34: Surprised As Ever.

Howdy, Islanders!

Last we spoke, I left you with a suspenseful ending.  That ending served as the perfect segue into the birthday wrap-up.  I'm excited to share the details of the day because there are lots.

First update?  Oh, my bad.  Let's get to it... wait.  Back up.  Before I went to sleep on my birthday eve, Munch banned me from being upstairs.  She was preparing something for my birthday.  When she finished, she stood in front of me holding a balloon.

If you read it as I did, the message in the above photo is, "SUPER STAR MOM."  It made me smile and, because she messed up on the heart, I was given the balloon as an early birthday gift.  Before she headed to bed, Munchface requested that I wake her at 6:15 the following morning... clearly, she had something up her sleeve.  On my birthday, Munch woke bright and early to setup.

Maya Mondays: Good to Myself.

"If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me?"

34: Fresh as Ever.

Islanders, let me tell you.  33 was HARD on me.

I know what you're going to say and I don't care.  Things were NOT all peaches and cream or unicorns and rainbows; it was hard.  Like, not that 'adulting' has ever been easy but this?!  The life I was living?!  It was hard.

My core circle who knew, knew.  People who thought they knew probably talked.  Then, there were people who thought they knew 'everything there was to know' and didn't even have the tip of the iceberg... Islanders, have you ever been in a position to have people you call friends know you're in a storm and never even call to offer you an umbrella?

That was me.

I was so glad to say goodbye to 2016 and to the events that transpired along the journey through the 33rd year of my life.  Now, you know me.  I'll share my own story in my own way and on my own time.  For now...

Statement Decor Using Spray Paint

This week's Maya Monday's post was all about home.  We've been talking about Munch's new big girl room and how making an effort to incorporate her ideas into the design helped create a beautiful space she enjoys.  Today, we'll talk about one of the statement items in the room - the leaves!

I inherited several items from an area retail store.  The store was closing for renovations and had no plans of keeping anything except their wooden hangers, clothing racks and the checkout desk.  Everything else was given to employees and their family members for free.  Islanders, I got several AWESOME pieces out of the deal to include the leaves hanging in Munchface's room.

I received 5 large black leaves and two of the acrylic ceiling mounts from which the leaves suspend.  I loved the leaves and knew they would work perfectly in Munch's room when I saw them.  I just didn't think black would work for the design.  You remember the inspiration board, right??

I wasn't sure how... I wasn't sure if... I did know I wanted to incorporate the oh-so-signature tropical leaves into the design.  Can you see the photo in the top right of the collage?  There's color, there's greenery and leaves.  It's bright and cheery.  I may not have known the details but I knew I wanted this room to be an oxymoron in its design... to defy the rules and perspectives of design.  I sought to answer the following questions:

You see the answers.  Yes, yes, and YES!  We'll continue to build our case in the Munch's Big Girl Room mini series but, for now, let's get back to the background info!  The leaves were used as a store front display.  Mrs. Lucy told me all about them and offered some for use in Munch's room design.  I knew they would provide the perfect dose of whimsy over the bed.  I couldn't, however, imagine how big they were!

I first saw the leaves at Mrs. Lucy's birthday party.  They were huge!  Talk about statement decor!  With the leaves in tow, Munch and I headed to our local home improvement store.  I allowed her to pick spray paint in the colors from her inspiration board (see above or click here for more on that).

We went home, laid our scrap grocery bags on the ground under each leaf and sprayed the leaves in our coordinating colors.  I wanted to stay under budget so I decided to use the gold spray paint I had on hand for one of the leaves (after all, how many times will I need the colors?  If I couldn't get multiple uses out of the paint, I wasn't about to splurge!).

I allowed them to dry outside before bringing them inside (the fumes can be a bit much).

Using Gorilla hooks as an easy means to anchor the mount, I hung the leaves over the bed and BOOM!  Magic.

The leaves are the perfect statement in the room. They also help to tie the theme together.  Hanging them on the accent wall really helped with the budget.  They were FREE and covered much of the wall... so much that I probably didn't need to hang anything over the bed...  If you're looking to make a statement in a room, consider something large and using PAINT to change the color!

Think outside the box with your decor choices and make an impact while also making the room fab!

Maya Mondays: Home

"I long, as does every human being, to be home wherever I find myself." ~ Maya Angelou

DIY Shopkins Storage: Faux Built-in

First, thanks for all the love on Munch's previous and current bedroom so far!  I am so glad you guys are so supportive and positive :)

I've mentioned the overpriced and pointless, yet tiny and cute, toys popular among young girls called Shopkins.  I've also mentioned how Munchface loves them.  Well, once we finalized the paint and developed an inspiration board, I wanted to continue with incorporating the kid's design ideas into her room.  As we unpacked, the kid was excited to pull out her Shopkins toys.  I know what you're thinking and yes, that is all she does when she "plays" with the toys.  I watched as she pulled them out and lined them up.  After about 10 minutes of talking about them, she tossed them into a pile and walked away.  Annoyed, I returned to my bedroom, vowed I'd never spend a dollar on another silly Shopkin and (almost on queue) the kid came in and plopped on the bed with a request. 

"Mom, can you make me something to put my Shopkins up on the wall.  They're so cute and I like seeing how many I have."

I reminded myself of the commitment to incorporate her ideas so I (reluctantly) agreed and, despite rolling my eyes at the thought of tacky toys as decor, I set out to find cute storage options.  All of the super cute storage options were also super expensive.  I already pay more than I'd prefer for the tiny toys, I was not about to spend a lot trying to display them.  On a shopping trip to Goodwill, I saw a buffet drawer liner.  A buffet is usually kept in or around the dining room table; the top drawer holds the fancy silverware.  The best part?  The drawer insert was priced at a whopping $2!  It was cheap and its solid wood construction made it a go for me.

I bought it and Z was convinced I was crazy until I explained that we would use the same neutral color to create an affordable Shopkins shelf for her room.  She was so excited that she insisted we hurry home and get to work.

The rain didn't stop her; she painted inside!

You can see the coverage.  It took two coats to get the coverage I wanted.

Munch was focused and did a great job painting.  Once it dried, I used Command strips to hang it.  Once on the wall, we sorted her Shopkins by color and fell in love with the look.  I thought seeing the toys would make it more likely Munch would play with them. NOPE.

She still had little desire to actually play with the toys.  Months later, I realized I was super excited when Lea played with the toys.  Seriously, it was so  cute and exciting to see them get some use.  Can you see in the photo above how the shelf appears to blend into the wall?  Can you also see the horizontal stripes painted on the wall?  

Here are some tips for creating a faux built-in or Shopkins display shelf.

1.  Use the same wall color to paint the shelf.  Collections pop more when the display mechanism is able to disappear into the wall.

2. If you decided to paint the piece and you decide to use the same color, consider using a different gloss.

3.  If the collection is not a feature item for the room, consider the use (type, frequency, etc.) and adjust its location accordingly. I placed the Shopkins shelf low enough for Munch to access her toys quickly.  I also provided a fur stool for her to sit and play beside the shelf.

We love how it turned out and Munch loves how she is able to see some of her favorite things everyday.  Allowing the kid to have a say in the overall design gave her ownership and appreciation for the space.

Enjoy!

Decor: Trusting Your Kid's Personal Style

My kid.  I tell you.  This thang has style.

To clarify, when I say style, I mean the kid has the nerve to have an opinion on the clothes I buy to put on her body.  For example, she chose that outfit in the photos above all by herself.  She matched the tank underneath with the laces on her Converse.  She added the cheetah print headband all by herself... it wasn't one of the planned outfits for the photo shoot but it accurately documents her style at the moment so I wasn't annoyed when the photographer snapped these on our way out.  Islanders, as hard as it was to face that she no longer wears *gasp* bows and doesn't care to wear dresses to school, I have learned to appreciate her style.

When we were preparing to move, Munch didn't want to leave her beautiful and large bedroom.

She chose a Paris theme for her room after falling in love with a pair of lamps at Hobby Lobby.  I went with the flow and created a space we both were happy with.  You can read more about it here. 

With a move to a smaller room upon her, Munch wasn't nearly as upset as I thought she would be.  She told me often that she loved her old house and that she will miss her old room but as the date neared, she grew excited.  We finished packing her decor for her room and we were headed to Target for some popcorn and packing tape.  Suddenly, Munch grew very serious and asked if she could tell me the truth about something.

"Mom, I just want a kid room.  I like my other room but I just want a fun room.  I want it to be colorful and fun and filled with kid stuff."

Girl.  If you say kid or fun one more time...  I'm sorry, Islanders.  What did this chick just say?  Did she not recall the fabulosity that was her bedroom?  Did she not know how long I searched for each piece?  My mind was foggy and I was unable to focus as she excitedly strolled the aisles of the kid bedding section in Target.  She squealed and reached for something as I felt myself waking up out of my shock... the fog faded.

"MOM!  This is it!  I want THIS in my room!"

She reached for a sheet set.  It was covered in flamingos.  FLAMINGOS?!  Could this be any more opposite from our previous design?  Flamingos?  Whatever.  I bought the sheets.  Consider it a commitment to myself to make this happen.  In less than a year from its completion, the big girl room would be completely redesigned... to be filled with kid stuff.  Kid stuff?!

We sat down and we discussed her ideas.  I listened to her main points for the design:

- Bright colors
- White bedding
- Pineapples
- Flamingo
- Gold accents

I let her rattle off the colors she wanted and I set out to make it chic in the room inspiration board:

Gold fun accents, bold colors, the flamingo prints, I wanted the space to feel like a tropical escape while meeting her requirements to be filled with kid stuff.  I would allow her to showcase some of her favorite things but first I needed her approval because I won't be doing this ish again in a few months.

I was finished.  I showed my little client and she told me it was perfect... that I got it just right.  Next step was settling on the paint color for the top floor and then came the room layout.

Maybe I was going to like this kid stuff after all...

WW: Tropical Room Inspiration Board

Stripes: Brightening a Small Room with Paint!

Hi, Islanders!

Munch's new room is fabulous.  I've shared a few images here and there but I am very excited to finally share some of the details.  We have started 2017 with a mission to update Munch's wardrobe because she has grown so much... in all areas.  Yo, nobody warned me about the things that grow on little girls... nobody... I know what you're thinking and I know I was once a little girl but still.  I'm struggling to remain composed but every time I look at her, I notice something else has 'sprouted.'  It's frikkin' awkward and I will prob wind up sharing the roller coaster of emotions that comes with a pre-pre-teen and with being the mom of a pre-pre-teen.  Anyhoo, I digress.  My kid is ten years old and she wears a size 12.  Her legs are longer than I planned for them to be so donating clothes and refreshing her wardrobe and telling her to wear boots with certain short pants and purchasing under garments... and purchasing NEW under garments and deodorant and then STRONGER deodorant... UGH.   I need a moment.

Two claps for my Jane the Virgin fans.


via GIPHY

You get my point.  Sorting clothes means I've spent some time in her new room.  I realize the space, while it is much smaller than her old room, functions very well.  She loves her space.  Heck, I love her space.  We both enjoy it but it hasn't always been that way.

Goodies and Goals: New Year of Possibilities

Happy New Year, beloved Islanders!!!

Normally, I share all the details leading up to and through the holiday.  Normally, I share decor and gifts and games and everything.  This year was different.  This year, I sat back and enjoyed my holiday break.  It was refreshing and relaxing and, as much as it was the same, it was different... in a great way.  We spent Christmas morning with family.   I gave MaseFace his gifts and they were a hit.  LITERALLY!

Christmas morning turned to afternoon at my brother's house and folks made plans to head to my place for the annual spaghetti dinner.  Oh, I decorated.  The entire house was beautiful. 

The decor started outdoors where my lovely wreath made its debut.  I made the wreath using flocked greenery (the term used to describe the faux snow look on artificial garland or greenery) as the base for the design and I loved it so much I decided to bring the flocked look inside in the form of garlands.  

We had some awesome ideas and crafts this year.  

Speaking of crafts, the craft room tree?  It was gorgeous!