A Sneak Peek: Madden's Nursery!

An update of Madden's Nursery! 

We chose gray as the color for the nursery; I wanted a color that was modern, gender-neutral and didn't take away from the other accent colors I plan to use. This was an especially tall order for a color choice since we selected the color before we knew what we were having. The owl theme was also chosen way before we even knew we were pregnant! I've been busy collecting owl things and that has been so fun. Once I do the big display, I will list where we got everything. But, for now, you just get a sneak peek! 

Ben painting away! He is almost finished!!

The dresser, the rug, and the various things we've collected/received for Madden.

Another view of the room.

Outdoor Inspiration

Now that Ben and I have a real front porch and an actual backyard, I have been dreaming and drooling over outdoor furniture.

For the front porch, I was dreaming up these pretties:

Thank you, Google Images

Of course, I'd want red. One, because I am obsessed with that color. And, two, to pay homage to Ben's favorite NFL team, the Atlanta Falcons (who may or may not be playing this year, but that is another blog post).

For the backyard area, I was thinking of something like this:

Thank you, Google Images

My Grandmother had one of these at her house, and any time I see one, I think of her.

But then, I found this post on my newest favorite blog. Now, I'm dreaming about wooden pallets and tarps. Never mind the fact that I don't have a clue how I'll get it in my car, I want to make an outdoor lounging area SO much!

Why I Love Handmade & Etsy

I've been wanting to blog about why I love handmade items, and specifically, Etsy items. I could easily sum it up by saying: One of my favorite things is to purchase handmade/uniquely made things from the direct artist. While that is true, there is more to it.


I Love Unique
Don't get me wrong, for as much as  I love Target and shopping at other big name stores, I love purchasing unique things. That's why my goal for decorating my house is that each decorating item by handmade/homemade by me or someone I know. This includes knick knacks and all art pieces. Aside from a couple of pieces, I've managed to do this. The result is incredible. For one, I never have to worry that someone will walk into my home and say, "I've got the exact same piece at my home!". Plus, it provides a lot of great conversation starters (Like the art piece that was a custom-made wedding present for a friend of mine...that now sits in my home!).


The decision: Make it myself or Not?
A couple of months ago,  I purchased a crocheted hat for a baby shower gift. While everyone thought I had made the hat, and could easily do so, I love being able to support these artists who, for many, make their living creating items (toys, hats, art, etc). The result of this is that I can see the pride of the artist and their strive towards excellence. (With the exception of one item for Baby A's room, I have been pleased beyond words by what I've selected for my entire home).

Handmade...Quality?
I know it seems (almost) like an oxymoron - handmade quality. But, my love for Etsy shops and my belief in purchasing handmade has only grown by the exceptional quality of product I have received. Like I mentioned before, with the exception of ONE piece, every item I've bought has been a superior product. Plus, I've noticed that part of an artist's strive for excellence is how the item is packaged. A lot of times, I'm not opening JUST a box, I'm opening something that not only is beautifully made, but beautifully packaged. It makes the experience that much more special.

Commissioning Artists
I'm cheap. Really, I am. ( I love beautiful things, but my budget doesn't allow me to throw caution to the wind) When it comes to art, in particular, I have a consistent dollar amount I won't go over. That said, it takes time to find what I want. Which is fine with me - I'm patient. However, if there is an artist whose work I really love, I'm not afraid to stuff my money in mattresses to save to buy what I want.


Using Etsy for Inspiration
I'm not against this because I do it all the time, but I think this comes with a good balance. It's one thing to see something and figure out how to make it for yourself. It's a completely different thing to do that, and never support the sellers on Etsy. Like I mentioned before, this is how a lot of the Etsy sellers pay their bills. So, be selective in your inspiration, but don't be afraid to purchase either. Etsy crafts itself around inspiring people to be creative, to embrace the homemade, so be wise when you select what you can make for yourself and what you can purchase for the principle of supporting someone's craft.

This has turned into a fairly serious blog, but it is certainly a topic I really believe in. What are your thoughts? Do you buy handmade? Share away, I'm eager to hear your thoughts.

Start shopping at: www.etsy.com! 
Etsy has no idea who I am; this blog was not for advertising purposes in which I benefited, it's simply because I love Etsy products, and want to share them with you.

My Wreath

I mentioned my wreath yesterday, but here is the finished product. It took me about 1 hour and only $7. Now that is a deal!

I think Spring is finally here!

News Flash: We Moved

I am THRILLED to announce we MOVED! And, it is only fitting that I announce it here as my blog has seen Ben and I go from RV living to Apartment living to now a little home! So, we moved and it all took place a week ago, actually. It all started when we realized that with two dogs, Ben and I...we had no room for Baby A. Thanks to Ben's incredible ability to make things happen, the move took place quickly.

 

Milo & Miko

Ben and me.

This move has brought a lot of anticipation. And, boy, oh, boy, am I excited! Because you KNOW what that means?!?!?! Let the DECORATING BEGIN! *happy sigh*  We moved into this adorable space:

I have already made so many plans...allow me the SHEER pleasure to explain what is up my sleeve. Let's start with the stairwell. Because my art collection has grown (quickly), the amount of windows in the living room and dining room will limit where I put things. Or so I thought until I saw this post by Young House Love:


For the laundry room, I'm drooling over this:

To get this beauty: go here.

I am planning to make my own shower curtain using this AWESOME fabric -

Ikea: ANNAMOA Fabric

There are a couple of things I want to finish before I give you the grand tour - but that will be coming! So, stay tuned.

Baby A - Week 9

This week, I have a lot to discuss. Oh my, I hope you are ready!

My Baby's Daddy: Ben has been incredible. I mean, he is always wonderful, but he has taken his wonderfulness to a whole new level. This week alone he has - cleaned the house, washed dishes, cleaned up dog poop, did all the laundry, arranged for our move (details to come soon!), cleaned up more poop, and has put up with my exhaustion, panic, and more. He has been splendid.

Maternity Clothes: I'll admit it. I'm not liking what I've seen so far. So, it is distressing for me to realize that mass maternity clothing arena is trying to force the whole "mom-look" on me. I'm not buying it. At all. Literally and figuratively. Needless to say, when Cindy takes me shopping...I hope she is prepared for the bundle of emotions called her grandchild's mom.

The absence of my Mom: I could write an entire blog about this, but I'm not. Let it suffice to say that I miss my Mom's insight like crazy, but that my dad has been wonderful in answering all my genetic questions and a great group of friends (Jamie, Lisa, in particular) have been wonderful support in making me feel more normal.

I get paranoid. In the middle of my excitement, my processing, my planning, I get paranoid. I get paranoid of what I'm eating - will I birth a "15 pound baby" due to my diet? (That is not a comforting thought). I get paranoid about a lot of things. But, I'm learning to take things one day at a time. And, that is difficult for me. The daily, YES DAILY, change of my body and smells and cravings and more leave me stressed out. But, I'm learning to relax.

Thank you all so much for your encouragement and just all around incredible comments! My energy is lacking - hence the silence, but I miss you all a lot, readers, so I'm trying to make a come-back. Plus, we have a ton to discuss too! Stay tuned!

First Sewing Project

As a kid, my Mom tried and tried to get me to sew. I refused. My thought process was always - "Why sew when you do? You can make everything I need!" Fast forward a couple of years, I was getting more and more in to craft projects and realized that I needed a sewing machine. Thankgoodness for my mother-in-law, Cindy. For Christmas, Cindy give me a sewing machine. And, I am SO excited to show off my first sewing project.

Our Living Room and Ben.

My pillow.

It's my first project, but I'm enjoying the process of learning how to operate a sewing machine and learning the art of patterns. While discovering that my Mom actually taught me SOMETHING, so I'm ahead of the curve. Overall, I've got some projects in mind - a table runner and some other things too (those, will remained nameless, since I have NO idea what those next projects will be!).

I'm open to suggestions, of course.

My Christmas Gift Project

Right after Ben's marathon, he wrote on his Christmas list that he would like a "special project from Bethany using my marathon items". Wow. Talk about pressure. It didn't take me long to come up with a plan of what I wanted to do.

Meet: The Girls With Glasses and Promise Tangeman.


Get Crafty With The Girls With Glasses from The Girls With Glasses on Vimeo.

While I love Promise Tangeman for all her creativity, spunkyness and my-all-around question of: WHY CAN'T I BE HER BEST FRIEND?!?!?!? ....This video did not come with "Bethany-directions". Essentially, to use a sports analogy - Give me the play-by-play. So, I took pictures for YOU. Hoping you would be inspired by Promise's craft idea, The Girls With Glasses great video and my pictures to go tackle this project for your Marathon-Runner. Or just yourself.

This is the "blank canvas I started with.

 

Overview of the supplies...Sorry you have to see my Washer Machine...But that is my craft space for now!

The map

Gloss Layer 1 (I wrote down the time so I would know how much time had passed)

Gloss Layer 2

Gloss Layer 3

Gloss Layer 4

Final Layer of Gloss!

Scrub off paper.

Be sure to rinse the images well, and let dry.

Ben's Early Morning Christmas Surprise Face!

Helpful Hints:
Follow the directions on the video to a "T"!
- Use a Laser Printer
- I got my paintbrush from the paint department at Wal-Mart. It was $1 and worked great.
-Have fun!

Our Christmas Decorations.

Finally! I get to share with you our Christmas decorations. We had so much fun. Some of the projects were harder than I originally anticipated...(it's amazing how difficult a project is without a hot glue gun!) But, overall, we are so pleased with the end result. In case you are curious, we made the tree garland, tree topper, tree skirt.

I love our Tree Skirt. We cut a shag rug in half that we had in storage!

Last year, Ben made our Tree Topper. This is the one for 2010.

We lack a fireplace. So we improvised. And, don't you love the tacky  stocking lights? It was a White Christmas Party gift...AND I LOVE IT!

Even Milo got into the Christmas celebration.. (Ok. He actually HATES the reindeer antlers. But, I think it is SOOO funny.)

Not a decoration, but I had to share! My sweet little sister-in-law, Macie brought me a fun collection of cookies from her school Christmas party.

And, Macie made me a bookmark..that I will be making into an ornament because it so precious. This is the front.

This is the back of the bookmark. Ironically, my kitchen usually looks like this after I finish baking.

Etsy TV

My mind is constantly spinning of ways to improve my home's decor. Which is probably an indication of the dreamer I tend to be. I constantly researching prices of furniture, checking out the latest home decor in Target, Ikea and Etsy.

I have recently discovered Etsy TV. HOW COME NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS BEFORE?!?!?

I've been particularly intrigued by this episode featuring Something's Hiding Here.



What intrigues me so much about this episode? Their collections. Did you see it? The miniature deer, the collection of vintage dog photos, the globes. Aaaahhh!! I don't have a collection. I need ideas. I think it would be fun to have a collection that is SO Ben and I. That helps bring character to our home, that shows off our creativity and fun-ness. I've been thinking about this subject a lot recently and I am at a loss. I WANT a collection!

If you collect anything for your home, what is it?

Home

I've been completely and totally captivated with this picture.

Vol. 25 Artwork

I love this so much. Mostly because it reminds me of our humble little beginnings...and how TRUE it is that home really is wherever we are together.

PS - Please tell me I'm not the only one who is assembling their Christmas wish-list?!?!?!

Holiday-Handmade Decorations.

Can I be honest? I don't have a lot of money. As we travel on the Dave Ramsey road, I'm quickly learning it is a road less traveled. And, for good reason, too! It is challenging! In the end, I know it will be worth it, but today, today presents a different scenario.

 

I'm dreaming of Christmas. Mainly Christmas decorations. This will be my first time to decorate an entire house by myself. (of course, Ben will be helping, too...but you know) I'm so excited about this! Although, my plans for the glitz and glamor and lack of my holiday decor collection have all tumbled to one conclusion: I have no money.

 

Image Source

 

 

So, I'm doing what anyone would do. I'm declaring that this year, in my home, that the Holiday Decorating theme will be: Handmade Decor! The ideas are accumulating, but the goal is to keep my expenses at a minimum. (LORD, protect my wallet!) I'm up for the challenge, but I know I need to make a list of my needs so that I keep handmade (I.e., don't spend anything!!!!).

 

Here are my ideas, let me know if I should add or take away anything...or if you have some whimsical-fun ideas to put my home in the holiday spirit!

 

Ornaments: We need them, badly. So, I've got material and the ability to sew. I also know how to crochet. Here we go. Additional expense: Felt, ribbon. (Should be no more than $5)

 

Decor: I'm thinking: Paper-chain countdown (is there anything better? Really?), these cool trees, fun wreath; Additional Expenses: (depending on my stock) paper, foam cones, wreath, pins, felt (should be no more than $8-10).

 

Tree: We are hoping to get a live tree, but I would love to have smaller (artificial) one, too. That might be outside of my budget, but I can dream, RIGHT?!?!?!

 

What we already have: Nativity scene, snow globe (thank you, grandmom! (Ninny)), decorations from last year.

 

My money count for decorations falls between $13-15. I think that is reasonable. I'm excited to tackle this. Be on the look out for more ideas!!

Pumpkin

You all know how much I love pumpkins. A couple of posts back, I indirectly equated fall with pumpkins. I can help it. I love pumpkins. (Did I mention the pumpkin pancakes we had this morning for Saturday breakfast?!?!?)

So, last night, I came across these directions and decided I had to follow them. Pronto! Here is my finished creation:

I love this so much, I'm going to make another one so it will have a friend! 

Decorating.

Attention! Decorating Overload RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. 

Oh. My. Word. My creative juices are flowing....(now only if my available money flowed as quickly)

Start off and feast on this - Habitually Chic

Then, mosey on over to - The House of Wood (Jen also is an indie music artist!)

After you have listened to Jen's music and enjoyed her various blog posts, skip over to - Coco + Kelley 

Need a new magazine to enjoy and don't have the funds? NO PROBLEM! Enjoy Lonny.

Now. Go enjoy a cupcake because your brain is on creative overload...all thanks to me!

(ps - in case you are curious, I will begin to address all the questions from this morning's blog beginning tomorrow. there is a TON to discuss!)

Decorating Conversations.

Let's talk about decorating, shall we? Lately, I've been looking at all sorts of goodies...and I've been collecting some tidbits to show you.

Fun new blog to explore:



 Kara Paslay Designs is another new blog that I've been enjoying. I will be doing her Make Your Own Eye Chart very soon! (I'm having difficulty finding the link on her blog!)


On a personal note, I just bought this table. It is currently in the living room. And I'm having trouble figuring out how to decorate with it. Do I put some books and picture frames on it? I need advice!

6 Things You Need To Know...RIGHT NOW.

6 Things You Need to Know...RIGHT NOW.

1. So, right now, I'm in the middle of my Bachelorette obsession. I'm particularly excited about this season because Ali from the Bachelor IS the Bachelorette. Ben hates her, but I love her. I guess that means she can't come to dinner. Bummer. Anyway... to anyone who hasn't watched the Bachelorette, THIS season is hysterical! Don't believe me? PLEASE check out this little clip of a guy who wanted to "show his love" so much...he got a tattoo to prove it.

2. Last week, Ben and I got into a big ole' *cough, cough* "discussion" ( our pre-marital counselor and she HATED the word argument). Words were hurled out of anger, tears streamed, forgiveness was sought and in the end, love won. Marriage has its ups and downs, but we are learning to work it out and be better. For each other. For our commitment to each other.

3. In light of the above mentionables (please refer to 1 and 2...AND yes! I did JUST make up a word): Ben gave me roses. On Monday, Ben celebrated my love for the Bachelorette AND celebrated us by saying, "Will you accept this rose?" Of course I said, YES. To. All. THREE. ROSES.

4. My favorite salad addition is this scrumptious combination: 1 vidalia onion, 1 green paper,  1 cucumber, all chopped up. Pour white vinegar, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, refrigerate. Then enjoy. Let me tell you...its DEFINITELY worth crying over the onion for.

5. If you have some time to waste...or to be inspired. Whichever you prefer, I STRONGLY encourage you to check out the Parade of Homes on Poppies at Play. 

6.  This number signifies that Ben and I celebrated 6 MONTHS of Marriage on Saturday. Its been great. Ben makes my life better. Fuller. Richer. I love him.

My Rules for Decorating

Recently, a friend of mine said, "Your home is like an art gallery." I almost melted into a pile of goo right there. Oh! How happy that comment made me!!!

I've established several "rules" for my decorating style. I should forewarn you that my tastes are unlike any other, but they helped establish a home that I'm proud of.

 1. Lots of pictures of family. I've always hated those Tour of Homes in magazines that are SOOO perfect, but completely devoid of anything that catches a glimpse of those the homeowners loves the most. Ben is always amazed by my constant "need" for more picture frames!
2. All artwork must be local. With a few exceptions, see here, here and here. I've managed to actually accomplish this. Its been super fun! I have art pieces from family and friends, as well as art that I've done.
3. Primary colors. All the magazines and blogs I read say keep one color the dominate option in a room. Buuutttt that is SOOO hard when I LOVE all the colors....EQUALLY! So, in the end, I just adopted all the colors. Literally. My home looks like the rainbow threw up...but I haven't regretted my decision one bit.
4. Read. Read. Read. Read. Have I mentioned I'm a reader? Well, I am. So, I read. A lot. All this reading has helped me tremendously. I don't think I'm a naturally-born decorator...although, I REALLY want to be. So, I read. A lot. My favorite reads are: Real Simple Magazine, Promise Tangeman, Domino book, Apartment Therapy.


Here is the newest addition to my Art collection! Painted by....ME!!! (I apologize for the quality of the picture...it was taken from my phone!)

Fun Reading...

I've been looking at some FABULOUS blogs lately and just had to share the wealth. Look at these when you have an entire afternoon to waste, okay? Or don't and do something really productive. Ha!

There is so much funness on this blog.

Recently found QA Design. I fell in love. And serious? Look at the price! I'm so getting this!

(source)

Here is another super fun blog. There is a lot to dive into this one, too.

Don't go to the following websites if you are hungry. I'm serious! You will regret it!

Buns in My Oven (Isn't she SOOO sassy? I L-O-V-E it!)

I haven't made a thing from this website that we haven't liked!

If you have other fun blogs or websites, send them my way!!

My Prodigal Decor

Today, my family came to visit. It's the first time they come to see us since Ben and I got married. We were excited to see them...but I was nervous, too.

I was about to show off my home and decor to my FAMILY.
no pressure.

Well, as I requested, my dad "oohed" and "aahed" throughout the tour. My 12 year old brother kept asking, "WHY? ARE WE 'oohing' and 'aahing'?"

At one point during our afternoon, my dad said, "You know, Bethany, I guess its about time to give you back your "O" and "H"."

It took me a minute to realize what in the world he was talking about. It took Ben a minute to realize he didn't know what in the world my dad was talking about at all.

I've already told you how my house looks like the rainbow and Fruitloops vomited in my style. I can't help it. I love color. I love quirky things. I love words. I love family pictures and local art. And, IKEA, too.

The letters my dad spoke of? Well, sometimes, a picture paints a 1000 words.

Yes, yes, yes. When I was in college, I begged my sister to flirt her way into obtaining the O and H from the Huddle House sign they were taking down. The old vintage color of Huddle House is orange. So, in a couple of weeks, I will be welcoming home my wayward letters. I'm thrilled. Ben is, well, very gracious. I never cease to amaze him.