Jack's Eclectic Woodland Nursery

So it's taken me almost 5 months to get these photos I promised of Jack's nursery on the blog... but, in my defense, it really was complete forever ago! It was the whole taking pictures part that I've been procrastinating on, because (1) Jack's room is smaller than Harry Potter's bedroom space under the Dursley's stairs and, therefore, impossible to get good pictures of and (2) we seriously just never use the nursery.  Jack still sleeps in our bed every night... so other than walking in there to get or put away his clothes, his cute, little nursery is a pretty neglected space. 

For Jack's nursery, I stuck pretty closely to the inspiration I shared with you all months ago (see here). I wanted his room to be gray, light blue, and white with vintage and homemade touches throughout. I didn't really have a themed nursery in mind, but after I started buying things I noticed that I had an affinity for woodland creatures. So you'll see a lot of deer and other woodland friends throughout.

I loved reading growing up and I hope to pass that passion on to Jack, so I made sure to create him a book nook. This space is also special to me because for Christmas my brothers sent me a ton of our favorite books we enjoyed together growing up for Jack. Right now he only enjoys eating them, but hopefully we'll get to cuddle and read some together soon.

I found all my prints for the nursery on Etsy. All the frames, the lamp, and dresser come from Ikea.

My best friend Kristin made that cute, little owl for Jack! The personalized wood stacking rings are another Etsy find.

Even though we aren't getting a lot of use out to this space yet, I still really love it. His nursery turned out pretty much exactly how I wanted it to. Right now, he enjoys lying in his crib and watching the felt animals on his mobile and reaching for and knocking over the books on his Ikea spice racks turned book shelves. But I hope as he grows he begins to really love this space, too. And who knows, maybe one day I'll let him sleep in his crib.  ;)

Making Room for Baby

It didn't take me long to discover that babies need a lot of "things," and those things take up a lot of space! With baby Turner's arrival now just a few short weeks away, I find myself constantly trying to make more room for him in our home, which already lacks good storage space. I've had to make a conscious effort to utilize every square inch of our home and that has meant a lot of rearranging, reorganizing, decluttering, and simplifying on both mine and Steven's part. 

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Rearrange | One of the first decisions Steven and I had to make was which room would be our little man's nursery. Our three bedrooms already all had their purpose --a master, a guest room, and an office. I didn't want to give up our guest room and force visitors to sleep on our couch or an air mattress on the living room floor, and Steven and I both need an office space since our jobs often require us to work from home. We finally decided the most practical thing to do was to relocate our office into the awkward nook we have in our master bedroom (which meant Steven disassembling the beautiful homemade desk he had originally made and starting from scratch). It was a lot of handwork, but we were able to take an unused space in our small home and give it a purpose; thus, turning our once office into a perfect nursery! (You can see the updated office here!)

Reorganize | Not going to lie, I thought I was a pretty organized individual... that is until I started clearing out the new nursery's closet to make room for baby's things. I had the most random things thrown into there like high school and college memorabilia, important paperwork like mortgage and tax information, and family photos and scrapbooks. It was a mess! I decided it was time to invest in organization. We bought storage bins, labels, and filers and slowly weeded through everything until it was properly labeled and put away in a new place. It was a slow process with a huge payoff. I was able to completely empty out the nursery closet and find a new, organized home for everything that was in there.

I also reorganized the kitchen cabinets and drawers and we bought a handy dandy organization system to go in our entry way that details important appointments and commitments for the week as well as holds our mail that needs to be addressed and is a convenient spot for Steven to place his keys (why do men always lose their keys?? Or is that just Steven). ;)

Declutter | To find a new home for everything in the old office closet it was necessary to get rid of many things. I went through old clothes, coats, and shoes and thrifted what I could while donating the rest. I also worked up the nerve to throw away some items that simply had no use or sentimental value to Steven and I.   

After that, I decided to declutter things that took up my time, energy, and attention on a daily basis. For me, this meant deleting old emails on my personal and work accounts and organizing subfolders for better time management. I also went through and unsubscribed from all those time wasters emailed to me day after day of things I don't really want or really can't afford. (And let me tell you, it feels so refreshing waking up to 20+ less unread emails in my inbox every morning! Unsubscribe, people!) Also, I deleted unnecessary apps on my iPhone and iPad that again were just time wasters. Those things have the ability to suck you in and before you know it you've wasted an hour of valuable time filling your mind with useless information. I want my spare time to be focused on my husband and son, not staring mindlessly into my iPhone screen.

Simplify | Steven and I decided to take things a step further by eliminating our credit cards. This simplifies our monthly payments and brings us some much needed sanity! We went from paying on 4 credit cards a month to just 1. We simply set monthly goals until we got all three credit cards paid off and cancelled. The final credit card we use like a debit, but holding on to it also provides a safety net if needed. For us, this simplifies the usual stressful monthly bill payments and gives us more money per month to use on baby needs.

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It definitely hasn't been easy, nor have the adjustments been "quick fixes," but I now feel as though we have successfully made room for baby in our lives. Not just in our physical home by freeing up space, but also mentally (by getting rid of those time wasters), and financially. It feels really, really good! 

Baby Turner, mommy and daddy are so excited for you to arrive!

How did you prepare for your first baby's arrival?

Baby, It's Cold Outside

The farmer's almanac predicted we'd have a dry but very cold winter in Washington this year, and it's beginning to look like they were right on the money with that prediction. It's cold outside! Much too cold to do anything but make hot cocoa and snuggle my pup. So today I'm playing hookie and doing just that.

Happy Thursday, friends! Hope you're staying warm. 

Updated Office Nook

I'm pretty sure I was "nesting" even before I got pregnant. I'm simply a "doer" and have multiple, never-ending to do lists.  Of course, his drives my husband crazy. =) 

Ever since we found out we were pregnant, one of my to-do's was to remove the beautiful Pinterest desk Steven had made me and turn that office space into the baby's nursery. We decided that the awkward nook in our bedroom would make a great office space in the meantime (with it's built in bookshelves and natural light provided by the skylight). So project new Pinterest desk commenced! 

(To see the layout of our bedroom and this weird, little nook go here)

To add some contrast to the terrible 80's paneled wall and matching bookshelf, I decided to paint the bookshelf white and blue. I then decorated it with books, my favorite photos, family heirlooms, and sentimental touches from our wedding (including our ring bearer pillow, a beautiful craved sign made out of driftwood from the lake, and even some lake water itself!).

For the dest, Steven rebuilt it from scratch, stained it a lighter color to more closely match the wood already in the office, then hung up some more pretty photos and wedding decorations (such as those birds my maid of honor maid and our framed wedding invitation -- a gift from my brother and uncle). 

And ta-da! Updated office nook complete!

I love the updated office space and all the personalized touches we were able to incorporate into it! With mine and Steven's job, it is oftentimes necessary to work after hours from home and it feels so nice to have a dedicated space to go to (albeit, it's a little feminine for Steven's tastes). And best of all? We now have an extra bedroom in the house that's a blank slate and a perfect place for our little man's nursery!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Mary, Mary, quiet contrary

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockleshells

And pretty maids all in a row.

I know too many nursery rhymes for my own good. Buuuuut, in other news, we have tomatoes! And lots of them! They were slow coming and for a while I thought they might all die. But nope! We have nice, plump red tomatoes. 

Our small cherry tomatoes aren't ripe yet, but they are finally coming in, too! I'm just glad they survived my clumsy gardening hands.

And speaking of surviving, this lone pepper is a fighter. He is the only one that made it on any of our pepper plants and I can't wait until he's ready to be picked.

We also have an abundance of grapes that will probably be ripe in another month or so. Problem is I'm pretty sure they are tart wine grapes. So does anybody want a truck full or wine grapes? My preggo self has no need for this! 

It's so fun to watch your garden grow! Although I have to admit these tomatoes didn't thrive because of me. I have no idea what I'm doing! I barely even watered those guys! I may have forgotten about them for about a two week period. They just must be a hardy plant. But I hope next summer to expand my garden and work on my skills because I see some spinach, zucchini, carrots, and squash in my future!

How about you? What's in your garden and do you have any gardening tips to share?

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Decisions! Decisions!

I am terrible at making decisions, especially when those decisions involve home decor. Steven and I have lived in our home for over a year now, and very few changes have been made to it since that first month! Walls? All unpainted. Furniture? Haven't bought any in months. Pinterest Projects? Pretty much non-exsistent. 

I know what I like but for some reason I always talk myself out of purchasing anything, so basically every room in our house is unfinished.

master bedroom: no paint color, no photos hung on the walls, and no furniture other than a small dresser and our bed.

Oh yeah, that big ugly thing on the wall is a gun rack. In our master bedroom! Go figure...

Anyways, there is something about being pregnant that makes you want to get 'er done. And for me, that means making some decisions around the home and getting this nest in order! Or, at least adding a touch of personality to our bland walls.

So, I am proud to announce today that I, Danielle, made a home decor decision. And, surprisingly, I feel quite good about it! I picked a headboard for our master bedroom.

That may seem insignificant to you, but to me this was a BIG deal! I made a decision! The photos don't do the headboard justice (or bedroom is dark and makes picture taking quiet a challenge), but it's a pool blue, velvet headboard and it makes me swoon. 

So while in decision making mode, Steven and I decided to go ahead and make another one. We are taking down the beautiful, Pinterest desk he made me and locating it. That way our office can become baby's new nursery, leaving us with a spare bedroom for guests.

Bye, bye pretty desk.

So where are we putting our new desk? It's actually going to go in our master bedroom as well. We have the oddest master bedroom with this weird nook that leads out into the backyard. The nook has a ceiling to floor built in bookcase and plenty of room for our Pinterest desk. 

Here's what our plan looks like.

I am so excited to finally get our master bedroom complete and then move on to even more exciting home projects (like the nursery)! But most of all, I'm just glad I made some darn decisions!!

Do you struggle with making decisions concerning the look of your home? Or do I suffer alone in this?

Soon To Be REUNITED!!

Tomorrow I'm jumping on a plane and heading back to the east coast for the first time in a year! I can't believe how long it's been since I've been home and seen my family...and, it's been even longer since I've seen some of my closest friends.

This lovely lady, Beverly, is the cause for my little cross country excursion. I met her my Freshman year in college and we soon become great friends and decided to room with one another for the next three years. I couldn't be more excited to see her this upcoming weekend as she walks down the aisle to get married! MARRIED, I say! 

I am so thrilled to be a part of her big day! To top it off, another good friend of ours from college, who happened to be one of my roommates as well as my wedding photographer, will be there also to photograph her wedding! (You need to check out Bridget's photography site. This girl has some amazing talent!) [you're welcome for the plug, B] ;)

I will be able to see some other great friends from college as well as my oldest friend from childhood while visiting as well! Other than that, I hope to soak up as much time with my parents as possible. A year is too long to go without being surrounding by those you love!! 

To friendship, family, and good times! 

I'll see you in a week ;)

From House to Home

Ever since Steven and I moved into our home (now over a year ago!), we've slowly been trying to make it more "us" on a very limited budget. Here and there we've added small touches and, at the lightening fast pace of a snail, it's getting there. Slowly but surely it's getting there!

This past fall and winter we were able to spruce the place up a bit with this repurposed garage sale find my mother-in-law picked up, the amazing Pinterest inspired desk Steven built me, and our comfy living room couch and love seat that were a Craigslist find! But overall, we've only been able to make small changes here and there. Yet even with just these small changes, I find it very rewarding to put time, effort, and love into our home.

When I moved in last May, things were busy! I was planning a wedding and honeymoon on the opposite side of the country, and then when that was over Steven moved in with me just in time for busy season at our place of work. We hardly noticed our yard! I honestly don't even know if I saw the 4 mature rhododendron bushes in our front yard or the lilac tree around back! Things were just too busy and yard work was definitely not on my mind.

But already this Spring we've been spending a lot of time in the yard --weeding, and composting, and waterings, and weeding, and weeding, etc., etc. -- it's never ending! And (I admit it!) I enjoy being out there!! Yes, I'm still afraid of worms and scream and sprint a 100ft away when I encounter one (which is often...so really, I'm probably not getting much done), but I really enjoy working in our yard!

I did not adjust the saturation on these photos. All of them all unedited so the colors are true to life.

There is still so much work to be done. This year, Steven and I are starting small with only tomatos and green peppers in our garden. We hope to get a lot of fresh raspberries and hopefully some grapes as well! But I'm really thankful for this little place and the sanctuary that our yard has turned into for us. Yes, there are a lot of projects that may take years before they're done, but we love it and with each and every passing day, it feels more and more like us.

Sunshine, Snuggles, and an Upcoming DIY Project!

First off, I should start by telling you how my Monday is going.....

 which is TERRIBLE!!!!

Half way through my commute I realized I didn't have my work laptop and had to turn around and head home. Not fun. I hate traffic and I hate forgetting things and I hate Mondays! 

But I digress...

This weekend was actually pretty spectacular because we had sunshine on Saturday. Sunshine, people! Sunshine!! I'm talking warm rays of vitamin D here!  

Huck hasn't seen much sun in his 1 1/2 years on this planet and it made him pretty lethargic and snuggly. I didn't mind. Since the hubby was away on important business that morning (he was playing in a dart tournament in Seattle [yes, my husband plays darts and I choose to love him despite that fact]), Huck and I lounge around and simply enjoyed every minute in the sun!

Other than than, my weekend consisted of yeast free grocery shopping, some iced tea on a patio with a friend, and a trip to the Loft where I bought this blouse in navy.

1. Protein shake: 2 scoops all natural peanut butter, 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond breeze, one scoop chocolate protein powder,  6 ice cubes. 

2. Typical breakfast.

And!! The most exciting part of the weekend was probably our Home Depot run! (My husband and I like to have our dates at Home Depot. It's true.) Steven is making me this coffee table I pinned a few months ago! Can't wait to share the ending result with all of you!

One last thing before I sign off for the day! I should probably congratulate Shauna Q for winning the $30 shop credit to Ramsey Street Deigns! Congrats, lady! We will be contacting you shortly on how to claim your prize!

And don't be feeling too bummed if you didn't win because Ashley, the sweet designer behind the shop, if offering 15% off all purchases with the code: TAKINGNOTES. 

Now get shopping!! ;)