Cozying up the house

Goodness, I've been really busy around here lately.  Too busy to blog or even read other blogs (gasp!).

With the temperatures already getting below zero, it was time to cozy up the house. 
I moved some furniture around in the living room, which always sets off some sort of design chain-reaction.  This time it was a now empty wall.  To solve that, I finally finished my book page wreath that was started toward the beginning of the year.  This thing took FOREVER to get done and caused many hot glue gun blisters (ouch!).

The book I chose is a baby name book.  If you know me at all, I'm obsessed with baby names, but we've had our last baby and so it was time to put the book away.  I made sure all of my kids' first and middle names were in prominent places on the wreath.

I used natural toned muffin pan liners to fill in empty spots and create a color contrast.  The ribbon is hand stamped and hand dyed from Etsy. 

 I love it, and it fills this empty wall beautifully on it's own.

 My bedding got switched out to heavier fabrics and flannel sheets.  So cozy.  I'm so excited to go to bed tonight (after I stay up really late on blogger).

The strange bump on the right side of the bed is called a Tres Tria...the best co-sleeping invention EVER.

 

Honestly, my biggest focus right now is the boys' room.  It's a work in progress and I'm hoping the get the whole thing painted this weekend.  The slats are up on part of the room, but we have to recut some that are too long for the walls.

 

  I still have 2-5 bookcases (depending on how ambitious I'm feeling) to paint with Miss Mustard Seed milk paint.  Hopefully I can do the reveal before we leave for Washington.  

Don't forget to enter the Crafters Dream Giveaway - Click HERE!! 

    

New Bench!

While I was in Washington last week, my sister and I crammed in some delightful visits to the local antique and vintage stores.  Oh, it was so much fun...I have missed it.

Anyway, I found this perfect overstuffed bench to use as the living room ottoman.  It came from one of the vintage stores and was redone very well with good reinforcement and sturdy fabric so it can handle kids.

This beauty fit great in the u-haul,and along with my other finds, I am a happy camper!

If you remember, I re-did the big coffee table last summer, but it's just too big for the room.  

We desperately needed more floor space in the living room, so the bench is a great change from the coffee table.  

  

 For the sofa, I got 2 pillow slipcovers from an Etsy seller.  Pillow slipcovers are a really affordable way to change your room up, and I love supporting small businesses.

  

I also folded up some fabric to use as a runner on my sewing table.  The fun print some great springtime color.  

I would have put a vase or bowl on there too, but Lydia keeps pulling it down, so it would be a safety issue at this point, haha.

The living room has been rearranged, and I'm sure it will probably stay like this for...oh, 2 weeks.  I'm a chronic re-arranger. (click HERE for the before)

There are a couple more items I brought back with me that I'm having so much fun finding places for.  I'll share those soon.  

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While I was going through my camera, I found these pictures of an Oklahoma sunset outside of our apartment.

"My entry to Uncommonly Yours link party @ Uncommon sponsored by Appliances Online and the  Bosch Washing Machines."

Linking to:
Overflowing with Creativity @ Its Overflowing

Sunday's Best @ My 1929 Charmer

Restyled Sundays @ Stylish Once Again

Sundae Scoop Party @ I Heart Nap Time

Making The World Cuter Monday @ Making The World Cuter

Metamorphasis Monday @ Between Naps On The Porch

More The Merrier Monday @ DIY Home Sweet Home

Motivate Me Monday @ Keeping It Simple

Newbies Monday @ DebbieDoos

What's In The Gunny Sack @ The Gunny Sack

Make it Monday @ Brassy Apple 

Let's Party @ 3 Mango Seeds 

So Creative Party Time 

Meet Me Monday @ You Are Talking Too Much
Show it off Mondays @ Get Outta my Head Please
Market Yourself Monday @ Sumo's Sweet Stuff
The DIY Showoff

Make the Scene Monday @ Alderberry Hill
Creative me @ The Southern Institute

Knick of Time Tuesday

Tuesday's Treasurer @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia 

Power of Paint Party @ Domestically Speaking

Be Inspired @ Elizabeth and Co.
Tutorials and Tips @ Home Stories A2Z

Twice Owned Tuesday @ House of Grace
Uncommonly Yours @ Uncommon Designs Online

Pure Beauty from Etsy

What isn't there to like about Etsy?  You can get anything and everything on there (including tons of stuff you can't find anywhere else), you're often recycling, AND you're supporting small business. 

Here are my most recent finds that have appeared at my house this week!

This sweet resin mirror from The Shabby Chateau.  I didn't realize my camera focused on what was IN the mirror instead of the mirror itself.  I'm too tired to go back and take new photos, so this is all the peek you'll get for now.  The mirror will actually be hung underneath the top post that's showing in the mirror.  More on that reveal next week.

 I love the rose carvings.  Beautiful.

Also from The Shabby Chateau is this lovely chalkboard!  I have no idea where in the room I'll put this, I just knew I loved it too much to pass up

  

This gorgeous French Ribbon from RU Piper Designs will be used as a tie back for my master bathroom window curtain.  It is exactly what I was looking for.  She has a lot of other items in her store, but I just fell in love with her collection of french ribbon

 

I've been wanting a pair of these lovely shoes for forever from Jami at Freckled Laundry (who also happens to have one of my most favorite blogs).  When we found out I was pregnant, these shoes were one of the reasons I was hoping for a girl!  They're the first thing I've bought for the baby that I've been really exited about

 

 Jami included a sweet little rosette "hair pretty" clipped to the top of the package

 

She even included some lovely clay tags with baby's initial on it

Seriously, could the bag and label be any more beautiful?

This looks like pure love to me

I have been looking for a while for a nice bag for spring.  I've been loving the look of some of the Etsy bags styled like french laundry bags with ruffles. But the price tag was more than I want to pay for a luxury item.  I came across this darling bag at Old Navy the other day, and it was on clearance for $12.50!  I snatched it up quick!  No, this isn't Etsy, but sometimes budget wins over authenticity.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing some of my finds.  Now go out there and start looking around for something special for you!

 
Linking to:
http://tidymom.net/2011/di-cupcake-stands/