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ENTRY / MUDROOM / HOOK-NOOK, REFRESH

By rae on July 29, 2016 in DESIGN, LIFE

There is a lot of “dump and go” that goes on during our days. We come home, dump all the stuff from the car in a pile, grab new stuff and go to the next activity, errand, or adventure. I feel super lucky to have a space full of hooks and storage that’s also hidden enough to keep the piles from being eyesores most of the time. But for a room that we use all day everyday, it was starting to feel a little blah and cluttered and in need of refreshing. So that’s what we did and here is how it turned out!

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1. HELLO MOOSE — The space shares a wall with our very gray and navy family room so I wanted to keep things simple enough to coordinate but whimsical enough to mesh with all the kid accessories and tote bags in the hook side of the pony wall. A white moose head seemed like a good idea, simple solution and was (and is) on sale!

2. PRAY HARD sign — Inspired by a dislike for the thermostat and desire to hide it, a DIY by my talented friend at HEN & CO and a old sign my little brother had hanging in his room years ago that I loved… the phrase just never seems to leave my mind. I’ll share a full DIY and template, what to do if you don’t have contact paper, and how to add a frame and hinges, next week.

3. INDIGO BENCH — With all the storage, drawers and hooks we were still in need of a hiding place for blankets and towels. I was hesitant to add something that blocked hooks and took up space, but its so incredibly functional and pretty and easily my favorite addition.

Needless to say, I am now addicted to benches and painting wood signs!!!

*For a before, before of the nook from a couple years ago, head HERE!

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By now you guys know I’m a sucker for lifestyle pics so here are a few of the girls doing their thang! I told Tilly to pretend she heard the ice cream truck and wanted to buy a treat. Naturally, cute purses, sunnies, blankets and the correct shoes were necessary even though they would have missed the truck long before they were ready. LOLs. I should really learn something from this and give us 15 minutes more than my usual 5 to get out the door!

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What do you think?

XO, Rae

land of nod bench + apple pillow (similar option), west elm moose head, adorable swankaroo fabric purses, ikea wall file divider, god’s eye kids craft, target small rug by door, etsy shop “all mine” tote, “pray hard” sign inspired by hen & co (full diy coming soon so sign up for emails).

ENVELOPE CLOSE PILLOW DIY

By rae on March 29, 2016 in MAKE

//Black brush stroke and teal tribal fabric from my Spoonflower shop//

I’m sure there are 100’s of these tutorials floating around the blogosphere, but it’s also one of those projects that saves money, can be done over and over again, get’s easier every time and always looks cute (even if the seams aren’t perfect) so figured it was worth sharing. Plus, we’ve probably all seen a yard of fabric or old curtain, shirt, sweater or blanket and thought, “Gosh that would make a cute pillow!” Amiright? Here is an easy way to make that thought happen…

SIMPLE THROW PILLOW (with an envelope close back)

You’ll Need –

Pillow insert (ikea or amazon is a great place to find these)
1-yard of heavy fabric or less of two different fabrics (home dec weight or cotton canvas)
Fabric scissors
Sewing machine
Thread and bobbin (color isn’t as important. You’ll only see a line of it on the back of the pillow)
Small piece of paper and pencil
Sewing pins
Iron (helpful but not necessary)
Yarn for pom-poms (optional)

Here’s How –

Measure your pillow insert. Add 1-inch to the height and width and write it down. Cut fabric to the size you just wrote. This will be the front of your pillow.
For the back of the pillow. Using the dimensions you wrote down earlier, divide the height in half and then add 3 or 4-inches. Using the same width as before, write down the second set of dimensions and cut two pieces of fabric to that size. (Example: if you have a 19-inch pillow form you’ll want to cut one 20×20-inch piece for the front and two 20×24-inch pieces for the back.). Next, fold the width of both back pieces towards the wrong side of fabric about a half inch. Run a warm iron over the top to hold in place. Fold the edge another half inch and iron in place. (If you like skipping steps, the second fold isn’t necessary.) Stitch along the folded edge using 3/8-inch seam allowance and repeat with the second back piece.
Lay your front piece patterned side up. Lay your back pieces, overlapping and patterned side down on top of the front piece. Pin in place (I usually pin each corner and where the back pieces overlap).
Stitch all four sides of the pillow with a 1/2-inch seam.
Turn right side out and stuff with your insert
To add pom-poms, use a seam ripper to make small holes in the corners of your pillow. Thread long pieces of yarn through the holes and hand-sew into place

If your pillow doesn’t come out perfect, don’t fret. Layer it with another pillow or two and I bet you won’t even notice! Or add to a kid’s room. Quirky things have away of fitting right in, in little kid spaces.

Of course this post wouldn’t be complete without Poppy on a pile of pillows being a ham…

When it comes to pillows, do you like to buy or DIY?

XO, Rae

PS – if buying is more your style you might enjoy this post from yesterday :)

SPRING PILLOW TALK

By rae on March 28, 2016 in DESIGN, LIFE

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I’ve heard, read and probably said a few times that throw pillows are an easy way to freshen up any room by adding pops of color or changing things up for different seasons, without breaking the bank. So decided to do some shopping for pillows to spruce things up for spring around our home.

After doing a little online shopping the whole “inexpensive” theory regarding pillows is disputable. There are some spend-y cushions out there! Another thing I discovered? While I usually like a healthy balance of mid-century/rustic meets boho with a side of Scandinavian home decor (is that a thing, ha!) I could not quit the boho trend for the warmer months! At least not when it came to pillows.

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Although I do love these two spaces above. ((((swoon!))))

But regardless of price and style, there is a plethora of options out there to choose from so I thought I would help narrow the search and share a few of my favorites right now for spring and summer…. Get on my couch!

1. Black + white crisscross // 2. Kilim-woven // 3. Blue brushstrokes // 4. Poppy color block // 5. Embroidered eye pillow // 6. Black + white zig-zag pillow // 7. Prismatic stripes // 8. Textured woven // 9. Pom-pom pillow // 10. Embroidered lattice // 11. Mud cloth tribal // 12. Blue watercolor // 13. Vincent et Pablo

Not pictured are a few solid colored and textured pillows thrown in the mix. Ikea, West Elm and Target usually have lots to choose from at good prices. And I just stumbled upon these gems too.

Do you plan on sprucing up your couches, chairs and beds for the spring and summer months!? Does your style sometimes change with the seasons?

While we are on the topic of pillows, stay-tuned because I’ll be back tomorrow with a simple envelope pillow to DIY.

XO, Rae

PS – Hope you all had an amazing Easter weekend! We mostly egg hunt hopped, spent time with friends and family, ate chocolate and heard the resurrection story at church which never gets old…. He loves and He lives so that we get to do the same! Everyday.

LIVING WITH KIDS (+ THEIR TOYS)

By rae on January 27, 2016 in DESIGN, LIFE

Making a home that allows my kids to play, create and have fun with friends while also keeping things stylish and welcoming for the taller humans in my life is a priority of mine that’s been a bit tricky. While we aren’t lacking on space necessarily, having 5 kids and no playroom has added an extra challenge and even though I lean a little more towards being kid-friendly over sophisticated (at least for this season in our lives) I thought I would share a few ways we keep the house from looking like we run a daycare. At least most days.

Our family room has been the hardest to figure out, so we’ll start there!

THE FAMILY ROOM –

Everyone should feel welcome in this room so (for us) keeping things cozy, playful and casual is a must. For the little ones that means toys and an area to hangout so we added a space for them on the far wall of the family room — It’s hidden from view if you are standing in any other part of the downstairs which is nice. At the moment our toys could use a spring cleaning but for the most part I try to limit the type of toys that are down here to baby/toddler toys, a basket of wood blocks, finger puppets and plastic animals, and books. Legos, hot wheels and dress up do make an appearance every once in awhile in the family room but mostly stay upstairs in the kids’ rooms. Food, rough housing and climbing on the furniture is also mostly off limits in this space. Popcorn on movie nights being the main exception.

There are (of course) a few things I would like to change but for the most part I think adding a few sturdy decorations and pretty bowls or baskets helps incorporate the toys into the room. Cozy seating (like poufs), pillows and blankets are always appreciated by the little and big people and it all helps bring things together.

USING DRAWERS + CUPBOARDS –

We have this little desk in our breakfast nook — that should be called the crafting, homework and after school snacks nook — where we keep coloring books and other crafty items as well as office supplies, batteries and other household stuff. It’s nice to have these things tucked away but still easily accessible and now that the kids are older I also keep paper (index cards are always handy!), scissors, glue sticks, pencils and markers out in plain sight.

In our last (much smaller) home we used a generous sized drawer in the kitchen to hold coloring and school supplies which worked great too.

Another set of drawers we use a lot for toys, crafts and other knick-knacks are the ones under our stairs. They are easily my favorite feature in our home so if you get a chance do something similar I highly recommend it!

DIVIDE + CONQUER –

Kids have a lot of thinggggs. Since we don’t have a playroom to hold most or all of it I like to spread the love in different areas of the house. Such as this kid friendly wall in my office for books, more baby toys, felt masks and a giant checkers game. My office is roomy enough to accommodate and the new space is well loved but a small bin of books and a floor pillow would do the trick in a smaller space.

((Excuse the mess (and Christmas cards!) in these last two pictures but it is the accurate state of our dinning room at the moment. We’ve been working on redecorating this space so stay tuned.))

Last but not least are the lockers in the dining room where the puzzles, boardgames and (thanks to the locking doors) paints, glitter glue and other messy craft supplies that require permission before using, live. Games and puzzles are almost always played with at the dinning room table so this works out perfectly and makes clean up a cinch.

Another random area we’ve stored toys in the past is a basket of play kitchen items in the pantry. It was a fun arrangement and they got played with a ton but I was also cleaning (and tripping on) them up a lot so it only lasted a few months.

I hope this was helpful, but enough about me! Let me know how you handle all the toys and kid stuff and don’t hesitate to ask questions.

XO, Rae

OH, HI! (ENTRY REVEAL + ROLLING WOOD CRATE DIY)

By rae on October 12, 2015 in DESIGN, LIFE, MAKE

Remember the entry refresh I briefly mentioned awhile ago? Well my home dec savvy friend, Emily, stopped by to help me add a couple finishing touches (like that cute watercolor she made!) and take pics. For more of the back story, here’s the original post she did.

As much as I love interiors and styling spaces, home dec can get me feeling a little intimidated. While I’ve been getting more and more comfortable piecing together different areas of the house, having a friend that knows what she’s doing is a lifesaver.

Here’s a quick look at all the changes….

Our entry is long and narrow, and felt slightly awkward. It was also dark and I had a difficult time making it feel welcoming.

A painted yellow door, black and white wall hooks, pendant light, patterned runner, wood crate, old mirror, framed art and pictures later and it’s a bright and cheery space for my little tribe and guests to walk into. The best part? I spent no more than $150.

Head to Emily’s blog (you’ll love it!) for more details, sources and her take on the process. Thanks Em, for all your help!

Keep reading for a quick tutorial on how to make the wood shoe and catch-all crate pictured. It’s been so handy and adds a nice handmade touch to the entry.

ROLLING WOOD CRATE:

You’ll Need:

Wood crate, approx. size 18x14x9 (like this one)
4 casters
Drill or screw driver
16 small screws (short enough to not poke through the wood)
Small can of wood stain (I used one with a gray tone)
Small paint brush
Small vinyl sheet
White paint

Here’s How:

Brush wood crate with stain and let dry. Repeat until its as dark as you would like.
For stenciled bottom, measure wood slats in the bottom of the crate. Type out a phrase that will fit. Lay vinyl face up on work surface, trace phrase and cutout. Peel backing, arrange on wood and paint over with white paint. Let dry and add a second coat if needed. Once dry, peel off vinyl.
Using a drill or screw driver and some elbow grease, secure a caster to each corner of the crate.

That’s it! Let me know what you guys think of the entry refresh and if you have any questions.

If you are visiting from JDC, welcome! I have lots of fun projects to share over the next couple weeks so be sure to check back or sign up for emails.

Mi blog es su blog :)

XO, Rae

For a couple more house pics, head here: GIRL’S SHARED ROOM / MUDROOM + STAIRS

GIRLS ROOM REVEAL

By rae on August 10, 2015 in DESIGN, KIDS, LIFE

I’ve been talking about the girl’s shared room makeover forevvvver (it seems) and today finally have photographic evidence to share. Yay! The girls and really everyone in the family is enjoying their bright cheery room. It’s been fun seeing it used for playtime and reading.

I somehow finagled my husband into helping me paint the girls room white and it made all the difference. Here’s a small peek at what it looked like before and a hanging plant DIY that didn’t make the final room.

I’ll give details as I go and link sources at the very bottom!

The view from their door. Obsessed with this striped rug from Land of Nod. It stays nicely in place and cheers up the carpet :). Decorative pillows rarely stay on beds around here so floor pillows it is which are usually accompanied by an array of books and dress up clothes. There might also be several plush animals and a Mariner’s baseball bobble head being held hostage in the closet. Maybe.

A quick and easy to make yarn wallhanging Tilly helped me with keeps Poppy company during diaper changes.

A random display of pictures, prints, notes and trinkets over Tilly’s bed makes it easy for her to switch or add things as she wishes. We opted for washi tape to hang things on her cork-board (and sometimes wall) and arranged a stack of different colors and patterns in her house shelf.

A simple and inexpensive ($6!) pendant light wrapped around a cute wall hooks from Land of Nod, next to Tilly’s bed. Pretty smitten with this shake it off downloadable print as well.

A cut and sew fabric project adds a nice touch.

Poppy has been our most challenging sleeper (non-sleeper is more like it) and is still waking up at night so the sleepy eye decals and light box message seem highly appropriate and makes me giggle often. When you haven’t slept many full nights in over a year being silly is essential.

A handmade sign I made for Poppy’s original nursery. Love it and will share a template soon. Maybe for back to school?

Love this point of view from the closet.

I’m clearly addicted to garlands as there are three in this one pic and I would gladly add more. It’s like a little pop of party wherever they hang.

I feel the same way about pom-pom trim so glued some to the bottom of the drum shade.

A couple wall hooks to hang Tilly’s next-day outfits and some necklaces. The top bin of the cart holds other accessories and hair things.

Cute succulents in the (dirty) window. There has been so much construction going on around our house I think all of them look like this. Probably time to get the pressure washer out!

// S O U R C E S //

FURNITURE: twin bed frame, crib, cart, white chair

TEXTILES: duvet, twin sheets, crib sheet, grey blanket (a favorite!), changing pad cover (old but love this one), crib quilt (on the chair, by my talented mama!)

PILLOWS: fur, striped (fabric from IKEA), cube

DECOR: sleepy eye decals, floor catch-all, drum shade (pom-pom trim added), hanging pendant light, cloud garland, grey garland, flag garland, striped rug, curtains (old, similar)

WALL DECOR: house shelf, mirror, #shinanigans poster, shake it of print, arrow print and Ruth print (coming soon to the shop), pineapple print (part of JDC paperworks), cork-board, fruit wall hooks, light box

DIY’s: yarn wallhanging (lots of cute options on pinterest), hooray pendant pillow, pop-tart banner (alphabet template coming soon), moose antlers (from some holiday kid crafts I put together for mom.me)

I probably left some details out so please comment if you have questions!

XO, Rae

P.S. — A GIANT shoutout to my girl Emily for taking pics of the girl’s room for me. If your not familiar with Jones Design Company your in for a treat. I suggest starting with a look at her home!

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