1/2 DIY Play Kitchen

Mrs. Claus got a little behind this holiday season, and didn't finish H's big present until NYE.  Ever since she was a few months old, I knew I wanted to get her a play kitchen for Christmas and I am pretty happy with how it turned out.  I am sure I will be doing some additions as I see how she plays with it, but for now it is working just fine.  My hopes were that she would play with it while we cooked and ate dinner, but she is not quite there yet.  She will play with you for at least 10 minutes at a time, which at 14.5 months is pretty good!

I fell in love with the DIY kitchens I saw all over Pinterest where people had modified furniture, or even build one from scratch.  But with my Dad still working full time, and my non-existent wood cutting skills, I knew it just wasn't an option.  So instead I purchased an unfinished wood kitchen (on clearance at BBB last Christmas for just $40!).  My Dad put it together, and made a few modifications, like cutting the oven door into a larger square shape and adding an oven rack.  I painted it, added a tap light on the bottom of the oven (painted over the light with some nail polish to create the red glow) and added a thrifted spice rack to the side so she could hold some of her play food.

Right now it sits in our kitchen, but it is small enough to move into her room if we need more space or want to hide it during a dinner party (like that ever happens at our house!)

Sources:

it originally looked like this

Treehaus kitchen *it is getting terrible reviews on Amazon for construction and quality, but it was what I wanted, and the only unfinished one I could find

Treehaus pots & pans set (don't see it for sale anywhere)

aqua paint - Sherwin Williams Breaktime - sample can

shiny silver paint - Martha Stewart line from HD, loved the shiny finish it created and it was only $5 for a small pot

LED tap light from Home Depot

Melissa & Doug felt sand which set

Melissa & Doug fridge food set

For a similar simple look that is not huge and pink, I also like this one:

Hape Kitchen, $109 on Amazon.com

Cool Color Combo: Green and Aqua

Another color combo inspired by Pinterest.  This one features a master bedroom, but the color and pattern mixing are just lovely.  Perfect for a boy, girl or baby surprise.

Source: bhg.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

image from here

image from here

image from here

Easy DIY Necklace Onesie

I had some left over white onesies from a project I did last month, and I thought it would be cute to dress one up for baby H.  I used old-school puff paint to create this necklace for her and I think it turned out so cute!  Just slip a zip lock or any plastic inside the onesie so it doesn't stick together, and decorate with puff paint.  If you don't want to free hand it, use a pencil or marker to draw on the onesie, then go over it with your paint.

It would also be cute with a painted bow tie, suspenders, mustache or even a sheriff's star.  Makes a great gift, too!  Simple and cheap, my 2 favorite things!

How to Paint Ikat Tutorial

I see ikat fabric everywhere on Pinterest, and thought it would be fun to try to and paint it.  I made this sign using some canvas and paint I already had on hand, so the cost was basically free.  I turned it into a door sign to welcome guests into a baby shower, and afterwards, gave it to the mom-to-be to hang on her door once baby Olivia arrives.

For this project you will need:
-basic canvas (mine is 16x20")
-acrylic craft paint
-a medium size brush
-paper and scissors
-a colored pencil

1.  Paint your canvas a solid color

2.  Cut out your diamond shape by folding a square of paper in fourths - this ensures a symmetrical shape every time.  Use a colored pencil similar to the color of your ikat design to trace the diamond template onto the canvas, starting with the center and moving outward.  Since the ikat look isn't perfect, its ok to eyeball and not measure!

note: I think a diamond shape as opposed to a true square looks better

3.  Using a fairly thick brush, fill around the edges of your diamond shape, being sure to keep your strokes parallel and even.  Start in the center of the diamond and brush outward for the cleanest lines.  If you want to soften the edges and "blur" the lines a bit more, go back over your strokes and feather them a bit.

You can choose to fill in your diamonds, or leave them open in the center, depending on your design preference

4.  Fill in the center of your diamonds with another coordinating shade

5.  Leave your canvas as is with just the ikat design, or embellish it with a name, word or paper design to add another dimension to the look.

I added a bright pink band, and cut out white paper letters that I stuck on with Mod Podge

See, super simple!  This would be a fun pattern for a closet wall, mud room or just a plain canvas to accent your office.  Have fun with it!

Cool Color Combo: Orange and Aqua

Pinterest is a great inspiration starter for my blog posts.  Since most of the friends I follow are around my age, they are in super baby mode, so I see lots of cool baby pins.  I have even seen some of my stuff pinned by my friends via someone else.  Which is always exciting!

This orange and aqua room really inspired me, I have posted on this color before but it is still such a fun unusual combo that could work for a boy, girl, or baby surprise!

Source: oneporkchop.blogspot.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

The mix of color and pattern in this room is amazing!  Everything is very simple with bright bold colors and clean lines

nursery by Erin Sander Design

I love the frames, all painted a high gloss orange.  Easy project to do with thrifted frames and spray paint!

image from here

This room has pops of green and gray to tone it all down.  Love all the bright patterns.  Since they are all based in white, it unifies them a bit and keeps them from being too over powering.

image from Project Nursery

DIY Instagram Collage

Can you tell I am obsessed with the Instagram App on my phone?  If you have an iPhone and don't use it, you are nuts!  The filter options available make all your pictures look amazing.  I have taken hundreds of pictures, and was looking for creative things to do with them when I stumbled upon the
site Printsgram.

Printsgram connects with your Instagram account and allows you to design posters with your pictures.  The best part it, it is totally FREE!  They have several layout options, and you can arrange the pictures in whatever order you like.  I used one of the layouts to make this square collage by leaving the last 2 rows of the poster blank.  (I have a thing for square art, I think it looks more upscale or something.)  You can save your poster as a pdf file, then print it out on high quality paper.  I was also able to import the pdf file into Photoshop Elements, crop it and save it as a jpg file, which is what you see above.

The size of the jpg is about 10x10", so I am not sure how it would look if I blew it up but I have future plans to maybe send it to one of those canvas printing companies to get a 20x20" size made as a gift for my Mom.

Since there are people on etsy.com charging up to $200 to just layout your pictures in a grid like this, I was super excited to have found this DIY option.  If you use Instagram, you must check it out!

Cool Color Combo: Gray and Peach

Source: infarrantlycreative.net via Kimberly on Pinterest

More inspiration from pinterest.  If you follow me, sorry if you have already seen some of this!  I have a board I pin blog ideas to, and that is where this gray and peach bed photo came from.  Such an unusual color combo, one I haven't seen before.  Which is probably why when I went searching for photos to share with you guys, I didn't come up with much.

I picture these colors with a shabby chic spin, think Jenny Lind crib, white washed wood and textured white blankets.

this one is a little more modern

image from here

love the vintage feel of this one, and the tissue pom cluster above the crib

image from decor pad

and for those of you that love fashion, I know this isn't a nursery but the colors are still inspiring

image from here

Cool Color Combo: Pink and Mint

I think my play kitchen obsession started me on a mint green kick.  I found this inspiration board on Pinterest, and started looking for light pink and mint green rooms to share with you guys.  My search didn't come up with much.  Its such a pretty and unique color combo, maybe it is the new things and that is why I couldn't find many rooms to share.

Source: homebyheidi.blogspot.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

I love the graphic paint treatment on this wall.  I know how long it too me to paint my accent wall, and I can only imagine how much time this detailed design took!  Love the aqua/mint accents in the space.

from Project Nursery

and just for fun, some more pink and mint green inspiration:

image from here

Is Pinterest the New Blogosphere?

When I started this blog, it was all about decorating ideas for your nursery, and showcasing my artwork.  Since I have had a baby and stopped painting, it has evolved to be more of a decor + mommy talk blog.  And with the evolution of Pinterest, I am starting to wonder if less and less people are visiting blogs for style ideas.  After all, you can go straight to Pinterest and see a nicely edited selection of picture perfect homes, decorating ideas, DIY decor and wall art.

It makes me wonder if blogs will start to be more of a place for people to discuss personal issues and tell their story, and less about DIY and decor.  I track visitors using Google Analytics, and my Mommy Guide is getting quite a bit of traffic.  Is it because people are getting their nursery inspiration other places?  Who knows.

For now, I will continue to post about decorating and decor, but I find myself more interested in writing about Mommy topics lately.  Last weekend I got probably 8 emails from readers and friends asking my all kinds of questions, from stroller and crib advice, to my thoughts on my delivery and the effect that medication and drugs had on me.  As I respond to these emails, I will probably start posting a version on my blog so other people can read it too.  Because if my friends are wondering it, someone else probably is.  So I might as well make it my mission to share the truth with everyone!

Play Kitchen Obsession

I have a play kitchen obsession.  If you have a little girl, you may also share this disease with me.  Baby H is only 3 months old and I already can't wait to give her one next Christmas.  I was bookmarking adorable DIY kitchens online the other day when I finally caved and got a Pinterest account.  I was tired of bookmarking stuff and figured Pinterest was a better way of keeping up with all my projects and ideas.  Here are some of my favorites:

Source: decorhacks.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Source: shanty-2-chic.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: thecraftingchicks.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

The last one is my absolute fav.  I love the vintage paint color and ruffled sink skirt.  If we are being totally honest here I will confess I already bought a kitchen.  I haven't decided if I am going to keep it though.  It is unfinished wood, perfect for adding my own personal touch.  My DIY skills with a saw are pretty limited so I figured the chances of me getting one built from scratch was slim to none....

Deal Time

Hey readers, if any of you are in the market for a video monitor or a play kitchen, check out these 2 deals:

Motorola Digital Video Baby Monitor with DECT, Night Vision & Color LCD Screen

available for $59.99 on kidswoot today only, gets good reviews on Amazon.com

Solid wood, unfinished play kitchen from Treehaus

I got this on clearance at Bed Bath and Beyond for $50, and used a 20% off coupon.  Perfect solution if you have wanted to DIY one, but aren't quite handy enough.  I am going to customize and paint it all cute.  Its pretty small, but its perfect to fit in our kitchen along a wall and won't take up too much room.

Happy deal hunting!

Cool Color Combo: Gray, Pink and Aqua

One of my besties is pregnant, and just found out she is having a little girl.  She is coming to visit in a few weeks and I am going to help her register for everything.  All in one day.  3 stores, 2 girls, 1 scanner gun.  Should be fun!

She and her hubby have modern taste, and plan on doing gray walls with accents of pink and aqua.  Here is the room that inspired them from my post the other day:

 

 image from here 

Love this mood board, especially the crib skirt, rug and flag banner

design from Danielle Oakey Interiors

These modern pictures would work well against the wall color and bring in a fun geometric pattern

image from here 

Love these sweet pillows

image from here

How about some of these fabric choices for bedding?  Mix and match the pink and aqua ones to create your own unique combo.

crib bedding from Happy Mae on etsy

This frame is from IKEA and can be painted any color to match the room.  Love how it brings in a bit of girly.

image from here

How about some letters to spell out love?

image from here

Rustic Nursery Ideas

We live in Texas, and The Husband is a hunter.  We love to go out to the ranch to hunt, admire the beauty of nature, and relax.  And although I never thought I would marry a hunter-type, I don't mind it at all.  He is very respectful of the land and animals, and we eat what he kills so that makes me feel better.  You may even get venison spaghetti if you come over to my house.  I promise you can't taste the difference.

We have a little girl, but if she had been a boy (or if we have another and it is a boy) I think I would probably incorporate something rustic or hunting related into the room.  Here are some of my favorite ideas for rustic and hunting touches:

vintage barn door wall decor and basket lamp shade

image from Spearmint Baby

deer silhouette painting + wood wall decals + cow rug

image from Spearmint Baby 

inexpensive wall art available in a variety of colors with a stylish chevron background

available on etsy here

European mount deer antlers painted a high gloss white

nursery by see cate create

DIY wood pallet wall + vintage sign + faux deer mount

nursery designed by Bower Power

Wooden Letter Block Tutorial

A family member was making these blocks over the Thanksgiving holiday, adorning them with paper and a cross design, when I thought about using the same concept to spell out a word.  I did JOY for the holiday season, but the same idea could be used to for any season, or to spell out a name in your nursery.

You will need:
-wooden blocks
-a base paint color
-modge podge
-decorative paper
-paint or paint pen for letters
-glue gun
-wide ribbon

Start by cutting the blocks from a board and sanding the edges to round them and get rid of rough spots.  Use craft paint or left over latex paint and give the block several coats.

Next, use a brown or bronze paint to dry brush the edges, sides and back of the block.  This adds texture and dimension

Then,  use a paper cutter or scissors to cut paper to fit the front.  Light colors work best if you are going to add a letter to the front.  If you don't feel comfortable painting letters or a design on them, use your printer to print directly on the paper, then cut it out.

For my design I used vintage holiday sheet music but any scrapbook or wrapping paper will work.

Apply modge podge to the entire front side of the block, then place paper in center and smooth from the center out, making sure the edge stick.

Next, use a small brush or paint pen to spell out your word.  Or, you can cut letters out of another paper and apply them.  I wanted a matte look so I did not put another coat of modge podge on top, but if you want the block to shine you can add modge podge to all 4 sides once your letters have dried.

For a finishing touch, I knotted a piece of scrap ribbon I had on hand and used a hot glue gun to apply it to the top of the block.

See , super easy!  It took me less than 30 minutes and I used all scrap supplies I had on hand.  This concept would work for a baby's name for a baby shower, your family last name, or any holiday.

Real Life Room: Pink & Blue for Baby Girl

This Real Life Room belongs to a friend and client of mine.  She saw a picture on my blog several years ago, and used it as inspiration for her baby blue and coral pink room.  She quickly learned that pink and blue were difficult colors to find together in the store, so many of the elements were custom made.

Here is what she has to say about the space:

When I started to envision my daughter's nursery I wanted it to have 2 elements. I wanted it to have a very relaxing and calming feel as well as filled with personal and sentimental touches.  

I knew from the very beginning that girl or boy the nursery would be a shade of blue. The color it ended up is a custom mix from Sherwin Williams. I took in a pillow case from the Hotel Collection at Macy’s in the color “Cloud” and they matched it perfectly. I had seen an inspiration photo on your blog that showed a little girls nursery with blue walls and pops of graphic pink in different shades, so that is where my inspiration came from. I didn’t want a “theme” per se, but did want to bring in a few little owls to have in the room.

All of the fabric pieces in the room were custom made by a family friend. The main fabrics were:

Serena & Lily Aqua/Melon Mosaic (crib sheet, blanket, pleat lining in crib skirt & window valence trim)

*Aqua/Melon Mosaic no longer offered in fabric by the yard, so I ordered crib sheets and she made all the pieces from them after removing the elastic.

Serena & Lily Wren Blue (crib skirt)

Duralee Geometric Petal – (crib bumper, blanket trim & window valence)

Pottery Barn Kids Brooke Sheeting – (lamp shade & roll pillow for glider)

3” Solid Grosgrain Ribbon for crib bumper ties in Nora & Millennium Blue from RibbonRetreat.com (very affordable site for all ribbon needs)

The vinyl wall adhesive is from Etsy.com shop “Leen the Graphics Queen – Decorative Wall Decals” and features the baby’s name and little girl owl. The mobile was my DIY contribution to the room. The owls came from the Etsy.com shop Rose Cottage Boutique. Lonna the shop owner made the owls custom for my space after I sent her photos of the fabric/room.

The wall art was painted by me after my friend and I combined all our thoughts and the room colors.

love, love the crib bedding