Nursery reveal

So this probably [definitely] isn’t as exciting for you as it is for me, but I have finally finished the babies’ nursery.

Finally.

Ok, I know some people take months to do this, but really, there’s no time to spare around here. So in just one month, it’s all been decided, ordered, made, purchased, gifted, painted, hung, and otherwise prepped. All that’s missing now is the boys – and a few thousand diapers.

The room was already painted lime green, and because A) I do love the color and B) time is of the essence, we stuck with it. My mom was kind enough to fill nail holes and do some touch up painting, and that was basically it.

I chose espresso brown furniture for the room, and I am really happy with the contrast. Because it’s a smallish space (12×12) with a lot that needs to go in, storage is of the essence – hence this changing table with baskets built in. The laundry hamper is what sold me – as I recall, there will be lots of little laundry to do soon. Times two.

Above the changing table is a diaper organizer which, although it’s early in the game, I totally love so far. Our previous changing table had a place for diapers and wipes built in at the end of the mattress, and I was disappointed to find that this style is no longer readily available, as it was crazy convenient. This is a nice alternative I think.

You will also note that I chose inexpensive [cheap] furniture. It’s a whole different ballgame with surprise kids 4 & 5. With your first, you might be planning ahead and saving money. You might splurge on beautiful Pottery Barn nursery sets, and set up the nursery for 7 months.

For 4 & 5, you decide that as long as it’s not painted in lead, it’s all good.

Moving on…cribs:

I’m a plain Jane kinda girl, so clean line basic furniture like this is right up my alley. They are technically convertible to full sized beds, but I doubt that will ever happen for us. The house we are building is just a 5 bedroom, so if you do the math that means that someone’s doubling up…and it’s likely going to be these two. I see the purchase of twin beds in our future.

Next up is a large dresser and La-Z-Boy recliner. I had picked out a much smaller traditional nursery glider, and the night before purchasing it dawned on me that it was nowhere near large enough to hold me and two babies. My parents happened to be at my house when I came to this realization, and they immediately hopped in their car, went to the furniture store, and bought us this beauty – more than big enough for three, and oh-so-incredibly comfortable.

I envision myself sleeping here many, many nights.

Between the cribs is a bookcase, for which I intend to buy some canvas storage bins and board books (since those were all given away years ago!)

Someone had given the girls American Girl craft kits a while back and they used them to make decorations for the boys:

When asked, I answered honestly that they were very cute, but perhaps a little girly for two little boys. Annie bemoaned the fact that everything they have is girly and was pleased with my reassurance that this would change soon. Poor kid. It had never occurred to me that she would enjoy less feminine crafts. {Though in retrospect, her sketch pad full of superheroes should have clued me in…}

The girls have also started adding presents to the shelves. Annie made a book for the babies – cut, sewed, and stuffed the soft panels all by herself. Catie is giving them her turtle music box (which Mommy desperately needs to polish!). And Lilly has given her brothers her outgrown toddler Bible.

I wanted more of a color scheme than an actual theme, so I opted to make most of the bedding. I did patchwork quilts (to be used, not hung):

I also made matching pillows (no, they won’t stay in the cribs once they are born – thank you for your concern):

The sheets and changing pad cover were a fortunate discovery that turned out to be a perfect match to the colors in the room. Carter’s Laguna is the name of the pattern, and I am very pleased with them. Pardon the wrinkles above – they haven’t been washed yet. I pulled them straight from the package so I could snap some pics.

I also made coordinating curtains

and bedskirts. Instead of a traditional, all-the-way-around style, I opted for two flat panels only on the visible sides of the cribs. This gives a simple, tailored look, and also allowed me to make them floor length, creating a great space to store bulk packs of diapers and wipes. I imagine we will have a lot of those.

I painted this funky tree for above the dresser – don’t judge too harshly, I’m no artist and I know it.

The scripture reference at the bottom is Psalm 1:1-3 – “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.”

I also made this Pinterest-inspired paint chip mobile.

In all the ones I saw online an embroidery hoop had been used for the top, and I didn’t care for that. I found a ridiculously thin and small grapevine wreath at the Dollar Tree store. Lousy for a wreath, but perfect for this, I think. I especially love that this, unlike most mobiles, is visually appealing from underneath, too, so it really is good for baby.

I bought the vinyl wall decals for $15 each from a local vendor and I’m pleased with the simplicity.

Also above the cribs are paper lanterns, which I especially love. They were very inexpensive and add exactly the punch I was looking for.

I found that Asian Ideas had the best prices when I was shopping, but they are sold in many other stores as well.

That’s pretty much it! But just because you might be nosy like me, I will show you the unpictured corner of the room which houses a Diaper Genie. {We might be the only parents on the planet who still love this thing, but we do.}

Also pictured is a closet door, and a hallway filled with painting supplies. While I decorated the nursery, my husband repainted Annabelle’s bedroom. Bless his heart – he is in full nesting mode.

I have to admit that I am breathing much easier this week after checking this major item off of my to-do list. I’m nearly 30 weeks along right now and preparing for early arrival between 34-36 weeks, so there isn’t much time to spare!

*Amazon affiliate links were used in this post

Makeover Monday: You Can Make This

It’s that time of year!  Actually, for me it’s a little late.  I’m normally done with my Christmas shopping by this time, but I’m running behind this year and I’m only partway there.

Today I am starting on the first of many sewing projects which will become Christmas presents.  I like to give handmade gifts.  Do you?  Would you like to start?

Starting this week and running for the next several, I am going to be featuring projects from the website You Can Make This, owned by my friend Kim.  I knew her before she hit the big time and I couldn’t be happier about all of her success.  This website has patterns and tutorials for making hundreds of different projects, from Digital Scrapbooking to Jewelry Making, Sewing to Woodworking, Printable Paper Crafts to Painting.  There is a section of patterns designed specifically for kids to do (what a great present for Grandma that would be!), and even a large group of free downloads!

Who doesn’t love free?

So check out the website, explore some of the great designs, and pick out a project for you (or your kids!) to do today!  To make the deal even sweeter, YCMT is offering my readers a coupon for 15% off ALL orders placed from now through November 18, 2010.  Just enter code

BlogThisFall

at checkout to receive your discount!

And be sure to come back in the weeks to come for more great ideas from YCMT.  I will be making several projects from the website for Christmas gifts, and I will be featuring them on the blog every week.  I will also be giving away a very valuable prize package (over $100!) that you can use to create your own handmade Christmas gifts.  No experience necessary!

And be sure to click the button below and sign up for the newsletter, too!  You’ll get $75 worth of free patterns and ebooks, perfect for getting started!

*So that I don’t get hauled off to FTC prison, I must tell you that the opinions posted on this website are all 100% my own.  I receive no financial compensation for stating these honest opinions.  I will be given a pattern to facilitate my review.  It’s not valuable enough for me to lie to you.  Trust me, if I endorse it, it’s because I mean it.  It takes more than an ebook to buy me.

Makeover Monday: The long-lost Kardashian sister

In looking for embarrassing pictures of myself (which unfortunately, are not hard to find. At all.) I came across several that clearly illustrated what a trendsetter I was.

I rocked several looks a good decade + before the Kardashians did.  Sadly I didn’t look nearly as good in doing so, and I got paid nothing for it, and I’m not close to my sisters like they are…but I had the [inferior] look, and that’s really what’s important here.

Since the money isn’t forthcoming.

Anyway.

The way-too-harsh up-do:

The One Who No Longer Exists

Edited so no one [me] vomits.

Hey check it – she’s got my earrings, too!

The one-shoulder black dress:

No. Eyes.

[Which incidentally, I, too, retired - after seeing this picture.  One-shoulder dresses are not the friend of a busty girl. I look like I weigh at least half a ton here.]

And of course, the super-long hair overkill:

(mine’s all real, thanks)

And this isn’t a beauty pageant, for the record – I’m not that kinda girl.

I think I’d go by Kassie.

And I’d have to introduce them to church.

But otherwise, clearly, I’d fit right in.

I wonder how I’d look with black hair?

Makeover Monday: My Hair

My friend Jen has been on my case about the ‘serious’ nature of my writing recently.  At her request, I am lightening up.  And because I once embarrassed her so badly she cried [and then tripped and fell down the stairs in front of a guy she was trying to impress, which of course made me laugh hysterically, and then she cried harder, because her friend is a jerk and also her finger was broken] – I owe her.

Welcome to ‘embarrass myself’ week.  Because Jen?  I love you that much.

I have issues with my hair.

I was born with quite a lot of it, thick and bushy and black.  I’m not sure why, but it’s a family thing I guess – my daughters were just the same.  It never fell out either, just slowly turned to blonde.

The problem is that when I was a child, I was a tomboy.  I had no patience for ribbons and bows, and I couldn’t be bothered to brush it.  My mom’s solution?  snip, snip

First with the too-short, uneven bangs

Age 2

It got a little bit better (read: less crooked)

Age 4

So of course that had to be rectified pronto

Age 5

For a couple of years that shaggy, mullet-like cut stayed

Age 6, and inexplicably petting a dead bird

[Man, I totally rocked the velour tummy shirt. Go me.]

These experiences scarred me.  I was like, 12 when I finally got my hair to grow out.  And there was no stopping me then, baby.  I was all, my hair is never going to look bad again!  Which is why even when playing basketball, I was fully curled and plastered with hair spray at all times.  Sweat couldn’t stand a chance against a half can of Aqua Net.

Big hair

[I'm just gonna go ahead and apologize for that whole 'global warming' thing, if you believe in it.  There's no doubt that my 4300 cans of aerosol hair spray had something to do with that.]

Eventually I gave up the big curls, and traded (up?) to extreme length

I could almost sit on it. For real.

Enough already Heather.  Get a haircut.

19 inches later

Oh hey, that’s not half bad. [Except for the coat. #9, AKA The One Who No Longer Exists]

Thankfully I got rid of that good haircut ASAP – wouldn’t want to look normal for too long.

Not fat, just pregnant

Nice headband.

Hmmmm….maybe shorter would be better?

Shortest hair of my adult life

Yes, that is better.  It must go.

I have no eyes when I smile

Curls – because that’s never worked before.

Ok, try again.

Again, not fat, just pregnant

Yes, that’s better.

Let’s ruin it.

Failed attempt at shag

Note to self – you are not nearly as cute as Meg Ryan and you cannot pull off her haircut.  Also, you look fat in that outfit, and you don’t have pregnancy as an excuse.

Princess Leia hair

Note to self – you aren’t Carrie Fisher, either.

Perhaps the wrong hair color would help?

Reddish-brown - not good

Maybe I should just give up, and sport nothing but ponytails and twists.

Present day

How much worse can it get?

Humiliation – we’ll be here all week.

Makeover Monday: Veggie Tales Nursery

I apologize to everyone I’ve neglected in the past 8 days.  I’m sorry for not meeting up with you (Jen), returning your phone calls (Darcie and Chrissy), and ignoring your emails and IMs (too many to mention).

You see, this past week, I spent an estimated 48 hours painting our church’s toddler room.  And as crazy as that number might sound, it gets even crazier when you hear that I didn’t do it alone.  My friend Rachel spent that much time -or more-, and Jennifer spent 20+ hours there as well.

What in the world took you so long?

I’m glad you asked.  This super cuteness is what took so long:

Once again, I’m totally lame and I forgot to take ‘before’ pictures.  But the walls were a very pale, very boring, aqua-gray color that had been the same for possibly a decade.  I think the new room is much more inviting!

After we got the main wall colors on, the long-suffering Jennifer used to the projector to trace out all of the characters.  On Friday (our last day) she traced the letters, then spent her entire day putting six (six!) coats of yellow paint on them.  Bless her incredibly patient heart!

Six coats!

Rachel and I hopped back and forth working on the assorted Veggies:

And finally, around 2 am on Saturday morning, we cleaned up our mess and called it done.

The one thing I forgot to take pictures of is the rocking chairs – I made new slipcovers for them out of Veggie Tales fabric and they look super cute (if I do say so myself).

We’re also going to paint some furring strips and clothespins and make Ana’s Clip Art Rails from Knock-Off Wood. {Love her, y’all!}  Those will go at either end of the room, beside the French Peas on one end

and between Junior Asparagus, Laura Carrot

and Jimmy Gourd on the other side of the room.

Won’t they be perfect for displaying the kids’ artwork?  And we’ll paint them the same shade, so they’ll blend seamlessly into the bright blue skies.

I am really, really happy with the way this project turned out, and I am very thankful for good friends who suckered me into it made it super fun to do.  It was a long week, but a good one!

The next dilemma?  Just through the dutch door

is the nursery where babies stay, and it’s looking pretty sorry next to the newly decorated room.  We’re thinking maybe Noah’s Ark…

Makeover Monday: Makeover My Heart

I’ve been reading a book called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Re-reading, actually.  It’s a great book.

See that?  There in the bottom right?  If you ask me, it’s the most important, most revealing part of the title.

Overwhelmed by a Relentless God.

Heavy stuff.  Intimidating.

Overwhelming.

Relentless.

And as uncomfortable as that might make you – and it should make you squirm a little – it’s also comforting, isn’t it?  The idea of God loving you relentlessly, never giving up, never leaving.  Loving you so wholly that it’s overwhelming.

It is a great book.  But it’s not an easy read.  It’s very challenging.  Not because it’s theological and you need to be a biblical scholar to understand it – not at all.  It’s easy to read.  It’s just painful.  If you can read it and not feel uncomfortable, then I daresay you’re missing the point.  Chan writes, “God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.”

And yet, it’s easy to read a book like this, agree with it, feel inspired by it, vow to live your life in a better way, and then…not.  We let the fire fade.  We grow comfortable again.  I did it myself, after reading Same Kind of Different As Me.  [Another great read, BTW]

Annie Dillard once wrote that “How we live our days is how we live our lives.”  Chan takes that one step farther, writing “We each need to discover for ourselves how to live this day in faithful surrender to God as we ‘continue to work out [our] salvation with fear and trembling’” (Phil. 2:12). [This also happens to be my favorite scripture] Chan says we have to learn to listen to and obey God day to day “…in a society where it’s easy and expected to do what is most comfortable.”

I’ve been comfortable.

And I want to change that.

Coincidentally, we got a new issue of Thriving Family magazine last week, and the Chan family is profiled.  Specifically, the article is about their decision to sell their comfortable home and downsize, moving into a small home and even inviting the needy to live with them.  They are practicing what he calls ‘radical obedience’.  Giving up what would make them comfortable by worldly standards, and giving to the world until it hurts.

I want to practice radical obedience.

I want to be radical.

I want to have a heart that is so filled with passion, so consumed by love, so overwhelmed by a  relentless God, that there is no shadow of my former selfish, comfortable self.

I want to love my neighbor so fully that there is no room left for me.

Erma Bombeck once said that “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’.”

Me too, Erma.  Me too.

I have a long way to go here.  My daughter is better at this than I am.  But today, I am [re]committing myself  to trying.

One day at a time.

How we live our days is how we live our lives.

Indeed.

Makeover Monday: Outdoor Furniture

Most of you know by now how much I love Knock-Off Wood.  So today is yet another project brought to you courtesy of Ana (and of course the man who supports my lumber habit).

Our front porch has sat empty for the three-and-a-half years we’ve lived here, and I was more than ready for that to change.  The problem is that I could never find anything I really wanted to put out there.  A bistro set would work, but they’re not very comfortable and no one really uses them.  Rockers could work, but they’re awfully large, not to mention expensive.

Ana’s Simple Outdoor Lounge Chair looked promising, so I told myself I’d try making just one.  If I didn’t like it I’d just put it in a yard sale.  But ooooh, did I ever like it.  A lot.  So I made a matching side table as well - a smaller, modified version of the one my girls made a few weeks ago.

I made a few small changes to Ana’s original plan.  First, I used a 1×4 for the back pieces (instead of a 1×2).  I did this both for consistency of appearance and for seat strength.  Second, my husband has a bad back, so I needed our chairs to be taller.  As written, the chairs are a few inches lower than standard height (though still higher than an Adirondack).   She tells you to cut the leg pieces at 22.5″, but I made mine a little taller at 25.5″.  Therefore, I also had to change the attachment point (her step 4) to be 15.25″ (moving it up 3″) so that the seat was at the proper heighth. 

Also, on step 9 when it is time to attach the back, I tested it for comfort.  Holy reclining seat Batman.  I’m sure my perspective is skewed because I do like to sit straight, but wow.  The Lounge Chair title of this one doesn’t do it justice in my eyes – it is really, really loungy!  I opted to put a second piece of 1×4 across the back, on the inside of the armrests, so that the seat is less reclined.  Much better. 

Things I might do differently the next time: 

• If I were in these chairs very often, I think I’d want a  2×4 to make it even less reclined.
• Test and measure other chairs that I am comfortable in. These chairs are very comfy for me (5’7″), but I am long-waisted, so my chief complaint here is that the arm rests are too low.  My elbow hits about 4″ above the arm rest, rendering them essentially useless for me.

• Consider making different heighths for different people.  My mom is short (5’2″) and my modified chairs are too tall for her – her feet dangle.  However, even the original plan wouldn’t be quite right, because the seats are also too deep for her. 
• Stain or prime and paint all boards before building.  I know this.  I always know this.  But I’m always too anxious to get to work and I never take the time to do it.  Then when the time comes to paint, the job is a whole lot harder.  Don’t be like me – take the time to paint first.  Trust me, on a piece with lots of slats like this, it’s worth it.

Instead of paint, I opted to use a solid stain.  It’s one-step easy and lasts for years, especially on a covered porch.  And it comes in every color of the rainbow. Score!  I had originally considered white but I’m not sure why – I quickly moved on to debate between black or a dark wood stain, and ended up going for black.

Here is my before:

And after:

Ok, so the whole house didn’t exactly change.  But it does look better!  And once I find some appropriate cushions, they will be truly smashing.  Wanna help on that front?

I’m looking for bright colors, but all I seem to find are old-lady florals.  I really dig these throw pillows (or these), but they don’t sell matching seat cushions.  I love orange.  I don’t want a back (I don’t think. Do I?)  I need a 20×20″ seat.  I don’t want a solid color.  I don’t dig stripes or plaid.  Any suggestions for me?  I’d love some links!

Makeover Monday – Landscaping advice

Today is a bit different.

Today I need your help, because I’m at a loss here.

The problem is my front landscaping – or rather, one side of the front landscaping.  It’s lacking.

There’s too much brick showing below the window there, and it makes the house look lopsided.

The slope of the ground isn’t helping matters any.   The ground falls away there and continues sloping down all along the side of the house.  I planted some hot pink double knockout rose bushes along the side of the house and they have done quite well.  They grew very quickly, and they flower beautifully.  The biggest problem is that I clearly don’t know how to prune them, and they are very odd shapes right now.  whoops.

So because of my pruning deficiency, I’m hesitant to put more of them up front, where they’d be even more visible.  But I need something fast growing and attractive to fill in that space, planted close to the house.  The azaleas that are there right now are cute, but slow growing.  I’d like to move them, but can’t until I have something else to go there.

I have a friend who offered to do this for me, in exchange for some sewing she needs done.  Score!  I just need to know what it is that I want, which is where you come in.  What do you suggest?  Fast-growing, doesn’t require serious maintenance, no major root system that will destroy the foundation.  I think those are my only requirements.

Oh, and pictures.  Pictures are always nice.

Makeover Monday – DIY Flowerbox

It’s amazing how sometimes, the littlest things can make a huge difference.  Jewelry, for example.

One of my sisters is really into jewelry.  Whenever she visits, I always feel like I have to step up my game a bit.  I trade in my mom flip-flops for sky high heels, and the girl who doesn’t even wear her wedding ring (I know! The shame!) finally feels obligated to wear jewelry.

And you know what?  It makes a big difference!  I feel better.  I look better.  And for those few weeks a year, I’m totally on top of my game.

Unfortunately then she leaves again, and it’s business as usual.

Around the Flawed front windows, it’s been business as usual for the past three-and-a-half years.  I love landscaping, and I work tirelessly all spring and summer, planting flowers, mulching, making sure that everything is just right.  The one thing I’ve never been able to get right is the front of the house.  It was off balance, somehow.

Here’s the front while it was still under construction.  Well, part of the front.  A tiny, unrecognizable portion of the front.  Feeding a healthy amount of paranoia that tells me not to post my exact location on the web, thankyouverymuch.

And we received the house looking not much better.  Sure, we got grass (seed not sod – it was winter), but that’s about it.  The porch didn’t even have a railing, which if you ask me, is just plain cheap on the builder’s part.  Clearly he doesn’t watch Curb Appeal.

We rectified that situation (and by we, I mean my dad and myself.  My husband? Probably inside vaccuming.)

And it was better, but not quite right.  We did all the landscaping ouselves (still not where I want it, but that’s part of the fun, isn’t it?)  Still not right.  The ugly hunter green shutters?  Promptly painted black.  Still not enough.  The house was unbalanced.  There’s all this white porch on one side, and an unsightly expanse of brick on the other side. 

This year, me and my Lowe’s gift card (Merry Christmas to me!) decided that a window box would go a long way toward improving that situation.  The task was fairly simple – I wanted a flower box large enough to fit a double window, and I wanted it to be white. 

If I do say so myself, I think this really improved the appearance of that wing of the homestead.  Sort of old-fashioned traditional, cottage and comfortable.  All I need is a warm pie, resting in the windowsill.

Would you like to build your own?  It’s an easy, 1 hour project that should cost you around $30.  Totally worth it considering the only other double-window flower box I found cost $200!  Key here is the wood you use.  Unlike most outdoor projects, inexpensive pressure-treated pine is not suitable.  The chemical that the wood is soaked in contains a high amount of salt.  So high, in fact, that it will alter the ph of your soil for years to come, making it darn near impossible for plants to flourish.  Skip the pressure-treated and use cedar instead.  Slightly more expensive, but it lasts longer, is lighter weight, and won’t kill your flowers.

I was building for 2 36-inch windows, so I wanted the box to be exactly 72 inches wide.  Because of this width, I used 2 sets of brackets ($5 per set) to hold the weight of the long box.  I also purchased 2 pieces of cedar, 1x6x8 (just under $7 each) and 1 piece 1x4x8 (just under $5).  I used a circular saw to cut these to length, but you could also use a jigsaw or have them cut at your lumber store. 

This is a really, really easy project – just screw them together.  Promise!  I wanted the front face to be all one board, so I screwed the front and back into the 1″ side of the 1×4, which served as the box’s bottom.  Small pieces of the 1×4 filled in the ends of the box, and a bit of paintable exterior caulk nicely filled in the gaps.  I recommend pre-drilling the holes to avoid any board splitting.  Here is a picture of one end, so you can see how I pieced mine together:

uh-oh – I see a staple I forgot to pull!

Cedar is naturally fantastic for outdoors, but I chose to paint mine because I wanted the white color.  If you paint as well, be sure to use an exterior paint that will hold up to the elements.  After painting, I drilled several small holes in the bottom of the box for drainage.  I did 2 lines of 1/4″ holes, staggered about every 3 inches or so.  About 3 weeks in, this seems to be quite sufficient.

You can see where the dirt is coming through a bit – that’s a good sign!

The most important part of mounting the box is anchoring it into your house.  Because our home is brick, I used lead anchors.  In order to sink them, I used a concrete drill bit, and drilled into the mortar (which is easier to drill than brick).  This is really easy as long as you have a concrete bit – don’t be intimidated!  The most important thing you can do is to use a waterproof exterior caulk to seal up the gap between the lead anchor and the brick.  You don’t want there to be any chance of water getting in there because it will start to bust your mortar.  Because of this, and because I knew it would be hidden by the flower box, I was a little sloppy with my caulk. 

whoops!  But totally worth the end result, right?

In the winter I intend to park some faux poinsettias in that baby, which I think will look equally as smashing.  I am really happy with this project, and in retrospect many of the [more expensive] things I’ve done to the front of our house haven’t added up to as much visual impact as this one small, easy, and inexpensive change. 

Thumbs up for the budget-friendly makeover!

Next week – I need your help!

Makeover Monday – Side Table

Ok, so this week isn’t exactly a makeover.  It’s not even close.  It’s just a little table.

But if you look closely, you’ll see that it’s actually a lot more.

It’s actually my daughters’ own creation (with the help of plans from Ana, of course).

Yes, as a matter of fact, I do let my kids play with tools.  I encourage it.

Anyone who knows me would laugh at the suggestion I am a feminist, but I suppose in this one way, maybe I am just a little.  I want my girls to be able to do anything.  Everything.  I don’t want them to stick with traditionally feminine roles.  I want them to be smart and confident and know that actually, they can fix things and build things and get dirty, just like the boys. 

Better than the boys.

I think Ana is an inspiration in that regard.  If you have ever seen her, she’s not exactly how you’d picture a female carpenter.  She’s teeny tiny and absolutely gorgeous.  She’s a femme fatale weilding a nail gun.  How cool is that?

I want my daughters to know that they can do what they set their minds to do.  And yes, I do hope that leads them to build things.  Because it feels really, really great to look at something you created.

And also it feels great to save money.

This side table was created with wood I had left over from another project.  However, if you’d like to build one yourself, it would cost around $15 in lumber.  Not bad for a $199 Pottery Barn knock-off, eh?  You can’t even order a swatch of wood from Pottery Barn for that price!

And every time I look at our table, I get to appreciate the kind of beauty that Pottery Barn can’t sell.

The cuts that aren’t quite straight

The holes that Lilly filled with caulk instead of wood putty

The love (and mess) that went into the paint job

The end result?

You can still see a few gaps.

The cuts weren’t perfect.  The paint isn’t perfect.  They were too impatient to sand properly.

Yet it’s still the most beautiful table we own, if you ask me.

Pottery Barn sells Perfect, no doubt.

But Knock-Off Wood gave us a pretty perfect day, and that’s worth a whole lot more to me.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.