Simply Sweet Sample Sale

A sweet talented friend is having a sample sale on a few of her christmas items.  Check out her blog below for some great items.  I have a couple of her infant gowns and they are so cute and cuddly-I can't wait for baby Kelton to make an appearance in them!

http://www.thesimplysweetbakery.com/2010/12/simply-sweet-shop-and-sale.html?spref=fb

Neutral Nursery

We finally got a camera(thanks mom for the early Christmas gift)....so here is Baby Kelton's nursery!

We got an old armoire,pianted it white and added new hardware.  I have saved this old window for a couple of years and wanted to use it somewhere...it finally found a home in the nursery. I just love the way it turned out.

I really wanted a little something on the wall by the bed, but didn't want anything hanging over the bed...

so I came up with the idea of the tree and once I was brave enough I took a paint brush to the wall!  I just used the NO VOC Mythic trim paint for the tree and the left over Mythic paint from two other rooms for the green and blue leaves.  If this is something you have been wanting to do-go for it-you can always paint over it if it doesn't turn out as you had hoped!

I had beautiful oatmeal colored linen bedding made and I am so pleased with it.  

                                Etsy is a great source for good prices on custom made bedding. 

If you do not see exactly what you want-show them other pictures or give them measurements to help them create the exact look you are going for. For example, I loved this bedding, but wanted really large ties to create this droopy bow look.

                                          

The little changing table I painted a while back-it is now filled with clean baby clothes and diapers!

I have been packing for the hospital which is why there is "stuff" all over the top of the changing table.

I better get that bag ready...just two more weeks!

Since the room was so neutral, I choose a blue silk curtain and brought in color with a few self made art projects.  Who says blue has to be JUST for boys?!? I think the touches of blue and green throughout create a nice neutral, organic feel to the room and I could not be more happy with it!

Creating a Homemade Baby Mobiles

I have been looking for a good mobile for the nursery and in the process came across many beautiful homemade baby mobiles.  After looking closely at them, I decided " Hey, I can do that!"  I am SOOo one of those people.  I see something and will check it out closely and attempt to make it myself.  Many of the attempts are not sucessful, but then others turn out even better!

Here are some of the mobile ideas I am currently toying with....



The butterfly mobile is the most simple.  I could just use scraps of colorful fabric and hang at varied lengths.  I think this is a great way to add a touch of color to the room. 

The owl is actually a Christmas ornament-but isn't he so cute!  I think I could make several of these little guys and it would make a super cute mobile.  There is a templete for this owl that can be found here: http://juicy-bits.typepad.com/juicy_bits/2009/12/131-give-a-hoot-for-the-holidays.html

The next mobile is adorable and ties in the whole theme of this particular nursery.  I would have to come up with a creative way to make it more like baby K's nursery.  You can check out the rest of the nursery here: http://thegoodlifebyerin.blogspot.com/2010/10/emersons-nurseryfinally.html  Super cute!

The last one of love!  It and many others like it can be founf on etsy-but it comes with a price tage of $165.00.  Yes, it is beautiful, but no thanks!  Look closely and you will see it is sticks, wrapped in yarn, with fabric birds wired to it-how hard could that be-right?

Anyway, I am currently working on a couple of these and I will show you how they turn out.

Which is your favorite?  Have any of you attempted to create your own baby mobile?

Free FALLing

I have been a little behind in decorating for fall around the house.....been a little preoqupied with nursery and baby stuff!  The easiest way to bring a little fall into my house is the mantel in the living room.

Traditionally, Fall decor tends to bring out the warmer, darker tones.  I like the texture in this mantels decor.

But sometimes something unexpected like this is BEAUTIFUL for FAll.  I just L-O-V-E this bright and fresh fall take.  I mean really, how lovely is this?!?

This too is a great brights and airy fall mantel.  And how simple-just add some brightly colored fall leaves.

One of my favorite bloggers, Layla, over at The lettered Cottage, has a great fall matel and firplace decor. 

 If you have not yet visited her blog-click over there now-http://theletteredcottage.net/

Love her style-and she and her hubby are just so stinkin cute-they will become one of your favorites!

Beautiful Baby Bedding

I know it took me long enough-but I decided on this classic linen baby bedding.  I love the look and feel linen brings to a room.  Not to mention I can see myself using this with more babies to come and even passing it on to a daughter one day :)!  I think it has a sort of timeless look.

I was really inspired by neutral nurseries and adding touches of color through accents like art and a creative mobile.  I am actually working on that and will post pictures soon ;)  Can't wait for the finished bedding to arrive-I will be sure to post finished nursery pics then.

 


This is made by Debbie Park and she can be found on etsy(http://www.etsy.com/shop/cottageandcabin).  She does beautiful work and if you do not find what you are looking for she will customize it.  I asked for this bedding but with longer and widerbumper ties so I can tie the bumper on with large bows.  I am a sothern girl and love me some bows!  She can also do this in a soft pink, blue or white linen.

Making Way for baby K

Well, many of you know that we are expecting out first in a little over 7 weeks-YIKE-that is hard to believe!  The hubbs and I decided not to find out what we are having-which has been a lot of fun-but it has made some things difficult.  When you go into baby shops- it is usually devided into boy stuff and girl stuff-with very little in between.  Now, girls can wear blues, greens, browns, and yellows-but little boys can not wear pink, flowers and little girly slogans.  While I am touching on this-why is it that everything has to have a slogan right across the front of it!  Little slugger, Future All Star, Mommy love me...I mean come on!!

Anyway...

My point is, there is a very limited selection of nice gender neutral clothing out there.  This got me to thinking(late at night when I couldn't sleep but should be sleeping)....So I pulled out my old sewing machine(by old I mean this bad boy was purchased in 1998) and went serching for ideas on the internet.

This is my new project...

making my own baby gowns.  I love baby gowns because they are cute and oh so easy!  I can purchase my choice fabric or make them from old t-shirts(love this green idea)!

There is a great tutorial here for making baby gowns from old t-shirts

http://thismamamakesstuff.com/?s=newborn+gowns

If you make one, please post a comment and share your pictures!  I would love to see some of the results!

freebie

no, I am not giving anything away-but a sweet friend is...

check out emma-crazycooks.blogspot.com

She is a baker and stay at home mom extraordinaire!

So-so at sewing

I love to tackle a good project but I am just so-so at sewing.  Truth be told, I have not really sewed anything since I was a little girl.  My grandmother was very talented and taught me a few things-but I just didn't keep it up.

 

With our first little one on the way, there are SOOo many cute kiddo clothes out there and I really want to get back into it!

There are the basic john johns and little dresses.  But I would eventually love to be able to monogram, applique, and more .

A sweet friend of mine has a blog if you are interested in a few tutorials or even making purchases from her! 

http://morethanclothing.blogspot.com/

Do any of you have a sewing machine that just rocks?!?

I have no idea what is out there and what I would need.  Suggestions please!  How did you get started on your sewing adventures?

Remember me...

Well, I know it has been a while since I have posted...but that does not mean the Kelton's Cozy Cottage has not been busy at work!

Rember the free old dresser I was turning into a changing table?

Well it has been completed for over a month now-I have just been slacking on posting!

I am really pleased with how it turned out.  I used left over white trim paint and a darker color for the knobs.  With the exception on the drawer liners, this project was FREE!

I picked up a mirror at a thrift store and simply spray painted it.  I had some left over fabric and wanted to do a little art project for the baby room.

I simply purchased 4 wooden sewing hoops from hobby lobby for less than $4.  I pulled the fabric tightly and super-glued the ends to the back to keep them secure.

I love the little pop of color it brings to the changing area.

Countdown to Baby

In a fixer upper, there is ALWAYS something that needs to be done!  The hubs may not know it yet, but he is booked every weekend until his classes start back!  I feel this sense of urgency to finish all of our unfinished projects before he work and school picks back up, for fear that they will NEVER get done-especially after baby Kelton comes!

So for now, I have decided to cross a few things off my list!  Like baby bedding-do I really think I have the time to make my baby bedding?  Lord, I can't even find the time to go to the fabric store!  I think I liked the idea of knowing that I made the bedding that my little one in sleeping in-but I have decided to leave that up to someone else.

I do have a few small projects I am working on while hubby is patching walls and painting baby Kelton's room.

I found this great old chandelier that I need to rewire and find a few shades for.

It reminds me so much of this little cutie from pottery barn.

I am also turning trash into treasure with this small dresser.  It will get a coat of white paint and will soon turn into a changing table!

 

So with everything on my to do list, I am thinking the bedding will have to be left up to the professionsals!

baby bedding

I have been looking around at baby bedding to get ideas

 

I love linen in particular.

Isn't it so simple and relaxing?

I LOVE the flax pillow!!  It is just so sweet.

I have thought about touches of yellow of green in the room.

I also like the simplicity of the pique pottery barn bedding. Here it is shown in white and green, but I also like the brown and white combo.

I have an idea of what I am looking for so now it is on to fabric shopping....

Our Front Entry Revamp

I hope you all had a happy Fourth! 

My goal was to have the door scraped, sanded, painted and flag hung before the fourth.

We made it!

The front of the house has come a long way since we purchased it, and I am sure our neighbors are thankful.

This is a reminder of the before shot...

I really wanted to add a littlle color, so I made a simple wreath and I think it is just what the the door needed for summer.

For now I am driving by the house really slowly as I come and go...

to take in all of the homes changes!

Laundry room update

Although our laundry room will not be  fully finished until after the 4th of July, it is coming along.

I find doing laundry so much more enjoyable than when the washer was in the kitchen and the dryer was in the laundry room. 

A few of my favorite touches are the the Tom's peanuts canister for detergent.  I am still on the look out for a cute scoop for this-the plastic laundry scoop just doesn't do it for me.

The brown cart was actually from the 1950's and was a utility cart that housed a plug for other appliances. 

It was  just $4 at a local flea market and when my husband saw it, he thought I had lost my mind.

It was a little rusty and had very boldy colored flowers all over it, but nothing a little paint couldn't take care of.

What is left for the laundry room:

1) We have 3/4 inch plywood we will be cutting, painting and polyurethaning for a countertop...much like this

http://www.younghouselove.com/2007/11/spin-city/

2) Then I will be making a little skirt to hide the washer and dryer. 

Flea Market Finds

So I have been hitting up the flea markets on the look out for a couple of items for the nursury-

although I didnt find the nursury items I was looking
for-I did score a couple of great finds.

This large old lamp was only 6 dollars!  It is the perfect color for our master bedroom.  It matches our duvet and euro shams perfectly!

It did need a new lamp shade so I went to target and found this great textured lampshade-it had a little dent so I got it 10% off....

and the dent doesn'tt even show!

I also got 4 of these great plates-$3 a piece but they were worth it!  

Master bedroom still needs loads of work-but today was sucessfull in getting me a little closer in the process. 

Painting while pregnant...

Did you know that 99.9% of paints sold is toxic and carcinogenic. Most of the nasty chemicals in paint are not mandatory to disclose according to the law.

Well Mythic Paint is a great small company that is safe for people, earth and pets.  My top concern right now...pregnant women!  I have been painting WHILE PREGNANT! 

Interested in knowing more...
click here for a quick video about Mythic paint and what makes it different from any other paint!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXGgGa9izoY


Mythic has a great website that tells you all about the paint, colors and other cool stuff
http://www.mythicpaint.com/

go ahead...check out there website..j.ust promise to come back to mine when you are done browsing.

Unfortunatly, the other paint companies that advertise no VOC(Volitile Organic Compounds) add all the chemicals when they add the colorant. 

Mythic goes on great and has SO many colors to choose from.  If there is not a store near you, no fear, they will ship anywhere and match ANY color.

I am determined to get this house ready before baby comes...because what doesn't get done before...will likely never get done!  So I will be painting for the next several months with peace of mind.

We only use Mythic paint in our home and feel so much better knowing that we are not painting chemical on our baby's room walls.

Hop on the green and smart train people-give mythic a try!

laundry room ideas

When we moved into our home in December, the washer was in the kitchen and the dryer was just off the kitchen in a little walkway.  I had big plans of turning the walkway into a laundry room.  We had the plumbing done and our new front load washer and dryer were just delievered. 

Our plans are to make a counter (possibly from plywood) for over the washer and dryer.  A little fabric curatin, and we will be in business.

more pictures to come soon....hopefully!

reason for my recent blogging abscence....

Well, we had a little surprise this Easter!

Actually, it was just before easter but I had purchased a few things for the hubbs and myself for Easter.  We do not typically do Easter baskets, but there were just a few things we had each been wanting-so I just grabbed them up and put them in some baskets I already had.

The hubbs loved his new golf shirt but what else is in there?  Hidding underneath his shirt was a pregnancy test...

I think his look says it all! We had no idea...SURPRISE!

It is a few more weeks until we can find out our baby's gender...but we are hoping we can just hold out.

With that in mind, I love gender nuetral rooms.

This is one of my favorites. 

We have a few odd angles in what will be our baby's room.  I am think about the chair rail and the ceiling we will go with a creamy white from Mythic Paint that we have previously used in our house.  Below the chair, a light to dark brown.

Restoration Hardware Baby also has some Beautiful things as well.  I feel the neutrals are just so calming.

Come on, how sweet is that bassinett!?!?

I have found some lovely fabric and plan on making the neutral baby bedding myself...

....which I have not started yet!