High Five: It's Friday!

Does this seem like deja vu? No, well that's because I only THOUGHT I posted this last Friday and then it was like crickets chirping..........not a peep, not a single comment, not a single person viewed this blog post. Don't get me wrong Friday's typically tend to be a quiet blog day but not a single person read it?? I was seriously thinking I need to reconsider this whole blog gig when BAM it hit me.......I NEVER pulished this post. Blame it on baby mush brain.

Sooooooo here is take two........

 

1. Thought it was high time I get in some practice on my new camera. Funny how a few years ago I use to think photography was so borrrring and couldn't understand why anyone in their right mind would take interest in it. Not saying that I am "in my right mind" or anything.

2. Cleaning out your closets is like treasure hunting. I found this reminder note that I had left out for my husband on the day we got married and it gave me a good chuckle. 

Proof that before I said "I do" I was already naggy wife material.

Hey, someone has to be in charge right?

 3. Smitten with my $2 thrift store find. I'm thinking this will go great in our newly made over living room somewhere around the tv/dresser.

 

4. Really falling for the new FX show "The Americans" so much so that I caught my dog spying on me the other day & I accused her of being a Russian spy. Anyone else watching this series?

5. The biggest highlight of the past week has been finally finding out that we are TEAM BLUE.
We can't way to meet our lil' guy in July!

 

 Have a delightful weekend!!

High Five it's Friday!

Upcycled Project: Washi Tape Organizer

A few weeks ago I was a thriften when I spotted this coffee mug tree holder for $2 buckaroos.

Right away I knew it would be the perfect way to organize

my rolls of washi tape that I've been collecting.

 

But I didn't want to be a Boring Betty {apologies to any "Bettys" out there} and just paint the wooden

tree holder, slap on my rolls of tape, and leave it at that.

No, no I had BIG dreams for this lil' guy I just didn't know what they were.

Then I remembered how much I always drool over the stamping projects that Jaime of the

Crafty, Scrappy, Happy blog always does.

See examples here, here, and here.

Salivating aren't you?

Double bonus was that I just recently purchased a set of stamps

from Pick Your Plum that I hadn't had a chance to use yet so I busted those bad boys out!

 

 

 

Within a few minutes I had a new inspirational and

functional little organizer for my pretty rolls of tape.

 

 

 

Live, love, laugh, & create.........................

 

 

 

Sharing with friends here:
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Sugar & Spice or Puppy Dog Tails?

We're having a boy!!!

 

I have to admit I was a little surprised.

Basically the only person in our life who thought we were having a boy was the hubby (I mean what husband doesn't, right?) so I think I even started

 to convince myself that there was a little girl in there. We are super excited!!!

Baby B appears to be growing & healthy, and that is all his mama and papa could ask for , right?

Oh, and the fact that I would really like if he could put a pause button on the indigestion.

Other than that we're good.

And of course now I can shop, shop, shop......just the part my husband was looking forward to!

Wink-wink.

 

I can't wait to start on the little guy's nursery either!

You can see me pinning away all my nursery inspiration here.

 

February's Crush of the Month: Sliding Barn Doors

Sources 1|2|3|4

 

I've always been fond of the interior sliding barn door look and now that we have a broken pocket door on our guest room closet I have the perfect need for one!

Whether bright, white, new, or rustic I think they add a charming element to any room.

Plus, I can't think of anything more fun than being able to yell all the time

"Close the door! You weren't born in a barn!" Hehehe........

Via Houzz

Via BHG

Via Houzz

Via Best Architecture

Via Real Sliding Hardware

 

So what are you crushing on this month?

 

How We Spilled the Beans! {Pregnancy Announcement Ideas}

It takes mere minutes on Pinterest to see that people LOVE coming up with creative ways to announce their pregnancies these days. And who can blame them, right? Creating a human being is amazeballs whether it's your first, third, or in the case of the Duggars, nineteenth time being preggers.

I thought I would step away from my normal DIY/crafty post tonight & share how we spilled the beans to our friends and family. Okay, who am I kidding?

I didn't really have a craft to share with y'all tonight.

It was either this or pictures of me STILL cleaning out our guest room closets.

Your welcome.

 

PS. Don't mine my horribly executed hair part in this picture.

 

I actually have had this baby announcement plan up my sleeve for many years because as I briefly, briefly touched on here this has been a long journey for the hubz and I.

So the fact that we were finally able to execute this little mission was beyond exciting!

 

We just happen to be approaching the twelve week mark close to Christmas.

A time where alot of couples, including ourselves, felt more comfortable about sharing the news.

It couldn't have been more perfect timing.

 

I had picked up two nursery rhyme books for each set of our parents, wrote a little note inside from Baby B,  wrapped it and tagged it from Santa, & then slipped it into their gift piles on Christmas.

 

My family was up first and I wish we had their reactions on camera.

It quickly went from confusion to laughter on why Santa would be gifting grown adults a nursery rhyme book? I had to egg them on to read the inside of the cover.

My mom got it half way through the message but it took a little longer for it to click for my dad.

Trust me, if you knew him this wouldn't come as a surprise

{Please don't write me out of the will dad!!}

 

Here was Baby B's little message inside:

Next up were the in-laws. My MIL may have had actually taken a little longer than my dad to get it.

I think she read the message like three times but seriously, what fun would it have been if our families would have gotten it right away, right?

 

Lastly, we have family in Cali, Colorado, Maryland, & London who couldn't make it in for the holidays but I didn't want them to be left out so I created this little card that we emailed out to all of them. I made it an attachment though and in the email I said we missed them and that I was sending them a picture of the family from the holidays and when they opened it up SUPRISE!

 

 

So there you have it, the 4-1-1 on how we spilled the beans.

 

For you mamas out there, how did you share the news that you were expecting?

 

PS. Incase any of you have a bun in the oven and are baking up ideas now on how to announce your pregnancy I just so happen to get this email yesterday, "The 25 Most Creative Ways to Announce Pregnancy" from the baby zone.

 

 

Quickest Project Ever: DIY Jewelry Tray

Looking for the quickest, little DIY ever?

Make yourself a jewelry tray.

 

 

Find yourself a cute little plate.

Then find yourself a butcher, a baker, and a candlestick maker.

Kidding......you just need a candestick holder not a maker.

And the butcher and baker aren't neccessary either.

Unless they happen to have the strong bonding glue that you also need for this project.

Now I don't mean to insult anyone's intelligence with this little DIY but now you just glue the plate to the top of your candlestick holder.

Load a couple heavy books on top to weigh the plate down until the glue dries.

Seriously, easiest project I have done to date! So much so that

I am ashamed that I am even labeling this post a "tutorial".

Please forgive me.

 

 

 Isn't this plate so cool & chic?

It was a $3 find at Michaels.

 

 

 How do you strore your jewelry?

 

Sharing with friends here:
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At Long Last, a Completed Gallery Wall

 

 

Hey ho party people can you believe I started this little gallery wall wayyyyyy back in July?

I shared it's humble beginnings here.

But while we're at it let's recap this hall's journey.

 

 

This is a "before" shot. Don't judge.

We all have some scary skeltons in our decor closet don't we?

Oh, & incase it wasn't obvious this was taken around Halloween a few years back before we made over the living room that is adjoined to this hall.

 

After we painted I immediatly started putting together  the gallery wall.

I cut out templates from cardstock to help me envision the lay out before I committed to anything.

 

And s-l-o-w-l-y over the course of the next few months I collected frames and added different pieces of art work AND THEN it just all came to a stand still and the wall sat like this for a long, long time.

 

 

I blame this guy.

 

 

We had out thermostat replaced a while back and the new one was smaller than the original one.

It needed some patching and touch-ups. Like a five minute job right?

Hmmm....yes, a five minute job that we put off for a VERY long time until I got to the point this week where I was sick of looking at it.

 

And that my friends is the little kick in the bootay that I needed

in order to finish off the rest of this space.

 

 

 

Most of the wall art is art work created by yours truly but the state print is from an Etsy shop I adore called Livy Love Designs.

The top right picture was a little design I created resembling a heart carved in a tree with me & the hubz initials and our wedding date.

The "26" are house numbers that I thought would help bring a modern touch to the gallery and the # is significant to us because we got married on the 26th of July.

Plus, now my husband can NEVER forget our anniversary.

 

 

 I also framed some left over fabric {long bottom blue frame} from this thrift chair makeover and used it in the top left frame as a matte for this printable quote I found at the Simple As That blog.

It says "Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in our hearts".

Now that I am growing a little bean this quote couldn't be any more perfect!

The little "b" in the round frame represents the initial for our last name.

A quick one minute design I created on my computer.

Of course, I couldn't forget my doxie wall art.

Tutorial for how to make your own doggy wall art can be found here.

 

But I do have to say one of my favorite, favorite things on the wall was the beaded mirror that I also spray painted with the Krylon color Catalina Mist {see original mirror below}. It was a Goodwill find and I just love, love, love it!

I believe it's handmade.

 

 

 

 

I apologize for all the glares but this wall is directly across from my office window so I was having a difficult time getting some pics that wouldn't blind y'all.

 

 

 

 

 

 WHEW! Is everyone still with me? Do I need to revive anyone after that photo bomb of pictures?

Any one else have a gallery wall in their house?

What's your favorite thing hanging on your wall right now?

  

Sharing here:
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Daisy Cottage Designs
Shabby Creek Cottage
House of Hepworths
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I Should Be Mopping the Floors
Uncommon Designs
Ginger Snap Crafts