nursery..so far...

To say I am pleased with the way the nursery is coming together is SUCH an understatement!  It is hands down my favorite room in the house.  From the natural light, Hyacinth the Water Buffalo serving as guardian spirit on the wall, to the hand painted wallpaper and feminine touches.  It is just so sweet!

This week we got a dresser in there and it has made such a difference.  Prior to this, baby girl's clothes and accoutrements have all been piled in her crib and on a rolling Ikea cart.  Suddenly the room feels big again thanks to organization and things having a home.

The wallpaper took awhile but was totally worth the work.  For a few dollars of craft paint, I was able to create the look I wanted.  Mr. F absolutely loves the look of the flowers on the wall.  I still have plans to add a faux chair rail to separate the wallpaper from the naked wall beneath.  

By the time baby comes, her room will probably change a lot.  There are dreams of shelves over the dresser, the dresser will also serve as a changing table.  My new favorite wicker rocker will be brought up from the living room and replace the wingback.  Things like that.  For now though, it just makes me wildly happy that it's coming together!  I'm finally feeling like we're in decent shape to welcome her home.  I know, wallpaper won't matter a lick to her, but having a place that feels complete and like home is really good for my mental well being.

sources: dresser- ikea, riding car- church rummage sale, wingback chair- hand me down, pink gingham pillow- ikea as is bin, rug- nordstrom, Hyacinth- target, hexagon quilt- handmade gift, toy basket- goodwill, crib- ikea, bumper pad- goodwill

white kitchen for the win

A few words on our apartment.  It's small.  It's cheap.  It's barely maintained.  It's my favorite apartment we've lived in.

And the kitchen sucks.

Have you noticed how I never post photos of our kitchen?  That's because it's impossible.  Truly.  I'm fairly certain it is about five square feet in size and has nearly no natural light aside that from a tiny window.  The darkness is exacerbated by the gloominess of the dark, cheap, old, worn cabinets.  They're a veritable black hole of sadness.  I hate being in there any longer than necessary.  Which could explain how much Chick Fil-A we've been eating.  Don't judge.  You know you do it, too!  (:

Well, last week, in the middle of an emotional breakdown, massive baking for church functions, and looming deadlines for clients, I had had enough.  I took a quick trip to Home Depot, picked up a $15 can of Killz, came home, and whitewashed the darned cabinets. 

Why Killz?  Well, these cabinets were nasty.  They were going to need a primer and Killz is my go-to.  It's cheap, thick, and for a dive like our little apartment, the perfect solution.  For the trim, I used a sponge brush.  I find I get smoother strokes on woodwork when I use foam as opposed to a bristle brush.  For the doors I used a roller.   It took several coats, uncounted, and a bit of time to allow for drying.  

It took me a couple of days and still isn't entirely done.  I had to put the project to the side for a few days for things like those looming client deadlines, but even with the state it is in, I'm furious with myself for not doing this MONTHS ago!  Guys, seriously, this is a game changer.  You ready for this?

For the first time since we moved in, I like my kitchen.  Still not love, but we're getting there.  I do enjoy working in there.  Has it gotten any bigger?  No.  Are the cabinets better quality?  No.  But is it as dark as it was?  Not by a long shot.  It feels bigger, brighter, and more inviting.  Perfect for dark gloomy days of baking and soup making.  I have thoughts of wrapping the hardware in twine (because what shouldn't be wrapped in jute?!)  and still need to do some painting.  But it's such an improvement!

Why the sudden change?  I got sick of looking at magazine and pinterest images and thinking, some day.  Realistically, we are not going to own a home of our own for a long time.   Getting through school, a couple more moves, and fiscal realities just make that a fact of life.  That doesn't mean I can't enjoy my space.  This is my home.  It's also my place of work, my studio.  I need to function for me as a creative space.  The dark cavern was absolutely forbidding creativity to flow.  Your House of Dreams doesn't always have to be a pipe dream or expensive.  It can happen where ever you are, no matter how long you are there.

christmas house 2014

Truth: I started decorating for Christmas mid-November.  Super truth: it was more like early November.  I really tried to hold off and wait because Mr. F  likes to decorated until after Thanksgiving, but I couldn't do it.  Weakness, thy name is Christmas decor!

The real turning point came when I found red tartan table linens at TJ Maxx.  Our table is used more as countertop, so using them for rtheir original purposed seemed silly.  The napkins, however, were the perfect size for throw pillows and the table cloth, with the addition of some friendly DIY pom poms, was a perfect throw for our bed.  So I came home with four napkins and a tablecloth for a whopping $15.  Mixed in with a hodgepodge of leftover hoarder fabric I had on hand, I made a fat pile of pillows and it may always be Christmas in our house because I love them so much.

Aside from  a small stash of decorative items we brought home with us from Cyprus and the great pillow explosion of 2014, the rest of the decorations were handmade and fresh.  And free.  I made garland this year, following inspiration from Tessa over at Nine & Sixteen, out of the FREE clippings from the tree booth at Home Depot.  Once the garland was done, I loaded up our window boxes, vases, and tops of cabinets with the fresh greens and red winter berries picked from our parking lot.  Paying no monies for things really makes me happy.  Paying no money and having my tiny little apartment feeling like a winter wonderland makes me giddy and never want to leave the house.

It's been really nice this year to have Christmas be simpler.  Our nativities are on a shelf where I can see them regularly, nestled with family photos.  Twinkle lights adorn most surfaces and candles glimmer on the rest. The tiny apartment smells of pine and positively glows at night.  It's pure magic.

For the past few days, our home has been relatively clean.  I've been able to catch up on orders for cards and calendars, put away cranberries and baked salmon, and hidden away bowls full of unanswered mail. With the busy elements of daily life tucked away, this little space has become more of an oasis than I had ever imagined possible.  We've been able to soak in the Spirit of Christmas and bask in the magic of Mr. F's birthday.  

I'm so grateful for our home.  For the memories abounding in it.  The treasures we've collected hanging on the walls.  I'm grateful for friends and family who fill it with love. For the space to create, to relax.  It's a place to ponder, to feel welcome, and especially this time of year, to dream.