Saturday, December 25, 2010

Pretty In Pink

Wanted to celebrate the girls' first birthday with a Pretty In Pink theme.  Here are some photos and tips on achieving the look yourself!








Party hats
Roll scrapbook paper until you've got a nice cone shape
Mark the paper so you can cut the excess paper
Cut the excess paper, and attach the paper to itself with tape
Punch holes on the sides, and knot ribbon through each hole


Cupcake toppers
Type out birthday messages in pretty fonts
Cut them out in circles
Tape the message cards to scrapbook paper, cut in circles with scalloped scissors
Attach cupcake toppers to toothpicks


Pom Poms
Fold 8 - 10 layers of tissue paper lengthwise, in accordion strips
With the layers folded and laying flat, tie the center of the tissues
Pull apart each layer, until a full pom pom shape is achieved


Gifts
Pick one colour theme and limit the wrapping to two contrasting patterns
Use pretty grosgrain or silk ribbon to tie bows in the contrasting colour on each gift


Cupcakes
Customize your cupcakes by adding a drop or two of food colouring into white frosting
Mix with an electric mixer for best results

Hope you enjoyed my photos and ideas, and that I've inspired you to make every celebration a pretty one!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Serenity Now

Bedrooms are made for relaxing and getting away from it all.  This design palette with cool, serene blues and rich, dark chocolate browns will do just that.  

Update your dresser with some knobs in colored glass, and keep all your clutter off the dresser by using sleek shelves and pretty hooks.  A cushioned bench with storage is perfect for stowing away extra pillows and throws, when you go to bed.  Add some luxury to your bedside manner with a chic shag rug in white, and keep your night tables clear by using wall sconces instead of table lamps.

Remember to think about your closet and dressing area when you are decorating your bedroom.  Use shiny votive cups to keep your makeup brushes and pencils in order, and maximize small spaces by using baskets to keep scarves and belts in order, as well as your seasonal accessories like hats and gloves.


Credits:  Paint by Benjamin Moore "Glass Slipper"; Wallpaper by Graham & Brown; Hooks, Knobs, and Votive Cups by Anthropologie; Floral Art Canvas via 2Modern.com; Mirror & Wall Sconce via Crate & Barrel; Baskets via Cost Plus World Market; Nightstand, Storage Bench, Headboard, via West Elm; Rug via Ikea, Chandelier via Target 

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Favorite Things

These are a few of my favorite things...for Eva and Zoe...all items courtesy of the Gap.

First Birthday

Eva and Zoe turn one this month!  Just because we are not having a big party for them, doesn't mean they won't get to celebrate in style....

Here are some easy and pretty ideas I have in mind to commemorate the special occasion.


Thursday, April 1, 2010

The Nursery





I remember how we felt when we first found out I was pregnant.  Our first natural emotion was elation.  We were so happy to know we were successful, after trying for what seemed to be a long time.  Then, reality set in and our house seemed so small.  It was even more difficult to visualize a space in our home when we found out we were having twins, not just one baby!


I had just redecorated our home office, and I loved the way my crafts room (which doubled as our guest room) was set up--but it was obvious that we were going to have to give up a room soon.  After much consideration, we decided to eliminate the 'guest room' and find temporary new homes for all the furniture in that room.


We moved the futon to the office, for future guest use, and the large drafting table and mini chest of drawers was moved to our bedroom.  The large entertainment center, along with a TV and DVD player, was moved out since we really could not find a place at home to accommodate it.  However, there were a few pieces we could keep still keep once we converted the room into a nursery.  We kept the white shelves, which were perfect for a nursery, and also kept a set of three white nesting tables, which also worked well in the new space.


My vision for the nursery was to create a room that was serene and peaceful and that our babies could grow into.  The sex of our babies was never relevant, since I knew I could always add pink or blue to any design I came up with.  Ultimately, we settled on a soft sage green for the main color of the room, with a soft ivory to complement it, to be used on the lower half.  The room would be divided by a soft white chair rail going around the entire room.  We decided to buy the cribs in a dark finish and balance the dark cribs with white accent furniture to avoid a look that was too heavy for a nursery.  We also had to move a large bookcase (from our office) into the nursery, since the futon would not fit into the office unless we did.  The bookcase complemented the dark finish on the cribs.


Here are more photos, along with the breakdown of what it took to create our lovely nursery.  I apologize for not posting prices, but it was a long process and I am afraid I did not keep very good track of all our expenses.


Room painted and chair rail installed by our friend Kylin {Thank you!}
Espresso finish convertible crib [Purchased new, Buy Buy Baby]
Dark finish ladder bookcase [Repurposed, from office]
Pink ruffled lamp shade [Purchased new, Pottery Barn]


White nesting tables [Repurposed, kept in room]
Green silk curtains [Purchased new, Restoration Hardware]



White shelves [Repurposed, kept in room]
IKEA Chair [Repurposed, from living room] {being replaced soon with new LaZBoy rocker}
White dresser [Repurposed, from our bedroom] {updated with new crystal knobs}


Original Pop Art, Artist Michael Albert
[Acquired on a trip to NYC]
{Professionally Framed, at Art of Framing, in Phoenix}

Pink ceiling light fixture [Purchased new, PB Teen]

Laundry Hamper [Purchased new, Land of Nod]
Fabric storage bins [Purchased new, Pottery Barn]
Large bookcase [Custom built] {Thanks Tony!}

Fabric storage bins [Purchased new, Pottery Barn]
Large bookcase [Custom built] {Thanks Tony!}