I have a secret...

I am utterly obsessed with decorating our child's bedroom...and I don't even have any kids!

{And, to answer the inevitable question, no I am not pregnant!}

I can't help it; decorating for babies and kids is just so much fun! I've already decided that I'm going to stay away from traditional baby themes. However, I'm not choosing anything too bold, either, as I want it to remain a soothing environment for our little one.

We'll probably go with a contemporary color scheme (aquamarine, gray, etc.), stenciled designs on the wall (trees, animals, etc.), and definitely some cute monogrammed pillows, blankets, etc.

Our official nursery details will not be divulged until I actually have a bun in the oven. Since we're not going to start "trying" for a few years, I hope you enjoy disappointment...anyone catch where that quote is from? ;)

In the meantime, feel free to peruse some of my favorite spaces for kids and babies...

Aren't they all just adorable?! I can't wait 'til we can decorate a sweet little room of our own! :)

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Oh my gosh, I won another giveaway!!

Stephanie, of UrbanNest, was giving away free desk calendars, and I was one of the 3 lucky people who won!

Aren't those pages adorable? I can't wait to put the calendar on my "new" bamboo desk in our Guest Room/Study. Now all I have to do is buy some paint and the desk makeover will begin.

Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway, Stephanie! :)

A New Year

Well, I completely failed at sharing pictures of our home in Virginia during 2009. Now that it's 2010 and we are officially Pennsylvania residents, perhaps my New Year's Resolution should be to post more frequently?

In honor of a fresh new start, I'll begin by sharing some pictures of the revamped bookshelf in our Guest Room/Study. The idea was to spend little to no money by using items previously located in other rooms and repurposing them here.

AFTER: The bookshelf, complete with "new" accessories {taken from various rooms in the apartment}.

BEFORE: A photo of the bookshelf when it was still in our old guest room, decorated with my husband's former bachelor pad items...I had been dying to get my hands on this room!

BEFORE: The plant was previously housed in an old casserole dish...oh so classy ;)

AFTER: It now lives in a white planter from Ikea.

Bottom Shelf: A tiny frame containing a picture of my parents dancing at a wedding a few years ago, husband's souvenir from Caesar's Palace, an old gardening book {beautiful color}, etc.

Second Shelf: A pencil drawing of Abraham Lincoln {drawn by me and given to Ben several years ago}, as well as a cute little mint-colored candle tin Deb sent for my 27th birthday {just one of the many wonderful gifts she sent!}.

Top shelf: I received this 5x7 print in a free giveaway over at Brooke's blog. The colors are perfect ~ in case you can't tell, I absolutely love all shades of turquoise. The frame was purchased for 50 cents at Good Will and was previously a muddy brown color ~ I simply painted it white.

Third Shelf: Dried roses my parents gave me after graduation, filling up a Ball jar {yet another gift from Deb ~ received last Easter, filled with gorgeous, white hydrangeas}, various books topped with a shimmery aquamarine bowl (a gift from my sister a few years ago).

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

I love Christmas, and I especially love decorating for this blessed Holiday! I just finished filling our entire home with Christmas decor and I have to say, it looks lovely! Since we're having a Christmas party tonight, I don't have time to take pictures of each and every wreath, candle, ornament, etc., so here are some pics of our home last Christmas...

This silver wreath that hangs on our door was bought at Kohl's 2 years ago during an after-Christmas sale for $2.75 (I just love a good bargain).

White lights and artificial trees can be nice, but nothing says "home" like a real Christmas tree covered with colorful lights, red and silver orbs, and ornaments from our childhood.

This little manger scene is one of my favorite Christmas decorations. I bought it last year at...you'll never guess...The Dollar Store! I love the authentic looking hay, the politically correct Wise Man, and the tiny baby Jesus.

A close-up of our sparkly ornaments.

Our tree skirt, purchased last year at Home Depot with a gift card we were given as a wedding gift.

I hope you enjoyed this little house tour. Merry Christmas! :)

Feeling Festive

Here are some pictures of the Autumn-inspired touches around our home, as well as some yummy Fall and Halloween-themed foods I've made over the past few weeks:

Hot cocoa made with half and half (inspired by Carrie), served in one of my favorite Starbucks mugs (bought last year for $2 during a post-Christmas sale!)

Food and decor at our little Halloween gathering...The orange Target platter holds "Halloweenies" - hot dog weenies wrapped in crescent rolls with 2 little dots of mustard for "eyes" - they looked like mummies :)

My first ever home-made apple pie (served on Halloween, hence the bat-shaped vents)

Layla, from theletteredcottage, inspired these...However, instead of real pumpkins, paint, and using a doily as a stencil, I used faux pumpkins (so they can be used year after year), a brown sharpie marker, and I free-handed the "W" and the design.

A close-up of the big pumpkin

The wreath on our door, bought at Michael's for 50% off

What are your favorite Fall foods or decorations?

To Shag or Not to Shag...

No, not that kind of shag! This kind:

I know what you're thinking: "A shag rug? What is this, 1972?"

But you have to understand what we are dealing with. Under our dining room table is a black, bamboo rug that was purchased a little over a year ago from cb2. I thought, being from Crate & Barrel's sister store, the rug would be fabulous. Unfortunately, it did not live up to its expectations.

The bamboo cracks under very little pressure (i.e. walking across it in high-heels), leaving ugly, bare plastic. Even worse: it create splinters that will inevitably jab into your feet the minute you step on the rug. It's not the most comfortable environment for guests who have come over for dinner and now have to spend the rest of the evening nursing their sore feet. Therefore, we are now in search of a new, soft rug, preferably either black or gray (with or without a pattern).

After lots of searching, I found something that is right up our alley...a shag rug! The customer reviews say that small-pile shag rugs can be easily vacuumed, hide stains, and are uber-soft; exactly what we need for our dining room!

I read the following paragraph and would like to know what you think:

"We all know of the stereotypical 70's "hippy shag" carpet. However, did you know that shaggy rugs have actually made a comeback in recent years? Although the horrid green, brown, and orange colors of the 70's didn't live on, shaggy rugs are still going strong!"


Is this true? If I don't buy a shag rug in one of the hideous 70's colors, could it actually look nice in my contemporary home?


Target, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, and tons of other stores currently carry a large selection of shag rugs. Here are some images from their websites:

 

So, what do you think? Has the shag rug actually made a comeback?

Hello Fall!

When I was little, Fall made me sad; it meant the end of warm weather, the end of summer vacation, and the beginning of 9 straight months of school.

Now, Fall makes me very happy; it means making yummy drinks (vanilla chai latte, anyone?) and delicious, hearty meals. Fall also means dressing our home in twinkling candles and all sorts of autumnal decorations that make it feel like a cozy little nest.

Here are some of my favorite Fall inspiration pictures. I am already using some of them in our home and will be sharing pictures in the weeks to come :)

So, what are your favorite things about Fall?

It's Almost Friday!

Isn't this room divine? I love the high ceilings, floor-length curtains, and natural linen furniture.

I hope you all have a fun, refreshing weekend! :)