Ella's Toddler Room Progress

The drapes are not done... :(. Party foul on my part but we did buy a drapery rod with clear crystal finials on each end, the only problem is that I'm not loving the finish of the metal rod. It's a dark, dark color and all of the hardware in the rest of our home is finished in satin nickel. I have an idea to fix this so we'll see how it turns out.

This print has been hung:

As well as the bug's new coat rack which I completed in time for the Pinterest Challenge:

This corner of Ella's room aka the 'reading nook' is starting to take shape:

Sometimes a photograph can help you detect what's wrong... Upon clicking a shot, it became very apparent that Ella's open concept closet needs a little de-cluttering and styling overhaul. Don't judge:

Ella-bug turns 2 in 3.5 weeks and I'd like to have all the projects dunzo (minus the paint job I have yet to discuss with the Mister) by then!

Left to do:

finish sewing drapery- free already own 

makeover the drapery hardware and hang drapery- already purchased for $16.99

de-clutter and restyle Ella's closet- free (use exsisting items)

either purchase an easel or play table -or- diy or purchase a play kitchen as her birthday gift- $15-$138

paint the room- $30ish

make some heart art- free I already have a spare small canvas and paint

sew a new crib skirt(the one we have no longer fits since I've dropped down Ella's crib so that she can't climb out)- free we already own the fabric I plan to use

list and sell Ella's beloved Wendy Bellissimo crib bedding (tear) on Ebay to help fund this:

purchase a rug for the room.

And here's a shot of her bedroom inspiration board I made up again:

sources 

Pinterest Challenge Project 1

Here was my inspiration pin:

via European Chic Design by way of Ideal Home

And here is the final result:

How we did it:

I took a piece 1 x4 mdf trim that we had laying around the house and told Michael that I wanted to turn it into a coat rack with some mismatched knobs from a $1 ea. knob bin at our local custom cabinet shop. While I was at the cabinet shop picking out knobs (which they said I could have for free, yay!) Michael took a router (roman odgee) and made an edge detail on the mdf trim piece. He then took some of Ella's Melissa and Doug refrigerator magnets and traced them then carved out the letters with a 6mm straight router bit. He also attached the knobs, primed and painted the board with paint we had and painted the letters by dropping in Martha Stewart's Ballet Slipper Pink which was a sample pot purchased for Ella's dollhouse and hung it up in Ella's room.

The whole project ended up not costing us anything. Since the knobs were free I got another 5 knobs not shown since they were still in wrapping and had screws included them so we were able to use the screw from those since the random ones I picked for Ella's coat rack didn't include any.

Knobs and screws: free for me and here's what you should do go to a cabinet or hardware shop that is locally owned and see if the have any that have been taken off of old cabinets or that they don't have enough of to sell for a whole cabinet project. They will probably give them to you!

Mdf board: free since we had a piece too small to use, and you could use any piece of wood or trim you have or go to home depot and look for the scrap bin and get one for around $1

Paint: already had but you could just use craft paint or sample pots for $1-3 a piece.

Here are some other great Pinterest Challenges conquered by the hosts themselves:

Sherry of Young House Love's Beanbag Project
Katie of BOwer Power's Watercoloring
Cassie of Hi Sugarplum!'s DIY Faux Antlers
Erin of The Great Indoors' Mason Jar Chandelier

Thanks for poping over to my site guys!

DVF For GapKids and BabyGap

If you know me, read my blog, or have simply admired my child's wardrobe then you know that my love for BabyGap runs deep. Being the Textiles and Clothing graduate that I am, the partnership between Diane Von Furstenburg and Gap naturally has me eyeing some peieces for Ella-bugs wardrobe. Here are my picks for baby girls everywhere:

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Shop the collection now by clicking on the numbered link beneath each photo!

Love,

Mini Meals: Tofurkey is Like Turkey

Lauren from With Two Cats, had the great idea to share ideas for toddler meals. Here's what Ella and I had for lunch today:

I cut 1/3 of the hot dog bun sandwhich off for Ella and ate the remaining portion. I love being able to share meals with Ella! The best part is not having to come up with a toddler meal and an adult meal morning day and night.

10 Year Plan

I'm pretty much positive I'm in the midst of a mid-life crisis at the age of 25. Lately, I've felt like a nomad with no direction. I keep grasping for inspiration and passion but feel stifled in this little town where if you want opportunity in the world of design you have to make your own. This is why I think blogging is so important to me, it's a release but even more so, it's a chance to share in other's life experiences in the design world by reading about what they are doing.

Have you ever heard the saying "When you make plans God laughs"? God has His own plan for you, and He gives you your specific gifts for a reason.

I honestly don't know if it has been my own decisions that have led me to where I am or if I'm in a stage of God's plan for me. Call me a control freak but I feel so much more comfortable with a plan, and an end game to keep in mind and keep me working hard towards that goal.

Last night, I started a powerpoint slide with a year by year plan for my professional goals. Who does that? Me. I've done it before, but on paper. I feel somewhat better. I still don't have it all figured out (I have alternate scenarios listed on each slide and only got to year 4), but at least it's given me a little clarity and it's something to look back at and see that although I may be a ways away from my goals, I'm on track and the most important thing I do right now is take care my little family and relish in these first years of Ella's life.

First ride in Momma's car in her forward-facing car seat.

A milestone hit! 

Here's a little inspiration board for Ella's toddler room in the works:

1. heart art inspiration via joeandcheryl.com- Make my own, but different: Free!
2. chandelier via pbteen- $99 on sale
3. curtains via pbkids-$ per panel but making my own cost: $21+ hardware (not yet purchased)
4. will we have rainbows print via makingitlovely.com- Free for you and me! Thanks Nicole!
5. anywhere chair via pbkids no longer available in this print but others can be purchased for $119
6. white chenille area rug via homedecorators.com -$79
7. easel via ikea- $15
8. paint- Valspar Grand Hotel Mackinaw Blue-$32 at Lowe's

Jumping on the Pinterest Challenge Bandwagon

This quarter's challenge is brought to us by these lovely ladies:

Sherry of Young House Love

Katie of Bower Power

Cassie of Hi Sugarplum!

Erin of The Great Indoors

I bet your dying to know which of my many pins I chose to DIY, huh? Well wait no more because here is my inspiration piece de resistance:

via by way of Ideal Home

Pretty gorg right? I went to our local hardware/cabinet shop today and will paying our bill (over $1k, yowzers!) stopped and asked if they still had the $1 bin of knobs I had remembered seeing. They did in fact have some knobs left and they let me take 10 home for FREE. How nice is that?! Of course none were glass or sculpted like  the beauts above but you really can't beat free so there was no way I was going to turn them down and spend $4-12 per knob.

The coat rack is almost done and will be debuted on Wednesday next week with the rest of Pinterest Challenge DIY peeps.

Hard at Work

Projects abound for Ella's new room!

What I'm working on:

What Ella's "working" on:

Ella A. Lately

Ella A. is turning 2!

That headline up there is kind of a scary statement. Ella's second year has passed SO much quicker than her first and I know it must feel that way because I have worked twice as much this year than I did last.... which still only comes out to about 20 hours a week, but still!

Anyway, because the party won't be at our house this year and we will be traveling for it I've decided to make it fairly simple and to to spend less than we did last year on decor. I have a ton of tissue paper purchased for our wedding decor nearly 4 years ago and as such have been pinning like a mad women tissue paper decor. I also have some crepe paper that I purchased for her first birthday but never used. Here's what I'm thinking:

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but more like this

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Garden Party!

So here's what I'm thinking...

Things to make pre-party:

tissue paper garland or crepe banner

number 2 pinata... I think Ella would love this even though there won't be any kids at her party... hmm something to think about, maybe just a number 2 without candy in it and just hung on the door or backdrop to the banquet table as decor

tissue paper branches or topiaries

paper butterflies or flowers to glue to straws

Things to buy before we get there:

Chintz-y floral fabric to use as a tablecloth=  $10ish?

Cake and cupcake mix and frosting= $5

Birthday candles= $2

straws and cups=$2

disposable plates and silverware (we may have some leftover from last year...)= $3

Things to gather:

glass jars from home to put fresh garden flowers in

platters to put food on (reuse the ones we purchased for her first birthday party)

pitchers and drink stand

tea bags

Things to buy there:

Fresh garden flowers= $20ish (maybe i'm being a tad too hopeful?)

Fresh berries to top cake and cupcakes with= $10

bread and fillings for sandwiches=$15

lemons and sugar for lemonade= $5?

Things to make once we are there:

Cake and cupcakes

sandwiches

strawberry lemonade

sweet tea

Total= $72

I'm not quite sure where we will have the party... I don't want to impose on any relative's house with my decor and ideas and make them feel pressured to clean their home for company so I am thinking I will have to look into a restaurant setting. A park would be ideal but the weather there is in low 60's in April so that would be a bit risky... ideas are welcome at this point!

There are tons more ideas that I'm still throwing around on my 'Ella Party' board.

Sights Seen at the Portland Home and Garden Show

A cute playhouse model for the bug

a tall, beautiful early flowering tree

3 beveled glass panels made for a striking entry door

Trex has blended their colors to look more like wood! Go Trex!

The Ikea Ideabox

The Mister checking out the cabs in the Ideabox

The "back" of the Ideabox

A lovely table setting. Country Sophisticate, if you will.