My organized (but not OCD!) brother responds...

Ryan, in his own words:

[OCD, I don't think so.

In response to Meghan's "Nesting - Chapter 1" on September 5th, I must give you my thoughts. Yes, I am organized, but no, not OCD. My beliefs are "a place for everything, and everything in it's place." These pictures are for real, I did not stage them. I just don't like to start my day until everything is in order.

Sure, it may take a few more seconds to put everything away all the time, but the uplift in immeasurable. Case in point, which I'm sure many of you can relate to...every time Jamie needs to use her car, I hear "Ryan, where are my keys?!?!" Consistently, my response is "Wherever you put them last!" If it is keys or anything else, it is always beneficial to be organized!

Here is the test...Blindfold yourself...can you find everything in your house on the first try? If not, find a place for everything and put it there.]

Check out his under the sink/kitchen cabinet pics:





Thanks for the response, Ry! I look forward to more posts from you :)

Mobile - a little jacked up, but finally complete!

I have been working on this mobile for Sidekick this week. I wish I was a more patient person. I had issues cutting the balsa wood (SO fragile!) and the staining...oh, the staining. It took forever to dry, so it was a several day process, and I get so impatient that I completely botched the last coat. However, once I got the final product hung today, I was pretty excited about it. I know it is not lots of bright colors, nor does it play music, but hopefully Sidekick will enjoy it.




I had a few 'double acorns' - which worked out so perfectly b/c now whichever way the squirrels spin, you can see the acorns...

This is the mobile that I was inspired by...

The one that I made cost about $4 for the wood, and I had everything else...

Pretty Little Jars

As I think I have already mentioned, I love multiples of things that I like. It is sort of a problem I have. So, I had been wanting some small apothecary jars for the cotton balls/safety swabs for the nursery. Pottery Barn was the only place I could find ones that were small enough, but I didn't want to pay their price. I was searching the internet one night last week, and all of a sudden noticed that this small jar was on sale...big time sale - only $2.97 each! So, three jars later, we have the cotton balls, swabs, and even dog treats stored up and ready to go! If you are in need of jars...go quickly!!

Let me quickly explain the dog treats...as you all know, I get so sad thinking about the lack of attention that Glory will get once Sidekick arrives b/c she really has been our child up to this point. So, in one of the books I was reading, it mentioned a family who kept dog treats by the changing table, and anytime the baby was changed, the dog got a treat. Pretty soon, given dog's keen sense of smell, the dog would go sit by the changing table before the parents even realized the baby had a dirty diaper. Bottom line, associating good things to the new baby. So, we figured we would give it a try.

NOTE: (Mark/Krissy, Sean knows that you guys would just love it that we are putting these breakable containers within the vicinity of a kicking/screaming baby...we know...they probably won't last long!)

Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow

I love acorns.



I think they are one of the cutest, most perfect little tidbits of nature. They seem to be cropping up everywhere! When we went to the Breakers Mansion in Newport a few months ago, I loved how the Vanderbilt family crest was centered on an acorn. I then scoured around and found an eBay lamp to incorporate an acorn into Sidekick's nursery. I found a more modern resin one that I liked better, but I really liked the fact that this was 1950s Italian alabaster or marble (I never know how to tell the difference).

The last couple years, I have had some acorns that I put into my apothecary jars when fall time rolls around (thanks, Sommer, for picking those big ones up for me from the Ft. Benning golf course!). So, I have started seeing some good ones around here. Thus, Glory has been my companion on some acorn searches lately. Pottery Barn is selling a small package of fake ones for $14...so I figure, why not get them myself. Someone once told me that you could super glue them back together if the tops fell off, so in the middle of watching a movie, I glued and glued and glued. Like my mom said, I guess I am a glutton for punishment! Let's hope they stick :)

Okay, enough of my acorn babble. I am trying to gear up to attempt to make a mobile for the nursery. I was going to do birds but in light of my acorn obsession, now I am thinking I will attempt squirrels with acorns? We will see.

Have a great weekend everyone!



Notice the delicate bowl that Hallie gave me - I believe this was an Etsy find...I find it perfect for pretty little things...


the lamp in the nursery...I found a PB shade for $11.97, got a smaller harp for the lamp so that the poor shade fit, and then had it re-wired. Oh yeah, and, b/c our place is so old and totally not up to code electrically, I got a remote controlled dimmer for this bad boy. LOVE IT.

Whoo..Whoo!

I had seen a lot of cute owl pillows, mobiles, etc. for nurseries, so I decided I would try my hand at making a pillow slip cover to match our colors. Again, my sewing is less than stellar, but I kind of like the little guy! It is still more of a "bag" than a slip cover as I haven't figured out an easy way to close it up yet.

So, this morning, Glory was on the couch, and she all of a sudden noticed the owl staring at her. She honed in on it, her mohawk went up, and she started barking and creeping up on it...the owl slept through the whole thing :)

Winterizing the Lemon Tree

Since one lemon tree has made a comeback (Sommer, it is the one you and Tim gave me!), we are going to be sure to bring him inside for the cold months. So, I may be a little early to be thinking about bringing him in, but I am not taking any chances this time! So, I am wanting a huge basket to stick the huge pot in. The one that I have my eye on is this extra large round one from Pottery Barn; however, I am having a hard time justifying this price ($129). I found one very similar to this around X-Mas time last year, but it was $330!! Why do baskets have to be so expensive??

Does anyone know of a good, more inexpensive basket source that might carry a big one like this?


via Pottery Barn

Metal Bins...no more rusty worries!

So, I went to Jo-Ann Fabrics yesterday and decided to make burlap liners. Granted, they may not be the nicest or softest fabric I could have bought, but, it works, and I think it goes well with the bins. I found some great video instructions here, where you only have to cut one piece of fabric and sew away...my kind of sewing!!

They aren't perfect (nothing that I sew ever is), but I am happy to have them done, and for about $20, I was able to make all these, and have enough left to try to make my own table runner like Pottery Barn is selling!

Metal Bins

So, now that I am starting to fill up the metal bins on Sidekick's "dresser", I am not sure if I should leave them as they are or line them with something. They have been sanded/cleaned and painted clear, so I don't think I have to worry about rust; however, they are sort of dingy (although I love them), and I am wondering if I need to make some sort of 'liner' for them.

Options thus far:
1. Line the bottom with some fun oil cloth or contact paper
2. Sew some liners (not very excited about this project, but found some instructions here)

Does anyone have any other ideas?



Metal Bin Sidenote: I also just saw this picture recently in Restoration Hardware, and it gave me another idea for my 2 extra bins!

Dream Glider for Nursery

If I could pick any glider, I would pick the Monte Luca Glider. It gets excellent reviews from every site I have checked, and I like the modern lines of it and high back. Even more fun, Gina texted me and asked if I had seen that one b/c she just saw it and liked it too! If only it was more inexpensive! I keep checking craigslist, hoping someone may not have room for it in their place anymore :)

I am planning to go to the SOWA market this Sunday in the South End to see if I can find any chair I can't live without there...my fingers are crossed!


Image via Monte Designs

Kitchen Cabinets - not pretty, but re-org'd

So, I took some time to deal with the horrible under the sink cabinets yesterday. A few days ago, that scenario I talked about in the previous blog with Sean looking for something underneath there basically played out word for word. Thus, it was TIME.

After I organized it, it seems much easier to find stuff, which is great. I was looking at it, thinking, it would be so much better with a cute fabric on the back wall, new contact paper, all new cabinets, etc. But, we all know, that is not happening. I wish I could show you a pic like this:



Image via Better Homes & Garden

Instead, here are my before pics:





Here are the after: