How can it be?! My baby is not-so much a baby anymore...
After becoming a Mother, and holding that tiny little baby in my arms, it seemed like everywhere I went, anyone who was a parent kept telling me "Cherish it while they are little, they grow so fast!"
Being the first time Mom that I was, I brushed it off. I thought to myself, "Sure... I am just longing for the day where I get a full night's sleep, or a shower lasting longer than 10 min."
Little did I know how fast that time truly would go.
Being a Mom is the best 'job' by far that I have ever had. Yes, being a stay at home Mom does have it's own set of challenges but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Staying home, I have been able to experience every single one of my daughter's firsts, I have been there to see her grow and watch her change. This past year has flown by, now my (not-so) baby is walking everywhere, climbing stairs and getting her hands on anything and everything she can get into. It is amazing that a year ago she was just a tiny little 6 week old! You can never get time back, so take in every moment with your children. Our (not-so) baby M is now an active, happy and curious 1 year old, growing and changing every day that passes. I couldn't be any happier being her Mommy. She puts a smile on my face every morning with her silly faces and melts my heart every night with her goodnight kisses. I am so blessed.
Looking for a super simple 15 min project?
Using just two items and less than 15 min, how could this project get any easier, seriously.
I started by taking a board off of some old pallets that we have sitting in the back of our house.
The hooks came from Lowes and cost just under $4 each
After spacing them out on the board, I just screwed them on and attached two hanging brackets on each end of the board on the back & that was it! Now we have a new place in our laundry room to hang coats, clothes, hats, whatever we need. Plus I just absolutely love the rustic feel mixed with the traditional style of the hooks. A whole new coat rack for less than $20!
LINKING UP WITH:
Being a military family, we never know where we might be uprooted next and never know how long we will be there. We grow a custom to living day to day without stability or knowing where "home" may be next. Many of us military families live in base housing or rent & let's be honest, being in a rental isn't exactly many people's idea of a 'dream home'. For us, owning a home is quite a few years away until Mr. C is out of the military and we can decide on where to settle down and plant our roots. But until then, I still want our 'rental' to feel like "home", not only for my husband and I, but for our daughter. Now having a family, priorities have changed. We may not have control over where life may take us, but I want my husband and child (and hopefully future children) to have a safe haven to come home to at the end of the day, no matter which state or what kind of home we may live in.
Being in a rental has it's limitations, meaning that you have to live with the structure that you see, AS IS.
Many times this means no painting or changing out any of the fixtures. Some rentals are better than others... but many are not ideal. So whatever you may have to live with in your rental, work around it & make it your own!
Here are a few of my decorating tips & ideas for those of you who are decoratively restricted
and also want to keep as much money in your pocket as possible through the process...
1. BRING COLOR INTO YOUR SPACE WITHOUT PAINTING
- Pillows: by using bright pillows or bold patterns, it is an easy way to
change up the decor in your home without spending a fortune!
[source]
change up the decor in your home without spending a fortune!
- Fabric Covered Canvas: Use a large canvas or even a piece of wood and cover with fabric.
When hung on a blank white wall, it will instantly bring interest and color into your home.
[source]
When hung on a blank white wall, it will instantly bring interest and color into your home.
-Bring in Color with Accessories: By using pops of color in your accessories, it will tie the whole room together without using even a drop of paint on the walls!
[source]
-Painted Furniture: When painting isn't an option, painted furniture can bring
in you favorite color into any room and make it feel warm and inviting
[source]
in you favorite color into any room and make it feel warm and inviting
-Add interest to a plain wall with a patterned headboard: A large headboard covered in fabric brings in a touch of color and focus' your eyes somewhere else other than on bare walls
[source]
-Add a pop of color using painted frames: Another great way to bring in color without
spending more than a few dollars is by painting inexpensive frames
[source]
-Add a pop of color using painted frames: Another great way to bring in color without
spending more than a few dollars is by painting inexpensive frames
2. SPRUCE UP YOUR WINDOWS
-Take down the old ugly blinds and replace with curtains: Many rentals come fully equipped with those oh so wonderful vertical blinds. Take them down! It is a quick and easy fix, just make sure to replace them back up before moving out.
3. ACCESSORIES
- Bring your eyes away from the stark white walls and ugly fixtures, accessorize with items that you love,
take attention away from unpainted walls by layering accessories
take attention away from unpainted walls by layering accessories
- Mirrors bring in light & make the space look bigger: Use a collection of various mirrors on a wall to make a small apartment or condo look larger!
[source]
- Pattern, textures, colors, finishes, height, shapes, layers & sizes create interest & tie everything together:
Sticking with a neutral color scheme, use a rug, or pillows of different patterns and textures to make a room come together. All of these items can make any ugly rental feel like home and can easily be switched out or taken with you to a new home.
Sticking with a neutral color scheme, use a rug, or pillows of different patterns and textures to make a room come together. All of these items can make any ugly rental feel like home and can easily be switched out or taken with you to a new home.
4. STORAGE
Small Spaces Need Lots of Storage!
- Baskets: If you live in a small rental, you know that any storage space is a luxury! Take advantage of every wall, use hanging baskets in a bathroom if you don't have much cabinet or counter space.
[source]
-Hutches: Some rentals come with minimal closet space.
Using large pieces of furniture creatively allows for more storage options!
[source]
Using large pieces of furniture creatively allows for more storage options!
-Storage Ottomans: If you have kids, you NEED one of these! Living in a small rental, there isn't much room for all of those wonderful toys that come along with having children. Storage ottomans are a great solution and are so much prettier than a toy box ;)
5. DRESS UP THE FLOORS
- Add an area rug over old carpet: Rental carpets can be old, ugly and worn.
With no option to replace them, use a large area rug right over the existing carpet!
[source]
With no option to replace them, use a large area rug right over the existing carpet!
6. PAINT ACCENT WALLS (ask first)
- Fabric wall decals: Follow the link below for a great tutorial on how to apply fabric straight to walls!
[source]
7. CREATE INTEREST WITH WALL ART
Don't be afraid to take decorating risks even if you are a renter! Select pieces that you can take with you as you move on your way, to one day, your 'dream home'
A few months back, I was browsing on my favorite online re-sale sites and came across a beautiful little antique coffee table. It was such a great deal, I rushed to email the seller and soon scored this amazing piece for only $10! I am a sucker for anything with curvy legs, so it was love at first sight!
With everything going on in our house lately & a 1 year old running around everywhere, I haven't had much time to finish many of my projects, so this little beauty sat half finished in my garage for about 2 months.
Finally, this weekend I was able to find some time to finish this beauty in an antique french grey, then lightly distressed & finished it off with a light coat of antique glaze.
I am just loving how it turned out! What do you think?
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My favorite find of the week, which has now found a home in our master bedroom:
Painted in Annie Sloane chalk paint & distressed, this dresser is a beauty!
(keep posted to see it's reveal in our master!)
Another project that has been keeping me busy in the garage is this
old headboard that I found awhile back for only $20!
It is now sanded and has a fresh coat of paint...
It just needs a few more coats and some distressing,
then it will also be making it's debut in our master bedroom reveal as well.
For all of you that don't already know, Mr. C & I will be celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary on the 29th. We will be enjoying a nice long weekend 'away' at a hotel in San Diego, but before we leave, I wanted to surprise my Husband with a very special gift that I have been working hard on...
The back story is: "I cross my heart" by George Strait was always a very special song to my Husband and myself while we were dating & ended up being our wedding song. If you have never heard the lyrics, they are so touching and true to the heart. Being that my Husband used to sing this song to me while we were just driving around in his truck, it holds so many fond memories.
I wanted to give him something that incorporated his favorite verse
"You will always be the miracle that makes my life complete"
What I came up with was this...
A beautiful and very LARGE hand painted sign which we can hang in our home and look at for years to come. He was so happy when I showed him it for the first time! (and I was relieved!)
You never know how men will react to 'another' craft project for the house!
But to my surprise, he was really taken back and tells me all the time how much he loves that when you walk through the front door it's the first thing that you see in our living room :)
Wishing everyone a very happy Friday!
& don't forget to follow me on Instagram@jenniferciani
(keep posted to see it's reveal in our master!)
Another project that has been keeping me busy in the garage is this
old headboard that I found awhile back for only $20!
It is now sanded and has a fresh coat of paint...
It just needs a few more coats and some distressing,
then it will also be making it's debut in our master bedroom reveal as well.
For all of you that don't already know, Mr. C & I will be celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary on the 29th. We will be enjoying a nice long weekend 'away' at a hotel in San Diego, but before we leave, I wanted to surprise my Husband with a very special gift that I have been working hard on...
The back story is: "I cross my heart" by George Strait was always a very special song to my Husband and myself while we were dating & ended up being our wedding song. If you have never heard the lyrics, they are so touching and true to the heart. Being that my Husband used to sing this song to me while we were just driving around in his truck, it holds so many fond memories.
I wanted to give him something that incorporated his favorite verse
"You will always be the miracle that makes my life complete"
What I came up with was this...
A beautiful and very LARGE hand painted sign which we can hang in our home and look at for years to come. He was so happy when I showed him it for the first time! (and I was relieved!)
You never know how men will react to 'another' craft project for the house!
But to my surprise, he was really taken back and tells me all the time how much he loves that when you walk through the front door it's the first thing that you see in our living room :)
Wishing everyone a very happy Friday!
& don't forget to follow me on Instagram@jenniferciani
If you haven't already noticed all of my crazy pinning over on Pinterest
you might guess that our Master Bedroom is the next major project on our to-do list.
Our bedroom, like many others, has always been put on the back burner. Frankly, it is where we spend the least amount of time (other than the 6-8 hours of studying the back of our eyelids every night) and it is easy to just shut the door and completely forget about the room during the day.
But really all along our master bedroom should have been #1 on our list.
Since having a baby, I have noticed my Husband and I just going through the motions of life from day to day. Wake up, feed baby, change baby, play, work, feed baby, change baby, play, clean.... you get the point. By the end of the day, with myself being a stay at home mom and my husband working 14 hour days (most of the time) we are exhausted. We do what we need to around the house and then retreat off to our bedroom to crash out. The problem: our bedroom is the furthest thing away from a 'retreat'. As parents, I have found it now more important than ever to have a time out of each day to re-connect with your spouse, to take time away from being "Mommy & Daddy" for a moment and to be Husband & Wife. To talk about your day with no distractions. No television. No technology. Just each other. Your master bedroom is the perfect place for this. At the end of the day, when all of the kids are asleep, when all of the dishes are done. For this reason I think that every couple should put their master bedroom design on the top of their home renovation list. Create your sanctuary.
I have always dreamed of having a bed with luxurious linens, soft down pillows to just sink into & a warm duvet to snuggle up in. I wanted to walk into my bedroom one day and have it feel like a hotel where I could relax, enjoy a warm cup of tea or hot chocolate and release all of my stress at the end of the day. Well, living in base military housing... not exactly my idea of luxurious.
So here is my plan:
- 1 major master bedroom re-do
- make it a relaxing retreat
- create a style that fits both spouses
- make it personal
- do it all for under $150
Now that my Husband and I have decided to tackle our next major project, creating a style for the room was the next step. Gathering tons of inspiration, I realized that I have two very distinctly different styles that I absolutely love. As for my Husband, well he basically told me "I don't care if I have to live in a pink room, as long ass it's comfortable." So there you have it, this bedroom re-do is completely up to ME. For those that don't know me, I am the most indecisive person you probably have ever come across. Each purchase that I make is carefully planned, calculated and thought out. So this project might just end up taking me months to finish... well, lets hope not! ;) After hours of searching, gathering inspiration and shopping online I have two very different style boards to go off of, problem is, committing to one.
After seeing Liz Marie's master bedroom makeover, it was breathtaking! So comfortable, warm and inviting, plus it had a very woodsy retro feel to it which fits perfectly with my Husband's style
(pretty much anything with deer or animals he loves)
The second choice is much more feminine.
Blue and gold tones wish crisp clean lines & a hint of shabby chic
Right now I am leaning towards style #2, but still love the cozy feel of style #1
so maybe the final solution is to combine the two and create something a little like this:
or maybe even this:
or this:
So, keep following along to see our progress!
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