New Porch Details
Just because we had finished working on the porch for the BHG 48-Hour Challenge (have you voted yet today?), that doesn’t mean that we had completely finished. I love the way everything turned out, but there were a few other items that have since caught my eye…
These green astro balls are fun, aren’t they? I included them in my Great Green Outdoors post back in March, and I had wanted them ever since.
Actually, I just realized that the other two items newly added to our porch were in that same post from March too. The beachcomber outdoor pillow is looking nice on our bench…
And the MYNTA hanging pots look great filled with annuals.
So there you have it. A home-obsessed person’s work is never done. Although our front porch is. For now, at least. ;)
Psst… If you could take just a moment to vote today in the 48-Hour Challenge, I’d be ever so grateful. There are only three days left, and it’s gonna be a close one!
Eleanor’s Nursery
OK. Let me start by saying that I love my glider. LOVE IT. It takes up half the nursery but it’s my favorite spot in the house. I nurse in it, I rock in it, I sleep in it.
Our changing table is just a changing pad set atop bookshelves with doors. The pink flower knobs help the unit look like it belongs in a little girl’s nursery instead of an office space (which is what it’s meant for). Also, I’m glad my mom recommended getting a lamp with a dimmer. I can have just enough light to change and nurse Eleanor when she wakes in the middle of the night, but I can keep it dark enough to signal that it is still nighttime (and that she should be sleeping!).
Behind the bookshelves you can see the closet and its little built-in shelves. Quite a while back, I had decided to fill those shelves with wooden blocks and spools. I’ve also added a vintage pull-toy that I picked up at a garage sale and a name train that we received as a gift. We’ll have to remove some of these toys once we really start baby-proofing, but for now they all look cute.
Here’s a view of the other side of the room.
Both Brandon and I slept in Jenny Lind cribs
I bought the mobile that’s hanging above the cribthe mobile that’s hanging above the crib a few months ago with the intention of altering it slightly because it was far too big. It’s now much better suited to the small scale of our nursery.
We have some paper suitcases from my shop on top of the dresser that we painted pink. There’s also a big metal ‘E’ and a pink vase from a garage sale, along with Brandon’s childhood stuffed bear. He loved that bear so much he hugged the stuffing out of the middle! It’s incredibly sweet, and we hope Eleanor will love it as much as he did.
The little sunken alcove next to the dresser will be a play space for Eleanor once she’s old enough. I wrote a little more about that back in January.
And now I’ll leave you with this parting shot, the view from the doorway…
I’ve listed all of the nursery resources in a previous post, so take a look if you’re wondering where something in the room came from. Thanks for letting me share Eleanor’s nursery with you!
Maybe Tomorrow?
I wanted to post photos of the nursery today, I really did. Perhaps if I had one of those babies that, you know, slept, I could get some things done around here. Eleanor’s a doll, but she’s not familiar with the whole nap concept.
“What? I’m supposed to do what all day? Uh, no.”
The nursery photos are forthcoming, I promise.
Have You Voted Yet Today?
Just a quick reminder… you can vote once each day from now until June 12, and we’d really appreciate your support in the BHG 48-Hour Challenge!
The Nursery, Resources
At long last, I’ve photographed the finished nursery! Can you hear the collective cry of “finally”? Before I post all of the photos (I’m editing them now), here’s a little board for the room…
Big Money, Big Money, No Whammy!
There are several big house projects that we’d like to work on, if only we had the cash. Maybe a $5000 bonus would help? (Hint, hint, have you voted yet today?)
We need a new window in Eleanor’s room.
The one that’s there now is actually falling off of the house — yikes! While it isn’t quite at the point of being dangerous (it’s still sort of attached), the gap does let hornets and other bugs in. If we had a proper functioning window, we could actually open it for some fresh air. What a concept!
And I know, I know. I really need to post the finished nursery.
We would like a new light in the library.
The one that’s in there now is just plain ugly, and it doesn’t even cover the hole in the ceiling for the junction box. The ceilings in the library are only 7.5′ tall, so we need something that doesn’t hang down very far.
I’ve had my eye on the Chase Ceiling Mount for a while now, but they keep pushing the availability date back. I’ve been patiently waiting, but perhaps it’s time to find another option.
Our bathroom needs some serious help.
It was bad when we moved in.
We did do a minor update about a year and a half ago with paint and accessories for about $300…
And while it’s much cuter than it was, that was just a temporary fix. We want to make some structural changes and relocate the toilet a few feet over into what’s now a closet space. Oh, and um, maybe we could have a white tub and toilet instead of blue?
The outside of our house also needs some serious help.
At the very least, we need to paint the trim. We also would like to resurface the dormers to match the stucco on the rest of the house, change the color, and add some landscaping. Basically, I want our house to look like this:
Matching seating out back would be nice.
I talked about this not long before the whole BHG 48-Hour Challenge started. Basically, we have a mish-mash of seating around our table.
While I can appreciate that look when other people do it, I would prefer a matching set of chairs.
Eventually, we would like to refinish the basement.
This will probably have to wait, but it’s definitely on our list. I won’t post pictures because it’s too scary. Well, maybe just one picture. Would you like to see our indoor outhouse?
Yeah, we’d like to remedy that (and the rest of the basement) at some point.
*Sigh.*
A girl can dream, right? Wanna help out? We’re in the running for a $5000 bonus, and I’d really appreciate your vote every day from now until June 12!
Riveting… If You’re Me
I gave Brandon a Flip video camera
Here’s one such example. I find it utterly charming, even though Eleanor basically just lays there and occasionally bats at a toy for well over a minute.
The fact that she’s interested in toys now is both good and bad. Good, because she’s becoming more expressive and more like an actual little person! Bad, because now in addition to wondering if she’s crying because she’s hungry, wet, or tired, we can add crying out of boredom to the list.
Style: June ‘09
I packed away all of my maternity clothes today (yay!). I was tired of wearing them, even though my one-month postpartum body still looks a bit pregnant. Now I need to focus on clothes that fit my slightly more rotund figure, are easy to take care of, and work for nursing. I suppose it’s time to reevaluate my wardrobe a bit.
I actually just bought this printed cami the other day. While it looks nothing like it does on the model when it’s on me, I actually think it looks better in real life. I wear mine tucked in and under a white cardigan with a simple black skirt.
To complete the outfit, I’d add this brown bag (which looks more expensive than it is), nude flats, and a charming initial necklace. Easy and cute!
Back in Second Place
We’ve lost our lead in the 48-Hour Challenge again — drat! We’re currently down by 358 votes and slipping a little more each day.
You all came through for me last time when we were down and I’m hoping you can do it again… Please vote for Making it Lovely everyday until June 12. (Thank you!)
One Month Old (Eleanor’s Monthly Photo)
Here’s our little cutie wearing the pin that mama made for her.
Happy one month birthday, Eleanor! I can’t believe how fast the time is going by and how big you are already.
(I’ll be taking a photo of Eleanor sitting in the Eames rocker and wearing her pin each month until she’s two years old.)
