I have moved!!

Again. This time, in cyber space. I have virtually relocated to a new blog. I needed a new start and a little fine tuning. I think I got it, and I'd love for you to join me here! 

www.archieandjulia.blogspot.com

Love and blessings, Beth 

I Am a Collector?

With the autumn days forging on, imminent holiday celebrations and the prospect of company flooding our home this winter, the coziness has kicked up a notch in our home. With that, I had a few little projects to finish, or get a little closer to being done. One in particular that I thought would never be completed. The bathroom wall. I wished and hoped for dome beautiful graphic plates to leap into my cart at TJ Maxx or fly into view on Pinterest. No such luck. 

Finally, I went to an old standby website, and there they were, or so I thought. Plates. Anthropologie had bright, vibrant, beautiful plates. If you know me, you know that I don't have any patience to wait for a package by mail and I am too cheap to pay for shipping. So, after a 2 year well appointment for Gil, we trudged over to the mall that is so not on the way home, with me in heels, him with a new flu shot prick and an empty stomach. Good combo. 

I knew what I wanted. This mission would be brief. They WERE there! But there were more there, one more striking than the other. Oh my God, pay dirt. Pay dirt, but no money in my wallet. No mind though. I bought four, then had to scurry out of there, feet throbbing and a new package of about 12 lbs in tow, in addition to the 25.8 lb person who insisted on being carried, but he'll remain nameless. 

That night, I carefully laid my plates out on our kitchen table and one by one, took them into the bathroom to compose on the wall. I didn't have any plate holders, but alas, I had one, two, er...several plates I could steal from. Oh my God, I have a collection. I never thought I'd be one to have such a thing. I mean, our coffee cups don't even remotely match, and our plates and servers are hardly impressive other than the Crate + Barrel spaghetti serve ware we got for our wedding from my dear clients. 

I then thought about it. Almost every room has a plate donning the wall. Damn it. I have a collection. I am not against them necessarily, but now there is so much more pressure to add to this collection. I like my collection. I am now committed. I will now add to my group of glazed porcelain spheres on my walls and we'll all like it. Yes, I will and I can't wait! 

A fresh stack of plates waiting to be hung on the wall

An old plate that caught my eye many years ago at TJ Maxx.

Some personal little plates - (far right) by Gil (left) Anniversary plate by Zinnia Designs

New Circus Plates - By Anthropologie

I couldn't pass these up!

Koi - by Anthropologie

A little chickadee for my chickadee. See the  serendipity with the plate and the picture above?  

Quick update!

Holy Moses, it's been awhile since I have update you on the house.I was looking through my old posts, and things have changed a little around here. The changes are more intangible than illustrative with two growing babies, but slowly, surely our environment here meets our ever changing needs with just a dash of pure impulse and non-necessity. After the holidays, I can promise there will be more revisions, more little projects and a whole lot of cozy, wintry bliss around here.

A crucifix made by Gil hangs over our kitchen sink

No change here. I just like the morning light.

Our dining room was transformed into a home office. It looks a little funny, but is a fantastic work space.

Our still-empty living room.

There was a circus tent where the chair is now. Now all of our seating in the playroom is in one place, but not safe from toy invasions, as shown here.

Gil's room. Yes, he has a "beddy"?!

Dresser top view in Gil's room.

Psychedelic Piggy Bank

The nursery. Yes, the new curtains have pink flowers. They look good for now, so it's okay. Yes, it is.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go check on the baby, get ready for a run, and celebrate that we made the list for a farm fresh turkey. Until next time...

At a Glance: Saturday

Eggs on toast is my new breakfast of choice. So good. So good.

Gil had a friend over today. Gil loves sweet Jonah.



Jonah



Ah yes, I made it to the gym. I crush calories. I sweat. I feel good. I also feel a little lame for having to train for a 5K.



Our little guy slept in his crib for the first time in his life. We are officially situated here. ahhh...

Mirror, Mirror

Despite my lack of energetic and interesting posts, I feel like I am picking up steam around here. Since we now have the basics - furniture and painted walls AND no major appliance failures lately, I can concentrate on fun projects. Here's one:

I will say, as I was in the middle of working on this, I realized that I do not have deadlines, I do not have a script. I can take as much time as I need to get it right. Over and over in my head I say, "Keep going, you are not done. Add more. Add more." So I did, conservatively. I will one day be like my mom, but don't tell her I said that.

The book nook

Gil seems to like it!



If you look closely in the corner, you see stars...



And some more stars. Imperfect like me.



A little greeting in the other corner



And just for fun, some funny faces for the mirror. A little whimsy.



Rock me, Mama.

Hi there! Here is a quickie project that has actually taken me weeks and weeks and then my mom a few hours to boot. I have been itching to paint this rocking chair since I got it a few years ago. It was my rocking chair as a baby, which is so very sentimental, BUT, the swashbuckling theme was just not my style.

I even played the mom/dad card with this one. I think it may have been may last waltz with the "ask dad, then ask mom" game. I knew exactly how this would play out.
Me: "Dad, do you care if I paint the rocking chair?"
Dad: " You know how I am. I believe in preservation."
(Later...)
Me: "Dad says he doesn't want me to paint the rocking chair, but I think it'll look so much better in the nursery with a little color."
Mom: "Oh my God! That chair would have been on the curb if you didn't take it."

Somewhere in the middle, lies the truth and outcome as well all know it.
So without further ado, here it is...Oh! One more thing. This is step one. I want to add color, texture and whimsy to this. I just need to figure out how, and what exactly it is that I want to do.

Ahoy, Matey! Time to walk the plank

Lightly sand, prime, then paint

All primed! P.S. This chair took 2 cans of spray primer.

At home. I saw this color in the Spring **Valspar sample collection at Lowe's.
It goes with our "Almond Branches" print by Van Gogh

Mom finished the paint job while I was in the hospital, the sanded the edges to give it a broken in look.

**Valspar now has premade color samples at the paint counter. They phase in and out every season. They are great inspiration for any project type. I got another dusty blue color from the Spring collection that will serve as my starting line for the walls of the secret playroom.

Scenes with a Newborn

Today, I am itching to do some "normal" things. So I'll post. Here are some scenes from the past few weeks of life as I know it, and of course as little Nathan knows it. Hubby took 2 weeks off to spend with the whole family, which was our itle pocket of time that we got to live the way we wish we did everyday, with eachother completely. We did get out a few times, as you'll see!