Bebe Nest

We will meet our newest little dude tomorrow!  To get ready I have been stocking the house as if I were preparing for the Apocalypse.  Although I will have plenty of help, I seem to think that: 1 newborn + 1 almost 4 year old= never leaving the house again.  A freezer full of meals, year supply of toilet paper, and enough dry goods forever... check, check, check.  

I have also been preparing the baby nest of course!  I re-purposed as many things that I had lying around as possible.  This is not only a greener approach to design but easier on the wallet too.  A few DIY projects rounded out the room.  Here are a few quick snap shots of the results.

The crib and dresser were from T's nursery.  

I anchored the lamp and changing pad to the top of the dresser with 3M Strips, the best invention ever.  I already had the mirror and yellow print.  The sweet shelf with hooks was scored at Goodwill for $1.99

Since this was T's dresser first, I decided to switch out the knobs to freshen it up a bit.  These antique brass stars came from Hobby Lobby on sale for only about $1.50 each.

One wall is the start of a gallery of different prints and art work that T made to decorate his brother's room.  This was a great way for him to feel involved in the process.  The frames are an antique gold/brass.  They came from my mother's house and used to have family photos in them.  It feels special to use these frames in here and I'm sure the gallery will grow and change over time.

This is one of my favorites.  In case it's hard to read, it says "life is a beautiful ride."  I found it for free from here on Pinterest.

The rocket bedding was super affordable and is Dwell Studio from Target.

I made the mobile using a branch that I found as the base.  Then I cut out stars and moons out of scrapbook paper and hot glued it onto fishing line.  I love the way the ceiling fan keeps it constantly spinning and swaying.  

This old window was scored at a thrift shop for $3.  I put these cool vintage type travel tag stickers that I already had on it and mounted it to the wall. 

The handmade rocker was an amazing Christmas gift from the hubs.  It is super comfortable.  The fun pillows are from TJ Maxx.  I got the bench that I am using as a side table from a yard sale for $3.  I spray painted the base gray and recovered the top with fabric I already had.  The fabric is hard to see in the photo, but is a sweet small scale geometric print.  This shot also best accurately shows the wall color.  We painted the room this color when we moved into the house and I just love it, called Valspar's frosty sage. It is very calming but with enough color to not be boring.  I knew that boy or girl the color would be staying.

I love the soothing yet eclectic vibe of this room and I can't wait to share it with my littlest man.

oxx Dion

Finally

The months following my last post I am now dubbing as "nauseous ambivalence."  I found out that my eggo was prego, as Juno says.  My little clan was over the moon, as we were hoping to expand our tribe.  However, it was not pretty.  I felt as if I was on a boat being tossed around like a toy in a perfect storm... constantly.  Being continuously reminded of my state, I felt zapped, my mind only being able to think about pregnancy and babies.  It can be hard enough to maintain your identity as a mom, and suddenly I was struggling with this all over again as a mother pregnant with my second child.  Finding the energy to give to my family and myself was often daunting, and did I mention the rocking??  Seriously rough. 


Today marks the beginning of the end... the first day of my third trimester.  I couldn't be more thrilled!  I finally feel great and I know that the next phase is right around the corner.  My son and I might be tied for who is more impatient to meet this little bean.  Everyday T looks for him in my belly button, talks to him, and asks me again when he is going to "grow big and come out."  I can't wait to really know him; his personality, quirks, and preferences.  Ready for another little buddy by my side.

Recently I came across this quote on Pinterest from A League of Their Own of all places.  

The part that really got me was: 'The hard is what makes it great."  Sure it's been a little hard, but I have to remember to embrace the challenge.  I have so very much to be thankful for.  Since movie watching is perfect when you are feeling drained and sick, I decided to Netflix it.  I hadn't seen it in a million years and I'm glad I re-watched it.  It was so refreshing to see a "chick flick" that didn't revolve around getting some stupid guy and instead empowered women while still being fun.  Madonna's character is hands down my favorite.

A few more recent movies I would recommend with a similar theme are Whip It and Morning Glory.  Seen anything good lately?

My Vibe

Every minute of every day my decor vibe is constantly evolving.  I have long had a beachy bohemian modern style, but this can take on many forms.  Here's what it looks like right now.  These are the images most inspiring my decor vibe.

oxx Dion

Accessorizing the nest

It's the little touches that really personalize a house and make it a home.  We have bi-fold doors on our pantry and on our laundry area.  I am not really a fan of them but I like to work with what I got, at least for now.  Finally I decided they could at least use a little sprucing up.

See pretty plain and a bit ugly really.

So I switched out the standard door pulls for some sweet ones I found on the cheap at World Market.  I've seen great ones at Hobby Lobby too if you're looking for some.

Here's another before shot....

and the after.  So sweet, right?!

I actually kinda like these doors now, what a difference a little tweak can make!

oxx Dion

Bling it

When it comes to my nest, my goal is to create a casual, stylish, kid-friendly space.  Nothing should be too precious or breakable, but it still needs to be chic.   It's important to surround yourself with your things in a way that is practical and not cluttered, especially if you have little ones around.  But lets be honest most adults can be a bit clumsy too and no guest will ever be comfortable in your home if they feel they can't touch anything.  


Lately I am really into finding stylish ways to maximize everyday efficiency.  When your hectic and busy who has time to search for that lost bracelet or wine opener?  Things you use often should be accessible but in a way that makes them blend into your decor.  


One way to do this is by using beautiful objects or vessels for these everyday items.  I was left a loot of antique silver by my parents.  It has all been stored away untouched since I got it, because let's face it who uses silver anymore except maybe for very special holidays.  I began to feel that it was silly to store it all out of sight in my small home that already has limited storage.   I pulled out one piece to see how daunting the task of polishing was.  To my surprise, the heavily tarnished pieces were shiny in no time.  I didn't bother making them perfect, in fact I actually think a slight patina is charming.  If you don't have any family silver in your possession, it can often be found at thrift stores and estate sales.  Don't be scared off by the tarnish.  The best part for me is that unlike ceramic, glass or crystal, silver is not easily broken so it is perfect for my busy home.  Here are some of the ways I repurposed the pieces I had and added a little bling to our space.

This tray became a catch-all for the hub's things on the dresser that we share in our closet.

I only have one of these candlesticks but I really love it.  Instead of saving it for some funky mismatched table scape I might make someday, I opted to use it to organize all my bangles.  Now I can finally see then all easily!

I used this round lidded container to hold cotton pads and swabs on the bathroom vanity.  Inside the Japanese lacquer boxes I keep my everyday makeup, that is on the days I wear makeup!  It's quicker to get ready now that this is on the counter and I don't have to rummage through drawers and cabinets.

In the kitchen the bling continued by putting this shell shaped sugar bowl (filled with sugar) out in the open.  So easy to add to tea or coffee on early mornings.

I love the laser-cut like design of this trivet.  Funny how Lonny Mag had a feature on laser cut designs in their last issue... is nothing ever really new?  I am always that person who pulls something hot out of the oven and then scrambles for a safe place to put it (our counters are formica until we can redo them someday), so I decided to hang this right on the backsplash next to the stove.

Here it is in action and I've used it a ton already.

And finally our bar area got a little organization from this sweet little cup.  It now holds our dolphin shaped bottle opener, wine stopper and opener that always seemed to get misplaced.  Yes we have a thing for nautical items if you haven't noticed!

Having these things out in the open makes me smile and a bit more organized to boot.  So stop saving your pretty things for a special day and pull out that bling or those gorgeous wooden bowls and put them to use.  Let's make everyday special and celebrate life!

oxx Dion

Whimsy

I have loved the artwork of Mary Engelbreit since I was a child.  Her fanciful designs and choice quotes never cease to cheer me up.  Here are a few of my favs:

  

 

all work copyright of Mary Engelbreit

oxx Dion

hibernate

My little dude has called me mama bear for awhile now, and it melts my heart every stinkin' time.  The surname has stuck and now we are a family of bears... daddy bear, mama bear, Triston bear, and Smalls bear.  On this chilly Friday afternoon we decided to build a cave and hibernate in true bear fashion.  

 We draped heavy blankets over our dinning table, then piled in soft blankets and pillows for coziness and warmth.  A stack of books, a pair of flashlights and we were set.

  Ready for me to come play.

 Seriously mom those books aren't going to read themselves.

 Smalls bear, official cave mascot.

 Currently infatuated with flashlights.

 My current infatuation.

Photo by Triston Bear.

If it weren't for the fact that the food in our kitchen is wooden, we might never leave.

oxx Dion