Alphabet Amusement

One main feature I'd like to add to the nursery is some alphabet art.  I showed you two great LARGE scale features in this past nursery post.  However, after putting my design board together, I was thinking I just needed some art work, instead of a full feature wall for my alphabet.

Now, until the walls are painted, and I can gauge the size of the star wall, I probably won't make the artwork, but I did scour the net for some great alphabet art inspirations that I loved.

Enjoy and Happy 4th of July!

So, there you have it.  I love the multiple colors and even somehow incorporating the letter "C" in a special way as the first letter of our son's name.

My artwork will consist of some of these supplies:

- Cardboard/Chipboard Letters
- Pewter Alphabet brads
- Lots of acrylic paint colors!

Fingers crossed that the nursery comes along as planned through the next few weeks before the wedding.  Yikes!  It's so close... Things are really moving fast now.

:)

Nursery Design Board

What a great way to spend a Saturday!  Woke up early, just a little after my normal "get up for work" time, had some cereal, kicked back for a few, then got ready and did some errands.  Fun errands.  Like, scoring $130 worth of Old Navy clothes for $79, and getting a new purse, and some baby clothes at Target, and just doing fun running around for a few hours.  Amazingly, the 4ish hours I was out wiped me out, and I've spent a good chunk of time this afternoon sitting playing in Photoshop.  Oh yes, sitting in the glider, which is in a prominent spot in the living room right now.  :)

I wanted to attempt to get my ideas from my head to a concept, since I haven't really been able to work on the nursery yet.  Although the carpet should be laid within 2 weeks, the wedding is pushing up against that time, so I figure I won't get to really get going on it until after July 24th.

So, armed with stocked up photos, the internet, and photoshop, I sat, and created this finalized, first pass at the nursery design.  I know I shared a few of these ideas with you on a past nursery post.  While this board is actually finished, it's bound to change by the time we actually get moving, and I'll more likely incorporate a few things that aren't pictured.

But, without further ado... (don't mind my rambling..) here it is:

And, here are the details:

• The bedding is "Baby Boats" by Pottery Barn Kids
• Crib is "Kendall fixed gate" by Pottery Barn Kids 
• Dresser is the "Hemnes" by IKEA (will be used as the change table too)
• Glider is purchased, but will be recovered in the red dot fabric
• Walls will be the green color at the top of the page, and I'm hoping for adding wainscoting to the lower portion of the room (otherwise I'll just paint the lower portion white, and add chair rail)
• Curtains will be the hounds tooth with blue striped fabric at the bottom
• Mobile is a whole bunch of different color and size circles, which I'll make (scrapbook paper and fish line!)
• I want to do the multi colored tin stars above the dresser, and there are 6 shown because they pull the colors from the bedding and there are 6 numbered boats in the bedding!  (educational, no?)
• The artwork is the "C" for Connor (which we think is our name of choice)
• I purchased the small side pedestal table for $10 at a garage sale and just need to refinish it still.  I'm thinking blue?

Interesting little factoid I just found about tin barn stars online- apparantly the colors all have significance:

Significance of the Colors:

       Black:       Protection, also used to blend or bind elements together

       Blue:         Protection, peace, calmness and spirituality

       Brown:      Mother earth, also can mean friendship and strength

       Green:      Growth, fertility, success in things and ideas that grow

       Orange:    Abundance in career, projects and matters needing an added push

       Red:         Emotions, passion, charisma, lust and also creativity

       Violet:       Things that are sacred

       White:       Purity, power of the moon, allows energy to flow freely

       Yellow:      Health in body and mind, love of man and the sun, connection to the God

Anywho.  I hope you enjoyed this little tour.  As I get some of the projects under way, I'll surely post them here.

Oh, and by the way, I purchased a rug from this post, but had to take it back because the pile was too high to fit under the front door when opened.  Sigh.  Onward and upward, and more shopping!  :)

Enjoy your saturday-

Rugs Needed!

Now that the flooring is in, I am dying to get some new rugs!  Plus, one of my best friends just bought a new place, and I'm vicariously living through her entire interior decorating project... She's having fun, and it's fun to watch it all come together.

So I was browsing for a smaller version of a rug she purchased, to go right in our entryway, and stumbled across quite a few at Target that I L-O-V-E!  Here's a sample of the great rugs I found:

Link Here

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Link Here

The very last one is the one my friend purchased, and this photo looks totally different than how awesome it looks in person!

I love the bold patterns, and colors... the brown backgrounds and accents will match the floors, while the other colors add pop to the entryway.  Can't wait to do some rug shopping!  (Did you know that Target has 3200 rugs on their site?!  Holy Moly!)

Oh, and final pictures of the new flooring coming soon!

More on the living room...

Continuing with the living room re-decorate, I pulled out the trusty sewing machine, and sewed me up some pillows!

No tutorial here, because as I was making them, I didn't have a clue what I was doing, so I didn't take photos.

Remember this post where I showed you my inspiration and the fabrics I purchased to get the room going?  Well, here are photos of the 16" pillow cases I made:

 

Front

Back, with an envelope closure

BUT, let me just tell you... it's all straight seams, so who needs a tutorial?  I used the old pillow covers as a size guide, and just cut my fabric about 1 1/2" bigger.  I made an envelope closure, which while inside out to sew it did stump me for a min.  I just suggest to pin it all up and basically turn it right side out to make sure it's what you want, then turn it inside out again, and sew!

So the room is coming together.  Here's the inspiration again along with the fabrics I chose:

Plus, on my shopping trip post, I learned I wasn't crazy to create a zebra ottoman.  Hey, if Target has my idea, then it's gotta be a good one, right?!  :)  You should check that post out...

What do you think about these?  The color "goes" with the curtains I also made, but is still far enough from them that it's not too much orange.  The rest of the pillows will be different colors!  And, I'm going to paint my small bench black, and that blue top will really pop!

I'm tired again tonight.  I know this is a phase, but I'm missing checking up on everyone's good work.  I hope you all have a great Thursday!

Black and White All Over

Just call me Picasso.  yea!  I painted! 

As I alluded to a few weeks back during my office post, I joined a friend, and painted one Sunday morning in my pjs!

This canvas is gallery style wrapped, and purchased at Michael's with a coupon of course.  :)  I chose a black and white pattern option, similar to a fretwork pattern since the opposite room will have a zebra ottoman one of these days.

I wanted a border on the edge of the canvas so just eyeballed it and added some strips of painters tape. 

 

Then, I actually made two templates, and traced both- one for the outside line of the black spots, and one for the inner. 

 

  

  

(can you see the pencil lines?  It's really faint...)

Next, I just took some time and painted two coats of black acrylic paint in a sort of coloring book style!  Yea, it took a few hours, but painting with friends is super duper fun!

 

  

 

A few days later, I pulled the tape off, and reapplied further in the center so I would then be able to paint my entire black border.

For now, it's hanging horizontally, but if we get an entryway table, the option to turn it vertically is there.  :)

There's that bench again.  And yes, I did decide to paint it black, I just haven't done that yet.  Soon I hope.  So, for now I'm enjoying the graphic print, especially since the wall is sort of an extension off the room I'm considering to be my more modern taste, with the orange curtains and all.  :)

So, what do ya think?  It's pretty contrasty, no?  And, doesn't the painting just solidify the fact that the bench needs.to.be.black?!  I think, yes.  :)

Orange Crush

I did it.  I picked the fabrics!  Thanks for the great comments you left me yesterday! 

From the last inspiration post I thought I should do it, and just go with the biggest statement, inspiration photo #4!

That means that today, I purchased these fabrics & findings:

 

If you recall, I posted this photo as an inspiration yesterday:

(via Sketch42 blog)

Here's my INCREDIBLE score for the day:

--The roll, of orange, 10 yards, $2/yd= $20 (this will make the actual curtains... 4 panels)

--The Zebra print flat fold, 2 yards, $3/yd= $6 (this is for the ottoman, plus there will be extra, since the table is only 20" wide, and I got 54" fabric.  Can you say pillows?!)

--Two 84" pre-made drapery panels in a blue organza fabric, $5/ea=$10 (like the inspiration photo, these will go along the big front windows)

--Orange chevron fabric, a jacquard style, 1 yard, $3.50/yard= $3.50 (for pillows)

--Blue Velvet flat fold, 1 1/4 yard, $2/yard= $2 (they didn't charge me for the 1/4 yard it appears!)  This will also be for pillows

--6 packages of black drapery clips, 7/pack, $2.39/pack= $16.14 (I will have a total of 6 panels in this room...)

--Foam, purchased yesterday, $23 (now just need a bit of batting...)

TOTAL:  $20 + $6 + $10 + $3.50 + $2 + $16.14 + $23=  $80.64 for a total room re-do!

Now, to get to work over the next few days off!  Oh, and I need to learn how to use the sewing machine I'm borrowing from my sister.  :)

Holiday Wood Chip Art

So even though Christmas is only a few short days away (8 to be exact!  eek!) I wanted to share with you another art project that I love.

Very Country Living, no?  With a touch of bling?

First, I stumbled upon these great white Pottery Barn picture frames at the thrift store one day.  How awesome- I'd always wanted some of these!  They're 8x10 sized, distressed, with chunky white frames.  BUT, the best part?  They're the kind that you can simply slip a photo into from the slot- no taking the back off, no unscrewing, etc.  (I first came upon these in my babysitting years, when my favorite family had them in their twin girls rooms.  Such a great idea to slip in those art projects they're always making.  Classes them up and makes them feel so special!)

Anywho, they were $3.99 each.  SCORE!

Then, a few weeks back, I came across 3 packs of these Christmas shape chipboard cutouts.  Each pack was $0.39.  I thought of five or six different projects I could do with them.  Wrap them in yarn?  Make a garland?  Use them together to make a wreath?  I finally settled on framing them!

 

So, I found green scrapbook paper I liked, and cut two of them to size.  I played around with the shapes until I found the position and pattern that would suit me.  I decided on one shape in each frame.  Very silhouette-esque (like these modern dog silhouette frames I made) and very clean.

 

 

Then came the glitter.  I kept it monochrome.  Green with a touch of silver glitter.  Use a thin (but with enough that a nice layer of glitter stuck!) layer of tacky glue, and a paint brush to make sure each edge is covered.  Then glitter.  Yes, it got everywhere, and yes, the dogs seem to have ground it into the rug.

 

 

 

 

I cut a 5x7 piece of watercolor (thick white paper would work) paper and mounted the shape with tacky glue onto it.  Then, mounted the 5x7 sheet onto the scrapbook paper.

 

WAIT FOR THE GLUE TO DRY!

(I may or may not have the first one I made... I may or may not only have 4 of the tree shapes left, because I may or may not have ruined one by not waiting...)

Then, slip into frame!

I sure am going to miss the holidays.  These will probably stay up for a while after Christmas is over.

Oh, and those rocking horses pictured above?  THOSE are going to be used in a child's room decor, or something similar.

Don't you love the bling of the holidays?!