And my tired, sick, pregnant brain can think of nothing else to say.
Here's the Inspired Fridays round-up!
PinkWhen: Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice with Sausage
Inspired Fridays
Hi everyone! I hope your week has gone well! Our week was crazy with a road trip up to Philadelphia, PA with my family for a couple days. Now we're home and I'm trying to recover from the trip and a nasty cold that decided to pounce on me during our drive up to Philly. I am totally zonked.
And my tired, sick, pregnant brain can think of nothing else to say.
Here's the Inspired Fridays round-up!
And my tired, sick, pregnant brain can think of nothing else to say.
Here's the Inspired Fridays round-up!
My DIY Duvet Cover
I did it y'all. I made a duvet cover for our bed. Was it easy? Well, it should have been. As you know, I am prone to mishaps.
When I decided to redo our master bedroom, my original plan did not include a new duvet. We had already been using a duvet, but I had started to like white matelasse and so I was looking for that instead. Then I somehow stumbled across this post by Darlene at Fieldstone Hill Design. That post changed my life. And not just because I had stumbled across an amazing blog written by an amazing person and designer, though that is certainly true.
It changed my life because I found out that YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE A TOP SHEET WITH A DUVET! Yes, that's me yelling at you in excitement! How had I gone my whole life not knowing that little detail? I'm pretty sure my mouth fell open and stayed that way for 10 minutes after I finished reading that post.
You see, I am a bed nazi. I cannot stand bunchy sheets. I will get up in the middle of the night and walk around the bed to fix them. This happens quite frequently in our house since Hubby can't stand to have the sheets tucked in at all. So I am fixing bunchy sheets at midnight and having to tuck the entire sheet back in come morning.
With a duvet, no bunchy sheets and no tucking in anything!
And so I abandoned my search for matelasse, and decided to make my own duvet cover. We already had a king-size down comforter, which I like for our queen bed because I like covers and this way we both have enough on each side. I always hated when I had to share a bed with someone because as soon as you both got in bed, you realized that you each had one inch worth of blanket to spare. And then you freeze the rest of the night and fight people for covers in their sleep.
People are vicious when they fight for covers in their sleep.
So I just decided to stick with our old comforter. If you want to use a duvet without a top sheet, you need to get a cover made with sheet-type material. Something wonderfully soft that will hold up to as many washings as your sheets would, since you will be washing your duvet cover more than a regular blanket. Think of it as a pillowcase for your comforter.
To make my duvet cover, I used two of these king-size flat sheets from Target. They are super soft and, since they are sheets, should stand up to being washed frequently. And I bought the fitted sheet and pillowcases to have a complete set. I didn't want to be wedged in between two different types of thread-count or two different shades of white.
I followed this simple tutorial using sheets and with a button closure. Unfortunately, I have no pictures to show my process. Most of the work was done at night and involved my mom coming over to help me wrestle with the sewing machine. I don't usually think to pull out my camera when I'm conquering sewing machines.
To cut the sheets to size, I simply laid them out on the floor, ironed them, laid my blanket over them, and then started cutting until I had about 1 inch of extra material on each side. Yes, it was crooked, but the king-size material was too overwhelming for me to measure every three inches. Like in the tutorial, I left the finished top edge to create the opening, where the buttons will go.
Also, if you're using sheets, trim off at least one of the finished seams on each side of the sheets. And make sure they're on opposite sides when you go to pin them together. Sewing machines hate going over two thick layers of hem. Your machine will jam. Just sayin'...
I also added a ribbon in each of the corners opposite the opening to help hold the comforter in place{ours had loops for just such a purpose}.
After many mutterings under my breath, several seams ripped out, and winning the button hole fight with the sewing machine, I got the buttons sewn on and stuffed my new duvet cover with the blanket.
I love it! And making the bed is nothing. Just straighten it out in the morning and you're good to go!
Warm fluffiness, no bunchy sheets, and super easy bed making? Who's joining the duvet revolution with me?
Also, if you're using sheets, trim off at least one of the finished seams on each side of the sheets. And make sure they're on opposite sides when you go to pin them together. Sewing machines hate going over two thick layers of hem. Your machine will jam. Just sayin'...
I also added a ribbon in each of the corners opposite the opening to help hold the comforter in place{ours had loops for just such a purpose}.
After many mutterings under my breath, several seams ripped out, and winning the button hole fight with the sewing machine, I got the buttons sewn on and stuffed my new duvet cover with the blanket.
I love it! And making the bed is nothing. Just straighten it out in the morning and you're good to go!
Warm fluffiness, no bunchy sheets, and super easy bed making? Who's joining the duvet revolution with me?
The {Mostly Done} Master Bedroom
I am totally in love with our master bedroom. It has come quite a long way since we first moved in. There are still a few things that need to be worked on, but those are little projects that can be done over a period of time.
Unfortunately, the master bedroom is usually the last room to get attention. Most visitors don't see it and so it sits gathering laundry and junk. I've always been a firm believer in taking the time to make it a relaxing, romantic space. But with our house, when we first moved in, I was so busy trying to get the nursery ready that my belief got set aside to make room for baby. And there it sat for over a year...
Looking like a cross between this, the bedroom at our first apartment...
And this, our guest room. Complete with yellow walls and random junk. Somehow I managed to erase the "before" pics of the room off of my camera. This is cause for great sadness.
The recent big changes?
New dark gray curtains. I probably would have picked white, but Hubby likes to block as much light as possible when he's sleeping. So we compromised with dark curtains that filter the light but still darken the room a bit. And now I think the gray looks so much better than white would have in here!
A decorated wall above the dresser. I hung some thrift store mirrors that I spray painted silver and my DIY jewelry organizer. I'm still deciding if this is what I want with the wall, but it's better than nothing. Also, updated top of dresser decor.
I made the duvet by sewing two sheets together. Oh boy, that was a process. I've concluded that sewing machines hate me.
I bought a pillow and made a pillow cover for the chair. And laid down some fun rugs!
So what are the things I'd like to change eventually?
- Change the ceiling fan somehow. Replace it or paint it.
- Paint the floor-length mirror.
- Change up the wall over the dresser?
- Add a bigger rug?
- Add some sort of stenciled design to the chair pillow?
- Add an interesting painted or upholstered headboard.
- Move the leather storage ottoman that's currently in the living room to the end of the bed{once I find a coffee table to replace it}.
- Add extra curtain panels to both windows for a fuller look.
- Get longer curtain rods. I knew they were too short when I bought them, but I was desperate, they were out of the longer size, and Ikea is cheap.
So there ya have it. Our mostly done bedroom. It's such a relaxing space now, Hubby and I love it!
And remember, the right curtains are the pearl necklace of a room. Yes, I totally just made that one up. But, really, go back and look at the before pics without the curtains and than with. Total upgrade. Like a boss.
And remember, the right curtains are the pearl necklace of a room. Yes, I totally just made that one up. But, really, go back and look at the before pics without the curtains and than with. Total upgrade. Like a boss.
Inspired Fridays
Yay! Round up time! I always love sharing the wonderful, brilliant, things I have found on the internet with you. Enjoy, and be inspired!
Seriously, amazing envelope pillow cover tutorial! Once you get the hang of it, you could throw a couple of these babies together in an hour or two. If I add up the time without stopping to run errands, I made one in less than two hours today. And it only took that long because I was trying to make sure I was following the steps right. More on that later!
If you are a new blogger, you definitely need to read this!
Nursery Mood Board
After the other day's big announcement, I promised to show you the mood board I've been working on for the new nursery. I am super excited to decorate this room! I feel like, for once, I actually know exactly what I'm going to do with it before I start. I should decorate like this more often!
When I started out, I was unsure of how to incorporate several things into this room. The first was my old mobile{it's slightly different than this one, but same little animals and colors}. The second was Little Man's bright green table fan. And coming in third was an old cross-stitch that had hung in Hubby's room as a baby.
After seeing Kelly's office over at View Along The Way, I decided go with white on the walls and a navy-ish blue on the back of the built-ins. Navy goes with green so the fan, cross-stitch, and mobile will all work perfectly together. Throw in some more green pillows, find a few prints that match and have a timeless or vintage feel, a little bit of vintage, a bit of modern, and tada!
I love how the blue and green are the main colors with little pops of red and yellow mixed in. I'm not usually a fan of all those colors mixed together, but I think this is one way to do it that won't make my eyeballs bleed or keep my kids bouncing off the walls. It makes for a fun, colorful, nursery, but one that is still relaxing.
Most of the stuff on this board are things I haven't actually bought for the room, but what I have is similar. Like the green pillow. I'm totally making that one out of a tablecloth I found at the thrift store. And I may paint the toddler bed so I don't have espresso finish and cherry finish sharing the same space.
And that chair is on my wish list. $399 a pop and $149 for the matching ottoman! I have one job for you, Tax Return...
You will see it all, complete with a source list, when it is done!
So what do you think? Do have any favorite nursery color combos?
Bookshelves, Curtains, Toddler Bed, Fan, Faux Sheepskin, Rug, Crib, Mobile, Glider, Floral Pillow, Cross-stitch, Green Pillow, Blue Chevron Pillows
I give you: The Vintage Modern Nursery. Be gentle, it's my first ever design board. And I have no idea why it's kinda blurry.
When I started out, I was unsure of how to incorporate several things into this room. The first was my old mobile{it's slightly different than this one, but same little animals and colors}. The second was Little Man's bright green table fan. And coming in third was an old cross-stitch that had hung in Hubby's room as a baby.
After seeing Kelly's office over at View Along The Way, I decided go with white on the walls and a navy-ish blue on the back of the built-ins. Navy goes with green so the fan, cross-stitch, and mobile will all work perfectly together. Throw in some more green pillows, find a few prints that match and have a timeless or vintage feel, a little bit of vintage, a bit of modern, and tada!
I love how the blue and green are the main colors with little pops of red and yellow mixed in. I'm not usually a fan of all those colors mixed together, but I think this is one way to do it that won't make my eyeballs bleed or keep my kids bouncing off the walls. It makes for a fun, colorful, nursery, but one that is still relaxing.
Most of the stuff on this board are things I haven't actually bought for the room, but what I have is similar. Like the green pillow. I'm totally making that one out of a tablecloth I found at the thrift store. And I may paint the toddler bed so I don't have espresso finish and cherry finish sharing the same space.
And that chair is on my wish list. $399 a pop and $149 for the matching ottoman! I have one job for you, Tax Return...
You will see it all, complete with a source list, when it is done!
So what do you think? Do have any favorite nursery color combos?
The Big Announcement
Ok, y'all. I've hinted at some big happenings around here and I'm finally ready to share it. We are expecting baby #2 in February!
It's taken a while for it to fully sink in that another little one is on the way. You'd think it wouldn't be that hard to process when you can see your ultrasound pictures and you are gagging at the sight of dirty dishes constantly. I guess Little Man keeps me so busy that it's hard to have a moment to really think about it. But now that I am heading into the second trimester, it has sunk in, and we are excited!
So far I've been feeling all right. I mean, besides gagging all. the. time. Early on, I was tired and taking care of Little Man didn't help that at all. My blog suffered too. All I wanted to do was lay on the couch all day. Forget housework, projects, writing, and thinking!
So now that I can think straight again{well, as much as my preggo brain will let me}, I am trying to buckle down on some of these house projects again! I've been working on wallpaper stripping in the kitchen for several months, and my goal was to have the walls and cabinets all painted before we had another baby. I've given up on the cabinets for now. They will have to be set aside till after baby arrives I think. But the walls for sure are going to be done!
My one big happy project now is the nursery!
I am so excited to decorate it! We are planning a shared nursery for now. I figured it would be easier to have all the diapers in one place! We will be moving Little Man out of his little room at the end of the hall, and moving it to the large room beside ours with great built-ins. This way we can fit in a crib and toddler bed{or larger bed eventually} and with the built-ins we won't need dressers or shelves, so tons of playing room will be leftover!
I started shopping for the nursery almost immediately after we found out. Not on purpose really, but when I went out, I kept my eyes open. I found most of my decor in one day's worth of random shopping! I'm working on putting together a design board and I'll be sharing that hopefully later this week!
If you would like to keep up with the preggo belly, the nursery progress, and share in my journey to create a welcoming home, you can follow along by going to the sidebar and subscribing to new posts by email, or follow along on my social media sites:
It's taken a while for it to fully sink in that another little one is on the way. You'd think it wouldn't be that hard to process when you can see your ultrasound pictures and you are gagging at the sight of dirty dishes constantly. I guess Little Man keeps me so busy that it's hard to have a moment to really think about it. But now that I am heading into the second trimester, it has sunk in, and we are excited!
So far I've been feeling all right. I mean, besides gagging all. the. time. Early on, I was tired and taking care of Little Man didn't help that at all. My blog suffered too. All I wanted to do was lay on the couch all day. Forget housework, projects, writing, and thinking!
So now that I can think straight again{well, as much as my preggo brain will let me}, I am trying to buckle down on some of these house projects again! I've been working on wallpaper stripping in the kitchen for several months, and my goal was to have the walls and cabinets all painted before we had another baby. I've given up on the cabinets for now. They will have to be set aside till after baby arrives I think. But the walls for sure are going to be done!
My one big happy project now is the nursery!
I am so excited to decorate it! We are planning a shared nursery for now. I figured it would be easier to have all the diapers in one place! We will be moving Little Man out of his little room at the end of the hall, and moving it to the large room beside ours with great built-ins. This way we can fit in a crib and toddler bed{or larger bed eventually} and with the built-ins we won't need dressers or shelves, so tons of playing room will be leftover!
I started shopping for the nursery almost immediately after we found out. Not on purpose really, but when I went out, I kept my eyes open. I found most of my decor in one day's worth of random shopping! I'm working on putting together a design board and I'll be sharing that hopefully later this week!
If you would like to keep up with the preggo belly, the nursery progress, and share in my journey to create a welcoming home, you can follow along by going to the sidebar and subscribing to new posts by email, or follow along on my social media sites:
New babies are so exciting aren't they?!
Confession Time
Ok y'all, it's confession time. I am horrible at time management. How horrible you ask? Well, I am sitting here typing this the night before it's supposed to go up. Most of my posts are written this way. And you know what else? None of my posts this week were posts I had planned.
Bad, bad blogger.
I really do try to plan things out, y'all. Things just happen. But Hubby refuses to let me be a victim of circumstance, so that means things didn't just happen. When they did. Except they didn't.
Bleh.
I try to stick to cleaning schedules. I try to get things done on time. Shoot, I can barely make it to church on Sunday morning. Usually I show up anywhere with wet hair, and my kid dressed better than I am. Stacy and Clinton would have a cow{but I still really love you guys anyway!}
Ok, maybe I'm not bad enough for tv, but there is for sure a certain element of "momminess" to my style now. Like whether I should even buy a white shirt or pants{I really shouldn't.} Or whether it's comfortable enough to crawl on all fours around the house after a giggling toddler. And just forget about the dangly earrings.
Anyway, back to my confession, this is something I have always struggled with. I am laid back and as far from a type A personality as you can get. I'm horrible with big picture stuff. I live now. In the little details of every day.
I would love to have every post in draft form a week in advance, but I'm so busy working on my one post at a time that it seems impossible. Then throw in being a mommy, a wife, house projects, cooking, and cleaning, and I can't seem to stay on top of it all.
I am thoroughly lost on this one. And so I turn to you, my readers and also my fellow mommy bloggers. What strategies do you use to help stay organized and on top of life, along with blogging? Even if you feel like your barely staying afloat, go ahead and chime in. Because I think I'm drowning.
Mid-Week Inspiration
I don't know about you, but I needed some mid-week inspiration this week. I have some projects that are taking longer than anticipated, and my get-up-and-go has gone. And I am tired. Do you ever just get tired?
Life wears me out, and when life wears me out, I brew a big cup of coffee and sit down with a great home magazine. Or the latest Pottery Barn catalog. Or Pinterest. Coffee, yum...
Join me won't you? I love to share coffee with friends.
Here are some great posts, recipes, and inspiration to go with our coffee.
Life wears me out, and when life wears me out, I brew a big cup of coffee and sit down with a great home magazine. Or the latest Pottery Barn catalog. Or Pinterest. Coffee, yum...
Join me won't you? I love to share coffee with friends.
Here are some great posts, recipes, and inspiration to go with our coffee.
Junk Room Progress
Remember back here when I started the 30 Days Without Accessories Challenge and I showed you my junk room? In case you missed it or have forgotten, here it is. You are warned.
Yeah...I still hang my head in embarrassment.
But I am pleased to announce that we have been working on it. My In-laws came and moved their stuff out, including the chair, skinny bookshelf and random Pokemon.
Progress? Oh my yes! I still get discouraged looking at it at times, but then I remember what it was. We're practically swimming in cleanliness here in comparison!
We took down all the books and stuff to get the room ready to paint. So happy to paint! Goodbye to those dark wooden holes that eat every bit of light that enters!
Yeah...I still hang my head in embarrassment.
But I am pleased to announce that we have been working on it. My In-laws came and moved their stuff out, including the chair, skinny bookshelf and random Pokemon.
Hello!
Ahem, anyway, when they moved their stuff out there was quite the room to be had. All that baby stuff found a home in the attic, along with boxes of mine and Hubby's old toys and stuffed animals. Please tell me we're not the only ones still hoarding their old stuffed animals?
So now there was only to sort through what was left. Basically everything. Yard sale stuff went into bags and from thence into the shed to await their fate. Some stuff never even got a chance. It went straight into the trash.
We took down all the books and stuff to get the room ready to paint. So happy to paint! Goodbye to those dark wooden holes that eat every bit of light that enters!
No random Pokemon!
Somebody was enjoying the new space along with the little treasures still laying about! Ain't he adorable? A boy with a fedora, fluffy bum, and a curtain rod weapon? Totally wins in my book!
Decorating with Navy Blue
Clockwise from top right: Living Room, Kitchen, Office, Bedroom, Living Room, Bedroom, Living Room, Bath
Navy blue is an "in" color right now. And the best thing about this trend, is its timelessness. Navy never goes out of style! Navy can be a neutral or a color. You can pair it with neutrals or colors. It can be bright or muted. It's pretty and awesome!Right now, I'm getting ready to redo the Little Man's room and navy is one of the main colors I'm using. It's gonna be gorgeeeeoooous! It's my new favorite color!
Anyways, there are so many great navy color combos out there! If you've been thinking of using navy in your home, here are some beautiful inspiration photos to get you going.
Sources, clockwise from top right: Dining Room, Living Room, Office, Living Room, Bath, Dining Room, Family Room, Bedroom
I love the classic navy and white! Everything just pops against it! To keep it from feeling too cool, warm it up with natural fibers, like a cowhide or sisal rug, and layer on the textures with lace, paneling, or baskets.
Sources, clockwise from top right: Bedroom, Living Room, Bedroom, Kid's Room, Bedroom, Dining Room, Bedroom, Living Room
This is my second favorite navy combo. Green will also be in the Little Man's room!
Sources, clockwise from top right: Living Room, Nursery, Bedroom, Living Room, Bedroom, Living Room, Nursery, Bedroom
I never thought I was a fan of orange, but I am loving these rooms! I think I'll try to bring some pumpkin orange in with pillows come fall. And the coral nursery is so sweet!
Sources, clockwise from top right: Living Room, Bedroom, Living Room, Living Room, Bedroom, Living Room, Living Room, Bedroom
Red can come off looking too overtly 4th of July-ish when paired with blue(not that it's a bad thing if that's what your going for!) But it can also be playful, moody, or sophisticated. I love that moody navy bedroom with the dark red rug!
Sources, clockwise from top right: Dining Room, Nursery, Living Room, Bedroom, Living Room, Kitchen, Bedroom, Living Room
Yellow isn't my favorite, but it can look so cheerful and bright, or even moody, when paired with navy.
I just picked some of the main color combos out there. There are so many variations and different shades to pick from, this post barely scratches the surface! So what are your favorite navy color combos? What color scheme would you absolutely never use?
Link Parties:
Hookin Up with HOH: House of Hepworths
I Gotta Create: Wildly Original
Time to Sparkle: Love Grows Wild
Two Girls and a Party: This Silly Girl's Life
Whimsy Wednesdays: The NY Melrose Family
Handmade By You: Made to be a Momma
July Review
Wow! August is here already{can you believe it?!} and it is promising to be just as full as July was. Just to be honest, I felt like I'd lost my super blogging mojo there for a few weeks. And when you're as bad as I am at staying on top of posts when you're out of town, it's a double whammy. But I think I may have got a hold of it again in July.
I'm sure some of you noticed, but sometimes you just have to step back and take a break. Inspiration is a funny thing for sure. But now, after taking some time to be lazy, I am back with more energy and more ideas!
So how's about a looksy back at July?
I threw out some ideas for a kiddie room redesign.
My favorite thrift store find.
Our family favorite taco soup recipe.
I am looking forward to see what August has for us! I wish you all a happy month!