DIY Oversized Swiss Cross Wall Art

A few days ago, I scored two oversized metal poster frames (I'm talking 3'x 4') at a consignment shop for $10 each. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them, but I knew that just the sheer size of these babies would make an impact in any room. 

I ended up deciding to paint the foam board (that was included with the frames) a light mint green, and gild a huge swiss cross smack dab in the middle. I've been loving swiss cross decor plastered all over Pinterest lately, so I figured now was the time to get my fix. :)

Supplies: foam board, paint color of your choice, gold leaf, size (gilding glue) foam brushes, frog tape, pencil, measuring tape

1. I painted the entire foam board with the mint green paint. 

2. I measured and marked everything to make sure the cross squares were all the same size and that it    was centered in the middle of the board. (This was the most time consuming part.) 

3. I outlined my cross with frog tape to make  the gilding process much easier. 

4. I gilded the cross. (Great instructions on how to gild here.)

5. Put everything back together & voila! 

Oversized Pom Pom Christmas Wreath

Well, the Christmas season is upon us again...I kid, I kid. It's still August!! Sheesh...
I don't know what has gotten into me lately, but I've been in a wreath making mood. Something about wreaths just make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Yeah, I'm a weirdo. What's it to ya? :)

A few months ago, I stumbled across this massive, dusty, old wreath hanging out at my local thrift shop. This thing measures around 28" in diameter! Since it was a mere $4, I scooped it up and threw it in my basement. I knew someday I could do something with it.

A few days ago, as I sifted through old Pinterest pins, I ran across this J.Crew catalog photo and remembered how much I absolutely LOVED that wreath! Well, since I wanted an indoor wreath, have a crawling baby who loves cords, and didn't want to burn my house down, I opted for a non-electrical version.

Supplies needed:

• Massive wreath - I believe they sell these at Michael's
• Clover Pom Pom Maker - you can get these cheaper at Joann's with a coupon (I used the smaller sized one)
• Tons of different colored yarn - the more colors, the merrier!
• Patience

Basically, I followed this easy tutorial to make the pom poms and made about 32 total - 2 of each color.

Just a tip when you're making the pom poms: don't cut the string too short that wraps around and pulls the pom together. You need to make sure you have some string left over to knot each pom to the wreath branches. 

Once you tie all of the pom poms to the wreath, trim the excess yarn, and voila! You have a massive, festive wreath for the holidays! 

Enjoy!

Impatiently Waiting for Fall

I've been in Fall mode since yesterday, so what better way to celebrate than with a new fall wreath! :)

Supplies needed:
Foam wreath
Yarn in your color choices
Gold thumbtacks
Hot glue gun

Yarn wreaths are all over the Pinterest world so the instructions are pretty self explanatory. Just wrap and glue the yarn in any pattern you desire, then embellish with your tacks. Easy peasy!

(The first photo shows the true colors of the yarn...the second is much brighter for some reason.)

Now, if Fall could just actually get here...

Vintage Cabinet Score!

Vintage, industrial furniture pieces have always had a place in my heart when it comes to interior design. For as long as I can remember, I've been searching online for an affordable metal doctor's type cabinet to use as a storage piece in our dining/living room. The only problem was that if I did come across one, it was either way too expensive or in not-so-good condition. So, the search continued...

Well, I hit the Craig's List jackpot about a month ago when someone posted a "metal cabinet" for $60. Apparently, this person didn't know what this cabinet was worth, or just didn't care as he wanted it out of his basement asap. I did my research and it turns out to be a 1940's Hamilton Cabinet Co. American metal hospital examination room supply cabinet. It was in pristine condition for it's age, just one of the legs was broken off and it was missing the glass shelves, totally fixable.


This is what the cabinet looked like when we got her home:

I knew I wanted to maintain the vintage look of the cabinet, so I decided to have it professionally painted a light, minty green color. I love the way it turned out!

With the cost of the cabinet, professional paint job, and new glass shelves (which I still need to buy), I maybe spent $350 total. The crazy thing is that I found my exact same cabinet, in so-so condition on an architectural salvage website for $995!!! It pays to be patient...I'm one happy gal. :)

life lately...according to my iphone

This post is a few weeks late, but the month of June was a complete whirlwind around here! Felicity finally got to meet her Uncle Mike and Uncle Ben. Our weekends were filled with seeing new sights and making new memories. We only have a year left here in the Boston area, so we're trying to make the most of it. Felicity and I went to our very first Red Sox game at Fenway Park with Mat's family. His family was rooting for the Braves (they're from GA) and Felicity and I were for the Sox...the Sox won! ;) Our little one is growing like a weed and she will be crawling anyday now. I'm nervous about this... Life is good.

My Sweet Baby

My Sweet Felicity,
You are a little over 7 1/2 months old today and your daddy and I are so in love with you, it's almost ridiculous. From the moment you wake up with your crazy bed head, you are all smiles and giggles. Your sweet laughter just melts my heart. Your personality shines bigger and brighter as each day passes and it's amazing to watch. As we sit and read books together, you like to scratch each little thing on the page that interests you with your finger. It's the cutest thing ever and I laugh every time. As you eat your fruits and veggies at dinner time, you take a slurp and immediately put your fingers in your mouth before even swallowing your food. This is proceeded by doing a face plant into your high chair and rubbing your messy mouth all over the tray. We can't help but just laugh at your silly antics. At night, when you're nestled in your bed sound asleep, your daddy and I tip-toe into your room just to get a peek of your beautiful, little face. It's so sweet how all four sides of your crib bumper are permanently bent because you cuddle and wrap your arms around them like a teddy bear.  You are definitely a cuddle bug, just like your daddy.  We are constantly staring at the baby monitor-Not because we are worried, but because we can't stop looking at you.  I tear up a lot just thinking about how fast you are growing. It seems like yesterday that daddy and I were in the hospital, scooping you up and taking you home with us for the very first time. You were just this tiny little thing that fit perfectly into our hands. Now, you're over two feet tall and growing like a weed. As sad as I am to see my little baby grow up, I'm excited for what the future holds. You fill our hearts with so much joy and we love you more than you will ever know.

Love,
Mommy

Current likes:
-Bailey giving you smooches (you adore her so much)
-putting anything and everything into your mouth...blocks, books, mobile, pillows...you name it
-bananas, peaches, pears, apples
-sitting in your bumbo chair and watching Yo Gabba Gabba
-reading books with mommy & daddy (while you try to put the book in your mouth & tear out the pages)

Father's Day - June 17, 2012

Father's Day at the German Car Show

Picnic at Castle Island, Boston, MA- June 2012

6 Month Photos

This post is almost 4 weeks overdue, but here are some of baby girls 6 month photos.

Can we say adorable?

Clutter Control

Here lately, I've been looking around my house and feeling the need to purge things. A few weeks ago, I ran across an awesome blog, www.theminimalistmom.com, and it has completely changed the way I look at "stuff."  The creator of the blog, Karen, discusses how living with less can actually give you more time, money and space. It sounds simple, but it's a little more complex than that. Every time I read one of her posts, it gives me even more motivation to purge things that are just taking up space in our lives. You see, I've never had a problem letting go of things. I've never really felt an attachment to material possessions like books, or a doll from when I was little, etc. My husband on the other hand, is the exact opposite and it can get very frustrating for me at times to get my point across as to why we don't have to keep every little trinket from our past. After all, we are in the military and have to haul this stuff around every four years until Mat retires. At the end of the day, experiences are what we often remember, not material things.

After countless discussions, Mat and I have made excellent de-cluttering progress over the last week and here is my car, packed to the gills to prove it.

My old prom dress that I let go. Why on earth was I keeping this thing??? haha

This was just the start of our pile, believe it or not. It more than doubled at the end. Oh, and this didn't include the donation pile I had dropped off a week earlier...a whole car load as well. Yikes!

More on the tedious process of going digital with our filing cabinet soon...

Boring Bench Redo

I've had this little wooden bench sitting in my basement collecting dust for about three years now. I bought it from the Christmas Tree Shops for $25 and originally used it for a coffee table at some point back in the day.

(Before shot: Please ignore the green painters tape :)

I wasn't too happy with the ikea shoe rack we had in our front entry, so I decided I would spruce this bench up a bit and use it instead.

With some spray paint (grey primer, white & glossy black) painters tape, and patience. I came up with this:

Now we have a cute little spot to place our junk as we come and go. :)

Noggin' News

Today was Felicity's bi-weekly helmet appointment and we received the best news...she only has to wear her helmet for 3 more weeks and not 8 weeks as we were originally told!!! I was so excited when I heard the news that I had to hold back my tears of joy before I looked like an idiot. :) You see, this helmet has been a huge part of our lives over the last couple of months and it's going to be wonderful, yet a little odd to see our baby girl without this thing on her head 24/7.  She has literally had to wear this helmet everyday, for 23 hours a day. It's almost become a part of her and we don't even really notice it anymore. I surely won't miss the constant removal for clothing changes, cleaning it everyday,  poor F's sweaty head and constantly worrying if she's too hot or if she's developing a skin rash.  I've dreamt of the days where I could just lay with her and kiss her little head without having to worry about this chunky block of plastic being in my way.

The decision to have Felicity wear this helmet was very hard on me in the beginning. The first day she wore it I was so angry and torn. I just wanted to burn it and I regretted our decision immediately after we got home from our first appointment. Luckily, I had my other half (Mat) to talk me into going through with it because at the end of the day, it's what's best for our daughter. Of course I always want what's best for her. I just didn't want my beautiful baby girl to have to wear this hunk of plastic and have random strangers gawk at her like she's a mutant from outer space. Most people we've encountered don't even mention the helmet but others have given rude stares and it makes you want to punch them in the face. People are just ignorant and have no idea what the helmet's about. That's just something that I've had to accept over time.

As trivial as this helmet may seem to some people, it's always a bigger deal to the parents and children who have to go through it. There is a plagiocephaly support group of over 3,000 members on the Babycenter website dedicated to lending a shoulder for one another going through the same situation. No one wants their child to be considered "different." Most people say that they don't care what others think, but deep down, we all know that's not the truth. It's sad, but true.

We are so blessed beyond measure to have this wonderful, healthy baby in our lives and I'm sure this is just one of many bumps in the road of parenthood that we will encounter. Good thing Felicity had her helmet for this part of the journey! ;)

Going Insane...

Not literally. Mat and I have been doing the "Insanity" workout program and we just started week two yesterday. Let me tell you, it is TOUGH and you have to mentally prepare yourself before each workout. Going from someone who has never worked out in her life, to picking up running a few months ago, to starting the Insanity program...I really think I've lost my mind! There is just something inside of me that clicked a few months ago. A little voice in the back of my mind that said, "Get moving!" I just want to be healthy and feel healthy for once in my life, and I never want to look back. Having a child has changed me, mentally and emotionally. Life is not just about me anymore. It's about sticking around as long as I possibly can for this beautiful little person we created and whom I love more than myself. Since the beginning of the year, we've completely changed our eating habits and the results speak for themselves. I am officially back in my pre-pregnancy jeans! A few months ago, I thought that would never happen. Of course we still eat our Domino's once in a while, and indulge here and there...that's life. But I can definitely say that we've made significant progress in our eating habits and exercise regimen. I'm so proud of our accomplishments thus far and I can't wait to see the results of the Insanity program after week 8!

On another note, Mat officially finished his Master's degree last week and his diploma should be here soon! It's been a long two years of evenings and weekends lost with school work, but it was so worth it in the end. Mat has accomplished so many things since the start of his Air Force career and I couldn't be more proud of him!!

In baby news, according to her 6 month checkup, she weighs 16.4lbs and is 27 1/2" long. If she keeps growing at this rate, she's going to be taller than me by the time she's 5. haha No really though, she's repeatedly in the 90th percentile for height, so only time will tell how tall she'll really be. The greatest news of all is that she is healthy. What more could parents ask for?

We also had her 6 month photos taken over the weekend and they turned out super cute! I will post some pics when they arrive next week!

Life is good.

Baby girl and her super cool "helmet" hair. :) 

Drunk Bum Baby

What is a drunk bum baby you ask? It's what baby's daddy likes to call her! Why, you ask? Because she has every characteristic of a drunk bum:
- she spits up everywhere...all day
- she barfs all over herself & her parents
- she falls flat on her face while sitting at meal time
- her hair is always disheveled (due to her helmet & totally not her fault)
- she babbles all day and we can't understand a word that comes out of that adorable mouth
- she constantly wears mismatched socks (this is due to her mommy, who also wears mismatched socks...I swear socks vanish into thin air around here so I just grab and go!)
I'm sure there are more, but you get the point.

Our baby is officially 6 months old today and we just can't believe how fast she is growing up! She's definitely "talking" more and we get a kick out of every "word" she says. That's what being a new parent is all about, right?

Current likes:
- Her puggy, Bailey! If Bailey is around, Felicity eyes do not leave her. Bailey loves to give F smooches all over her face too...kinda gross. Sisterly love...
- Carrots! (The 2nd food F has liked so far. It seems to be only orange colored foods at the moment.)
- Bath time

Dislikes:
- Peas! (So far, green foods aren't up her alley.) Wah wah...

I wasn't joking about the socks.

Baby girl in all of her 6 month glory!

Word.

Almost 6 Months

Baby girl will officially be 6 months old in just 4 days. It’s surreal how fast she is growing. Her 6 month checkup is next week so I will update her stats soon. She unfortunately is teething again. Poor little thing isn’t even 6 months old and already has her 2 bottom teeth & now her top teeth are trying to poke through. The last week or so has been rocky to say the least. Doses of Tylenol, teething tablets, & baby Oragel have been our best friends lately. We apparently must not be that great of friends because between the crying & screams of pain, I’m not sure anything is helping this pitiful pearl.
In other news, she had another helmet appointment this past Wednesday and her head shape has improved by 3%, which is great news. I’m still confused by all of the percentages and such, but as long as her head is looking more round, that’s all I care about. She is also officially going through separation anxiety. If she can’t see my face or Mat’s, it’s all downhill from there. We visited Mat's office today and let's just say the crocodile tears were rolling.
On another note, she is rolling around like crazy and loves being on her tummy. It's funny how much she has changed because she used to despise being on her tummy just a few months ago. The minute I put her on the floor for playtime, she rolls to her belly, pops her head up like a turtle and ferociously kicks her legs as if she’s going somewhere. It’s so adorable. I have a feeling she may be an early crawler…lucky us! She’s still squealing & shrieking as loud as ever. She loves to let us know that she is here! (As if we would ever forget!)

A few of her favorite things:
Mortimer the Moose
Sophie the Giraffe
Rainforest Jumparoo - nothing but smiles while she's jumping!
Being tickled - She is SUPER ticklish just like her daddy!
Sweet potatoes - her first food and she is obsessed

Dislikes at the moment:
Strangers
Green beans - her second solid food that she's tried- we get nothing but lock jaw on this one
Teething!

Spray Paint Magic

I picked up this lovely floral painting a few weeks ago at a local consignment shop for $30. It's a pretty large, original painting on canvas that measures 28" x 34". I wasn't thrilled with the gold frame so I spray painted a glossy white.

Before:

(You can ignore the blue painter's tape.)

After!

I think the white frame actually accentuates the picture even more than the gold. Love it!

Our Nursery Featured!

This is a few months overdue but I still had to post it. My daughter's nursery was featured on Ohdeedoh.com (now Apartment Therapy) back in November! I was so excited when I received the news because it's one of my favorite home decor/inspiration websites.

Here is the link if you want to check it out:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/my-room-felicityhanscom-afb-ma-160650

A little peek.