Nursery Canvas Painting

So now that the Christmas decor has been put away it's more than time to start finishing up/starting some fun new projects around here.  Our good friends had a little baby girl before Christmas - pretty much the tiniest little bundle of loving I've ever held at six and a half pounds - being that my babies have been, umm....less tiny. :)  Anyway - she is absolutely beautiful and we could not be happier for the new happy family!  They asked me to paint a canvas for her nursery to match their bedding and I finally sat down and finished it up this afternoon.   So - here she be...  

I used the decorative pillow and tried to freehand somewhat of a duplicate version for the wall.  I think it turned out cute and I'm super excited to see it in the nursery... K - mostly I just want an excuse to go get some more new baby cuddles.... MMm...... :)

I love projects that can be done in a few hours!  Instant gratification! :)  Anyone else have some easy new projects on the go?


Ralna

Fancy Nancy Twins!

Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas with friends and family!  My in-laws and sister-in-law were here and it was so good to be together!  We are so so blessed to have such a great loving and supportive family - on both sides.  So - gotta show you pretty much the cutest thing ever!  My mother-in-law truly out-did herself this year.....


LOVIN' IT!

Is that not seriously cute?  She sewed two full outfits for both of them.  I'm sorry but that's serious love to sew matching clothes for her doll.  :)  I remember when I was a little girl and my mom sewed a whole bunch of outfits for my little cabbage patch dolls.  puts me to shame...! 

An Excuse Gone Wrong...

So - one might suggest that I have been a wee bit neglectful in updating the 'ole blog.  That one is most likely my mom.... but I would sadly have to agree. :)  So - here's my excuse...I decided that this year I was going to make a valiant effort to make all our Christmas gifts.  I can now say that that was a failed effort... and at least half of them have been bought (to either supplement or replace the creations gone wrong...)... but it was a noble idea - but viable excuse...probably not.

I also have been busy doing the sucky jobs that no one wants to hear about - like caulking and painting baseboards.  I'm hoping the efforts are still noticeable - though not really notable. ;)  Aaron took a few days and finished up almost all the baseboards in the house - four bedrooms, living, dining, and family room - and to date - I've finished caulking and painting the hallway and the staircase.  so....apparently haven't been that "busy" with that project after all...  My kids ARE still fed, bathed, and clothed though - so I am definitely claiming credit for that??

I have also found a new love that....well....words can not even begin to explain...  and I know it's been around for a while, but the two of us are just getting to know each other and....it's truly been LOVELY.

Meet my friend, the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha. :)  Isn't she pretty??

and well - that and a plate full of Christmas baking rejects (LOVE my job in Quality Control!) pretty much sums of the rest of my absence....  But - I'll do better.  I can be better.

   

Bathroom Update on the Cheap.

So , it remains in our plans to properly renovate our main bathroom - with a new vanity, flooring and mirror - but that's looking like a year away at this point, and I wasn't content looking at this....

It was one of the only rooms that hasn't been painted since we moved in and one of the two left with patchy canary yellow walls and door. - k, please don't paint your doors canary yellow.  ever.  it doesn't have the "sunshiney" effect you would think at seven in the morning.... 


So - some left over paint (FREE),  some new towels ($30), a toilet paper holder ($10), two small mirrors ($15 each) - and some moulding for around the mirror ($12) - a grand total of $82 and I I am MUCH calmer in the morning! :)  We did also replace the lighting fixture a few weeks after we moved in - although now I'm not sure why we EVER elected to get rid of the brass hollywood dazzle strip! :) I do have a new faucet that still needs to be installed, I'm going to paint out the vanity doors white, and I need some more artish filler for beside the big mirror (taking suggestions for that please!) - but it think it's largely improved.

So, please....help me fill the wall space??

Christmas LOVE!

DIY Belt

So - can I just say that I am SO continually impressed and amazed by all the ideas and designs that the seriously talented women in Blogland are continually inventing and re-inventing!  Blows my mind every day!!  And I am SOO inspired and blessed to umm....  steal those ideas!  :)  


Lil Blue Boo has a fabulous tutorial for all the little scraps of ribbon you have lying around to repurpose into a belt...  I made my first one last week and I'm going to use it as a stocking stuffer for my little girl.  She's been asking for a belt for a while - I know, I know,... poor poor sad little underprivileged four year old doesn't even have a belt... :(  But I think it turned out super cute and it only cost me like three dollars for the cotton webbing and the D rings!  Cheap like borscht.  


Check it out....

Thanks Lil Blue Boo! :)

Ana-White's Shout Out! :)

So - SUPER excited to get a little mention by the amazing Ana White on her post today! :)  Cannot say enough good things about her and her blog.  Total inspiration! Please, if you have not checked her out - do it now!  I can honestly say that were it not for her easy to follow plans and assurance that I too can build furniture (because yes, I believe that she was talking directly to me....!)  - umm....would still be relying on my husband to hang the pictures.  But as it stands - here are a few things I have built with my very own two hands....and a lot of my husband's tools that I previously loathed to pay for and have sitting around my quest for a clean house. :)

and FYI -  my sister is a huge superstar....  and she too has started building and built this entry bench (umm - FIRST projects?? AMAZING) and an beautiful headboard that I need to steal some pics of for y'all....  So good hey?  Love it!