Renner's Room: The Beginning

I started the room only knowing I didn't want a "theme". I didn't want to go to Babies R Us and buy a bag of linens complete with valance and mobile (not that there's anything wrong with that!). Now I will admit, I found some hella cute theme sets, but conveniently, everything was WAY out of my price range. I learned I don't belong on any website called Posh Tots... Instead, I decided to choose colors and a few elements that HAD to be included. That early list looked like this:
*Brown/red/cream
*Burlap
*Bunting
*Gallery wall
*Red dresser

Source: hgtv.com via Meghan on Pinterest

Really, that red dresser was número uno on the list. After seeing this painted dresser in that room, I knew I needed an unexpected dose of color on a piece of furniture.

A few weeks passed and all we'd done was fill the room with furniture I expected to use and install the closet system (the same system from my dressing room two houses ago). It was a sign to get busy when my mom and I found a crib at a neighbor's garage sale in the color I wanted for just $60. Mom made the purchase and a short while later, Justin was pushing the fully assembled crib down the street to our house.

I hung a few Martha Stewart at Home Depot paint chips on the wall, wanting to go greig-y (you know... beige and grey, though this pic is not greigy at all). I made sure to view the chips in all the different light from the south facing window, because I tend to pick colors that lean yellowish and didn't want that for this room. I finally made a selection and off to Lowe's we went.

At Lowe's, I lost my mind and instead of color matching the chip I'd chosen, I started looking at other colors. I started thinking true grey would be the way to go. Make it more modern and trendy, because grey is everywhere right now. The sweet older woman employee that decided to help me couldn't hide her dislike for the color I chose. She wanted to push me towards pastels... I could feel it.

This same week, I went to Michael's to buy supplies for the closet dividers I would make (tutorial coming soon!) and found a paper stack named appropriately "All About Boys" (the baseball paper used above wasn't part of that stack). It had all the colors I wanted, but included more shades of blue than I planned to use, but I loved the patterns! I knew it would be perfect for all the paper projects I had planned. And since it was on sale, I knew it was meant to be.

We had to completely dismantle the crib to get it in the room (god love my hubs), I painted the following weekend, and made the bunting that you see in the photo above and hung it probably before the paint was even dry (or the touch-up painting was done- but whatever). My brown/red/cream room was suddenly grey/red/blue/white, but I liked it. J was under instructions to find a 6 drawer dresser, preferably a tall one with legs so it would feel less heavy and be the perfect height to double as a changing table. He was very excited when he found something at an auction-owning friends house...

A computer armoire. A particle board computer armoire (that was not red when he brought it home). I was not happy. How was this supposed to work? It had one shelf and would never work with a changing pad... But I told him to paint it anyway (I believe this was in the 'OMG baby could come any day' stage that hit 6-8 weeks before arrival). What happened was a travesty... There were rollers and quarts of paint when it should've been sprayed. And after the $20 armoire (gasp) had over $30 in paint on it, I knew I had to use it somehow, someway.

The very next weekend, at the same auction-owning friend's house, J bought a 6 drawer dresser that fit all the requirements, except it was quite petite (not tall enough) and not leggy. But it was only $15 and solid wood. THIS time the hubs avoided a master brain fart and sprayed the piece after sanding it and removing the laminate top.

I decided I could use both pieces, the dresser for his clothes (no the closet isn't enough) and the armoire for bath stuff/diapers/wipes/etc (no room in the closet for this stuff either). We brought everything in and it started out opposite what it is today with the dresser on the now crib wall and both the crib and armoire on the other wall. My thinking was that I wanted the focus on the pretties: my red dresser and planned gallery wall. Until I realized you couldn't walk in the room with the crib as close to the door as it had to be. So we switched it, and I unhappily had to settle for both red pieces living on one wall.

Oooh... next is the really fun stuff.  Making all the things I'd been pinning daydreaming of for weeks!  It's hard to believe I was working on his room up until the week he was due... I ended up going to 41 weeks so I still had time, I guess.  In the moment though I felt insane for waiting so long.  I am glad it was finished before he came home, even if we aren't using the space completely yet.  And besides, if his room wasn't already "finished", how would I know what changes I'm already ready to make?

Have you ever changed paint colors at the last second?  Has your significant other ever taken liberties with something and driven you crazy but it turned out okay in the end?

Monday Monday MONDAY!!!!!

Good Monday morning to you!   

I've got so much to do today it's kinda ridiculous.  My bff Krystal's baby shower is tonight and I'm in charge of decorations... which I just started last night.  I also decided after grocery shopping Friday afternoon that I needed to re-organize our pantry.  So everything pantry related is sitting on the counter tops... since Friday afternoon.  There's also a load of dishes already going in the dishwasher and enough for another load waiting in the sink AND I only did 2 of 6 loads of laundry this weekend.  So, yeah.  MONDAY!  But more importantly, what the heck did I do all weekend???

Friday's shopping trip was a sad one when I broke down and purchased.... decaf coffee.  That means the drink you see above IS delicious coffee with Creme Brulee creamer BUT it has no go-go-power magic in it.  *Sigh*  I just love coffee and my kid that much.  Renner has a sensitive stomach when it comes to caffeine.  Weirdo.  I'm back on the Dub-Dub, too (Weight Watchers in my dumb slang).  Today's breakfast clocks in at 10 points: wheat english muffin, full fat peanut butter, banana, coffee, full fat creamer.  I would normally use low-fat or fat-free creamer and peanut butter, but I get a TON of points for breastfeeding, so breakfast can be 10 points and not leave me starving with no points for dinner.

On Saturday, I shared Renner's room reveal.  I'm pretty proud of it.  If you happened to not see it, you can go here to check it out.  Let me know what you think!  I'll share details of the room later this week.  This busy day just means that I've got plenty of posts coming up about the decorations I'm making, the pantry re-organization on a budget.

I hope you have a great Monday!  The Bachelor is on tonight, so how could it not be great???



Renner's Room Reveal

gratuitous baby photo

This room is proof I can finish design-related things in my own home.  Sure... there are a few things I'd already like to change, but in my opinion, it's best for a room to evolve as time moves on.  But I love this room.  Baby Renner doesn't sleep in his room yet, but I know when he does he'll love it as much as I do.  But anyway.... on to the reveal!

So?  What do you think?  Like I said, there are so. many. things. I'm ready to change/tweak/add/remove already but the finished product turned out pretty great.  There are lots of little details I can't wait to share and the room has already changed since these pictures were taken.  Christmas happened, so his room looks much more lived in now.  (One of his gifts was the mobile that only appears in one of the photos.)  Next up are sharing those little details, including all the DIY that was involved.

Have a happy weekend!

Thoughts for your Thursday

* We got our first snow of the season last night.  I think we just have an inch or so.  I wanted to take Renner outside for a picture in his first snow, but it's too stinking cold.  I'm not going out there.

*  I linked up to The Shabby Creek Cottage's Transformation Thursday with the re-vamp I did of our cedar dresser.  Go check out the other blogs that linked up... there are some great projects.



*  Yesterday, I posted my 2012 Home Goals over at Nesting Place.  There are so many great submissions.  I can't wait to see how every one's goals take shape over the year. 

*  I am thisclose to having the posts about Renner's room done.  I can't wait to share his little nook... that he doesn't use except as clothes storage.  But someday he'll really love it!  (I hope.)  I shared a little sneak peek in my 2012 Home Goals post in case you missed it.

*  I have to cook dinner in a few minutes (quesadillas and salad) and I'm super wishing I was heading into this kitchen:

Source: desiretoinspire.net via Meghan on Pinterest

And not this kitchen:

Happy Thursday!

Home Goals 2012

I love a good to-do list.  My favorite kind of to-do list is one where I actually mark things as finished. This is a comprehensive full house list and I plan to work each space as 2012 goes on. If we owned this house, this list would be even bigger. Instead, the changes are ones that can go with us when we do buy our own house (in approx 18 months) or are cheap fixes, like painting.

I like knowing that we will be in this house for another 18 months at least. In rentals we've lived in before, I was afraid to make a big list of things is like to do because I never knew when we'd find another place that suited us better. It seemed silly to put time into a place that we weren't going to stay in for more than a year. Knowing that our next move is a home purchase, we won't be going anywhere until that happens.

I'm also using 2012 as a way to grow my design skills, whether that be through school or just learning by trial and error independently. What greater place to test your ideas than in your own home? At least this way, if the client is unhappy you don't have to worry about it affecting a paycheck!

I shared the house tour a few weeks ago, showing each room as it is empty. I had every intention of showing the rooms as they look now but A) all my photos didn't transfer from a memory card I already deleted and B) Blogger won't let me upload pictures from my pc right now so I'm being forced to use pictures already on the blog and C) It's 2:33 am and I can't think of any other solution. However, I haven't made any real changes to any room other than Renner's.  (Yay!  I was able to get a preview pic of Renner's room uploaded!)

On to the list!!

Living Room

New back door with dog door
Paint (walls, fireplace, trim)
Curtains
Furniture placement
     New couch
     New tv and console
     Thrift or Craigslist side tables
Furniture updates
     Modernize china cabinet
     Bookcase update
Art, including picture gallery wall

Kitchen & Dining Room

Paint (walls and trim)
Remove weird chair rail
Curtains
Light fixtures
Update chandelier with drum shade
Pendant light conversion for above sink
Pantry organization
Furniture updates
     Thrift or Craigslist dining table
     Thrift or Craigslist chairs or update current chairs
Art, including decor on countertops

Hall Bathroom

I don't have a single decent picture of this room.  It could be finished, except needing another piece of art and a rug. I could paint, but considering all the other things to-do...  I will get a few good shots of the room and share it later.

Master Bedroom

Paint (walls, trim and doors)

Curtains
Bedding
Furniture placement
Furniture
     Thrift, Craigslist or repair current dressers
     Thrift, Craigslist or update night stands
     Update bookcase (IF it stays)
Art, including jewelry display

Master Bathroom

Paint (walls and trim)
Rugs
Art
New shower curtain?
Organize linen closet (in hall)

My Workroom

Paint (walls and trim)
Furniture placement
Organize, organize, organize!
     New storage
     Peg boards
Art

Renner's Room

Wall treatment (stars or stripes?)
Add to frame gallery
DIY longer crib skirt
Update curtains
Rug

Outdoor Spaces

Front
Spring plantings
Front door & porch decor

Back
Spring plantings (maybe a garden?)
Furniture on deck
Stepping stones to storage shed
Clean up around storage shed
Add lighting

Laundry Room

Paint - only if bored. This space is in the garage.
Storage and organization

Whew! That is a doozy of a to-do list if I might say so. But it's so exciting! Soon, I'll share my inspiration room-by-room. I'm doing all of this on a budget of very little, so rooms won't come together all at once. And really, jumping room to room suits my design ADD personality. 

What do you think?  Is this list too much?  Or are the paint colors alone making you as sick as they make me?  I can't wait to share my inspo photos and preliminary plans for each room.  Also be on the watch for a full post (or two) on Renner's room next week!

Well Hello, 2012!

My goodness.  Normally I'm all sad-faced over having to take down my Christmas decorations (J practically has to force me to take it all down) but this time I couldn't wait to put it away.  Don't get me wrong, Christmas was wonderful, seeing as how it was our first as a family of three, but it was so time to clear it all out.  I think all the additional baby goods filling the place helped this feeling.  Things were feeling pretty cluttered. 

Christmas marks the end of what I consider the best time of the year.  From October to December, my life is filled with birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, basketball season, football season, my favorite season of all - fall, and then New Years arrives and it's all over.  I look up from all the hustle and bustle and suddenly it's winter (which I don't hate), we start a new year and look back at just how quickly it seemed this past year went.  2011 was a big year around these parts, and it flew.  We weathered our first married year, we moved (which shouldn't be an event considering how much we do it!), I was pregnant almost all year and then gave birth to the coolest little guy in the world.  What a year!

I think because of how much happened in 2011 and the obvious game changer that arrived in November, I. am. so. excited for 2012.  I can't wait to see where 2012 takes me, because this is the year I quit being afraid and figure out what I want to do.  It's amazing how having a child has almost turned me inward, to discover what will make me the best me possible, which will in turn make me the best mom and wife (and sister and daughter and friend) possible. 

I saw this quote on Nester's site this morning and it's like it hit me over the head... this is my mantra for 2012:

Uh, hello 2012.  Thanks for slapping me in the face.  I'm such a sissy when it comes to my own life.  I *think* I don't know what I want as a career, I *think* I can't be creative, I *think* I'm a terrible writer, I *think* I can't have a healthy body, I *think* I can't be successful.  I can be everyones biggest cheerleader and I *think* I try to help others go in the direction they desire but I've never been that for myself. 

I'm not using 'resolutions' this year, as I've too often broken those.  Instead, I'm going to focus on my 'goals' for 2012:
* Be healthy.  Not so much about a number on the scale.  Drink more water, eat healthy, get some exercise. 
* Write.  On this blog, in a journal, in Renner's baby book.  Just write.
* Be crafty.  I plan to start a small business this year, and being crafty is what it's all about.
* Focus on our finances.  We made the mistake of finding a house we loved and could've afforded, even though I knew we weren't in a place to buy a house.  We're fixing that so "the" house doesn't get by us again.
* Get with God.  I miss the close relationship I've had with God off and on over the years.  I want it back, and I want my son to see it in me.

Jumping from God to horoscopes, I'm not a believer in horoscopes... I think they're fun to read, but I could be vague enough about your life and make you think I can really predict something.  A friend posted on Facebook that she hopes her year turns out to be as exciting as Yahoo's 2012 horoscope predicted.  So I looked mine up and I was excited to see apparently the stars already knew what I was thinking.  I'm ready to make decisions in what I'm doing with myself and others are willing to help or invest.  I have every material and emotional resource I could ever need.  This year is about shedding the past and all about transformation.  Well, duh! 

Did you make any GOALS for this year?  Or do you forget the whole thing and just keep doing what you're doing?  2012 is going to be great, folks.  I hope you have the same excitement about it that I do.