Happy Halloween!

Forrest is r.u.n.n.i.n.g to Trick-or-Treat tonight in Columbiana, ALA-BAMA!

That's all he has to say about that.

 👟🏓🍫

"I may not be a smart man, but I know what love is."

"Dear God, make me a bird. So I can fly far. Far, far away from here."

"From that day on, if I was going somewhere I was running." 👟👟

"Hello. My name's Forrest, Forrest Gump."

My momma always said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

"You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich."

"My mama always said you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes, where they going, where they been." 👟👟

“Me and Jenny goes together like peas and carrots.” 🥕

.

.

.

.

And that one time Brett inadvertently transformed into Forrest in a dressing room.

😂😂😂

(He's gonna kill me!)

Happy Halloween, friends!!!

-Lauren

The Color Issue - Everything Home Magazine | March 2016

DIY Parking Garage

Baker's stocking was a huge hit this year! Santa was on a tight budget so he had to get a little creative. ;) We really love homemade gifts and toys anyways so we enjoy creating things for our home that are unique and special. We can't take credit for this idea at all. I actually found it here! But we did customize it a bit to fit our needs. Baker loved it so much and it was such an easy and inexpensive project. I thought I'd share the details in case anyone else has a car or truck lover like we do and wants to give this DIY a try!

All we used to make this was a crate, some scrap PVC pipe and a piece of scrap wood. The crate is from Michael's and was about $14. (We used a 50% off coupon.) Overall, we spent a whopping $9 on everything! I do like the look of natural unstained wood, but I wanted it to look a little more polished so we put one coat of light wood stain on the crate. And because our little boy has cars and trucks of all shapes and sizes we decided to incorporate two different size PVC tubes to accommodate them all. The tubes fit very tightly in the size crate we used so we didn't think it was necessary to glue them in. But, if you used a different size crate or PVC you could easily hot glue them in to secure them, as well.

I decided to distress and Mod Podge the little "Parking Garage" sign. I don't have a Cricut machine nor do I have the best hand lettering skills so this was the next best approach to getting a really precise look! I do have a few tips if you want to attempt this technique! Mod Podge is a really simple product to use. I have the liquid product in both the matte and glossy finish, as well as their all-in-one aerosol spray product. I actually used both the matte liquid and the spray on this project and I'll tell you why below!

The first thing I did was design and print my wording. I then cut it to my desired size and shape. After I painted and distressed my sign, I sealed the sign by spraying it with the aerosol Mod Podge product and letting it dry completely. This step is what kept my blue paint from smearing across the white paper once I was ready to attach my wording. 

Once the Mod Podge spray coat was dry I applied one layer of matte Mod Podge liquid to use as glue for my piece of paper. After I placed my wording where I wanted I just painted one last thick coat of matte Mod Podge all over the entire sign. The product goes on looking milky and thick, but dries completely clear providing a seamless and permanent finish. I chose to hot glue it to the top of the crate so there wouldn't be any visible nail or staple holes.

It turned out so darling! And it could be customized and used in so many different ways. An incredibly simple and inexpensive DIY product that our little boy absolutely loves! Happy DIY-ing!

-Lauren

Happy Halloween! Our Radio Flyer Fire Truck

It's no secret that we absolutely love Halloween! Last year when Baker was only a few months old Brett traveled out of state to a Fire Conference and brought home the most precious little fire fighter uniform. This season it fit him perfectly and this costume just fell right into place! He ADORES everything fire related (no surprise!) and we can't seem to keep him out of his new ride. The first time he saw it he kept telling us Thank You over and over and over.. It just melted my heart! We've joked that maybe we should just turn it into a toddler bed since he loves it so much. ;) The fire truck fits right over his Radio Flyer wagon and it's going to make Trick or Treating around town so fun and easy! Especially if he gets tired! We've had so much fun this season already with fall festivals, Boo at the Zoo, and Trunk-or-Treating. We can't wait to hit the streets this weekend for some more festivities around town. The City of Columbiana hosts "Monster Walk" this weekend plus Baker will get to Trick Or Treat for real for the first time! We absolutely cannot wait!

Happy Halloween from Chief Baker!

Direct Link to purchase your own Radio Flyer wagon at the bottom of the post!

My inspiration for this actually came from a fire truck wagon made of cardboard. And of course Brett wanted to upgrade the idea! I headed to work one day and a few hours later he was sending me pictures of his progress. I literally gasped out loud when I got his photos! It was everything I wanted and then some! HE KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK. HOME RUN. Once I saw the initial design he came up with I started to envision a little wooden fire truck toy. Similar to the miniature handmade trucks and toys he's built before.. I wanted it to look like a life size replica! And I was so excited to finish it that we started on the detail work as soon as I got home that day. We were up pretty late but sometimes when my creative wheels start turning and we're knee deep in a project the adrenaline hits and I just don't want to stop until I can physically see what I've been dreaming up in my mind. It's an addiction! A DIY addiction! We used all scrap wood from the wood shop, as well. The overall cost was minimal. Nearly free!

Nursery Makeover

We knew we wanted to create a fun new room for Baker when we moved and I immediately started brainstorming design ideas that could transition with him as he grows, but also stay true to the farmhouse style of our home. I wanted the bones to be timeless. A space that maybe even by the time he's old enough to move out (cue the waterworks!!!) we could use as an office or something for ourselves. Kid's rooms and play rooms are SO fun! I feel like I can push my own boundaries a little and step outside my comfort zone. I could dream up spaces for children all day long! (Anyone remember Trading Spaces - Kids Edition?!)

So, he's been in his new room for several months, but it took quite a while to find the perfect finishing touches. For me interior design is all about the details and I'll probably tweak this room over and over and over just like I do the rest of our house. We partnered with the adorable East Plum shop who provided some of the cutest accessories. You absolutely have to check them out! If I had to describe the look of the new nursery I would call it industrial farmhouse chic with a touch of vintage school house flair. Is that a thing? Bahaha! Well, I say it is. So, it is.

Do you guys remember looking through the second level before photos? No? Well, here you go. HOLY GREEN CARPET FOR DAYS. Not to mention, this small bedroom had THREE doors and a window crammed in there. Hello, claustrophobia. 

Holy Green Carpet!!!

To break down the major changes, we removed one door completely and added a sliding barn door to the existing closet. We also added tongue and groove to the walls and created a fun chalk board on the inside of the bedroom door. It really transformed the ugly hollow core door (yuck) and saved us some money because I was about to toss it in the trash and purchase a new one!

The coolest thing about this project is that every single piece of custom wood detail in this room came off of our property and was custom built by Brett. The barn door, the closet shelves and bookshelves, the window and door trim, the herringbone deer head mount. Everything! Details like that are super special to me when it comes to design in our home. I want things to have a purpose and a story and I love that I can tell you where it all came from and how we worked as a team to make it all come together!

So, check it out.. We love it. Baker loves it. Or at least he naps well in here which is the real toddler test & seal of approval, amiright! I'll leave a source list at the bottom of the post if you have any questions about materials and things found around the room and feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. Take a peek at Baker's little hideaway!..

Link for this deer mount at the bottom of the post!

*Update*

Baker recently got a new "big boy" bed and he absolutely loves it! It was a $40 find from our last trip to the Nashville Flea Market! I won a Pottery Barn gift card on an Instagram giveaway and used it to purchase a few shams. The rest isa mix of old & new and high & low end pieces. Much like the rest of our home. :) Baker man calls it his "clubhouse" and his joy makes me a very happy mama!

Nursery Source List:

Wall paint - Woodlawn Bedroom White by Valspar in flat finish
Crib paint - Gray Silt by Valspar
Galvanized pipe and hardware (used on the bookshelf, tent & curtain rod) - Lowes and Home Depot
Drop cloths (tent and curtain) - Harbor Freight $7
Wooden feathers and "Let's Be Adventurers" wooden art - East Plum
Mini stool, twine and craft paper - Hobby Lobby
"Happy Place" pillow and striped blanket - Seibels Cottage (local)
Shag rug, numbered crate and large grey basket - HomeGoods
Galvanized buckets, buffalo check luggage boxes and lantern - Target
"B" marquee nightlight - Monograms Plus
"I'll Eat You Up" Wooden Art - Scrappy Madison
"Where The Wild Things Are" painted canvas - custom painted by personal friend, Sarah Quinney
Small grain stripe storage bins (closet) - Bed Bath & Beyond
Copper light fixture - Cabela's
Wooden growth chart - local artist (Similar ones found on Etsy!)
Antique Fan - Oak Mountain Emporium (local)
8 Point Buck Deer Head Bust Wall Hanging (I spray painted it!)

9 x 12 All Purpose Canvas Cotton Drop Cloth (Similar to what I used)

Sliding Barn Door Hardware

-Lauren