Prayers for Japan

PB Knockoff & The Easter Duck

Easter is right around the corner, can you believe it?

  "Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana," they say. Actually, that's a Groucho Marx quote.  


*Side note:* I looooooooove the Marx Bros.  


Anyways, since Easter is around the corner I decided I ought to start decorating, but it's kinda hard to decorate when you lack decorations.  Up until somewhat recently, we lived in apartments and I just never did invest in things that would eventually take up closet space.  Therefore, I am often short on decor.


Enter inspiration:

(source)

It shouldn't come as a surprise that I love me some Pottery Barn.  I've received this magazine for years and years and what may or may not be surprising is that I don't own one single item from PB.  Not a one.  

I have to improvise on a tighter budget than what PB usually requires.

(same source as above)

  I knew when I saw these hanging bobbles that I could make them.  So I did.  

Here's what I used:

(sweat tarts not required, but are encouraged)

I also used some MS stickers for the letters mostly cuz I got lazy and thought they'd be easier.

Here's the results:

Not too shabby right?  Or, rather, just shabby enough.

Now, on to the Easter Duck.  No, that wasn't a typo.  Growing up, our family had an Easter Duck in lieu of an Easter Bunny.  Why?  Funny you should ask, I was just about to tell you.

For a brief time, we owned some bunnies and a few ducks.  One fine Spring day whilst playing in our backyard, our bunny got a little 'frisky' with one of our ducks.  Obviously, he's a rabbit and while confused, he was only doing what rabbits do best, right?  Well, my little sister was THOROUGHLY appalled and forthwith stripped him of his title, thus leaving us Easter-Mascot-less.  She quickly realized this and instead dubbed our duck the bringing of fair eggs and the Easter Duck was born. 

True story.  

(In case you're curious, this little sister is the littlest one pictured in the post about our Papa Bear here).

Adorable.

Trip Shoot

Please take a minute to hop over to my photography blog and check out this amazing shoot!

Papa Bear...

I need to take a minute to share what's always on my mind at this time of year.  February comes and it's not flowers and hearts I first think of, it's my Grandpa.  Our Papa Bear.  What can I say about this man who taught us so much?  Certainly nothing that fully grasps the profound impact he had.  Words don't come when I try to explain just how much we loved him then and now.  

I simply know no words.

 

Five years after his passing and I still cry myself to sleep some nights over how much I miss him. 

 In quiet moments, I can almost smell his skin and when I think hard enough, I remember the way his hugs felt.  

I know I will see him again but selfishly, I want him now.  

The only thing I can think to say, and I hope that I said it at our final goodbye:

Thank You.

In loving memory.  

R.W.B. 

born February 29th, 1920 returned February 22nd, 2006

Boy's Room Phase 1

 I'm calling this phase one, because the room isn't near complete just yet.  We need window treatments, a bed skirt, a rug, a comforter...basically all the secondary items.  We have furniture and painted walls so far - but I'm SO grateful to have that little bit done!

This room was originally lavender - not what our lil' man had asked for.  During our house search, his requests were simple- a green house, a green room, and an indoor pool "downstairs."  I'm sorry to say that we failed on all three counts- he didn't even get a pool outside let alone in the house.  So I made him a promise that we would paint his room green...that was last November.  I admit I dragged my feet during the holidays.  Come January is was ready, the only problem was that I could NOT find the right color.  Does anyone else make up imaginary colors in your head that aren't offered at the paint store?  I sure do.  I literally had 10 samples on the wall.  I finally decided and here are the results.  

 What, you don't paint in your undies?

Sometimes it looks neon, sometimes avocado, sometimes celery... 

 Can I take a moment to pat myself on the back?  I did the stripes all by myself.  Look at how nice and clean the lines are! They aren't perfect- I measured from where I started to where I finished.  They end up about 1/8 of an inch higher than where I began- but I think that's a total success.  Especially because I measure like this, "12 and a tiny line passed half" or "5 tinie lines before 3/4."  Yeah, math skilllllzzzz.

I wanted to bring down the ceiling a bit, and I think I achieved that with the placement of my stripes.  We can afford to do that because we have nine foot ceilings throughout the house (my husband is 6'8, we need tall ceilings).  I also like that the pale green tones the brighter green down significantly. 

I'm so happy with the room and am excited to finish it up.  More importantly, promised fulfilled.

 The bright green is called, "Gleeful."  Great name for a kids' room, right?

This is so far the only art I've put up.  These are greeting cards I purchased a while back for this very purpose.  I simply mounted them on white card stock and painted the frames.  If you look closely at the shots above, you'll notice the frames aren't all the same and they don't line up perfectly.  I purchased the frames from GW because I am cheap and they work just fine for now.

The e.e. cummings one if my favorite.

It's funny the things you think about while doing something mindless, like painting.  I was thinking all about how so many silly cliche sayings are true and apply when painting a room.  For example:

"A stitch in time saves nine" I took as: "Do the prep work- tape, caulk, patch, etc."

"It's Greek to me" translates to: "Me no do math."

"Back to square one" translates to "10 samples and nothing I'm in love with"

"As high as a kite" translates to "paint fumes"

"Beating around the bush" translates to "(me thinking) please don't ask about your room, please don't ask about your room..."

"Close but no cigar" translates to my measuring prowess.

"Bite off more than you can chew"  self explanatory.

"He who has gas travels at the back of the pack."  Also self explanatory...(10 points if you know what movie that's from).


All kidding aside, I love that our boy has a room he can feel at home in.  And, I love my awesome taping job.


P.S.
I should mention that the dresser is from my Mom and the headboard belonged to my Grandparents. I love that our boy is surrounded by love and family though we are so far apart.




Linked here for a boy's room party!

I Caught A Pixie...

You can find the tutorial for this here.

I can't wait to do the Halloween Pixies as shown in the tutorial! 

Apple Crate

 Hand painted this lil' guy the other day.  I like it.  I chose "Fred's Apples" because I call my husband Fred and it seemed fitting.  No, his name's not Fred but that's OK.  Our family and friends will understand.  My favorite part are the branches, they're along the sides too.

This is what my daughter uses it for.  It'd only been on the floor for a minute before she climbed in.

Got the crate from Michaels for $10.  All the paints were leftover from my sign projects.  The stain had to be purchased but I will certainly be using it again.  Maybe to make another of these babies (the crate, not the kid.  Obviously I can't make a child out of a crate- silly).

Linking here: