A room fit for a Peapod

I've been staying busy practically every minute the last week. With roughly "only" a month left of this dang deployment, I'm finally in crunch mode to get things done around here. My to-do list seems to be shrinking just as fast as its growing. Every time I mark one thing off, I seem to find another thing to add to it. At least I'm starting to make this house look like a home. Just in time.

I thought it would be fun to give you a little tour of my favorite room in the house. It also happens to be the one room that I can refer to as finished, even though I don't think any room is every completely finished.

So here's the skinny on my favorite room. Just click on the pictures to enlarge them if need be.

You might remember my first post on Cheyanne's room a few months ago.

This is what we started out with.

Gross, right? Yeah I know.

But look at it now. What a difference!

I L.O.V.E. how this room turned out. Its bright. Its cheery. Its the most color I've ever painted in my entire life! 

As I'm looking at the pictures, I wish I had taken the two seconds to de-clutter a little bit, but with a toddler hot on my heels I had to take my shots. 

There are a few things I want to point out in the room that are worth mentioning while I have them on my mind. 

The wall alphabet is one that I mentioned before. You can find my description on that project HERE. It was a project that took time and effort but was completely worth it. I believe that every child should have an alphabet display somewhere in their area and it should be sung to them every single day. Reading and letters are so important to a child's development. It can't be encouraged enough. So, why not make it pretty and fun? Its one of Chey's favorite things in the room too. She points along as I sing.

The capiz shell chandelier is probably what tied the room together in my head. It is one of my favorite buys because it has sentimental value to us. We bought it while visiting Manteo, NC, the small beach town that we were married in while pregnant. Hmm- reword- visiting while pregnant, not married while pregnant. We "I" debated over and over about whether to go with the classic white chandelier or venture on the pink and blue one. I'm glad I chose right. It adds some pop to the white space.

The seahorse carousel on the opposite corner is a PBK find. It adds a lot of fun and whimsy to the corner. And Chey loves to spin it around and sit below in her rocking chair to watch. They sold out of ours but they have another similar one that I like too.

Another PBK find is her pink polkadot beanbag cube. She loves to plop up on it and shake around. She has also discovered that if she moves it around, she can crawl on it to get all of her toys in the chest. Eventually I want to get her this, but for now I'm loving her cube.

The white toy chest was a $20 Craigslist find. It was chalky yellow and needed a lot of TLC after it had been sitting in a storage unit for a little too long. I painted it a coat of glossy crisp white and it looks brand new. Score.

The beautiful ribbon hair bow frame you see on the lower shelf was made by my dear friend Kate G for Chey's first birthday. I don't know how she did it, but every single color she used on it matches the room perfectly. She is by far the craftiest person I've ever known. She actually just started up her own etsy shop finally sharing her craftiness with the world. People, I promise, everything she touches turns to gold (and no she isn't holding a gun to my head to say this either). Visit her shop. You'll fall in love.

The mirror. Ah, the mirror. Its just perfection. It was a hot electric blue $5 Goodwill mess that I turned into a lovely pink treasure and just I couldn't be so happy with the room without it.

The sea blanket behind her on her rocking chair was handmade by the Giant's Aunt Carol. It is under the water themed and monogramed. Could it be any more perfect for her room? You've seen it a million times in my blog pictures of Peapod because I tend to use it in her monthly shots. 

And lastly and most important, her Daddy's picture rests high above on her top shelf looking down over her as she sleeps. We miss you Daddy- come home soon.

So, those are some of my favorite things in her room. Eventually I'll get around to painting her bookcase which is currently taking up space in the garage. Best $2 Goodwill buy so far. That's one of those things on my list to do before the Giant returns. It'll get done… fingers crossed.

So, you like? My sweet Peapod sure does. Just look at that cheesy grin.

I'm thinking that instead of hosting people in our living room, we should just take them straight into Peapod's room and hang out there. Its the happiest room in the house after all. You think that could work? :) Thanks for hanging in there with me during this long list of decor and links. 

Hope you liked it.

Oh Christmas Tree

Leaving our house for Christmas last week was a little bitter sweet. I was more than thrilled to be heading home to spend the holidays with my family, but I really struggled with the idea of leaving our new home right at Christmas time. Before we bought our house as I looked at homes, I envisioned Christmas things. Some people think of where to place their furniture (and yes I do that too), but I first think of where a Christmas tree will go. That's how I saw empty space and judged if it could be our home or not. I thought about where our Christmas tree would go. I envisioned all of our decorations on the walls and a fireplace hearth decked with stockings. Is that weird?

I know its a little silly since we aren't even home at the holidays, but I decorated anyways. And I loved every minute of it. It might have taken me three weeks to get the tree decorated after I put it up, but I think its safe to say that it's our prettiest Wood tree yet. It will look just as pretty in March when the Giant comes home too. That's right. Three months of Christmas in the Wood house. Don't judge- I have an excuse. And don't worry- I'm not a Griswold- yet.

Wanna see what I left behind? This is just the beginning.

So far, this is my year of DIY.

My DIY tissue paper trees. Another great Pinterest find.

The DIY coffee filter wreath

 I made a red velvet Christmas card tree to display one of my favorite parts of Christmas- CARDS!!

A thing of beauty

My Christmas play tea set from my Mamaw

Do you have a pickle to hide?

Aww- us :)

There will be more to come when we get back home to clean up on all the post-Christmas sales. Two years of missed Christmases will be waiting for my man.

Cheyanne's room re-do

With a sick Peapod on my hands, I didn't get much time to take pictures today. I thought about letting the blog slide tonight, but with the Giant away and me hoping he gets a chance to read this sometime, I can't disappoint him if he does. 

My day consisted of saying goodbye to my parents this morning and quickly getting to base for a last minute sick visit with the pediatrician. I spent the rest of my long day tending to Cheyanne's sensitive needs. For the second time in a month, my sweetheart has caught a bug, this time a cold. Freakin' a! I kept her healthy for 12 months and now all of sudden, despite still nursing and "unintenionally" keeping our bubble walls still up, she's found a germ.

I decided that since I don't have much news to report from our day besides that I finally had a good conversation with the Husband and he is doing well, I thought I'd do a little home update. I've gotten lots of requests for pictures on the new digs and its changes, so I think I'll start with the most cheerful room, the princess' room.

What's the theme? I'm still not sure how to describe that one. It all started with a girly under the water theme and that evolved into classy under the water which then became the girly paisley/stripe subtle under the water beautifully colored baby to big girl transitional room. What a mouth full. Should I have just gone with a safari theme? Kidding kidding. I LOVE her room! Its still not done but its closer than any other room right now and I think its beautiful. 

It went from this….

to this….

to this…!!!

You like her alphabet wall? Its very DIY made by yours truly. With a pack of stencils, pretty paper, Mod Podge, and 26 mini canvases- her alphabet wall was complete. Right now, its my favorite part of the room. That and the stripes. However, the stripes and I have a very serious love/hate relationship after days of do and redo. 

So, here's the list of things left to do so you can get the big picture (via bullet list):

• First things first, chair railing. Its going up when the Giant gets home. It will be beautiful once its up!!
• On the wall above the toy chest (which will soon be pushed over by a dresser/changing table), I'm still looking for some really stand out artwork or a fantastic shelf set. She has so many little pretties that I want to put on display that I am thinking the shelf set might be a better choice. 
• And, above her bed I'm working on a large monogram of her name in pink and glitter. 
• White (or pink) sheer drapes
• To top it all off, we'll have paisleys. I haven't decided exactly where these gems will be going, but my original thought was to stencil paisleys in coordinating colors around the top border since we have no crown molding.

Ok, that's the list of Princess to-dos in her heiness' room. I'm open for comments and suggestions. Let's have it ladies (and gents)! Thoughts on the shelf idea?

Sweet Giant, I know you're flying so I'm sending up extra prayers tonight. We love you. Hoping that tomorrow will be a better day for us girls so I'll have photos to share.

Its the most wonderful tiii-i-ime of the year

That's right. I'm saying it! Autumn is by far the best time of year- not the cold winter months like the song would lead you to believe.

Nope.

The best time of year starts when footballs are flying through the air, when green is no longer the it color and is instead replaced by rich shades of maroon and orange and even brown, and when pumpkin is cooked into pretty much everything feasibly edible. Yep, that's when you know it is the most wonderful time of year.

Despite the fact that we still have boxes everywhere and new paint still going up on the walls, fall is starting to make its appearance in our house. That's probably mostly because I stumbled upon a wedding decoration box full of autumn beauties- our wedding just so happened to take place in my favorite season. (Speaking of which tomorrow is OUR THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!)! Not too many are up so far, but a few pretties are up.

There is one lovely in particular that I feel like bragging about. I am so proud of it and it took me all of fifteen minutes to make. I've seen similar wreaths on my addiction and by Kate but since I'm cheap and determined to use what I've already got in my twenty craft boxes sitting in the closet, I made it my own for under $3. And, I love it!

How'd I do it? I'll show you.

Step 1: Why spend mucho $$ on a wreath when you can buy plumbing pipe for $0.96? COST: $0.96

2. Cut burlap in long strip and begin wrapping around wreath folding one edge down to show depth. COST $0 since I already had it.

3. Continue wrapping until completely covered. Dab hot glue on ends.

 4. Decorate as desired with small pumpkin/gourd pack and leaves from found wedding decor box. COST: $1 from Dollar Tree.

5. Hang lovingly and stare at it frequently. COST: PRICELESS!

Seriously, under $3. Love it?! I do!!!