Baby Girls Bedroom Part 1

My little Cozy's nursery is pretty much done. With my first baby, I wanted her nursery to be more "girly". A lot of pinks and frills. But with Cozette's I wanted it to be more cheery, bright and eclectic. 

Thanks to Sherwin-Williams, I was able to find the perfect yellow. I wanted it to be subtle; almost like you took butter and slapped it on the walls. My advice to anyone who wants to paint a room yellow...swatches NEVER do the color justice. If you don't want it to look super yellow...go more for the color swatches that look cream. It will surprise you with how yellow it really is! 

-Paint: Sherwin-Williams Jersey Cream (eggshell for room, semi gloss for bathrooms)

-Light, mirror, rug: Home Goods

-Curtains and white frames: Ikea 

-Prints: Belle and Boo

-Beddding: Land of Nod

-Pouf: Amazon

-Book rack: Pottery Barn Kids

-Changing table handles: World Market

DIY/Thrift store finds:

-gold frame: thrift

-changing table: thrift

-rocking chair: thrift (before and after here)

-crib use to be mine when I was a babe and the rocking horse use to be Josh's, we just painted them white.  

-sewed ribbon and poufs onto the curtains, and added blackout material to the back

-the "cozette" banner I made from burlap sacks and tied them together with the sack string

Painting some magazine files...

I bought these magazine files from Ikea and was originally going to modge podge them, but decided to water paint them instead. I don't know what it is about me and taking a paint brush to everything...I think I should simmer down a bit before I regret it!

I used white acrylic paint for the stripes, so I can "title" what the files have inside of them. For now, I left them blank because I have yet to organize everything. :-/

p.s. have you seen all of the amazingly awesome rugs anthro got in...holy cow! I almost wanted to use one as a bed spread I'm that obsessed! Anyways, not sure where I was going with this...so I'll just end there!  Have a happy and splendid weekend!

^^^have I mentioned how much I love having my own office...sounds so official doens't it?! I can assure you it isn't, but still, it's fun to say "my office" :-) 

Gold Diggin'

I am obsessing over gold lately. Have you ever tried gold leafing? I have been having a lot of fun with it recently, and can't wait to share some of my fun DIY's.

Gold just adds a nice touch of glam to any decor. One of my good friends just redecorated her living room in gold and grey...and I love it!

If any of you want to see some fantastic golden finds...take a peek at west elms golden gilded pinterest board and you're bound to fall in love! Tell me, would it be weird if I gold leafed the outside of my house?! I'm seriously considering it... :-)

A Hair Experiment...with some yellows and greens!

I saw this idea in some beauty magazine so I thought "hm...why not?!" It's a little messy...I would recommend mashing it until it's super smooth rather than leaving it chunky like I did. However, it left my hair feeling SO soft! I was honestly amazed...who would have thought that combing some delicious ingredients would leave your locks silky smooth?!

Ingredients:
1 ripe banana
1 ripe avacado
a few TBS of olive oil
a drop or two of peppermint (I added this just to give it a nice smell)

And what a fun DIY gift for a friend...put a banana, an avocado, a little bottle of olive oil and peppermint in a small basket and attach the remedy with a tag. Give the gift of soft hair. haha. Hey, I'd love it!

Cozy Girl's Nursery

When we found out we were having another baby girl...I immediately started thinking of fun ideas for her nursery. With my first girl, I decorated her nursery in a lot of pink and greys. So with Cozette's little room I wanted it to be more colorful and bright! And ya know what...it's perfectly fitting because she is such a bright and cheery little thing.

 My two must have's...1.baby powder scentsy and Johnson's baby lotion 

(nothin' better than a good smelling baby in a good smelling room!)

-Bedding Bumper: Land of Nod
-Bedding Skirt: Pottery Barn kids (it's the same one I had from Sage's bedding, so I figured I'd reuse it)
-Dresser Handles: World Market
-Stencil: Martha Stewart stencil from Michael's
-Rug and Plates: Home Goods
-Artwork: Belle & Boo
-Dresser: Consignment store
-Fan: home depot
-Green Pouf: Ebay

DIY:
-Rocking Chair: Salvation army (see before and after HERE)
-Crib: Use to be mine and we just repainted it
-Baby rocking chair: use to be my husbands when he was little and we also repainted it
-Window Valance: made out of a piece of wood that my hubby nailed together and then I covered it with cute fabric I got on sale at Joannes (it all cost me about $30 compared to about $200 for the other window valences I was looking at!)
-Baskets: I covered the edges with fabric that matched the decor
-Lamp Shade: got it at TJMAX and than I glued the beads (from Joannes) around the bottom 
-Ceiling and Molding wood work was done by some of Josh's friends and it's probably my favorite part of the nursery!

The most moist cake you'll ever taste...

PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE

I really hate that word "moist" but it's the only word to describe this cake. It was always the cake I wanted my mom to make for my birthday growing up, it's hands down one of my all time favorites! I mean just take a peek at the ingredients and you'll know why. :-)

Last night we went to a friends for dinner and I was in charge of bringing the dessert...it's always a crowd pleaser! So I thought I'd share my mom's special recipe for all of you to use, since it's that season to eat yourself silly with all things delicious!

This weekend consists of wrapping, gathering a few little things for Sage's first stocking (any good ideas for a two year old?!?!) and enjoying two full days with the hubsters! Have a wonderful one my friends!

Guest Room Makeover...

My good old mother dearest did a little update in her guest room a few weeks ago. I  SO wish I had pictures of what this room looked like before. I'll just have to paint a picture for you to imagine...think a lot of browns and reds. Red walls, brown duvet...with a touch of country in the decor. The bathroom was half painted and had chipped orange spanish tiles for the flooring. As for the flooring in the bedroom, it was old forest green carpet that needed a serious update. That was the before.

So, My sister and I talked my mom into doing more of an eclectic feel...with bright blues, yellows and pinks. She got a lot of the pillows and nic-nacks at Home Goods. Her duvet she kept simple and white (b/c there was a lot goin' on with the pillows) which she got at Target (best store ever!). They retiled the bathroom floor with small marble square tiles, and ripped out the old carpet and replaced it with some nice dark wood slats. She than bought some great fabric at Joannes and whipped up some curtains (she is great with the needle and thread I tell ya!). For the headboard, she actually found it at a consignment store, and just touched it up with some paint!

Honestly, we all fight for this room when we visit home. It's perfectly eclectic and so much better than the bright red walls and poopy brown (yes it really was poopy brown) bedding; now I can openly admit it ha.

Geometric Graphic Flooring...

Do you ever watch HGTV? Oh my gosh, Josh and I love watching the home makeover shows! When they show the final renovation (at the end) I am always amazed at two things: 1.)  How much paint color can drastically change a living space and 2.) how flooring can make your home look like a completely different living space!

I have been LOVING graphic tile (for flooring, back splashes, shower walls, etc) I think it adds a touch of creativity without being so "in your face".  I was playing around with a few photos of flooring I love and making different variations of "tile" options--who knows maybe some day I'll actually use one of these ideas for my future home?! ;-) **oh a gal can dream right?! 

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Balloon Fading

I've had this project in mind for a while, and just haven't really gotten around to it...but yesterday I was in Party City and decided to get a few balloons that "fa-woated" (aka: floated) as my little S so eloquently says. I love the faded look that is so popular right now (ya know...faded color in hair, faded colors in dresses, scarves and even nails!) So I thought, why not on a balloons for a party or get together!?! Could you imagine 20+ white balloons all spray painted a different color--oh it would...well the only word I could think of describe it would be...awesome! **wink

Anyways, here was my attempt at a few different colors and it turned out just the way I pictured it! 

Nail Feva'

I love nail polish. Hey, ya can't expect a gal who grew up with four sisters to not like it right?! :-) Saturday my husband non-chalantly suggested I go get my nails done, "you deserve it" he said. I sat there and thought "I do? Um, yeah okay yeah, yeah I think I just might go do that..." Now, let's just say he never randomly suggests something like this unless 1.) my nails look so awful that even he would notice them or 2.) He was feeling like since he had a nice five hour round of 18 holes that morning, that I to deserved a little "me" time. I am thinkin' it was #2. Sweet man I married.

So, instead of getting a color I did a french. I sort of wish I would have done a color?!?! don't ya hate when that happens?! So moral of my story, never go against what you know you want even if you think you want something else....yep it took getting my nails done to realize this. **wink. Maybe I'll just keep to painting them myself, than I wont feel guilty if I don't like it?! haha.


Here are my favorite COLORFUL polishes coming up for the summer season! (I know I've already mentioned the hot pink one, but it's worth mentioning again (-: )

-LA GIRL FLARE (in gold sparkles & orange)

-Sinful Colors (in hot pink)

-Savina (in Earthly Delights)

-NYC polish (in skin tight denim cream)

 

Color around the Eyes...

I am a huge fan of Ray Bans. Even though I have been very blessed with good eye sight (knock on wood)  there is still a small piece of me that would love to have an excuse to buy and slap a pair of these puppies on! They just add such a nice touch of spunk without being over the top. I remember when I was in middle school I got a pair of "fake" eye glasses just b/c I wanted to wear glasses SO bad ha,  oh those were the days I tell ya! :-)

As I was perusing all their options, I thought I'd share some of my faves. I know the yellows are a bit 'sunshine-harry-potterish' but gosh with the right look they would be simply fantastic!!! Do you wear glasses and if so do you choose a frame that is more trendy or classic?

 

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO YOU!!!!

GOLÉY NAILS (gold+grey=goley)

As some of you may know, I really am a huge fan of grey and gold--its just a beautiful contrast.
So I thought it would be fun to paint a nail design using one of my favorite color duos...which is how I came up with "GOLÉY nails" because I really couldn't think of a better title... just humor me here ha.


They are kinda funky, but I like funky :-).
All you need is two different colored nail polishes, and the fantastic new Precision Tip Q-Tips!

Yellow Sapphire Ring Giveaway...from Simple Daisy

Can I just tell you how much I LOVE this ring by Simple Daisy!?! For one, because it's gorgeous (hand crafted with a bright yellow sapphire--details here--sold for $144) and secondly, because of the sweet message it has on the inside!  When I was a little girl (here I go...getting all nostalgic on ya) my mom always sang the lullaby "you are my sunshine" to me; and now I sing it to my little baby girl. I guess it's just a tune that brings back so many fond memories.

So without further adieu, here's how to win this gorgeous piece...

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING STEPS:

1. You must be a Color Issue follower (simply by clicking join this site in the top right corner)

2. Spread the sunshine and let me know where you shared (via your own blog, twitter, facebook, etc.)

3.  LIKE Simple Daisy on Facebook--Heather (the artist) really is a likeable person **wink wink

Simple Daisy is offering 10% off  when you enter COLOR10 at checkout on her etsy shop for all those who would like to purchase more of her great pieces! 


DEADLINE IS NEXT WEDNESDAY , MARCH 14TH @ MIDNIGHT PST

Pantone Colors

I am in love with these pantone mugs. What a great way to add color to your cup collection...it even has the pantone number for each different color! Such creative minds out there.

**side story: Back when I was a sophomore up at school, I was in my second semester of my advertising program and I decided to apply for a job with the design department (creating posters/brochures etc. distributed throughout campus). Anways {long story short} during the interview the guy asked me what the difference was between pantone and cmyk colors. I was stumped..."um-cmy-pan-huh?!" He looked at me like "wait...your studying design and you don't know what that is?!" To my credit, I was ONLY in my second semester...how was I suppose to know right?! Needless to say I did NOT get the job. To top it off...guess what I learned about a week later--yep PANTONE and CMYK. Go figure?!  :-)

So if any of you are wondering (don't blame you if you aren't...haha) Pantone is a set of standard colors for printing, each has a specific color. Usually it's more vibrant and accurate and tends to present a crisper, graphic quality. CMYK color allows more color possibilities, but sometimes a poor print job or color mixture can result in duller, less accurate colors.


Here are some of my favorite Pantone colors as of lately...apparently the fashion trend for spring 2012 is tangerine (and colors similar to it)...which I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!