After the post ran, I got several requests for both the pillow and the print I created for the room. That sparked me to list the print on Etsy (don’t worry, I’ll re-list this soon). Since then, I’ve sold several, so I’m giving it another go. Later this week, I’ll be adding the pillow (customizable to whatever you want) and additional prints will follow later this month. Nursery-themed art seems to be pretty popular, but I’m open to designing whatever. Any ideas in mind? Shoot them over. I make it really simple (and cheap), because I will email you the digital file for you to print how ever you like. Excited for the possibilities with this!

Hair by the super-talented Emily Kleinsorge.

Check out the bridal and wedding day photos from Andy at Studio 563.

First up was a black/neon yellow zippered iPad case for DB…

This was a relatively simple project, so don’t be too scared by it.  First of all, I took some thick, black vinyl that I found in the remnant bin at Joann’s Fabrics. The remnant bin is hands-down my fabric secret, where I can find lots of great, durable materials, that I probably wouldn’t normally seek out on my own. The great thing about the remnant bin is that a lot of times, the fabrics there are on sale already, plus you’ll automatically get 50% off at the register. And OH, my favorite part? Not having to talk to the grouchy cutting ladies. Just grab and go.

So I measured out just the right amount to snugly fit his iPad + an inch or so for sewing slack.  Then I taped it down to a piece of cardboard with painter’s tape. I also eyeballed two stripes with painter’s tape, because I’m lazy. I was beyond shocked that I got them straight and even. A rare feat for me.

Next up, I started painting with some white acrylic paint that I mixed with a little bit of fluorescent yellow acrylic paint that I picked up in a neon paint pack for $1. I started by painting down from the top of the tape into the stripe, so that the first layer of paint would act as a glue to keep the tape sealed. Errr, I’m aware there was some bleeding here, but I definitely mastered it after the first pass.

I added about 3-4 thin coats of paint, which I flash-dried with hairdryer because I’m oh-so impatient. Then to seal it all in, I topped the paint with two coats of FolkArt Outdoor Gloss Sealer.

This helped give it a glossy, non-matte finish and gave the paint extra-long protection. If you prefer it matte, then skip this step. I think the gloss made it look a little less DIY, but who am I kidding?

Lastly, once all the paint was dry and the painter’s tape pulled off, I folded the vinyl inside out, sewed up the sides and added a zipper.  I would give you a full tutorial about how to sew a zipper, but there are a million out there on the internet that are miles better than mine would be.

NEXT UP – I was loving the painted vinyl look, so I tackled an envelope button clutch for myself.  I took white vinyl this time and applied the same rules with some hot pink acrylic paint.

This particular clutch I sewed right-side out, as I like the look of all the fancy envelope clutches out there. I topped it off with a button and purposefully let the envelope flap hang past the edge. I loved making this. I want to make a million more of these. Tell me if you want one…I’ll probably add some to my etsy store.

Cheers!

I gave myself the signature five-minute mani, which includes my staples of Nailtiques Formula 2 as a base coat, 2 coats of color, OPI Top Coat over the color and lastly, OPI’s Drip Dry(a personal fav/must for any at-home mani).

When all was said and done, WOW was all I could think. I LOVE this color. It’s the perfect coral shade for summer. It’s really bright too, without being all middle-school-fluorescent. Man, I’ll take a $1 nail polish any day.

I’m not so sure. Sounds pretty arbitrary if you ask me…BUT it would be real swell if you voted me (Sara Barney from Little Wex Beauty) as the BEST Makeup Artist in Austin, as decided by Austin Monthly.  I’ll buy you a cookie if I win.  Or at least I’ll be able to tell you what it means to be “the best.”

Click HERE to take that fancy ol’ survey.

xo,

The Best (ahm, I mean — Sara)

Well it’s taken me quite some time to get to this place, but I’m finally ready to fully reveal one completely done room of my house and it’s currently one that I’ve been spending a lot of time in…that’s right it’s little BB’s nursery.  We welcomed our little lady bug in to the world on April 23 and it’s been a whirlwind since then.  But now it’s time to show off the room our baby will be growing up in.

OH – and check out the “before” and “after”.  Just know that the “before” is from when the old owners lived here and I THINK used it as a guest room.  Yikes!

When we learned our little bean would indeed be a girl, I couldn’t help but be drawn to a beige/gray/coral-y pink color palette.  I didn’t want anything too baby-ish or overly girly, but more neutral with dashes of fun, bright colors.

Most of our bigger pieces have been upcycled from another life, like the dresser, which used to exist in a terrible shade of turquoise (NOTE: I didn’t realize turquoise could actually look ugly, but low and behold, it can).

 

We also reused the original fireplace mantel from our house, which was here when we moved in –fun fact: the old owner claims this mantel is an antique nearing a value of almost $1000. We however know better.  It’s probably about 10 years old and is worth a cool $100 or so.  We slapped on a coat of white paint and added a piece of chalkboard-painted wood to the opening, so that BB would have a place to scribble as she got older.

The rocking chair was a quite a struggle for me.  I hate the look of most gliders out on the market and the ones that are chic and stylish come with a BIG price tag.  So, I took to Craigslist, where I found this one, which was living a much uglier life in someone’s living room.  I liked it because it was small and not obtrusive, which was important, because BB’s room is about a whopping 85 sq ft.  We painted the scratched wood frame a glossy white and reupholstered the seat with a fun gray pattern.

I love the parts of the room with the small personal touches, like the books that line the wall.  Most of these were Mr. DB’s while he was growing up.  Some even have his little boy chicken scratch in them.  Also, most of the stuffed animals were either mine or his while we were growing up, as evidenced by their wear and tear.

So what did it take to make this room perfect for our little one??  Let’s see….(links to follow)

Crib – Walmart
Paper Lanterns – Ikea
Rug – Garden Ridge
Book Shelves – Ikea picture ledges
Dresser – Craiglist
Dresser Drawer Pulls – Home Depot
Rocking Chair – Craigslist
Tray on dresser – Hobby Lobby
Pink Metal Can – Ikea
Sparkly Piggy Bank – BCBG
Stroller Snow Globe – Things Remembered
Galvanized Bucket – Hobby Lobby
Crib Sheet – Olio
Mantel – original to house
Pillow – Handmade
“You are my sunshine” print – Made on Illustrator
Frame for print – Ikea
Curtains – West Elm
Curtain Rod – Joann’s Fabrics
Floor Lamp – Ikea
Changing Mat – Buy Buy Baby
Monitor – Target/Summer
Sound Machine – Graco/Amazon
Wall Paint – Behr Toasted Wheat
Chalkboard Paint – Raspberry tinted

Need/want this print in my life immediately.  I’ve been searching high and low but to no avail.  It’s by artist Max Dalton.  Bonus points if you can help me find it.

xo!

PS – I’m not just some cray cray person.  I’ve been collecting Beatles photos and prints for some time now and these would be a great addition!