.jack's nursery: wood bookcase diy.

i know, i know. it's about time i show you all jack's nursery, but till i can manage to figure out how to take pictures in a way i can really show it off, you'll just have to be stuck with little sneak peeks like this one.

to give you the back story, basically peter put his foot down on a new crib when we received a working one from his sweet aunt & uncle. the problem was, it was dark wood and i wanted white. after humming and hawing over whether or not i could safely paint a crib, i decided to just leave it as it was and try to tie in a few dark wood elements to the white/grey space i was creating for baby's nursery. and that's how the wood-bookcase-hunt was born! i wanted something that looked natural, but functioned as a great place to store books, toys and a few decorative peices. i was also on a pretty tight budget. 

well, have you ever tried to find a natural looking wood bookcase on a tight budget? next to impossible [or perhaps my standards are a little too impossible! ha!]. and that's where homesense came in and this ugly yellowy-peach-stained wood bookcase was found. i mean, this colour?!? why? 

so i showed peter it in store. he laughed. i asked him if he could sand and stain it. he laughed again. said it would be too much work. i smiled sweetly and rubbed my big preggo belly. said it was for baby bugg. and then we bought. 

[note to self...using baby to get things works!]

this bookcase was actually priced at $770 [even at homesense!!! wth, right?! i wonder what the price was before homesense came into the picture? ouch], but after markdown after markdown we managed to score it at a whopping $140. now that's a budgeted price i can work with. and here's what my handy husband did to it....

not to darn shabby, hey?! i am super happy with the results and think pete did a fantastic job. it now serves the exact purpose that i wanted it too and i think that jack loves being able to pull out his toys and book at his own leisure. it's the perfect height for him and the perfect piece that i needed to tie everything in with his nursery. more too come on the rest of the space shortly.....

**and not to worry! i was major preggo at the time, but wasn't present during this diy [only for 2 seconds to snap a few pictures], we slept in the basement and the house was well ventilated the entire process :)

.diy: rustic felt ball mobile.

after searching [and searching and searching] for an affordable 'modern-rustic' themed mobile for jack's nursery [yes, modern-rustic! i wanted a wood rustic feel, with a modern twist to it], i decided that it couldn't be that hard to make one. so, while I absolutely love the look of the feather/arrow mobiles floating around pinterest [favorites seen here and here], i wasn't crazy about the price tag's going along with them. i was also searching for something with a little wood on it to pull some darkness to the area above the change pad and match a few darker pieces i had in jack's room. and this is what i came up with.

a fun, super easy project that adds just the right amount of modern-rustic to the little man's nursery. 

and bonus: he adores it!

here's how i did it:

.diy: the map love frame.

About a month ago I finally finished a personal diy project that I've been working on for some time now. It was actually a gift for some very wonderful friends of ours and I'm so pleased with how it turned out.

Since we travelled to see them get married in England [yes, mr. james + mrs. fiona] , we struggled with the whole 'gift' option. The good ol' question, 'What do you get them?'
You can't pack up a giant present abroad, and we knew right off the bat that giving money wasn't an option [too impersonal for how close we are with this couple]. We also knew that we wanted it to be something thoughtful and hopefully very meaningful to them. Something, so that every time they look at it, they are reminded of their special day.
So after throwing around a couple ideas, we decided to run with an adaptation from this original idea.  What do you think?

While, we spent the extra $ to get a custom frame and mat made for this gift, you can certainly diy this yourself [for cheap!] with these simple steps:

one] Just grab an old frame lying around.

two] Measure 3 holes and cut out the background mat from thick card-stock of your choice [you could really have some fun with matting options here!]. I went with squares, but you could do ovals, hearts, or even just use a pre-cut mat that comes with the frame. Easy! 

three] Print off some favorite map pictures or just tear from a atlas. Position your printed or cutout map picture over where you want it to show (for example the town or city) using your background matting cutout as a template. I choose to show the entire country [Australia + England + Canada] but you could also just show the town/city with a close up of roads or streets.

four] Grab some colored embroidery thread and a big needle and poke holes in a heart shape over the town that you met, married, and live on your printed map pictures. Then thread your heart, being careful not to pull to hard which might tear the paper. Tape down the ends of the thread on the backside of the map picture once you are finished.

five] Now position your finished embroidered map picture into the matting and tape down the picture onto the back. I choose to go with we met in the first square, then we married in the middle square, and finished with we live.

six] Choose a stamp color and small alphabet stamps in the font of your choice. Measure a straight line with a pencil [go light so its easy to erase and doesn't leave a mark] as a guide to stamp down your wording. Again I went with 'we met', 'we married', and 'we live' but you could choose whatever you'd like.
*Another idea would be to add the couples name or last name to the top of the map too.

seven] Put the finished picture and mat into the frame, seal it all up and viola! Cute and memorable picture for your home. 

And I am happy to say that it is now in their possession and I think that they really liked it.
xo

.diy: pom-pom crib skirt tutorial.

I have another nursery related tutorial to show you all. The Easy Pom-pom Crib Skirt!

Initially was going to just buy a standard crib skirt, but after knowing how easy the diy crib sheets where, I figured I'd again take a crack at making my own. This also gave me the opportunity to customize them a little and put my own personal spin on it with those wicked cool pom-pom's.

Done and Done.

I'd consider this another check off the old baby to-do list :)

So here's how I made mine. Easy, Quick and Unique.

1] Get your supplies. You will need: 2 yards of fabric [for a standard sized crib], scissors, sewing machine, pom-pom thread [if that is even what it's called], measuring tape, pins, flat thumtacks, and an iron.
2] Measure your crib. You'll need three measurements and it'll probably be very similar to mine if you have a standard-sized crib. Length of the longest side [51.5 inches], Length of the two shortest sides [27.5 inches] and height when the mattress is at it's highest setting [20 inches].

3]  Cut your fabric. You'll be cutting out 3 rectangles of fabric [two short lengths and one long length. I didn't do the backside as my crib will be against the wall]. Add 2 inches to the height measurement so that you have room for the top of your fabric to wrap over the top of the mattress support beam. Add 1 inch to all the measurements for the seam.

• One long rectangle length for the front. For me this was 52.5 inches x 23 inches [length of the long side, plus 1 inch seam allowance x height, plus 2 inches plus 1 inch seam allowance].
• Two short rectangle lengths for the sides. For me, this was 28.5 inches x 23 inches [length of the short side, plus 1 inch seam allowance x height, plus 2 inches plus 1 inch seam allowance].

**I found this to be the hardest part of the whole project as you need to cut these panels straight. I used a bunch of pins and measured all the way around pinning every 2 inches or so and then cutting along the pins. Seemed to work pretty good.

4] Hem and sew sides. You will now need to iron and sew all four sides of each rectangle piece which is super easy. Turn up 1/2 inch on each side, iron that down and then sew. This will make your edges nice and clean.

5]  Be happy that you are almost finished. Turn it over and make sure it looks similar to this.

6] Attach your pom-pom ribbon. Now you'll need to secure your pom-pom ribbon by sewing it to the bottom edge of each of the three rectangle pieces. I just pinned mine at a couple spots and then sewed it onto the panels. Pretty darn easy.
Hint: When sewing the pom ribbon on, make sure the you follow the same hem as before so that you won't see two rows of thread.

7] Attach all panels to your crib. Now the fun part, attach each panel to the crib with flat thumbtacks. I have a crib with a wood support beam that I just pinned them too. If you have wire springs instead of a wood beam, at this point you'll have to sew a ribbon onto each corner of the panels and then tie them to the springs. I found a great tutorial by Christine, over at her blog Just Bella.

7] Put your Mattress back and high-five yourself on the back for a job well done! Or is that something that I just do? Either way, You're finished! Now you can go hide all those extra storage boxes of baby's clothes, diapers, books and toys.

.diy: crib sheet tutorial.

Remember my impossibly long 'baby to-do list' that everyone figured would make me want to pull all my hair out? Well, things are progressing nicely on it and with the husband's help, I have managed  to check a few more items off the list [yeah me!].

Most importantly, and what I want to show you today, is what I worked on this weekend.

DIY: Crib Sheets.

I am first going to admit that I have spent way too much time searching all over the mighty internet for modern crib sheets, with very limited luck. And although yes, there are certainly a lot of options if you look hard enough, most of the cute ones [and all the ones i gravitate too] come with a hefty price tag. Ouch.

So after realizing that I can probably just make them myself, I busted out my old sewing machine [a gift from my sweet father that is not used nearly enough] and attempted to create my little babe's new sheets.

And I am happy to report, that they actually turned out pretty darn cute. Even if I did choose a christmas-ish fabric in the middle of August :)

*fabric found at fabricland

With the help of a mis-mash of tutorials, via youtube & pinterest, here's how this beginner sewer [moi!] made her very own crib sheets. I hope you give it a try.....you might just surprise yourself. I know I did!
DIY:
[step one] Collect your supplies.
Note: Make sure you pre-wash your fabric before cutting. It may shrink a little and I'd be so upset if you did all the work, just for it not to fit once washed!

[step two] Cut your fabric into a rectangle that's 45 x 67 inches [114.5 x 171 cm].

[step three] Cut an 8 x 8 inch [20.5 x 20.5 cm] square out of each corner.

[step four] Pull the two sides of one corner together, with the good side of the pattern on the inside. Pin together to make a 'pocket'. Do this for each of the four corners. Then sew each pinned side together.

[step five] Now iron the edge of your fabric over 1/4 inch going all the way around. This is creating a  casing which you will string your elastic through.

[step six] Sew down the casing, going the entire way around your fabric.
Note: Make sure you put a pin at the start and stop point so that you leave an opening to get the elastic in and out. Start sewing at the start point, and stop sewing at the stop point. Easy enough, right?

[step seven] Attach a safety pin [just large enough that it'll fit in between your casing] on one end of your 1/4 inch wide elastic and pin down the other end to your sheet [this is so that it doesn't get pulled all the way through]. Start stringing the elastic through the casing, all the way till it reaches the other side.

[step eight] Sew the two ends of the elastic together, using a zigzag stitch to secure it snugly. Then sew up the open hole of the casing for a clean finish. And your DONE!

Now go make a bunch more! It's what I did! Here's a few others that I quickly crafted....

Next up? A crib skirt, which is very needed to hide all that extra storage under the crib and hide that wood bar. And maybe some burp cloths with all the extra fabric pieces?
I think I'll hunt down a cooler fabric store this time around though....now that I'm an expert and all ;)

So, what do you think?

.how to: my wavy natural curls.

Since I have really long straight hair I've been asked time and time again how I get my natural-looking wavy hair curls and I always answer the exact same way, "Oh geez, it's ridiculously easy" and I'm not lying. It really is.

So here is my embarrassingly simple way I get my hair to have the look of those somewhat beachy, natural-looking soft waves that everyone seems to be sporting these days. An easy way to look polished without a lot of fuss. 

Also, this is basically the base curls I sport before attempting any other hair style, so nail this down and you'll be laughing your way to hair heaven. Seriously, I have a million other hair styles I can show you after you get some of these curls.

So to my friend Morgan [who has been asking me forever] and although the video quality isn't great, this is for you. xo

.Oscar Party Details.

Just a few details from our little party.
{i'm afraid you're in for picture overload}

My Hubby doing his version of "Red Carpet" Style

Just popping some bubbly

Hot Dog Bar. My favorite detail of the night. 

I simply love hot dogs. Always have, always will. There is nothing better than a dog with all your favorite toppings, so this had me the most excited to set up and make. It was themed after the movie Moneyball, which played with the baseball stadium idea. For our condiment pickings, we used Ketchup, Yellow Mustard, Dijon, Sauerkraut, hot banana peppers, sauteed onions, srirachi sauce and homemade Chili {thanks Pete!}. We also special ordered some tasty hot dog buns from the Prairie Bistro {enjoy centre} which where a nice touch. Needless to say it was a huge hit.

"Have a bite Petey"

Oscar Cookies. Aren't they just wonderful? Ha. Not quite as pretty as the originals.

I'm taking zero credit for these cookies and was completely inspired with this wonderful idea over at Bakerella. I used their recipe and this royal icing to make my cookies. I should also note that I purchased my lovely little cookie cutter here and I finished these little bad boys off with edible gold spray paint. 

Note: These cookies are VERY time consuming!

Chocolate Pie Bites. Obviously themed after the movie The Help.
I figured since this wasn't a sit-down-formal-eating style of party, bite sized pieces are the best way to go. So I just made this chocolate filling and poured it into store bought tarts for an easy, pop-in-your-mouth kind of dessert. I omitted the 'special' ingredient, however! I also added some whip cream and edible glitter stars to dress them up a little, and I think it did just the trick!

Big Apple Bites. Another dessert, which was themed after Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.
These simple cake pops where made using one of the most simple tricks ever...Timbits!!! I've tried my hand at cake balls before, and needless to say, that aren't as easy as they look. Then I thought, why not use good ol' Canadian timbits {and for those of you unfamiliar with these, they are basically the middle of a donut! Brilliant right?}, then I iced them to look like 'apples' {although they turned out hot pink and not red} and stuck a stick in the bottom. Easy Cake Pops!

Morgan and Fiona enjoying some apple cake bites

Black and White Cookies. These were 100% my sister. Thank you Kelsey for searching for them, then having to slave over cooking them. I really appreciated it! See, I made my poor sister hunt these down because we needed them to be themed after The Artist. She wasn't allowed to bring anything else, and after looking in store after store without luck, she decided that she would have to just make them from scratch. And well, my sis isn't really a queen of the kitchen, if you know what I mean, so the effort here was extra special.

Hawaiian Pizza Bites. Husband did this one. We had a couple homemade pizza dough's in the freezer that Pete did the other day and they were perfect. He basically made Hawaiian pizza and cut it up into itty-bitty bites. Perfectly themed with The Descendants.

Champagne with Blackberries. My little touch for Midnight in Paris. Something about Paris makes me just want to sip champagne. I think it looked very pretty too. A big thank you to Greg + Morgan for supplying the bubbly. It was a sophisticated touch.

Popcorn Bar. Movies = Popcorn. Simple as that. I popped a big bowl of kernels and left out toppings such as Rosemary infused Salt, White Cheddar sprinkle, Salt N' Vinegar sprinkle, MnM's, and Caramel. I found these pretty popcorn buckets at Homesense and just instructed everyone to get creative with their flavors.

Cheese Platter. For the movie Hugo, I was having a huge issue with what to pair it with. I thought of french fries, since the movie was themed in France, but then remembered that I had some beautiful cheeses in my fridge. So the cheese platter was born.

Carrot Sticks and Veggies. Fresh veggies are always a nice addition to a party buffet since usually most of the table is laced with rich foods and the fresh veg is a refreshing quench for the pallet. Then I thought that since Joey {the horse} from War Horse loved his carrot sticks so much, it would pair perfectly with that movie. Win Win. Oh, and thanks to James + Fiona for bringing that platter. Very sweet of you!

Brie Bites {2 kinds}. My last food pairing of the night. Since this was one of the only movies I didn't get to actually watch before the big day, I didn't know what on earth to match up with The Tree of Life. Then I got to thinking, how about the Brie of Life! Cheesy, yes...but it works! So my brie bites where born. I choose to do 2 kinds to switch things up a little.
One sweet. One spicy.
Sweet: Buy store bought puff pastry tart shells and fill with 1 brie cube, 1/2 tsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp chopped pecans, and a dollop of honey. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes, till the cheese is melted.
Spicy: Buy store bought puff pastry tart shells and fill with 1 brie cube, and 1 tsp jalapeno jelly {I used pomegranate habanero jelly} and bake at 350F for 15 minutes.

Games: I got everyone to fill out a ballot card as soon as they arrived. I also collected $10 per person for the winner's pot. Then I printed off a bunch of Oscar bingo cards to keep everyone entertained for the duration of the show and in between the breaks. I think it did the trick, as everyone seemed to be trying to catch each space on their cards throughout. Things like a Brad Pitt sighting, a Presenter in a yellow dress, A winner gets teary-eyed, etc. etc. In the end, my sister Kelsey ended up with a Bingo {2 lines was chosen as the Winning Bingo} and won the movie passes, which was the prize for that game. As for the Big Oscar Winner pool, that was a 3 way tie {Way to Go James, Mikael, and Peter!} so we had an immediate 5 question wins-it-all-go-round. My friend Fiona and I choose 5 random oscar questions about the night and had each winner write down there answers on a piece of paper. In the end Mikael was the Victor and took home the big pot-o-cash!

All in all, it was a fun interactive night and I think everyone went home with a smile on their faces.
xx