Look For Less: Nursery Hack

Since Beckett's room is no longer a shade of electric blue, and a beautiful blank slate, I have been in a frenzy to get it decorated. He's already 7 months, nearly 8, and I've been itching to put his nursery together. In my research I've come across several nurseries with the below animal prints. I tracked them down to Restoration Hardware Baby.

There are dozens of baby animal photos available, and there is almost no other print that I've seen that compares. Here's the rub: the price. For the low low price of $199 EACH you can own one of these. Well, no surprise that I could not stomach paying $800 on nursery art.

I did some additional digging and it turns out that Sharon Montrose (the photographer) sells the photos both framed and unframed.  Today and tomorrow you can take advantage of their holiday sale - buy 3 get 1 free! You can buy an 8x10 print unframed for $25 (or 4 for $75 with this promo) and then purchase a matted frame on Amazon.com for $15 (depending on what kind of frame you want).

I'm so thrilled to have gotten these prints at such a great price, and can't wait to show you the finished product!

Nursery Inspiration:

Inspiration on The Animal Print Shop

Credit: Washingtonian Blog

Gift Guide

Stumped this year for Christmas gifts? I kinda am. So I've rounded up a list of cool things I've seen, and thought I'd share with you. (Sure, some of these things might just be things on *my* list...details.)

For Her

Barrington Gifts St. Anne Tote Bag

I really think everyone needs a bag like this. A bag that functions as a catch-all but looks like a purse, but really is just a small suitcase you carry on the daily. I'm in LOVE with the deer print, but also love the Navajo print. Just a great bag.

St. Anne Tote - $145 

Cable knit beanie with fur pompom

These hats were all over Ladies of London this past season...and by the end of the season I HAD to get one too. They are harder to find, I've only seen them at Nordstrom and a local boutique called Twill in Greenville. The color I loved is sadly already gone offline - leaving you only with black and white options...I suggest jumping on this one.

Cable Knit Hat with Fur pom pom - Vince Camuto, Nordstrom - $42 

Also, don't forget to buy the matching cable knit arm warmers -- I adore these because your fingers are still free but you are still warm. :)

Cable knit arm warmers

Nordstrom Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater

I want to curl up in this sweater and hibernate until April.

Nordstrom - $198

The Cutest Kate Spade Watch. Ever.

Sure, it's just a plain old watch...but there's a martini on the 5. And I love the teal and white striped second hand. It's just fun. Like a party in a watch. You need it. 

Nordstrom - $175

For Him

OneHundred Tuls

Men love gifts that 'do something useful' - and this tool is just that! Grommet has a ton of great products made by really neat companies - like OneHundred. OneHundred only makes products with local manufacturers within 100 mi of their home office in Boston. This tool, the Lucy, is great for a cyclist - but they make other versions for different uses.  Here is what the Lucy can do:

• Includes: An expanded collection of common metric and standard wrenches, a spoke wrench for you to straighten a bicycle wheel rim, an 1/8" hex bit, a lip to pry open a paint can and a bottle opener

The Lucy at The Grommet - $33

The Southerner's Handbook: A Guide To Living the Good Life

This could really be for anyone, but men are notoriously hard to shop for, so I decided to make it a boy gift.

 Barnes and Noble - $20

Moose Head Decanter

My husband has a set of pewter hunt cups and decanters that he is constantly complimented on. Unfortunately, the set is no longer produced, but Pottery Barn is selling decanters that are similar. I think this is a great idea for any guy that enjoys a cocktail and the outdoors.

Pottery Barn - $129

For Anyone

Christopher Radko Ornaments

Meeting your boyfriend's parents? An Aunt? Random cousin you hardly know? This is a 'one size fits all' gift. If you've got a tree, you can use an ornament! This is also good for people who are just 'starting out' and might now have a lot of holiday decor. You can buy cheap ornaments at any store, but having a few nice ones on your tree always makes a difference!

I L-O-V-E Christopher Radko ornaments...although I don't have any. I admire from afar :) They are so pretty, and worth the splurge.

Christopher Radko Ornament from Horchow - On sale for $42



Mark Roberts Fairies

These can be used as an ornament, or simply for decoration around your home. I have collected about 12 or 13 and love getting a new one each year! To see how I used them, check out this post.

Mark Roberts Holly Bells Fairy at Horchow - $108 (on sale!)

The fairies range in price from $40 to $100 so don't be scared off by this price!

Five on Friday

I simply can't believe that Thanksgiving is next week. WHERE IS NOVEMBER GOING?!

Here are my top 5 this week....

{one}
House Painting

My number one this week is getting my upstairs painted! I am so excited to see the new colors, and to get started on the nursery. I shared a few photos yesterday, and will continue to show you the progress!

{two}
Christmas Decorations

Since moving into our new house, I've been dreaming about how to decorate for Christmas. I know. I have a slight obsession with the holiday. Over the last 3 years we've been living in small rentals, and so we don't have that many decorations. So, I have been searching all over the internet to find the perfect wreaths and garland. After my Pottery Barn wreath fail, I was wary of purchasing through them. I had received several Frontgate catalogs and decided to give them a try. I'm in love and was so thrilled with everything (except that it all went on sale the following week)! The wreaths we got were so gorgeous, and full! We purchased the Grand Majestic Wreaths and Garland and HIGHLY recommend it. I accidentally bought the corded wreaths instead of cordless, so that is my only complaint...but that's totally my fault.

This is the flexible garland for railings (again, bought corded on accident, so now its a table garland)

Grand Majestic Garland (as things I arrive, I've just been putting them up)

Several different types of greenery

Close up of berries

Here is one of the wreaths (30") also Grand Majestic Series (playing with ribbon here)

Close up

I've spent the last week playing with ribbon and bows trying to figure out what style bow I want. My goal is have all the wreaths ready to go for the weekend of Thanksgiving so we can get them up on the house!

{three}
The little French boy interview.

In the wake of the French terror attacks it is heartwarming to see videos like this. When our days are filled with thoughts of fear and anger, it is important to remember to love, to remember those who were killed, and to never let terror win.

(Also, I want to adopt that child. SO cute.)

{four}
Pickens County Humane Society

The Humane Society of Pickens County is in danger of having to shut its doors shortly after 2016 if it does not receive more donations.  This year the Pickens County Council only budgeted $77,000 for the shelter - reducing the 501c3's budget allocation by nearly $50,000 in comparison to previous years. The real problem for the PCHS is its lack of ongoing support - an issue for which it is actively seeking a solution. The PCHS hopes to have a "Friends of" group created by year's end, but for now is in desperate need of donations. If you're stumped on what to get that tricky-he-has-everything person in your life, why not make a donation in his/her name?! 

Also, they have this dog, and I think I'd like Santa to bring her to me.

http://www.pickenscountyhumanesociety.com/

{five}
Donald Trump just made it worse.

Just when you thought it couldn't. He couldn't possibly say anything more offensive.  Or wrong.  He does.

Databases of Muslims. REALLY?! Is this America?

Happenings...

We FINALLY got a painter and they started this week. Wohoooo! I don't think I've ever shared pictures of my upstairs but I've tried to snap a few 'before' pictures as the guys are working. In the grand scheme of 'bad room colors' we really lucked out with this house. The entire house is in light neutrals - and while I might choose a slightly different shade or color I really don't mind any of the downstairs colors. The upstairs though..has some strong color choices. Primarily, the baby's room. It's bright. REALLY bright. I will not miss that color.

The bathroom is green, and not a bad green, but the cabinets need painting and if we're painting...we might as well do the walls.

The guest room is brown - and again, not the worst brown - but everything in the room is brown. Ceiling and all. I considered just painting the ceiling...but decided just to do it all.



Yesterday the guys did patching and trim painting, so there's not much progress to speak of. But I'm already in love with the color. Next up, nursery decorating. Part of me is super excited to finally create an adorable baby nursery (7 months late albeit) and part of me kind of liked having an excuse for having not done it yet...Pinterest, here I come.

Baby Food Finally Happened.

Finally...I've done it. I made some time, and I made baby food. Of course, it's not like it was that challenging of a feat - it's just pureed veggies - but nonetheless I felt like I made a gourmet 5 star meal.  My baby is an eater. A big one. He eats 4-6 oz of food 3 times a day, and that adds up. Making baby food was much faster and simpler than I thought it would do, and so if you have an hour I'd give it shot!

I chose to make carrots, peas, and butternut squash. The butternut squash was by far the most difficult, and the method I used was not that effective (lessons for next time). The easiest to make was the peas, which I just defrosted and tossed in the blender.   As for the butternut squash - I had read that you just roast it, and then 'scoop it out' of the hull. It was not easy to scoop out and I left alot of meat in the skin...next time I'll skin it, chop it, and then just boil it. 

I did end up ordering the Infantino Squeeze station that I mentioned here --  I'll be updating you on how well it works!

If you use frozen, just make sure there is nothing in them to preserve them (salt etc). I boiled the carrots, and I broiled the squash while I made the peas. 

You can add as much water as you want, depending on the level your child is at. Beckett is eating level two, and so filling the aater up about a 1/3 of the way (of the total amount being blended) worked for me. If you get too much water, just add more veggies. 

 

As you can see, (maybe) I got too much water in the peas. I just pureed more and added them in.

I saved tons of small baby food jars and used those to store what I had pureed. Homemade baby food doesn't last as long as its not sealed like a jarred item (of course, you could do that but that IS labor intensive). I just made enough to last Beckett a few days. In the future, I think I am going to cook carrots and then toss them in the freezer. Then the days I'm ready for more puree, I can just microwave the carrots and toss into the blender -- cut the prep time down some. 

And the best part -- after all this work, he ATE IT!

DONE.

Happy Wednesday!

Five on Friday!

{one}

Miss Adventure Episode Four

While this one isn't my favorite, I still really enjoy Anna Kendrick. I wish Zosia Mamet was more like Shoshanna on "Girls"...her real self isn't nearly as entertaining.

{two}

Family Room Club Chairs

I finally chose fabric for my club chairs...and I chose neither of the fabrics I talked about last week. Instead I chose this take on a classic herringbone pattern

{three}

New Simple Recipe

I found this recipe on Pinterest and absolutely loved it! It was crazy easy, and didn't look like it. My kind of meal.

Salmon Stuffed with Sun dried Tomatoes, Spinach, and Feta

To get the recipe, go here.

{four}

This fox hat.

My mother in law bought this in NYC, and I L-O-V-E it. I want Beckett to wear it everyday. For the rest of his life.

{five}

Open Studios

Last weekend in Greenville was Open Studios - essentially an 'art crawl' around the city. If you're ever in Greenville o this weekend, I highly recommend it. I am not much of an art conoissuer, however I really enjoyed going from gallery to gallery looking at the works of local artists. Not only can you find some amazing peices for your home, but also support local artists! One artist that I really enjoyed (of several) was Joseph Bradley.  I couldn't get many pictures, but I did get some of Bradley's  -- so here are some of my favorites. (Sorry these pictures aren't great, I didn't intend to use for the blog - just to send to my husband!)

 This weekend a college friend is staying with us and another is coming to visit on Saturday, so I'm looking forward to a weekend of storytelling, laughing, and of course some wine!

Have a great weekend!

Create a 'To Don't Do' List

You'd think being a stay at home mom would consist of 'lunching' and play dates, and shopping trips. You'd think the pressure  would be gone. No working 40 hours a week - no deadlines, no meetings, no managing staff. I thought so at least. Just take care of the kid, and keep the house clean, run the errands. No biggie. In some ways, I feel like I've felt more pressure than ever to be the best. "You didn't get the house clean? What did you DO all day?" I thought I'd have all this time. Time to sew baby clothes, make my own baby food, clean the house, cook a gourmet meal and be waiting at the back door when my husband got home with a smile and kiss. It's not the case. I don't know how my mother did it.

These days I would give anything for a night of uninterrupted sleep. Despite brand new mattress and pillows this week I think I've slept less than when Beckett was a newborn (ok that's a bit of an exaggeration, but it's my best comparison).

Last night the dog set off the house alarm at midnight. (This is the worst because you first have to decide if someone is breaking in, and then whether or not to disable the alarm. I did disable it, and saw that it was a motion sensor. That is, a dog.) The alarm again went off at 3. Then the baby woke up at 5 looking for his pacifier, and once again at 5:45 (this time he was just ready for breakfast, and still thinks it should be 6:45- this time change really throws him off).Suddenly it was 6:50: time to let the dogs out, and feed the baby.

I suppose this is my new normal. The normal of 'mom'. I feel just as busy as when I was working 40 hours a week, and just as tired. Except, I'm not 'working'. Part of me really misses those day of drinking as much wine as I wanted while watching hours of my favorite trash tv, followed by 12 hours of uninterrupted deep, refreshing sleep.

But then I see videos like the one below. And then I realize that my days of getting up at 5 am to give my baby his pacifier (because he has somehow managed to rotate himself 90 degrees around in his crib, leaving the wubanub at the opposite end). I realize that my days of his post nursing cat naps are quickly closing. Sure, I'm looking forward to not being what feels like the equivalent of a human food truck. But I realize that as much as I hate nursing (most of the time) its a special bonding time  - and one of the few times my active 7 month old is still and quiet. I realize that it's ok to have a never ending to do list..that you never seem to get around to completing.

This video was on facebook a few weeks back, and I wanted to share it but forgot. (Typical.) This video helps to remind me to love my sleepless nights, my cuddle sessions and the little smiles he gives you every time he sees you. It reminds me that I don't have to be the best at everything, all the time. It reminds me that just because I'm a stay at home mom that I don't have to be able to do it all. I wouldn't miss these days with Beckett for anything, or any job. While I really miss working some days, I remember that this is temporary, and these days are ones that I will never get back.

Every woman needs to see this!!
Posted by Shelly Carlene Brown on Sunday, September 27, 2015

Five on Friday

It's Mallory, here...your long lost blogger friend. I'm hoping one of these days I will learn to balance baby and blogging but for now...well, you can see how well its going.

{ONE}

Two Videos EVERYONE should watch. Chris Christie is stepping out - away from the pack - and speaking out on how America treats drug addiction.

{TWO}

The t-shirt you need to purchase.

I have bought 2 of these tops (black and white stripe and blue and white stripe) - both for $10 at Nordstrom (usually $18). If you need a workhorse-everyday t-shirt (but you still want to look cute) get this top.

The Nordstrom Clearance sale has the solid red on sale for $10...so yeah, I got a third. I've found that it's a great top for fall AND great for a nursing mother who doesn't want to wear ugly ill fitting nursing tanks every day. I might stay at home, but I can't be one of those moms that just wears yoga pants all day. Of course there are days when I do wear workout attire all day, but after a day or two of that, I can't handle it anymore. I just feel like a little piece of me dies when I don't wear real clothes.

So, as I find comfy mommy friendly and cute stuff, I'll be sure to share!

{THREE}

Pottery Barn Hack

My husband and I want to create a gallery wall in our family room. I found a box of frames on Pottery Barn - but they were over $200. So, I took a risk and ordered a set for about $43 off of Amazon. They may be total crap. Or, they might  be perfect. Stay tuned...if this works, I will probably be buying another set!

{FOUR}

Christmas Candle round up

Last year I posted about this AMAZING Christmas candle, and a few weeks back about this one. Now, I have a third. So I thought I'd put them all here for those of you who want you entire house to smell like a Christmas tree (me). 

I bought mine locally at Savvy in Greenville. If you're local, I'd encourage you to buy there! If not, you can find it online (link below).

Thymes Frasier Fir Candle $29

{FIVE}

Club Chairs for the family room. 

Now that we have a rug and a couch, we are looking for some swivel club chairs. We've narrowed it down to this chair  by Rowe. (The sample online is not so cute, but I promise its cute!) I'm trying to decide between 2 fabrics below. I love love love the plaid (prettier in person, the room was dark) but it could be busy on 2 chairs. Maybe it should be an accent? Which do you like?

Rug

Fabric options...