there in her booth that day and she offered me an additional 15% off! Yowsa!

So as you might imagine, I took a pic of the chandy with my phone and promptly texted both my husband and one of my girlfriends. (I have no idea how to get a photo from my phone to my computer, so don't even ask to see it.) Then, when I got impatient for a reply, I actually called my husband, who had apparently only just received the text and hadn't formulated a response yet. I love and adore my husband and one of the things that he is really good at is finances. Me, I don't pay a whole lot of attention to the old finances. I mean, I am a bargain shopper, I do my best with the money the budget allows me each month as far as providing for the family's needs, etc. but I am not the one that pays the bills.

So, we had to have a difficult conversation. He didn't like it, but he had to tell me to "wait" on the chandelier, because there just wasn't the money available for it right now. He didn't like feeling like the bad guy, but there you have it. As you might imagine, I didn't care for it either. At the moment he did seem a little like a bad guy; not because he actually was, but just because in his quest to be a responsible money manager, he had to tell me to wait. And I wanted it. Now. Like, for some reason I've been able to wait for two and a half years, but suddenly I felt I could not wait another thirty minutes.

Well, here's the point to this whole long sob story. I'm ashamed to admit that I allowed it to ruin the better part of my day. But when I left the antique mall and got back into the car, there was a song playing on KLOVE that goes "I don't want to gain the whole world, but lose my soul". That line was convicting for me. It was a gentle reminder that life is not about acquiring things. Not even cute, on-sale things. Not even things we "need". I had allowed my disappointment in not getting to purchase that chandelier to suddenly cast a shadow over an otherwise lovely day.

When I was growing up, my mom had framed print in the living room that said, "The most important things in life are not things." I've always loved that quote, but apparently every once in a while, I still need to be reminded of the truth in that saying.

I was inspired to write this post because of a post I read over at Remodeling This Life called "There will always be something else". She's doing a series of 31 Days of Living Simply. And she's been able to make a similar point to mine in a much simpler way (haha) and with fewer words. You should check it out.

I read a lot of blogs about decor and design, and let me tell you, it's very easy to start feeling discontent with your own home when you see what others have. But once again I remind myself - "the most important things in life aren't things". I've been teaching my kids recently that when they are feeling discontent, they should make a list of five things they are thankful for. By the end of that list, their attitude has changed and they have a new perspective on things. Why don't I follow my own advice more often?

P.S. Oh, and I'm glad I have a husband who can stand up for what's best for the family, even when I don't like it. I sure do love that guy.

The photos in this post are a few dining rooms (and their chandeliers) that make my heart go pitter-patter. All photo sources: decor pad

master bedroom makeover...for free!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:00:00 +0000

master bedroom before

Last weekend I had an opportunity to do a fun three-hour redesign for a client. Her husband was out of town for the week, but is preparing to deploy for Iraq after the holidays. Understandably, she wanted a serene and romantic space for their master bedroom before then. The bed is missing a headboard, and the room had the unique challenge of being in a basement and therefore having a ledge surrounding most of the room. I think I turned these features into an asset by using the ledge as a headboard and having it be a staging area for candles and flowers. Here it is...

Master Bedroom after

We did absolutely no shopping for this space. We only used what my client already had in her home. We found a table from another room, lamps from other rooms, extra bedding that wasn't being used, and used flowers from her own front yard to complete the look. Wouldn't you love to see this room at night with all the candles lit? Stunning, I think.

other half of the room, before

The other end of the room was even more challenging, because my client really didn't have any bigger pieces of furniture available to create the sitting area of her dreams. Therefore, we went ahead and staged this space using what she has, but she has a shopping list for Craigslist and will be looking for a few larger pieces.

After

We took an old chair from the garage (a "project" chair that is waiting to be revamped) and temporarily dressed it up with a throw and a pillow. Even though you can tell that more furniture is needed, the space is still warmer and you can see that it is the beginning of a lovely sitting area. This is a good-sized master bedroom (what a blessing!) and my client has the following items on her shopping list for this space:

1. wood blinds - the 2" plantation ones in a warm wood finish (white will work if she can't find wood)

2. either two comfy upholstered chairs or a small love seat.. A chaise lounge, possibly with a second chair, would work as well.

3. a small end table

4. table lamp or floor lamp (for reading)

When I first saw the space, the ledge seemed like it could be a bit of a problem child. But as I got farther into the transformation, I realized the ledge could really be a unique asset. We raided the client's kitchen for a bunch of milk bottles, since that was something she had in multiples. I feel that repetition of a simple design element is a great way to fill a long shelf or ledge like this, without the overall look becoming cluttered. The great thing is, she can put just about anything in these vases. Cherry branches in spring, flowers in summer and fall, bare branches in the winter. SO fun.

To make the bed seem more luxurious, we mixed and matched and layered linens like crazy. Thankfully, the last few times the client has bought bedding, it's all been in a similar color scheme. As a result, she has several sets of sheets and duvets that all compliment each other. I used striped sheets, a toile quilt, and a mono-chromatic patterned duvet cover layered on this bed with a variety of throw pillows. I think the overall effect is soft, inviting, and elegant.

This just goes to show that it doesn't have to take a lot of money to get a new look in your home. Sometimes just a friend with a different perspective can be the catalyst to your next makeover. Or, of course, you can always call someone like me. :-) I just love doing this kind of thing, and I've decided that master bedrooms are one of my very favorite rooms to makeover. Usually, for most of us, it's the last room to get any attention. It should be a safe and calming place...a bit of a sanctuary...but usually, it's not! I'm on a one-woman mission to change that for America. Well, okay, at least for Oregon. Oh, all right, for the Portland area. But yes, definitely on a mission to makeover the master bedrooms of Portland, one room at a time! ;-)

and the winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 03:29:00 +0000

We assigned each comment a number, and my lovely assistants wrote down the numbers on scraps of paper. Here's my girls showing off the winning number! The winner of two sets of my custom NestInk note cards giveaway is:

Suburban Prep!

Comment #10
Suburban prep said:
"These are wonderful. I like the Contemporary Cluster for my self and the Iris for my mother. My mother loves Irises and well she has been a great help for me this summer during some stressful times."

Congrats, Suburban Prep! Please email me to claim your prize!! Thanks to everyone else who entered the giveaway. More to come!

GIVEAWAY and more lovely finds

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 21:39:00 +0000

Don't forget to enter my giveaway! Giveaway closes Monday, October 11 at midnight PST. The winner will be chosen at random from the comments.

blue mid-century chair painting by CottageHillStore

I spent time on Saturday working on a really fun redesign. A wife was re-decorating the master bedroom as a surprise for her husband who was out of town. I'm still working on getting the pics off the camera...I'll do a post about the redesign once the photos are ready. For now, feast your eyes on this loveliness, and check out these etsy shops:

"welcome" - archival art print from lovelysweetwilliam

artichoke print on vintage book page by CrowBiz

teal hummingbird with eucalyptus pillow (on sale!) by joom

Beautiful, no? Have a great week, my friend!

Fabulous Fall Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 15:07:00 +0000

dripping cyan signed print by slight clutter

Usually I am not a fan of paintings or photographs of trees or forests in fall. I sort of hate to even admit this, because I feel that it's almost inhuman or something not to appreciate the colors and beauty of autumn. I do appreciate the colors, but along with them comes a deep mourning for the loss of summer. See, I'm a sun person all the way, and invariable I wish for summer to never end. I think my attitude is usually something like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, summer's got to end, but I don't have to be happy about it!"

All of this brings me to the stunning work of Etsy shop slightclutter (pictured above and below). The photographs are gorgeous to begin with, but they have just the right amount of artistic tweaking that makes them absolutely breathtaking! These are photos of fall that I would be proud to display all year round in my home...and that's really saying something (since in general I sort of try to ignore the fact that it's fall!).

another day, another fairytale by slightclutter

Man, I'm really swooning over this tree and its brilliant leaves. It's just so magical and surreal. I really dig it.

moss green batik napkins by margotbianca

I also kind of fell in love with these handmade batik napkins. Don't you just love that color? I've included it in this collection of fall-themed things, but it could say "spring" just as easily, I think. I'm picturing these set on a rustic table, outdoors, perhaps at a little dinner party set in an apple orchard. I actually had a lady buy a huge and gorgeous candelabra from me at my yard sale this summer, and she said she was buying it for her friend who often hosts dinners outdoors in her apple orchard. Gasp! Can you imagine anything more perfect or magical in the fall? (Or anytime for that matter?)

my fall leaves no.1 original art by artofjane

This artwork really takes my breath away, particularly because it is A) original and B) 5 x 7 size (easy to frame) and C) under $10. Yep, you read it right...$10 for original artwork that's inexpensive to frame on your own! Oh. My. Goodness. I'm really smitten with the fall leaves above. The one below is gorgeous as well.

fall is coming original art by artofjane

deer and butterfly cupcake wrappers by masonrabbitspaperie

And moving on to the adorably cute and clever portion of today's post. Do you see those cupcake wrappers? Is there really anything I can say about them that can add to their cuteness? I think the only thing that could make these better is having an actual cupcake inside them! Other than that, they are so sweet, I could almost eat them on their own. Having a child's birthday this fall? Why not make it a forest theme? Complete with deer, toadstools, butterflies, pinecones...you get the idea.

cinnamon pinecone garland by sweetsomethingdesigns

And speaking of clever, look what sweetsomethingdesigns did with cinnamon-scented pine cones! Attached them to rough twine for a really simple, woodsy-looking garland that also makes your home smell fabulous. Sometimes I get tired of the over-abundance of fake leaves you see in homes during fall (the finger's pointed at me too...my own fake leaves included!) so it's refreshing to see something like this that is so organic and beautiful at the same time.

Okay, I think I might be a little more ready for fall now! 'Cause like it or not, it's here! So I'm doing my best to revel in its beauty after all. :-)

And speaking of celebrating, don't forget to enter my giveaway!!!

no more chemo - let's celebrate with a giveaway!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:25:00 +0000

beautiful Audrey, age six

***This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks so much for entering!!****

Our sweet little friend Audrey is now six years old and is in the first grade. Sounds pretty normal, until I add the fact that she has just finished TWO YEARS of treatment for leukemia! She has a clean bill of health now. I can hardly believe that it's finally over. I'll never forget when my mom called me on the phone back in July 2008 with the news that Audrey had been diagnosed with leukemia. Our hearts broke. Audrey is one of my daughter's good friends, and Audrey's mom is one of my very good friends. I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. At the time, it seemed that October 1, 2010, would NEVER get here. The end of her treatment felt so far away. But now, thanks to the thousands of prayers to a faithful God, and the capable, loving hands at Doernbecher Children's Hospital, she has completed her treatment. WOW!!

my card design called "happy"...NestInk

So, I feel like a celebration is in order! To celebrate, I'm going to give away some of custom embellished stationery...one set for you, one for a friend! There are three ways you can win:
- Please check out my shop and then come back and leave a comment telling me which style you'd choose for yourself, and which style you'd want to give to your friend.
- share about this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter and be entered to win again (leave another comment to let me know)
- write a post about this giveaway on your blog for yet another entry (leave another comment with the link to your post)

You'll have until midnight PST on Monday, Oct. 11 to enter this giveaway. So start commenting!! :-)

"iris cluster" (close-up)

And YAY for being cancer-free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love you, Audrey!!!! <3

corner cupboard makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 03:36:00 +0000

Here's just a little project I did recently. It only took me about twenty minutes, but I think the difference is great!

corner cupboard before

I started with this white corner cupboard. Actually, when it was first given to me by my mom, it was navy blue. I promptly painted it white and put it in the girls' playroom. Fast-forward a year or two and it took on new life in my kitchen. However, it was pretty boring and I felt it needed more color...not to mention, I have a lot of white dishes that I'd like to display, but I felt that white dishes in a white cupboard would really be BOR-ing.

cupboard after

So, I whipped out some paint I had purchased for another project, and in about twenty minutes, had a whole new look! Just one coat did the trick. Now, the white dishes really stand out more, and I have more of my favorite color (turquoise) in the kitchen now!

my kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 17:01:00 +0000

Just because I promised (and not because I'm in love with it!)...here are a few pics of my kitchen. A lot of it is somewhat in shadow...this was taken on a sunny day and the light was just beginning to really stream through the window over the sink. But, you get the idea. There's a LOT of cabinetry in my kitchen, and I love the style of it...just not the finish on the cabinets.

This is my kitchen from the other angle. You can see my "gallery wall" at the far end...the ever-rotating display of my children's artwork. It's just clothespins stuck on cables, which are jerry-rigged to the wall. I could have done it a lot more professionally, but (long story) I ended up making it happen with cuphooks and ribbons to cover the ugliness where the cables were anchored to the wall. I have close-ups of this project, but of course, can't seem to find them at the moment! So you will have to let your imagination do some of the work. (And by the way...my cabinets are not really that bright ORANGE - just that darn afternoon sunlight combined with my poor photo editing!)

Ah - there's the culprit - the one window in my kitchen without blinds (or any window treatment at all!). Why, you ask? Eh, just haven't gotten around to it. Come on, people, I've only owned the house for seven years! It takes time to do things like purchase blinds, you know?

Hmmm, tough crowd. ANYWAY...

The kitchen of my dreams would have white cabinetry, except on the island...where it might be grey or black...carrera marble countertops...some open shelving....some glass doors on a few cabinets...and maybe white or marble subway tiles on the backsplash. The whole room would be bright and clean, but with a homey, vintage feel to it. Perhaps a chandelier or two. Maybe I'll do a post on inspiring kitchens of these days. I have to confess, after starting to write this post (several days ago!) I went off looking for inspiring kitchen photos...and got so lost in all the inspiration of blogland that I never came back! So for now...you'll just have to imagine my dream kitchen. And, of course, donations are always welcome. ;-)

"virtual nesting" at NestInk

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:16:00 +0000

If you follow me on Facebook at all, you know that I've been dealing with a house full of sickies this week. I mean really sick. I've never seen my girls sicker, in fact! Without going into too much detail, let's just say that I have had a LOT of messes to clean up this week. So glad that I took my nice, neat living room photos a few weeks ago. 'Cause it ain't pretty now, folks.

happy

What I did get a chance to do today is finally some updating and housekeeping at NestInk. Editing photos and creating listings on Etsy is very time-consuming, but it's obviously necessary if you want to...you know...sell stuff. And that I do. Want to sell stuff, I mean. Oh dear...nevermind...

retro roses

Anyway, I'm trying a different approach with my photos. I'm going for a much more zoomed-in look as the main pic, the hope being that it will attract attention and get people to click on the item for more information. Each item photo on Etsy really only shows up as a small avatar, and so it's important that the photo packs a big punch on a small scale.

three flowers

What do you think? I'm hoping this approach will help attract more business and more people to click-through each listing.

contemporary cluster

They're not the highest-quality photos ever (because I'm cropping them waaayyy down) but I'm liking the overall new look that it gives my "storefront".

iris cluster

I've also added several sets of 10. I've received enough requests for varying quantities that I think I just need to start listing them. Up until now, I've just sold sets of 6 (unless otherwise requested). But now I'll also be offering sets of 10 or 20 as well.

elegant scrolls

Anyway, sorry about all the shop-talk. It's just what's on my mind today, and it's been refreshing to spend some time on something for me while my kids are continuing to recuperate. They are at that point now where they are weak enough to stay out of trouble, but well enough that they don't need constant nursing.

I'll bring Friday's Finds back again soon, don't you worry! Have a great weekend, friends.

time to tour...my front room

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:42:00 +0000

My front room this week

I spent a fair amount of time cleaning, redecorating, and organizing my home this week. Not something I would have ordinarily planned in addition to my already busy schedule for the week, but something happened that I wasn't counting on. When you get an email from a magazine editor who is considering your home for a feature in their magazine (WHAT?!?) but they need a few photos of the layout of your home, you get busy. Never have I had better motivation to clean and organize. I don't even want to admit how long it took me to get each room ready for these photos. When you have three kids under five...well, you can imagine how scary things can get around this place.

my front room...from another angle

It was great motivation to finish a lot of half-finished projects, too. I got several things spray-painted that had been waiting for weeks...months?...for their lovely new coats. I'll show you the details of those things in another post.

my mantel with artwork I embellished myself (more on that in a later post)

This is the closest thing I've got to an entryway! This is that yellow vase I made a while back.

my "entertainment center"...really a yard-sale buffet

my beloved piano and newly re-re-painted mirror above (remember the yellow disaster?)

my favorite huge white bowl (from Crate & Barrel) with lemons and my mantel in the background

these roses were all from my own front yard...I love the colors!

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this little tour of my front room (which is really two rooms!). I'll show you my kitchen later on this week. I still don't know whether they will want to shoot my home for the magazine or not...but I figure, even if they don't...the amount of cleaning and sprucing up I did this week was PRICELESS! In fact, the whirlwind of activity was so impressive that my husband tried to tell me that somebody wants to photograph our junk drawer for a magazine and could I spruce it up for pictures? He's a funny guy. ;-)

i'm such a tease...but this gorgeous photography is no joke!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 04:35:00 +0000

Disclaimer: I am teasing you now. I have some REALLY fun projects to show you. But there's only so much time in the day, so you all will have to wait till I have a chance to upload the photos, edit them to the proper level of fabulousness (or as close as I can get them, anyway) and post them to this little corner of blogland. I also had some amazing news the other day about an opportunity that is so exciting that it helped turn a really icky week into a really great one. But I can't tell you about it yet. Let's just say that I have been spending the last couple of days, in between other real-life duties, decorating and staging and photographing my own home for a special project. I'll share the pics with you soon...you will get a bigger glimpse into my home than ever before...and eventually I'll even tell you why I went through all the pain and suffering of the intense cleaning it required to even feel like my home was ready to photograph.

In the meantime, you have to check out this beautiful original photograph. I found it some time last week, and now that I've gone through the exercise of re-decorating and staging my own home, I realize one of the reasons I like it so much. The three colors in this photograph are my three favorite colors for accessories at the moment! I seriously have little touches of aqua, yellow, and hot pink all throughout my living and dining rooms. The colors are fresh, cheerful, and summery...although I'm not sure I can blame it entirely on the season (as I've been loving these three colors for quite a while now). This gorgeous print can be found in the very lovely Etsy shop AddieDesigns. Here are a few more photographs of hers that I am really digging right now:

Every single one of these photographs by AddieDesigns speaks to me in some way. Please check out the gorgeous shop of this talented artist who is not only a photographer, but does watercolor paintings as well! Can you believe it? Here are some examples of her paintings:

Gorgeous, yes?? Please go see AddieDesigns, give her some love...tell her I sent ya! :-)

still here...

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:41:00 +0000

I'm still here. Planning the Largest Yard Sale of the Century. Okay, not really, but it seems big to me because it's SO much work. And here's the thing: don't ever buy a house with an unfinished basement...not unless you plan to finish it RIGHT AWAY. Because it becomes the biggest (free) storage space ever and when you put things down there to store "for a little while" they multiply. Something happens down there, in the darkness, and what was once a small collection of treasures quickly becomes a huge collection of junk. And then, if you're afraid of spiders, or allergic to dust, or just plain lazy (or some combination of all three) you never go through all that stuff. Because there might be spiders! Or dust! In fact, there are spiders and dust guaranteed. Not to mention the work involved. And isn't normal everyday life work enough? So you continue to purchase treasures at other people's yard sales (some of which might occasionally find their way to said basement) while rarely having one of your own. Plus, don't even get me started on all the gear that comes with that tiny little creature known as a baby. And after three of them (babies, that is) there is a lot of gear.

This is just a very small glimpse of what I'll be selling.

Anyhoo, I've got to get rid of it. All of it!

To make room for stuff (from other people's yard sales!) like this:

...One of my bestest bargains ever...a Mikasa white porcelain cake pedestal (in the original box!) for $1. No joke. It was actually marked $2 but all the lady's stuff was 50% off that day! I had thought it was a bargain at $2, but at $1 I almost felt guilty. Almost.

And this beauty. Found it this weekend for $20. My mom and I were standing at the sale, waiting to pay for something else, when they brought this out of the house. You better believe I SNATCHED it up immediately. I have plans for her. She will be sanded and repainted once my yard sale is over and we've cleaned up the aftermath.

What bargains have you found recently?

Oh, and if you're in the Oregon City, OR area and you want to come to my sale, just send me an email and I'll give you the location. :-)

top photo: source unknown (if you know the source, please tell me so I can give credit where it's due!)

friday's fabulous finds

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:10:00 +0000

I am a frequent stalker...er, shopper...of thatjewelrygirl...and this is just one of her latest creations that is one my latest obsessions. I love it. I want it. 'Nough said.

Gorgeous, right?

I love the abstract flowers of etsy artist sometimesiswirl. This is an ORIGINAL pen and ink drawing, for...$25. That's right. How often can you get anything original for $25 these days? And it's charming and whimsical and black and white, which means it will go with just about any type of decor. (Although I'm getting a lot less matchy-matchy these days with artwork, and feel that if you like it, you should display it, whether it matches your throw pillows or not.)

You may have noticed me talking a lot about bunting recently. In fact, you may have previously not even known what "bunting" was (certainly true in the case of my husband who is now a reader) and have quickly transitioned to eye-rolling at the mere mention of bunting. But, I'm NOT DONE with my love affair or frequent mentions of bunting. I thought I was, but then I read Design*sponge today and saw this post about the gorgeous work of Kikilarue. She makes adorable tiny bunting out of fabric scraps to adorn cakes. Yes, cakes. Who woulda thunk it? They are tiny and charming and would work for just about any occasion where cuteness is required. Below are several more pics for your viewing pleasure. As soon as you're finished, head to Kikilarue's etsy shop. Right away.

Happy Weekend!! xoxo ~ Courtney

alphabet bunting...a free download!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:18:00 +0000

Hi friends! Just a quick note to check in and let you know that I haven't forgotten about Nesting Instincts. Have been super busy with vacation and family stuff. My friend Charlotte sent me the link to this great FREE printable alphabet bunting. I love it! Downloading these letters and having them on hand means you could spell out just about anything...whether it's a big occasion or small. I'm thinking they'd be perfect for a baby shower, or a wedding shower...or a birthday...or an anniversary...or I could go on and on.

(source: Ruffled via How About Orange?)

you are my sunshine...

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 22:51:00 +0000

I love this canvas print from Etsy shop LetteredThreads. The artist, Melanie, also writes a beautiful blog called Pretties and Posies that I follow and really enjoy. Her images on her blog are gorgeous, and she's a painter too. So much talent in one lady...I love it.

I chose to feature this canvas because I'm looking forward to a week of sunshine...our family is headed out of town on vacation! We are going back to the place I featured in this post and this post two years ago. I'm planning to soak up a little sun and have some relaxation time with the fam. Of course, when you have three little ones, it can only be SO relaxing...but this will be the first year in the last six that I haven't been either pregnant or nursing (or sick)...so can I get a WOOHOO?!!!

Have a great week! xo Courtney

paper love, real life, blog love, and party shout-outs

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:34:00 +0000

What I really WANT to do is blog. And do decorating makeovers. And host parties. That's the fun stuff. What I find myself doing is a whole lotta other stuff. Like doctor appointments for my kids. Grocery shopping. Laundry. Packing for next week's vacation. Writing blog posts for other people's blogs. (What? Something's wrong with this picture.) Fulfilling card orders. (Okay, that can be considered fun...but it's still not actually blogging.) Watering my garden (sort of). Working in the yard (occasionally). Cleaning my house (half-heartedly).

"happy" custom rhinestone notecard set from NestInk

All of that to say, I am missing my little blog. I wish I could write every day, but I seem to be in a season where real life is even more of a balancing act than normal lately. And what's cool about balancing Nesting Instincts (interior redesign business) with NestInk (custom stationery business) is that it seems whenever one is lagging, the other picks up the pace. It must be a God thing, because I certainly couldn't plan it that way.

I've had several large card orders lately...in other words, multiple sets of custom cards for the same customer. I even did some custom event invitations last week that were a lot of fun. I haven't gotten up the guts (or is it just the time?) to list things like that in my Etsy shop yet, but I'll get to it eventually. I do so love creating invitations that set the mood for an event. My client wanted something summery (but not too obviously summer, like flip-flops or something) so we chose the "Happy" pattern as the inspiration for the invitation. I thought they turned out cute and it just occurred to me that of course I forgot to photograph them for my blog. If I'm not careful, my blog will begin to feel horribly neglected and get her (she's a "her", of course) feelings hurt and then start giving me errors when I try to post. Or stop uploading photos. Or something like that.

Angela's Ranch Redo (The Painted House blog)

ANYWAY, in my current state of Bad Blog Author, I have at least continued reading and occasionally commenting on other blogs. One of my most favorite blog posts EVAH was this one from Angela at The Painted House. It's part of her series on "What Makes a Home Beautiful?" and it is so worth the read. It initiated a flurry of emails between Angela and I because she touched on a few things I'm fairly passionate about. Also, her whole blog is beautiful and worth reading, but I especially loved her recent post about updating the exterior of her ranch home. It is GOR-geous now.

Another site I recently discovered was The Grocery Shrink. I'm still a teeny tiny bit intimidated (okay, a lot intimidated) by the money-saving genius I've found there, but I'm baby-stepping it. Have been receiving her free emails on how to make my own cleaning supplies, which I may just start doing. I am still waiting on the email on how to make my own housekeeper. I'd even pay for that e-book!!

And last, but not least, a great BIG thank you to a few sites that have featured my parties recently:

my Dr. Seuss Party:
CafeMom.com blog, The Stir
Guest post at The Birthday Girl
Kinser Event Comapny blog

My "Baby Meet Orange" shower:

BumpSmitten.com (site is still under construction, I'll let you know when the feature goes live)

Anyway, if this hasn't been the most random of all blog posts! For those of you still reading (thanks, Mom) I hope you have a lovely rest of the week. Me, I'm getting ready for vacation...can I get a WOOHOO?? Trying not to get overwhelmed at the amount of work involved in getting three kids (one of them still a baby) ready for a week-long trip. Oy.

Friday's Fabulous Finds...turquoise and red

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 23:05:00 +0000

Happy Friday! I have a few lovely, summery finds for you today. I am loving the combination of turquoise and red, and today's post brings you a little of both. Turquoise is so cool and tropical, reminding me of gorgeous waters in a faraway places. The red is so vibrant and brings the heat...and what is summer without heat? Hope you enjoy these fabulous finds...

This is a tiny little piece of art, measuring only 4" x 4", but it's so dreamy! In fact, everything by dahliahousestudios is downright dreamy. She takes original photographs, then alters them by adding watercolors or other mediums. Soooo lovely. (Above is Red Dogwood Spring Blossom.)

I stumbled upon this GORGEOUS shop, lulusplendor, just today. She sells mostly bridal jewelry and hair accessories. It's enough to make me want to renew my vows! The blue swallow earrings above are gorgeous and I like their vintage appeal. The rest of her shop is filled with absolutely stunning rhinestones, crystals, and a feather or two. DELISH.

This is a sweet set of 3 original paintings by myhouseofgiggles. I've been reading the blog, My House of Giggles, for a while now, and was excited when the lovely Tracie announced she was opening her Etsy shop. She has great taste, great style, and I knew it would be good. Sure enough, she has some beautiful original paintings and some lovely cake plates too. I'm really digging the simplicity and colors of the three paintings above.

I just love the bright, happy colors of these cupcake liners. And by the way, I just got lost for a ridiculous amount of time in the Etsy shop of sweetestelle. This shop offers baking supplies...all colors and patterns of cupcake liners, retro-themed toppers, sprinkles, and other fun accessories. I found some ballerina cupcake toppers that I'm purposely not going to show you because I want them for myself. The only problem...my ballerina daughter's birthday is still six months away. To buy now, or not to buy now? that is the question.

That wraps up this edition of my Fabulous Finds. I hope your weekend is just fabulous!! :-)

I have no words...letters, but no words

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:34:00 +0000

What do you do when you have SO many ideas about projects and blog posts, and yet REAL LIFE seems determined to keep you from completing any of them? What about all the projects I have half-done...with photos even...but none of those "after" pics that we all seem to love?

Well, I'm going to blogland for inspiration. I know that the three people who read my blog (too many? maybe two?) are creative, inspirational, re-purposing, visionary sort of people. SO, here ya go:

I bought ALL of these wooden letters at a garage sale recently for $8 total. Woohoo! They were marked at $1 a piece, and there are about 32 or so of them. I offered $8 for the whole box, and she went for it! I'm almost never afraid to bargain with someone, because if they're like me, they're having a garage sale to get RID of stuff...the making money part is a secondary benefit. (Not ALL people think like this, mind you...but lots of 'em do.)

I bought these intending to do something fabulous with them, and then re-sell them individually for a small profit. Maybe in my Etsy shop, but I'm not really sure. The bigger letters are about 12" tall, the smaller are about 7" tall. And, there are very few actual words I can spell with these, since I'm short on vowels. That's why I thought I would do something artistic and sell them separately. The problem is, all my ideas have already been done before and are not really that unique. I thought of glittering them...I love glitter, but *yawn* it's everywhere (especially at the holidays). I thought of decoupage or even just a different paint color. The finish on them is a creamy white with slightly distressed edges. The letters are new and have never been used (as far as I can tell).

What to do, people? What to do? My creative juices need help to start flowing!

some cute and tasty ways to celebrate our freedom

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 14:09:00 +0000

Happy Fourth of July, my fellow Americans! To celebrate the holiday, I thought I'd give you this link to a lovely gift from the Creature Comforts blog...FREE printable DIY bunting and cupcake toppers! There's still plenty of time to whip up something crafty for your Fourth decorations...and when it's this easy (and adorable), why not? Print them yourself and finish them in about half an hour.

The Fourth of July holiday always makes me think of these. Strawberries, blueberries, any berries. I think I'm going to make a blueberry pie for our barbecue. I tried this recipe last year and it was scrumptious! Usually I make something different for dessert each year, but this time I'm thinking...if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Finding myself so thankful for the freedoms in this country. Have yourself a splendid holiday weekend!

mini makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 22:50:00 +0000

Here's a little project I completed recently. (So many projects, so few completions these days, it seems!) As my card business is growing, I've been scrambling to get organized and find a permanent home for all of my card-making supplies. I have an older home with some built-ins surrounding the fireplace. I LOVE them, but up until recently, they've mostly held dining/entertaining dishes and...stuff.

Here's my "before"...you can see how the practical supplies slowly took over to where my poor vintage punch set is relegated to one shelf. Everything else is mismatched and ugly. Various boxes from various stages of my decorating history are somewhat functional, but the overall look is UHgly.

After! A $16 investment at Ikea on white boxes, combined with the white and aqua ones I already had, made a huge difference. I organized and consolidated my supplies, and now there's a home for everything. The best part...it blends in an looks like it's supposed to be there. My poor little punch set is now relegated to just two thirds of one shelf, but it's a necessary evil. It only gets used once or twice a year anyway, so it's okay if it's somewhat out of reach.

Here's the "before" again, with the built-in doors closed. Who came in and made this mess in my house? Not I, said the Little Red Hen.

And another "after". It feels like it's meant to be, because not only is it more attractive now, it's totally functional. It's easier to find the things I need.

...especially 'cause I labeled everything. These are some of my favorite labels...2" rounds from Paper Source. Love that place. I had to turn the larger boxes sideways, due to the shelf size, so that's why I chose to add my own labels on the side.

And the trusty little Ikea boxes. I think it cost $4 for two of these (or something equally cheap).

I've got a lot of little areas in my house where clutter builds up. Do you know the feeling? I'm trying to systematically sort/organize the clutter in each area, and then create a way to beautify the space that is attractive but still makes sense. It's slow going, because it seems that for every space I conquer, there are ten more waiting for the same fate. But, people, we Must. Not. Give. Up. (That's what I tell myself anyway!) Next to my front door is another spot...I've got my eyes peeled for the perfect little piece of furniture at garage sales or on Craigslist that can help me solve my problem there. You will, of course, be the first to know when I find it!

Where does clutter gather at your house? Do you have any creative solutions for it? Or has it gotten you down?

Fab Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:18:00 +0000

Just a quick note to check in. I won't be doing my regular Friday's Fab Finds post today because I'm off to VBS again. I've been one of the kindergarten teachers for VBS at my church this week, and while it's been wonderful and amazing, it's also been exhausting. Leaving me no time or energy for much else at all. Today's the last day, and then back to normal life after the weekend. But I do have a redesign appointment with a client tomorrow, so maybe I'll share some details from that next week?! I have to give you one piece of eye candy though. I recently discovered photographer Erin Reynold's work, and I'm in love. Above is a taste...from Etsy shop elr104.

Have a great weekend!

a little retail therapy on Etsy.com

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

So normally, I just window shop (screen shop?) on Etsy. But a few weeks ago, I was having a particularly rough week...which followed a particularly lucrative week in my shop...and the combination of seeing money in my PayPal account, and at the same time craving some retail therapy, was too much to resist. So I thought I'd give you a look at a few of the things I indulged in...

First, this cute little handmade wallet for business cards. Since my own business cards have rhinestones on them, I may need a hard case for the longer term, to protect that 3-D element. But for the short term, this little cutie was all of $7.00. And check out the fabric and colors! You'd think I might have custom-ordered this to match my business cards and my business theme (birds + nest, etc.) but I didn't. It was already available in this cute fabric, so I snatched it up. Love it! From thespottedbarn.

I may have told you several weeks ago that my wallet (not for business cards, but my real, normal wallet) fell apart. Literally. The money you put in just falls right out. Since I prefer to choose where exactly I lose my money, this was certainly not an ideal situation. But, you see, I didn't want just any wallet. I wanted one that reflected my personality and my style, and preferably came straight from the artist who created it. So of course, to Etsy I went. I found this wallet at lbaccessories embroidered with her own "zinnia" pattern. I loved it as is, but requested if she could possibly do the teal zinnia on a natural linen rather than the blue fabric. I heard back immediately that she would be happy to do it, and it wasn't long before I had my handmade, custom-made wallet in hand! (It's like the one above, only with natural beige linen.) And I luuuuuuuuuuuv it. It gets so many comments and compliments every time I pull it out. Give me a custom-designed artistic wallet any day over a spendy leather Coach one. (Am I crazy? Perhaps! But if this is wrong, I don't want to be right.)

Then, my fav jewelry seller thatjewelrygirl had a secret Facebook sale. For one hour, a couple of weeks ago, her facebook fans could choose any one necklace in her shop for $20. Twenty bucks! I gasped and immediately put a reminder on my calendar in Outlook to make sure I didn't forget to log on during the correct hour. The necklace I chose? This one. You may remember me singing its praises in this post.

And last, but not least, I had a girlfriend who recently moved with her family into a beautiful new (to them) home. They've had a rough time the last few years, with their young daughter suffering from leukemia. We are all hoping and praying that as their daughter enters into the last few months of treatment, this home represents a fresh new start in their lives. Hopefully, her treatment will be successfully completed and she will be declared cancer-free in the next few months. So, to celebrate the new home and all that it represents, I felt a housewarming gift was in order. My friend's style is country & Americana, and...what the heck...I just loved this mini burlap banner that said "Home Sweet Home" and was embellished with vintage buttons, from funkyshique. You may remember me featuring this seller here.

Phew! That may not seem like a lot of purchases to you, but to this penny-pincher, that was a lot. Happily I got through that rough week without causing any real damage to the family finances.

I make no guarantees for this week, though. Somewhere in a moment of insanity...or perhaps just optimism?...I agreed to be the kindergarten teacher for our church's VBS (Vacation Bible School). I am excited and nervous. Or nervous and excited. Anyway, it will take up most of my time Monday thru Friday this week, so I'm not sure how much time or energy I'll have for blogging (or even for brushing my teeth, for that matter!...although I won't let that stop me...I promise I'll brush my teeth, Honey!). So bear with me and I'll check back in with you as soon as I can. I've been working on some fun projects recently, and I can't wait to show you the details. xoxo

friday's fab finds: tickled pink

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:54:00 +0000

It's been a while since I showed you some fab finds in...PINK. You know, I used to hate pink. Then, my first two children were girls. Have you ever tried building a wardrobe for a little girl that does not include pink? With girl #1, I was mildly successful for a while. But when girl #2 arrived, I kind of gave up resisting. She happens to be an even more girly-girl than my first, and well...I decided to stop fighting it, and I finally succumbed to the charms of pink. In fact, the color has even started to make it into my decorative accessories at home! Can't believe it. But when you see things like what I'm about to show you, how CAN you resist?

This lovely print of a watercolor by annechovie is a perfect example of just how I like my pink: feminine and fun, but not too tooth-achingly sweet. I've always been a big fan of artist Anne Harwell's work, and this is no exception. Not to mention, owning this print would probably be as close as I'll ever come to owning my own Mini. This one might use less gas. (Not much less, though!) Soooo cute.

This has got to be one of my favorite prints that I've ever come across on Etsy. I love the graphic, vintage nature of this print by linocutboy...but let's face it...I mostly love what it says. And how it says it. If you can't have a sense of humor when decorating...well, you're missing out on the fun. I had to show this print to my husband and told him, "I want it. Really bad." He just smiled and shook his head and said "Oh boy. I bet you do." A typical exchange here at my house.

This is a lovely print from wrenandchickadee. I love the subject matter, because ranunculus are one of my favorite flowers. By the way, I may have just typed and re-typed ranunculus about seven times. Not an easy one to spell. (And you're talking to a former seventh grade spelling bee champ. Oh boy...that's one of those things I probably shouldn't be admitting to.) Anyway, I love the point of view of each of her prints. They are very simple, and yet represent a point of view on life that I'd like to have. She has prints of some very sweet vignettes. And of course, when created by the lovely Ez, author of the illustrious & visually stunning Creature Comforts blog, they couldn't help but be wonderful.

This is the second week in a row I've shown you a picture of bobby pins, but seriously...how cute are these? Very sweet. I love the handmade nature of them. They'd work great on a grown-up girl or a little one. By sraige.

Etsy shop yumiyumi has been in my favorites for a long time, and with good reason. Her prints are both charming and modern. This one combines pink with orange - always a fav combination - and her little owls are just too cute. I find some owls to be charming, and some just a little freaky. These owls are definitely in the "charming" category.

A new favorite shop of mine, lucysnowephotography offers photographs that are dreamy, with soft, muted colors. I think I liked absolutely everything in her shop, but of course, the colors of this one worked perfectly for this post. Look at the cute bird on the cherry tree! (At least, I think it's a cherry tree!) I am besotted with this image.

Each of these finds was also featured in a Treasury I built on Etsy last night. (Check it out if you'd like to see more of my fabulous pink finds.) Building treasuries has become one of my new favorite things to do. I've only made three treasuries so far, but had a ball doing each one. Click here if you'd like to see all three. I keep crossing my fingers and hoping one of my treasuries ends up on the front page of Etsy one day! Then I could die happy. ;-)

Happy weekend, everyone! xo ~ Courtney

a big thank-you...and my own DIY list

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:03:00 +0000

Just a quick note to give a shout-out to two amazing blogs that featured my master bedroom makeover. Yesterday, I was featured on Better After, a blog that shows wonderful before-and-after photos of entire rooms or smaller projects. Today, my entire post about the bedroom makeover is featured at The DIY Show Off blog. It's a beautiful blog that shares before-and-afters, too, but gives a more in-depth look at the process the home-owner took to get from the before to the after. A big thank-you to both of these blogs!

And speaking of DIY, the other day I wrote down a list of all the projects around my house that are either half-finished, or haven't even begun yet. OY! It was a big list. I'm planning to tackle them all, one by one, and blog about the process. I can't believe I'm going to do this, but as a form of accountability for myself, I'm going to let you have a peek at the list. Here goes nothin':

paint hope chest
hang curtain in upstairs bathroom (customize first...w/ ribbon? stencil? not sure)
paint downstairs bathroom + woodwork
put curtains or doors on nursery closet
paint mirror above piano (did it once...school-bus yellow is not okay...will fix VERY soon!)
re-decorate mantel for summer
paint/upholster yard sale ottoman in my basement
create clean & bright laundry room space...in my SCARY basement

That's enough for now. There are a few other things on the list, but I've gotta have a few secrets, right? I'm not exactly sure when I will be accomplishing these things, but sometimes I think that just writing them down is half the battle. For me, it puts these tasks in the forefront of my mind and helps give me direction when I have a free moment. And the energy to spare. Ha! (When do I ever have energy to spare? Does any mom?) So wish me luck!