Nursery Week - Tiny Treasures

Over this past weekend we accomplished a TON in the nursery. I'm starting to feel a little more relaxed and prepared as things come together. So, I figured that I would dub this week "Nursery Week" so that we can share everything that we've completed recently. 


I thought I'd start off slow by sharing some of the little things that we brought into the nursery over the weekend. They are mostly tiny treasures that I want to pass onto my little girl from when I myself was small... but also a little something my Mom picked up for her while we were out on Saturday afternoon. 

I'll start off with the little gift from my Mom...

Quite possibly the cutest little shoes ever (yes... her shoe collection continues to grow). They are size 6 - 12 months, so we're hoping that she can wear them when we visit our timeshare in Florida next spring! I'd seen them ages ago and BabyGap, but never grabbed them. These were the very last pair in the store that we went to over the weekend. Thanks Mom! 

While on the topic of shoes, these were not brought to our place over the weekend, but you may remember we writing about my Dad's baby shoes that I was gifted at my baby shower last month. I've decided to make them part of the nursery decor, so here's a little peek...

As much as I love the new... having these little reminders of family in her nursery make it that much more special.

Moving from little shoes that belonged to my father, onto these little books that were once mine...

As you can see in the first photo, my little collection of Beatrix Potter books sustained some water damage while they were stored in my parents basement. Thankfully, it was mostly the outside of the one box. My parents found them quickly when the water incident happened and dried them off, so there is no mold or musty smell. Thank god! I adored these little books when I was young, and I so look forward to sharing them with my daughter!

Finally, this little set also came home with us...

An adorable little teddy bear tea set! Oh, how I can't wait to have tea parties in the future with our little peanut. For now, the box is stored in her closet (which is FINALLY holding her tiny clothes). One day it will come out and we'll put it to great use though!

What little treasures do you adore most from your childhood, or have you passed on to your own kids? 

Fancy Friday Love

Another Friday is here... and thank god for that! Let me tell you, I'm getting more and more uncomfortable by the day and I'm glad that my replacement has been found and we have a week of training under our belt! She's super smart and I know she'll handle everything wonderfully. At least now, if baby has plans of her own for her arrival, I know everything is in capable hands. But, enough about that - let's check out all of the wonderful things I stumbled across this past week...

Last Friday, Lindsay over at Rookie's Nest shared this neat little contraption she came across online called the Sun Jar. Idea = awesome! Price of $27.99... seems a little steep. But I imagine they would be great for outdoor entertaining during the summer! Don't you agree?

I have another dose of wonderful from Shannon's blog. Check out this sofa that Shannon had Staci reupholster for her. First off - LOVE her fabric choices and Second - Staci is beyond talented. I love these two girls. Seriously! (and yes, they are as fun and sweet in person as they come across on their blogs!)

Immediately after reading this post on Oh Happy Day! I wanted to board a plan and fly directly to California for one of these Beard Papa Cream Puffs. (Unfortuantely, that's not possible, but I have two friends travelling to Cali at the end of this month and have instructed them both to visit and report back. B also told me after I sent him the link that they used to have on in Fanueil Hall in Boston and the cream puffs are "heavenly"... so glad he rubbed that in).

Saw this bathroom on hello lovely inc on Tuesday, and WOW... isn't it gorgeous and absolutely glamourous?

Jen shared a cute tutorial on making a scrapbox to share those special memories and moments! Love this idea... especially that she plans on creating a bunch to make a gallery wall in her little girl's playroom!

Loved this nursery from Nadia at House Thirty Six, that was shared on Ohdeedoh on Wednesday! 

We have another great weekend to look forward to. Tonight we hope to accomplish more in the nursery (it's mostly storage and organization at this point) and tomorrow we have a 5th birthday party and a wedding reception to attend. I'm looking forward to spending time with family and friends. Sunday - nothing planned at the moment... so we'll see where Daddy's Day takes up! Hope you all have a lovely weekend and spoil those father's in your life!

For The Men

Well friends... it's all over for another year! The NHL playoffs are over and the Stanley Cup has been won. I must admit, even though I cheered on the Canucks through the majority of the playoffs... I'm happy to see the Bruins win... because it means that B is happy. Things just worked out perfectly!

I thought that today, in honour of all of the hockey loving men in our lives, oh yeah... and I guess with Father's Day being right around the corner as well, I'd share a little man cave inspiration. I'm a big believer in the fact that man caves can be everything our men dream of... without being done in poor taste. If the rest of our homes are beautiful, I think our man's spaces can be done tastefully as well!

{via}

I'm pretty sure B would love a room like this. A place to hang out with his friends, drink some beers, display his sports memorabilia and watch every single Boston sports game on TV (since I know that often there can be two or three games on at one time...). I'm a big fan of the wood floors and the brick used on the walls... but not necessarily the light fixture over the pool table... 

I also believe that "man caves" don't always have to be reserved for those who enjoy drinking beers and watching movies and sports...

{via}

I know that all of the men in my life (B, my Dad, B's Dad, my brother...) would all appreciate an outdoor kitchen like this one! A great place to get their grill on and entertain at the same time. 

{via}

If you're man is more of the handy type - how about giving him a man cave in the garage? I know B would appreciate a separate space to not only work, but to have the game playing while working on whatever he chooses to in his garage! I'd love to give him something like this one day.... when we don't have a garage full of projects that I want to work on.

But of course... I think all of us ladies kind of hope our man would be happy with a nice sophisticated office for his "man cave"...

 

{via}

{via}

Does the man in your life have his own space to escape to? What does he call his man cave? Is it a sophisticated space you are happy to have in your home... or does is closely resemble it's namesake?

Nursery Progress - The Gallery Wall Begins

Already halfway through the week. It's been so busy training, that my evenings are just full of laying around watching TV with B... enjoying this quiet time we have left together! So if you have emailed me and haven't heard back yet... I promise I will respond soon. I'm slowly catching up!


This past weekend after hanging Peanut's mobile, B and I decided it was also time to start hanging some artwork on our little girl's wall. As I mentioned here, we'd already starting collecting artwork, but it remained on the ground for a while - waiting until we got inspired to hang it. Well, we finally got the first of it up on the wall...

YUP... Three whole pieces. Okay, so we have more to collect and definitely some blank spaces to fill in but here's a little more detail on what we have hung so far...

You've probably seen this pretty piece around here a few times. This print is from Brittany's shop and I won it in a giveaway in February 2010. It once hung in our guest bedroom, but when things started to move around, B and I agreed it would be the perfect print to add to the nursery. The combination of ABC's, and the "I love you" message, couldn't be any better for our little girl. All we did was take some left over paint from her dresser makeover, and paint the once black frame, turquoise. We love it!

The embroidery hoop just holds some fabric that I fell for (at Fabricland) and wanted someway to incorporate it into the nursery. It was a little pricey and I didn't want to spend too much, so I knew this was the perfect solution. As for our little owl... he was actually my first purchase for the nursery back at the Christmas One of a Kind Show, from Hilary Cosgrove. A few of my Toronto blogging ladies were on hand to help me pick it out too... Thanks you guys! He's perfect in the Peanut's room!

We still have a few more pieces we want to add... but are in need of some more ideas as well. What do you think is a good addition to a gallery wall for a little one's nursery?

Guest Post - 8 Curb Appeal Ideas

Today's post comes from Arcadian Lighting. I was so thankful when they asked to do a little guest post on 8 ways to up your curb appeal. Lately things have been a little nuts prepping for baby and i'm definitely starting to feel the end of pregnancy exhaustion, so it was nice to have someone step in for a day and do the work for me!

Curb appeal is an important aspect of home decor - it creates that first impression for visitors before they enter the home and it really sets a tone. Whether the curb appeal is accentuated by light fixtures, greenery or even seasonal accents, a little can go a long way. Here are 8 ideas to really "up" the style and provide curb appeal for a home.

Red Door

From My Front Porch To Yours (via)

Nothing says "welcome" like a bright red door - it is both cheery and inviting. Add a great doorknocker and a traditional pendant light or hanging lantern to highlight this bold statement.

Seasonal Delights

Sense-sational Living (via)

No matter the season or holiday, there's always a way to incorporate it into exterior decor -- like a theme-appropriate wreath, whimsical characters or twinkly lights.

Welcome Seat

Oakton House and Gardens (via)

The front of a home always looks more attractive when there's seating on the porch. Depending on the style of the home, Adirondack chairs, chaise lounges and rocking chairs can all look warm and welcoming.

Swingin' Style

Garden Swing Bench (via)

Everyone wants a turn on a swinging bench! Incorporated into a residential terrace, this simple detail adds loads of character to a house.

Bright Blooms

Viva Veracruz & Viva Puerto Escondido (via)

What's more appealing than blooms in exotic colors? Flowering bushes and trees, planted in pots or window boxes, there's no shortage of varieties to choose from to enhance curb appeal.

Tasteful Topiaries

Boxwoods (via)

Curvy and geometric topiaries are a modern way to create a chic look outside of a home. When paired with more conventional greenery, this look works for any residence. Make sure to use outdoor lighting to highlight the beautiful greenery.

Lighting

Doors Sliding (via)

Shed some light on curb appeal with a range of different exterior light fixture options, like pot lights, deck lights and even outdoor wall sconces.

Delightful Decor

Home stories A2Z (via)

Why stop at decorating the interior of a home? There are endless outdoor accoutrements that can completely transform curb appeal, such as outdoor cushions, chandeliers and end tables.

Content provided by Arcadian Lighting, a site that specializes in top quality lighting fixtures at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today!


Thanks again to Arcadian Lighting for popping in for a visit and providing us with some pretty curb appeal inspiration! I'll be back tomorrow with some more updates on Peanut's nursery... we're still working away over here!

DIY Fabric Pom Pom Mobile & A Winner!

Happy Monday! We had a great weekend filled with family and friends, and today I begin training the girl who will cover me while I'm off on mat leave for the next year. The count down is officially on. Only 13 more days of work... Nutso!

Before I announce the winner of my Ramsign giveaway, I wanted to share with you a project that I've been working on for a little while now. A DIY mobile for the Peanut's nursery. I got the basic idea from this tutorial over at once wed for DIY Fabric Poms - and made a few adjustments so that it would work for me.

Then I pulled together all of my materials...

Items You Need:
- Styrofoam Balls (I got 1.5" and 2" from the Dollar Store, but only used the 1.5" ones)
- Fabric (I used two different solid colours)
- Glue Gun
- Embroidery Hoop
- Rope, Yarn, Ribbon, Fishing wire (I originally started with twine, but moved to Fishing line in order to get that "floating feeling" for my Poms)
- Something round to trace (I used the top of a paint tube and the size worked well)
- Scissors


Step 1: I took the inside of the embroidery hoop and painted it white, as I wanted the pom poms to stand out, and not the hoop itself. 

Step 2: Set your hoop aside to dry, while you trace and cut out many, many little circles of fabric...




... Trust me... you'll cut WAYYYY more circles than this. I'm saying you need somewhere between 40 and 50 per pom-pom (of course depending on the size of your styrofoam balls).

Step 3: Once your little circles are cut, you can begin gluing them onto your styrofoam balls (or whatever round object you choose to use). As per the tutorial, fold each circle in half, add a small dab of hot glue on the flat side of the circle, near the bottom and fold in half again. Then add a small line of glue along the folded edge of your circle and apply to your styrofoam ball. Then glue away.

You'll find your own pattern and way of gluing on your little fabric pieces to make the pom pom look right. I started off putting them too close together, which I found didn't make it look fluffy enough, so I started to space them out more as I went.

Step 4: Before you ball is full of fabric, put a small dab on hot glue directly onto the styrofoam ball and insert one end of fishing line. Hold it in place until it dries and cut fishing line to desired length (we found that longer was better so we could adjust the length when we were ready to attach it to the hoop.

Step 5: Take your fishing line and tie it across the hoop to create quarters. (I probably should've taken a photo of this step... but of course neglected to. My apologies. I blame the baby brain for that one!) We made sure to tie it nice and tight, as this is how we planned to hang it. Once tied, we used a small amount of hot glue to ensure the fishing line was firmly attached to the hoop and wouldn't slide.


Step 6: After putting a screw into the window frame over the foot of her crib, B used a ribbon to hang the hoop.

Step 7: Tie on the pom poms at alternating heights until the hoop is balanced. Don't tie them on too tight, as you may need to slide them around a little to get everything balanced properly.

Step 8: Trim your ribbon and extra length of fishing line and enjoy your pretty little mobile (we're pretty happy with how it turned out...)

We're starting to feel pretty ready for this little peanut to arrive, and have another update to share later this week (hint: artwork has started to go up on the walls!). Yup... things are starting to feel pretty real, and that's a good thing as my due date is just a little over four weeks away. Wow!

Now, the moment you've all been waiting for - the winner of my Ramsign giveaway! Thanks so much to Ramsign for offering up one of their signs for one of my lucky readers, and thank you to everyone who participated! We had a total of 15 comments left, and after using random.org to generate a winner (between 1 and 15) we came up with lucky #4!

Congrats to Hilary over at My So Called Home! Lucky Hilary is actually in the process of buying her first house and I hope that this pretty little sign is the perfect addition to help turn your new house into a home! I'll contact you with details on how to claim your prize!

A Good News Post...

I know - this seems a little odd. A second Friday post from me? Well.. there's good reason for it - so read on! As I mentioned earlier today this Sunday we'll be spending a little family time with my Mom and Dad. B and my Father will be taking in the Blue Jays vs. Red Sox game in the afternoon (part of my Dad's birthday gift), while my Mama and I sneak in some girly time. Afterwards, B and I will be taking the two of them out to dinner for a few reasons...

1) Also part of my Dad's birthday gift
2) A bit of an early Father's Day celebration for my Dad & B
3) To celebrate my Mom being FOUR YEARS cancer free! She just had her final visit to the Cancer Centre yesterday and I think that those were the sweetest words any of us had ever heard!

My Mom, Me and my Dad - July 2006 at my cousins wedding... only a few short weeks after her initial diagnosis...

I still remember every single second and every emotion that I felt through the whole thing. I remember the love and support from those around us. I remember the fear I felt, but the hope and knowledge that my Mom could battle through anything (including stage 4 cancer). I remember thinking how unfair this all was, but also understanding that people deal with this type of fear every.single.day. I remember being angry - so very, very angry - so many times that she had to face this... and I remember feeling guilty that I was so far away while my Mom battled. (I spent that summer living in Ottawa, and September 2006 - April 2007 was my final year of University).

I remember crying after getting off the phone with her on her birthday in March of 2007... the day she first started to lose her hair from her treatments. I remember having my best friend Taylor to lean on, and talk to and cry with... because her Mom had been diagnosed with cancer only 6 months before my mother had. I remember the paralyzing thought one day of "what if I lost my Mom?". I remember trying so very hard to be strong for her, because I knew that as strong as she was... that she needed to lean on us as well.

I remember that fantastic day in June of 2007 when we heard those beautiful words "Cancer Free". I remember taking part in the Relay for Life for a number of years, to not only honour her battle, but the battle of so many others we have known that have been touched by this awful disease...

In 2009 I participated in the event as a volunteer photographer...

Most of all, I remember, when I found out I was pregnant back in November, how elated I was that my Mom was a survivor and a fighter. I remember being so thrilled and so excited to tell her she would be a grandmother.

A few weeks ago, my Mom told me that she didn't understand why people always commented on how brave she was. She said it has nothing to do with being brave. That when you're told something like that, you really have no choice but to fight. But, as someone standing on the outside, someone who sometimes found it so hard to be brave when I wasn't even the one fighting the battle - she's still the bravest woman I know, and my hero.

{Me and Mom - September 2007}

Love you Mom!