NestKeeping: Monthly Recap~

Hello out there in blogland.  I'm so glad you could join me today, because today I am starting a new feature here at The Shabby Nest.  I'm calling it NestKeeping, and basically it is going to be a recap of  my blog posts from the past month that I think had the best ideas, were the most informative, or offered the best inspiration.

I'm hoping that by featuring these links all together in one post at the end of each month, you, my dear readers, will  have a go-to resource for the best of The Shabby Nest!  (That's what I'm hoping, anyway!)

So without further ado,  here is my Monthly Recap for May...

Idea-filled posts to get you ready for summer-

An Easy Summer Centerpiece:  These candle-filled mason jars are so simple and pretty, you'll see why I love them so much.

Cowboy Caviar: A favorite summer recipe that you'll want to make again and again.

My Beachy Summer Mantel:  Putting those Easy Summer Centerpieces to work as focal points in my summer mantel decor.

Informative posts to help you get organized (and make some great art.) -

Since we are getting ready to move, I've been decluttering.  And this month I shared some of my best decluttering tips .

I also shared the way I keep my blog organized and running smoothly with my Blog Notebook.

Want to make a sentimental piece of art that is also chic and stylish?  Try Personalized Subway Art.  This month I offered a tutorial on how to create your own.

Finally, some fabulous decorating inspiration:

In our new place, our boys are going to be sharing a room...I'd love to have a bunkroom for them.  Here are some fabulous bunkrooms I've been looking at for inspiration.



Via BHG

 And while I'm on the subject of boys' rooms, here are some more inspiring boys' rooms.

Via Restoration Hardware Baby and Kids

Have a great day~

Around The Web~

Here are a few places you can find me around the web right now...

Over at Jennifer's fabulous blog, Style Your Life, I shared some Tween Room Inspiration.



Okay so this little guy isn't a Tween, but this room would work well for one...
and it's one of my favorite boy's rooms ever!  Photo via Houzz.com

 At Fifth Room Living, I shared 5 tips for Making Your Guests Feel at Home.

Finally, over at Little Black Dress/ Little Red Wagon, I shared my Subway Art Tutorial.

Have a great day~

Frugal Friday~

Welcome to this week's edition of Frugal Friday.  So glad you come to visit me here every week to share (and get) some frugal inspiration!

Here's my Frugal Round-up from last week's party...

First, That's My Letter shared her take on Ballard Design's Patchwork Prints.  What a fun project!

PRIMP shared her pretty farmhouse table redo.  Love the finished product...especially with that turquoise bench.

Conspicuous Style shared her BEAUTIFUL kitchen panelling project!  LOVE. THIS.

Finally, AKA Design shared a fabulous living room redo.  So fresh and pretty!

Now it's your turn!!

You know the rules.

1. Please link directly to your post and not just to your blog.
2. Please link back to the Shabby Nest. ( You can grab one of my shiny new buttons from my sidebar!!!)
3. Please leave comments for the authors of the posts you visit...help our participant "feel the love!"

I reserve the right to remove any post that is not in keeping with the spirit of Frugal Friday including, but not limited to, those posts that link to your link party, your shop or giveaway, and those posts not linking back to the Shabby Nest. Thanks for playing fair!!

A Beachy Summer Mantel~

Because we are getting ready to move, I wanted to keep my summer mantel clean and simple.  I opted to go for a serene color palette of sand and white, and to use beachy details to give me that summer on the beach feeling.

I started by using the summer lanterns that I shared in this post.

Then I just added in my jar full of seashells, and a few starfish.

Really that's all there was to it.  I really like the understated look.  There's no doubt that it celebrates summer, however.  Nothing like seashells and starfish to create a summer-y statement. 

Linking up to Layla's  Summer Mantel Party.

Have a great day~

Family Room Redesign Inspiration~

I recently had the privilege of working on a family room redesign virtual consultation for one of my fabulous readers, Kelli.  So today I thought I'd share with you the mood board that I created for her.

Kelli loves earth tones but has an infatuation with turquoise at the moment.  She has a lovely family room with a beautiful fireplace, high ceilings and fabulous windows.  I used brown as the base of the palette and added in a warm gold, a bit of red, and her beloved turquoise. I chose to bring the turquoise in with accessories because those are the easiest things to change if a color suddenly loses its charm.

I love the Chang Mai Dragon pillows from Willa Skye Home...they weren't actually the inspiration for the palette, but they could have been.  They tie the whole thing together beautifully. 

The Tuscan Bookcase from Ballard Designs will offer tons of storage.  I suggested that Kelli use baskets on the lower shelves to hide toys. 

Both artwork selections are also from Ballard Designs.  I especially love the abstract piece entitled Blue Reflection.  It's more contemporary which Kelli loves, and it incorporates the blues and golds from the room's palette in such an inviting way.

The curtains are Dupioni Silk  - which gives them a lovely sheen - and are from Pottery Barn.

I grounded the room with the brown Fallon Rug from Rugstudio.  I love the addition of the graphic trellis pattern.

I can't wait to see the finished product!

If you're interested in a virtual design consultation you can find out more about my e-design services here.

Have a great day~

A Favorite Summer Recipe: Cowboy Caviar~

This chunky salsa-style dip is a perfect addition to your summer menu.  It has been a favorite of my family ever since my cute sister-in-law introduced it to us a few years ago... I have a feeling you're going to love it too.

Cowboy Caviar

Ingredients:

1 can corn  - drained

1 can black beans - drained

1 can black eyed peas - drained

1/2 green pepper - diced

1/2 red pepper - diced

1 bunch green onions - chopped

1 container grape tomatoes - cut in halves

Mix packet of Good Seasons Italian Dressing according to package directions.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and pour dressing over top.  Can be served immediately, but marinating overnight is recommended.

We like to serve it as a dip with corn chips, but it is also FABULOUS served over green salad or with grilled chicken or fish. 

Bon Appetit!!

Linking up to Rhoda's Summer Recipe party!

Decluttering Tips~

It's crunch time.  T minus 5 weeks until our move.  Now that we're starting to pack, it's the perfect time to declutter.  Moving is a great time for a fresh start,  a great time to get yourself clutter-free.  But you don't have to be moving to get that clutter out of your house.  In fact, it's much easier if you declutter a little bit at a time instead of having to do it all at once like me.   If you want to get rid of some of that clutter (and who doesn't, really?)  here are a few of my go-to tips for decluttering your house.




A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place


1. Declutter for a few minutes at a time.  Let's face it, the prospect of spending hours going through your closets and cupboards is enough to keep you from decluttering all together.  So make it easy on yourself and declutter for 10- 15 minutes at a time instead.  Take time and clear off one shelf, or clear out one drawer at a time.  This makes the process less daunting and more doable.

2. Finish decluttering one room at a time.  Continue working in one room at a time until that room is clutter free.  The next time you take your 15 minutes to declutter, move on to the next drawer or the next shelf from the one you worked on last time.  This way you won't have random clean drawers or shelves strewn throughout the house.

3. Set aside a weekly time.  Or if this works better for you, try scheduling a time weekly to declutter.  It could even be part of your weekly cleaning routine. 

4. Multi-task.   Rather than sitting while you chat on the phone, try cleaning out the junk drawer.

5. The clothing rule.  If you haven't worn it in the last year, get rid of it.  I finally convinced the hubby to do this.  He holds on to his clothes for.ev.ah.  But last week, he finally did it.  Went through his clothes and got rid of tons of old (and unworn for years) clothes.  He was actually smiling...and couldn't believe how good it felt.  Really.  Mission accomplished.

6. Deal with paper immediately.  Now, I must admit, I am a bit of a paper hoarder.  I have a hard time parting with paper.  But nothing builds up clutter quite as quickly.  So even I, who looooves my paper, have had to implement a system.  I have three boxes:  a bills box, a to-do box, and a file box (you can see them on the shelf in the photo above).  When my mail comes in, I deal with it immediately I put bills to be paid in their box, other papers that need dealing with in their box.  Then once I either pay the bills or deal with the paper it goes in the file box...and gets filed weekly.  (And for those bills that can be taken care of online - I do that.)   The rest gets shredded or goes in recycling. 

Except magazines and catalogs.  This is my real weakness.  But I am trying to be better.  I have been going through my old magazines and tearing out the pages that inspire me.  It was a bit challenging for me at first, but it feels good to get rid of them.  I will admit, that I do keep some of my favorites in tact, but I try to limit myself.

7. Donate and Recycle.  This brings me to my last tip.  Donate or recycle.  It's much easier to get rid of things when you don't just trash them.  Take your clothing, old toys, books etc. to your local goodwill.  And recycle all that paper!  Knowing that you are doing your part to be green is always a good thing.

Are you feeling inspired to organize?  Try these websites for some great decluttering and organizing ideas:

FlyLady.net

Organized Home

Get Organized Now

Okay, now that I've preached my little sermon on decluttering...I'm off to do as I say. 

Have a great day~

Frugal Friday~

Welcome to this week's edition of Frugal Friday.  I want to first thank you all for your sweet thoughts and prayers on behalf of Mr. Two.  His surgery was a success and he is home and resting comfortably. (Mostly comforably I should say.)  And I am exhausted.  I think I was running on pure adrenaline today.  Such a relief to have the surgery over. whew!

Now on to my frugal round-up from last week.

First up, Fab Rehab Creations shared her be.au.ti.ful pair of rehabbed chairs.  I simply adore them!

Next, The Sunset Lane shared her fabulous bathroom rehab.  The before-to-after really is a jaw-dropper.

Abby's Paperie Garden shared her Paper Bag Pretties.  These little outfits are so charming...it's really hard to believe they're made of paper bags from the hardware store!



Finally, A Creative Beginning shared her pretty, spring mantle.  I just love all the textures and the subtle color scheme...just lovely!

Now it's your turn!!

You know the rules.

1. Please link directly to your post and not just to your blog.
2. Please link back to the Shabby Nest.  ( You can grab one of my shiny new buttons from my sidebar!!!)
3. Please leave comments for the authors of the posts you visit...help our participant "feel the love!"

I reserve the right to remove any post that is not in keeping with the spirit of Frugal Friday including, but not limited to, those posts that link to your link party, your shop or giveaway, and those posts not linking back to the Shabby Nest. Thanks for playing fair!!

Simple Outdoor Mood Lighting~

It's been rather dreary here for the past few days.  Rainy and cold.  But I have big plans for outdoor entertaining this year...if the weather should ever warm up. ;-)

I thought it would be fun to share with you one of my go-to, outdoor, summer centerpieces.  It's extremely simple to make, but it adds tons of ambience to any gathering.  Canning Jar Lanterns.

To make these pretty lanterns, simply gather up some vintage canning jars.  I like a variety of sizes...it just adds to the impact.  Then get some candles...I use larger pillar candles for the big canning jars and votives for the smaller jars.  You can use any color candle you want, but I prefer to use white.  Clean.  Pretty.

Fill the bottom of your jars about 1/4 - 1/3 full of rice...or sand...or coarse salt.  It's really up to you.  I used rice in these because I had it on hand.  Sand is especially pretty, and coarse salt is lovely because it reflects the light.  But really any of these pale colored fillers will do. 

Then just pop the candles in and light.  Group your canning jars for more dramatic impact.  So simple and pretty.  (Please make sure you don't leave candles unattended or let them burn all the way down to the filler...as that could be a fire hazard.)

Happy Entertaining!

Oh...and  last but certainly not least,  I hope you love my new blog design as much as I do!  Thanks to Ellie G at Announced Greetings for her spectacular redesign!!  Love.  Love.  Love.

Longing for a Normal Day~

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return."  

                                                                                                     -Mary Jean Iron

I ran across this quote the other day, and rarely has a quote struck me with such intensity.  I feel like I  haven't seen a "normal" day in ages.  A day that is just a day.  A day without worry, or fear, or crisis, or craziness.  I wonder if they even exist.  Of course, wonderful things happen too...and those sorts of "not normal" days I can handle.  But right now, the stress is a little much.

And I apologize to you,  my dear readers, for the lack of fun projects and DIYs on the old blog of late,  but since we are getting ready to move, home projects are obviously on haitus. 

Also, and more importantly, Mr. Two, my 5-year-old has surgery scheduled for tomorrow.  It's outpatient surgery, and fairly typical procedures, but still, when it's your baby that's having surgery, it's nerve-wracking.  I haven't had a good night's sleep in days.  Since we have such a wonderful corner of the blogosphere,  may I ask you to please remember my little guy in your prayers.  I would really appreciate it! 

Thanks and much love!

Wendy

May's Silhouette Deal~

This is the week for the May Silhouette promotion.  And I hate to admit it but, my uber-fabulous, amazing project that I was going to share with you, has yet to be created. (ahem.)   But for anyone that is interested I don't want you to miss out on this month's great deal...

So here's the Silhouette Promo for May...

• A Silhouette SD cutter
• 3 Rolls of heat transfer material
• All for only $219

That's a saving of over $125!!

Simply go to this link to purchase, and use the code "SHABBY" at checkout for your discount.

If you already have a Silhouette, you can still receive 25% off all heat transfer material!

And just for a little example of what you can make with heat transfer fabric, a few  months back, I made these darling shirts for my kiddos using Silhouette's White Flocked Heat Transfer fabric.  They're so fun! 

May's Promotion runs from Now thru May 25th!

Happy Crafting~

More Boys' Room Inspiration~

I have to be honest, decorating children's rooms is my favorite part of designing.  I like the freedom that comes with not having to take things so seriously.  With being able to add a good dose of whimsy to a space.  Children's rooms are just plain fun. 

So when I know that I get to redo the kids rooms, like I will in our upcoming move, I spend inordinate amounts of time planning and daydreaming about the spaces.

Of course, this time around I have some practical issues to contend with as well...like fitting three boys in one room.  I shared my dreams of a bunkroom in this post, but I also have to realize that the room the boys are moving into won't allow a huge built-in bunk space.  So I have been searching online for bunkbeds with trundles, and other bunk inspiration.  And that's when I found the new line from Restoration Hardware. (Okay, just so you all know...Restoration Hardware is not paying me for this post...this is just me...having some serious infatuation with their new products...)

Holy darling stuff, Batman!  I admit that I got excited when I found out a couple of years ago, that RH was starting a line for babies.  And I liked it.  But I wasn't wild about it - everything was pink, green or blue with polkadots or stripes- that's it.  So even though I received their emails, I didn't often take the time to read them.  Until this week when I saw the one with the picture of the bunkbeds.  I didn't know RH made bunkbeds, so I clicked on it.  And fell in love.

I am big into a soft-industrial look, especially for the boys' room...so these spaces are all right up my alley.

I love the zinc-finished wall pockets and the storage behind the bed.

Here I am in love with the bedding....and the vintage lockers. 

I would live at the beach if I could, so nautical rooms are always a favorite.

I love the stencil letters on the wall...and check out those cute floor pillows.

So much inspiration in one room.  I love the vintage school chairs and the table with the metal top (I'm seriously considering getting a metal-topped table for our dining room- virtually kid proof.)

I love the metal storage baskets, and the amusement park art.

I adore this menswear-inspired bedding.  When we moved into our last house, I was determined to find menswear-look bedding for the boys room...not as easy as it might sound.  And now, here it is.... hmmm.

Lovin' the locker-style desk and the ticking stripe bedding.  And those cute vintage clipboards used as frames!

This room is just plain soothing. 

A leather headboard....don't know if I dare with my crazy kiddos...but I love it.

And here's the bunkbed that caught my eye.  Lovin' the dark stain...and the heaviness of the piece.  It even has a trundle.  Alas, I think the pricetag might be a bit rich for my blood.  But a girl can dream, can't she?

So I'm off to plot and plan for the boys' room some more...I'm having too much fun!

Nature Center Outing~

I just love to discover fun, new places to go with my family.  And if they're educational, that's even better (especially when the educational part is slyly disguised as good old fashioned fun.)

A couple of weeks ago, a group of bloggers in my area was invited to discover the Ogden Nature Center,  152 acres of preserved  land just 25 minutes from our house.  There was so much to see and do, and my kiddos had such a good time that they've been asking to go back ever since.

The Nature Center had a trail filled with birdhouses made from recycled and found objects.  The kids just loved seeing all the creative ideas!

 They had a chance to make some fun paper snakes...

And even got to pet a real one...

My little boys discovered this "cave" and they didn't want to come out.

Mr. Three (my 4-year-old) thought this mask was pretty funny.

There were a few turkeys wandering around the grounds.

My kids loved seeing these big old birds up close. 

 These were some happy kiddos! 

Here's a little photo of me (just to prove I was actually there - ha ha!) with Meg from Brassy Apple.

Photo Credits:  1st photo from Ogden Nature Center,  All Other Photos are mine.

Thanks to the Ogden Nature Center for inviting us up for the day.  It was such fun! 

From their website:

Visitors enjoy 1.5 miles of walking trails, picnic areas, tree houses, bird blinds and an exhibit of live birds of prey.  Two of Utah's greenest buildings are on site to teach about sustainable structures. A unique gift shop is located in the Visitor Center. The Ogden Nature Center offers a wide variety of classes & workshops for all ages including art, photography, birding, wildlife in Utah, outdoor recreation, conservation, sustainability, summer camps and more.

 I'm always grateful to find a hidden treasure. Do you have one in your area?