Rare and Beautiful Treasures

Wynnbaby Custom Nursery Design

2012-01-22T23:12:00.002-05:00

{Click to Enlarge}

A week ago, I sold a Wynnbaby crib bumper to a customer who then asked me for help finding a rug to coordinate in her nursery. I told her that I would love to help her find a rug and that I would also make a design board for her to inspire any other nursery elements she may have left to find.

This is a photo of the Wynnaby Delphine Crib Bumper that inspired this nursery design:

The chandelier I included on the design board is a French antique that I have been eying at Dreamy White's online shop for months.

I know it is expensive, but if nothing else it serves as a great inspiration piece. You can look for chandeliers at your local antique shop, flea market or even home improvement store-Lowes has a really good lighting selection, particularly their new Allen+Roth line.

The mobile pictured on the design board is the Wynnbaby Pretty in Peonies mobile, now available.

The paint colors on the design board are Restoration Hardware's Silver Sage:

Benjamin Moore's Raspberry Blush:

Benjamin Moore's Vanilla Ice Cream:

I love the idea of adding gold accents to compliment the colors in the crib bumper so I suggested this mirror by Ballard Designs:

. . . and this gold scalloped bunting by Etsy seller StephlovesBen :

As an accessory to sit on top a dresser or armoire, I included these precious shoes by Joyfolie.

And finally, the one thing that my customer actually asked for :) : a rug! This one is by Dash and Albert, a company I love. I have several of their rugs and they are fantastic-the fact that they are cotton makes them affordable and you cannot beat the style and color selections!

* * * * * * * *

I am excited to announce that I am now offering custom nursery design via my Wynnbaby shop on Etsy.

I am happy to customize a design board just for you, according to your individual budget and needs. Design boards will include suggestions for at least 3 paint colors, furniture, lighting, rugs, and accessories like artwork, mirrors, and a mobile.

True to Wynnbaby's passion, design boards will include handmade, vintage and upcycled items whenever possible. Like Wynnbaby crib sets, each nursery design is one-of-a-kind! Beautifully packaged gift certificates are available for a one-of-a-kind shower gift!

Please click here for more details or email me at wynnbaby@gmail.com.

I am offering a Wynnbaby giveaway on Project Nursery this Friday, so be sure to stop back by for details!

Happy Monday, friends!

{Erin}

Beach Cottage Renovations {January 2012}

2012-01-15T23:23:00.001-05:00

Our beach cottage renovation is back in full swing. The Holidays are behind us and we are snuggled into slow and snowy January days. I love it. Warm cups of coffee, days spent with my sweet Wynn and a husband who works from home. This is the good life and I am blessed to live it, even if only for today. I never know when the next trial is going to come our way, but I pray everyday thanking God for all He has given me and I beg Him in his mercy to continue to bless our family. I don't take any of these peace filled days for granted.

I have gone through several gallons of white paint this week alone, some if it on our staircase and the rest on our kitchen cabinets. The kitchen is going to be a work in progress for several months to come but here are pictures of spaces that are serving as my inspiration:

{red lantern, copper hardware}

{white, white, more white, stripes and scallops}

{open shelving}

{Industrial accents}

Here is the stair runner we are installing on our now white-washed staircase. It was on clearance at Garnet Hill after New Years and I could see our future children sitting on this rug on our staircase with beach buckets and sandy toes and suntans. Now that is good marketing! I would link to the rug but it is apparently sold out now. I may or may not have had something to do with that.

Isn't it amazing how white paint breathes new life into the old and dingy? I saw evidence of a living Christ in the white paint I brushed on our staircase this week. Did you know that you can be given a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ? {1 Peter 1} I am doing a bible study on 1 Peter that is life-changing and inspiring. I have been meditating on the words of 1 Peter while painting and decorating and watching the snow fall outside my window.

Looking for inspiring neutral colors to breathe new life into your home? I love these colors hand selected by renowned decorator Thom Filicia.

here, via Apartment Therapy

Looking for a white wash for your soul? Do you want new life and a living hope? Cry out to Jesus. Open your bible and ask Him to show himself to you. Ask Him to show you the blessed life!!! I know you have to step out of your comfort zone, but it is SO worth it!!

* * *

New renovation pictures soon, I promise. Until then, grace and peace be yours in abundance!

New Year, New Mercies and Fresh Snow

2012-01-02T12:33:00.000-05:00

Yesterday a new year dawned with a fresh blanket of white snow. God's mercies, like January, are brand new and yesterday grace fell like snow on this beach cottage of ours.

I put decorations back in their boxes and set a dry and fading tree by the street and prayed "yes, this is January and all things are new."

I want to make this year matter. I want to continue to find the {better!} life that God would have my family live and to love in the way that only He can do through us. Don't we all want those things? To live a better life? To be used and to matter? Isn't that the focus, once the confetti clears and we are left with our resolutions? Our desire for something better this time around? But how do we get to the place of holy mattering?

Yesterday I looked out my window at the new snow falling on our old Christmas tree and I thought back two thousand years. I thought back to a man in Rome, putting ink to parchment in candlelight. Listen, this New Year, and hear how God is the author of renewal and mercy and new beginnings. Listen how two thousand years ago, this man named Paul, wrote in the darkness this which today we can resolve in the light:

via

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer yourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

My translation: Take your eyes off yourself and just follow the Shepherd! Forget about your wants and focus on what your children and your husband want. Forget about your needs and focus on the needs of others. When you serve anyone else, you serve Jesus himself. Do this and you will be blessed.

And so I commit Paul's words to heart. I resolve in this new year to live my life,as never before, as a living sacrifice.

I RESOLVE TO BE HIS LIVING LOVE.

For every glance I take of myself, may I take ten of Jesus.

And when I fail everyday, as I surely will, I resolve to get back up again and keep following my shepherd, offering myself as a living sacrifice.

For only in laying down our life will we find the one that is truly worth living.

This is what matters. This is the worship that is the meaning of life.

Join me in anticipating a truly beautiful, light-filled 2012 . . .

The Christmas Baby

2011-12-19T20:55:00.000-05:00

If you look at a pregnancy test long enough, turn it toward the light and squint your eyes, you can almost see that second pink line . . . even if it isn't there.

I am convinced there are two types of women in this world: (1) those who are nodding their heads in complete agreement, and (2) everyone else.

I asked God for a baby for Christmas. A baby the size of a grain of sand was my wish. But the test was definitive. I turned it toward the light. I squinted. I could almost see it . . . but almost wasn't enough. In the place of a second pink line there was a space of white emptiness. Do you know that space?

I spent advent weeks considering that vast whiteness; reconsidering it's emptiness. God whispered truth to my heart: I asked God for a baby for Christmas and the test said no, but God said yes.

Two years ago, he said yes. And everyday since, I have felt his will in my little one's grasp: "yes, beloved, yes." Oh how I longed for my baby Wynn. How I long for him still. An hour apart is too long. And tonight I rock my toddler boy beside the Christmas tree. I drink in the smell of his still-baby skin. I nuzzle his sweet neck. And like the creak of the rocker on old wood floor, the benediction I hear again is "yes . . . " (rock). . . yes . . ."(rock) . . . yes."

I look up to twinkling lights of a cottage Christmas tree, to the place where a westward--leading star belongs. I rock and snuggle him. My heart in worship "yes . . ."(rock) . . . " yes . . . ." (rock) . . . yes. . . "

Two thousand years ago, so very long before I prayed for a Christmas baby, the Lord answered my prayer. So great is He. So faithful. He knew that I would need a baby.

And so He came himself.

I asked God for a baby for Christmas. Listen and hear how great our God is. If you are a captive, run to Him and be set free. Whatever you are waiting for, it has already come in Christ Jesus.

"Are you there, my Lord?" I breathe into my toddler boy's neck. And I rock . . . "Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel . . . "

"Yes . . ." (rock) . . ."yes. . ." (rock) . . . "yes . . . "

Introducing Wynnbaby.com!

2011-12-13T19:55:00.001-05:00

This is what a dream come true looks like:

Some two years ago, pregnant and nesting,

wishing and dreaming,

I envisioned a line of baby linens and nursery lovelies that would be:

100% handmade

upcycled from vintage materials

high-style married with childhood whimsy

I envisioned breatheable bumpers that were truly beautiful (not plastic mesh) . . .

vintage sheets in forgotten colors . . . .

I envisioned vintage fabrics quilted together into heirlooms

Crib sets that would be one-of-a-kind and not a duplicate of a friend or neighbor's or from a page in a catalog . . .

I envisioned handmade and made at home . . . not mass-produced overseas.

. . . I saw great style for little boys {and their style-loving mamas!}

I dreamed of mobiles made from vintage quilt stars, dancing in the sun

and hand-embroidery

and sophisticated fabrics with whimsical pom pom accents

. . . vintage quilts upcycled into the sweetest baby bumpers

I envisioned all of these things. I dreamed of sweet dreams for my tiny dreamer

Today we are celebrating, my Wynnbaby and I. Because after days of dreaming that became weeks of planning and weeks of planning that became months and then years of hard work, my dream has come true.

You can now shop my 100% handmade, vintage-inspired baby linens and other fine nursery lovelies at

www.wynnbaby.com

Would you become a friend of Wynnbaby on Facebook?
I am proud to call you friend, dear reader.

Today is a day of celebration and I thank you for sharing this joy with me.

{Special thanks to Amanda Reynolds Photography for helping this dream come true}

Wynn's Beach Cottage Bedroom {December 2011}

2011-12-05T22:52:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Wynn's little corner of our beach cottage! Thank you so much for visiting!

I have to share from the get-go that Wynn's "room" is currently the right side of our "master" bedroom. The beach cottage has 3 bedrooms. Two bedrooms are upstairs (currently an office and a to-be bunk room for our children) and one bedroom (that we are currently sleeping in) is downstairs. It made the task of renovating seem more manageable mentally if I could concentrate my energy on the downstairs first before addressing the upstairs. For this reason and also because we have been happy co-sleepers since Wynn was a newborn, we set up his little toddler bed next to our bed and I decorated his little side of the room. I would call it whimisical beach vintage . . .

This is a jenny lind style toddler bed that I handpainted in 5 different shades of turquoise and blue and then distressed. I call it his Cloud Nine bed. Love, love, love this bed, where he currently sleeps about 50% of the time :)

Want a Cloud Nine bed of your own? Visit my Etsy shop!

Some Christmas decorations mixed in for seasonal fun.

galvanized buckets with aqua blue handles tied to the footboard of his bed for matchbox car {and apparently elephant} storage.

I made this chain out of houndstooth felt using my hot glue gun. It defines his space and is just fun.

Little lambs on a Wynnbaby crib mobile hanging above his bead.

Wynn's "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree we dug up on my parent's 40 acres. I made a miniature pennant banner out of houndstooth felt and baker's twine. Those numbers are actually house numbers from Home Depot that I haven't gotten around to using in another project yet . . . perfect for a child's tree and less expensive than most ornaments.

Pages from "A Day at the Seashore" {vintage golden book} mounted on canvas.

Burlap ribbon adds texture and a neutral color to an otherwise orange plastic bucket.

Pom poms I borrowed from my sewing stash. Much easier than stringing popcorn with a similar whimsical effect.

Heart pine floors we worked so hard to unearth under layers of carpet and glue.

I wish I was better able to show "full room" shots of this cute space. I've mentioned this before but the only lens I have for my dslr camera is a 50mm 1.8 which is awful for interior shots. Does anyone have any suggestions for a lens that takes good interior pictures that doesn't cost as much as the average mortgage payment?? The cost of lenses scares me!

Hope everyone is having a nice week. Nothing but rain here so far but snow is in the forecast! Still dreamin' of my white Christmas . . .

I {heart} family photos on canvas

2011-12-04T23:17:00.001-05:00

I seriously love the look of family photos printed on canvas. Canvas is classic, beautiful and artful. No expensive framing needed, canvas is, in my opinion, a standout on its own with simple clean lines. I received the best early Christmas present when a company called Easy Canvas Prints contacted me several weeks ago asking if I would like to have one of their canvas prints to review it here on my blog. Well, yes, yes I would, Mr. Easy Canvas. :) And a Merry Christmas to you! :)

So here is the scoop. I ordered an 11x14 canvas, pictured below, of a picture I took of Wynn last winter on his vintage-inspired speedster (which was a one-of-a kind find when I found it at a mom and pop toy store but has since been picked up by Land of Nod-drat!) Anyway, love this picture and the mix of blue and red and his little aviator hat (an etsy find).

Look how beautiful it is on canvas, just love it.

Gallery-wrapped and displayed in his beach cottage bedroom (more on that tomorrow, promise).

Now I would feel like a bad person if I wrote a blog post about this fab freebie and linked you to costly canvas prints (most canvas prints are costly!!) But hold the phone because I researched the company before accepting their exchange (honest I did) and I felt comfortable recommending them because their prices are affordable (!!!) and they also run great sales! For instance, if you like them on facebook (here) you receive 50% off your order plus free shipping. Which means you can get a 11x14 canvas print of your own for $23 shipped!! Trust me, that is a VERY VERY good deal for photos on canvas.

Looks lovely in vintage, too :)

I'll be blogging about the rest of wynn's beach bedroom tomorrow.

Love to all.

Welcome, December

2011-12-03T08:39:00.000-05:00

Bring us your heavenly peace.

and blanket us in the beauty of the Christ child.

Sing over us your silent nights.

Usher into our hearts the sacred Trinity.

A standing ovation, Mr. December.

Yours are the days of holy wonder.

Beach Cottage November {A Second Wind}

2011-11-30T23:40:00.000-05:00

After seven weeks away, we finally arrived back at the beach cottage this week! We are settling in and preparing for a white Christmas. {Are there any two words more lovely than "white Christmas?"} We had so much fun in North Carolina, but it is so good to be home! Was everything this beautiful when I left? Because I could have sworn that the cottage I left in early October was very much "under construction" and making progress at a snail's pace. It was a frustration. I was glad to walk away from her for a bit. But Monday evening I greeted this sweet cottage with fresh eyes. These white washed walls and crystal chandelier and baby's sweet mobile welcomed us like a long-lost friend. I have a new boost in renovator's energy. A second wind. Apparently distance really does make the heart grow fonder.

And I am finding I am quite fond of this cottage of ours. Perhaps I am even falling in love. I think I will celebrate with frequent updates and photos of cottage life this December Christmas season.

Imperfectly beautiful cottage living . . . white Christmas-style.

I hope you will join me.

. . . and November goes

2011-11-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

via

Here's to a Beautiful Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T11:59:00.001-05:00

{With thanksgiving for all the beautiful things!}

motherhood: vintage beauty

2011-11-21T17:38:00.000-05:00

It isn't very often that you see the job of mother and homemaker portrayed in such a beautiful {glamorous} light. And yet it is a dream job, where the end of the day yields love, sticky hugs and innocent adoration- outweighing the frustrations and the mundane.

For that reason I fell in love with these images from talented photographer Mandy Lynne.

May God bless us all, dear mothers {and those praying to become mothers}. Ours is the most beautiful job on earth.

Macaroni and Cheese {a culinary love story}

2011-11-18T12:34:00.001-05:00

When we were married, my husband brought into our marriage the gift of his family's recipe for homemade macaroni and cheese. It was his dowry of sorts. Never mind that I don't particularly care for macaroni and cheese, I love my husband and I love that macaroni and cheese is one of the four things he is able to cook and that he makes macaroni with gusto and ease and big pats of sinfully delicious butter.

Over the years of our marriage, I have (as the cook in the family), attempted to make variations of this family recipe, if for nothing else but the sake of (at least in the beginning) variety. I have long wondered how many casserole dishes of the same basic mac and cheese one grown man can consume before tiring of it entirely, but it seems that his appetite is endless. Endless, I tell you! So therefore, in search of his highest praises on what to him is one of life's greatest joys, I have in times past, tried alternative versions of his basic (errr holy) recipe. I would work over a hot stove and wait patiently as he finally tried the first steamy spoonful of what I was sure would be the new and improved version of his Marvelous macaroni and cheese. And he would politely "mmmm" and nod his head and say "it's good. . . . just not as good as mine." He would pat me on the head, beaming his million dollar smile and jest that I could be the best at so many things but that macaroni was his domain. He was the king and he wasn't surrendering his thrown.

Now a less competitive person would have given up and let the king have his day, but there was a nagging need inside of me to know that I had taken something that made his life oh-so enjoyable (even in the years before me) and made it better. Better because of my contribution. Now I know what you are thinking: "get over yourself, it's a side dish." But it was so much more. Macaroni is . . . dare I say, his other love? His culinary mistress, if you will. And I wasn't going to rest until I had one-upped her once and for all.

And so it came that one day, after many many years of marriage and many many many casserole dishes of macaroni and cheese, that I trumped her-the original recipe, that is. While previous efforts had involved complicated additions of expensive ingredients, the solution to the riddle was, in the end, ever so simple. Dijon mustard! In the final stage of the original recipe, one pours several cups of milk over the prepared macaroni and then heats the dish in the oven. One day when Mr. Marvelous wasn't looking, I added a tablespoon or so of Dijon to the milk, whisked it well and poured the milk over top without him any the wiser of the new addition. When that macaroni came out of the oven, he took a bite and declared it the best macaroni he had ever made.

Amen to that!

I could finally rest. The original family recipe now includes a tablespoon or two of Dijon mustard. Every time! And I took something that was great in his life and made it just a little bit better.

Isn't marriage fun?!

I love you, Mr. Marvelous! Run away with me to the land of milk and honey and macaroni 'n cheese!

The Bee's Knees

2011-11-17T23:23:00.001-05:00

. . . or at least his mama thinks so :)

Don't you love that blazer? $3 consignment sale find . . . love that!

November Sponsors {and a giveaway winner}

2011-11-14T20:22:00.001-05:00

I am delighted to introduce you to this month's sponsors!

First up, my warm thanks to sponsor, Katie Lloyd Photography. I just love her food photography and her scripture art!

Many thanks, also, to the talented Lisa Leonard, who needs no introduction! I will be hosting a giveaway for Lisa in the next few days so be sure to stop back by . . .

Have you ordered Holiday cards yet? Check out the stylish designs of sponsor Tinyprints.com!

And last but not least, thanks also goes out to Harmony Acres Soap Company! You can read more about Harmony Acres in my previous post . . . all-natural soap, lotion and lip balm deliciousness . . . family-owned and operated!

. . . and

The winner of the Harmony Acres Soap Company giveaway is commenter Betsy and Jason! Congrats, Betsy, drop me an email so I can get you your bar of Harmony Acres all natural baby soap!

Harmony Acres Farm

2011-11-06T22:56:00.002-05:00

Wynn and I recently had the fun of visiting a working family farm here in Western North Carolina. Don't you think it is fascinating to see how other families live and work? I do-especially after leaving our "normal" suburban American, 2 salary lifestyle to follow the dreams God has written in our hearts. Our lives have literally been turned upside down in the past year-I should write more about that, shouldn't I? Lately I have been feeling like a bird that was let out of its cage and the view is amazing from up here in the sky . . .

For now, let me introduce you to the beautiful Emmons family. They run a CSA program and a handmade soap company {the Harmony Acres Soap Company } from their farm in Wilkes County, North Carolina.

After my mother in law met Mrs. Emmons at a local farmers market, The lady of the house was kind to invite us to the farm for a visit and behind the scenes peak at how things are done . . . it was awesome. The Emmons are the real deal-timeless, with 8 beautiful children like little blond stair steps. They grow acres of organic produce, raise organic chickens, harvest their own eggs . . . I could go on.

There was nothing worldly about this family and it was a true breath of fresh air, especially when I learned that both husband and wife had grown up in urban environments and followed the Lord and their dreams to farm life in the country.

When I exchanged emails with the family before our visit, the directions they provided said that I would recognize the house by "brick farmhouse, 2 brown cows, 1 goat." I loved this place before we even arrived.

During our visit we were able to see the area where they grow and harvest produce for their CSA program.

Wynn met the animals and we chatted with the family about eating local and homeschooling-two things I have a growing interest in. You can read more about life on the farm at their blog. We were also able to see first-hand how their Harmony Acres Soap Company is organized and run.

We also took home lots of goodies-soap and lotion. Their products are seriously wonderful. I picked out several bars of baby soap which I thought would be of special interest to all of my mommy-readers, and they are sitting here waiting for a good home. What do you say we do a give-away?

If you would like to win a free bar of {beautifully packaged} natural soap {which smells like heaven by the way}, simply "like" Harmony Acres on Facebook and leave me a comment here telling me that you did! I will chose a winner at random before the end of the week.

Thank you so much to the Emmons family for hosting us and letting us peak into your world!

All images courtesy of Harmony Acres Soap Company.

{In my mind} I've gone to Carolina . . .

2011-10-30T23:15:00.000-04:00

We are still in the Carolinas (now North Carolina) and we are enjoying the most beautiful fall along the blue ridge.

Thanks to all who asked for updated Michigan beach cottage pictures. New pictures and decorating ideas are coming soon! I expect a good coat of snow will be waiting our arrival back in Michigan .. . I have wanted to decorate a beach cottage for Christmas ever since I picked up my first December issue of Coastal Living years and years ago.

In the meantime, we are enjoying our time down south immensely. The weather has been beautiful and Wynn is at such a fun and curious age, we are out and about with him all the time. Most days I tell him that we are going to "go on an adventure" and he runs for his shoes and waits at the door saying "vrooom!!!", meaning "let's get in the car!" He is the best companion, we have so much fun together! He is obsessed with pumpkins. After his Grandaddy introduced him to his first jack-o-lantern, he took to calling all pumpkins "Jack" and now walks around waiving to any pumpkin he sees saying, "Hi Jack!!!! Hi Jack!!!"

I am blown away when I look at pictures of him this year as compared with one year ago . . .

I am starting to think he really needs a little brother or sister for a playmate!

Tide Pools and Undertow

2011-10-19T17:32:00.000-04:00

Oh good, you are here!

I have been waiting for you . . .

here on the beach in South Carolina. The beach is magical in the fall, when golden leaves find their way next to seashells and powdery sand. Come and see the wonders of this place. Sit with me, won't you? Lend your ear that your heart may be filled with good news.

(Wynn, 19 months, seeing the ocean for the first time)

See the playground that was created for you.

See it through child eyes.

The vibrant colors and salty goodness, for even the very air He has filled with flavor.

Notice the way ocean tides create shallow, warm tide pools, perfect for tiny hands and shovels and plastic red buckets?

How I wish that life would be a constant succession of tide pools, far from the edge of undertow and sharks and cold ocean depths. But we know differently, don't we? That is why you are here. That is why we are friends, you and me. High tide will wash over the beach and the landscape we know will change. Waters will rise. God will shift our focus from our comfort to His glory.

I am here to tell you that He will never leave us or forsake us. He wrote that in a letter to me once . . . have you read it?

As we stand at the edge of the coming tide, the Father is at our right side and His Son is at our left.

(Three generations: Wynn, his daddy and granddaddy)

And for today, dear friend, may it be enough to know that He never lets go.

.

Little Girl Grown up

2011-10-06T00:15:00.001-04:00

This July, we bought our beach cottage in the small hometown where I spent my childhood. I spent thirteen years away, growing into an adult. Everything my child eyes once saw and knew here, that child, now returned, recognizes. She remembers.

Here, I am two versions of myself in the same five minute time span. I walk downtown past the same mom and pop stores that I knew in my childhood. I am seven years old and wondering if my mom will hand me a cherry lollipop from the bank teller if I sit quietly and don't squeak my shoes on the marble floor. Then a little boy with my same brown eyes takes my hand and whispers "mama" and I am 31, a little girl all grown up. The adult I have become walks alongside the girl who once was.

I ache to tell her all the things I wish I had known.

Curly hair is beautiful. Really, it is. I know it is different but, really, that is a good thing.

She runs her small child fingers across my stomach.

Stretch marks aren't so bad, she says.

I struggle to believe her.

You get to be a mommy, She breathes in wonder.

Don't fear, I tell her in return, for He is with you.

Fear not, for He has overcome the world.

She nods understanding. Her eyes dark solemn. On tip toe, she encourages in return. Reminding me of things I once knew:

He's got your whole world in his hands.

And it is then I realize that perhaps I have traveled 13 years and thousands of miles to discover I knew the most important thing all along. Before I allowed the lies of a broken world to teach me a new song.

So today I sing along with her.:

He's got you and he's got me in His hands,
He's got the whole world in His hands . . .

Together we teach it to our little boy and I thank her for meeting me here.

I am proud of you, she says.

You are lovely, I say.

And for today, we believe it.

images via here and here.

Beach Cottage Update: October 2011

2011-10-04T23:00:00.001-04:00

So here is the thing with renovating an old house: it is fun, exciting, crazy, messy, stressful, dusty . . . there is blood, sweat (lots) and tears (lots and lots) . . . add in a very busy toddler and things really get interesting! I have come to the realization that it may be the next beach season before I have any one room completed enough to do a full before and after reveal, so I thought I would share the bits and pieces around our cottage that I am loving right now . . . it is slow going and hard work, but it is still a dream come true for me.

I have about 100 projects going at any one time. The floors are mostly done and are A-mazing. I think they are the coolest hardwood floors I have ever seen, but I am probably prejudice after spending about 70 hours on my hands and knees hand sanding and applying polyurethane to each and every board. They are the real deal-thick solid wood planks with knots and oodles of character. We did not stain, just applied the poly. The natural shades of the wood really gleam.

I love my English roll-arm sofa. It has beautiful lines.

This is a vintage finial that I purchased from White Flower Farmhouse to dress up our staircase. I pulled the carpeting off the stairs and removed approximately 1,000 carpet staples with pliers. I painted the stair risers white and left the steps their original wood. I will do a full post on the staircase when I am done with it. I am contemplating painting a striped " carpet runner." There are fun pictures on Pinterest, but I am worried it would not wear well?

Every beach house needs bright colored stripes.

Metal beach buckets are ideal for holding matchbox cars and other odds & ends. Their scale is wrong, I know, but they are cute and useful so for now, they are staying.

The front door is done for now, after a coat of oil-based exterior primer and five coats of Benjamin Moore Heritage Red. I bought the school house light for the entryway at Lowes.

A trio of my favorite pictures hanging next to our bed.

Chandelier in our bedroom

Pages from a vintage Golden Book that I mounted on canvas for Wynn's room.

The monstrous ceiling project that I started about a month ago.

Mr. Marvelous was on a business call at about 10 a.m. and I was antsy, so I started pulling down the drop ceiling tiles in the living room. He came down from his upstairs office and was less than thrilled to see the ceiling laying in bits and pieces all over the living room floor. What can I say? Drop ceilings do not belong in beach cottages. I have now pulled 100,000 staples from the ceiling (each square of drop tile was stapled into the ceiling), primed and painted. The ceiling itself is a soft blue called Love in a Mist by Martha Stewart for Home Depot. The "beams" are white washed using the left-over white paint from our walls. I have been painting on the white paint and then immediately wiping off a good bit of the paint with a paper towel to allow the wood grain to show through and to give the wood a distressed weather-worn look. I cannot wait to do a full post on the ceiling before and after!! See the remnants of drop ceiling still in these picture? Yes, I have a ways to go. The bronze lanterns are Smith & Hawken. It is so fun to sit with the candles lit on date nights at home.

I suppose that is all for tonight. I hope that everyone is having a great week and thank you so much for following along!

2011-09-25T23:42:00.003-04:00

Beauty

source

Truth

source

Love

source

White Cottage, Red Door.

2011-09-15T20:11:00.000-04:00

Thank you for the encouraging comments about the cottage exterior!

Now that the door is red (we are loving it!), I am trying to decide what to do with the trim around all of the windows. The cottage itself is a true white. When we bought it, there were black vinyl shutters (shudders!) on all the windows. We took the shutters down but now the house seems to need more detail. I think it would be nice to paint the exterior window trim.

I actually came across this picture below, with red trim. It looks amazing here, but I'm not sure I {or rather our cottage}could pull it off.

I also love the combination of red, sand and white on this house:

Since our cottage is white, I could do the window trim in a sand color-sort of the reverse of this inspiration picture. My only hesitation is that we will go through all the work to paint the window trim and it will be such a subtle color that it won't really be noticeable. Maybe I will get a stack of large paint chips and scotch tape them {classy, I know}around the windows to see what color would look the best from the curb.

Any thoughts? Give me your suggestions, I always love them!!

cottage curb appeal

2011-09-13T20:43:00.001-04:00

A dutch door, like the one pictured above, is on my "long-term" wish list for our beach cottage. I am saving my pretty pennies for one. So much charm.

In the meantime, I am working on painting the front door that we already have "Heritage Red" by Benjamin Moore. It is a bright lipstick red:

Photo via Country Living, featuring Benjamin Moore Heritage Red

Our beach cottage is white and came with black shutters. There was something cold about the black and white-probably because the black was vinyl. {I know that black and white can be classic, of course}. After studying a lot of pictures of white houses with black trim, I realized that most of the truly beautiful white/black houses had brick accents {walkways, chimneys, etc}that warmed up the exteriors considerably. Long story short, we took down the black shutters and I am in the midst of painting several layers of lipstick on the front door. It should be an inexpensive, high-impact update.

Do you love the combination of white and a touch red? Very farmhouse/cottage/homey.

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I am planning to pair the white and red with copper accents.

{Progress Lighting available here}

{Grandin Road }

Next summer I hope to update our date concrete front walkway with pavers in a herringbone pattern.

For now we are busy eeking out the last days of summer in Northern Michigan . . .

Getting my Ducks in a Row

2011-09-06T00:18:00.002-04:00

I spent some time this weekend going back through old posts and putting together a table of contents of sorts. I realized that I have written nearly 400 posts and that a lot of content is hidden far back and therefore hard to find. So I've hopefully got my ducks in a row now and I hope the list below is helpful to you. Just click on the photo icon to go to the post of your choosing {and thank you so much for reading}. This table of contents is also available in the "Welcome" tab above.

In other news, we are {still} working away on our cottage floors! We decided to leave them natural wood (thank you for all of your input!) We are DIY'ing the poly which is taking some time, but boy are these floors glowing and gorgeous. I think you are going to love them as much as we do! Can't wait to take some reveal photos in the next few days.

Finally, the warmest of thank yous to my newest sponsor, Jones Design Company. Drop by Emily's beautiful shop to see her art prints:

name prints:

and darling printables:

I think the world of Emily. She has truly impeccable taste and a love for the Lord that is admirable. The following print from her shop has a place of honor in our beach cottage.

Alright, heading to bed so I can tackle another coat of poly on my floors in the morning. Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by . . . and finally, the aforementioned table of contents!

Blog Table of Contents

how to arrange bookshelves like an interior designer {even if you aren't one}

how to DIY an organized entryway

how to paint hardwood floors

how I learned to use my dslr camera, photography basics, and photoshop.

How to trust that God knows {and cares about} the desires of your heart

How to wait on God's perfect timing if you are trying to get pregnant

Simple ways to add charm to a cookie-cutter house

How to maintain perspective when life is hard

Recognizing God's presence in your marriage

Understanding the character of Christ through mothering

Ideas for decorating a children's room if you live in a rental house

Tips for simplifying and getting rid of clutter

Tips and resources for making your own baby food

How to transform a dated rental kitchen using white shelf paper

How to follow God toward the awesome life he wants you to have

How to not muddle through life

Budget-friend Christmas decorating ideas

Maintaining hope when you feel like you are drowning

How to reupholster a dining chair or bench

{more to come}

Photos on Friday

2011-09-02T16:13:00.001-04:00

If your circumstances are such that you cannot see past your current worry . . .

Where are your eyes?

Change your perspective .

In all things, look heavenward.

10 Tips to Style a Bookcase like an Interior Designer {even if you aren't one!}

2011-08-29T00:02:00.000-04:00

I think there is somewhat of an art involved in arranging a bookcase. Bookcases, particularly the built-in variety (which we are very lucky to have in our beach cottage) can add so much interest to a space. But they can also be overwhelming, don't you think? When you are working on an element that you know will be a focal point in your room, it is easy to be intimidated.

On Saturday morning, my trusted sidekick and I decorated our living room built-in bookcase (you can see him peaking around the corner in the photo above) and I pulled out my camera to share with you my personal styling tips for those important but oft intimidating shelves!

Tip No. 1: Mix it up: Mix books with other objects and don't be afraid to think outside the box: frames (you can frame things other than photos!), vases (which can hold things other than flowers), candles, shadow boxes, pretty dishes, vintage jam jars, a lovely lamp, a galvanized bucket full of seasonal flowers, etc.

I included bits and pieces of found beach glass on our shelves, a collection of different sizes of bud vases (a favorite of mine), a framed invitation from our wedding, a pretty bottle of sea salt that previously sat on my kitchen counter, three aqua mixing bowls that were also kitchen items, etc.

Tip No. 2: Choose a variety of books that reflect the varied interest of family members, young and old. Our shelves now hold a mix of design books (me), history and sailing books (Mr. Marvelous), and vintage Thomas the Tank Engine books (Wynn).

Tip No. 3: Think vertically and horizontally. Stack some books vertically and stack others horizontally. Vertical books welcome other objects to serve as bookends, while horizontal stacks of books become platforms where smaller objects can be better noticed.

Tip 3: Have a unifying color scheme but add some contrast for visual interest. For example, I used aqua and blue items (book jackets, bowls, hydrangeas, an old blue canning jar, beach glass) on each of the five shelves I decorated. This draws the eye easily from one shelf to the next. But to add a punch of color, I used pops of mustard yellow.

Tip 4: Add Texture. For example, my shelves now have a combination of linen photo mats, a mother of pearl picture frame, rocks from the beach, flowers and beach grass, a picture on canvas, etc.

Tip 5: Add a mirror or two. Nothing reflects light back into a room like a mirror. You can buy small sized mirrors in pretty shapes at places like Target or Pottery Barn or even your local Goodwill store.

Tip 6: Layer. Notice in the photo below, I have layered two mirrors and a framed photo, which are in turn stacked on top of a set of old children's books

Tip 7: Mix your Metals. If you include framed objects, use a combination of gold and silver tones. It's eclectic and wonderful, I promise. If your collection seems to be missing something, add a pop of gold and you will have so much more dimension.

Tip 8: Go ahead and hang something. In order to take advantage of otherwise dead space, I hung a framed cross-stitch on the back of one of our shelves (see photo above).

Tip 9: Add a touch of Whimsy. I set a child size vintage folding chair next to our bottom shelf. The mustard yellow is just fun and quirky. I found it at a local antique shop for about $10. Other ideas to consider: baby booties, a birdcage, an old fashioned dinner bell, maybe a small gumball machine or vintage candy jars . . . something fun that would make for a conversation starter. I found a very, very old nail when tearing out some drop ceiling which we believe was likely original to our 1880s cottage-I plan to mount it in a shadow box with the name of the original owner (builder) and date the cottage was built.

Tip 10: Don't forget the back of your bookcase. The back of my bookcase (which is actually the living room wall) is white planks, which I love. You might consider wallpaper, bead board, a bright paint color, or even mounted photos or book pages as wallpaper to dress up the backs of your shelves.

What do you think? What tips would you add to the list?

The Beach Cottage {what lies beneath}

2011-08-22T00:13:00.001-04:00

How about a beach cottage renovation update?

The flooring guy came last week and tore all of the carpet out of the cottage. Signal the halleluiah chorus! We learned from our local historical society that our cottage dates back to at least 1888 (that is the earliest record they have on the house). The hardwoods beneath the carpet are original to the house. It's just incredible to me.

The wood floors in the bedroom (most likely douglas fir) had suffered some abuse over the past 125 years, including (a) brown lead based paint and (2) glue adhesive that was just all over the room. Add a century's worth of beach sand and dust and you can understand why I called in a professional. Like sheer magic, the bedroom was transformed by the work of an industrial sander (we vacated the house due to potential for lead dust). The bedroom floors are now bare, beautiful, 125 year old planks. It smells delicious-like a cross between a lumber yard and a Christmas tree farm. As you know, my plan was to paint the floors, but I honestly don't know if I can bring myself to put paint back on this beautiful piece of history we have uncovered. I am leaning toward a few coats of poly and letting the floors just breathe. No stain. They are the color of beach sand and just so pretty.

Here are a few images of similar floors, in their "as nature intended" color:

What do you think? Leave them natural?

{Answers to your Questions}

2011-08-14T23:28:00.000-04:00

Thank you so much for all of the heart-felt questions. I was humbled by them. As promised, here are the questions and their answers in a more readable format. Be blessed!

Was downsizing for your family harder than you thought it would be? Or it easier ?

Great question! I would say that overall downsizing has been easier than I thought it would be. The actual "living in less square footage" part of downsizing hasn't bothered me at all. When we had our bigger house, I always felt like we lived in 1/4 of it (like kitchen, living and bedroom) and that the rest was space that was unused but had to be cleaned, heated/air conditioned, etc.! So right now, the 1300 sq. ft. we have in our beach cottage is more than enough. The bigger ajdustment has been giving up some of the nice things that came with having a bigger house-our rental house did not have a garbage disposal. Basic thing that I really missed having. Our beach cottage does not have a garbage disposal, dishwasher (!!) or air conditioning, and these have taken some adjusting to get used to for sure. Overall, it has been a journey through which God has really sustained me and given me peace and a happy heart. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

It has been so beautiful to read your story and see God's goodness in your life. It seems in my own story I have a hard time seeing God's goodness until after the fact. I guess what my question for you would be is how you seem to expect God's goodness and trust Him so fully? I always seem to get stuck in this place. Any advice for a girl a few steps behind you on her journey with the Lord?

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Carrie, I really appreciate your question. A few years ago I was in a similar place. . . I have come to expect God's goodness because of 2 main things:

1. I really spend time reading God's word (the bible), and try to focus on it like a personal love letter to me from a Father who loves me. There are so many promises of hope and a future that God makes to me (and all of His children) and I am learning to not just believe *in* God, but to *believe God* and take him at His word. Read both Jeremiah 29:11 and Ephesians 3:20. :) Memorize them and hide them in your heart. Also the whole book of John is a testament of God's love for us. I grew up going to church and became a Christian when I was 9 years old but I didn't start really digging into God's word until I was in my 20s. It has transformed my life. Aside from the bible (which should always be first and is the most transformative), the book Believing God by Beth Moore was a big help to me in this area.

2. I learned to look back at God's faithfulness during other difficult times in my life and realize how faithful God had been to me in each of those circumstances where I really expected the worst and felt abandoned-I could look back and see how things worked out according to His will and for my best. He had a perfect track record so to speak ;) I know that life does not always work out the way we would want it to -loved ones die and people get cancer and children are hurt and we live in a broken world :( . . . this seems to defy the promises made in Jeremiah 29:11 and Ephesians 3:20. While I certainly do not have all the answers (1 Corinthians 13:12), I believe that in all things God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28), but that we may not see that goodness in all situations during THIS lifetime, but that we will have to wait for the next chapter in heaven. And that Jesus himself knows what that is like.

I just stumbled across your blog this week, and just read through so much of it. What a beautiful story. I, too, and struggling with what "the world" says and what the Lord is calling me to for a fuller life. Along with prayer, what did you do to get from the "dream" to the "harvest"?

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One of the things that has really helped me in my walk with the Lord is to remember that the word "holy" translates to "set apart." I try to meditate on this throughout my day some of the time. There is such a difference between doing things according to what the world says is best or ok and according to what God says is right. The path is narrow and few find it, but it leads to the land of milk and honey!! You don't have to look around very hard to see that a lot of people are unhappy and unfulfilled and basically lost because they live according to the world's standards and false promises of what will make them happy (stuff, drugs, sex, etc). When you start to live for the Lord, you are fulfilled in an intimate consuming way and He blesses you richly.

If the only chocolate you have eaten your whole life is tootsie rolls and then you get a taste of Godiva, you never want to go back to tootsie rolls!!!:) I am learning to listen to the Lord's calling and follow his will because, quite frankly, life is BETTER!!! and I don't want a tootsie roll life. I don't want to miss out on anything that He has in store for me.

I too have so enjoyed following your journey. I can totally relate to the, "it feels like we were really only living in a 1/4 of our house"...now that our oldest is in college and in an apartment of her own and the youngest a senior in high school...this big house sits quite empty most of the time. I also am so inspired by your faith, and positive outlook. But, I guess my question to you having downsized and really thought through things when selecting what you could take and what had to be left, are you finding that you are enjoying living with less and find more meaning in the things you did decide to keep? I am currently trying to simplify things in our home, and feel that the things we keep should only be the things we truly use and love.

I had to stop and really think before answering this. I would love to be able to respond that I am loving a simply life with only my favorite things- but I'm not there yet. I feel like this smaller house is quite full in the same way our bigger house felt quite full, there is just less stuff in this smaller space, so in that regard we are making progress?? I am continually working toward that goal of having a simplified home. I dream about it and can feel what it would be like and I too, really really want it. My biggest obstacle is my husband, who is more of a "keeper" than I am . . . with each move we have really let go of a lot of stuff but I keep purging every week and certainly have dreams of just grabbing a box and scaling each room down to the bare bones. My favorite book on this topic is Tsh's, from the blog Simple Mom. I highly recommend it, it is so motivating!!

I love the story of how you waited for Winn and especially how God gave you that awesome assurance that He did have a child on the way for you! Do you feel assured that He has more children for you or are you just waiting to see what His plan is? I ask because you have mentioned having more children.

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Jennifer, We would definitely like more children, but I have always tried to be careful to never think of Wynn as part 1 of say, 2 or 3 kids . . . I haven't felt Him give me any answers yet, but at this point i have every reason to hope that we will have another (or more!). I pray the same for you!!

I'm always curious as to what other people's average days are like. What is a TYPICAL day like for you? Please be honest and tell it like it is! :-) Not that you wouldn't but so often in interviews or on other's blogs there days always seem so perfect...how can that be... or maybe they are?? All I know is my average day is nothing close to perfect or exciting. The reason i'd like to find out is I often feel like i get nothing done and I'm always on the lookout for how people spend there day and get so much accomplished. I have an 11 year old and a 14th month old and I'm lucky just to get laundry, a quick clean of the house, and dinner on the table (oh..and 30 minutes on the computer! )Thanks and I SO love your blog!

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Hi Kathy! I have wanted to write a "day in the life" post with pictures for some time now. Hopefully I will get around to that soon.

Before the move I had a pretty consistent routine for weekdays but our weekends were "whatever goes." Since the move we are just adjusting to a new town and new environment and doing work on the house, etc. so our days haven't had much consistency to them at all.

Before the move my weekdays went pretty much like this:

up with wynn in the mornings (8ish) after cuddling/nursing in bed with him for probably 30 minutes (heaven); breakfast together and coffee for me; we would play on the floor (books, puzzles, trucks, blocks, etc), then I would log some internet time/do random housework while wynn would play or watch Praise Baby (his favorite)and I would try to convince myself that I was not a bad mommy for the internet time ;) then i would take him running in the jogging stroller and we would come home and shower (me) and tear apart the bathroom (him). My husband would come home for lunch and pretend that the house looked nice and tidy (and not like a toddler bomb went off) and that I was the best wife in the world and we would have lunch together the three of us (generally something I put together 2 minutes before he walked in the door). Then after he went back to work, Wynn and I would lay down in my bed together for his afternoon nap. Somedays that would go like clockwork and other days it would take me 2 hours to get him down for his nap so I would just improvise and try not to sweat the fact that I have never been great at getting him to sleep!! I would usually do whatever housework I had to do during the first hour of his nap, and then I would almost always lay down with him and read and/or nap for an hour. HEAVEN. After his nap (usually 2 hours), we almost always had playtime outside and then worked on dinner together until my husband came home from work at 4:30. By that time I usually was ready for some solo time. In general I would try to do a quick pick-up of the house in the 20 minutes before he got home so that he was coming home to a nice house. Other days I considered he was lucky that I had survived the day and not had a toddler-induced meltdown, so I just welcomed him home to a messy house and me still in my pajamas at 4 p.m. Our evenings usually consisted of making dinner together, dinner together, walks outside in the evening, etc.

The biggest time saver that I have experienced was cutting our cable over a year ago. The only tv we watch now is dvds. I rarely ever sit and watch tv, there are just so many other things I would rather be doing!

Ok... may I ask one more question? When I write a comment and then try to post it via my google account it doesn't let me. What am I doing wrong?

I have no idea, I am sorry it is giving you problems!

Do you have any plans to go back to work outside the home to your previous career, or has God shown you that your new career is to work at home (being Wynn's mum!)

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Hi Melissa! No, I will not be going back to work as an attorney while Wynn (or future babies) are young. Being a wife and a mother is such an important ministry to me and I can truthfully say that I haven't missed working outside the home one single day since Wynn was born. It has been an adjustment, however, becoming a 1 salary household!

Oooh, I love this! (and love YOU!) As I sit over my cup of coffee to chat with you, I'd love to talk more about your transition of "less is more." As we are about to cut our income in half to chase our own Harvest, I'm battling my worries with prayers and God's Word, but would love some of your practical advice! (and sure do wish you were really on the other side of my coffee cup this morning!) xo

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Matthew 6:33!! :) This is the continual refrain in our household. A nice savings account balance helps for peace of mind and emergencies, but really, Matthew 6:33.

Isn't being a mom simply the best?! I love to gain wisdom from other moms who love the Lord, and I'd love for you to share how you teach/talk to Wynn about Jesus. What does that look like in your home?

Do you have The Jesus Storybook Bible? It is my absolute favorite! I actually started reading it before Wynn was born and I get a lot out of it!! Wynn is too young for it yet, but I wanted to make sure I mentioned it. :) Wynn is still pretty young (17 months), so right now I pray with him at bedtime and mealtimes and talk to him about Jesus in simple ways, like if we are outside I might point out a flower and say "see the beautiful blue that God made for us!"

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I also sing him worship songs and he likes to watch the Praise Baby dvds. I am looking forward to hopefully homeschooling him in the future and teaching him God's word. I have several friends who homeschool and they are such an encouragement to me!!

I've prayed for 15 years for a spouse and God hasn't blessed me with a husband, yet He hasn't removed that desire from my heart. So my question is this: Have you ever had a "long term" prayer go unanswered? If so, how do you continue to be persistent in faith that it will come to pass? You seem to have a steadfast assurance in what God has placed in your heart and that it will come to fruition.

I am humbled by your question. I cannot right now think of anything that I prayed and waited on for 15 years-I think your faith is amazing. I highly recommend my dear friend Stephanie's ministry in this area! http://livininaboysworld.blogspot.com/2011/04/help-us-spread-word.html

I do know that God's timing is not our timing and that 15 years seems so long but to the Lord may be the blink of an eye and that if He has made a promise to you of a husband that He will fulfill that promise, and that if for some reason marriage is not His plan for you, it is only because His plan is bigger and better than the one you can imagine for yourself. I don't know if that provides any comfort, I pray that it does.

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{Q&A}

2011-08-12T12:33:00.003-04:00

Since it is always more fun to feel like you really know the author behind the blog, I thought I would do what I have seen other bloggers do recently and open up the comments section to your questions for me{whatever they may be-decorating, parenting, cloth diapering, Jesus} and my answers back to you . . . a real conversation between friends.

So here, have a cup of coffee.

Put your feet up, let's chat.

I thought that sounded like a lovely way to spend a lazy summer afternoon.

{updated to say that everyone is asking such in depth questions (I love it!) that, in addition to answers in the comments, I will post the Qs with the As in a separate blog post to make things more "reader friendly."}

DIY: Stenciled Hallway Organizer

2011-08-09T22:33:00.001-04:00

Now that we are living at the beach, I am learning a whole new side of both parenting and housekeeping. There is a constant battle against sand and beach clutter that wants to make it's way inside the house!

We hope to add an outdoor shower at some point to help with all the sand. As to organizing, I found the project featured above for a stenciled hallway organizer that is just fabulous! Don't you just love, love love the hooks and corresponding numbers?

I am putting this project at the top of my list! Want to join me?

You can read the details and directions here.

Beach Cottage Renovations {In the Beginning . . .}

2011-08-08T23:56:00.001-04:00

One hundred and eleven years ago, a fine little house was built.

Some sixty years later it was remodeled . . .

and clad in wood paneling (which of course, was the style at the time) . . .

and thick carpet . . .

but then another fifty years passed . . . and the house was . . . well . . . a bit dark.

So I set out to breathe some light back into the fine little house. To wake it from a long slumber . . .

Mission accomplished.

(or actually very much in progress . . . let's take a second look)

So far seven galloons of white primer and paint have been used to turn all of that wood paneling into beachy white wainscotting. You can see the detail better in the photo below.

I've paired it with soft blue paint on the trimwork (Martha Stewart's "Love in a Mist"), to draw in the summer sky through the open windows.

This is a built-in book shelf that looks so pretty now that it is white-washed!

There is still so much to do.

We are just getting started.

But the surface has been scratched, er painted, and we have come a long way in 3 short weeks.

Thank you so much for being kind and patient with me as I have worked to get enough accomplished (and photographed) to merit a blog post! I really wanted to have big, bright beautiful pictures to show the first "after" pictures but I quickly learned that the 50mm lens I have for my camera will not take pictures of small cottage-sized rooms-no way, no how. I borrowed my parent's point and shoot so that I could post this update-as you can see a lot of the detail in the wainscoting, etc. is lost in the larger pictures. I am working on getting my hands on a wide angle lens . . .

So far we have been addressing the living room and master bedroom. The "first look" photos above are all the living room. Bedroom pictures will soon follow. I am limiting my focus to one or two rooms at a time so that I don't get overwhelmed. The next big thing will be uncovering the hardwood floors in both the living and bedrooms-flooring guy is coming early next week (yes!!!!) Once the bedroom and living room are finished, I will be moving on to the kitchen!

So glad you are along for the ride! It wouldn't be half as much fun without you, friend!

More soon . . .

{A Beach Fairytale}

2011-07-26T10:49:00.002-04:00

Once upon a time, there was a little girl.

She grew up on the shore of Lake Michigan.

She loved her home like Heidi loved the mountains.

The water and the sand were a part of her.

But the girl grew into a woman and the woman left home to pursue her dreams.

She was gone for 12 long years.

She accomplished many things, but the greatest of these was that she learned to walk silently with the Lord her God and decipher His holy whisper.

The girl became a whisper-seeker and the Lord whispered to her . . . He would give her the desires of her heart.

So the Lord made a path and He led the girl. She called him "Abba" (father) because she knew him personally and loved Him with all her heart. He called her His.

It was a perfect and all-consuming love.

The Lord blessed the girl with her marvelous husband and, in time, their darling babe.

The Lord took the girl's hand and whispered, "follow me, beloved, out onto the water, where I walk as if on glass: see where your faith can lead you."

It was a long journey. There were times when the girl grew faint. But her hope was in the Lord and He renewed her strength.

He knew her heart and her desires, and she followed him out onto the water . . .

He led her across the water and safely to the shore . . . at home on her beach once again.

And He called her blessed and loved.

"See all that I have done for you," He whispered.

The girl walked hand and hand with her marvelous husband and her darling babe, out onto the sand. The Lord her God was before her and behind her, around her and within her.

"Hallelujah," breathed the girl.

"Hallelujah."

At last she was home.

We made it!

2011-07-18T21:45:00.000-04:00

. . . safe and sound

. . . the truck is unloaded

. . . now going to fall into bed

. . . and sleep for a few weeks

{or at least 8 hours . . . after which I will be too excited to delay the decorating any longer}

thank you for all the thoughts and prayers!

Moving: A Self-Portrait

2011-07-17T15:51:00.000-04:00

Yours truly, two hours into the moving experience:

And now, 36 hours in and still going . . .

. . . thought you might appreciate an update!

{It's Moving Day!}

2011-07-16T16:08:00.001-04:00

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Greetings!

It feels like a dream somehow, but today is finally moving day . . . we are beach cottage-bound!

Please pray for a safe journey {and my sanity}as I will be making the 7 hour drive with Wynn by myself while Mr. Marvelous drives the moving truck!!

Chat with you on the other side . . .

Erin

Just Write.

2011-07-11T17:37:00.000-04:00

These last few days before our move are flying past at lightening speed. I cannot wait to get where we are going but I also had so may things I envisioned accomplishing before the move and as the weeks become days and the days dissolve into mere hours, I am realizing that certain projects may need to be left undone . . . I am never that comfortable with the undone . . .

I am trying to get all of our belongings organized and boxed. This becomes quite a challenge with a toddler who pulls out 50% of what I have packed each time I turn my back. Sneaky little goose. I have turned packing into a great game of chase and tickle monster because it is a lot more fun to laugh than to cry and after all, this is just one big adventure . . .

Moving is such an emotional undertaking for me. I think it has to do with going through all of my things-especially boxes of photos and cards and things otherwise tucked away-and staring life and loss and love in the face. It is clearing out all of the cobwebs and forging ahead . . .

I am completely mesmerized by my son. He is every wonder that is in the world. His eyes are hazel now and his hair is turning blond and he has a few tiny curls in the back. He is still nursing and loves to cuddle in bed with us at night. He is my memory maker. He is a reader like me. He will sit and listen to 20 books in a row sitting in my lap and then ask for more. More than anything he likes to be outside. I can't wait to show him the beach and all of the wonders that God has set out for him . . .

I found an old table at an antique store. It was labeled "nine drawer chest." It has apothecary style drawers and is large enough to be a coffee table, so I bought it for that purpose. I painted it a bright sunshine yellow. It needs another coat. It is one of the things that may end up being left undone . . .

. . . unlike me. and my family. and this story He is writing with us. He has promised to see it through to completion.

He is glorious that way.

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:6

How To Paint Hardwood Floors

2011-07-05T23:39:00.000-04:00

We are closing on the beach cottage tomorrow afternoon! I just cannot believe it. We won't be taking possession for another week, but my mind has already died and gone to decorating heaven . . .

via Coastal Living

You might remember from my last post that the beach cottage has original wide plank hardwood floors underneath carpet and one of the first projects we plan to tackle is to pull up the carpet and paint the hardwoods. I have been researching how-to's for this project. I can't imagine the mess it would create if we did things the wrong way or used the wrong paint . . . yikes. Here is what I have found out, for anyone who has some beat up old floors that could use a dose of cottage charm:

What You'll Need

One gallon (for a 12-by-12-foot room) Pratt & Lambert Withstand Oil Gloss Floor Enamel (or similar floor enamel product)
Orbital sander ( can be rented by the hour from Home Depot or Lowes).
Paint roller with 48-inch extendable handle
Paint tray
One two-inch-wide roll blue painter’s tape
One pack 100-grit sandpaper

How to Do It

Step 1: Before beginning to sand the floor with an orbital sander, dust and mop to remove any oil and dirt. Next, close all the windows and doors. Seal the cracks under doors with painter’s tape to keep dust from traveling through the house; to keep it out of your lungs, wear a dust mask. Now you’re ready to sand (if you don’t, the paint won’t stick to the smooth finish). As you go, touch the floor occasionally to check your progress. When the glassy surface is gone and you feel bare wood, stop sanding immediately. Tackle corners and tight spaces by hand with sandpaper, then damp-mop up the dust. Let the floor dry completely. (It will take an afternoon to do a 12-by-12-foot room.)

Step 2: Mask off the bottom of the baseboards with wide painter’s tape.

Step 3: Starting at the wall farthest from the door and working with a paint roller in the direction of the floorboards, paint in sections from one side to the other until you’ve painted yourself out of the room. After at least 24 hours (nothing must touch the floor while it dries), apply a second coat. With paint that’s specifically formulated for floors, there’s no need to seal afterward.

{Instructions courtesy of Real Simple.}

I personally think that paint looks best on wide plank or old floors with a bit of groove between the boards so that the entire surface does not end up looking like a bright shiny linoleum.

What are your thoughts? Has anyone taken on this project and lived to tell about it? Would love to chat with you in the comments!

{images with original sources via my cottage heaven pinterest board}

The Beach Cottage {all the fun details}

2011-06-26T21:27:00.000-04:00

The Marvelous Beach Cottage:

111 years old {built in 1900}
walking distance to the beach
1300 square feet
wide plank hardwood floors original to the house are hidden under carpet-depending on the condition of the wood once the carpet is removed, the floors will likely be painted a "barely blue" paint color.

2 stories-most of the house is on the first floor, two bedrooms are at the top of a staircase
3 bedrooms total-one will be an office.
1 bathroom
Exterior is white with black trim
Our plan {as time and money allow} is for a white exterior with a coastal blue trim, like this Wythe Blue by Benjamin Moore, and maybe someday a cupola like this one from Home Depot.

Living room and bedroom walls are covered in wood paneling {egads!} that is going to get a big dose of bright white, high gloss paint as first order of business!
The design plan is white walls with bright pops of color via painted furniture and fun fabrics and other accents

an extra large kitchen circa 1950 that will be lovely with a cosmetic makeover- the lower kitchen cabinets will be getting a few coats of soft blue paint, the upper cabinets will be open shelving {as time and money allow}.

A detached garage sits in the backyard which will someday {5 year plan?} make a perfect guest quarters or outdoor living area:

3 weeks til moving day . . . so glad that you are coming along with me!

Disclaimer: the photos above are inspirational and in no way representative of the current condition of the beach cottage! :) if your current house is far from picture "perfect", please let these photos and ideas encourage and not discourage you! My best decoration tip: one step at a time and American Express is never invited to the party!

A vintage daybed

2011-06-24T09:47:00.000-04:00

source

I have been looking on craigslist and at local antique stores for a vintage daybed, like the one pictured above, to use as a sofa-alternative in the beach cottage. I love the white iron and summer breezey look of it, plus seems like a perfect place for a mid-afternoon nap with a certain Wynnbaby. So far though, no luck.

Any ideas for places to look?

The Beach Cottage {the important back story}

2011-06-19T23:29:00.001-04:00

I realized the other day that I needed {wanted} to share the "back story" behind our decision to buy the beach cottage. I posted a year ago that we had decided to sell our house to free up resources to chase after the dreams that God was writing on our hearts. At that point in time, I had already realized the dream that *I* had written for myself- law degree, good job, beautiful house full of custom details that mirrored the pictures I had torn out of magazines for years, filing away for my "dream future." I had been walking with the Lord-I knew Him personally and I loved Him. Still, I was walking full-force ahead with my own road map and periodic glances behind my shoulder to see if He was still there and that I hadn't been forgotten. {He was.} There was something missing.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14
Then, two years ago this coming September, Mr. Marvelous and I went to a wedding in South Haven, Michigan. I was four months pregnant.

That weekend we were lifted out of the pattern of our everyday lives and given a new perspective. Have you ever had a vacation like that? We walked the pier aside Lake Michigan and talked like dreamers beneath the hot Indian Summer sun . . . we talked about what we wanted in this life and, more importantly, what we felt that God wanted of us. We felt that we were being called toward something different. Something more. We talked and planned and prayed and walked and then the three of us charted a new course that day: husband, wife, and savior God.

"Can we really do this?" I dared to wonder.

One of the things that we planned that warm September day on the shore was for Mr. Marvelous to make a career change so that he could work exclusively from home and not spend 10 hours a day apart from baby and me. For us, that seemed like the world's way and not God's plan for us (we had never stopped to question it before!). We had no idea how we would accomplish this-none-but it felt so right and natural and we put our faith in God that if it was indeed His plan that doors would be opened.

They were.

The second thing we dreamed that day was to be able to spend half of our year down south, where my husband grew up and where his family still lives, and where it can be warm on the beach in the middle of winter and where our baby could grow up with grandparents to know and love him. Where we could be reunited with our nephews and help shape their little lives with love beyond measure. The second half of the year-the summer months-we would spend in Michigan, where I grew up, where again our baby could know and love his grandparents and where we could find a little fixer near the beach, where real estate is cheap and life is good and beach glass is abundant. We would be together, as financially free as possible, and the dream was so sweet and so real I could almost reach out and taste it.

That weekend vacation ended, almost two years ago now, and we went back to Indiana. Baby grew inside me and we waited and prayed. Eight months passed and we decided to take things one step at a time and hand in hand, we stepped out of the boat and followed Him onto the water.

We put our house on the market in a horrible housing market. He sent us a buyer in a matter of weeks.

We had no idea where we would move once we closed on our house, but God provided not only housing, but housing so affordable it allowed us the chance to save money like crazy people toward the purchase of that fixer cottage we were dreaming about . . .

Once we were settled temporarily in our rental house, a wonderful job opportunity came our way.

And now in a matter of weeks, we will move into the beach cottage, where Mr. Marvelous will work from home and we will spend the summer on the shore, with a mortgage payment smaller than a typical car payment, and it almost seems too good to possibly be real . . . although the world might not see the beauty in this cottage that is full of 1970s wood paneling and shag carpeting, but I am working on seeing beauty in God's way, not the world's way. And let me tell you that I am going to make this cottage truly beautiful.

I am sure that this is but the first step on a new journey of thousands of miles to come. And I surrender. To a God whose love for me is greater than my love for myself and whose plans are exceedingly better than my own. I am not so bold {or foolish} to try to lead on my own anymore. Even if I have to humble myself to sit down in the dust and wait for Him to reveal for me treasures hidden in secret places.

"I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:3

It is absolutely worth the wait.

Family Photos, Summer 2011

2011-06-17T13:09:00.000-04:00

My friend Tracey took these pictures for us last weekend. This is such a happy time in our lives and I think she did a fabulous job of capturing our joy. God has blessed us beyond measure. We took Wynn in for his 15 month well-baby visit yesterday and he is growing strong and thriving. He is very tall-97th percentile compared to other babies his age. I always stop to thank God after these appointments that He has blessed us with a healthy child. I never want to take that for granted.

I am putting together a post on the beach cottage which should post tomorrow! TGIF!

June Sponsors

2011-06-13T08:39:00.001-04:00

A happy Monday morning, friends!

Please offer a warm June welcome to this month's sponsors! June sponsors are listed below with links to their sites {each image links to their website}! Happy shopping!

If you are looking for a unique gift {or something special just for you}, check out the talented Lisa Leonard's new summer line of goodies. Lisa is the mother of two young boys. I love that her designs embrace the value and joy of taking time out to play everyday.

Lisa also has a new home decor line which includes lots of items that would make wonderful gifts for the summer wedding season. This is my personal favorite! A pewter pennant banner. {Don't you love her styling too?}

P.S. She also does personalized baby spoons! Love, love love.

* * *

Red Letter Words is scripture as art!

Artist and designer Dee Kasberger shares:

"As a Christian woman, one of my hopes is that my art connects people to the unchanging truth of God’s word and reminds them just how much God loves them. Red Letter Words takes its name from the words spoken by Jesus in the New Testament, which appear printed in red in some editions."

How awesome is that?

Dee's site is filled with beautiful art, but the following are my personal faves.

{Hannah's Prayer}

I love the colors of this-grey and pear.

****

Tinysprouts. Oh tinysprouts. Hand-embroidered goodness that tugs at my heart strings . . .

Onesies and booties and blankies, oh my!

Plus personalized hand-embroidered decor for nurseries and children's rooms. Check out this growth chart, my personal favorite!

* * *

And for a grand finale, all of you new mamas and mama-to-be, check out the big impressions of these TinyPrints.

Birth Announcements . . .

Baby shower invitations

And all kinds of other goodies like stationary, greeting cards and photobooks!

* * *

Interested in becoming a sponsor?

It would be a joy to work with you!

Drop me an email at proverbs2434@gmail.com

Celebrating!

2011-06-10T18:25:00.001-04:00

We reached an agreement with the sellers and will soon be officially under contract on our beach cottage!!! It feels like a dream come true.

It is a dream come true!

I have always wanted a "cosmetic fixer" project like this and am very passionate about fixing up this very modest cottage on a shoe-string budget and sharing all of my ideas and progress with you. In the coming months I hope this blog will be a testament that you can create gorgeous spaces that you will love without running up a credit card balance at Pottery Barn (or the like!) . . .

Details, photos, design plans, and antique finds to come soon . . .

Cannot wait to share this journey with you!

Don't want to miss any updates? Subscribe by email or rss feed below!

Offer In!

2011-06-07T10:50:00.000-04:00

We submitted our offer on the beach cottage!

. . . and now we (prayerfully) wait!

A Sunday Walk {and a Cottage Update}

2011-06-05T22:17:00.002-04:00

These are all historic homes in our neighborhood. Aren't these charming? It is such a fun place to walk with Wynn in the stroller.

The house prices are so reasonable here and there is a lot of pride of ownership.

The brick federalist style house below is one that we actually considered buying several years ago, before we decided to build the New Old House. Isn't that upstairs balcony a dream?? The house sits on a large 2 acre lot . . . too bad it was remodeled in the 1970s and only has 2 bedrooms despite being so large!

* * *

I have exciting news to share with you on our own cottage hunt!!

We are planning to submit an offer on a beach cottage in Michigan where we will be able to spend the summer months. It is a fixer and I cannot wait to get my hands (and paint brush!) on it! We were in Michigan (my hometown) over Memorial Weekend and had a great time house hunting. We think we have found something that is close to the beach (!!!), very affordable, and full of potential (it was built about 1900). I am so excited to share details and pictures with you! We actually found 2 cottages that we could really see ourselves in and we have been praying over the right path to choose. It will come as no surprise to my regular readers that the cottage we are submitting the offer on has this very. same. picture. window.

I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried, friends.

Love to all and updates soon!

Inspiration Monday

2011-05-23T20:44:00.000-04:00

I just love the look of painted kitchen cabinets. I am slowly branching out beyond basic white and finding myself able to appreciate cabinets in colors like the robin's egg blue the mint green pictured above. We are still cottage shopping. Nothing has been decided yet (we are close), but I think that whatever cottage we end up buying, there will be some fun color in the kitchen. In the meantime, I have been helping my mom plan her kitchen redesign and her cabinets are going to be this wonderful soft buttery yellow. Mmmm, good enough to eat.

What colors have you seen in kitchens lately that have caught your eye? I would love to hear!

Looking for more inspiration? Follow my boards on Pinterest, here!

Happy Monday, friends.

Photography

2011-05-19T19:36:00.002-04:00

I've always said that if I had nine lives, I would spend one of them as a professional photographer. I absolutely love a beautiful photo. I love the creative use of light and angles and perspective and the sheer joy of capturing life as art.

After my son Wynn was born I bought my first dslr camera- a Canon EOS 20D- used, from a friend who does professional photography and who was looking to upgrade her camera. I didn't have the slightest clue how to operate the camera once I had it in my hot little hands so I signed up for an online course that I saw advertised on my friend Layla's blog. I was such an eager student and soaked up as much as I could during the four week course on basic photography. I also took a second class from the same instructor-an overview of editing in Photoshop. I have been taking and editing pictures constantly the past few months. I just love, love love it.

My dear friend Tracey asked me to take pictures at her son Cole's first birthday party this past weekend. It was so much fun. This is such a rewarding hobby-Tracey told me that she cried when she saw the photos I captured and that was just the best compliment I could have asked for. Here are a handful of photos from Cole's first birthday party.

This last photo is my favorite from the day-daddy kissing the icing off baby Cole's hands. His eyes aren't even open and you can see the profound love on his face.

All photos taken with my Canon EOS 20D with a 50 mm 1.8 lens, edited using PSCS5 (and free actions from The Pioneer Woman)

Is photography a hobby of yours? How did you learn your dslr? Any fun sites or books that you recommend?

Rejoicing in Motherhood

2011-05-09T00:37:00.002-04:00

I hope that everyone enjoyed a beautiful Mother's Day.

This was my second Mother's Day as a mother myself and the joy of it still seems almost unreal. I hope that it always stays that way . . .

Mr. Dream Boat

I am in the process of making some design changes over the coming days, please excuse the dust!

Bedtime

2011-05-04T00:09:00.000-04:00

I have read the little blue book at so many bedtimes that I have every verse memorized.

"Look at the clock.

What does it say?

It's time to go to bed.

It's the end of the day!"

He sits in my lap. He strokes a loose strand of my hair and stares bright-eyed at the pictures.

How I love him, love him, love him.

I close my eyes and recite the words of the book by memory. Eyes closed, head bowed, the words of his story are my prayer. A thanksgiving. Another day draws closed. Another page of his childhood about to turn and give way to memory.

His eyelids are heavy and eager to dream. He cuddles up to me, nurses, and drifts so softly to sleep. He knows the scent of my skin and like his stories, I have every detail of him memorized. My tiny dreamer.

I recite the details of him in my mind so that I will never forget . . .

"Good night my precious. . .

Go to sleep

Go to sleep . . .

Shhh shhhh shhhh."

Wynn's bedtime book (and the cool story behind it) here.

Under Water

2011-05-01T21:37:00.000-04:00

Our basement flooded last week. We have been busy bailing out and salvaging memories. It has been a time-consuming, soggy mess.

Somehow I was so busy playing with Wynn that I didn't hear the basement filling up with water as it happened . . . I walked down to the basement about mid-morning with baby on hip and basket of laundry in hand and stepped into ice cold water that was above my ankles. I gasped out of raw shock-mostly because of the freezing cold-and then my eyes slowly took in the scene and my mind started to grasp what had happened as I watched a pair of baby booties float by in ripples of rain water.

As I sit writing, we are finally on the other side of the clean-up, which included a team of professionals, soggy carpet removal and approximately 1,000 loads of laundry. There isn't a shred of clutter left to my name-a bright spot, I suppose. Our load has been lightened to say the very least. I cried because I had to throw out the guest book from our wedding-pages torn and bleeding ink-it simply couldn't be saved. Plus stacks of old photos in water-laden albums.

I am reminded for the second time in as many years that waters may rise but that it is no matter, for my savior walks on water and my treasure He safe guards in heaven.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust [and water!] destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Mark 6:19-22

Sisters and Sandbars at Sunset

2011-04-21T22:22:00.000-04:00

The summer that I was sixteen years old was the summer my sister and I stood on sandbars in Lake Michigan watching God paint sunsets in the sky. Night after night, we jogged from our house, four miles, to the beach, with our bathing suits on underneath our clothes, timing our workouts so that we reached the beach in time to wander into the waves, swimming toward the sun as it made its descent into the water. Elizabeth's hair was long and golden like the disappearing sun and I envied it-my own a mess of dark curls.

Ten yards off the shoreline, we would tread the deep water westward toward the horizon. Twenty yards further, the water again shallow, we would stand side by side on the sandbar. The floor of Lake Michigan was cool ripples of soft sand, the horizon a parade of one thousand colors from a timeless God who saw all and knew all and painted our lives in the sky above:

The hazel streaks of light-filled clouds like the hazel of my sister's eyes that I would one day, fifteen years later, see reflected in my long-awaited son.
The blues and greens of the beach glass we collected in plastic pails as small girls on the same beach, long before innocence gave way to grace and mercy and hallelujah.
The firey red sky like the life inside her that I would greet with my own hands the night her first baby would be born, her leg on my shoulder, the weight of life red and hot all around me.

Those were the nights of a lifetime of color. What little we knew, standing in the presence of an all-knowing Lord, who searched us thoroughly, through and through, and lit up the sky with all that He found.

Tying up Loose Ends

2011-04-18T00:20:00.002-04:00

Goodness, it has been so long since I've written a blog post that I almost forgot how to write one! Please forgive my absence of (gasp!) two weeks, which was completely unintentional and simply the result of life taking priority over writing . . . lovely, lovely life, although I have missed writing and spending time here, which always recharges me in a unique way.

It has always been my hope that this blog would tell a story, through the years that it is written, and I hate to leave holes in the narrative-unintentional or otherwise. I hope you will not be bored with a newsy update and I offer the lovely peony above as eye-candy, although entirely unrelated content-wise to the post at hand.

We have not made an offer on my "dream cottage." When we saw it, it wasn't yet on the market (which is why I was unable to post pictures), there were tenants in the house and it seems the tenants may be staying longer than originally planned and the cottage won't be on the market until a later time . . . we are waiting and praying and abiding. We have been in our rental house for ten months and we have the option to stay another year. We have no definite plans, which is freeing and I am concerning myself with the primary task of enjoying the spring with Wynn and Mr. Marvelous. I am more than content to wait on the Lord.

And dream.

And peruse real estate listings.

Thank you for journeying with me. How glad I am to be your friend.

Thank you for all of your considered comments. I read every one of them and love to visit the blogs of those who comment so that I can put a face and a story with a name. Those of you who have significantly downsized in square footage have truly inspired me!

Many blessings,

Almost.

2011-03-31T00:27:00.003-04:00

I sit writing and there is snow falling on the daffodils outside my window. Thick damp flakes of winter's last stand blow around a blooming forsythia.

"Really?" I ask the sky. There is no response, only clouds which loom heavy. Last week it was 70 degrees and I cleared winter debris from my garden while the baby and I delighted in the sunshine and a wind that actually blew warm on our light-starved faces. Do you ever stop and wonder what Winter must think of us-so impatient in a modern world of instant gratification?

As a little girl, we waited out the last weeks of winter for our small town Dairy Queen to reopen with the advent of spring. Ice cream tasted better then. It tasted like six months of waiting combined with drips of sweet vanilla cream and the wonder of daylight savings. Sometimes there is a great joy that follows the waiting. There is a reward in patience. The gift of God's perfect timing.

I see it in the snow today. It falls from the sky and I can feel His voice all around me: "Almost, Dear One," He says.

"Almost."

I have fallen in love with a cottage.

2011-03-21T11:19:00.002-04:00

And it's accompanying wildflower meadow, sighhhhh.

It's not the house I posted a few weeks back.

This cottage is smaller.

It's dated.

On paper it is all wrong.

So why can't I get this cottage out of my head? I feel like a 15 year-old girl who has fallen in love with a guy from the wrong side of the tracks. And this is not the type of real estate market that is forgiving of mistakes. Buy a house now and you had better be willing to hold onto it for a long time.

Truth be told, it is a house I first saw when we were still living in the New Old House. It was on the market, we went to see it, I loved it but knew the time was not right. Nevertheless, I sent pictures and texts to my E-bff, Miss Layla, and she kept responding "Buy it! Buy it!! BUY IT!!!" I have since sent her pictures of other house listings and she always responds, "No. The cottage."

I have been mentally renovating and decorating this cottage for the past ten months. I could tell you what color I would paint the beadboard ceiling on the front porch and just where I would add an additional window and french doors to the interior. The trouble is-the house is all wrong on paper, but perfect in my mind:

It is only 1200 square feet (eep!) and we are a growing family (but it would cost less to renovate, decorate, furnish and keep up)
it is only 2 bedrooms and one doesn't even have a closet (but it sits on 2 acres with room for an addition and I dislike clutter anyway)

(this is not the cottage, but look how clever!)

it is on a main road-probably the biggest draw back to me personally (but as previously mentioned it comes with a wildflower meadow-surely wildflower meadow trumps main road?? )

It has a dated 1980s kitchen (but its spacious and I see what it could be and what I see is beautiful and I'm already baking Christmas cookies there in my old beautiful cottage kitchen with Wynn on a step stool helping me pipe icing onto gingerbread men and we lick the bowl clean because that is the kind of life we live in this cottage- a lick the bowl clean kind of life)

So there you have it, my confession to you.

I have fallen in love with the wrong kind of house.

It has me by the heart strings and won't let go.

Wynn's 1st Birthday Party {The Animal Parade}

2011-03-15T00:38:00.000-04:00

We had a birthday open house for Wynn's 1st birthday on Saturday. Here is our handsome party animal.

We ended up with more of a traditional party than an open house because most of our friends came at the very start and stayed the whole time-we took that as a such a great compliment and we all had a *wonderful* time. Thank you so much to everyone who came out to celebrate with us!

To all of my blog friends, welcome to the animal parade! I stumbled on these party decorations a few months back while shopping with a friend in Williams Somoma. Who knew Williams Sonoma did kids' birthday parties!? I found everything on major clearance too-I couldn't pass it up!

I made the paper chain out of colored paper from Kinkos (58 cents). Matching blue, white and yellow balloons from a local party shop.

Carousel table topper

I kept the food super simple-we had cupcakes, coffee and old fashioned lemonade-complete with paper soda fountain straws from Bake it Pretty (thanks to Emily at Jones Design Company for the recommendation!) Also wagon wheels for the babies ;)

Cupcake toppers from Tomkatstudio on Etsy.

They say "Wynn", "1", and "Happy First Birthday"

Simple but fun table flags made from scrapbook paper remnants. I made Wynn's birthday hat out of the same green herringbone paper and added a pom to the top. He kept his hat on the whole time, which was so cute.

Party bags. My amazing friend tracey made each of the babies a canvas carry bag with their individual names hand stamped on them. Everyone also got a traditional box of animal crackers to go with the animal parade theme.

The party boy at the end of the party. Still wearing his birthday hat.

Happy Birthday baby boy, we will love you forever.

My Living Dream: 1 Year Later

2011-03-11T10:01:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow my sweet baby boy will turn one year old.

He is my living dream.

Has it really only been 1 year? Hasn't it been a lifetime? I cannot remember life without him. Wasn't he always a part of me? Yes. I know that he was.

In honor of the anniversary of sweet Wynn's birth, I thought I would repost the letter I wrote to him just after he was born, detailing our wait for his arrival and God's faithfulness. I have so much more to say about his first year, but for now a birthday cake needs to come out of the oven and I have last minute birthday party decorations to hang. Stay tuned for birthday pictures, coming soon. Until then . . . my words and thoughts from one year ago.

Dear Wynn,

I carried you in my heart for many years before I carried you inside my body, and now, in my arms.

While you were in my heart, sweet boy, I talked to Jesus often. I prayed that he would send you down from heaven so that you could be my darling babe. And so that I could be your mommy. How I craved you with my whole heart.

The Lord chose to not send you right away. I believe the angels were having too much fun with you in heaven. They weren't ready to give you up. I bet they cuddled you close and smelled your sweet warm skin and played with your fine hair. Did you rest in His holy arms? Were you there when my prayers reached His throne? How I wish you could talk while that memory is fresh and share heaven with me here and now.

While I waited and yearned for God to send you to daddy and me, God sent a different gift in the form of a lesson. The lesson of patience. And obedience. Mommy learned to wait on God and pray for His will, not my own. I wasn't always a good student. Sometimes I would pray to God for His will and cry tears wishing for my own. I bought things for you-clothes and once a cloth diaper. Daddy wasn't sure this was a good idea. "What if you never made your appearance?" He was afraid it would be even harder for mommy to have sweet baby things in the room that was waiting for you, here, in the New Old House.

Then one April morning, when it was cool and rainy and otherwise nondescript, God answered my prayer. For the second time in my life, I felt the presence of God speak inaudibly to me, telling me most clearly that I would give birth to a baby that coming March. Just like that, simple as His truth and complex as the holy spirit whispering to me as I stood in the bathroom on cold tile floor, ready to climb into the shower. Bare in more ways than one; unworthy me, present before a perfect Lord. There he revealed the gift of you. I stopped fretting and wondering when you would come. He told me. I believed. And therefore I knew.

Months past and summer came, hot and sunny. I waited on the Lord to fulfill His promise. I walked by faith, not by sight. I believed but I couldn't quite see you. You were always just a step ahead of me. Still, I waited on the Lord for big things. I believed the Lord for you, my son.

The first weekend in July, daddy went out of town. When he came home, he brought me a birdhouse in the shape of a chapel. That same day, I brought home a pregnancy test. It was probably the 50th pregnancy test that I took, watching for the first indication that you had begun your journey to us. I took that test and I knew the answer before the two lines slowly appeared like a glimpse into the future. I knew the test had to be positive that month if you were in fact to be born in March, as God had promised. Sure enough, the message of the Lord was suddenly tangible before me. And I rejoiced.

I walked downstairs and met daddy in the living room and turned on our wedding song, Fields of Gold. I held daddy close and we danced. I was trembling. No moment can ever replace that moment for me, that feeling of being bathed in a warm light of God's awesome blessing, when, toward the end of our song, I stood on my tippy toes and whispered in daddy's ear:

"I am pregnant."

I will never forget the look on daddy's face, as he was lit from within with the promise of you. I remember I was wearing a green sundress and that daddy picked me up and kissed me and twirled me around the living room. I remember I felt beautiful. I remember I felt beautiful because of you. Oh how we celebrated the joy of the Lord that evening! We basked in the blessing of you. Mommy will never forget.

Several days later daddy put the birdhouse in the backyard. It sat empty all winter long, and you grew bigger and stronger inside me. Several days before you were born, I looked out the kitchen window and found that a family of birds had made their nest in our birdhouse. Soon now baby birds will be born. And now you too are here.

I will carry you outside this spring and show you the nest and listen to the sweet chirps of new life. I will tell you about the Lord as I know Him this side of heaven. I will teach you how too see the little things and thereby recognize His voice. It is the least I can do for you, my tiny miracle, my living reminder of the one true living God. The finest example of the endless bounds of His love.

All my love my darling boy,
Mommy

The most beautiful people . . .

2011-03-07T00:34:00.002-05:00

I read this page this morning and nodded my head in a resounding, "yes, yes, yes." Through His refinement, God makes us beautiful. He will settle for nothing less than astounding beauty. Aren't you grateful?

Aren't you one of the beautiful people?

It was his vision from the beginning. . . BEAUTY . . . that wonder-filled beautiful garden called Eden.

"Beautiful people do not just happen."

No, they are created.

They are created by His hand.

House Hunting

2011-02-22T10:27:00.001-05:00

Ahhhhhh, isn't this house so peaceful?

It came up in my MLS criteria a few days ago . . . what do you think? It fits the picture I have in my mind of "Farm Marvelous," only I sort of have my heart set on finding a diamond in the rough that I can make pretty over time, project by project . . . this house is already pretty-SO pretty! It might not "need" me, you know?

Dreamy, right?

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T05:52:00.013-05:00

Images via housewrenstudio.typepad.com

Looking for a Valentine for your sweetheart? I absolutely love these printable Valentines by the very talented Emily at Jones Design Company.

Look how stylish and delightful these are!

Looking for love this Valentine's Day?

"For God so loved the world {YOU!} that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

John 3:16

Nooks and Crannies

2011-02-12T12:08:00.000-05:00

I love a charm-filled house where even the smallest spaces, like these beautiful closets, are highlighted by vintage wallpaper and unexpected blue-stained wood work. I think I could live in that floral closet, couldn't you?

Splendid.

We are just starting to house hunt again . . . remember our dream of an old farmhouse on acreage that we can fix up over time and where a half dozen kids can run and play? We are slowly starting to look for it. Want to help me house hunt?? I keep thinking about my picture window and how God already knows this place that we are searching for. What comfort I find in that . . . I can't wait to meet Him there.

When we do find our Harvest House I think I will stain some of the woodwork blue and wallpaper the closets. After what will be a year + of renting, I can't wait to get my hands on a house of our own again-every little nook and cranny.

I can just picture it now . . .

Photos courtesy of the amazing Annette Tatum.

Design Scouting

2011-02-03T06:22:00.000-05:00

I love these windows. They remind me of the nursery in Peter Pan, where Wendy opens the way for Peter and Tinker Bell to lead them all to Never Never Land. Beautiful!

Image via here.

Here is a similar style of window. Don't you love this children's bedroom? The wire baskets are great contrast to all the delicate white. Love the bed curtains.

Image via here.

Vintage wallpaper. I LOVE it!

Image here.

I love my subway tile with a dash of pink.

image, here

Mr. Ten Months

2011-01-31T12:09:00.002-05:00

The Picture Window

2011-01-27T22:04:00.001-05:00

Before I became a mother, I worked full-time as a lawyer. A litigator. Going to court and taking depositions involves a certain amount of stress, although for the record being a mother is by far the more difficult job. During my time litigating, I kept a picture in my desk drawer that I had torn from the pages of Country Living magazine. It is the picture of the kitchen window above. When I was particularly stressed, I would open my drawer and look at that picture and it would calm me. I could imagine standing in front of that sink, barefoot in the summertime, watching out the window while the children I longed for ran and played in the grass. It was a dream place for me and God knew. He knew every detail.

I don't remember looking at my "picture window" the last year I worked at my firm. That was the year I was pregnant with Wynn. There isn't anything quite like feeling your baby stretch and hiccup inside of you to keep you grounded and focused on the important things. I guess you could say that my picture window came to dwell inside of me and I forgot all about the glossy dog-eared picture I'd torn from the magazine.

After Wynn was born and we had moved into our rental house, I spent a Sunday afternoon cleaning out my office at the law firm. I stumbled on "the picture window" at the bottom of a drawer. My breath caught in the back of my throat. Apparently sometime in the prior year I had forgotten the specifics of the architecture of that window.

But our God never forgets the details.

He goes ahead of us, He fights for us, and He prepares a place for us. (Deuteronemy 1:30; Matthew 28:1-8).

That Sunday afternoon in my old office, I held a ragged magazine page that had been forgotten at the bottom of a drawer and looked right at the very kitchen that God had led our family to when He called us out of our New Old House and toward the Harvest.

It is a pretty exact replica of the kitchen in our rental house.

You can see for yourself.

I can't tell you how many times I questioned our decision to sell our house and move and whether I had really heard God's whisper and interpreted it correctly. Was I lost? Was I where I was supposed to be? Were we following the Lord or had we misread the map entirely? Finding that magazine page that Sunday afternoon was a true God-Stop moment in my life. He spoke to me and I knew I was in the right place. I knew He was right beside me. He had gone ahead and prepared my place.

What can I even say about the fact that I am holding my precious baby, standing in front of that kitchen window?

"What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived, the things God has prepared for those who love Him- these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:9.

I hadn't planned to blog about the picture window. It seemed too personal and hard to believe and for some reason I was hesitant. Then last night I was looking through some images online, trying to find motivation to write something and I came across the same Country Living photo. I think God was telling me to sing of his faithfulness from the rooftops.

Take heart. He is ahead of you at this very moment, preparing a place for you. Be faithful when you hear him whisper your name and call you forth.

Trust me, you do not want to miss it.

Simple Ways to add Charm to your Home

2011-01-19T13:22:00.000-05:00

When Mr. Marvelous and I were first married we had a short-term lease on an apartment while we started house hunting. We found and fell in love with this darling little cape code style house in a historic district that was built about 1930. I can still remember how excited we were when we wrote our offer on that house! Looking back, hindsight really is 20/20, because as charming as the house was, it was also rather . . . um . . . dilapidated. Probably explaining why the house was listed at less than $100,000 and why those charming hardwood floors were sort of sloped from room to room. Regardless, it was true love-I loved that house! Then came the dreaded house inspection and the inspector's repeated use of the terms "not to code," "fire hazard," and oh ya, "money pit." In fact, at one point, I think we heard, "run and don't look back."

Needless to say, we didn't close on the house and withdrew our offer. As a completely reactionary measure that I regretted in years to follow, we did a 180 and bought a brand new track home in a neighborhood that can best be described as a sea of beige with lots the size of shoe boxes. I worked as hard as I could to add some character to that plain jane house. The biggest transformation was in the kitchen. I painted the kitchen cabinets myself-it was a tremendous amount of work, but worth every bit of it in the end. We also added glass inserts to the cabinet doors, which cost less than $100 since we were able to borrow a saw from a friend.

New hardware and a kitchen island from Martha Stewart's Kmart line completed the look.

As for the rest of the house, we added DIY wainscoting and crown molding. A small cost, a decent amount of sweat equity and big pay-off.

When we built the New Old House, I tried to incorporate as much old charm as I could in our new build: a wrap-around front porch, hardwood floors, beadboard, farmhouse sink, old fashioned front staircase, lots of pedestal sinks . . . In fact, I drove the builder crazy. It was worth it in the end.

I recently came across this article on simple ways to add charm to any house and knew I had to share it here. The following are ways to add charm to any home, regardless of the age!

1. Add a Picket Fence

2. Add a dutch-door (and enjoy breezes and natural light while you are at it)

3. Dress up your porch

4. Add Beaded Board

You can buy beaded board by the sheet at Lowes and Home Depot and have it cut to size in the store. It's very affordable!

5. Install a Farmhouse Sink

I love, love, love our farmhouse sink! When we were building the house I fell in love with Kohler's Dickinson farmhouse sink but it was way outside our price range. I searched Ebay for months and months until I found one for 10% of the original cost, new in the box! I joked with Mr. Marvelous that I was going to sleep with it at night when it arrived since we had it stored in our garage for several months while the house was built. You can get good deals on farmhouse sinks at Ikea.

6. Embrace Open Shelving

Take the doors off some of your cabinets and show off your pretty dishes or collections.

(update, see how we included open shelving in our current rental house: The Little Kitchen that Could)
7. Plant Window Boxes

We have done window boxes in all of our houses and it really does add instant charm.

**********************

Alright, so now it is your turn! Please leave a comment letting me know how you have added charm to your house. I am always looking for new projects and ideas!

(Reposted from July 2009)

Refine Me.

2011-01-10T18:00:00.001-05:00

When my sisters and I were little girls, growing up on the shore of Lake Michigan, we collected beach glass. It was everywhere back then. As children we spent nearly every day of the summer on the beach and we would carry beach glass home in our pockets and plastic beach pails and clasped tightly in our sand covered hands. We were sleepy and happy and sun-tanned at the end of those long summer days.

We were treasure-keepers.

Once home, the beach glass became our buried treasure. We hid the blue and green pieces deep in the cool earth within the woods surrounding our house. I am sure that some of it is still there, waiting for future generations of children to discover and claim as treasure again.

Beach glass results when broken pieces of glass bottles are carried out into the deep waters of the lake and tossed and turned and whipped about in the waves, year after year, until the process refines the shards of glass into soft, smooth treasure. When I was young, this story left me feeling sorry for the pretty pieces of glass that had to tumble through the cold, deep tumultuous water, be broken against rocks and drug across sand, in order to be refined; to become mine. I would look out across the waves and breathe deep and sigh and wonder.

Today, as a grown woman, I know that there is nothing that refines like a truly difficult trial. If you feel lost at sea, be comforted, for you are being refined.

The storm will settle.

The waves will calm.

You will be set upon the shore, ever the more beautiful for having endured.

And oh the joy to know that you are worth the trouble.

For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver.

Psalm 66:10

(A post from the archives, originally written April 2009.)

Between the "I" and the "Do"

2011-01-04T22:02:00.000-05:00

Eight years ago today, on a cold January evening in a candlelit church, I stood, face beneath a veil, and pledged forever. His eyes locked with mine and he was all wobbly-kneed and he promised forever in return.

We were positively certain.

We said "I do," not really knowing what would be the nit and grit between those words, the hours and days made up of living and Saturday morning pancakes and loss and murmured prayers that would become a bond like cement.

The baby who would come through the aching and sweat and tears and better it all.

Today, eight years in, I see only in part. One day we will be one hundred years old, standing wrinkled hand in wrinkled hand, and we will look back and see the whole. The love story played out in all its chapters. On that day, God will reach down and gently stroke my hair and ask:

"Do you see Me?

"Do see you see Me in the details?"

"Right there in the nitty gritty?"

And again, on that day, I believe we will be positively certain, that I might breathe my answer unto Him:

"I do, Lord"

"I do."

East of Eden

2010-12-29T22:22:00.003-05:00

There was a cold wet wind tonight. Biting. I wrapped him in a quilt, thick with flannel and a grandmother's love. His hat was wool and his coat too, but still I held him tight against my body before walking out into that biting night air. I remember how one year ago he was protected and warm inside of me. And how I was grateful for that. I was sure.

As we stepped outside tonight the wind blew damp and strong against us.

I held him tight and used my hands to shield his face. He wiggled and pushed against me, trying to break free. Suddenly my hands that wanted to protect were a nuisance. I used my arms to redirect his face away from the direction of the wind. Again, he fought me. If I wanted him to face West, he was intent on looking Eastward.

"Doesn't he know I am trying to protect him?" I wondered, exasperated.

"Why is his fighting me?"

"Why doesn't he understand?"

"Doesn't he realize that I am placing my body in front of his to bear the burden for him?"

And suddenly it was no longer about a mother and her son. It was about a Father and a daughter. A Father who used a cold December wind to speak to a daughter who is entirely unworthy.

A daughter who questions and pushes back, who fights and veers East when He says clearly, "Eden is to the West, my beloved."

"Don't you see that my body has suffered this for you?"

I kiss my baby's sweet cheek, damp and cold from his obstinance and I wonder what winds I could have been spared?

With eyes Westward,

Oops, We Sold The Furniture

2010-12-27T18:51:00.001-05:00

Operation Move-out is going to begin tomorrow morning.

That is, the owners of the house we are currently and temporarily living in are coming to move out their furniture and belongings. This wasn't the original plan when we moved into the house. Rather, they were to spend a year abroad and we were to occupy the house, store our stuff, use theirs, and then mosey on our merry way as the good Lord directed.

Four months into this year long arrangement there was a change of plans and now the homeowners are back six months early and moving their things to a new house, while kindly letting us stay on as tenants. The only hitch with this plan is that in my valiant efforts to purge and downsize significantly when we sold the New Old House, we sold our bed and all of our upholstered living room furniture. Oops. We have been shopping for a new sofa but darn if the wait isn't 6-8 weeks for most sofas to be delivered from the manufacturer. We may be sitting on the floor for awhile around here. Maybe a long while if I can't get over my sofa commitment phobia.

Slipcovered, English roll arms, exposed turned feet . . . very pretty.

Straight arms, slipcovered, slightly modern but oh so cottage chic?

It's a tough call. And a big financial commitment. Maybe i should just pull up a metal folding chair and think on it for awhile . . .

If you have young children and light colored slipcovered furniture, how has this worked out for you?

Do the slipcovers wash well?
Is it a big ugly chore to launder them?
Any words of wisdom before I jump in with both feet?

And then, of course, there is the bed. Or lack of one, I should say. Thankfully we should be able to get an inexpensive bed frame and I am on the look-out for a reasonable upholstered headboard. Or a free afternoon to DIY one like so many others out in blogland.

via Country Living

Via Decorpad

Did you see Kate's DIY, below?

I wonder if she and her jigsaw make house calls?

I will let you know how things transpire . . .

Hope your Christmas was oh-so-very-Merry!

A Merry Christmas Message from Wynn

2010-12-24T23:47:00.000-05:00

Wynn's First Christmas from Erin Marvelous on Vimeo.

Forecast: Snow.

2010-12-23T15:43:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

Isaiah 1:18

Ten Days Until Christmas

2010-12-15T10:18:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning and realized that there are only 10 days left until Christmas. I want to enjoy every last second of Wynn's first Christmas season, so we are officially in "soaking up every last morsel of Christmas" mode around here. On the agenda today, Christmas cookies. I'm lucky that Wynn likes to sit in his highchair and watch me bake. He doesn't sit still for much at all anymore! In fact, he is currently tearing up the living room while I type this post.

Wish I could have each and every one of you over for a cup of coffee and Christmas cookie.

Have a blessed Wednesday,

Image source and recipe here

Before & Durings

2010-12-14T08:51:00.001-05:00

This is a chandelier that Mr. Marvelous bought for me at an estate sale this fall.  Since we can't hang our own light fixtures in our rental house (pity) I have been keeping it out on a tabletop in the living room. It makes me happy.   It happens to be sitting on an antique side table that my dad picked out and gifted to me. That makes me happy too. If I was a better housekeeper the table would be dusted in this picture.

I have been so eager to post about the decorating going on around here but now we have had a change in circumstances. The family we have been housesitting for is coming home before the first of the year (6 months early). They have agreed to let us stay on in the house as tenants and they are going to be moving into a new house . . . which means they are going to be moving out all of their furniture and belongings and we will finally have the whole house to make our own!!!!!!! This is by far the best Christmas present I could have asked for this year!!!! We will be moving in all of our furniture that is currently in storage and because we sold our sofa and bedroom furniture in the move we will be getting some new things to replace them!!!   I have also talked to the home owners about allowing me to do some painting-like the kitchen cabinets. Even after seeing the pictures of the kitchen transformed as it is now, they are hesitant. Cross your fingers that they come around!

Here are some probably completely un-blog-worthy pictures of some projects and decorating going on around here. I know how frustrating it can be as a blog reader when blog writers refuse to post pictures until a room is a "perfect complete after," so here are my totally imperfect, incomplete before and durings.

To start, here is what the living room looked like before we moved in. We were stuck with the homeowner's sofa because they didn't have a place to move it.   Everything else I relocated to the finished basement to store-everything was really dark.

I bought a cream colored cotton duck slipcover from surefit to cover the sofa. I also made a slipcover for their ottoman, which we use as a coffee table. I took the picture below before the ottoman cover was finished, hence the rough edges in the picture. Fresh Christmas greenery goes a long way to adding some cheer to this space.

Decorating with lots of family pictures helps make this house feel more like home. In order to avoid putting a bunch of holes in the wall, I took the mattes out of a bunch of my frames and hung them with Command strips.

Some photos I just stuck right on the wall-no matte. A lot of the house has white walls so I have hung pictures in unusual places to add some visual interest, like these above the curtain rods in our dining space.

Once the homeowner's things are cleared out of the house, I am going to make a sewing room just for me and a playroom just for Wynn. We can't wait!

Hope everyone is enjoying a lovely Tuesday and looking forward to a perfectly white Christmas.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Weekend

2010-12-03T09:20:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning to a fine layer of white snow on my white Adirondack chairs. White on white- a decorating fanatic's dream. Mr. December is settling in and I am so glad to have him. We are going to decorate this weekend. Aren't you inspired by these white fairy lights? Next to that red door! Perfect.

source

I also plan on cozy-ing up with my Marvelous man and babe and doing a whole lot of 'nothin.

Who is with me?

source

Cue the weekend!

Winner of the Cherry on Top Giveaway

2010-12-02T10:50:00.000-05:00

is . . . .

The Mommy Teacher! Congratulations! Please email me, proverbs2434@gmail.com and I will arrange to get you the hat of your choice for your little one on the way!!!