Some House / Nursery Updates

I think it's been a while since I've posted anything about the changes we've been making around the house... and since I'm still not up to basting that panda quilt, I guess this is about all I've got to share for the moment!

Master Bedroom Changing Area:

Finding frames for these two pieces of art (okay, a piece of art and a puzzle) was a bigger issue than it should have been -- and we wound up going with things that don't quite fit because we didn't want to bother going custom -- but we've finally got the changing area set up finalized. I'm sure this will change somewhat as we actually use it, and at some point it'll move out of our bedroom, but for the moment, one more thing crossed off the list!

The art, Purrmaids print by ArtbyVW via etsy, is something I bought pre-pregnancy. So whether it's for me or the baby is still up for debate, but I'm still so happy to finally have it up on the walls. It reminds me of my favorite kids' book, The Color Kittens -- which I'd always hoped to use as inspiration for a nursery back when I thought I would have lots of time and space and energy to make one work! -- and the print just makes me happy every time I see it. The puzzle -- which I couldn't get a great shot of thanks to all the glare pouring in from our bedroom window -- is a Ravensburger puzzle called the College of Magical Knowledge which was a gift to my husband. We knew we wanted to assemble it and hang it in the nursery, but for the moment, it looks pretty good over the changing table.

My homemade mobile -- which has not held up to this spring and summer's massive humidity uptake -- is looking a little wilted from the side, but the important view still seems to be working:

I've read that high contrast simple shapes will be interesting for the first few months, so for starters, we're trying this. I figure the height needs adjusted, but again, that'll happen once we're actually using the space.

The two open shelves are actually vertical planters we're stacking diapers in... but I think they work -- and they aren't too heavy, good news for both our walls and any future incidents! Hidden just over Momo's head is the very first thing we intentionally bought for the baby, about the time we decided we would try going on this adventure:

A rather rustic looking winged pig lamp. It's sort of our way of acknowledging my old answer of 'when pigs fly.' It's another thing that might never make it to the actual nursery, but it makes me laugh -- and these days, laughter is pretty important.

Little Changes

Last week we had to say "goodbye" to the rug that's been in my house/s for about eight years. It was a wonderful dining room rug in my previous place - but it struggled to work in our living room. Between the constant traffic creating rug-fur-bunnies of epic proportions and the additional dangers of spills and stains, it was already struggling to keep up with our needs. And over the weekend, things happened to the rug that cannot be undone, despite our attempts.

We're all fine. There was a little issue with 'do not leave candles unattended.' Apparently, sometimes reading a book three feet away needs to count as 'unattended.' So, negligence led to a great deal of bright red wax ending up in the rug - and absolutely nothing we tried would get it out without bringing pieces of the backing and rug fibers along for the ride. 

Although we had figured this loss would mean living with the horrid old green carpet underfoot for a few weeks while we searched Craigslist for a more suitable replacement, there was actually another rug sitting in my parents' garage just looking for a home.

It's not a pattern I would have chosen out of all the choices in the world - but it was the right price, the right colors for our orange chairs and yellow/pine-ish entertainment center, and oh my is it nice on the bare feet. It is about half the size of the old rug, so instead of resting under the coffee table and rug area, we're concentrating on using it between the entertainment center and the coffee table - so covering the greatest expanse of green carpet anywhere in the house and giving us all somewhere comfortable to sit when there aren't enough chairs in the living room.

Momo spent the first three hours rolling all over it. I think that's a good sign.

I finally finished up a bag I started months ago.

Nothing fancy - but lined (with one interior pocket - to coordinate with the three exterior 'windmill' pockets) and usable. And already taken to the library and shopping.

The other changes around here are less noticeable. Two weeks ago we rearranged some of the wall hangings - and although we knew it happened and thought the changes were better, it took our weekly guests two weeks to notice. Three days ago, I hung a new piece of 'art' (a page from a torn up book) in the hallway.

No one - including the other person who lives here - has noticed yet. I think perhaps we have too much on the walls...

The chalk board message and drawing are also mine. Greg not only has better drawing skills, he has much better handwriting. The chalkboard usually holds 'to do' lists and 'I love you' messages. We're pretty sappy sometimes. 

Most of our other changes really aren't worth talking about - mostly boring cleaning or getting ready for cooler weather kinds of changes. I'm still wishing winter weren't coming soon, but we're attempting to get ready for it. Next change to come? Caulking the window where the cold air leaks in all winter!