Homefront: The Nursery of Elisabeth Rose

 Miss 'Liss is 10 months old and I am finally getting around to posting nursery pics! This was a fun and rather simple project, full of collecting and thrifting and creating, and yet I still have more ideas. This isn't really her room. This is her corner, in my room. We are short a bedroom so she stays in our for now. There are plenty of perks in that... for now anyways. Turquoise seems to be a theme with me, even my boy's nursery was turquoise and blue. I guess I either a) really like the color or b) it's always available and since I thrift a lot, I get what I find!

Wooden chandelier is from uncommon. I draped the turquoise beads on for fun. I have finally replaced the changing table knobs with faux mercury glass ones from Hobby Lobby, so just imagine it ;)  Pillows are thrifted vintage, chair was a free roadside find.

I made this rag garland, and it's about 6 feet long. Some of the fabric in there is from pajamas that my big ole pregnant belly ripped open. I kid you not. Sentimental, maybe, or just plain weird? I talk about how I made this here. I love a little touch of metallic and would like to incorporate more in this space, but for now, I hole punched gold circles out of a gift bag and hot glued them onto a white ribbon. Glittered star was a garage sale find. I totally love this project, and it was practically free and a large centerpiece for a wall.

These IKEA curtains were perfect and on sale for $4! I wish there were more. I didn't want to hang curtain rods, so I tied them up with twine. Stuffed bird is thrifted, the lamb rattle plushie and is the first official baby toy gift to Elisabeth.

This IKEA crib we bought from a friend. We sanded it down and spray painted it, because I was just *so* desperate for a white crib. Crib linens and that adorable owl are also all thrifted.

Miss Rose. This was two months ago, and she has grown several inches of fluffy hair and a tooth since!

I pulled out my 80's vintage toys! Of course, they weren't vintage when I had them as a kid! Hugga Bunch, Kermit, Miss Piggy (my sister's actually), yellow Honey Bear, white Popple, Ellaroo from the Wuzzles, Pluto, and some other little sentimental ones. The pink and ivory lambs were mine and my sister newborn gifts. (awe). And the little thumb sucking money I got the day my little brother was "born" into our family! (He was adopted from South Korea, so we had a special ceremony.) The white wicker shelf is a garage sale find.

I see you!  That is the corner of our bed and Elisabeth's favorite spot to play. That is where I sit in front of the mirror to do my make-up, and she loves jumping all over me as I struggle to do my eyeliner. Fun times! Now, I simply give her some baby treats in the crib until my eyes are done.

 They loves each others.

 It's always puppet time. Speaking of our old toys, this was my husband's rat puppet as a kid.

 And here is what we usually look like in this room. Sleepy! But having her so close makes it easy to quickly take care of her at night. So that is it. Eventually, I will get around to showing the room in its entirety, after finishing up a few other projects in here.

 

Linked to Everything Etsy's Crafty Girl Linky Party

 

Ornate Frame Prop for Family Pics

I have been getting a lot of amazing thrift and garage sale finds as of late, (which those re-dos will eventually be blogged).... but this massive, gaudy frame is a favorite! It was only $1 at a garage sale a few weeks ago. Hubby is not so in love with the print that came with it. I intended to shabby it up with a coat of spray paint, which I may still do, but am glad I waited because it turned into a really cute prop for some family pics we took over the weekend. I've compiled a pinboard of photo prop pictures that have been so popular the past several years for ideas, though here are a few we did. Have any of you used frames in photo sessions? If so, I would love to see them. I think a fancy oval frame would be neat to try next.

 

 

 

Happy framing!

Thrifted Vintage Master Bedroom Makeover

For those who have followed my blog over the years, many of you have seen my sporadically different bedroom changes, in three different homes. The first was the diy painting of the garage sale headboard here. Then the vintage linen room, then the plate wall  and total bedroom makeover (my favorite), and now in this yucky rental (with the nausea inducing mustard orange accent wall.) Well, it's the end of an era, because I just sold my pretty white headboard and my adorable vintage french provincial dresser last weekend. A bit is due to earning some cashola to get new baby girl gear, but I'm also going through a mega purging phase right now. I have boxes and boxes of clothes/decor/craft supplies/linens and stuff just waiting to get out of here. My room feels naked now without a headboard, so any free/cheap/diy ideas for that would be awesome.

But, I did find these two amazing vintage lamps the other day for only $12. I have been looking for lamps because all of ours have broken. I never find quirky/cool lamps in a pair that actually work at a thrift store.... and these lamps are definitely pretty quirky. A woman at Goodwill commented that she liked the lamps... if the shades were different, but I happened to love the silky drum shade and the pretty pale robins egg blue color, even though it does clash a bit with the interesting pink and green glass/acrylic (?).

The wall sconces were another find for $2 and the vintage crewel embroidery art was $3. I am not usually a big symmetry decorator, like my blessed grandmother, but I love the simplicity it brings to the space.

 I have a beautiful vintage crewel embroidery on a down stuffed wool pillow that accented this art beautifully, (as seen on a chair that I also sold, *sniff*)... but I RUINED it! I wasn't thinking and washed the thing... now it is all moldy and the embroidery colors ran. I am so upset with myself. I may just cut the front part off and try to frame it?

My little boys love picking me little flowers they find. I put one in my hair the other day and they thought I had magically transformed into a princess.

Of course, the end tables usually have medicine bottles, glasses of ice water, cell phone chargers and a way huge ugly alarm clock. But you know, gotta look a little gussied up for pics right? Since the thrifted tables are pretty banged up, and I still haven't sanded and painted them, I cut this vintage thrifted lace panel in half and now we don't get splinters on our end tables at night.

 

 My hubs' Far Side looking elephant piggy bank. And his studly glasses. He looks so cute in those glasses.

 A few slip covered pillowcases my aunt, the professional seamstress made for me. I stuff them with cheap (and washed) thrifted pillows. I love how she made me so many covers, I can change them throughout the seasons and always have a fresh update. That is the beauty of slip covered pillows people. I really need to get over my fear of sewing machines and just do it. Rae Gun has a great envelope pillow case tutorial here.

So, I got me a little mini makeover for now. I have a challenge on my hands on how to make this space a little more comfortable while spending zero money on a headboard alternative. I have found a few cute ideas out there, that I will likely be posting soon, do you have any free/diy headboard ideas?

Linked to:
Thrifters Anonymous 
Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds 
Nester's It's Not Perfect But It's Beautiful 
Between Naps on the Porch 
Chic on a Shoestring Budget 
Remodelaholic

Personal Style: Retro Secretary

This outfit is mostly thrifted. I was planning on cutting this top up to refashion with a dress, but I just love it too much to cut. The fabric has a lovely raised texture, yet it's so silky too. I am usually against pairing silky blouses with cotton type skirts, but I felt that with the addition of the silky sash from my last dress that it would somehow work. Perhaps the bow and mega ascot ruffle is too much, but I sort of like semi-ugly fashion, and I don't have any belts that fit with this skirt.

For my hair, I'm trying to make a teeny 2 inch ponytail look styled, b/c there is no way I'm flat-ironing every time I go out. I let sections air dry in a slight fingerwave style and used maybe 4 pr 5 bobby pins on my ponytail in the back to muss up into a messy micro bun. I pulled out random sections on the sides and back as well for a soft effect.

I'm a tad lucky that my hair has a natural wave pattern. To get a similar look, Blythe Hopes Vintage has an incredibly easy youtube tutorial on a simple finger wave. Hers is a very subtle and modern wearable finger wave style that would even translate nicely into a updo for longer hair. The finger waves we had to perfect in cosmetology school had very distinct ridges and wrapped all around the head, a style that is more appropriate for formal events and period styling.

Autumn Rose Earrings: made by me, Jeweled Ambrosia
Blouse: Ann Taylor Loft, thrifted
Skirt: H&M, thrifted
Sash: from a Forever 21 dress, thrifted
Shoes: faux snake print, Target

*Linked to Clothed  Much's, Rule Breaking Monday post.

Personal Style: Stripes, Pencil Skirt and a Haircut

I love the loose, blousy, boxy, off the shoulder striped thing going on, but those styles don't seem to work on me, and the ones that do, are a little too pricey. So, I went for the blue and white classic vneck that I love, and this cute, pale gray pencil skirt. Earlier, I paired this top with some thrifted, jcrew, light linen city trousers, but I didn't get pics of that day. I guess I really like this top in light colored, unexpected pairings.

As for the haircut, I was giving length advice to another mom who asked, "Does anyone ever really regret cutting their hair?" As a hairstylist, I have seen grown women cry over getting 1/4th an inch cut off. Another woman chimed in, "My hairstylist said that if you spend 50% of the time with your hair in a ponytail, it's time for a new style."  Bingo, that did it for me, and besides, my ends were looking shot and needed to go. I went, grabbed some scissors and cut at my shortest layer for a completely straight and unlayered look. I added an angled bang and bam, was done. A few days went by and it felt heavy still though. I know I can layer my own hair, it has an odd texture and wave pattern that i trust with no one but myself... but I decided on a whim to walk into a salon and have some choppy layers added. I have a love/hate relationship with them now. You will find out why and see the new-new haircut in the next outfit post.

(yes, it was very windy while taking these pictures)

shirt: abercrombie
skirt: banana republic, thrifted
belt: calvin klein, thrifted
watch: fossil
shoes: thrifted
necklace: made by me

Personal Style: 70s Humanity. Sequined Scarves. Trousers.

  Something a little unexpected. Very 70's. I would never in a million years pair these colors together.

Looks like it's been a million years.

I love this shirt, and apparently, pairing washed out, fitted graphic tees in unexpected ways is a new thing for me to be documenting. The shirt reads, "Humans are no way to treat a planet." "A modified version of a quote from Kurt Vonnegut Jr. "Life is no way to treat an animal"." From those rapscallions,  mixed species.

And oh, if you think these are wide leg trousers... you should have seen the ones I put back! I kind of regret it, though they were a tad hideous/glorious and only $6.

I did very light and natural make-up since I was on the way to the gym. Though, I think it would look better with this outfit had I done a very heavy, winged black liquid liner.... and attempted to do something with my hair.

I shrunk a really cute, wool anthropologie cardigan a while back. Before I gave it to a local 5 year old girl (who loved it), I cut off the trim, and behold, this heavily beaded lace scarf was born.

shirt: mixed species
ring: miss bellas room   (her etsy)
trousers: bannana republic, thrifted
shoes: thrifted
belt: calvin klein, thrifted
neckerchief/scarf: anthropologie trim cut off a cardigan

*linked to clothed much's rule breaking monday