Pretty

Hi all!

I'm posting and running. Enjoy these pictures!

Have a nice day!

Emily

A Quick Change

Hi all!

I want to share with you a quick change I did a few weeks ago to an area in the main part of our home. It's the pass through between the kitchen and the formal dining room and the powder room is off of it (I'm standing in the powder room to take this picture). We call it the Butler's pantry and it houses the kitchen appliances we don't use everyday, our china and crystal, vases, serving trays, and table linens.

Here is what it looked like until this fall:

When M came in June we had a pack n play downstairs with a changing area attached to it. However, in about October we got rid of the pnp since she was taking all of her naps in her crib and we were just using it for diaper changes.

My plan all along was to use the Butler's pantry as our changing area downstairs (rather than walking up the stairs to her room each time or buying another piece of furniture and sticking it somewhere). So, for a few months this is what our changing area looked like:

I decided something a bit more kid friendly would be nice. She is getting old enough to look around (and that is only going to intensify) so I wanted some things for her to be entertained with, without going overboard. I wanted to space to say kid.....not SCREAM it (without spending much money). Get it?! :)

For $10 this is what I came up with:

Now I realize this isn't that exciting but it was an easy change that defines the space. I had both baskets, one holds toys and the other holds the wipes, hand sanitizer, desitin, etc. The books, changing pad, frames, and the cards in the frames (they are flashcards we were sent for free from Similac when M was born) we already had. I cut out butterflies and stuck them to the sides of the frames and up under the cabinets so M has something to distract her.

I bought the lamp at a thrift store for $3 and spray painted it red with spray paint I already had. The shade was $7 and I made the paper garland out of scrapbook paper I had lying around.

All and all it was a good change for $10

Emily

Almost December!

Good morning!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We spent the day just the 3 of us, eating, sleeping, and just being a family. It was wonderful! My mom came for a visit and we did some shopping on Friday and she watched M on Saturday and Sunday so Jacob and I could accomplish a few things.

Like most people, we drug out our Christmas decor this weekend. Since we're in a new house this year I'm struggling to figure out where I want to put things. We are hosting Christmas, which kinda makes me want to go crazy but at the same time I'm wanting to scale back. I'm guess I'll do a few DIY projects and make what I have work. :)

Here is an image that I'm loving!

Have you started decorating for Christmas? Are you going all out or scaling back?

Emily

Amazing!

That is the only word to describe this kitchen.

That and the fact that I'm enjoying the holiday and don't want to type too much!

Have a great one!

Emily

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving! I have so many things to be thankful for this year.

My loving husband who provides for our family and puts up with my constant need for a project

My beautiful healthy baby who continues to grow and amaze us

Our wonderful supportive families

Our health

The fact that we are close to family and friends when we once were so far away

Our beautiful home that we have worked so hard for

My furbabies, who always make me smile

The list goes on and on. My cup runneth over.

I urge you to take a moment today to share with someone that you are thankful for them.

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” W.T. Purkiser

Blessed Thanksgiving!

Emily

Love!

Hi all!

I hope you all had a great weekend! I realize I'm a bit late saying that but we have been traveling (shocking, I know). We are finally finished traveling for awhile and are SO excited to just be home!

When I ran across this photo on one of my favorite blogger's Pinterest I had to repin it as inspiration for our stairwell. I love how homey it feels!

Thoughts?

Have a nice day! I'm running some errands and cleaning the house today in preparation for Thanksgiving. :)

Emily

"Once Upon A Time"

I watch too much TV. Anyone watching "Once Upon A Time" on Sunday nights? Jacob and I are hooked. Anyway, I thought you might appreciate the Evil Queen's office from Snow White. In case you don't watch the show they go back in forth between real life and the fairytale. In real life the Queen is the Mayor of a small town the this is her office:

How perfect is it that the Evil Queen's office is black and white with the birch wallpaper?!

I don't think I could have decorated the Evil Queen's office any better myself. You? What would you have done differently?

Emily

Inspirational Images

Good morning!

I am posting and running this morning. Here are some images I'm loving. Enjoy!

Have a nice day!

Emily

Green Dresser Reveal

Good morning!

Thank you all for your kind words about Tatum. We are hanging in there....taking one day at a time.

Last week I showed an inspiration picture of a green dresser here. With that in mind I took this dresser and gave it a makeover. I moved it from the guest bedroom to the hallway where we had a blank wall. I want it there to store games and other toys as Madeleine grows.

Here is the before:

And the After:

The color is Sherwin Williams 6445 Garden Grove and I love it!

I wanted a kelly green color but not too bright and this color was perfect.

You can see the little nook I was working with and I think this fits perfectly. I used the same knobs just stuck them on bamboo skewers to spray paint them and it worked like a charm! I plan to hang a few frames above the dresser but I was too anxious to share so I put a few things on top and snapped a few pictures. I'll do a full reveal when it's finished....but who knows when that will be! :)

Not too bad for a 30 year old piece of furniture that started out as my brothers, then my baby dresser.

Emily

Tatum

I'm sad to write that our beloved Tatum passed away last Wednesday morning.

He was perfectly fine the day before.....I gave him a bath, he laid on the deck in the sun for hours, drank out of the spigot outside (which he loves) and he went to bed with us like he always does. I brought up his blanket (I had just washed it) and he fluffed it into a bed, I scratched his butt and he put his paws up on the bed for Jacob to pet him and we said goodnight. He was all comfy this morning on his blanket, so I thought. He left us sometime in the night without a sound in his sleep. It is fitting that even in his final moment he did not think to trouble us or even wake us up.

We are so happy Madeleine knew you and that we captured this image

Tatum-you were the best dog we will ever have. Thank you for all that you taught us and for being our first baby. We loved traveling with you and we know you loved being in the car. We miss you so much. The house just isn't the same with out you snoring and farting in the next room. You will be forever in our hearts and minds.

Everybody who knew Tatum, loved him.

We love you more than you will ever know. We can't wait to see you again one day.

Emily

Buffalo Check

Hi all!

One thing I can't get out of my mind is buffalo check. I am working on reupholstering a chair and I almost went with a check but I changed my mind at the last minute. However, I am lusting over a red and white buffalo check throw pillow or two for Christmas decorating.

A quick search on Pinterest turned up these images. Are you with me?

I think the key is to make sure it's a buffalo check not gingham otherwise you run into a country feel.

Emily

A Little Project

Good morning!

Here is the inspiration for a little project I'm working on.

I sure hope it turns out well as this is one of the easier projects on my To Do list!

Emily

Kitchen Love

Hi all!

How was your weekend? My nephew was baptized yesterday, which make for a lovely day.

I was talking to a friend about kitchens so I thought I would share a few ideas I came across with you all.

I love this gray kitchen from Southern Living.

Look at the detailing on the cabinet glass!

Barn wood Ceiling

I'm digging the green cabinets

I love the mix of rustic and sleek, modern and traditional, old and new

Amazing galley kitchen

Love the mix of rustic and clean modern lines

Love the gray cabinets!

Amazing wine cooler

I hope your week gets off to a great start!

Emily