I sort of feel like the monkey..”get me away from the legos!”  Its chaos keeping the legos away from Henry when that is all Drew wants to do…we are about to move all legos upstairs!

Oh and Drew hates this monkey..he hates all monkeys..can’t believe he put him on the lamp like this… I am sure he was creating a “scene”..like the other night when he asked me to be a saloon girl because we are a western town now (too many Boomerang cartoons, not exactly PC) or the other night when I asked him if he was ready for his bath and he said “No but I would love a cigar!” GO pick up legos Butch Cassidy! Don’t you love the “cuddle blankets” situated near the TANK! (and yes it makes firing sounds!) mercy.

Seriously, it’s like a war zone around here some days, I am sure many of you can relate. Between the high chair “bombs” and turned over play tables..and the legos… Henry is about to walk..he has FOUR new teeth, Drew is LOSING teeth left and right…it’s nuts..no time to research pretty uses of bamboo blinds like on my blog to do list;; If I have to say “stop shooting at the baby” one more time!  It’s just not right.

Yesterday I did attempt to do something “design wise” while Henry napped and Drew ran wild.  It didn’t turn out.  Precious time wasted.  See. 

Too crowded..they all need to be landscapes I think.  This is the upstairs bath that will be “boy zone” soon..I may collect a few retro “paint by numbers” to hang here eventually…I will just chalk this up as a test run, and go back to scouring for legos!

On a similar note, Jenny at Little Green Notebook has an interesting post up about children and “nice things” on her blog..check it out..will be fun to see the viewpoints…My opinion depends on the day!;;

And of course at the end of the day, people are more important than things.  And a home full of life is more beautiful than one full of treasures..my home was “straight” but without the sound of little people way too long so I get the what’s important thing BUT I also get the “mess is driving me crazy” viewpoint now too..and I used to think those moms were so whiny and ungrateful.  ha!

My super stylish friend Windy sent me this image…we love it and have dissected and discussed..so fun! It is from talented designer Amie Corley.

We are excited because we hear she will have a blog soon. Amie is based out of St. Louis, MO..talk about Midwest Modern!  She is so talented and got her start via a contest at Elle Decor. Click here to see what Jonathan Adler has to say about her happy style!

So what do you think..does this room appear to be for a boy or girl???  Notice the chair is different in the various pictures..it is hard to find the perfect chair–I think these both look great. Windy tracked down the drapes at Anthropologie. We love the giraffe lamp. And of course the tree! and the monogrammed shams.

Be sure and watch for Amie Corley!

I just wanted to answer a few questions I had in comments and emails regarding the party. 

First off, the galvanized cupcake stand and this napkin/utensil “thing” ARE from Pottery Barn, other galvanized items are from Lowe’s/Home Depot. The “word” dishes are Emma Bridgewater’s Black Toast..the cheese stand is reproduction from Portobello Rd. Napkins from Target.

The cute blocks are from Target! In fact, I think all of their vintage-inspired Fisher Price items are on sale right now!

Henry’s outfit is from here. Melia is great!

The kraft paper tablecloth is kraft wrap from Michaels..i just doubled it over..the seam is not even in the middle of the table..its off to the side..i creased with my hand at the corners and put duck tape underneath in several spots to anchor!

The cupcake “wrappers” were made with a cricut cartridge..I know nothing about the cricut but my friend Lori does and our friend Edna had the cartridge so voila!  You can also order these from etsy…there is a girl paper doll template and boy paper doll (woohoo!) as well as many others including a sweet scalloped one..i wanted to use book pages for the paper but it would not go through the machine but the jbs paper looked great..I will say they are a little wonky size wise..you have to get it just right  so you might want to do a practice run with cupcakes before your party…also double sided paper might look better if you use you a “tall” wrapper design.

{Cousin Charlie always has a great time at these parties!}

And that rounds out party week…wheww!

So we set up the food and drinks on the porch.  Henry’s Party: Part 1 posted here.

  Cupcakes, brunch food..yummy lemonade..Jones soda and Dad’s root beer…Jones is so good!

Enough! I could go on and on about the porch (like about this fun JBS birthday bingo card banner with book pages)…but I won’t;; ha! Let’s go outside!

OK let me just admit, the game area was a total flop..vintage-y ring toss and rubber horseshoes (kid safe)..total flop..who wants to play those games when you can play on the new treehouse fort! (Thanks Dad!) My husband was so right about this one BUT the chalk cloth (yes it is CHALK cloth) made a cute and easy sign! I bought the chalk cloth at fabric.com and you season it just like regular chalk paint.

And below, tables and centerpieces..in front of our shed! kraft paper coverings..

The centerpieces were paint cans. I was going to chalk spray paint terra cotta pots but too rainy so i just did the paint cans with Jenni Bowlin scalloped crepe paper edging and her paper for pennants, the small version of the birthday bingo cards, and notice cute chipboard buttons.so vintagey! I love her stuff! I just used 99 cent monkey grass from the garden center…if I had put in chalk painted pots I was going to write “GROW” on some and “Henry is One” on others..but this worked out fine and was much simpler! I would have used little galvanized buckets but Home Depot (THE place to get galvanized buckets of variouse sizes..or Lowes) but they did not have so I bought what they did have…little paint cans! Little buckets of crayons would have been fine too!

And lots of sweet friends and family…

{Debbie, Lynsey & Ruthie and Henry with Grandmother}

The picture above is so funny to me…I wasn’t going to have Henry open gifts…he was getting sleepy but the little girls were so funny curious about “present time” so I had them bring them over and help him and he actually enjoyed it!

I have a zillion photos I could share but will stop droning on..thank you for all of your kind comments…we had no cake time with the baby or even a photo of our family of four..but it was still such a great day..thanks to everyone who helped prepare and celebrate!

Thanks for listening to my mommy ramble about my party!

Wow! Parties are work..but fun!  Please remember it is not all cupcakes and balloons around here everyday BUT on Saturday we had a blast celebrating Henry and the joy he brings to our family….We don’t do this every year but we had a big party for Drew’s first birthday so we did the same for little brother! So grab a cup of coffee, this may get long!

First off, some of the food and treats! We had cupcakes instead of a big cake and that was perfect.  The crayons went on the kraft covered tables outside. The adorable papers on the banner and cupcake wrappers are from Jenni Bowlin Studio…I used several of her things for the party, more on that later..I love her stuff! Thanks to our friend Lori for the help with the banner!

Blowing up balloons before the party…I just bought one of those $19 bottles of helium in a box at Target…..it was just enough to tie around the tables outside…I can’t believe for Drew”s party I actually rented a big bottle from the local welding supply place! The fabric scraps (I mean tablecloths;;)  are from Premier fabrics. I did not even hem them.

Our house is small but this screen porch is large and so great for parties….I set up the brunch food (mostly from Sam’s if you are wondering how I had time to decorate, well I only made one casserole myself, the rest of the food was ordered, fruit or made by a friend!)…My sweet father-in-law supplied the fresh watermelon and my friend Jill made a ton of sausage balls…thanks Jill!

We had candy and cupcakes on the kids dessert table and on the “adult table” we had carrot, red velvet and chocolate cupcakes from a local bakery AND gourmet chocolate chip cookies (HEB’s Central Market) in bags…the grown up party favors!.. Recognize the stickers from Jones Design Company?!

You can see the kid dessert table below in the background..it was located too out of the way though, I was shocked they did not raid it as much as I anticipated..their moms were probably glad!

Below…bags of chalk for favors and balsam wood vintage airplanes from here. I love the blue plumbago that we ran out of time to plant so we stuck in a pot! We’ll have to get that in the ground soon.  The star pillow is borrowed from Drew’s room!

All of this, and the birthday boy just wanted a cracker! We love you Henry!  Happy Birthday!

[More party fun tomorrow!]

Weeks ago,yes I am serious, I layed out what I had (an old banner of Drew’s, fabric scraps, etc..) to see what I had and what I needed….I began hoarding napkins from Target before they were snatched up in the Fourth of July frenzy….oh how I love those red polka dot napkins!

I must say, I was very happy when I discovered I was pregnant with Henry and due in July (aside from the scary thought of being largely pregnant in the Texas heat).  I hate the heat but I love the Fourth of July and the thought of a little Star Spangled baby boy made me very happy and still does… So lots of flags..I’ve even been tea staining them…yes, I am serious. And loving the “American summer” theme which involves a little circus/carnival, a little retro/vintage, silhouettes, and a little July 4th rolled in one…its the mish mash theme/non-theme. Of course I totally made that up!

And then the invitation of course. More on that to come.

SEE!  Time truly does FLY!  He is going to be ONE YEAR in two weeks! ONE YEAR y’all…hard to believe..seems like I was just posting fabric ideas on here for his nursery and now I am thinking about how to change it! Crazy mama!

Oh and yes that is a bit of the new master bedroom drapes you see in the background and no its not finished yet..I have two of the four panels up, haven’t put up the new rod, never even finished “glazing” the blue dresser..

But that’s okay..we are having fun and just trying to keep up!  Next adventure, Henry’s first birthday party..stay tune for sneak peaks and little details next week..it is going to be so fun!  My little Fourth of July baby is getting so big!  So I am switching gears and trying to keep up!

Hope y’all have a safe and fun weekend..I adore July 4th..homemade ice cream, watermelon and flags!!!!

As many of you know, finding cute things for boys is not easy..they can only wear so many overalls but I am glad warm weather is here so Henry can now wear these one piece “outfits.” Some call them rompers, I call them “jon jons”  what do you call them?

{from MEKO kids on Etsy}

Daddy can’t hardly handle the peter pan collar shirts underneath these type of one piece rompers but who can resist the chubby baby arms? Daddy probably wouldn’t go for the dot print either. We won’t even discuss smocking. But even Dad would like this blue with red.  And for my July baby..might just be perfect for a birthday outfit!

{from Bud and Branches on Etsy}

Or seersucker..oh how I love seersucker.  This is also seems like the last “baby” baby outfit so maybe the soft colors are a good choice.  And don’t laugh at me for overthinking this..it is pure joy..why deny myself this fun?!

{seersucker from this Etsy shop}

Which is your favorite..I am trying to choose something for Henry’s one year photo and birthday too (maybe all in one).  Drew had pale blue and white  toile for his first birthday outfit (don’t laugh yes toile) so I should probably do something similar color wise in case I want to hang the photos side by side one day.  (See there is a decorating point to this post;;)  BUT I could always do them in black and white if needed and I might anyway…OK I will stop..starting to make even myself sick…ha!

But one last thing, you know what I love about these Etsy clothes…they are well made and you are supporting a regular person not a big corporation with these purchases but also the PRICE.  Everything shown here is $28-39..similar items from Orient Expressed, Ragsland or Strasburg would be two to three times the cost!

So what do you think??  Seersucker for a portrait?  What are your favorite tips for dressing a little boy?  Share your favorite Etsy sellers in the comments..we would love to hear!

And these placemats, also by Armommy. Do I even need to explain the cuteness?…I didn’t think so! Read my recent post on Armommy here at Oh My! Handmade Goodness, a great new blog.

And it appears while I am thinking about beadboard, the Nester is thinking about board and batten..love it, tons of great links too..also love her new drapes!  What a great office!

So hang on mamas, school is nearly out and there will be more time to stay home, work on projects and enjoy kids and a relaxed schedule! At least that is my plan…can’t wait!

Few things are more special or can be more of a blessing than preparing for a new life to enter your home. Whether it is a large room or a small corner, a baby space is special and can bring so much joy to the one making preparations and using the space once baby arrives! 

But this process can also be stressful because: 

• Pregnancy hormones are involved!
• Mama is tired (especially if their are older brothers and/or sisters to care for)
• There are so many decorating choices and ideas out there..it can be overwhelming!

 So, I encourage the moms I work with to do three things:

• Keep it simple
• Start planning and work early if possible
• Do something emotional! Don’t fight it, embrace your excitement.

When decorating 8 month old son Henry’s nursery I knew I wanted to keep much of the “bones”  from his brother’s room: white furniture (though we did add a comfy rocker this time), linen colored walls (Laura Ashley Stone 2 from Lowe’s), and white scalloped awnings. My theory is that when using non-juvenile fabrics like I chose, elements like the scalloped awnings lend a subtle baby feel so the room doesn’s seem too grown up. Big brother’s nursery was more vintage and red (click here and scroll to last page for a peek of Drew’s baby room in the June 2005 issue of Better Homes & Garden)..I wanted Henry’s room to have softer colors with a touch of a modern feel.  New fabrics and a few handmade items were all the room needed to totally change the look!

The fabrics in Henry’s nursery were a great bargain and came from fabric.com (Waverly trellis on drapes and stripe on bumper, actually indoor outdoor fabrics which wash up softer than you might think) and the organic leafy accent fabric is Dahlia from Calico Corner as is the linen dot on the crib skirt. I made the drapes and placed them inside the awnings with a shower rod!  I had the bedding made locally. If you are doing any of your own painting or sewing, plan on doing it early before your baby bump begins to get in the way!

And here is my point about the emotional element, it’s my belief you don’t have to be practical about every choice in a nursery. YOU ARE HAVING A BABY, it is a MIRACLE and very exciting.  Sure it is great to reuse cribs and other items so that the room can grow with the child and save money but I think it is okay to have one item or more that are just for the baby phase and pure visual bliss..whether it is a fabric (face it, little boys grow out of toile fast!) or a special print or painting, it is okay.  As the mama, you will spend HOURS in this room.  A beautiful, well thought out atmosphere will bless you in the wee hours and on days when you don’t get a shower.  It is worth the effort.  And as the saying goes, they are only a baby once and you can save the item as a keepsake or pass on to another baby. For me, that item was the dahlia fabric.  I knew Henry would outgrow that look fast but I wanted a fresh modern baby fabric in the mix so I just made one pillow and one side of the baby comforter out of that fabric. When he is one year or so I will remove those items from the room..use the pillow in a guest room and frankly the comforter is getting pretty worn anyway because I use it for his tummy time  on the floor and have washed often.  It will make a great picnic blanket.

The blue trellis drapes also will not last a little boy forever but I am thinking they might look great in my dining room down the road. For now they have created a sophisticated and soothing nursery for both of us to enjoy.  We can always add the cowboys later!

My five year old recently told me he wants a “sportsy room” …”you know with a basketball net and trophies”..so I rest my case, embrace the baby phase and your ability to make all of the decisions for their room as long as possible..Enjoy mamas!

[More sources: The tree above the crib is from Dali Decals, brown rug from Target, rocker and polka dot hamper from Pottery Barn Kids, white coat rack from Target, monogram canvas from Small Words, silhouette print over crib from Sarah + Abraham]