ModCloth Gift Guide

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Christmas is coming up, which means time to buy gifts!  One of my favorite online stores is ModCloth. I usually find at least one thing I want for Christmas (like the wallet I carry) and send the link to my husband so he has some gift ideas :).  My shower curtain is from ModCloth, and there's even a rug in Harlow's room that I bought from ModCloth.  I love how unique all the items are.

Here are three items that I think would be great gifts this Christmas (gifts I'd love to get!):

The Portlandia Cookbook

Colin and I love the show Portlandia.  My favorite Portlandia clip takes place in a restaurant (about a chicken named Colin), so it's hilarious that they've come out with a cookbook.

More in Store Jewelry Box

This jewelry box would be great for guys or gals.  After all, guys have watches, exercise bands, collar stays, and little things they need to organize just like us girls.  I like that this is an affordable gift that just about anyone could use.

Winterberry Tart Coat in Burgundy

This coat, unlike the previous two items, would be a total splurge.  It's a reasonable price for a coat, but it's a pricier gift item for someone on a tight budget like me (but it is beautiful!).  Who cares what you're wearing underneath when you have this coat on?!  This is a total statement piece that I think will be in style for years and years to come.

One thing I really like about ModCloth is their sale section-- that's usually where I find my quirky buys!

What items do you think would make great gifts?

Birth Announcement!

Harlow was a little skeleton for Halloween :)

Our little girl is here!  Harlow Jude made her grand entrance into the world on October 21.  I went into labor on the night of her due date (October 20), and after laboring for about 17 hours and then having an emergency c-section, Colin and I finally got to meet our baby!

We are overjoyed, in love, and a little sleep deprived :).  We think she's the most beautiful person we've ever seen, and we're just so happy to be her parents.

Here are a few photos I snapped of her when she was around 10 days old.  

[You may notice a bruise on Harlow's hand.  She had some breathing issues when she was born and had to stay in the hospital nursery a few extra days.  The bruise is from an IV.  I didn't photoshop the bruise, because I know that one day she'll want to know the story of how she came into the world, and that little bruise is part of the story.]

Cocoon and headband from Yarn Over Little Rock 

Nursery Tour

Here is a tour of Harlow's nursery!  The room itself is small with two walls of windows, so we tried to keep the design simple and space friendly.  The walls are light grey with white trim to keep things light and bright.

Chair & Ottoman: It's from a scratch and dent furniture store.  We got it for a great deal.  It doesn't photograph very well, because it's corduroy and catches the light kind of weird.  They have this exact same set at Babies R Us, but we paid way less.  Be open to looking for furniture in unusual places!

Side Table: Target

Lace Mobile: Tutorial

Moon Nightlight: Made by my dad when I was little

Blanket, Elephant, Succulent: Gifts

Crib: Walmart

Rug: Zulily (no longer available, but they always have fun rugs)

Harlow banner: gift

Bow Holder/Pet Portrait: Tutorial

Cloud Mobile: Tutorial

Name Canvas: I painted two canvases and then glued the smaller canvas onto the larger canvas.

Rug: Modcloth

Cube Shelf: Walmart

Baby clothes are just too cute to cover up, so we left the closet open.  I sewed a curtain to hang in the back for a pop of color.  The fabric subtlety peeks out from behind the clothes and the cube shelf.  We hung two clothes rods with larger sizes in the back, rather than storing the clothes she's not wearing yet.  That helps me keep up with what she has so I don't buy more than she needs.

Pillows: Made by my mom with fabric from Hancock Fabrics

Quilt: Made by me with a tutorial coming soon

Sheets: Target

Mesh Bumper: Target

Boppy Newborn Lounger: Target

***I know the baby isn't supposed to sleep with pillows or anything in the crib, so please don't worry about that.  It's just for decor while she's not in the crib. :)

Changing Table: Hand-me-down from cousin

Changing Pad Cover: Target

Cardboard Letters: Gift from sister-in-law Loren who got them at Hobby Lobby and dressed them up

Fabric Hoops: I picked out fun fabric from Hancock Fabrics and Hobby Lobby and put them in embroidery hoops.  It's super easy, but if you absolutely need a tutorial, I'm sure there's one on Pinterest.

Cacti in Clay Pots: I used a gold Sharpie to draw dots around the top of the pots for a little sparkle.

Vintage Dress: This was mine from 1985.

Canvas: Gift from my sister-in-law Shannon

I love coming into her room and just standing and looking at everything.  I know it won't always stay this organized and clean, but I hope it gives Harlow the same calming feeling that it gives me when I'm in the room.

Lace Mobile

I wanted something to hang over the chair in the nursery and saw a few different versions of a lace mobile on Pinterest (don't you love Pinterest!).  Here's the version I came up with.

Grab some scrap fabric and/or lace and an embroidery hoop.

I tied strips of lace and ribbon onto the embroidery hoop and then tied twine onto the hoop for it to hang from.

I tied the three pieces of twine into a knot at the top.

Then hang it!  I used a hook that screws into the ceiling.

You could do lots of variations of this just by picking different fabric.  It would make such a pretty chandelier if you hung a light inside!

Cloud Mobile

The second project I finished for our baby's room was her mobile.  I see cloud mobiles all over Pinterest.  I knew I wanted to do something similar, so this is what I came up with!

Here's how I made her cloud mobile:

1. Cut stars out of faux leather (or vinyl).  I used a thick faux leather so the stars wouldn't fold in to themselves.  I drew the stars by hand and then traced them to have an exact match for each star, since I was gluing two pieces together.

2. Use metallic gold spray paint so the stars are all the same color and have a fun shine!

3. Draw a cloud template on newspaper. Trace the template onto your fabric.  You'll need to also trace and cut a mirrored piece of the cloud since you'll be sewing two sides together (just flip the cloud to the other side for the second piece of cloud).

4. Sew the two cloud pieces together, right sides facing .  Leave a small opening so you can turn the cloud right side out.

5. Snip all around the edges, making sure not to snip into the thread.  This will help make smoother edges when the cloud is turned right side out.

6. Flip the cloud right side out, and fill with fiberfill or stuffing of choice.  Then, hand-stitch the opening closed (not pictured).

7. Take string or fishing line or plastic jewelry wire to hang the stars from the cloud.  I used  old guitar strings.  The great thing about guitar strings is they have holes on the end that are perfect for sewing onto the cloud.  Hand-stitch the strings onto the cloud.  I had four strings, and I made each a different length.

8. Glue the stars onto the other end of the strings (like a sandwich).  I used E6000 glue and used clothespins to hold the stars to the strings as the glue dried.

9. Create a loop for your mobile to hang from the ceiling.

a) Cut a strip of fabric about two inches wide and a few inches long.

b) Fold the strip in half, and sew the sides together.

 c) Turn it right side out to have a tube.

 d) Fold the tube in half.

 e) Fold in half again.

 f) Create a loop, and hand stitch closed.

10. Hand stitch the loop to the center top of the cloud and tie twine (or yarn or whatever you want) through the loop.

11. FINALLY-- Hang the cloud!  I used a hook that screws into the ceiling.

I'm really happy with how it turned out and think it can be used as decor once she no longer needs a mobile!

Hair Bow Holder/Pet Portrait

The first project I completed for our baby girl's room was her bow holder.  Bows are a must for babies in the American South, and I wanted a fun way to display them.  I was inspired by this pet portrait post from A Beautiful Mess.  I knew immediately that I wanted to do a portrait of Ruby (our dog) for the nursery, and then I had the idea to make the portrait a bow holder.

I followed the directions on ABM for the pet portrait.

Here's what to do next to turn it into a bow holder.

1. Use grosgrain ribbon and cut 4 strips that are each 25 inches long.

2. Use a lighter on the ends to keep them from fraying.  Be sure to blow it out quickly!

3. Two of the ribbon strips will stay as they are.  Two strips will be altered to hold headbands.

Take more ribbon, and lay it on top of one of the 25 inch strips.  I didn't cut the ribbon that was laid on top until the end.  With the ribbon that is on top, create loops.

4. Pin down each loop.

5. Each loop should be about 3 inches from the next loop.

6. After you have each loop, go back and glue the looped ribbon to itself.

7. Now glue the top looped ribbon to the bottom ribbon just below each loop.  I used E6000 glue throughout the project.  Each clothespins at each loop to hold the glue as it dries.

8. Glue each ribbon to the back and bottom of your frame.  I used tape to hold them in place as the glue dried.  You can later remove the tape, or leave it like I did.

9. Hang and display your bows and headbands!