A Simply, Yet Artful Way to Display You 2013 Resolutions

I found my inspiration for this project from this Post from one of my favorite blogs, www.gracefullmama.com. I found it in July and pinned it so I would remember to do it in January. This is such an easy project! This is a great way to keep your resolutions in sight, when it is so easy to lose sight of those words God gives you throughout the year. I put my display on my kitchen table, around a candle.

This year I hope to find new strength inwardly as we endure and persevere through seasons of challenges. Honestly, last year had its challenges so I believe I will see the strength from enduring rise to the surface this year. I hope to blog and write more. I hope to develop a deeper heart connection, more intimacy, with Jesus. 

I want to Play more this year--with my beautiful daughter and fun husband! I am also venturing into some other avenues of fun that I will share later...Along with Playing I want to also REST. I want rest to be a daily thing for all of us. I have never been much of a yoga person, but I took a class recently and found it to be very restful.

I feel I will stretch myself to new lengths this year, step out in new ways! I also feel there will be a grace for all of us this year to experience the desires of our hearts. Another resolution I have is to Capture moments by not just storing pictures on the computer but by making photo books and putting pictures in frames!

I bought the rocks at the dollar store! How do you keep track of your resolutions?

Dream

After doing Riley's room I noticed the letters I used for his reading nook and gallery wall....

Could also spell DREAM! I thought this would be a great word to go over our amazing DIY Headboard! 

Cardboard letters are a great way to recycle diaper boxes! This was such an easy project. It literally took me 30 minutes.  I traced the letters on the box, and was so happy the "E" fit :)

I used a box cutter and utility scissors to do the job. If you use box cutters, make sure you put something under whatever you are cutting. I used another piece of cardboard :)

Then I found this Chatreuse Green paint leftover from my awesome Guest Bathroom Makeover! I love doing a project where I have everything I need. No money spent. No going to the store. It took like 2 seconds to dry and then I just placed this on top of the headboard. Ta-da!

Sweet Dreams ;)

Feng. Shui.

January is a month of sprucing things up around here in the Cookson household, and I'm sure many other households! We started a tradition around here last year widely known as "Feng Shui." Go ahead and say it a few times. It's a fun word to say. Well it is founded in Chinese Astronomy and is popular with interior design in setting up rooms to create a more simplified living atmosphere. Ben and I's definition is "get rid of all the crap we aren't using that is taking up space and causing clutter and stress in our home." :) FENG SHUI! Ben says as he throws a shirt out of his closet into a pile. It's quite fun.

My mom, known now as "GiGi," came into town recently and brought me some dressers she found with my grandmother. They are awesome. I will be painting two of them that I will be posting! They are old and needed some drawer liner. she also bought Lucy a Pink Bike helmet that Lucy loves..

Since it's Feng Shui time around here, it is nice to return the clothes you are keeping to pretty, organized drawers. I found a ginormous (can't believe that is actually a word!) roll of wall paper at the thrift store. It's very pretty, and neutral so Ben would't mind it in his drawers. I don't think he would mind pink flowers either. In fact...I don't think he cares that much about drawer liner...But I do! I'd say I got a good deal on it.

I Measured the drawers with measuring tape. At first, I just measured it from the top opening of the drawer, but once I tried putting the paper down it was too big. So then I measured right up against the bottom and got a more accurate measurement. Then I used a yard stick and with a pen traced my cut out, to get straight lines! Then I took my handy spray adhesive and sprayed the back of the paper and the drawer itself.

VOILA! So pretty.

Look at how my mom kept Lucy occupied while we shopped. Hilarious. 

Back to the drawers. I found a 8 pack of these pretty Fragrance Sachets at Marshalls for $3.99.
Now they don't have that wood smell.

I even organized Ben's undershirts by color...We will see how long this lasts. This is day 4! Pretty good I'd say:) Go ahead, FENG SHUI!

Riley's Sports Room Makeover

For all of you that follow me on Pinterest probably were wondering if I was pregnant seeing my board for this project. In fact, I had three people ask me. First of all, I would not do a sports room for my baby boy. Secondly, I wouldn't post a board on pinterest before telling my sister in law! ;)
 When we first moved to Wilmington, almost 5 years ago, I was a full time nanny for three boys. When I became preggo I cut back quite a bit. Now I babysit for the youngest a couple times a week and remain very close with the family...in fact I consider them family. Knowing my passion for interior decorating, repurposing, and renovating, the mama asked me if I would like to help her with the oldest's Christmas Gift. Riley is 10 and going to be in middle school next year. I can't believe it...So the only thing he asked for Christmas was his own room. He and the middle child have shared a room forever, so I agreed it was time! Riley is a huge Patriots and Red Sox fan, so I was told to keep that theme.  I repurposed different items that they already had so I really only needed paint and a lamp. I apologize for my lack of before pictures...I need to get better at that!


Here is what you see when you walk in. Conner's side (to your right) is more surfer; Riley's sports. The curtain up against the window like that made the room pretty dark. As you can see, it's a boys' room :) And there's my little pumpkin :)

Riley's Bed and Stuff

They left for California for 10 days and the room was all mine. I decorated Riley's door and then sent Michele the picture. She then put in a frame and then in Riley's stocking.

Camera+ is an awesome photo editing app for iphone. "Santa" got all the credit for this room...So I wanted it to look magical. I really want to tell Riley that Santa sat on his fat ass and ate cookies while I did all the work...But I will refrain myself.

With my theme in place, I just needed to find some inspiration. I am not a big sports fan so I knew it would be a little challenging. Then I found a picture on Pinterest of a Sports Gallery Wall! You ready for my version??


I think every house should have some sort of gallery wall. With all Riley's Sports Memorabilia I thought a gallery wall would be perfect. I fell in love with the Sapphire Blue-- the perfect Canvas for all the pops of orange, red, white, green...We brought a really nice desk upstairs that wasn't being used. Centered it on the wall and started creating the wall. My lovely sister in law helped:) Like that orange finger? The Dollar Store!  The other stuff I literally found around the house and used what he already had, we just repurposed it. It is amazing what you can find in your house...Just give it a new purpose. Grandma was supposed to find Riley a white modern desk chair.

I moved the bed to the other side of the wall. We also switched out dressers with the youngest because it matched the other furniture. Michele mentioned an accent wall, and I think that blue may have been too much in the whole room. I just did a stripe around the rest of the room. I found an old football helmet that came from the dad's high school which made an awesome prop over the bed.

And the Reading Nook. Riley is a HUGE reader, so this was important. I found that screen in the garage. Cut out the letters for "read" out of cardboard and spray painted them blue. Found those little shelves at a thrift store for about $2 each. Had an extra cork tile and hung it and then pinned some pictures I found of a trip Matt (the dad) took when he was younger. It was a real adventurous trip, pictures of the wild, eagles, mountain lions; I also found some books about adventure and put them on the shelves. The bean bag came from the play room. Grandma also was assigned to find a cool comfy chair, but bean bag will work. There were two, so I stuffed the green one inside the red. Works for now!

And now for my locker closet doors. I went to home depot and the lady told me I'd need a whole gallon and two coats of gray primer to get it red. Then she introduced me this special paint for doors my Glidden. It is $20 for a quart but worth it. It definitely needs another coat, but I ran out of time. I quickly put black electrical tape as the slots. I found blue locks at the dollar store! I used eye screws to hook them. Here is an almost finished picture, I had to get my sis to do the final coat, we went out of town and I didn't have time. I need to get a bette picture for you!

I also found a very large dry erase board in the garage. The white part was peeling off so I flipped it over and painted it with green chalkboard paint. Then I drew a soccer field on the board with chalk. He already is using it:)

I found a curtain rod that wasn't being used and hung the blue curtains on that. Then I found this valance in the youngest's room that didn't really match what he has going on, and it was perfect for Riley's room.

Another picture of the reading nook:)

So that is Riley's Sports Room Makeover. It was a lot of fun and another learning experience :)

It's A New Year, Let's Conquer The World...or Fall Apart Trying

So Today I woke up ready to conquer all my resolutions in one day. Ever get like that? All those projects you've been putting off, all those areas in the house that need cleaning, those cabinets that need organizing, that workout plan you gotta start, new recipes to try, new educational activity to do with Lucy, get caught up on laundry while organizing the closet and dresser drawers while getting rid of stuff while vacuuming all the cheerios from under the couch cushions and finding toys that need organizing and take that thing back to belk and on the way back drop off those bags at goodwill then stop by to see that friend you've been meaning to see....Are you going crazy yet? Seriously. My mind...all over the place. Breath.

How about this for a resolution: One. Thing. At. A. Time.
I don't know how to do that, I try to do like 6 things at a time. Or what about Enjoying the Present Moment?

Things are already so crazy from the holidays. I think it is great to make resolutions and goals but if you are at all feeling like me, overwhelmed and already so behind on all your goals, let's just stop. Drink a glass of red wine. And rest. Let's take one day at a time, enjoy the moments, and let the Lord teach us the rhythms of grace and how to move with Him throughout our days.