The Simple Note: Lifestyle

Part 2: Why we chose a Nursery Nook

Baby 5:12 PM

Transitioning to a family of five was not difficult change, but like anyone takes planning. My husband has two daughters, so adding a third to the bunch was a easy move for him. He had tons of previous experience with those late night feedings and sleep checks throughout the night. Me on the otherhand, I had to get my Type A personality in check and mentally prepare for all of those If's, And's and Buts of newborn life. As we were discussing where Blake would go, we had a difference of opinion. At first, I'll be honest I was not happy about putting B in our room.

After multiple discussions and her birth, it only took me one week to realize he was right. I'm not sure if I've even admitted that to him! Understand, this is what works for our family and accommodates us! In the future I am sure she will have her own room/area, but for now, it completely works for our needs and I love how it all came together.

In my quest to design a functioning Nursery Nook, I wanted a soft grey dresser with beautiful legs! I came across this Pottery Barn dresser and knew I wanted it. But then, the price.

Image result for pottery barn extra wide blythe dresser

The dresser retails for $1,184. Completely out of our budget.

As I searched online with a resell site I came across a dresser that was the perfect resemblance. I was able to snag her for $55!

Before

The dresser was full of oil, dirt, grit, and hair. I was able to clean it fully (after about 4 hours) with a toothbrush and Softscrub. That stuff works wonders.

I was able to turn that into this by using my go-to Rust-Oleum spray paint.

After

I honestly can't believe how well everything came together.

I was able to mix a little bit of old with a little bit of new.

I found this stylish chair at Home Goods on Clearance.

I watched it for three weeks before making a purchase. I wanted a chair that she could grow with, but also had detail!

I kept the original hardware for the top and switched the bottom accents with knobs ordered on Amazon.

This light stand is an old piece from our living room.

I adore marble trays and gold accents. This purchase was a no brainier for her baby changing essentials.

What do you think of our nook? Look out for details of how I restored this dresser using Rust-Oleum Spray paint

Simply, Whitney

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Fourth of July Home Tour

Fourth of July 11:17 AM

For the past week and a half T and I have been preparing our home for the Fourth. I started with simple decor that lead into the neat idea to throw the girls a backyard movie night. The original idea came from a co-worker who shared a photo and said "I could see you doing this". I immediately fell in love with the idea. I told her I loved the idea of doing it, but it had to be inside. I don't like being hot!

When I first started gathering ideas, I had the plan to prepare everything inside our living room but on an empty wall. But after consideration, whats the fun in that?

I shared the idea with T and he quickly fell on board (my number one supporter). He ordered a projector and helped me pick some cute decor from FB Marketplace. That's when all the plans started to really come in place.

So far, we've made a few signs, purchased our snacks, picked our movie, and prepared our food menu.

Here is why we're going all out for movie night:

1. Unforgettable Memories. I want the girls to have memories that last a lifetime. Unconventional random family moments. I can't wait to see their faces and spend quality time in a different way. I want the girls to look back on their childhood and say "My mom did some weird stuff, but I liked it. I remember the time when..." That's what means the most to me in any project I do.

2. Fireworks. While we aren't spending hundreds of dollars on fireworks, we are able to see a great show from our neighborhood. Setting up outside allows us to prepare for a firework show during/immediately following our movie.

3. Traditions. Our second favorite family holiday is the Fourth of July. Maybe because of me and my desire to decorate, but I think gathering together, eating great foods, and summer sum up why I love it so much. Celebrating each year isn't only an old-time tradition, but one that I plan to share with our littles, but in our own way.

While we continue to prepare for our own little celebration here is some of our Fourth decor.

Have you ever held a movie night in your backyard? If so, share some tips!

Simply,

Whitney

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Three Patio Refresh Must Haves

Home 1:04 PM

No matter how much I try to brighten up our home with lighter soft neutral colors, I always steer back to my favorites. It seems like bold neutrals aren't just everyone's go to this season, but they speak to me.

For the past two months I've been working on our outdoor patio design. Compiling ideas and finding "refurbish-able" pieces to pair with new elements. Our small outdoor space is a screened in patio that needed a pick me up. After shopping around I decided on a bold, but neutral contemporary feel. A current design trend includes black, tan or white, and grey.

Here are my three top summer patio must haves

Three: Candle Holders/Lanterns

I can imagine the number of evenings and nights we will spend as a family outside. Even though we have outdoor lights to brighten the area, we needed candle holders to keep away the bugs. I wanted a stylish option that didn't look like your typical citronella candle, but big enough to give off a good amount of light if the string lights were not on.

Two: Outdoor Rug

I haunted Target's website for weeks looking for the right size and priced rug. I finally decided on a white and black block rug that was simple, yet bold. Finding a rug was a big deal for me because our tile outside isn't ideal. Not to mention I was looking for a bit of contrast to add to the flooring was important. I plan to do a stacking method to combine two different rugs.

One: Large Pedestal Table

I adore a natural wood pedestal table. Being able to gather around a table outdoors with enough space was a number one for me. I found our table online at with Facebook Marketplace. You can really find some quality items on there for reasonable prices.

I'll be honest, my husband was not too fond of our table at first. He felt it was extremely large and wasn't accommodating for the size patio we have. As time passed, I think he came around! (I think)

Here is some Indoor/Outdoor Style Inspiration

Loving this color sequence

Beautiful wood and black combo

Over the next week I'll be working on finalizing patio details and getting our outdoor space ready for the Fourth. I can't wait to share my budget friendly patio makeover.

Simply,

Whitney

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New York Themed Babyshower

Baby Shower 9:56 PM

I was so excited to share a little piece of New York with our friends and family. We had the opportunity of hosting our shower at Engine 15 Brewing this past Saturday. It turned out exactly how we wanted it to. Our themed stemmed from Tirrell growing up in New York and being inspired by a very similar Bodega theme. Our family truly took my vision and made it a reality.

Decor

I wanted a mix of Spring in New York with Cherry Blossom Trees, New York street signs, and small emblems that represented where Tirrell grew up.

The street signs "Strauss" and "Sutter" were names of streets he lived on, the Metro cards represented the Metro Bus rode around the city, and the golden apples, of course, stood for the "Big Apple".

Custom printed menus were provided to each guest to inspire types of dogs to create.

We even had a mini corner store where guests could come by and get candy, quarter waters, or chips for free.

We also incorporated Subway signs and other small items to bring it all together.

Blake's Bistro

I loved how We were able to create Blake's Bistro which was our restaurant name to serve our food. Each guest had custom menus with food recommendations of hot dogs they could create.

New York is known for their street dogs and I love sausage dogs. We named the hot dog recommendations after each member of our family: Blake's Classic, The Middle Sister, The Little Sister, Big Country, and The New Yorker. We also offered a number of New York style desserts including: New York cheesecake with blueberry or strawberry topping, Cannolis, Candy Apples, and Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes (strawberry being T's favorite).

Favors

The favors included B by Blake Bath Salts. I wanted guests to have something that was from "our shower to theirs". We also asked our guests to give middle name recommendations for B.

Venue: Engine 15 Brewing
Venue Manager: Haley Tinkle
Hair: Courtney Thomas
Custom NY Wood Signs and Street Signs: McElroy Design Co
Wood Painted Bistro Sign: Courtney Thomas
Desserts: Sweet Funn
Florals: Fox and Fawn Floral
Stationary: Paper Culture
Dress: ASOS
Photography: Erin Yvette
Set Up: Tiffany King, Nikole Glover, and Jennifer Jacobs

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Nursery Nook Progression: Part One

Baby 8:07 AM

It's Friday! I can't believe how fast time has been passing by. I am currently 32 weeks and Baby B is doing so well. She's extremely active, especially during the end of the school day and the evenings.

To catch you up, a few weeks ago, I started a new dresser project that has took a long pause because life has been so busy! I've been working so hard with my business lately and in between work, side projects, client meetings, and baby planning where is the time?

I am so happy that this weekend is a little slower than normal. With hopes, I'll be able to tackle a few DIY projects for our baby shower next weekend and her little area.

The Nook:

T and I decided on a nursery nook for the baby. It took a few discussions and his knowledge on babies and newborn parenting to get me to come around, but I am glad I finally did.

Paint:

Last month, we painted the bedroom a brighter color, Sherwin Williams Bohemian Lace. The previous color wasn't exactly the color I wanted for the room when we first moved in and painted. I was so happy to rid of that dark chalky grey.

The Dresser:

I fell in love with this Pottery Barn Blythe Extra Wide Dresser. I just loved how sleek and simple it was. The legs give it that extra detail and the color was neutral and soft. Let me quickly add, it was completely out of our budget for a baby dresser. I couldn't fathom spending $1,100 for a dresser!

I'm not new to refurbishing, so I went to Marketplace and Offer-Up to find a similar version that I could do for less (way less) than the cost of my first love. It took a few months for me to find a similar version. I lost a few bids on Marketplace and then I found the one!

Before:

After:

It took me about a month for me to contact/buy the dresser from the seller. Once I got it home, I began working on it right away.

Last weekend, I took some time to find dresser toppers like a changing pad, a marble and gold tray for her essentials, and some wall decor to finish up the space.

The Crib:

We found a soft grey 5 in 1 baby crib from Target that we (more so I). Simple and a little traditional mixed in one. I loved that it was something that can grow with her over time.

This Weekends Plan:

I plan to add the hardware back on the drawers and clean the inside one more time.
Return one wall art to Home Goods and purchase a replacement.
Hang mirror above dresser
Find a blush throw for nursing chair
Purchase a Gold Rod for curtains

I'd love to hear from you. How did you design your nursery or nook? What are you up to this weekend?

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Babyette & Baby K's Name Reveal

31 Weeks Pregnant 8:41 PM

This past weekend I spent a few days in Atlanta with my girls celebrating Baby K. It was such a fun time similar to my Bachelorette because I was able to get away with my girls and celebrate another memorable moment in my life.

Here are a few questions I received about this past weekend:

What is a Babyette?

It's a celebratory girls get away for a baby. Similar to a Bachelorette Party, we took the entire weekend to spend time together before the baby comes. The weekend was completely planned by my girlfriends.

What do you do at a Babyette?

We didn't have a set itinerary. We did have a set gathering to eat, mingle, and play baby games like tasting baby food and bottle sipping contests. We also ate at a few local restaurants including the Flying Biscuit, South City Kitchen, and Chido Padres.

Thanks to one of the games I found a bottle brand I am not NOT going to be using.

Where did you get your dress?

I received the most comfortable maternity dress from Shop Pink Blush. They have such a large collection of maternity wear for expecting mothers. I teamed up with Shop Pink Blush to wear their Solid Off Shoulder Maternity Maxi Dress linked here. What I loved the most about my dress is that it was off shoulder (completely my style even before expecting), soft material, and loose fitting for this expanding belly. They have a large collection of dresses to choose from. I am currently 31 weeks and it fit me perfectly. Not to mention their shipping was extremely fast!

Are gifts involved?

Originally I told my girls NO gifts. They didn't exactly listen. The idea behind the Babyette was to celebrate together and enjoy time with B's aunts. I did receive tons of tokens from them; even a new "Mom Bag" from my best friend.