Coffee Bags

While we were on our getaway over Labor Day weekend to Hudson, NY, we saw lots of old grain/coffee bags that ran about $130 each!  I was floored when I saw the price tag....I had picked one up, thinking, this would be fun to make some cool pillows out of, but it was quickly put down after seeing the price tag.

Enter our good friend from high school, Nick Bayer.  Nick is the CEO of Saxby's Coffee.  He hooked me up with some of their bags - it was like Christmas in September when they arrived!

Now....what to do with these fun treasures....????

 Isn't this bird too cute?

Apple time of year...

We went apple picking last week at Lawrence Farm Orchard, so I attempted to make some caramel apples for the football game last weekend when we had some friends in town.  They were really very easy to make now that Kraft makes unwrapped caramels!  Why did it take so many years to come out with these???

one happy guy with cider donuts!

 Caramel Apples...

Why did it take me so long to figure out that I should cut hosta flowers?  I like the wildflowerish look...and of course, that they are free :) 

You win some, you lose some...

Can I just share my disaster with you?

This was supposed to be a light for the nursery.  Yeah, not so much.  I went to Home Depot the other night in the midst of not feeling great and having contractions.  I couldn't find anyone to help me and all I wanted was a couple packages of wood veneer strips.  My patience was waning, and I thought I might really go into labor if someone didn't help me soon :)  I was finally pointed towards this white veneer, which was not ideal, but the only option.  I bought two packages, and attempted to make a light like this cute one...

via Poppytalk

Normally, I would attempt to fix this...not this time.  $10 down the drain.  Since I am short on time, I just hung a paper lantern from Ikea that we already had.  The other obsession I have had is to do a globe light, similar to the one featured in the PB Teen catalog, but I had a feeling as soon as I bought a cool vintage globe, I would feel bad about cutting it....and also, nervous about cutting it wrong (would probably need to enlist my dad to help with that one!).

To look at the positive...at least the paper lantern serves the functional purpose of providing a light on a dimmer switch for me!

Basement Update

I finished my last panel after receiving my additional few yards, and I would have to say, I am much happier to spend time in the basement now.  I think this space will be very helpful as the weather turns colder and the arrival of boy #2 is just weeks away.

Here is the basement - before...

And after...

the free buffet...

So sad that I killed the orchid...

The finally cleaned up utility area...

In my now favorite corner, I rearranged a few things and created a little art space for Paddy and friends...

Who doesn't love supplies?  I am just waiting for the day when I realize I can't use glass jars with little boys around! 

beautiful picture by our talented, and very much missed, friend, Isabella...

The latest addition is a little greenery.  I have been wanting to buy some new plants/flowers for the basement, but as I realized that I will need to move some plants inside soon, I decided to do something very cheap or free if possible!  Thanks to West Point for having lots of cool moss that I could scavenge.  

Nursery #2

I figured I should post a few pics of the nursery before this baby decides to arrive...although after my appointment today, sounds like I could be waiting for a while!  For this nursery, I tried to use things that we already had for the most part, and then added a few fun new things that will be special for our second little man.

We left the rug that was already in here when the room was our guest room, and I brought the old buffet from Michigan into the new nursery to serve as a changing station.  The crib and bedding is the same from Paddy's nursery.

 Acorn marble or alabaster lamp from Paddy's nursery...

The other side of the room has the chair that I picked up at Stormville Flea, the dumpster-dived cubby, and the gallery wall.

 

 I made an envelope pillow cover with this fabric.  The sheepskin is from our trip to Ireland...

I'm a big fan of caning lately...can you tell?  Exhibit A right here, Exhibit B and Exhibit C

I'm still loving the cubby...hopefully it will prove useful for stashing away lots of stuff...

I searched high and low on craigslist to find a dresser that was narrow enough to fit into the closet, and we were finally able to find one for a steal.  The best part...I didn't have to do anything to it!

My favorite part of the nursery is the flag.  Hallie and I got it while shopping at Brooklyn Flea back in the fall.  I was crazy about it and had hoped to put it to use in a nursery.  I love how much of the wall it takes up, and I especially love how Paddy goes into the baby's room and says, Flag....WHOA.  So cute :)

Onto the gallery wall...

I adore the Hatch Studio print from Hallie.  When we went to DC, she gave me the print, and it was so funny because before she gave it to me, I had just told her how I had been looking at getting one of the cowboy prints the week before.  Nora has one of these in her room, and I was over the moon excited when Hallie brought this out for us!  Yee haw!

I really wanted some antlers, so I liked the size/color of these (from eBay), and that they were mounted on a red back drop (I don't know the technical name for that piece ;)).

I made the typography piece...here's the .jpeg...

I wanted to bring something having to do with sports into the room, so I was thrilled that I was able to get my hands on a print that my mom has of my dad playing basketball in 8th grade, and a picture of my grandpa with his late friend, Ron Santo, of the Cubs.  (And no, my grandpa didn't play for the Cubs....he worked for Wilson and became very good friends with Ron.)

Look at that talented #44

 Grandpa and Ron Santo...

Recently, I went shopping up in our attic for some of Sean and my old things to incorporate into the cubbies.  I found an adorable rattle of mine that I had forgotten about, and low and behold...then I turned up a version of the same rattle in Sean's box!  Maybe they were a common baby gift in 1978, but I couldn't help but smile about it...

I was going to put them in a shadow box, but decided I wanted to leave them accessible for the baby to play with!

We can't wait to meet the little guy who will call this place home...

Lucky Baby

This is a lucky baby that is about to arrive... April and Jen were so sweet to throw an intimate shower to welcome our next little boy.  It was such a beautiful afternoon - April's house looked gorgeous and all the party details were perfect.  I am so appreciative of all the thought, time and energy that they put into this.  Most sincere thanks to all my friends for the thoughtful and generous gifts for this little man.  I snapped a few pics before it was underway....

Cake pop favors made by talented Jen...

 YUMMY cake from Adams...http://www.adamsfarms.com/

 look at how stunning these colors are!  Jen picked these up at the Washingtonville farmer's market...

 pretty table...

 April was recently the lucky recipient of lots of fun new entertaining gear from her mom...beautiful!

 April made this punch and it totally hit the spot...great mocktail.

 One more table shot...everything was delicious!

Fun Mention - Silly Eagle Books

Yesterday, a dear friend, Vanessa of Silly Eagle Books, posted about Paddy's fruit crate bookshelves...

Thanks for the mention, Vanessa! 

*Emily A. Clark also posted about them a few months back!

Sweet Shower

We are so excited that my brother and sister-in-law, Jamie, are expecting their first baby in early January!  We can't wait to be an Aunt, Uncle and cousin(s)!

I had the privilege of making some invitations for the shower that my mom is hosting for Jamie in a couple short weeks.  I so wish I was still able to travel as I really want to be there!  I know it will be a fun day all around, and I hope Jamie enjoys being showered :)

Fun Mention - Camila of Effortless Style

I was super honored when one of my absolute favorite bloggers, Camila, from Effortless Syle, contacted me to help with paper goods for her baby shower.  I designed some straw flags, food tents, bingo cards, and water bottle labels.  You should see all the effort that went into this special event.  You should definitely check it out!

Thanks for asking me to help, Camila!  Love how it all turned out!

via Effortless Style

Utility Area - Before/After

We have a mint green utility sink - which I actually really like for some odd reason.  I had not done anything with this area until I had that left over piece of fabric from the basement curtains.

Before:

I took down the wire shelf that I wasn't a big fan of and organized hid all the stuff underneath the newly skirted sink.  Finally, I downloaded and made some art and stuck it into some frames that I had, in hopes of covering some spots on the wall where paint was peeling away.

And now....