Owls & Birds & Cowboys, Oh My!

I can't even begin to tell you how long overdue this post is - it has been sitting in my box of posts to edit for quite sometime now. The baby is sleeping & daddy has taken the Monkey off for an adventure this afternoon, so here I sit trying to get this out!

I'll start with the boy's room - I am the type of person that will find one thing that I like, fixate on it & then have to decorate an entire room around it. Now that I have put that out there, you'll better understand my thinking for both of my children's rooms. It all started with this fabric I liked, called "Johnny & Buck" - did I mention I found it, and then found out it was discontinued? My obsession for things that are discontinued is almost as great as my previous obsession I mentioned. When told I cannot have something, it then must be mine! Okay, back to the fabric - I found this fabric online & was able to order the last bit of it to make a crib skirt, throw pillow & put some in the back of a bookcase. Well, now that Monkey is 3, we have moved on to a big boy bed, but I still wanted to be able to use the same themes & fabrics so as not to change everything out. Here's what I came up with...

The room now sort of has a camping/cowboy theme - his night light lantern & vintage "W"

A rope mirror that I found at Pier One Kids when it was going out of business -

added my own rod iron antique stars from a flea market

Curtains made by my sister in a ticking red & cream -

cowboy fabric in the back of the bookcase (pardon the mess :))

The fabric that started it all!! Both of my children's gliders came from the thrift store - at different times, and they happen to be the same brand! Paid $30 for each, then had the cushions recovered at a local upholstery place with fabric I bought at Not Just Linens.

An antique lamp my Mom had lying around seemed to fit in with the curtain rods. The rope name was another online find that I thought went well with the theme for the room.

The Monkey! Don't ask me how he sleeps amongst this mess, but somehow it happens!! The wall bookshelf has been a lifesaver for keeping things out of the bed.

Hmm...some days this is doubtful ;)

Now for the Bean's room. I'm not the girliest girl out there, and I knew two things - I didn't want a pink room, and I didn't want to have to buy too many things. The theme for her room started about a year ago - I was at a local craft fair, and found these adorable handmade owls. My sister even said right then & there "You're going to plan the baby's whole room around those owls, aren't you?" - ahh, she knows me too well. There is a lot more owl stuff out there now than there was about a year ago, but I knew again that I wanted it to sort of be a mish-mash of things I could collect from different places. Here's what I came up with:

Found these pink curtains at Pottery Barn Kids & thought they were a good deal.

The mobile was my son's, and the print was a find at Target.

I found these book ends to put inside the shelf on a random trip to Home Goods - at $4.99 each, I couldn't resist!

This cute lamp was another Target find!

This quilt was sort of an impulse buy for the room - may have been the most I spent on anything, but I thought it made for a cute & large wall decor piece. (There's the Bean's feet!!)

The owls that started it all!!

A mobile that I found somewhere online & was given as a gift, a crib bumper donated by my sister, and a sheet again from the Pottery Barn collection. It didn't make the photo, but the crib skirt is a twin blue & white checked bed skirt that I cut down to fit the crib - it was $10 at PBK!

A vintage mirror that belonged to my grandmother - it seemed like a nice girly touch!

My Friday Frills - Installment 1

In the spirit of trying to blog more often, I have decided to at least try to post something of substance each Friday. This post will typically be things that I have enjoyed this week, that have made my life easier, or that I simply must share with readers. Here goes...

1. Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Lavender Scent All Purpose Cleaner*

My husband & I have slowly been trying to make the switch in our house from chemically loaded products to those that are a bit gentler on our family & our household. I LOVE Mrs. Meyer's products & have always used both the dish soap & hand soap (side note - simply cannot be around the Basil scented one though - lived for it before I got pregnant with #2, now the smell just throws me over the edge for some reason) but recently started using the All Purpose Cleaner all over the house, and more importantly to clean some old baby toys & play things that I have been pulling from the attic. With a baby that is currently putting EVERYTHING in her mouth, its nice to know that I can clean with something a little less harmful.

2. Southwest Branch of the Durham Public Library

This newly renovated branch of the library opened up again back in May, and I couldn't be happier. I'll admit I have a soft spot in my heart for the place - it was where Monkey took his first steps! Miss Margaret was showing the kids a puppet at story time, and he just took off across the carpet to get a closer look - even she remembers it! He still loves going to the library to pick out music, movies, books & especially puzzles! The shelves of books for the kids are arranged in a way that small children (for better or worse) can easily access them & make their selections. They even have a kid-sized self check-out so that I can have some help getting all the books scanned. In just a few months, Bean can start story time there, and I look forward to seeing her enjoy the place as much as her brother & I have recently.

3. Downton Abbey on PBS

This new mini-series has totally been my escape for the past few weeks. Created & written by Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park), it takes place in & around 1912, and has such a great story line. It's an hour & a half each Sunday evening, commercial free. If I don't have the time to sit down for the whole thing on a Sunday night, I will save it up over the course of a week for when the kids are napping. I'm not sure how long it will last, but I know I will certainly miss it when it ends - one of the best shows you may not be watching on TV. (Right now, I am fairly certain you can watch full length episodes online to catch up)

*As a blogger, I must tell you that I was not compensated in any way to make these comments about Mrs. Meyer's - just truly love the stuff!

A Letter to My 3 1/2 Year Old Son

Dear Monkey,

Over the holidays we were holding hands to cross the street somewhere, and I noticed something that really struck a chord with me. Your little hand was actually quite rough & calloused, I suppose like that of an active little boy. And it hit me - when did you get so big?

With your sister around these past few months, time has been flying. I haven't had as much time as I used to to stop & just take it all in. But I have a secret to tell you - sometimes in the evenings, when I finally sit down for some free time, I like to get on the computer & look at old pictures of you. Nothing makes me happier than to see how much you have grown, and to remember all the good times we had when it was just you & me.

Our days are certainly a lot more hectic now. I don't tell you enough, but I want you to know that you are an excellent big brother - I love to see your nurturing side come out when you are around Bean. She's lucky to have you, and so am I.

When I reflect back on those old pictures, and all of our good times as a pair, I get excited for what the future holds for you, your sister & me - a new trio. I also want to thank you, for making me the mom that I am. Those 3 years alone with you really shaped who I am in my new "career," and I love you more & more each day. Just in case I forget to tell you...

Mom