Bookshelf or Dollhouse?

This weekend was the bi-annual consignment sale at the Harris YMCA. This time I didn't leave with tons of clothes but did walk away with a few good dresses, rain boots, Hungry Hungry Hippo and THIS GOODIE! I had my eye on a different doll house but a member of the parent committee snagged it before the sale even opened. I have gone back and forth on what to "stage" it as... bookshelf or dollhouse? Addie would love a dollhouse but it would be so much more useful as a place for books and stuffed animals?! It is currently serving a duel-purpose. Books live on the top floor and her plastic figurines and stuff animals are on the other two. We shall see how it evolves. :-)

Hanging Proudly

Clockwise: Adele Yonchak Original in the Office | Print-to-Canvas in the Family Room | Bicentennial Gardens watercolor in the Master Bedroom

Look what arrived today!

Add this not just only to the "Honey Do" list but the "To Hang" list. On this list is also a beautiful watercolor of the Bicentennial Gardens where we got married, my very first Adele Yonchak original as well as an outdoor clock for the covered porch! (All wonderful Christmas gifts.)

Honey-Do List

It was a hectic week preparing for the big birthday bash but I think we need to host a party every other month or so. It was the push we needed to get quite a few things checked off the To Do List! Including hanging the drapes that have been in a box in our bedroom for about a month.

Moving up in the world

After plenty of furniture shopping (both physically driving around to stores and internet scouting), we decided to get Addie a day bed for her "big girl room". Eventually the plan is for her to take over the queen set but the transition from crib to queen is just too much (for me). We ended up ordering her a sleigh day bed with a trundle today and it is being delivered (set up included) on Thursday!

In the mean time I will easily be keeping myself busy looking up all the cute bedding out there. Addie has requested multiple times that there be red polka dots on the bed and officially claimed red and blue as her favorite colors. I can work with red and blue but have to convince Jim to repaint the walls. How would daddy like to try his hand at wallpaper too? Just one wall?!

I have started saving inspiration ideas to a Pinterest Board. Let me know if you spot (no polka dot pun intended) anything fun. I am leaving towards a plain quilt, polka dot sheets, fun rug and then tone-on-tone decals or wall paper on one wall. Or what about something like this for our little polka dot queen?!

Project in Progress

I informed Jim that for Mother's Day I wanted to do "my" outdoor chalkboard project. It was a beautiful weekend so everyone enjoyed being outside and since it really was a full family affair that made me happy.

The supplies ran more then the project guide I had seen but we both agreed that the magnetic primer will be a fun addition. I took forever to pick out the right shade of bright outdoor paint while Jim critiqued the plywood sheets to try and get the smoothest one possible. All while Addie was able to run up and down the oversized aisles to hers heart's content.

Supplies

The frame

Pre-drilling holes

Mounting this thing was much harder then you would think

Making sure everything is level

Cheese daddy!

2 coats of outdoor sealer on the back & 2.5 coats of magnetic primer on the front complete.

Unfortunately it will be a few weeks before we can officially check this off as complete. (Busy weekends in and out of town.) We are wasting no time though and are already playing with some magnets out there. Looking forward to being able to draw on it so be sure to check back for our first masterpiece though.

New Decor

The Grands came to visit this weekend and had a hand in 3 new pieces of decor in our house. First and foremost, Jim & his dad put together a very important kitchen set, with plenty of help from Addie.

The next day, the boys assembled the Grandfather clock we got passed down from Great-Grandma Marques. It fits well in the nook near our bedroom door, but I immediately requested the "dings" and "dongs" be turned off.

Finally, I managed to be an ounce of the creative person I wish I could be and changed out the ribbon on Addie's bow hanger, (more then doubling the amount of bows it can hold).

Thanks for visiting Grammy & VoVo. What honey-do list can we tackle next time?

Design Assistant

I appreciate the help and understand wanting to put your own stamp on things, buuuut...

Big Furniture Delivery

The final big things arrived today! It has been a long time coming but was still surprised because only the bedroom rug was noted as "ready to deliver" when I first called. Chalking it up to an early Christmas gift!

BARSTOOLS

END TABLE

DRESSER, CHEST, RUG

BEDSIDE TABLES

The recommendation part is that Furnitureland South's delivery guys were great! Put everything exactly where I wanted it and I love not having to deal with any boxes. The only thing they did not do was roll out the rug for us and that was much more difficult then you would think. It took us several tries to line everything up right so the rug pad didn't show and the furniture that was only partially on the rug was level.

New To Me

After all the hours of furniture shopping already put it, I finally discovered Griffith Street in Southend. One Sunday afternoon I managed to wander through 3 warehouses, and so far it seems to fall at a nice place in-between high priced costume designs, out of a box retail store and Jim's least favorite antiques. I felt like this is where someone from HGTV or DIY would shop. The Pick-it, where I found my new media cabinet did require some digging. There were items I thought were junk but I am sure a creative show host/designer would see the perfect place for everything. This media cabinet didn't take a tremendous amount of vision just a little love and attention. (Sorry I deleted the picture just as I found it.)

Delivered

Cleaning & changing out the door panels

"Final" result

Next project: To find the right baskets to help hold and organize everything I plan to hide inside; (Addie's DVDs, remotes, Wii games, etc.) I also am on the look out for chic yet toddler-proof decor for the top. Ha!

Slowly but Surely

The rain canceled Addie's swim lesson this morning but the consolation prize was getting to go to Discovery Place Kids with our friends Becky & Samantha and Tara & Norah. It was very busy, verging on chaotic, but the girls had a blast climbing, dancing and exploring.

While we were out of the house, the painters (aka Jim) got a few more things done plus look what was delivered! Nothing like the first round of new furniture to brighten the day! Thank you High Cotton Home Co. for renewing our "finish the space" energy.

Bows

Through a moment of seven degrees of separation, I made a connection with the creator behind some of my favorite bows... price, quality and cute! (The adorable flowers for example.) Once this connection was made it opened up the door to make custom requests and on my first order look what I had made for football season! I also had a few gift bows made as well and am very excited about them. Jim should probably be scared though because I now have her personal email address.

The OLS is back

The addition is technically done but it is far from photo-ready. Our bedroom is completely painted but we are sleeping on the mattress on the floor. The kitchen is done but all the new counter space we gained is covered with boxes I keep bringing down from the attic. Unloading both old and "new" items... I just took a silver platter for example out of the box for the first time in 5 years! I'm looking forward to putting all those nice wedding gift to use now. Someone else is more excited about being in charge of her ice cream!

 

Oh, OLS, how I have missed you!

Elmo

This little, furry red monster may just be my daughter's first great love! I used to think someone who spent $60 on a Tickle Me Elmo doll was nuts until now. I thought her enjoyment of a toy like that would last a week or two so I picked up an older version of a singing Elmo for $10 or $12 at a consignment sale... that was over 6 months ago! Needless to say it was worth every single penny spent three times over.

 

The reason I bring this up is that I have started to think about Addie's, all too quickly approaching, 2nd Birthday... (the fact that my baby is about to be two is an entirely different monster). I didn't do much for her first party but then again she had no interest in cake and slept through half of it. This time I think she might understand some of what is going on so I've started to look up inspiration. I really am not one for themes or anything in-your-face but have seen some fabulous parties online. With this, I might find the reason to sign up for another online site - Pinterest. I have done this since before I was pregnant, collecting images and pasting them in Word Docs and physical file folders but apparently it is time to get with the times - ha! I just can't seem to find the time to sit down and do it (or much of anything for that matter).  Stay tuned for my collection of cute Elmo desserts, party decorations and dresses!

Decor Teasers

These pillows will help tie the family room and orange in the kitchen together! The question is still what color to paint the family room? The painter, aka Jim, has plenty of trim work to do first though!

Here are the fabrics for the accent shams and pillows in my new bedroom!

I like to think we have made major strides, (family room seating, coffee table, headboard/bed ordered and TV & speakers are mounted) but there is still lots to shop for. I did just pickup some fantastic crystal lamps today but without bedside tables to place them on they don't exactly do a whole lot of good. It's so easy to get distracted! The focus right now needs to be on finding bar stools. I currently have my eye on this one - like the nailhead detail and that it swivels but no strong opinion on fabric. I originally liked Callisto Stripe Green but since they are "in" the kitchen thinking something more brown would be better?! What do you think of Bee Royal, Brooklyn Stripe, Callisto Stripe Chocolate or Natural Pintuck for example?