Parker's Nursery

Parker's nursery has been work in progress and I am still not really done but sharing his room with you is long overdue.  Nearly everyone in my family had a part in Little P's room.  I prefer things that have meaning in design and his room is full of sweet and funny memories already.  

The vinyl bible verse above the crib was applied loving (er, painstakingly) by Sissy and Doc.

The framed print above the changing table was painted by Parker's great grandmother (my Gammie).

Check out the post about the changing table/dresser here and the lamp project here.


These bumper pads really deserve an entire blog post to themselves.  My wonderfully fabulous mother (aka "Honey" to Parker) slaved over these bumper pads to get them just right (let's just say there is no "pattern" for square bumper pads that exist only in Kiki's head).  Sissy and I spent hours in a fabric store in Atlanta coming up with all sorts of fabulous ideas and my poor mother was left to execute our complicated vision.  An endless THANK YOU to Honey.  It looks awesome.  Perfect, in fact.  I am forever indebted. :)  

Oh - and don't worry, I have been informed this was a one time deal.  I have used up my bumper pad favors. I think I drove my sweet mother to cursing with this little project. Hmmmm...maybe she'll change her mind by the time we are considering #2.  Then again, maybe not.


How fabulous is the monogrammed window valance?  That was another "Kiki vision" that I coerced Coco, Sissy and Doc to execute one afternoon (I was conveniently on bed rest and "instructing" from the couch).  Check out Sissy's blogpost (courtesy of Doc) of this adventure here and here.  Oh, and construction of this little wonder didn't end here...Honey spent a number of hours trying to get the monogrammed button in place.  I believe a "thank you" is in order...I love my family!

As I write this post, I am reminded that it is a wonder my family still speaks to me!  Oh, that's right...I am partly responsible for this sweet face...and magically I am forgiven. :)

Let me know what you think of Parker's room.  I am not done...but I think my family is!

The Big Reveal

This post is embarrassingly overdue.  I apologize.  No excuse.  Let's get on with it.


Back in February, we shared with you that we were embarking on a little home addition.  Well, this home addition was officially finished May 6th and it is June 9th and I am finally posting all of the before and afters!  We have kept you posted along the way with some updates and pictures in progress but I will do my best to "recap" our story here. {Some of the pictures aren't the best, I do apologize!}


Once upon a time, Kiki and Coco bought a small, ugly little house in a great area (location, location, location)...

We worked hard to spiff 'er up on our own...

But all the elbow grease in the world couldn't make this house BIGGER.  So the construction began!

This last picture is the view from our existing "master" bedroom looking into the addition.  Below is the same view pre-construction (I am so over that green color).

And the same view "after".  We added about 50 square feet to our "master" bedroom, some much need light through two windows and gutted the existing closet into our new office nook (see picture below).  The ceilings were scraped and crown molding and taller base boards were added.

Since we were a one bathroom house, a second bathroom was a necessity.  We were able to add a significant amount of space onto the back of our house that includes a double vanity, very large two-head shower (it is to die for!), separate toilet room, his/hers closets and a laundry room.

The view from our master bedroom into the new bathroom

Laundry on the left, toilet room on the right

A good shot to give you an idea of the layout.  Look in the mirror and you will see the shower and the doors to his/hers closets.

Have I mentioned I LOVE this shower?

Our previous laundry area was in our kitchen so when we relocated it to our master bathroom, it opened up all sorts of possibilities in our kitchen.  Unfortunately I never took a before picture of our laundry area in the kitchen but please take my word for it, the after is fabulous in comparison.  We moved a wall, added double doors to conceal our utilities, added two floor to ceiling cabinets for pantry space, a bench with storage, built-in shelves to maximize space and hide our microwave!

We are on the hunt for a round table, a fabulous mirror or artwork for above the bench and new chairs but all in due time.

Can't see the microwave, can you?  Just a hint, it is below the red vase.  Coco found a "little" black sharp microwave that suits our needs perfectly!

Last but not least we added a screened porch equipped with two fans, electrical plugs in the ceiling for outdoor heaters (coming this fall!), and most importantly a TV.

And the current view of the front of our house...we increased the roof line, painted the entire exterior, new front post and new shutters.

We absolutely love our new (and old) space, it has totally changed the way we live in our house.  I am sure with the arrival of our little one that will change too, but for now we are so thrilled to have some more square footage!  Hope you enjoyed the recap!

Lamp Envy

I found the most fabulous Jonathan Adler lamp for Parker's room that I simply do not want to live without...

...but I will.  The $395 price tag is mystifying and appalling all at the same time.  I haven't spent $400 on a lamp anywhere in my home let alone an infant's room!  The lamp really is fabulous (I heart giraffes) but I couldn't even consider it (can we say STROLLER?).  Instead Coco and I came up with a way to repurpose a lamp we already had.  

We scoured the toy aisles of our neighborhood Target for an appropriate "filler" for this glass lamp that used to hold golf balls and golf tees in our "office".  Coco spied these wooden blocks for $15 and we knew it would be perfect.  I love the way it turned out and it only took Coco 10 minutes to do the switcheroo.  So, until we win the lottery I will stick with our repurposed cutie patootie lamp but I will definitely dream of the gorgeous, childlike yet sophisticated JA giraffe one!

Update...

This post is long overdue and will probably cover many topics!  Be prepared for pregnant brain randomness.  First things first - I mentioned the last time I blogged that I was super excited about my upcoming baby shower.  It did not disappoint, it was so special and so much fun!  And while a full blown post is coming soon, a little sneak peak is available on MC's blog here.  Check it out!


Our addition is officially complete!  It was actually official May 6th (just in time for all of our visitors for baby shower weekend!).  A few pictures to wet your appetite (hee hee) and another promise for a more in depth post soon.  

Our humble abode.  The roofline was extended, new shutters, new paint, less grass. :)

Master Bathroom

"His" Closet

Enlarged Master Bedroom looking into new bathroom

These pictures are not up to my standards (lighting is all wrong, bamboo shades are down, pillows are not fluffed, superfluous items on the bed - just to name a few) but I thought it was too cruel not to give you at least something after three months of teasing (and my house is in no shape for picture taking today).  We are still moving things around and collecting items for our new space, always a work in progress!  We made some changes in the kitchen and the screened in porch is just fabulous.  I promise to include some pics of those spaces soon.

I have had a few inquiries about paint colors so I have included the colors we used below:

Master bedroom/Parker's room - Sherwin Williams Woolskein

Master bath - Sherwin Williams City Loft

Exterior of house - Benjamin Moore Rockport Gray

Parker's room is coming along slowly but surely.  I anxiously await the crib bumpers my Mom has been so diligently working on.  I think I will have them in a few days!  In the mean time, I thought I would share the little dresser project we worked on this past weekend.  My parents generously gave us a piece of furniture they have been storing in their attic that was just the perfect size for Parker's room.  His room is small so we had to have something that multitasked as a dresser and a changing table.  The finish on the dresser was not quite our style so we made a few changes...

BEFORE

AFTER

I love the airplane and dump truck knobs I found at Hobby Lobby and spray painted to coordinate (you know my affinity for the spray paint :))

What do you think of the transformation?  We must give major credit to our faithful friend, Donnie, who was nice enough to strip and stain the top for us after we called in an amateur panic!  There are lots of finishing details to be done...a monogrammed (of course) cornice for the window, waiting on frames for the artwork, vinyl wording above his crib just to name a few.  It will all come together eventually!

Speaking of Lil P, I went for my 34 week appointment yesterday and my blood pressure is up.  Yep, my easy going pregnancy has hit a bit of a snag.  After three hours at the doctor's office/hospital, I had blood work done, an ultrasound to check fluid levels (and catch a sneak peak of our little man!), and a Contraction Stress Test (THAT was interesting).  All tests checked out normal and our little Parker is doing well and responding appropriately.  My doctor will be seeing me a bit more often now (twice a week) to check up on things and make sure all is well.  We are praying this spike in BP is an isolated event and we can keep him marinading just a bit longer.  Thankfully my activity has yet to be restricted (the Lord is GOOD) however I am trying to be good and rest as much as possible when I am at home.  Coco is quite the caregiver, I affectionately refer to him as my warden.  He is so concerned for his wifey and son and I am very thankful for his sweet love.  There is nothing to fret over yet (read that twice Mom) but we would love it if you would keep us in your prayers as we navigate the next few weeks.

Whew.  If you are still reading, I thank you.  Sorry for the long post!  I will update again soon!

Etsy Find!

Life is crazy 'round here.  We are furnishing, decorating and trying to get life back to normal these days.  Whatever normal may be!  I wanted to take a minute to share one of my latest Etsy purchases.  I have to credit MC with this purchase, it was really her find (thanks seester!).  Check out our wall in our new little office nook...

Aren't these fabulous?  So sorry for the poor picture quality - not sure what was going on here.  LittleBlueBirdStudios has these really neat Vintage Dictionary Art prints.  There are many, many to choose from and are super affordable art - especially when popped into Ikea Ribba frames like I did above.  With our new space and furniture placement, our walls are very bare so interesting art on the cheap is key right now.  Any of you have any great resources you lurve?


Oh!  And I must share that I can't wait for this weekend.  I have a baby shower here in Birmingham and am so excited!  My mom, MC, aunt, grandmother and Coco's mom are all coming into town for it.  I can't wait to share pictures.  And don't worry - those finished pictures of our addition are coming soon.  I will get over my bare walls and unfinished decorating and finally snap some pics for you.


Happy Thursday!

Fit for a King...and Queen

I HEART my new closet.  I have never had a walk in closet.  Ever.  My heart sings every time I walk into it.  Organization AND space?  Queue the singing chorus.  Pitter-pat.  

His and Hers

Aren't they beautiful?  Ok, enough about that.  It seems so petty to be so excited over something like this but I just can't help it.  Closets aren't eternal, neither are screened in porches or throw pillows.  These things have seemed oh so important the last few months.  Becoming parents has far greater impact but seems just out of reach right now.  Oh the joy is coming and I know it will be here before we know it and probably before we are ready!  


We moved into our closets this weekend and are not quite ready for the "after" photo shoot. :)  A big thank you to MC and Dr. Niles for coming over to help a sister (and brother) out!  


Happy Wednesday to all!

Before and After...a teaser

MUCH progress was made at our little home over the weekend but we aren't quite able to move everything back in yet.  We were able to move some furniture in on Friday night so we are officially residents of our new and improved Master bedroom and bath.  We now await the completion of the closets and kitchen pantry this week to begin the real fun. :)  I thought I would share a picture of the front of our house (as it looked Sunday evening).  But first, a trip down memory lane...


Our house the very day we bought it 5 fateful years ago...there is so much I could say here but I think this picture says it all - "What were we thinking?".  Thank you, Coco, for being so willing to see my vision. :)

Our house this past fall after we spent 5 years updating along the way...new windows, new front door, painted shutters, landscaping, etc.

And our house this past Sunday...

Not the best picture angle and our grass, well...it needs some TLC (Coco is waking up early every morning in an attempt to water it back to life after being trampled for nearly 3 months), but we are making progress.  I promise to post a better pic in the days ahead but I wanted to share!


What do you think of the color?  After many agonizing hours (selecting an exterior house color is daunting!), we landed on a Benjamin Moore color called Rockport Gray (HC-105) with Black Board and Batten shutters.  


Stay tuned for more!

April already?

Scratch that...April 12th already?  I mean, wow, where does the time go?  I can't believe what a horrible blogger I have been.  I really have no good excuse.  Too tired?  Too busy?  Too distracted?  Out of town?  While all of those excuses seem to apply these days, none of them sound really legitimate.  I will simply apologize and get on with blogging already...


The past few weeks have been filled with activity.  Everything from our home reno project to vacation to hanging out with friends.  Let's talk about vacation!  We managed to slip away for a few days last week and spend some time on Lake Oconee in Georgia with my family.  It was 5 glorious days of lounging around and relaxing.  Five VERY needed days...for both Coco and me.  A special thank you to my sweet parents for allowing us the opportunity to be vegetables. :)  


Our little home addition is coming to a close.  There are lots of small items to be finished up and we hope that these will be complete in another week.  The nesting phase of my pregnancy has set in and I am ready to get organized and move into our new space.  Parker's nursery furniture is scheduled to be delivered Thursday and we hope to move much of our belongings out of storage this weekend.  I can't wait!  The addition is beautiful and I can't wait to share some final pictures.  In the mean time, I have a few shots of our recently (as in Saturday afternoon) finished screened porch.  It is wonderfully relaxing space, there is lots of decorating to be done out there but we pulled this together in a pinch to host some dear friends for a cookout Saturday night (can we say fire drill?).

What do you think of the patio furniture we scored off Craigslist?

Coco was planted out here from 4:00 Saturday until late Sunday night soaking up all he could of The Masters and  car racing.

I hope you have a fabulous week!  More blogging to come this week - a few shots from our vacation including the Masters practice round we attended!


Oh - and speaking of Parker, I had my 28 week appointment last week (yes, third trimester -- I can't believe it!) and he seems to be cooking just right.  Please pray for a smooth last trimester for both me and Parker.

Dumpster Diving!!!!

Kiki and I thought we'd share some of the latest photo's from the past couple of days.  Thanks again to Mike (our friend/contractor) who helped us get the carpet in, and did a little dumpster diving to level out the dumpster.  Since we were a TAD over on the fill level...Sorry Shelli. Kiki and I were carefully monitoring him and we can see where Graham gets his sense of adventure...

Mike & the Dumpster

Newly Painted House Color...Rockport Gray

Trim and Touch up scheduled for tomorrow

New Vanity with Sconces

Plumbing slated to be finished tomorrow

Light Fixture in the Master

New Washer/Dryer...For Parker's clothes.  I think it's been used nightly so far.  They're awesome.

Can you believe the progress?  More to come soon!!!

Coco