FRIDAY CRAFTERNOON | SUPER SIZE IT.

Winding down the dog days of summer over here. Here's a little art project that we've been "perfecting all week."

If you haven't heard I've become a bit of a doodler. So it was super easy and fun for me to sketch this over sized doodle for the kids to get creative with.

I just rolled out a couple of rows of this Ikea MALA paper (roll) and secured it with painters tape. Munchkin said she wanted to play fairies so fairy wings and rainbows, h on his scooter, mushrooms, butterflies and voila less (TV) screen time - WOOT. Perfect for a rainy afternoon (or longer)..

If you aren't an artist like me (heh) you could also have the kids do a drawing with a black marker on 8x10 paper (or use a favorite coloring book page) take to a copy store like Staples or Office Depot and have them enlarge (three by four or so) and print. Even large (black and white) prints only run between $5 and $10. 

What do you think? Any suggestions for a rainy afternoon easy peasy craft?
xxB

p.s. I've been toying with the idea of letting the munchkin wear her hair out of the ponytails/poufs. She's dying to do it. I've been telling her when she gets a bit older… I can't believe how much taller she's gotten even just over the summer.  She's such  big girl already. 1st Grade!!

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FRESHENING UP LIVING SPACES for SPRING: MY IKEA SHOPPING LIST

i've tried to dig up the origin of this photo to no avail. Its been pinned by 

many on Pinterest including myself. 

So I usually get a little budget in early spring to make some updates to the house. We finally settled on a sofa which was my major purchase, and now I'm on to adding just a few things to liven up the place for the spring and summer months. And hoping to get a chance work on a few projects to continue on my (never ending) journey to add pieces that transform our house into our home for this little family.

Oh how I LOVE IKEA (on a Tuesday morning when no one else is there). So affordable, so much to choose from, and I'm a big fan of the Swedish simplistic and modern take on home decor. So I've come up with a shopping list (some of which purchased during an IKEA run las week).

DIGNITET display wire -  have one in the play space already but think another two will add some real defined purpose to the space. not to mention i'm considering putting the (almost) two year old in mom's morning out two days a week after summer so I will need the additional space for more artwork!

one
STOCKHOLM rug-  Almost positive I want to stick this cute and affordable rug under my dining room table like this.

two
VACKIS alarm clock for the night stand in my bedroom. I was watching an episode of Parenthood and saw something similar. Oddly the only clock in my room is on my cell phone. Cute and practical right?

three
RASKOG kitchen cart - Hoping to add a few pops of color to the kitchen starting with this SUPER CUTE turquoise kitchen cart. I plan to slide it under the bar next to the bar stools and remove some the the clutter from the counters (mail, piggy banks, pens, mags, etc)

four
TEKLA tea towels - I've already scooped up twelve of these. I'm trying to cut down on the number of paper towels we use. And start cloth napkins at our meals more regularly.

five
UPPLAGG place mats - still planning out our family dining space set up, but will definitely include these cute and sturdy woven place mats.

six
NISSE folding chairs going to grab up a few of these for extra guests for the back deck.

seven
RIBBA frames - Linked to the high gloss gray even though I already purchased the white. I think I am going to exchange them. I think this will make for twist on the photo gallery wall (something like this ) I'm working on for the hallway leading into the kitchen.

eight
BOSSE bar stools - I'm also considering these bar stools. But if I want to stay within my little house updates budget these might have to do with a coat of paint.

nine
FICUS LYRATA tree I saw this tree on trip to Room and Board a few years back and had no idea what it was. Now that its all the rage and all over the place, they are quite accessible and affordable. I'm  hoping it grows up to look like this.

You can find the rest of my IKEA wish list here. Whats on your "IKEA run" list?

xx,
Bunnie

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p.s one day (soon I hope) when I'm finally finished with the play space, I plan to do a little tour on the blog. just a few more pictures and garlands to hang. I'm thinking if I send them all away for a week I can get all of my house projects completed?

p.s.s. you like how i just jumped right back in here, like i haven't been missing in action for the last week or two.  Things got a little hectic. But I'm back in the game. I hope. I can't believe its March already!

INSPIRED: THE PERFECT FAMILY ROOM

Our old leather sofa is on its last leg. And not in the supple worn-in charming way...We got it for our first apartment when we were married and it has withstood many a movie night and tv binge/snuggle session, along with being trampled on by two toddlers at this point. Its time to replace it and I have been scouring magazines and Pinterest to come up with some NEW SOFA inspiration and just really breathe some fresh air into our family room.   Its been a work-in-progress from the beginning, and a new sofa will be just the jump start I need to finish this long over due project.

Although I'm drawn to bright colored sofa's (mustard yellow, kelsey green) I don't think I'm brave enough to commit. But pops of color yes!

My plan is to pull in lots of very personal touches - mementos from family trips, family photos and keep sakes - Not just a bunch of random pretty things, that I went out and bought from my favorite stores. Definitely some of those things though:-) Carefully curated collection of pieces of our lives over the last eight  err... eleven years (so eloquent ahh!!).

It will be baby steps to get the space just right, But heres the plan off attack:

Sophisticated but Kid Friendly add: COLOR, TEXTURE, PLANTS, PERSONAL ITEMS.

Modern and Classic Sofa something somewhat darker colored with a durable fabric. Ive been drooling over this Reese Sofa or Sectional at Room and Board and this Crosby Sofa or Sectional at West Elm and even considering something like this carmelly yumminess.

Punchy Pillows
I'm thinking classic prints like, stripes, polka dots, and or chevron. And maybe something cable knit and I really like this "Stay a While" canvas pillow I found on etsy.

Natrual Wood Credenza/TV Console
I'd like a new TV as well - we've been waiting on our giant 10+ year old to die, to no avail. I've been considering giving little h real baseballs to play with inside? In the mean time, H and I scoped this low console, and really liked it. I could probably save some space (and money) by putting the television over the fire place?

Photo Gallery Wall 
I'd love to frame some quotes from old love letters emails between H and I and add in a wedding pic, new born pics of the babes, and some travel photos. Something streamlined like in the 2nd pic above.

This Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree is a must.  See how LOVELY it looks in a room here. I actually picked one up some months back from Ikea and didn't take very good care of it -gone. Going to give it another whirl. I know they also have them at Lowes and Home Depot very reasonably priced.

Okay, So I think this is a good plan right? Check out the rest of some of my favorite finds and inspiration here on Pinterest..

What do you think about the TV over the fireplace? Sofa or Sectional? Do you have any advice? I'd love to follow your home decor boards on Pinterest just tell me where!

xx,
Bunne

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