Christmas Decor Sneak Peak!

I've been trying my best to decorate a little this season even with my limited budget.  I decided I would only buy things I love....which true to history, has been pretty pricey.  I am holding off on a tree this year because I want to DO IT UP on my first Christmas tree. 

I just finished the wreath for my front door and was dying to share.  I still might add a few twinkle lights, but it will pretty much look the same in the day regardless.

TaDa!  Whatya think?

Here's a close up.  I started with a grapevine wreath- pulled it apart a little so it looked a little messier than it originally came.  Took two different types of moss and shoved it in the nooks and crannies.  Used feathers and these sparkle leaf thingies that were on sale at Joannes and shoved them in between the grapevine.  Last, I took ornaments I got from Wal-Mart and tied them in a few spots to add some glimmer.  I had these tiny feathers left over from wedding decor that I shoved in the remaining nooks after it was all done.  I bought a set of battery operated twinkle lights that I might add tonight depending on my energy level {hee hee}.

 Here's a close up of the other side.  I know I could have went out and got a wreath for alot less than what I spent {about $60}, but I love DIY and I think this has so much more personality than the store bought wreaths.  It's a good scale and I can deconstruct it and keep adding/changing it throughout the year.  Once I pluck out those ornaments and sparkly leaves, I'll have a pretty cute fall wreath. 

Do you guys have any DIY Christmas decor ideas you can share?  I am working on a few table settings {pics soon to follow}. 

Happy Holidays and Happy Decorating!

-jd

b.u.t.full

Light internet surfing this lazy Sunday morning...

I lost my decorating mojo in all of the baby excitement, but ladies and gents, it is back! {and by mojo, I do not mean my talent...but my desire}

Hope these pretty pics inspire you to start a project :)







-jd

Dreaming of a living room...

Drew is watching football tonight which leaves me left to......clean the house?  NOT.  Sit on the sofa and dream of how I would redo my living room if I had the cash and energy.  I currently have two "apartment sized" sofas, a huge ass coffee table and a newly recovered wing back chair.  It's not bad, but now that we have a babe on the way, it got me wanting something more comfortable. 

Here it is.  My issues are 1. The wall with the most potential for art is wasted by our huge TV that is begging to be wall mounted, 2. I love my sofas, I really do, but I miss the days of my sectional where Drew, me and Oz could all pile on the sofa comfortably and face the TV, and 3. lastly, the coffee table has been a huge hit; it looks great, but when the babe comes, where will we play?  We need floor space with a rug and that coffee table just won't allow it.  Not to mention the sharp corners...

I do think my wing back will be staying, but that wall is where I want to move the TV, mounted on the full height portion with the console centered beneath. 

This is the crate and barrel sectional I've been dreaming about since before we moved in.  It may not be the best looking option, but let me tell you, sitting on this sectional is like sitting in heaven.   The only way I can make it fit is to put it against the wall that now has the TV.  I have the color options narrowed down to three {this week} and if my computer wasn't such a piece, I could show you....but it is, so I can't :)  I think I'm leaning towards Pewter, Ale {pictured above} or Walnut. 

So, the TV would move to the half wall on the right hand side.  I want some sort of cozy rug to play with the babe on....possibly something patterned like the transitional ones at Horchow.

Then I would need a small ottoman that could be easily moved around for playtime, yoga, etc...

Probably a Pottery Barn lamp...

Some art, curtains, a ceiling fan and my dream living room makeover would be done!!!

I suppose it's time to come back to reality and just focus on getting curtains and a ceiling fan to work with what I got...

-jd

Does football season get longer and longer every year or is it just me?

The name game

Like every other chick I know, I've been thinking about my baby's name since way before it was even a glimmer in my eye.  Now that's it's real and I actually have to name a human being {my human being} with a name that it will have for the rest of it's life...I'm a little intimidated. I thought I would blog about the process because I'm guessing it will be hilarious to go back once the bean is born and see what kind of whack stuff I'm coming up with so early in the game. 

A little background:  I have recently started focusing on girl names given the news at our 12 week appointment.  I might kick myself for that in two more months, but hey....what can it hurt...we have plenty of time?  I want her name to act as a basis for who she'll be.  Given that I don't know her and it is my job to guide her into that person; I can only dream about that at this point.  I am hoping that she will be healthy, happy, independent, loving, understanding, artistic, athletic, compassionate, optimistic, honest, humble, playful, forgiving, creative, persistent, sincere and considerate...........you know, basically like Super Woman.  Now how can I come up with a name for her that allows her to 'be all she can be'?  I've started with internet search sites.  I want her name to be original and unique, but classic at the same time.  I want it all...

This is what I've got so far.  Comments are welcome, but may be dismissed   ; )

Possible First Names:
Billie
Selma
Leni
Stella
Rae


Possible Middle Names:
Rae
Jo


PS. It must be said that Drew has not agreed with all of these names.  I am still living in a dream world and playing.  Once I'm more decided, I can try to convince him to see things my way ;)  I'm hoping I might be able to pull the "If I can name the girl, you can name the boy" card.....which we all know will never fly when the time comes, but it might work.  lol.  Just kidding.  I'm not that controlling....

-jd

Huffing Vicks

In my quest to fight nausea, I have been trying new experiments pretty much every night.  Well, I found one that actually works pretty well {for me}, so I thought I would share in case any of my fellow pregos or any future pregos have the same issue I have.  I honestly have no clue what triggers me to feel sick at times.  It is closely related eating dinner, but I have tried skipping dinner completely and that doesn't help, so it's not entirely food related.  Anything that doesn't smell like laundry detergent makes me gag which then just makes me feel gross and pukey, so one night I was cleaning out my bathroom drawers and came across Vicks Vapor Rub...I had the knee jerk reaction to open it up and sniff it.  HEAVEN.  It makes your sense of smell kind of numb and mutes any other rank smells that would otherwise be haunting my senses.  So, I began to huff Vicks.  At my 12 week appointment, I asked my doctor if my addiction to Vicks was safe for me and the babe.  She replied "Whatever works, but I can get you something stronger".  Me being the anti-pill hippie to medicine person that I am, stuck to the Vicks.  I have   a jar at home, in my car and in my purse.  I don't know if this will work for anyone else, but it took me 5 weeks to figure out this cure, so I wanted to pass along...

We GO together like

 O+P have been friends for a long time.  

She is the salt to my pepper, the yin to my yang, the Laverne to my Shirley.

We are so different, but so much the same!

 Congrats to the best girl friend sarcasm can buy!  You're gonna make one hell of a momma!

-fd

Love at first sight

After a very long and trying 12 weeks, we FINALLY made it to our second doctor's appointment.  I was nervous; like going on a blind date.  After 35 minutes in the waiting area after arriving to our appointment on time {personal pet peeve} they called us back.  We went in the little room and the sonogram tech told me to sit on the bed and for Drew to sit in the chair beside me.  There was a big flat screen TV on the wall in front of us and she turned it on.  I pulled up my shirt and she started the sonogram.  At first there was nothing and I had a two second panic attack that I wasn't pregnant anymore, then BAM...a baby.  Clear as day, I could see it.  It was laying on its back and it's little perfect face profile was clear as day.  We were both just staring in silence.  Then, little legs, knees, and toes came into view.  Who knew you could fall in love so fast?  Those little legs were stretching and those toes.  The sweetest smallest toes I could imagine.  I can't even describe the feeling.  It was like my heart was about to explode and I was the most excited, scared, in love, in awe, and the most overwhelmed I've ever been in my life.  After confirming "are those the wee toes?", "is that the tiny hiney", "is it moving, or is that you?", we asked "can you tell if it's a boy or girl!?!?"  She asked "Do you really want to know", um, "HELLS YEAH".  She said she could take a measurement from what appeared to be a tail...or a spine sticking out of the bum? to this other part of the hiney and if it measured under a certain number, it is usually a girl and over was usually a boy.  So, she squirmed around on my belly trying to find the "genitals"a and finally found the angle she was looking for.  She said "now you know what an educated guess it, right?"  "yea, yea, whatever, IS IT A BOY OR A GIRL", " It means you can't go painting the nursery, no going out and buying anything.  You won't know for sure until 20 weeks, but in three years, I've only been wrong twice".  "OK, understood".  "Looks like you're having a girl!".  I shot a glance at Drew knowing he was secretly hoping for a boy, but he didn't give anything away.  I really didn't feel any different knowing the sex...I was still in love with my stretching legs and toes; no matter if they were a boy's or a girl's. 

We had to go back out in the waiting area to wait for our doctor and sitting out there, holding the ONE sonogram picture like it was a billion dollar bill, I started crying.  I was happy, but also sad.  I wanted to drag that sonogram machine out the door and load it up, so I could see my little bean any time I wanted. 

The doctor's visit was quick and painless.  Fully clothed, I asked if I could take a bath, keep lifting weights, get spray tanned, huff Vick's, do a trampoline work out, and continue with my one cup of coffee a day {that I'm always a little scared to drink all of}.  She said everything was fine except I shouldn't lift more than 20 lbs and she looked at me like I was speaking Spanish on the trampoline workout.  She said she wouldn't recommend that even if I weren't pregnant.  I'm still not sure why,but I trust her. 

So, now I'm just passing time until the next time I get to see my baby girl? in there TWO FREAKING MONTHS from now.  Seems like an eternity...

-jd

Still alive...

I'm still alive; sorry for the absence in the blogging world, but let me explain.

Drew and I were planning on starting to try (for a baby) in October of this year...as in last month.  I went to my regular girl doctor in August to make sure I was A-OK to begin "trying" in October.  She said of course, that I might just want to get started on a prenatal vitamin.  Great!  I asked her for a refill on my birth control pills for the two months because I was out.  She said just to be careful for those two months; that it really would be better to stay off of them if we're going to get busy in October with the baby making.  So, I went online and researched ovulation and got a little calendar to mark down all my "days" (you know I'm a wee bit OCD).  I wanted the "days" marked in the beginning, so we knew when not to knock the boots and then starting in October, those would be the "days"....if you get my drift.

So, anyhow, the first ovulation day marked on my calendar for us to start "trying", was September 21st.  Drew and I had talked about it and we were ready!  Well, on September 14th....I looked ahead and thought it strange that I was ovulating next week and hadn't had my period yet.  All of a sudden (at work) I start breaking into a sweat.  I flung back my calendar pages and started counting....27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, SHIT.  I was late.  Somehow I made it through the work day, each time I went to the bathroom closely examining my toilet paper.  Only pee.  I got out of a meeting early that day so I flew home and immediately took a pregnancy test.  One trickle of pee and that bad boy flashed the PLUS SIGN.  All I could hear was my heart beat.  I got up off the toilet (pants still down) and looked at the box....a plus sign means your pregnant.  I just sat there and stared at the box and then at the test....the box...the test....the box...the test. 

Drew is off on Wednesdays and I knew he was playing golf, but that he would be home relatively soon because we were having our neighbors over for dinner.  I call him trying to play it all cool even though my voice is high and shaky and my hands are sweating so bad I can barely hold the phone.  "Hey there, when are you going to be home?", "Um....prolly like an hour or so, just finishing up playing cards", "An hour!....right, OK, well, I'll see you then!  Hurry home; I miss you".  I hang up.........pace........shake.........pace.................then it hits me that I'm about to tell Drew that we are having a baby.  I want this to be special...after all...I am THRILLED.  So, I get the Christmas wrapping out and get the biggest red bow I could find and stuck it on the pregnancy test.  Is that test really right?  I wasn't so sure; so I took another one.  The plus sign showed up before the pee had even hit the stick.  OK, so I trashed that one.  I put the positive test with the big red bow on his side of the bathroom counter where he was sure to see it.  I stood back and stared at it.  What if he didn't know what the plus sign meant?  I took the box with the description of the plus sign and minus sign and slid it under the positive test so the plus symbol on the box was directly under the plus sign of the actual test.  I cleaned some more.  Then, I thought.  I want to capture this moment on camera somehow.  So, I busted out my cheap a$$ digital camera that has a dinky little video camera on it and positioned it on the window sill, so it would be pointed right at the pregnancy test. 

The longest HOUR AND A HALF ever passed and finally I heard the garage door opening.  My heart started pounding and I flew in the bathroom to turn on the video camera.  Drew came in and goes "I'm gonna go mow the lawn before the neighbor's come over" (I'm thinking, Oh, HELL NO, you're not).  Think fast.  "Um, actually, they called and they're going to be here early.....you need to jump in the shower and get ready!", "oh, OK".  I see him walking in slow motion to the bathroom.  He goes right to the big red bow and stares.  I'm standing in the door way dumbfounded.  He looks at the test box and reads "pregnant, not pregnant", then he looks at the actual test and goes "pregnant".  Turns to me "are you pregnant".  I'm laughing and crying and shaking my head yes.  He mumbles "cool" and comes over and hugs me.  We're both laughing and I'm crying and we embrace for a couple of minutes.  I pick up the video camera and point it at him and say "Are you excited".....he replies "I think I still need to go mow the lawn". 

I've now made it 12 weeks with some rough days and some blissful days!  I have much more to share and hopefully will bust back in on the blog scene now that my nausea has subsided a wee bit. 

We are absolutely thrilled and I can't wait to share our journey with you all :)

-jd

sneak peak...the OFFICE

 One of the first rooms you see when you enter our house is the office.  It is a really cute space and has loads of potential. 

I am super anxious to get it finished.  First up on my list of to do's - a giant bulletin board!  Some place to stick 'stuff'!  I started out with 4 - 2'x2' ceiling tiles

I sprayed them with a color left over from a previous project so the white wouldn't shine through!  I decided to cover them in a brown burlap fabric.  I simply stapled it around the edges.

Next up I started with the ribbon!  Ribbon, Ribbon, lots of RIBBON! 

 [side note - I went with the ribbon approach instead of using push pins due to the fact that I know I would NEVER be able to find a push pin]

I measured 6" on each side and connected the dots!  I used hot glue for all the ribbon.

Once I got one direction entirely done, it basically created the dots for the 'other' direction.   

[I only glued the ribbon at the edges] 

Once all the ribbon was on, I used a wider ribbon around the edges to cover all the uglies.

I decided on these super cute metal letter brads to create the separation at each ribbon intersection.  This is what will keep my junk in it's place. 

My nifty box cutter came in handy to create tiny holes in the ribbon to allow the brads to go through to the ceiling tiles.  [If any of the brads felt loose,  I reinforced it with hot glue]

I really love these little letters.  I even hid each of our names in there for Phoebe to find later!

I LOVE the way it turned out!  Look for the finished product on the wall in my big office reveal!!

-fd

Supply List:

• 4 rolls 5/8"x18' oatmeal ribbon
• 1 and a little of a second roll of 1.5"x4yds polka dot ribbon
• 100-125 small letter brads
• 1-1/2 yards brown burlap
• 4 ceiling tiles

I'm linking up to