A Mouse in the House (Pinterest Challenge)

I know, I know, I'm a little late today getting this up. A LOT has happened in the last few hours (I'll post another post about that probably tomorrow) and this poor post got shoved to the back burner. I'm so sorry!

But! As promised, and without making you guys wait any longer.... here it is!

How cute is this little mouse hole?! It wasn't too difficult of a project but considering I had to lie sideways on my MASSIVE 38 1/2 week pregnant belly to paint it, I say it was a pretty big feat.

Here is where I got my inspiration and here is a photo of that from Pinterest for all you people who don't want to bother with the link.

Though I love the initial idea of this cute stick on, I didn't like how modern the lines are and the $12 price tag, not including shipping, for it (yeah, I'm that cheap -.-)so, instead, I snagged some cheap paintbrushes for $2 at target and used some paints and a pencil I had at home instead! Best part, I got just what I wanted. The bonus is that I have a cute little-hidden something extra in the nursery that I made all on my own for my son. I'm so glad for the Pintrerest inspiration! Here is one more look at my take on the mouse house.

Now go check out Kate's and Sherry's creations and let everyone know what you think! <3

Nursery Progress 2.0

It’s been a little over two weeks since my last update for the nursery and quite a bit has happened in there since then so I thought it was about time to share with you all another progress update.

The room is still a bit away from being finished but it’s getting close now (and closes to my due date too. Eeks!). Just as a reference this is what it looked like the last update.

Yeah, pretty much a hot messy hodgepodge of everything that needed to be in the room and half-finished projects.

Now it looks like this (sorry for the poor lighting; I took these photos at night).

Like I said, it’s obviously not finished yet but this little nursery is well on its way to greeting our Button!

One major difference is the painted ceiling Hubby did 90% of himself! You really can't tell in any of the photos, but we actually added sparkles to the blue paint so that it has a nice glittery shimmer.

see contrast before he can see the difference in color. Then, at a week old he can see the difference between the yellow and white (he won't be able to see the difference in the blue and yellow until about two weeks old). At a month old he'll be able to see the fine lines between the white and blue and at about a year he should be able to see the glitter in the blue! We are so excited to see how he reacts to the changes in his room as he progresses and learns!

If you look closely in the above photo, you can see the mobile we finally got up.

Here is a closer view of it. 

I love how it almost looks like part of the tree painting we did (and are still working on... it needs more leaves as you can tell).

I still can't believe me and my sister made this! It’s by far not perfect (almost every bird had to be stitched up on the side because we overfilled them or didn't sew them quite right) but I kind of like that about it.

The best part is that I got to make something special for our Button and really put the time in to make each bird different. It’s a nice perk that it only cost me $5 (for the filling) for the entire thing because I had everything else. I think it really turned perfect and I can't wait to see what our Button thinks.

The mobile wasn't the only thing we got hung in the room though.

Buttons little reading nook makes me want to make cookies and curl up in there with him and a little book and spend all day telling stories (cookies for me obviously ;P ). 

 It still needs a nice faux-fur throw in there and quite a bit of pillow to make it a bit fuller looking and cozy but this spot is well on its way to being a favorite in the room for mommy and baby both!

When we're not snuggled up in the tent, I think this reading/ feeding area will get the most use.

Button won’t be big enough to sit and read to "mommy" in his rocker right away but I can see me using "my" rocking chair just about every night during feedings and even after that to sit and listen to our little one read to me in his own little chair (mine was a shower gift and Button's, Hubby and I snagged for $12 at an antique shop on valentine’s day).

It was so nice to be able to fill this antique stroller (mentioned here) with a few of my old stuffed animals which I saved for when I would have my own children (I've always wanted to be a mother even when I was 13 and getting rid of my toy! I saved these few from the yard sales over the years just for this day, crazy hu!). I had no idea I had such an array of animals. So much that I only put one of each in the stroller so Button can learn different names and looks of critters. There is a monkey, mouse, manatee, teddy bear, dog, cat, ladybug, camel, horse, bird, goat, bunny, turtle, squirrel, and hippo! The only new one is the mouse puppet that Hubby bought to use while reading to Button. That melts my heart. I think we will have loads of fun learning the names of them all and seeing which creatures Button likes best.

The last area we got set up is the changing area.

We are using fabric diapers so that is why there is a clothes hamper instead of a diaper disposal there. The basket on top of the hamper has all the diapers, wipes, creams, and an extra changing pad in it. I still need to pick up another one though because this one is full and with everything else in it, it can only fit five diaper liners and thee diapers in it. Soon, both baskets will go in shelves next to the dresser/changing table. The mirror still needs to be mounted to the wall so that it’s leaning but is baby safe.

I love these curtains we got from Ikea. They were by far the cheapest ones we found that

Hubby and I BOTH agreed on. I like how they add to the forest feel without being overly kid-ish or too colorful while keeping with the crisp neutral feel of the room.

So here is the break down for all you list people-

• Paint
• move giveaway/ sell stuff from the corner and GET RID OF IT!
• Organize storage stuff in the closet
• put crib together
• get a sleeper sofa
• create a reading/ play area for Baby
• add art
• hang art
• get a nightstand for guest couch/ bed
• add more lighting
• make curtains (bought them)
• make a mobile for the crib
• paint the crib white
• add decor (STILL needs to be put up)
• add bookshelves for storage
• create a changing area by/on the dresser
• move the dresser somewhere better
• mount the leaning mirror to the wall to make it baby safe.

Its so good to see it coming together! There are a few other things I'd like to add to the list though.

• add pillows to reading area
• make/buy a rug for the middle of the room (for tummy time)
• add pull backs for curtains
• get touch up painting done
• finish the tree painting
• spray paint the dresser fan
• get a trash can for wipes
• get another basket for diapers
• make a crib skirt (maybe)

As you can see, there is only a few big-ticket items left to get. A few of these changes could even hold off until after Button gets here (like the bed skirt and rug). It’s just nice to have the room done enough that if he decided to come now it would be crazy of us to put him in the nursery. This, to me, is a big deal. :P

Pinterest Challenge Winter Edition

 So I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to do these seasons challenge on account of so much Button stuff going on but I DID get to get one done after all and can't wait to share it with you all!

If you are new and don't know what the Pinterest Challenge is, it’s a little think two amazing ladies (Sherry Petersik and Kate Bower) put together way back in July of '11 for the first time. It is a way to stop just pinning things and get our creativity actually moving! None of the people participating in the challenge have been perked, paid, or prodded to do so by Pinterest. We all just want to mark one more thing off our pinning habit list. To be able to look on our boards and say "yep, I totally did that" or "yep, totally tried something like that".

Tomorrow is the deadline (yeah, I'm that late at deciding to do it -.-) and if you have done the challenge or want to share a little about something you have pinned I would LOVE to hear about it. Sherry and Kate will also most likely have a place to share a little thumbnail photo and link to your creation on their pages the day of (they have done this in the past at least) so have fun, get your creativity flowing, and share!

All Chalked up

Over the weekend I decided to get a little bit of my 'nesting' out on some leftover wood.

I just took some leftover chalk paint form my jarring project and the rest of my scrap wood from the Christmas countdown and made myself a chalkboard!

 This is what I call cheap and easy art! The best part is that I can change it any time I want. I'm not sure where to put it yet but its sure fun to just be a kid with for now. Ha-ha.

What kind of cheap, fun crafting are you guys up to this week? Anyone making something special for Valentine’s Day?

A Perfect Pear

The Hubby has been nagging me to write a recipe post for a dessert I sort of made up, but because it’s a made-up recipe, I kind of just eye-balled it while I made it. So I've been hesitant on posting about it. I also haven't posted it in fear that someone might think I 'stole' their idea... which... if that is you out there, sorry but there is no truly unique ideas in the world anyways :).

 Valentine's Day is coming up though, and I thought "This recipe would be great for a cute at home dinner for two because it only serves two!" (Of course, you can always double the recipe if you'd like)

This recipe is one of the most used in my house because my husband is a really big fan of it. In all honesty, we both are. It’s not exactly what I would call 'healthy' but because it uses fruit and no flour, it is healthier than say, a brownie and tastes just as amazing as any other treat, also, its rather quick to make which is one of the main reasons I make it so often. Well, enough chatting about it, here it is!

Cheesecake stuffed pears with caramel sauce

You will need: A small cooking pot, baking sheet, small bowl, fork, knife, spoon, and a spatula

For the Cheesecake filling

• one pear
• 3 Tb. spoon cream cheese ( I actually used neufchatel instead, but its really up to you)
• 1/2 T spoon vanilla
• 2 Tb. spoon sugar

For the caramel drizzle

• 6 Tb. spoons sugar
• 1 and 1/2 Tb. spoons. butter
• 2 Tb. spoons milk

1. Cut the pear in half; with the spoon, scoop out the core and discard it. ( I like to scoop out a bit more than just the core so that the filling doesn't overflow as much)
2. Put your pear halves on the baking sheet and set the oven to boil. Broil the pear halves cut side up until they are golden brown and soft to the touch with a fork. (about 3 min.)
3. Remove the pear halves from the oven and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, heat your cooking pot to medium and melt the butter.
5. when butter is golden brown, add the sugar and mix well until it is all dissolved.
6. Remove the sugar butter from the heat and add in the milk. Stir constantly until it is well mixed. Return the mix to the heat and bring to a simmer. Stir every now and then.
7. Meanwhile, in your small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the pear filling; with your fork, mix until it is smooth and creamy.
8. Scoop a bit of the filling into each pear pit.
9. Your caramel drizzle should be a dark-ish brown by now and have thickened slightly. If so, remove it from the heat and let cool for about 3 minutes. This should allow it to thicken just a little more. If it is not dark-ish brown, continue to simmer it and stir it occasionally until it is.
10. Once the drizzle is cooled slightly and thickened a bit, drizzle it over your pears. Violà! You're done!

Happy Valentine's Day and hope you and your significant other enjoy this tasty treat. <3

P.S. I would love to know how it turns out for you, being that I made this up, so if you have any suggestions, tips or a review, please don't hesitate to give a shout out :)

Nursery Progress

Remember this progress post were the future nursery had NOTHING done on it but a painted dresser?

Yeah well, SURPRISE! More got done!

Here is a before so you don't have to go all the way back to the bottom of that link to see what it looked like before.

Here is what it currently looks like.

Okay, so it still looks like a hot mess... just a different/less organized hot mess but as any DIYer knows, it often looks worst before better. You can see here that I DID move the dresser over so it no longer blocks the window.

Surprisingly a lot has been done in that tornado of a room! Here are a few closer looks to see what’s going on so far.

The biggest difference is that Hubby and I painted the walls a soft buttery yellow, my Man also drew this mural on the wall (that the crib will soon go on) with a gold paint pen! We are currently working on painting leaves onto it with a stencil and some paint we picked up at the craft shop. You can also see in the photo that the crib has been painted (it was not put together in the far right corner of that top photo and brown) and put together. My sister helped us with that when she came for a weekend and got shafted to the "future nursery room labor crew". Hey, I have no shame, if you come over now expect to be painting, or sewing, or building SOMETHING for this room. :P

Here is a closer look at the tree.

It looks a little like a late fall tree that has lost 80% of its leaves but trust me, it will get filled in more soon. You can't tell in the photos but I love how the window on the other side of the room makes the gold paint shimmer. This is my favorite part of the room so far.

On the other side of the room is this antique toy stroller Hubby and I found for $10 at a yard sale! I love the retro look it has and the color! It needs a little love though because the top part likes to come off the rest of it. I have planes to use it to hold some stuffed animals I've been hording away since my childhood.

On top of the stroller is the mobile me and my sister made. The entire mobile cost me $5 because I used scrap fabric I had on hand that went with the room, went outside and picked up free sticks, already owned hot glue and was given an entire spool of fishing line. The only thing I had to buy was the filling for the birds!

If you want to make your own, I got the planes for the birds here and it looks similar to this once it’s hanging up. This video was also a big help for me because I'm a ditz and was just NOT understanding the pattern. A.

We also finally got around to getting some art framed.

This painting is one I painted a while ago and was just so excited to use in this room, the other is a page from an antique story book that we snagged at an antique shop for $20 pre-matted. Because one of the pieces I did, and because they were having a buy one frame get another free sale at the craft shop, this little project only set us back $75, which, if you know how much frames can run, is a great deal!

The last thing that we have to hang is this reading tent that I made.

It looks just like a pile of fabric on the floor right now but it’s actually fully made and just needs to be hung up with some pillow tossed under it and maybe a blanket to transform into a sweet little play/reading tent for the bean. When all hung up it will look something like this...

Minus the lights and top part. It’s just a hula hoop that I wrapped in white wool yarn (that I already had) so the blue hoop wouldn't show though, and sewed some sheer white chiffon I snagged on sale onto. The whole thing cost me $35! The one in the photo above uses PVC pipes (which generally cost more than a $5 hula hoop) and old curtains slipped on top (which is great to reuse if you have any... I did not). All the curtains I liked were around $30 EACH and I would have needed two, so it would have cost me around $70 if I made it this way. Instead, I snagged some amazingly luxury look chiffon for two bucks a yard and got a TON of it so it would billow nice and full and flowy on the floor and it STILL cost me cheaper than if I had bought the curtains! So, lesson learned. Sometimes it’s worth the hassle of sewing to get a better price and nicer look in the end.

Also, just for an idea of the theme we are going for in this space, here is a mood board I created a while back on this post

So here's the break list from this post with everything done marked off....
*paint
*move giveaway/ sell stuff from corner and GET RID OF IT!
*Organize storage stuff in the closet
*Put crib together
*get a sleeper sofa
*create a reading/play spot for Baby (almost done)
*add art
*hang art
*get a night stand for guest couch/bed
*add more lighting
*make curtains (not shown in the post but ordered! :D)
*make a mobile for the crib
*paint the crib white
*add decor (needs to be put up still)
*add bookshelves for storage
*create a changing area by/on the dresser
*move the dresser somewhere better
*mount the leaning mirror (on the dresser) to the wall to make it baby safe.

So, as you can see, a LOT has been done but there is still quite a bit to get done.

Things are moving along quickly and I expect to have another progress post up soon enough. Hopefully less stuff will be on the floor and more things actually hung in the next one! :D

So what have you all been up to? Building any fun stuff, how major projects? Are you doing a full reno or just an update? What are some great steals or deals you've scored of late? Anyone else adventuring into the world of sewing or are you an old pro by now? Would love to hear from you.

Little updates

So it turns out, the person who was in charge of doing the photography for the shower has yet to send me the photos :( so this means no shower photo dump or post. *sigh*

On a good note, I and the Hubby have been up to our eyeballs in projects (mainly for our Buttons room). I'm so excited to share with you all what is going on in there and what I'm up to this year for Valente’s day too! Both of which, I'm going to be writing a separate post for.

I should get one up about our Buttons room today so keep an eye out for that.