Spotted: A Nursery with Style

I was giving a friend advice recently about where to find great baby info on the web and realize that I oddly knew of a ton of sites to send her in the direction of - ohdeedoh.com, younghouselove.com, etc. Where did I, 25 year-old with no babies aside from her Pook-a-Looz of Kermit and Fozzie, become a semi-expert on some things? Strange the things that blogging will teach you.


Today, I'm happy to show off a great nursery makeover on the blog. These photos are from my friend Erin's nursery. We met in my old position for Disney Feature Animation. Without further adieu, her nursery for her gorgeous baby Alice is below. Hope you enjoy- I was totally inspired!!


For more info on Erin's incredible giraffe-inspired transformation, head over to her blog - Growing up Senge.

love the simplicity of the name art. totally gorgeous.

Extreme Makeover: Your Home Edition

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Say it with me everyone - Move.. that.. BUS!


Okay, sorry, no bus here to move but did recently discover that along with all the amazing good the show, Extreme Home Makeover does on a regular basis, they're also doing the humble DIY'er good too! Apparently they have a huge gallery of DIY projects from their episodes for you to make in your own home.


While some may not tickle your fancy and others don't have extremely detailed instructions, the inspiration alone is worth pointing this online gem out to you guys.


Here's the main link and below are a few of my favorite potential projects.

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Family Collage Wall with Structure

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Pallet coffee table with pizazz

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Possibly came from Pottery Barn but it didn't cause YOU made it Branch Chandelier

Style through Stripes

I'm currently in the process of determining how I want to paint my new apartment (since I am now allowed to paint for the first time!) I am considering going with a striped look in the living room. Here's a look at some of my inspiration (and a peek at my new living room pre-paint!).

Here's the blank canvas, my new apartment:

 

A bit sparse right now, a bit hodge-podged together, but lots of potential. Check out the chic built-ins, ready for some class and maybe some wine glasses...

Here's some amazing looks at what it could be, wall-wise, from all around the web:

Main Inspiration: Young House Love's Striped Half Bathroom

I love how sophisticated the tone-on-tone look is here with neutral colors. Though my living room is lacking a toilet, I think the spirit of the walls is just as applicable. For more on their project, please click here.

Dear Designer's Striped Showcase

Okay, so you're probably thinking that I've confused the living room and the bathroom. Maybe I have, but c'mon, this is pretty lovely above. Looking at this for the idea of making the stripes vertical instead.

Fab Find's Striped Kitchen

Yay, no toilets here - we're getting closer to living room style by looking at this kitchen. I'm not in love with the colors above, but I do admire the use of more than just two. It creates a lot of interest in the wall but is still pretty elegant AND not as expensive and problematic as a wallpaper that would do the same thing.

Young House Love's Reader Designed Beautiful Striped Bedroom Accent Wall

Gorgeous, but yeah, it's a bedroom - inspired by my original source: Young House Love. This is definitely the feel I am hoping for in the living room. I'll be tackling the bedroom next probably. Isn't this just super luxe and cozy?

Finally... I found one I liked... Apartment Therapy's Subtle Striped Living Room

I'm not a fan of the varying widths but I do love the coziness it creates in the room.

The emerging plan for my big living room makeover is that I will tackle it over the holidays and start the new year with elegance and snuggliness in my swanky re-done living room. Stay posted for more about this, and other makeovers, I'm planning to tackle in the weeks and months ahead.

Got any opinions on the stripes or what colors I should use in the room? Please share through comments below.

It's a Muppet-kind-of-Monday

There's nobody quite like Jim Henson. At least not to me. I read a script about a year ago that was floating around the industry- The Muppet Man, a biopic for Henson. By the time I finished the story, I was in tears as it ends with his sudden death in 1990. Later, I was amazed to find that a lot of what happens in the script was based on actual truths from his life. It re-awakened in me my childhood love and identification with the Muppets. 

It probably all started with Muppet Babies, but really - even now, things like the Muppet show and the movies - the sense of humor, the sense of innocence and irreverence, the undeniable strength of heart the characters have - it all still really moves me. 

Out here in LA, I saw a posting for a position with the Jim Henson Company. It had all the normal requirements but there was one that caught my eye and has definitely stuck with me since -to work for Henson, one must have a "sincere love of silliness." A sincere love of silliness. Yep, that fits me to a T. 

Below is a really honest and touching segment from the Muppets post-Henson's death. They sing "Just One Person," a song that was apparently his favorite and it really hits home when you think about his legacy and all the creations he brought us. If you look further on YouTube, there's a lot of clips from his funeral that are equally haunting and inspiring. Be sure to check out Frank Oz's touching speech and Big Bird singing "It's Not Easy Being Green."