Bedroom Redo - Update

I was really hoping to get a lot of the bedroom done this weekend but a lot of things got in the way.  The biggest, trying to find some fabric that I like.  ugh.  I can't find anything that is yellow, white and/or gray that I like!  So annoying.  Joann's had nothing to choose from so I'm going to have to order it, but I still couldn't find anything I like online either.  I'm thinking I want the fabric white and yellow - predominantly yellow.  This is all I have found that is SOMEWHAT decent...  still not sure about this one!

I would be using this fabric for the headboard, trim on the pillow cases, trim on the curtains, lampshade (?), and possibly for a blanket at the foot of our bed.  So, the fabric has to be a good one!

 I made another pillow for the bed out of an old, gray sweater from my other in law and bought a couple of queen size pillows to add to the collection.  I need to make some pillow cases for two of the pillows, but I'm waiting until I find the fabric I like so I can use it for an accent on the pillow cases.  Now that I'm seeing the pillows, however... I might not keep either!

I did find a shelf in the basement that my husband was using to hold paint cans.  So, I started painting it white but ran out of spray paint.  It needs a few more coats and I will get to that this week.

Suggestions for that lamp?  Should I get a new one or just spray paint it and recover the shade?  What do you think?

The yellow shelves were just some ugly box shelves I found at goodwill for nearly nothing and spray painted them yellow.  Dan is going to hang them on the wall for me tonight.

The frame was a black frame that I spray painted white.  Then I made some flowers out of an old yellow and old gray t-shirt and hot glued to the frame.  Simple and cute.

Easy Accent Pillow - Tutorial

This is the easiest pillow I have EVER made!  A friend of mine, Tracy, was showing me the fabric she was going to use to make some pillows for her living room.  Well, I was inspired and while I was in Target today, I picked up my own material for a super cheap pillow.

It's perfect for my yellow, white and gray bedroom plan.

Items needed:

Placemat

fiber fill

needle

thread

 When looking for a place mat, make sure it is two pieces of fabric top stitched together.  I found mine at target for $3.99.  Cheap pillow!

With your seam ripper, make a hole on one end of the place mat.

 I had fiber fill on hand.  It's the cheap stuff from Walmart.

 Stuff your pillow and sew it closed.  You can either hand sew or top stitch with your machine.  I just hand sewed it because it wasn't a large hole.  Done!  See.... easiest pillow ever!

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I just did a quick search on google and found this:

at Remodelaholic.

I didn't "copy" her, but great minds must think alike! :)  The Place mat pillow is not new, but I thought it was so funny that we both used the same place mat.

I also found it by others as well:

here...



and here.

So, not a "one of a kind" piece, but close enough. :)

Bedroom redo - Before

We have lived in this townhouse for 3 years now and I have yet to do ANYTHING with it.  I guess I refused to accept that this was home because I hate it here that much.  Well, we are finally to the point that we are planning to move to a REAL house next year.  Our plans are to work our butts off now so we can start building at the beginning of the year.  People think we are crazy to want to build, but we have a few requirements to fit our family that we most likely will not find if we buy.

So, I'm telling you all of this because I want to start prepping for a new home now.  We have had so many friends tell us to start buying furniture and the like now (as much as possible) because it's harder once you have a house and all the expenses that come with it.  So, that's my plan.  Our bedroom is first.  I'm not going to do any painting here (walls) because it is a rental and I don't want to repaint next year. 

So, here are some before pics.

It's ugly.  I know.  The headboard was free and the quilt was a cheapo from walmart 6 years ago. 

Unfortunately, my "office" is in our bedroom.  Lame.  I know.  But it's about utilizing space at this point.  I thought about buying an Armoire, but my office won't be in our room once we move anyway.  Not sure what or if I will do anything here.  hmmmm.  If you have any CHEAP ideas, let me know.  Because, frankly, this sucks.  :)

My plan is to do a yellow, white and gray color scheme.  

The colors just work wonderfully together.  My plan, however, is to paint the walls gray, have white furniture and yellow accents.  That way I can change out the yellow if I get sick of it without too much of a budget killer.  

Today I picked up a white down alternative comforter for $25.00 from Target.  High quality?  no.  Oh well.  

It's nothing glamorous... yet.  I'm on the hunt for a gray blanket to lay at the foot of the bed.  I'm going upholster the headboard, but I need to find a yellow fabric first...  Any suggestions???

Then, new shams, pillows, pain the furniture, new curtains and some artwork.  Shouldn't be too bad.

Look for lots on this in the coming days.  I want to have it done by next week.  I'm just sick of it!

Seriously though... suggestions for fabric for the headboard and curtains??? 

Birthday's on the Mind

Alanna and Abram both have birthday's coming up.  Alanna will be 5 on March 26th and Abram will be 3 on April 15th.  I have a bit of time, but I like to plan ahead.  Here's what I've been thinking for Abram.

A circus party:

(photo credit Pumpkin Petunia)

I love the photo booth!  Obviously, as a professional photographer, any excuse for fun pictures is fine by me! And of course, you can't have a party without a candy buffet!

(photo credit traceycakes)

I love these popcorn cupcakes!  It's just a cupcake baked in paper portion cups.  Then frost them white and press mini marshmallows on top.  Dilute some yellow food coloring with water and spray on top of the marshmallows.  EASY!

For the favor, animal crackers!

(photo credit hgtv)

I might go this route with him, though a construction theme might be in order otherwise.  I've done it before though... we'll see.

For Alanna, I'm thinking a spa day theme.

(photo credit The Party Muse)

How cute are those mask cookies!?!?!?  

(photo credit The Party Dress)

I thinking a little gift bag of some sort filled with a little fingernail polish, toe separator, etc.

If not a spa day, I don't know.  Any ideas for a 5 year old girl and a 3 year old boy?  I might just go with what I have so far.  We'll see.

Anthropologie Frame - TUTORIAL

When I first saw this frame on Anthropologie, I wanted it, but there was no way I was going to pay an insane price because it is one of a kind. You can see the original here but you can't buy it because there was only one and it's gone.  So, the next best thing (and way cheaper) make your own!!!

There are a few things with my frame that I don't love, but it is a whole lot better than paying hundreds of dollars for a cardboard frame.

Materials Needed:

Oval frame

Long pieces of cardboard... thinner is better

hot glue gun

spray paint

silver trim

 This is the cheap frame I bought at Michaels for $1.

Then cut your cardboard into long strips... about 2-3 inches long.  Make sure you get an exact width the entire length of the strip.  I didn't, hence my annoyance with the right side of the finished frame :)

I stapled it down.  You can just glue it.  I just wasn't sure if glue would hold it but it does.

 Find something round... a fat dowel or a wooden spoon works great.  Squish the cardboard around the spoon to make a loop.

 Glue it down.

 Continue around the frame, lining up the edge of the cardboard with the inside edge of the frame.

 Continue until you run out of cardboard.

 Put a line of glue along the end of your last piece of cardboard.

 Now lay the end of your next piece on top as above so the raw edges will not be seen.  Then continue around.

Once you get to the end, put a line of glue on top of the other end of the cardboard.

Trim your cardboard to an appropriate length to make one more loop.  Start wrapping it around the spoon.

 Push the loop down to secure it to the glue.

 You should now have this.

 Spray paint it.  Do as many coats as necessary to get the color intensity that you like.  It's hard to tell in this photo, but I used a lot because I wanted it more intense than the original.  The original seems a bit more splotchy.

Once it dries, hot glue some silver trim to the outside and a thinner one to the inside.

I love it, but you can see how the right side is wider than the left.  I might rip off the trim and cut it down to match.

Linked at:

Valentines Letters and weight loss.

What an insane few days I have had!  As the coordinator for our MOPS group, I took on a big task of contacting all of the husbands and having them write letters or cards to their wives.  It was a chore getting a hold of each of them, but what a great group of guys!  Every one of them sent a letter and I was able to surprise every mom with a letter from their husband.  Some of them went as far as to include a gift, a poem, a letter with pictures of their family, etc.  Insane!  It was amazing to see such smiles and tears!

Dan had been helping me complete this task by contacting some of the guys for me so their wives wouldn't know.  I didn't think anything of it, but assumed I would be without a letter.  I was honored to find a card from him, shoved into the pile this morning so that I would not be left out.  What a guy!

Last night, after the kids were in bed, Dan and I sat down to our own dinner.  Quiet.  Just the two of us.  No interruptions.  We had ribs, an awesome noodle dish, salad and fruit salad.

Check out this recipe for amazing ribs. 

It was so nice to have a quiet dinner.  I can't even tell you.  4 children make meal times nothing short of LOUD!

How was your Valentines Day?

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On another note.  I'm down 10 pounds!  YAY! I can happily say my fat pants fit me.  Yes, I was too fat for my fat pants.  Now, I'm not.  (can't believe I am admitting that)

So, here are some photos of me.  I'm posting these, not because I'm proud... God knows I'm not!  But for the accountability.  Things seem more real when you share your journey with someone else.  

So, here I am now (can't believe I'm showing you this).  This is me today.  4 children later and 10 pounds less than two weeks ago.

See those pink pants?  Those are the fat pants that are not too small anymore.  ugh.

Here is a picture of me (on the right) when I was in college, right before I met my husband and had four children.  I know I probably will never be that again (it was 10 years ago), but I am hoping to get as close as possible without killing myself.

My work out partner, Liz and I are going to start a crazy intense workout called the idol iron man competition.  We have to bike 112 miles, run 26 miles, swim 2.4 miles in 1 month.  We start on the 1st.  I'm excited for the sweaty nastiness.  Bring it fat self.  Bring it!

I'm working on a super cool anthropologie knock off!  Check back in the next day or two!