Crafting: Kingston's Nursery

I think it's finally time that I reveal all of Kingston's nursery to you lovely readers. Thankfully, I started working on this bad boy as soon as we found out that we were pregnant because I haven't wanted to do anything in there for a few weeks.

I knew our decor scheme was going to be similar whether we had a boy or girl: 
dark walls, white furniture with metallic and either mint or raspberry accents. 

Let me remind you of our nursery inspiration.

original details here

And here is how I tried to bring that inspiration to life! 

(Keep in mind our untraditional room setup)

Wall Color // Lowe's // Valspar - Muted Ebony

Accent Paint // Lowe's// Pantone Universe - Bay

Crib // Cherry Orchard Furniture  //  Angel Line Mary 3 in 1 Crib

Chair // Wayfair

3 piece dresser/changing table // Home Decorators

Curtains // Target 

Rug // Rugs USA 

Mirror // gift from my dad which he found antiquing
Cloud Mobile // handmade by me 

Lamp // TJMaxx
K Wall Hanging // Hobby Lobby

Puff Quilt // handmade by me

Bedding // handmade by me // crib sheet, crib skit & changing pad cover
Mint Throw // TJMaxx 

Apothecary Jar // Nebraska Furniture Mart

Little Tins // Target - dollar section

Nuts & Bolts Metallic Men // Hobby Lobby 

Basket // Target 

The World is Your Playground // handmade by me

Dream Quote & K // gift from baby shower #3

Car Bookends // Nebraska Furniture Mart

Moustache Closet Makeover // done by me

*The tutorials I used for the fabric goodies can be found on my Pinterest board. 
*Shopping at TJMaxx is always hit or miss and they stock each location differently. 
*Check out my Etsy shop if you would like me to create the perfect puff quilt/mobile for your little ones nursery. 


I'm in love with how it turned out. 

It's modern. 

It's elegant. 

It's eclectic. 

It's us! 

The World Is Your Playground : Tutorial

Way back at the beginning of this pregnancy I knew I wanted our nursery theme to be modern and monochromatic: black, white, metallic silver. And then eventually we would throw in an accent color depending on the sex of Baby K.

If you've been around a while you've probably noticed that our whole lives are black and white: everything from our 

wardrobe - to our cars - to our animals. It's just how we do things around here! 

Anyways, I saw a picture on Instagram one day of a huge world map with the words 'The World Is Your Playground' and I knew I had to make it a part of the nursery! After doing a little more research it brought me to a cute Etsy shop - The Rusted Arrow.

For $19.99 you can have it shipped right to your front door . . .  but what's the fun in that? 
I wanted to 'craft' and create a little mama-made artwork. 

Of course, I turned to non other than Pinterest to see if I could find a free print of a world map and try to recreate the wording on my own. 

Thankfully, I stumbled upon a blog (that I now read daily) of a wonderful mama who creates prints and shares freely with others! She even lets you put in new requests and edits on already created ones. 

Marci at If These Walls Could Speak already had a world map print but it was in color (and you know how I feel about color) and not exactly what I was looking for.  

After requesting some tweaks - she was able to create a few different options for me to pick from. 

Of course I went with the plain choice because it was most like the original inspiration and because I thought it would stand out more against our dark walls. 

I downloaded the print from Marci's online drop box folder and then sent it by email to my local office max store. They were able to blow it up into and engineer print (18x24) for $1.75. What a steal! I purchased a piece of foam board, attached the print with some spray adhesive, freehanded the words and then topped it off with a little glitter.

Of course I couldn't pass up the little figurines to help share the shelf. 

I really love how it turned out and for close to $7.00 - you can't beat that! 

I'm so thankful to to gracious people that create beauties and share with others. 
Thanks again Marci! 

PS - Check out the other fun projects we've done so far in our nursery:

Wrapping Paper Closet Makeover

Furniture & Paint

Crib Sized Puff Quilt

Linking up with: Lindsey

Non-Traditional Pumpkins

A few weekends ago, my little sister was in town and I had BIG plans to decorate some pumpkins together. You know, the whole she-bang: glitter, paint, jewels, ribbon. {check out my inspiration here} Anyways, we didn't get around to doing it that weekend, because you know how time fly's when you are having fun. Fortunately though, I had some extra time after work this past week and was able to knock out a few creations. . . just in time to take them to work for our Halloween party! 

Paint and a whole lot of bedazzling! 

Purple and gold glitter held on by mod podge! 

I also painted a bigger pumpkin with our companies logo on it and I will clean it out and put some flowers in it! I may decide to add a ribbon bow or two, but we'll see. 

Halloween is my least favorite holiday - but I love when you can be a little non-traditional while still being festive! CT even said 'This is the coolest pumpkin I've ever seen' in regards to the purple glittered pumpkin. He may not like our house in the process of all of my 'crafting' but I love when I create something and he likes it as much as I do.

What non-traditional decorations are up in your home?

Linking up with: craft-o-maniac and Making The World Cuter

Crafting: Ring Bearer Pillow

At the beginning of this month I went down to Texas for my bsfs wedding, where I did a recap here. Succulents, burlap, moss, monograms, pastel colors = so pretty! 

She was freaking out a few weeks before the wedding because she hadn't purchased a ring bearer pillow or a flower girl basket. Luckily, I'm super crafty and I'm her friend so of course I volunteered to make her a pillow! 

I started with a trip to good ole Hobby Lobby picking up some burlap, twine, and some silk fabric to make the flower. Her colors were pastel so this peach matched perfect!

I then cut out 2 10.5'' by 7.5'' pieces from the burlap and some random cotton fabric I had laying around the house. I didn't realize the burlap was so see through, that if I wouldn't have backed it with another piece of fabric then you would have seen the stuffing. 

The finished pillow after I had stuffed it and used stitch witchery to close the gap. 

I then made the silk rosette flower, and then noticed it was missing something. I went to my craft room and busted out the vintage brooches I had.

 {my dad is an avid antique-r so he always finds me some goodies!} 

This was the original photo I sent her of the brooches I liked and thought went well. 

And what we ended up going with was completely different! 

{Don't mind the shadow. It's time for a legit camera and not just my phone!}

I added a twine bow which made it easy for the little may to hold on to and in case they wanted to tie fake rings to it.

This took me maybe 30 minutes and about $7. 

Can't beat that!! 

Linking up with Artsy Fartsy Mama and Organized 31 and Craftberry Bush and Young and Crafty and Serenity Now

Crafting: 4th of July Mantle Decor

If you read my post yesterday, you would have saw the beginning of my 4th of July mantle decor. 

If not click here to check out the details on how I went about crafting this frame. 

Our wedding anniversary is July 2nd, so I wanted to incorporate some memorably into our decorations. 

I gathered things from all around the house and purchased a few small cheap things from hobby lobby.

Because of the flash you cant really see, but in that in the frame is our wedding invatiation. You can also see our handmade cake toppers of our initials in the flower arrangement. 

Paper fan purchased at hobby lobby.

 Wooden star purchased at a boutique here in Wichita.

 

The bird can be found at Michael's and the silver vase I purchased at Hobby Lobby.

Banner purchased from Hobby Lobby. 

Aren't mantles the best thing to decorate?

They are the main focal point of any room and you can do so much with them.

Seeing the completed picture makes me want to now go and paint the mantle white.

 I guess I'll just have to add it to the every growing list!

Linking up with Organized 31 and Craftberry Bush
Young and Crafty and Serenity Now

Crafting: My Dream Red Buffet Table

If you read my post about my dad's auction find, you would know I had been on the look out for the perfect buffet table to re-finish for our dining room.

My dad is really into antiques and auctions, so I had him on the lookout for the perfect buffet table for me. 

He came across this beauty for a whopping $60. 

My inspiration was this amazing peice of furniture. 

 

I'm crazy over the pop of red against the dark wall.

I wish I had the guts to paint a room that color!

I decided to go with Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint in Emperor's Silk. 

 It took three coats to completely cover and give it a good solid color. If I would have antiqued it, I could have stopped at 2 coats. The picture above is only with two coats and you can see how there is some patches of dark still peeping through.

This is the finished product with the updated hardware. I found these knobs at Hobby Lobby for 50% off.

 Score!

I'm loving the transformation!

 This picture doesn't do the red justice. It's really much brighter in person.

I'm just really excited to have another surface to decorate!  

Linking up with Polkadots on Parade  and Artsy Fartsy Mama and  Organized 31 and Craftberry Bush and Young & Crafty and Rain on a Tin Roof.

Crafting: Birthday List [part 2]

So May is here... 

So that only means the count down to my birthday has already begun! 3.2 weeks or 23 days to be exact.

My birthday list is an ever evolving thing. 

You can find part 1 of my list here.

  Additional items requested are below. 

1. The Message Bible

2. Power Drill

3. iPad 


Stay tuned. I know Ill come up with more.
 It never fails. I always find things I need. 


PS- Tomorrow is an exciting day in the Trotter household. Ekk! 

Weekend Recap + Shabby Spring Bunting

This weekend started a little early on Friday. I picked up a few extra hours throughout the week and had to stay late for an open house one night, so I was pushing over time and decided to leave early Friday.

Saturday was a hang at home all day kind of day. 

It was showering and thunder-storming all day, so it was the perfect opportunity to do a little spring cleaning and spring crafting! 

I mainly organized and cleaned out the hobby room. It's crazy how quickly it can turn into a hot mess! 

I still have an abundance of black feather boas from our wedding that I need to find something to do with. 

I'm thinking probably a Halloween wreath and maybe some garland on the Christmas tree? Any other ideas?

I'm also looking at doing something with these beauties! Besides these colors, I have a ton more grey, brown, and black buttons. I'm thinking about spray painting some metallic silver and incorporating them into our bedroom decor somehow.

After a little organizing, I joined the hubby in the living room with some fabric while he watched the draft. [Go Cowboys!]

 

I cut 4"x 2" blocks of some 'springy' fabric.

 Then I cut them into various shapes and left them with a raw edge which gives it a more shabby look. 

My complete Spring mantle!

I don't know how I feel about the leopard and I'm wishing it had more pink in it, but other than that I'm loving it and I'm impressed with how easy it was. 

We ended the weekend at the zoo with CT's little cousin. It's insane how crazy Kansas weather is: freezing during the week, rainy on Saturday, and 75 and sunny on Sunday! 

We had a really good time! 

It's even better when you can return the child to their parents and then come home and take a nap. Oh the joys of not having kids and borrowing them for the afternoon!

Linking up with Sami.
Linking up with Jamie
Linking up with Jamie.
Linking up with Cheryl.

Crafting: A Taggie Blanket

This weekend I attended a co-workers shower, filled with lots of blue and lots of ducks! 

 Her theme for the babies room is very neutral:greys, white, and a few accent light blues. Her bedding she received was grey and white with chevron sheets. 

Shopping around at boutiques here in town, I kept coming across those cute taggie blankets. I don't really know the purpose of them, other than comfort and a little something to chew on, but I did know they looked simple enough that a beginning sewer like myself could make one! 

Step 1: Get the supplies. The minky is the key to this whole project. It is extremely soft and it's a must for this blanket! 

Step 2: Cut your fabric squares. I made this blanket 12x12 but I have seen them made all the way up to 15x15.

 Step 3: Cut your ribbon. I cut 3 different styles of ribbon 3" in length. I felt as though this length left plenty of ribbon on the outside of the blanket after it was sewn in.

Step 4: Pin the ribbons on the blanket facing inward the same distance apart. Remember, you sew everything inside out so when you turn it right side after you are done sewing, the stitching is nowhere to be seen.

 

Step 5: I did stitch a border on tip with a zig-zag stitch after this picture was taken. It made the blanket look a little more polished and put together.

I'm loving the finished product.

 So simple and so fun. 

I've got a lot of babies in my life these days, so I'm going to whip up a few more just for fun and practice.

What do you know, maybe I found another product for my up and coming etsy shop!

A girl can dream right?

Linking up with Kristen and Courtney.