Nest Design Studio

Lighting up the night

2012-01-27T06:41:00.000+11:00

In the last month, Hugh has been harder and harder to put to bed. He is wanting a lamp left on or the door left open, so searching for a night light has become a priority (at the moment he gets a mini torch)!

Here is my list of contenders…..

1. My Light – Bubba Bling

2. Giimmo ‘Whoopie’ the duck light – The Hip Infant

3. Birds of light – The Little Kidz Closet

4. Fawn – Down the Little Lane

5. Oxo Tooli Set – Urban Baby

6. Star Mood Lamp – Urban Baby

7. Baby Rabbit – Down to the Woods

8. Mini Zzzoolight Elefante – The Little Kidz Closet

At the moment, it’s between the Tooli set and the Star lamp. Tell me, do you have a fav or know of any other ones I should know about?

Top Aussie Design

2012-01-25T06:38:00.000+11:00

It is Australia Day here tomorrow (26th January) and that means a public holiday, so I thought I would pop this up a day early.

So for my overseas readers, that does mean that we will go off for a day trip on our pet Kangaroos (probably to the beach) whilst we ‘throw a shrimp on the barbie’ and crack open a Fosters beer. No, really it probably will entail a swim at the local pool and a barbeque of lamb and sausages.

We are lucky to have a range of stunning furniture, linen and art work (just to name a few), so I thought I would share 5 of my all time favourite Australian stores and designs (although I do still have a few more up my sleeve!).

Incy Interiors

I just adore the Oscar bed (shown above)….currently on the top of ‘big boys bed’ list for Hugh! Incy Interiors have beds, cots, chairs and also some pretty fabulous prints (you must check out the train blue print)!

My Sweet Prints

You should know how much I love Janette’s work by now! I have 4 of her prints in our house myself and I’m sure you have seen her Bed Time Scroll featured in many, many nurseries.

Habitat Baby

If you are after linen for kids that is beautiful and just that little bit different, you need to check out Habitat Baby. I love the colour combinations used.

Ubabub

Much coveted in the US (at the moment, they aren’t sold there), we are lucky enough to be able to have these babies all to ourselves! Using a combination of timber and acrylic, the cots are oh so funky. Ubabub also have some cute prints to check out.

Kate Lauren Designs

Julie is one clever cookie (or biscuit as we say in Oz). Kate Lauren Designs have a range of lovely linen, bunting and you have to take a look at the fabric lanterns she makes! My fav is her Zachary Hunter Collection.

So tell me, do you have a favourite Australian design or decorator piece?

For the teenager…..

2012-01-23T06:56:00.000+11:00

How cool is this footstool? Such a fun accessory for a teen boys room.

Available from here

Brox’s little nest

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000+11:00

Ashley submitted her son, Brox, nursery to Project Nursery recently and I thought it was so adorable, I wanted to share it with you as well!

For a list of sources, visit Project Nursery.

My designed nest: Indy’s Whimsical Nest

2012-01-16T06:23:00.000+11:00

I recently completed this design for 2 year old Indy. Indy’s mum already had a few lovely pieces to work around (including the Ubabub Peacock print), so inspired by this, I used a lovely palette of blue, red, light pink & hot pink.

Often, it is little details that really make a room and this room has them! Indy already has a pine wardrobe, dresser and bedside table, so I suggested we paint them white (which Indy’s mum had already started doing), change up the knobs to the gorgeous vintage crystal knobs (No. 9) and then…..paint the inside of the cupboard HOT PINK! I know, totally not a necessary thing to do but how gorgeous will it look when the doors are open!

I’ve become quite an expert in boys rooms and gender neutral nurseries, so working on one of my few girls rooms was a real treat and I this is my favourite to date.

What did Indy & her mum, Jenna, think about the board you ask? Well, I think they are pretty happy with it….’love’ was mentioned quite a few times (and once in capitals) and about 3 days after receiving the design board and furniture layout, Jenna has already ordered everything, changed the room around and organised for the room to be painted!

And how does that make me feel? FABULOUS! I just love, that they love it so much!

Don’t forget if you would like a room designed for you little one, send me an email!

Guest Post: Arcadian Lighting

2012-01-13T13:03:00.000+11:00

Today’s guest post is from Susi, a writer for Arcadian Lighting. One of the top internet lighting retailers, Arcadian Lighting has been selling gorgeous home lighting fixtures and lamps online since 2002. Be sure to visit their blog and say hi. Decorating a nursery is one of the most enjoyable design projects we do in our homes because we can be a bit more whimsical and have fun in the nursery. Lighting fixtures for the nursery can be both functional and light hearted at the same time. Here are some great tips on lighting for the nursery. Enjoy!

Lighting is an important element in nursery decor; keep it in mind when decorating the room. If you are doing a frilly nursery for a girl, a small chandelier would be perfect.

A modern style nursery needs modern lighting. An artichoke style shade in white is crisp and clean and can outlast the nursery years into childhood.

Nurseries are the perfect places for whimsical lighting. Love this bird cage chandelier that is decorated with charming birds.

Like other bedrooms, nurseries benefit from a mix of lighting options and dimmers. A table lamp is good for task lighting or reading stories, while a chandelier makes for stylish overhead light.

A swing arm wall sconce can give you several lighting options depending on where the light is focused. Small lights around the room work for different tasks.

A light next to or near the changing table will be much appreciated for those middle of the night changes. Even a small gooseneck desk lamp would provide enough light for the task.

A floor lamp, tucked in corner or next to the glider or chair, is a great idea for ambient light for a nursery. Colourful paper lanterns can also be a charming lighting option for a nursery.

Add stylish table lamps near the crib and changing table for task lighting. Dimmers are always a smart idea to keep lighting at the right level in the nursery. Interested in more lighting ideas for your home? Check out Arcadian Lighting for some inspiration. Images: ( 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 )

Bellamy’s play room

2012-01-11T07:37:00.000+11:00

Kristin from I Do Originals, created this beautiful playroom for her daughter Bellamy. Such a bright and colourful space (don’t you just love the pillows! and how Kristin used the fabric on the back of the book case ).

In progress: Charlie’s 1st birthday!

2012-01-10T10:37:00.001+11:00

Oh no, it’s party time for Charlie and this mum has/is going totally over board yet again! You may remember Hugh’s 1st birthday, so of course I need to up the ante’!

Given that it is the peak of summer in Australia next month, I decided to go for a ‘Day at the beach’ theme….never mind the fact that we live about 2.5 hours from a beach. Then my mum, knowing how much I used to love a good Elvis movie (I know, shocking but so catchy – what am I, 50 or something?!), suggested I inject a little Elvis beachy theme in as well. Done! So we are having a retro beach party (think Elvis beach movie, without the Elvis). Going totally cliché, tongue in cheek and a lot of fun!

So my starting point was of course, the invitation. What I really wanted was an illustration of Charlie (not a cartoon one, more like the Gerber baby) surfing…I knew I couldn’t do it so contacted a few designers but unfortunately over the Christmas and new year break, it wasn’t going to happen in time, so I needed to get my Photoshop on.

This is the end result……I know, it’s not perfect but we think it’s pretty funny and that is the vibe we are going for!

I have saved heaps and heaps of images and ideas (about 40 pages) to know go through and work out and start ordering thing but I can’t wait. I’m a little in love with parties (I searched for 2 hours to find the perfect font for the invite –obsessed much?).

Now, off to sort through some of those images!

Christmas at the Nest

2012-01-09T07:02:00.000+11:00

I guess it’s time to shake off holiday mode and get back into the grind of the every day life….but while I do that, let me share with you some pics of our Christmas.

This year was our family Christmas in regional NSW at my Grandma’s house. We were lucky to have all but 2 cousins there this year and we also had 3 great-grandchildren share in the holiday as well!

The boys in front of the 10,000 gifts and their Santa bags, eager to get this show on the road!

An overview of the day….opening presents, cuddles with Grandma, getting to know new cousins, taking snaps with new cameras, sharing presents with baby cousins and relaxing!

Isn’t this what Christmas in Australia is really about? Relaxing with a drink, lots of nibbles and telling crap jokes! Boy it was hot (40 degrees where we were).

In what has become a family tradition (we have a game trophy and man of the match trophy – yep it’s that serious) we hold our Boxing Day challenge cricket match. My dad, Ron and my uncle Bert are always team captain, the teams are drawn out of the hat and rules seem to change every year! My Grandma, who is 74 (below top middle) is a tough competitor and narrowly missed out on man of the match this year….that title went to Matt! Not only did he have Charlie in his arms while fielding but he went on to catch some one out….TWICE (once while holding Charlie and the other while holding Hugh)!

I have been ~~lucky~~ unfortunate to have missed out on the last 3 years (given I have been pregnant for 2 of them and had a baby to take care of the other year) so I am now the official photographer 4 years running….what a shame I don’t play (yes hear the sarcasm….I hate cricket!).

I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas and new year! What did you get up to?

My Christmas list

2011-12-12T09:07:00.000+11:00

The lovely Tania from Life’s Little Celebrations tagged me recently (who am I kidding….it was about 2 weeks ago) but I’ve really been struggling to think about what I would wish for!

I was spoilt for my birthday in October and received this beautiful watch, so really not expecting anything for Christmas….plus hubby doesn’t read my blog (I know – imagine my horror!).

1. The Louis Ghost Chair has been on my ‘can I pretty please have’ list for a few years now….and I still don’t have one. 2012 perhaps?

2. An IPod. Are we the only family in the world that doesn’t have an i or apple anything? Another item that has been on my list since about 1983!

3. Love, love, love this silver Moroccan pouff from Table Tonic.

4. I am very much infatuated with the fabric designed by Caitlin Wilson. This colour way will go perfectly in our office.

5. Il Tutto mini bag in yellow. Need I say anything about it other than…..GORGEOUS!

6. On the model, this dress from Sacha Drake looks a bit ho-hum…..on Nikki from Styling You, it looks fab. So much so, that I want it.

So that’s it. I’m sure as I get older, my taste gets more expensive.

Tell me….what is on your list?

Nursery Tour: Genevieve’s serene space

2011-12-05T07:14:00.000+11:00

I certainly have one beautiful serene space to share with you today! Michelle created this space for her daughter Genevieve using a pale blue, pink and orange colour scheme.

I love the paper crane mobile!

Aren’t the lanterns spectacular!

Did you notice the subtle animals dotted throughout the room? Michelle painted these on herself!

Thanks for sharing Genevieve's beautiful nursery with us! Head over to Michelle’s blog for details.

Design Board: Olive’s Whimsical Nursery

2011-11-30T07:37:00.000+11:00

This is a design board I recently completed for gorgeous little Olive. The brief was to incorporate a few items that had been made for Olive which used Red, Pink & Green but not be to over the top girly!

My favourite thing on the board are the gorgeous Deer bookends. So very cute!

Don’t forget, if you would like a gorgeous room created for your little one, please contact me!

Nursery Tour: Caroline’s sweet space

2011-11-28T08:09:00.000+11:00

Now I’m not normally a ruffles and frills girl, but I do love this adorable nursery…in particular the gorgeous skirt on the cot. Meagan designed this room for her daughter Caroline and it is just lovely!

You can see more details and photos on Meagan's blog, Meagan Musing.

Nursery Tour: Gender neutral delight

2011-11-24T06:37:00.000+11:00

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…..neutral does not have to equal boring beige! Nancy designed this nursery for her niece or nephew (found over at Project Nursery) and I think she’s done such a lovely job of creating a bright and fun filled room. I love the closet!

Nancy made the ‘ABC’ cupboard herself! A list of sources can be found here.

Room Tour: Big boy blue

2011-11-23T07:59:00.000+11:00

I love these 2 bedrooms Jen from iheartorganising created for her 3 boys! Love the license plate artwork in bedroom 1 & love the stripes and subtle colouring in bedroom 2.

You can see more of Jens home here.

PS Sorry, post is short…have managed to burn 3 of my fingers cooking tea tonight….making it a little difficult to type!

Incredibly good looking

2011-11-22T15:11:00.001+11:00

No, not me…..my #2 baby! If you haven’t already gone and got yourself a copy of the latest Little One Baby mag, go and get one!

Chock full of delightful nurseries and all sorts of goodies, however this edition is KIND OF SPECIAL. You might notice a handsome little boy on pages 128 & 131! Yep, Charles can also turn left on the catwalk (Zoolander for those of you who are wondering what on earth I’m talking about) and has dabbled in a spot of modelling just like his big bro.

Awwww, look at those cheeks!

Design Board: Baby Elephant Walk

2011-11-15T14:17:00.001+11:00

After seeing the nursery I designed for my nephew, Katrina got in touch and we set about designing a gender neutral nursery for her.

The colour scheme consists of grey, lemon, pale green, pale orange and baby blue with an option of adding coral for a baby girl. The existing wall colour was already lovely, so I suggested adding in white stripes to a feature wall. However the real ‘hero’ piece is the Lion Walk print by Sarah Jane Studio in their largest size. I also suggested a cosy little reading nook (my fav thing to include in a child's room!).

Katrina and her husband recently welcomed a baby girl to their family, so will be using the coral colour option!

I can’t wait to see photos!

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat where have you been?

2011-11-14T14:35:00.001+11:00

Have you missed me? Probably not! There has been quite the hiatus here at Nest, hasn’t there? If you are a Facebook fan of Nest, you will know that I have had some fun the last 2 months! First we were all sick, over a period of 4 weeks. Chest infections, conjunctivitis, sinus, anti-biotics and a trip to the emergency department with Charlie! Then my computer up and died. It was dead most of October, at doctors twice to see if they could get it functioning enough to allow me to do the basics on it. I was terrified I had lost everything and I hadn’t done a backup! It’s all saved now though! AND THEN, Charlie managed to kick my laptop of the couch and it well and truly died. Luckily my new computer had arrived that morning and after a few days, my new laptop is fully functioning, I’ve got all my programs installed (after more issues….a great big sarcastic thankyou to Adobe by the way) and I’ve been slowly making my way through emails etc. etc. etc. to catch up. I’m finally underway and will have blog posts for you this week…very very old blog posts, but they will be there none the less!

In exciting news, Nest has a new logo (again, if you are a Facebook follower you have already seen it!) designed by the lovely Bec at Ruby Ruby Designs. The blog will get a make over asap to incorporate it.

I also became an Aunty! My gorgeous nephew, Cooper was born early November and his nursery, which you saw here, has now been filled!

And because every blog post needs a picture, here’s one of my babies!

I’ll be back soon for more nursery tours!

Nursery Tour: Hayes eclectic nursery

2011-09-28T07:04:00.000+10:00

Today’s nursery is just bursting with detail! Using a gorgeous colour combination of pink, aqua, white and yellow, Rachel from Southern Exposure created an eclectic yet simple nursery for her daughter Hayes.

Isn’t the bird cage above the cot amazing?!

For all the details, head over to Rachel's blog.

Nursery Tour: Baby D’s Coastal Chic Nursery

2011-09-26T07:01:00.000+10:00

Boy do I have a nursery for you today! I couldn’t help but be drawn to this amazing room when I saw it over at Project Nursery…..plus it’s one of the few fellow Australian nurseries I’ve been able to show you and Kelle (Baby D’s mum) was happy to answer some of my questions!

Kelle is an avid blog reader and came across an image of the front of a store which featured pops of turquoise and yellow and she knew straight away that that was the colour scheme she wanted to go for. From the stripes on the wall to the delicate butterfly mobile and decals on the wall, this room oozes casual glamour!

What inspired you for its design?

I wanted to create a space that we would enjoy spending time in as a family. I wanted a modern, calming space with pops of colour.

How did you decide on the theme?

The theme evolved over time, and when we decided on the stripes I think that’s when it all came together. I was inspired by Sonja Bouw’s nursery I love that she created a space that was modern and ‘fun’.

What was your nursery decorating timeline?

We were undergoing a major renovation at the same time {as many pregnant women do!} so for a while the ‘nursery’ had many lives - a kitchen and storage room among them. So I used this time to scour the net (lots of the items came from etsy.com) and local homewares stores and picked up pieces along the way that I truly loved.

Where did you purchase some of the furniture and decor?

The Moroccan pouffe is from Ada & Darcy, the replica Marcel wanders stool is from Sokol, Boori Country Sleigh Cot from Baby Shop Direct, Mini Louis ghost chair is from Click On Furniture, White Wash hamper is from Target, the ‘once upon a time’ bookends and butterfly mobile are from Adairs, the rabbit ornament is from Typo, a Jo Malone candle, the frames and shelves are from Ikea, Sock Monkey is from Etsy – Super Sock Monkeys, I love you more print is from Etsy – Gus & Lulu, You are my sunshine print is from Etsy - Jess Gonacah, yellow baby blanket is from Etsy - Baby Buttercup, Butterfly decals from Etsy – Surface Inspired, blue zebra pillows are from Etsy – Mi Casa Bella and Butterfly print is from Etsy – Ish & Chi.

The wall colours are gorgeous. What are they?

Dulux - Chocolate Shake and China Doll quarter

How many DIY elements were involved in this nursery?

My husband and I created the driftwood hanging wardrobe using a piece of fishing wire and some bolts attached to the shelves.

What’s your overall favorite detail of the nursery?

To be honest, each piece was selected very carefully so I love absolutely everything in the room – but…. If I had to choose it would be the driftwood hanging wardrobe and the “I Love You More Print” – as soon as I saw this print it brought a tear to my eye as the feeling you have toward your baby before he/she is even born is indescribable!

What was the biggest challenge of creating your nursery?

Having the rest of the house renovated at the same time which held up the process – I was dying to get in there and start putting the room together!

What’s your advice to other parents out there attempting to decorate their own nurseries?

Choose items that you absolutely love rather than just trying to fill the space – and then show them off with some open shelves. Also think outside the box and look everywhere for those special pieces – not just baby/nursery shops. Oh, and blogs and etsy.com are your best friend for inspiration!

Thankyou so much Kelle for sharing your gorgeous nursery!

PS – Kelle is due October 16th…..great day for a ‘birth day’ if you ask me! Yep, my birthday!

Nursery Tour: Baby boys vintage nursery

2011-09-23T07:13:00.000+10:00

Rachel from Gilly Grey put this nursery together for her 2nd son. What a sweet and serene room!

The colour scheme is just lovely and neutral and I love the maps on the wall!

For resources, head over to Gilly Grey.

Feature Colour: Coral

2011-09-22T07:09:00.000+10:00

Coral has been on my radar for nearly 3 years now……Hugh’s nursery, if he was a girl of course, was going to feature coral. You may have noticed that this gorgeous colour is starting to pop up more and more.

It is a perfect colour to team with a grey backdrop or pair a beautiful soft yellow or keep it lovely and fresh with white.

via meohmy

via rate my space

via made by girl via Cape27

via Lay Baby Lay

(oh I know this isn’t a nursery, but it would look beautiful above a cot!) via Craig & Whitney Blog via pintrest

from ohdeedoh

What do you think? I just love this colour!

I need these

2011-09-21T06:33:00.000+10:00

I’ve found the perfect spot for this table and a few of these chairs for the boys…..now to persuade hubby they must make it into our nest!via here & here

My musings on motherhood…..the 2nd time around

2011-09-19T06:40:00.000+10:00

{insert sarcastic tone here} Since I am such an expert on having 2 babies now, I thought I would share with you my insights and must haves……and because every blog post needs a pic, here’s some of my beautiful boys!

-Your eldest will NOT be happy with you when they realise baby is coming home with you from the hospital! Before Charlie arrived, I tried to do all the things that is recommended. I gave Hugh one of my old cabbage patch dolls, we gave him (Cabbage Patch name is Lesley Gus for the record) bottles, changed his nappy, put him to sleep in the hammock etc. When Hugh came up for his first visit, I made sure I wasn’t holding Charlie but Hugh didn’t care. Hugh was not happy with me in general! Mostly ignored me and knew something was quite different!

- I know when I was having #2, I kept saying “I’ll have jobs for people to do” after getting home from the hospital. But I didn’t. Have friends that are having a baby? Never offer your services. JUST DO IT! I really don’t think there is any point of saying “just let me know what I can do” and as I mentioned, I was sure I would be ok with accepting others help this time around, but I wasn’t. If someone just did something for me, that was another story, more than happy to take it. I did push myself a little to much after having Charlie (especially after having a c-section) and paid for it a few days after that. I know for next time! You would think I might have picked that up after having Hugh!

-Introduce a bottle early! Ok, this is a very personal preference and I know from experience with Hugh, you may not have any other option but to bottle feed. I just didn’t have enough supply when I had Hugh, he was a big baby (9pd 15) and I couldn’t keep up, actually I struggled to have enough milk for a little baby! So he was introduced to the bottle and formula when we were still in hospital. I breastfeed as much as I could, but he did need formula top ups. Plus being able to go to bed early and have hubby do the dream feed was a blessing!

Now, the little troublemaker that it Charlie, flat out refuses to take a bottle! I know it’s been said before, but boy oh boy….each baby is different! I’ve tried many different bottles, teats and sippy cups and he’s not having it. My aim with Charlie was to feed until about 8 months (I got to 6 months for Hugh) but looks like it will be until at least 12 months. With wedding and racing season upon us, we have a few events to go to and Charlie not taking a bottle is not making it easy to try and work out logistics! On that note, I went to see a client today and I knew I was making the appointment at a bad time (in terms of Charlies feeds), needless to say hubby tried yet another teat and Charles would not have it. Unfortunatly, my clients took a little bit longer than usual which made it even worse! I’m also trying to get back into dancing and the gym, but the I have to work around the limited class timetables and Charlies feeds. Next baby will be introduced to a bottle quite early (as well as breastfed).

- I generally don’t leave the house before 3.30pm…..and that annoys me because then I get the after school crowd! By the time I get Charlie breastfed, then dressed, then the boys breakfast, Charlie is ready for his 1st sleep (notice I didn’t include my shower or getting ready? That normally happens once Charlie is back in bed). If Charlie only has a little nap, which is quite a common occurrence – the boy isn’t a big daytime sleeper – I might nick us into the supermarket. But in all honestly, it’s hard! By the time you get shoes, hats, jackets etc. on to get out the door and into the car, it’s 10.30am, the house still looks like a bomb has hit it and then I need to be home again to feed Charlie at 11am! Then it’s lunch time for the boys and then a sleep for both. Phew!

-In saying the above, I make sure I’m out of the house for our weekly (sometimes twice weekly) mums group catch up at 9.30am! Don’t care what state I’ve left the kitchen in those days. Hugh loves playing with his friends, especially his bestie Big O and this mummy loves her sanity time with the other mummies! The girls in my mothers group are all amazing and we share a common love of Coca-Cola and chocolate!

-There is no such thing as going for a nice lunch/coffee/long shop if it’s just you and 2 kids. Our outings, when it’s just me, revolve around Charlie’s feeds. Town Planners / Shopping Centre designers have no reality where I live…..if Charlie needs a feed whilst we are out, there is no where I can sit and know that Hugh will be safe. I can’t be sitting down feeding with Hugh looking to have a run around! I also struggle to get my pram into mothers rooms….um how about you make doors wider people?)

- Dinner time & bath time stress me out. It’s chaotic (and I know, I only have 2 but good lord!), messy and lots of tears. Hugh often refuses whatever it is I’ve cooked and he sits at our kitchen bench crying because he doesn’t want to eat any more and wants to hop down, Charlie’s starting to get tired again and gets grumpy. Bath time, if my hubby isn’t home by then (which does happen quite a bit) means double the time to get it done as they need to bath separately, because I'm not going to leave Hugh in the bath while I go and get Charlie dressed (am I missing something so incredibly simple here? Do you have 2 kids you need to bath by yourself? Any tips?) We do bath Hugh and Charlie together if someone is around to help me…..Charlie get’s out of the bath first and get’s dressed while Hugh is finishing his bath up and by that time Charlie is more than ready for another feed. Needless to say, I’m not a fan of 4.30 (when I start getting tea ready)-7pm!

- Giving up Hugh’s dummy was no where near as bad as I thought it might be! Along as being a huge fan of the bottle, Hugh was a massive fan of his dum (for sleeps only). I initially thought about getting rid of it before Charlie arrived, but decided against that. So at just over 2 years old, I cut the tip of his dum off. We’d been talking about throwing the dum out because it was yucky and we’ll get the garbage truck to take it with the nappies. Then a couple of weeks after that, after his day sleep, I reminded him that the garbage truck will take it, we went outside, he threw it in the bin and that was it. If he did ask for it, he would say '”dum, truck, gone”.

-Make friends with an Osteo/Chiro/Physio and go regularly. Picking up 25-30kgs of boys (sometimes at the same time) hurts. Of course, this depends on the age difference in your kids and their weight. But Hugh is at an age that he is only now gaining independence in climbing into his car seat for example, but he still needs to be picked up and put into his cot or picked up and put on the change table. All this lifting of heavy boys got to me. I kept complaining about my sore back, hoping hubby might pick up on the fact and offer a back rub…..he didn’t. One day it was so sore, I asked him when he might be able to stay home for a bit so I could make an appointment with the Osteo. When he told me, perhaps Friday (it was Monday when I was asking) I started crying. How could I possibly go 4 more days of this? I could barely pick the boys up and as I still had to often (as my above examples) and when I did it hurt! Needless to say, tears did the trick, not that there was a trick, I genuinely couldn’t work out how I could get through the week in pain, and I rang up my sport therapy guy (that makes it sound like I’m sporty, but I’m really not. I’d seen this guy before when I woke up years ago and couldn’t move my neck). I wanted to kiss him…..he could see me that afternoon! A bit of acupuncture and rubbing (he left me bruised) and I was fixed! My L5 was pinching a nerve which kept causing my gluts to contract and spasm.

There is BIG love between the 2 boys, especially now as Charlie is starting to babble and they seem to provoke each other when its meal time (and by provoke I mean laugh at each other). It’s very cute!

Sooooo after all that, am I going to have another baby you ask? Why yes, yes I am (we hope so anyway, but the age gap will be bigger! My body needs a bit more time to recover after having 9pd 15oz and 10pd 10oz boys and both being c-sections)……there are lots of moments where it’s just overwhelming, especially now as Hugh has started the ‘terrible 2’s’, but there are many more moments where I realise how lucky I am to have 2 beautiful, healthy and happy boys!

I’d love to know from you, what advice would you give to your pre-baby self?

PS. Because this post went for much longer than I intended, I’ll show you later in the week my must have items!

Mala’s Nursery

2011-09-12T07:50:00.000+10:00

Did you happen to notice this cute little lion print on Mala’s nursery design board?

Well I was the lucky winner recently of not 1, but 2 prints from Elissa Hudson Illustration! It was perfect timing really…..I was putting together Mala’s nursery and noticed this print tied in perfectly with our colours and theme.

I’m sure you’ve seen her ‘I believe in pink’ print around, it’s been incredibly popular!

Are you wondering what else I picked? Well I chose this one for Charlie’s nursery (I know it’s been 7 months and I still haven’t showed you his nursery…..I’ve been gathering prints for his gallery wall and it’s nearly complete!)

And this is the bunting I made for Mala’s nursery. It’s going to hang above the cot.

I can’t wait to show you photos of the nursery…..Mala’s mum went on a shopping spree on Friday and many of the items are on the way to her now!

{Design Board} Hakuna Matata Mala

2011-09-09T09:42:00.000+10:00

I’m going to be an Aunty very, very soon (Mala is the bubs nickname) and seeing that Mala would need a stylish nursery, ~~they asked~~ I insisted on putting together a design for them!

When they told me what style of room they liked, I have to say I was hesitant (I haven’t told them that…..yep Mr & Mrs C, I was worried) when they told me they liked a little bit of an animal/safari themed room. I’m sure you have all seen the really garish safari nurseries complete with leopard print chairs and huge giraffe peering over the cot…..they make me gag!

So my challenge was to make a gender neutral (I’m tipping it’s going to be a boy, but my hubby thinks it will be a girl…..I guess one of us will be right!), stylish and subtle animal nursery. And I have to say I think I achieved it! It is my favorite design to date!

I have spoken before of my love for blue here, regardless of boy or girl, so for the colour scheme we incorporated blue, yellow & grey. However, if baby is a girl, I did also give Mr & Mrs C options to add in a dash of pink.

Below is the inspiration board.

I’ve been making the bunting for them to hang over the cot and am popping it in the post today to send up to them! Photos of it to come.
So, you tell me……what do you think?

Nursery Tour: Ellie’s Pink & Grey Dream

2011-09-08T07:10:00.000+10:00

Leigh from Baby Love Bliss designed this beautiful nursery for her daughter, Ellie. I just love the wall colour and the pops of pink featured throughout!

For more details, head over to Leigh’s blog!

Distracted

2011-08-29T09:10:00.002+10:00

These gorgeous chunky legs have been keeping me busy (as well as my bigger boys!). Don't you just want to gobble them up? Charlie is 6 months now and is getting cuter by the day.....I can't believe how quickly 6 months has gone!

I have a heap of nursery tours for you, which I'm hoping I'll get more than 5 minutes today to put together for you (they have been sitting in my inbox for weeks!)!

Oh and I'm having issues with my computer (working on hubby's now)so until I get that fixed, things will be a bit quiet!

Boom Boom (shake shake the room)

2011-08-12T06:27:00.000+10:00

Oh, I know....shocking title.

However, when I was flipping through the latest edition of Lonny, I noticed the above boom box print. I think it would be great for a funky boys room!

Nursery Tour: Locke's Vibrant Nursery

2011-08-11T08:09:00.000+10:00

Mary from Mary Wyar Photography, designed this funky room for her son Locke. Don't you just love how colourful, playful and fun it is?!

Find more photos and details at Mary Wyar Photography

Big Boy Room Tour: Cohen's Colourful Room

2011-08-10T07:00:00.000+10:00

Just this week, I showed you Finley's gorgeous nursery. This time it is her big brother, Cohen's turn! Carley Kay put together 3 year old Cohen's room and I love that it doesn't scream "hey I'm a 3 year old boy that loves trains/monsters/trucks" etc, etc that is sooo prevalent in big boy rooms!

Just like Finley's nursery, Cohen's room is colourful, happy and eclectic. Such a lovely room for a little boy to grow up in!

Head over to Carley's blog for all the details!

{Design Board} On ya bike

2011-08-09T06:30:00.000+10:00

Hugh has a good little friend called Archie and lucky little Archie is getting a new baby in about 4 more weeks (side note: Hugh and Archie's dads have been friends for a loooong time, so we plan on Hugh and Archie being mates for a long time too and then Charlie is either going to be mates with new baby or if new baby is a girl, we'll just arrange a marriage! - see told you it was a side note).....so Archie is upgrading to a big boys room!

I knew Archie loves to watch his Poppy ride his bike and Archie loves to ride as well, so I decided to throw together a bike themed room. Archie already had the big pieces of furniture and a few other bits and pieces that I incorporated, but I kept everything low cost and a few DIY pieces as well.

I think the room will be perfect for a number of years.....not to babyish and not to grown up!

Now....just need to put together the nursery for #2!

Nursery Tour: Finley's Electic Nursery

2011-08-08T06:37:00.000+10:00

Vibrant, eclectic, colourful, happy.....this nursery was designed by Carley Kay for her daughter, Finley. What a gorgeous space for Finley to have when she arrives!
For more details and photos pop over to Carley's blog. And keep an eye out in the next few days because I'll be showing you Carley's son, Cohen's room!

Nursery Tour: Brydie's Calming Elephant Nursery

2011-08-04T15:45:00.001+10:00

You may remember here, where I showed you a design board I put together for a friend.....Kari and I were marching girls together (yes, you heard correctly....marching girls. NOT baton twirlers) what seems like sooooo long ago, about 15 years ago actually!

Anyway, Kari & her hubby welcomed gorgeous Brydie into the world nearly a year ago and I finally got organised to get the nursery photographed (by the lovely Lisa Nankervis, who also photographed Hugh's Nursery for Little One Baby Magazine).

The nursery was designed to be gender neutral before Brydie arrived and I gave them options of colour palettes for boy and girl options to add in later (I was sure Brydie was going to be a boy, based on my very scientific process - which was based on absolutely nothing).

We left the paint the same colour, which was Solver Smoke Pearl (I know because I did their colour selection when they built their new home!) and added in reds and pinks. The rocking chair is a family heirloom which was recovered in a gorgeous neutral fabric.And oooohhhh how soft and gorgeous the rug is!Sweet elephant prints from Trafalger SquareThe elephant decal (below) was made by The Wallsticker Company....you might not be able to see it but it has Brydie printed on it.We had this print custom made by My Sweet Prints. It's the words to Kari & Clinton's first dance as a married couple!
Don't forget, if you would like a nursery or child's room designed just for you, please contact me!

2011-07-11T10:57:00.002+10:00

Head over to My Sweet Prints today and you might see a familiar face!

Thanks Janette for featuring Nest today!

Nursery Tour: Lennon

2011-07-11T07:49:00.000+10:00

Christine from Simply Bloom Photography, designed this amazing nursery for her son Lennon. Full of beautiful soft colours and featuring globes, kites and hot air balloons, it is a room you would want to spend lots of time in!

I love how the bunting has been hung over the cot!
I think this nursery has to go into my 'all time favourite' file! For more details, head over to Simply Bloom Photography.

Thankyou Christine for allowing me to share Lennon's gorgeous nursery.

Around the world Design board

2011-07-08T07:42:00.000+10:00

This is a design board I finished recently for 4 year old, Jai. Jai's mum, Bianca contacted me looking for help putting together his big boy room and this is what we got!Based on Jai's questionnaire, the rooms colour scheme was designed around Jai's favourite book, The Tickle Monster and incorporated an around the world theme. I also provided Bianca with 2 different colour schemes that would work with items on the design board, but would also incorporate existing linen.
And this is a little of what Bianca said when she received the board: "I LOVE IT, Belinda. Thank you so much. : )

The lovely things you have found got cuter and cuter as I went through the document. I really love that you provided me with two colour options; especially choosing colours and items that work with Jai's existing bedlinen. I love the first colour combination and will start building that look. I love the fact that both colour schemes use the same items meaning Jai now essentially has two separate looks. Awesome!!!!

I'm so excited ... I can go SHOPPING at Ikea (which I love) and can do the rest from desk!"

I was thrilled with Bianca's response.....it's always a little daunting hitting the send button!

Note: Every room I design is designed with 1 client in mind and is just for them! So I have changed a few items on this board so Jai still has his custom room.

Road Trip

2011-07-07T16:16:00.004+10:00

Ok, so I'm starting to worry a little......in 2 weeks we are going on a little road trip. Not little exactly, the first leg is 3 hours, the next leg is 5 and then the next is probably another 4-5 hours. All done over a few days (and then home again, home again jiggity jig) but goodness I'm starting to research lots of activities to keep Hugh occupied!

We are heading to the Hunter Valley for one of my brothers 30th (Mr & Mrs C.....have the wine and beer ready waiting for us!) Oh and my little bro has just started his very own blog (ohhh who wants to be just like his big sister?!) so head over and say hi. Warning: he rants ALOT.

But what I really want to know is....have you any tips for travelling by car for little ones? We are going to buy a dvd player and lots of Thomas and Timmy Time DVD's!

Big Girl Room Tour: Caighton

2011-07-06T13:00:00.000+10:00

What a gorgeous room for a little girl to grow up in! Whimsical, vintage and oh so beautiful, Tracey from French Larkspur put together this room for her 3 year old daughter Caighton.

For more beautiful images, head over to French Larkspur.

Fabulous Working Mums!

2011-07-04T07:20:00.001+10:00

It's time for another interview with one more fabulous mum!

Amy is the mastermind behind Little One Baby magazine, the most beautiful baby magazine around, and mum to 2 year old Oscar.Tell me a little bit about Little One Baby?
LittleONE Baby is a parenting magazine that celebrates all the beautiful things about babies and parenting – including the different ways of doing things. We believe that happy parents = happy babies and therefore we try to showcase many different ways of doing things, as well as providing inspiration on all the gorgeous things that you can get these days for your little one.

How did Little One Baby get started?
After I got married (and trying to quit my wedding magazine habit), I started looking for a baby/parenting magazine that was as beautiful as the bridal mags…after all, isn’t the baby stage one of the most beautiful times of life? I was also looking for gorgeous nursery ideas and, aside from a few great blogs around at the time, there wasn’t much out there. I was publishing another magazine at the time, so I thought – why not start my own? Naïve, I know

What does a typical day involve for you? How do you balance work life & children?
Up at 6.30am – Oscar is pretty much like clockwork. I watch the Today show for news, weather and entertainment whilst trying to open my eyes. Oscar usually plays with his trucks and cars and chatters away to me, but I am not a morning person at all, so he doesn’t get much out of me!
Breakfast at 7.30am.
8am I change the channel to ABC Kids and ring my mum. I consider this my daily counselling session and when mum is busy it kills me! She lives about an hour and a half away and I maybe see her once a fortnight…not nearly enough, so I really rely on that daily chat.
8.30am, give the house a quick tidy, stack the dishwasher, dress Oscar while he is distracted by Timmy Time to avoid fights and ready to start the day.
9am to 11.30am is normally ‘errands’ – anything from going to the mail, banking, heading to the office for meetings, doing supermarket shopping, etc. And yes, Oscar comes to morning meetings too! If we have a morning with nothing to do, we go to the park or the lake to feed the ducks.
Around 11.30am or 12noon is lunch time, and I try to have Oscar down for his afternoon sleep by around 12.30pm.
In a perfect world he sleeps for 2-2.5 hours, but often it is only 1.5 and I turn my phone off during this time and get as much done as I possibly can.
In the afternoon, we visit friends, go for walks or ‘play’ – I try to make the afternoons about him, given the rest of the day is about me! Tea is at 6pm, and Oscar is in bed by 7-7.30pm.
When I am on deadline, I usually head straight to the office around this time and work until midnight or so, but most nights I try to sit down with my husband and chat, or watch TV (even if that does mean a laptop is still on my lap!)
About once a month, my mum comes to stay and that gives me a full day to plan meetings that aren’t so Oscar-friendly, or do things like go and get my hair done!
It is a pretty nice routine, and it is working for the moment – but with kids, the only thing you can count on is change, so I know this time next year it will all be different again!

Do you have childcare?
No! But we are on the waiting list for one day a week…I would like Oscar to get into a bit of a groove about ‘school’ life before he starts school, and he is pretty social, so I think one day a week would be good. Also, I know he will drop that day sleep at any moment, so a full day a week would make up for the time I am bound to miss when that happens.

What type of activities (i.e. Playgroups, swimming etc) do you do with your baby?
Oscar does swimming on a Sunday – which was meant to be Dad-time, but I love watching so much, I end up going pretty much every week! We also go and meet a friend at a music/singing class once a fortnight or so – just whenever we can fit it in. The most important thing to me though is my Mothers Group! I always thought they were a bit silly, but mine has saved my sanity more times that I can count. We are all totally different, with totally different babies, and I think that is why it works so well. I try to make sure I get to Mothers Group every week, and I am pretty sad when I miss it! It is the one time that I truly feel like Oscar’s mother – rather than being defined by my job.

When you aren’t working, how do you entertain bub?
Oscar loves to go for walks, and a walk around the block pointing out every car and stopping to smell every flower can take an hour…so I need to be in a patient mood when we do that! It is a good chance for me to think about ideas though. Oscar is really great at independent play and can play with his cars or train set, or ride his trike in the backyard for half an hour or so without me which gives me a chance to relax a little (or squeeze in some more work!) The things he likes me to do with him though are digging in the sandpit (which I hate!), going to the park and swinging forever (which I don’t mind) and sitting down to draw or colour with crayons (which I love!)
Oscar has started wanting to help me clean the house lately – so he has his own broom and is very good at putting washing in the basket! I need to make the most of this whilst he still thinks it is fun.

Any tips for staying organised?
No! I can’t wait to read everyone else’s tips because I need some!
The only thing I do make sure I do is to create ‘lists within lists’! When I first had Oscar, I tried to run off my old system of a to do list…and very quickly became overwhelmed. So now, I have a to do list, but I keep that on my computer. Each day I make a list of no more than seven things that need to be done from that list…this way, I just try to tackle as much as I can in smaller pieces. Today’s list included: Cleaning the floors, going to the post office, going to the bank, getting 10 blog posts sorted so I can take a holiday, processing subscriptions, doing a load of washing and answering this questionnaire! I am hoping to get more than this done, but that is the minimum and will make me feel good when I can cross everything off my list…

Do you work from a dedicated home office/space/where ever you lay your laptop?
I have a study, but this is shared with my husband and I would call it more of a storage facility for all my crap! My laptop is practically attached to me and spends most of it’s time on the kitchen bench where I can stand and watch Oscar in between checking emails. When he was really little, he wouldn’t let me sit when holding him, so he spent a lot of hours in a sling with me rocking from side to side, typing at the kitchen bench!

Do you have any sanity saving tips for other working from home parents?
Take some time for yourself. Rod and I split our weekends so that Saturday is his sleep in day, and mine is Sunday. I sooooo look forward to Sundays! But, this means if I am sleep deprived because the week has been tough, or Oscar isn’t sleeping, I always have Sunday to catch up.
Try to turn off at least once a day. I am still learning this one, but I find if I turn off my computer and phone and just be with Oscar for a bit, he is happier and so am I.
People who have never worked from home don’t get it, so stop trying to make them! I started working from home before I had Oscar and it amazed that the perception is out there that it isn’t really work…when, in fact, it was the hardest I had worked in my life! I had friends pop in for cups of tea and chats with no regard for my deadlines, or the fact that I would be then up all night working because of that. I tried for a long time to explain it, and make them understand…but they don’t and I was just making myself go crazy. So, now I just let them think I have a cruisy life. Much easier that way, and I keep hoping that maybe, one day, I actually will!

What are your ‘can’t live without’ items?
FOR ME:
My iPhone – I love that no matter where I am, I can check emails or do banking. I just wished that it had a text only facility and I couldn’t actually answer calls. Talking on the phone drives me crazy!
Lipgloss. Brand not important, but there is nothing worse than having dry lips! And, it can make you look like you have some make up on when you have none (like when you are caught by someone when just popping to the supermarket!)
A good book. I realised a few years ago that if I don’t read a good fiction book on a regular basis, I start to go a little loopy. So, now I make time for it. Often, late at night when everyone is in bed, I run a hot bath and relax with a book. It is the quickest, cheapest and easiest way to feel like ‘me’ again.

FOR OSCAR:
The list changes daily, but right now I also make sure there is a toy car of some description in my bag, a couple of crayons and some Tiny Teddy biscuits. If I have those, I know I am usually able to stretch 20 minutes onto any situation!

Thanks for sharing your time with me Amy! I have to admit, my mothers group is pretty special too!

Nursery Tour: Sloan

2011-06-22T08:07:00.001+10:00

I've found another beautiful nursery for you! Nicole from Nicole Faby Photography, put together this bright and colourful room for her daughter Sloan (who is due August 24th).

Where did your inspiration come from?
I took inspiration from everywhere. I wanted something fun and girly with modern and vintage accents without a real "theme" I wanted items that could transition from baby to toddler and one day pre-teen and teen. I wanted spend as little as possible without looking cheap and buy items that would last a long time! I was inspired by colors of spring and summer aqua water, pink flowers, and yummy yellow golden summer light.

How much of the nursery is DIY?
The swing shelves were a DIY project, I spray painted the crib yellow. the crib bedding, pillows, and curtains are also custom designed and handmade!

What is your favourite element?
My favorite thing in the room is the crib and the vinyl on the ceiling! Oh and the swing shelves :)

Any advice for other parents putting rooms together?
My advice is to take your time and always be on the look out for items! Go with your gut and think outside the box! See something you like? Put your own spin on it! Take inspiration from everywhere! Outside, catalogs like anthropologie and Ruche, and people in your lives! Take your time! Look for items to add from everywhere! Flea markets, yard sales, boutique stores, and stuff from around your house that can be uplifted!

Thanks Nicole for letting us having a sneak around Sloan's nursery!

Fabulous Working Mums!

2011-06-20T07:44:00.002+10:00

It's time for another fabulous working mums interview!

Today it's Kylie from Tiges & Weince, who is mum to 3 year old Hudson & 1 year old Charlotte.

I first stumbled upon Kylie's work at Mathilda's Market, in fact it was the gorgeous robot pillow that caught my eye. I quickly picked up a business card for my 'must specify' pile!

Kylie, Hudson & Charlotte

Tell me a little bit about Tiges & Weince?
Tiges and Weince is my love for colour, print, pattern, design & children’s products. Designing a children’s homeware collection including decorative cushions, door stops & art for your walls.

How did Tiges & Weince get started?
It started a couple of years ago without any real direction; all I knew was that I had to be doing something. I was at home with Hudson & wasn’t sure what to do, so I started sewing bibs & change mats & sold them at markets & on Etsy but wasn’t really satisfied. My back ground is in fashion & design so I started to think what I could do, that would encompass what I know, without producing clothing ranges. I can draw & I can sew, so I started an illustrated range of magnetic bookmarks & they sold extremely well. I figured people must like my design work .So I then did a lot of research to see how I could have my work printed on to fabric, as that’s my ultimate goal to produce my own fabric collections. Once I had found out what I needed, I started printing my designs on to cotton, made a few cushions & the rest is history. Tiges and Weince is a homewares collection for kids. I must give my husband credit for telling me one day, “If you just concentrated on 1 or 2 products, you may reach your goals instead of trying to design everything & cater to everyone”. So I did, the good slap of reality I needed, not bad for someone who drives a truck for a living!

What does a typical day involve for you? How do you balance work life & children?
Balance...Nope....My life is a hectic as hell. I wish I could tell you a well balanced schedule but I can’t. There is a general trend but it never stays the same. My daughter is a bad sleeper hence my chaotic routine, my world revolves around her world. Generally I play a lot with the kids in the morning, get mundane chores done, or go out & run errands. When I am back & Charlotte is asleep I set Hudson up with things to do, even pop a movie on for him & yes I work & get as much as I can get done. When she is awake, pretty much the same as above & start dinner. After dinner back to work. My hubby looks after them predominantly at night so I can work.

Do you have childcare?
I did have. I had Hudson in there 1 day a week but he hated it. After an 18 month battle I pulled him out. I would love a nanny 1 day a week though now.

What type of activities do you do with your baby?
I still catch up with some of the girls in my mothers group Thursday’s. They are a great bunch of women & I feel blessed to have them. It a great time for the kids to run wild. Friday is Soccertime Kids for Hudson & swimming Saturday morning. The other days I may see other friends but nothing routine. To date I haven’t booked Charlotte into anything, as she joins in with Hudson.

When you aren’t working, how do you entertain bub?
Hudson loves to draw, as well as play with playdoh. I am pretty lucky both of them can amuse themselves well, as I don’t feel I have to entertain them all the time. They must learn to use their own imaginations. At the moment Hudson is doing a lot of role playing & I love listening, it’s so cute. Otherwise both the kids love to get outside on the swings, trampoline, or bike riding. I believe fresh air each day prevents irritability, so unless it’s icy cold outside I like to go out when I can.

Any tips for staying organised?I am a bit of a list person, it keeps me accountable, otherwise I just go with the flow. If I am going out I pack everything to go out, I do so while they are both eating breakfast. If Dora or Dinosaur train is on I am guaranteed Hudson will stay in the same spot.

Do you work from a dedicated home office/space/where ever you lay your laptop?
Yes I have a dedicated room with everything I need. I don’t use a lap top, instead a desk top with a big screen as I need it for my artwork, as well as using a tablet to draw with. I have lots of shelves and a big working table. It’s a great space, but can get a little untidy when I am busy.

Do you have any sanity saving tips for other working from home parents?
1 – Write lists. Try to achieve completing those whenever you can throughout the day, 10 mins here & they add up.
2 – Stay motivated there are so many online course to help you do so. Without motivation your work will become boring & you won’t strive to be your best.
3 – Invest in a slow cooker have dinner cooked & dishes done by 10am. Liberating!
4 – When you’re busy with orders/queries & the kids are ratty, & you’re frustrated because you can’t get 5 minutes peace, leave the house. Get some fresh air, go to a cafe for a break with them, or the park. Everything will seem better after that (most of the time hehe).
5 – Limit facebook & twitter time. They are time suckers. I love them both but use them sparingly throughout the day. I was advised to use them morning or night 10 mins each to read posts/tweets, respond to anything necessary, & also post/tweet things yourself & then get off. It works!

What are your ‘can’t live without’ items?
Computer, printer, pantone colour library, sewing machine, phone, coffee machine, Real Living subscription, & my design books.

Thanks for sharing Kylie! I still have a few more gorgeous mums lined up, so stay tuned for the coming weeks.

The divine Miss M

2011-06-16T13:56:00.004+10:00

Sooooo not nursery or design related today!
I'm sure my friends are sick of me talking about it (granted, she isn't everyone's cup of tea).....however I'm going to rave about it here! On Tuesday night,we travelled to Melbourne to see the divine Miss M (I know I have a lot of US readers, so for you google Kylie Minogue). In the words of FF, I luff it. 11/10! I have loved her since this (my first ever tape):

How to describe the concert in one word? Spectacular. Really it was a visual feast! There was just so much to look at: dancers, aerialists, singing, oh and water (I'm talking huge water fountains all through the set!). And we were only about 150 meters from the stage!

The girl donned a 'toddlers & tiaras' hair piece below. How many 40 odd year old can pull off a pair of shorts like that?!
She even 'rode' an angel!

She was wearing some gorgeous shoes!The amazing finale.....see - water!

It was my favourite concert ever (my disclaimer is I really haven't been to many concerts - Girlfriend (does anyone actually remember them?), 3 Kylie concerts and a Tom Jones & John Farnham one) but I do wish she had of done some more of the old stuff!

Nursery Tour: Guinevere

2011-06-15T08:29:00.000+10:00

What a beautiful, feminine space Kelly from Mrs in Training has created for her daughter Guinevere (due very soon!)! I just love the white and gold featured throughout the nursery.

Don't you just want to snuggle up on the rug?Check out the walls......another stencilled wall! GORGEOUS!!!
For all the details, head over to Kelly's blog.

Fabulous Working Mums!

2011-06-14T08:18:00.002+10:00

If you are anything like me, you will love the interviews I'm going to share with you in the coming weeks!

Blogging is a bit like voyeurism.....getting insights into how other people live and work and at the moment, I am always on the look out for tips on getting organised, play time activities with the boys and how working mums allocate time. So sit back and enjoy!

First up is the gorgeous Janette from My Sweet Prints, who is mum to 2 year old Will. Janette is the reason I started blogging (before that I had no idea what a blog was)! I first noticed her Eye Chart print in Shop 4 Kids and jumped onto her blog (and started following) with the intention of ordering it. However, I got distracted by ALL of her beautiful prints....I did however order the Made with Love print (I shared here). Since then my collection has grown and I also have a Made with Love print for Charles and a Charlies World print (am I a fan much?!).

Janette & Will

Tell us a little about My Sweet Prints.
My Sweet Prints (www.MySweetPrints.com.au) is a range of original and personalised art prints, for the home, nursery and the heart!

I recently launched a canvas range with a large canvas World Map and canvas Height Charts which I am still very excited about.

How did My Sweet Prints get started?
I had always dreamed of having my own business. And I didn't want to return to my job as a Graphic Designer in the magazine industry after I had Will - I wanted a flexible work arrangement which is often hard to find.

So I decided to start My Sweet Prints after producing a few prints to give as gifts for friends. People who saw them would tell me I should sell them and so when I came across etsy.com and madeit.com.au and saw how easy it was to set up a shop online I took the plunge and it's all just grown from there.
I now have around 20 stockists and my own website and shopping cart on www.MySweetPrints.com.au.

What does a typical day involve for you? How do you balance work life & children?
A typical day starts around 6am as my cheeky little monkey wakes up and jumps into bed with us. On a day that I work and Will goes to his little daycare we just get ready for the day slowly and all have breakfast together. I drop Will to his school around 8.30-9am and I enjoy hanging out there for a little while as he settles in.

Then spending the day getting the files ready for customised prints, returning email enquiries. Write a blog post or two and get my orders all ready for posting.

I usually take myself out for lunch just to get out of the house and then back home to finish off work, packaging and labelling the orders before I go to the post office to post them off. I pick up Will around 4-4.30pm and then we do the usual afternoon evening routine.

If I'm really busy then I'll work at night after dinner, sitting on the lounge next to hubby with my laptop.

Do you have childcare?
For the first year of starting My Sweet Prints I was so lucky in that I was able to juggle both looking after William full time as well as running my business. But by the time Will got to 18 months it was getting harder to entertain/stimulate him and work volumes really increased so we put him into the little daycare up the road. He loves it as he is very social and active and it means that I can get my work done on the set days that he's in daycare and then the days that he's at home with me we can have quality time together without work getting in the way.

What type of activities (i.e. Playgroups, swimming etc) do you do with your little one?
We were doing more structured activities last year but now that Will is in daycare a few days a week we just have more of a chill out time together. We do go to a church bible study once a week though which is great because Will can play with his little Sunday school friends and I can catch up with the other girls from the area/church. Otherwise we have play dates or meet up with my Mum which is always fun.

Hubby is teaching William to swim so that's more of a weekend activity that they do together which is really sweet!

When you not working, how do you entertain bub?
Will loves pottering around the backyard so we spend a lot of time out there. Otherwise lots of books, toys and cuddles/rumbling.

Any tips for staying organised?
The great thing about working from home is that I can be flexible with mixing household chores and work. For example I'll put a load of washing on then check my orders then hang the washing out then follow up on emails... it breaks up the day which is great when you're working from home.

The other thing I do to help stay organised is I often do a big cook-up on a Sunday afternoon and cook a few big meals and freeze them for the week. It means that I don't have to worry about all the preparing meals/cooking/washing up etc during the week, I find it makes a big difference.

Do you work from a dedicated home office/space/where ever you lay your laptop?
We have a home office set up in our study which has all of my work bits and pieces but I find that I usually work from the lounge room as we have lovely sun coming in all day, I can look out the window and watch the world go by and I often put the TV on low in the background for some company. Also when Will is at home with me I can check emails while he plays with his toys and I'm not shutting myself away from the family in the study.

Do you have any sanity saving tips for other working from home parents?
Take yourself out at least once a day, just go for a coffee, a walk or window shopping just to get out of the house and take your mind off work for a while.

I also love blogging (www.MySweetPrintsBlog.blogspot.com) and have found it fantastic as a work from home parent, as I think of it as kind of like having colleagues. I catch up on other peoples daily lives or inspiration and I share about my day/work/projects etc.

Also because I love my 'work' so much it can be hard to put the laptop down in the evening, I could design and search the web and find inspiration all day long so making sure I put the laptop away for a break and for some quality time with my husband is important.

What are your ‘can’t live without’ items?
I'd have to say my Mac Book, it has my whole life on it just about. My label printer is a little gem and my iPhone – I can write back to customers while I'm down at the park or standing in the grocery line.

Thank you so much for sharing Janette! Stay tuned for another fabulous working mum next week!

images via My Sweet Prints

Grab some tissues....

2011-06-10T13:24:00.002+10:00

I'm lucky.....I know I'm lucky. I have 2 gorgeous, healthy boys (both currently having a sleep) in my life.

Head over to Baby Lifestyles Magazine to read this beautiful article on page 52 about remembrance photography.

Then go cuddle your babies!

Sorry

2011-06-06T08:55:00.003+10:00

image via here

Sorry lovelies.....my promised post (about fabulous working mums) isn't going to happen today! We've had a HUUUUGE weekend with Charlies baptism, which was lovely and will post photos later, and have been up majority of the night with Hugh feeling unwell!

In desperate need of some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs!

A whale of a time

2011-05-30T21:55:00.002+10:00

image via here

So fresh and cute.

Sorry, not much of a post! Charles baptism is this weekend, so trying to get everything organised for that.

I do however, have some great posts coming up. I have interviewed some fabulous working mums to find out how they go about their days with babes and organising themselves (keep an eye out from next Monday) and I recently finished a design board for a 4 year old boy which I'll share with you as well!

Featured: Baby Space

2011-05-24T09:49:00.003+10:00

Head over to Baby Space today! Hugh's nursery is being featured.

Once a month I'll be guest blogging over at Baby Space and featuring some gorgeous rooms.

Click here to get a giggle (yep, that's me as a baby)!

Nest.....now on facebook!

2011-05-23T12:50:00.003+10:00

I did it.....Nest Design Studio is now on Facebook! Head on over and like me!It's a work in progress, but join in the fun!

Featured: Baby Lifestyles

2011-05-23T12:30:00.002+10:00

Pop on over to Baby Lifestyles, Hugh's room was featured last week!

Nursery Tour: Scout Rose

2011-05-17T07:18:00.000+10:00

Wow, I have stumbled on some beautiful nurseries lately! I love finding pics of nurseries I haven't seen before over and over again.

My latest find is this vintage and whimsical space designed by mum Chenine from Boutwell Studio (also check out Chenine's other blog Fudge Banana Swirl) for her daughter Scout Rose.

All images via Boutwell Studio

Nursery Tour: Linus

2011-05-16T07:59:00.000+10:00

I have found ANOTHER gorgeous grey nursery for you (via onto baby)! This funky room was designed by Linus' mum, Erin from He and She Photography.

Love the rug!Images via here

Nursery Tour: Oliver Tate

2011-05-11T07:25:00.002+10:00

AH-MAZING! This spectacular nursery from Little Glass Box was designed by Olly's mum, Courtney. Not many words are required....just gaze at this beauty!

Love, love, love the stenciled walls (yes stencilled, not wallpaper!)
Head over to Courtney's blog, Little Glass Box for all the details and you can also head to Young House Love (which is where I first noticed Olly's nursery) for a house tour.

Nursery Tour: Vera's Nursery

2011-05-10T07:31:00.000+10:00

I first noticed this gorgeous nursery on Rate my Space (and since on Spearmint Baby). Designed by Dawn for her daughter Vera, I just love the grey walls and the aqua dresser/change table!

I have expressed my love for dark walls before (here) and think it is such a versatile colour for a nursery!

For all the details check out Designing Dawn.

Get it now

2011-05-03T20:19:00.002+10:00

My favourite magazine, the gorgeous Little One Baby, is out this week (I have raved about it numerous times on here)! Featuring beautiful nurseries and plenty of inspiration, the team have also launched a blog!

Check it out now!

It's in the details

2011-05-02T08:07:00.000+10:00

Whilst I was skimming the pages of Tradhome, I had to flick back to the below page. The canvas above the bed really caught my eye! I think something so simple and gorgeous would just look beautiful in a nursery.....perhaps with the heart made from something special (a map of your home town, birth announcement, wedding invite). So easy to DIY, I might have a go myself!
What do you think?

My Princess day

2011-04-30T19:37:00.005+10:00

Didn't she (we all know who I'm talking about) look gorgeous?! I can't believe I actually watched the wedding.....I wasn't going to buy into all the hooplah, but I did and I thought it was beautiful! I had the kids in bed, got into my comfy corner of the couch, took a sip of wine and then Charlie woke up! Oh well.

I thought I would share with you a couple of pics from our wedding day....way back in 2004.

The above is my all time favorite shot. I adore the cathedral in our home town and was lucky to be married there.

Gorgeous Baby Girl

2011-04-29T09:08:00.002+10:00

I just LOVE this nursery from Grace Hilton Interior Design (which I first noticed on Buy Modern Baby) designed for her daughter.

Beautiful soft blue/green paint with pops of colour, but my favourite thing are the bookcases! What a fantastic feature of the room!

For all the details, pop by Grace's blog here.

Rule Britannia

2011-04-28T08:11:00.003+10:00

With the impending nuptials of Will & Kate, I'm getting on the band wagon too (is anyone else sick to death of it all?!).

Here are a few decorator items you could use as accents, definitely not all together though!

1. Alimrose Soldier Rattle
2. Double Decker Tin Toy Bus
3. Soldier Skittles
4. Keep Calm & Carry On
5. This is London Book
6. Brittish Bulldog Cushion
7. Union Jack Cushion

Tally Ho people!

Gender Neutral Nurseries

2011-04-27T11:42:00.006+10:00

My brother and his lovely wife are expecting their first baby in October (yay, I am going to be an Aunt!!!) and last night the little devil of a brother put on his facebook that he had seen some gender neutral designs at the baby shop and was just going to copy those for bubs nursery! Can you guess what I told him?!

So just for them (and anyone else who is reading and is looking for gender neutral inspiration) I quickly rustled up the below images and think I might be doing regular spots on gender neutral to give him (I know Mrs C, aka lovely wife, regularly checks out my blog) some ideas!!

The check of him!

I love the serene look of this nursery. Obviously blue has been added in, but could easily be subsisted for pinks and look just as gorgeous.

image via decor pad via my sweet prints

Loving the wall colour on this one. Again, a great colour to add any other colour for accessories.

image via live the fancy life via chic and cheap nursery

Lovely and simple

image from lala lovely

Hmmm I must have a thing for this colour (walls) at the moment, it just goes with anything. This nursery has been featured alot over different blogs and I do love the pops of extra colour.

I can't remember where from though!

Love me some zebra rug!

So there you have it Mr C, a starting point for you....

On another note, we finally have our Internet sorted! Can you believe the mobile tower in our area is in need of an update and they aren't doing it until July/August! No wonder we had trouble, so we were able to get out of the contract and onto another that actually works.

Hope you all had a lovely Easter and ANZAC long weekend.

Grrrrr!

2011-04-12T10:45:00.002+10:00

Grrrrr....Angry Red on the war path today! Since having Charles, I have felt so inspired to blog and work. Unfortunately my Internet provider has had other ideas! Some days I have reallllly slow connection, other days I have NONE at all. It's been 'normal' only about twice. We've rang and rang and rang and have gotten no further help.....so The Red (aka Me - Matt calls me that when I get fired up) is making more calls today. They don't seem to understand that I have a business to run and limited time (given that I now also contend with 2 under 2 - and one of them being sick). I really wish they wouldn't outsource assistance to other countries....I just don't think they get it.

OK, rant over. Just wanted to let it out really and let you know that I am here (barely) sometimes and am hoping to get back into it all once I have a decent internet connection! And now that I do seem to have one today, I've gone and wasted this post on a rant instead of nursery inspiration!

Are you questioning why I have the above image? Well that's the era I feel like I am living in at the moment dealing with internet dramas!

PS I have just read that back and I sound like a mad woman!

{Room Tour} Dear Lillie - Part 2

2011-04-02T20:39:00.004+11:00

Here I showed you a gorgeous nursery designed by Jennifer at Dear Lillie for her upcoming new arrival. Today you can see below her daughter Lillie's big girl room! Another beautiful and feminine room. For more details and images check out her blog. Love the bird mobile

Our Tee Pee!

2011-03-29T13:38:00.003+11:00

Finally getting around to posting pictures of the "Pee Pee (as Hugh calls it)" I made for Hugh. I used instructions I found on the net (they are no longer on the website, but I didn't think they were incredibly clear anyway so I made alot of it up as I went). Hoping the boys get lots of fun out of it! Having a rest.....

Totally off topic

2011-03-25T17:07:00.002+11:00

Love it!

via pintrest

{Nursery Tour} Dear Lillie - Part 1

2011-03-24T11:47:00.005+11:00

Wow, have I found a gorgeous nursery to show you today! Jennifer from Dear Lillie is expecting a second daughter and has put this beautiful nursery together for her. How feminine and delicate is it?! For more images head over here.

I'll be back to show you her daughter Lillie's nursery and now big girl room later.

So old, it's mouldy!

2011-03-21T10:44:00.003+11:00

There I was....sitting up in the wee hours of this morning feeding Charlie and thinking of things I'd like to cover on my blog and I realised I never told you the exciting news I saw on Design Dazzle (well I was THRILLED to say the least)!

Hugh's room was amongst the top 8 most viewed nursery's last year.....can I get a wooohooo?!

You can see the top 8 rooms here.

See I told you it was so old, it was mouldy!

Happy Monday!
Bel

I'm still here...

2011-03-15T13:27:00.003+11:00

Slack.....that's what I've been! I see all these new mummy bloggers posting everyday and I honestly don't know how they do it! I get time to pop on and read blogs, but not to actually blog.

Hugh, Charlie & I are starting to develop our own little routine and I'm hoping to be back blogging soon....you see Charlie is a little champion! Only 5 weeks old and he's already starting to self settle. I can't tell you how much this helps my sanity.....I had been lost trying to balance Hugh and Charlie (and after having lots of sleep problems with Hugh, I thought it was my turn for a good baby sleeper - side note: Hugh is an amazing sleeper now).

As you can guess, both boys are currently asleep so I have time to have some lunch, jump on the computer, pop some washing on and I'm even thinking of having a nap!

How's things going at your end?

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Sneak Peak: Charlies Nursery

2011-02-22T21:24:00.002+11:00

I know, I know.....wow what I big sneak peak I'm giving you! Let's just say that Charlies nursery is basically complete, but now I'm doing the finishing touches (the fabric I want for a few bits and pieces is out of stock from the US until the middle of next month, I'm ordering artwork etc etc so it will still be a while before I show you his whole room).

On a side note, Charlie is doing brilliantly. I don't know if it's because we are more relaxed as parents or he is just an 'easier' baby, but he generally only wakes once overnight and is quite content!

....and then there were 4!

2011-02-15T09:07:00.000+11:00

I've been a little busy....... Charles (Charlie) Peter arrived Tuesday 8th Feb at 9.07am (check it out....I've posted this at 9.07am!) weighing a WHOPPING 10 pound 10 oz (4.81kgs)! He's a gorgeous, chunky baby and has been just lovely so far.

His big brother Hugh, stayed with my Mum & Dad for a whole 5 nights away from Mummy & Daddy (Matt stayed with Charlie & I every night to help out) and he has been such a good boy, but he's not quite himself yet.....dealing with the bubba has changed his world! And what a gorgeous boy he is as well!

And here are my pride and joy together! Hugh wanted lots of cuddles with Charlie and didn't want to let him go after we took this photo.

What a lucky girl am I?!

Bump Watch: 38 (and a bit) weeks

2011-02-01T10:38:00.004+11:00

Not long to go now! Woooohoooo! I actually got off my hot, fat a** yesterday and started packing bags....the baby has things packed, now I've just got to organise me!

I had an appointment with my OB yesterday and no surprises......I'm measuring 42 (YES 42) weeks, no wonder I can't get comfy in any way.

It was 40 degrees here yesterday and will be again today so I'm sitting in a darkened house with the AC boosted and have mum's group here this afternoon!

PS - I will post a photo with my face in it soon....whenever I've done my hair and makeup, I come home and get changed and forget to take a decent photo!

Nursery Tour: Max's

2011-01-31T08:14:00.000+11:00

Angela from Handmade in the Heartland recently revealed her sons nursery (she's due the 14th Feb....ohhh wonder which of us will go first?!). Lovely fresh colours!

I just love this maternity shot, how adorable! images via handmade in the heartland

Vintage Girls Nursery

2011-01-21T08:25:00.000+11:00

This nursery was featured on Coochicoo today. What a lovely, serene nursery!

images via Sadie Olive

I blame you, fellow bloggers!

2011-01-20T10:12:00.004+11:00

Yes, you read correctly! I blame you.....all you crafty minx who day after day provide me with ideas galore of things I want to make.

However, you see I have this little problem......#2 is due in about 3 1/2 weeks and I feel like I'm running out of time to get anything that is even a little bit crafty done before that (before my brain no longer functions caused by lack of sleep!).

At the moment, I'm finishing up the growth chart I started....oh about a month ago (will share pics tomorrow), however on my TO DO list (below) there are still many projects I want to get done but the list just keeps growing. On my list I have, make tee pee (this was to be Hugh's Christmas present but the sewing machine cracked it and I only just picked it up from the Dr yesterday!), make covers for our daybed, make a couple of prints for the wall, get a draft birth announcement made up and ready to go (since it took us about 3 months to get organised with Hugh!).....and that's just a few things. I've got the nursery to get ready, I've got a 1/2 made mobile in the room as well as I need to order fabric so I can get the chair covered, make a skirt for the cot and a few other projects. As well as general house things.....really need to get the windows clean, carpets cleaned, sand & stain a few external timber features etc etc etc!
I keep getting preoccupied....we had some external blinds installed on Monday so have been pimping the Alfresco (I must take a photo for the lovely Miss J at My Sweet Prints - I know you posted ages about getting some and the ones we have are fab. It has totally changed our alfresco and they aren't those nasty cheap looking pvc blinds. We had them custom made and they look like walls of glass when they are down, plus they are a cinch to put up - unclip each end and then you can retract them to any height you want.....sorry got sidetracked raving about them).
Now I really must go and get something done whilst H is down for his nap....the last few weeks his sleep pattern has changed and I was getting 2 naps a day, but he seems to think he's to old for that now....damn!

Sophistico Nursery

2011-01-18T09:05:00.000+11:00

This gorgeous nursery popped up on my google alerts the other day and I had to share...boy's rooms seem finally to be coming in with some style!

Designed for HGTV - Sarah 101, by Sarah Richardson.

Loving the pops of orange (and I'm not normally a fan) and stripes!

Loving the fabric in the curtainsFlash cards framed and used as artworksHmmmm not 100% sure about the wallpapered ceiling, but do looove the blackboard (thinking of a way to incorporate this into #2's nursery!) and day bed!
images via here

How you doin'?

2011-01-17T10:46:00.004+11:00

I've been AWOL......I was all set to start blogging again last week after the Christmas/new year break but to be honest, with all the flooding and devastation around Australia, it all felt a bit frivolous!

Whilst we had PLENTY of rain here, we have no flooding unlike other towns around my area. Hubby got stuck in the town where he works last week overnight and had to drive home the next morning through flood waters before it rained even more! Lucky he did, otherwise he would of been stuck until yesterday.

So this below (see that fat woman?) is me at 34 weeks....HUGE and as my OB said "I breed them big"......oh and that was 2 weeks ago! Good thing to know is that I am now heavier than at the end of my pregnancy with Hugh and heavier than my husband (isn't that always a feel good moment?!).

I think I've started nesting (not in the cleaning sense, but feeling the need to be organised) and have my list of things I want to get done around the house before baby arrives. My due date is the 12th Feb, but I'm booked in for a c-section so we know when #2 is coming and we also know the sex (I don't think I had mentioned that before - we had the sex sealed in an envelope at the 20 week scan and Matt got sick of me walking out of the nursery saying "well if it's a girl, I will do blah blah blah but if it's a boy I'll do blah blah blah, so he opened it as a bit of a birthday present back in October!). Keeping it all a secret and only 2 people know when (my mum and dad, so they can look after Hugh) and only 1 other person knows the sex (Matt had to tell his boss.....yes they are very good mates), so I've been busy painting the nursery and organising bits and pieces - although I am still a while off finishing it.

Oh and we had another scan at 30 weeks to double check how it's kidney's were going (at 20 weeks they weren't filtering urine properly) and we got the all clear, which was a lovely relief! We also got the most gorgeous 3D shot of bubba.....

I'm generally EXHAUSTED and not sleeping well but it comes with the territory, so I suck it up and move on...well actually I do sook about it. I'm usually up until at least 12.30 (I'm not really a night owl) watching terrible TV and searching the net for things to keep me occupied.

So enough about me! I hope you had a lovely Christmas and new year and it's back to normal for me....for the next few weeks anyway!

Gender Neutral Nursery - Gray & Orange

2010-12-17T08:20:00.000+11:00

This cute little nursery popped up on my Google alerts & thought I'd share! Put together with lots of love, handmade items & bargains from ThatsLoverly.

Navy & Globes

2010-12-14T09:27:00.002+11:00

Ahhh 2 of my favorite things at the moment (I've been trawling ebay & etsy lately for cute globes). I noticed this nursery on Project Nursery and think it's adorable. Unsure if they are having a boy or a girl (mum is convinced it's a boy!), the room was put together with a traditional/Ralph Lauren feel. What do you think?

images via here

Little Girl Blue.....

2010-12-08T10:08:00.002+11:00

I am so far behind on my posts...I've been meaning to do this post for the last few weeks! Recently Ohdeedoh had it's annual Colour Contest and one thing I noticed was the huge amount of girls rooms which were blue! And you just know how I love blue! Here are a few of my favorites.
images via ohdeedoh

Girl Nursery - Pearsons Room

2010-12-08T09:54:00.005+11:00

Have a look at this beautiful nursery from Amy at the House of Wentworth! Designed for her daughter Pearson, I just adore the simple and classic colour scheme along with the beautiful mirrored dresser, chandelier and ornate mirror above Pearson's cot.
I also have a thing for sheepskins lately and have just purchased one for Hansel's nursery (which is well underway in the planning!).

What a dreamy room to spend time in!

On a side note: I had my 30 week ultrasound on Monday to see how Hansel's kidney was going and great news! It's fixed itself, so it will all be good when it's born!

Yay, 100! Plus....I won, I won!

2010-11-25T14:33:00.002+11:00

It's taken me a while, but finally I have 100 posts! I did start posting regularly but then I got a 'real' part time job and that mucked up my schedule (along with my housework schedule!)....and my 'followers' list is growing to in the last few days!

In other news, I don't think I've won anything since I was about 12 (which was a dinner set, very handy for a 12 year old)! This week has changed that! First I won tickets to the Australian Dance sport Championships (among my very many and varied talents, I used to ballroom & latin american dance) and today I won a gorgeous advent calender from over at I love Parties after I submitted Hugh's party. My luck is changing!

In 'me' news.....my ever expanding belly is starting to become difficult! I'm 28 weeks now and have gotten to that awkward sleeping stage. You know....can't sleep on your back because the baby is to heavy (more on that in a minute), can't sleep on your side because your hips hurt. I've been getting about 4 hours sleep each night, so am EXHAUSTED!!! I can't believe there are another 12 weeks to go, although I'm sure that will go quickly over Christmas and new year. I'm going to be so hot, swollen and horrid! I think my regular hangout will be the couch with the ac on!
And it looks like #2 is going to be another big bub (H was 4.5kgs)....my OB commented on babies size this week and we have another ultrasound in 2 weeks (to check on it's kidney's again) so will be very interested to see how big it is!

Now I'm off to have another sleep! Thank god, Hugh still has 2 naps a day!

Furious Kingston

2010-11-23T08:28:00.003+11:00

I know I don't normally post about kids clothes, but I was at Mathilda's Market on the weekend and found gorgeous boys clothes (and for those of us with boys, you know how hard it is to find cute boys stuff!). Furious Kingston (very cute name to!) have funky hats, vests, t-shirts and shorts! I nearly got a hat for Hugh but because his head is so BIG, it's always hard to get the right size without him there...will be getting one for when the weather cools down though!

images via Furious Kingston

Gender Neutral Nursery

2010-11-16T08:31:00.000+11:00

I noticed this gorgeous nursery on Silly Eagle Books (via With Two Cats). The colours they have used could be used for either a boy or a girl and I love the below....definitely going on my list of things for my next nursery (a space for Hugh to feel included)!

How a year flies!

2010-11-09T13:18:00.003+11:00

I wanted to show you a little something I've been working on.....

I know it's nothing new, but we've been taking pics of Hugh in a white top on a white sheet every month since he was born and I've finally pulled my finger out and finished it. I can't wait to get it printed and framed!

Now we just have to make sure we do it with the next baby!

What have I been up to - Part 3.....Pimp my mirror

2010-11-08T09:00:00.000+11:00

We all know how popular sunburst mirrors have been lately......well I got on the bandwagon as well! I have had this finished and on our bedroom wall for a couple of months, but never got around to taking photos, so finally this is it!

I purchased this mirror from Target (a whopping $18!) and spray painted it silver. Simple and easy!

Before: After:

Ahhh, much better!
I still have a heap of things to show you, but that's enough for now! Back to posting about nurseries!

What have I been up to - Part 2. Pimp my stool

2010-11-05T09:00:00.001+11:00

Now that my big old belly is getting, well big, I wanted to have a step stool to make it easier for me to bath Hugh (and also to use when he needs to get up to the vanity to clean his teeth). Me being me, decided I couldn't find what I was looking for and set about pimping the below one from Ikea!

Initially I was going to try and stencil a pattern on the top, but it was just to hard! So I got some fabric and modge podged it on! Sooooo much easier and worked a treat! Plus it gives it a little bit of texture so when it is used as a step stool (rather than a big mummy tummy stool) it will give it some grip.

Here's some pics.....

Before:

After:

Ahhhh much better!

What have I been up to - Part 1.....The baby shower!

2010-11-04T14:40:00.005+11:00

We (being the fabulous girls I have mothers group with) have 4 girls (including me) currently pregnant with #2! 2 are due any time soon, so we decided to throw them a little baby shower. Nothing over the top and just an afternoon tea when we normally have mum's group and me being the planner, held the soiree at my house.

I wanted to go for lemon & grey colours scheme, but had lots of trouble finding decorations in the colours, so opted for lemon, blue, pink & lilac.

Here are some pics......

I made some bunting to go above the food table, whacked some lemon ribbon around the ice bucket (complete with both non-alcoholic & alcoholic champers).

I made a lemon runner to go down our table and I have a little thing for doilies at the moment, so used some cheapie paper ones to make the table pretty! I grabbed some flowers (not from my garden, but that's another story!) and made pretty posies and I had the butterfly & dragonfly's sitting in my craft box, so popped them in to! Finally I added a few candles I had stashed as well!

Lastly, I made some tissue poms.....I'm not really happy with how they turned out, but they are OK for a first attempt! I also had the white Chinese lanterns laying about from decorating my brother & sister-in-law's engagement party, so threw a few of those up to!

I have to point out now.....check out my cedar post! It had been looking a little tired, grey and yuck so another of the things I have been doing is sanding that (I'm still in the process of sanding another at the front of our house). It took 2 days to sand and I think my fingers are still vibrating! It does look beautiful now though. I had been waiting to sand the post before putting some cheapie Ikea curtains (to give it a bit of a lux feeling) and having the baby shower gave me incentive to do it!

We had a beautiful day, the kids played whilst we chatted and chatted and then chatted!

Movember

2010-11-01T20:14:00.003+11:00

In honor of Movember......for when the little man in your life can't grow a mow! Available from Etsy - Sugafresh

Nesting....big time

2010-10-21T21:46:00.003+11:00

Sorry for my lack of posts lately.......nesting is starting to kick in! I'm talking sanding, painting, organising my wardrobe into colours, dusting blinds and dusting skirting boards for a start! I've also been 'pimping' a few bits and pieces (which I'll show you soon).

I didn't get the opportunity to nest when I was pregnant with Hugh, so I think I am making up for it this time (although not in the Kitchen!). I feel like I have so many projects on the go that I want to get done.....let alone start planning the babies room.

With that I'm off to clean something......

I'm loving.....

2010-10-15T14:03:00.003+11:00

Did you notice the post on Babyology this week about Ubabub? I think I'm in love again! Not only do Ubabub make funky cots & change tables, but they make gorgeous artworks as well!
I'm bookmarking this one for a possible girls room (for me - given we aren't finding out what sex I'm having, I'll need to have both options ready so I can do some online shopping from the hospital!).

images via here

Paper Garlands

2010-10-12T08:55:00.004+11:00

I was searching etsy the other day for some cute baby shower decorations & found these gorgeous little things. from Bugaboo...how cute! Perfect for party decoration or for a nursery.

images via here

Paper Lanterns & Poms

2010-10-06T10:36:00.004+11:00

Such a huge trend at the moment.....using colourful paper lanterns & poms as a feature in nurseries. Take a look at some of these ideas. I'm in love with this colour combination!

images via here

Gorgeous toys

2010-09-30T10:29:00.003+10:00

One thing I really love are babuskha dolls....I never had a set growing up but find them beautiful, both as toys and using them as decorations.
The below pics popped up on Bambino Goodies this morning, designed by Ingela P Arrhenuis (available from Peanut & Pip). It's great to see some that the boys can use! I love the circus ones....what about you?

Unique but not expensive

2010-09-28T14:07:00.006+10:00

Recently, I had someone comment that I must of spent a lot of money putting together Hugh's room. It had me in two thoughts.....

1. Wow, thanks!

2. Ummm no (I think part of me was offended)!

The fact is I didn't spend a lot, we'd just moved into our brand new first home and didn't have spare cash to throw around!

One of my BFF's favorite word is 'bargain' and that has definitely rubbed off on me. Sure I like to spend, but I don't like to spend unnecessarily.

For the furniture, I researched and researched until I found the cot I wanted at 1/2 price (and I have actually purchased exactly the same cot again for Hansel, but at an even lower price!), found the best price for his change table, the square bookshelf is a cheapie from a furniture warehouse (I think it was $40) and I inherited the dresser from my Nanny.

When it came to the 'finishing' of the room, I've never been one to follow the cookie cutter Winnie the Pooh or Peter Rabbit trend. I like for pieces to mean something to me and I usually find that it's so much cheaper to do so.

Artwork in particular is my biggest bug bear. My problem is that I'm arty enough to know I can make/paint something, but not arty enough to know what it is I want to do! In fact the walls of our house are pretty much bare because I really want the art that goes on my wall to mean something and buying a random print isn't quite what I'm after.

With Hugh's room, I got some cheap frames from Target (when they were 25% off) and made number owl pictures for his wall using decorative paper I already had (same with the owls on his tree). Bargain!

I customised a cheap lamp from Fantastic Furniture by adding some simple ribbon. Bargain!

I painted the tree on his wall. It cost $30 for a tin of blue paint and then I used left over white paint (the painters left behind when we moved in) and some time to research what I wanted the tree to look like. Bargain!

I've got a very crafty Grandma and she made Hugh's quilt (it's embroidered on the other side with beautiful flowers) and has since made other things for his room.

In fact, the only things I really purchased for his room were his 'H' (which was actually white and 1/2 price because it was knocked about, so I painted it with left over blue paint), the Hugh on his door (I love it so much, I was going to have it regardless), his owl mobile (Looking back, I'm sure I could have given it a go of making it), red suitcases, a stuffed toy owl and one of pillows I use on the nursery chair.

Everything else has been a beautiful gift from friends and family.

I can hear you saying, that's very good Belinda, but what's your point? My point is that you don't need to spend much money to have a unique and individual room. Use things you already have around the house, give making a piece of art a go, paint a unique feature wall. Just because you are going to go for a transport theme (or whatever way you decide on going) doesn't mean you need to purchase the matching quilt, sheets, wall stickers etc etc! Put together the room based on things you love.

My greatest product resource website is Etsy. So many talented people have great items listed for sale and you will find some amazing and cheap things!

So before you go to the baby store and purchase the matching everything, put it back down and walk away and do some research first. Do you really love it or are you just buying it because it's there and you're excited to be buying baby items?

images by Little One Baby & Me

It's a .............

2010-09-28T09:06:00.003+10:00

I still don't know! I couldn't do it and make Matt find out when he didn't want to....however we have the result sitting in a sealed envelope on the kitchen table just waiting to be opened (it may sit there for the rest of the pregnancy un-opened yet!).....so now I have start planning options for the nursery for boy & girl (and add to that names - urgh!). I have warned Matt this may lead to more spending (if I see something I love for a girls or boys room, I might just have to buy it regardless)!

We also found out that bub isn't 100% well. It's only a small issue (Hansel's kidney isn't filtering urine properly) but we'll have another scan in 10 weeks to see if it's fixed itself. Hopefully it should all be ok by then but if it's born with the problem, it may lead to UTI's frequently. I know there are certainly worse things you could be told, but still was a little sad about not getting the absolute all clear.

Twin Room

2010-09-27T09:11:00.000+10:00

How gorgeous is this neutral twin nursery?!

Why did you break my heart?

2010-09-19T20:51:00.004+10:00

On Friday, I fell in love. Hard, big time. The kind that gets you so excited.

I'm sure you've seen it before.....the sneak peak of the Bugaboo Donkey. How did they know what I was looking for in a double pram? 4 wheels, check. Bassinet option, check. Baby face in or out, check. 1 or 2 babies, check. But most of all, stylish, check.

Prams stress me out. I can't tell you how much sleep I lost when I was looking, looking, researching and then looking some more for Hugh's pram (by the way - I picked the Love N Care Adiva....which I love but I have to give up as it doesn't come with a toddler seat). I would wake up at midnight, jump on the net and hope the perfect pram would rear it's head. I also did the same for my carrier (let me rave about how much I love My Blessed Baby Mei Tai). They really did my head in.

So now, I'm on the lookout for a double pram. I don't like 3 wheelers, don't like one's that have the extra seat underneath and don't like the side by side umbrella style ones (I like to have baby facing me).....so what does that leave me with? NOTHING....until Friday that was. I knew it would be touch and go with release dates (due out in Spring 2011 in the US), but thought I could make do until then. That's when my heart was broken.....the perfect pram........not available in Australia until January 2012!!! Are you kidding me?

So it's back to the drawing board for me. Think I'll have to go for a Strider Plus (at least the top seat can face me), but it does have the extra seat underneath and I really don't like the colours it's available in.

Any recommendations?

What to do, what to do?

2010-09-17T14:08:00.004+10:00

Nursery idea's are swirlling round and round my head at the moment for Hansel (AKA - New baby)! I'm so excited about our trip to Melbourne next week for the 20 week ultrasound.....now here's the dilema. Mr Nest doesn't want to find out the sex and I do (completely opposite of when we had Hugh! By the way - I won the last battle). I realise how busy and chaotic life will be once #2 is born and I'm realistic in the fact that I won't be able to dedicate as much time to the new nursery as I did Hugh's, so I have a week to convince Mr Nest that I am right (AGAIN)....because I don't want to do neutral (whilst lovely, it's not me)!

via decofab

So will it be blue......

via Ohdeedoh

Or pink?!

via design dazzle

Time will tell! But regardless of if (who am I kidding, of course I will!) I have my way, we are going to keep it a secret!

I'm loving.....

2010-09-14T09:17:00.003+10:00

How cute is this mobile? Moustaches have been huge in the party department recently and seems that mobiles are getting a 'tash treatment too! This one's from Etsy - Jall & Toffta (which I noticed over at Bambino Goodies) .

A question of ettiqutte

2010-09-07T10:03:00.004+10:00

When I was putting together my post yesterday, I wasn't sure of who the correct person to credit an image was. Do I put where I found the image, which was actually via elsewhere and then via elsewhere, or do you put the original source?

What is the correct etiquette?

My other question.....when I save images I love, I save them under where I found them and then via the other source (if applicable). However when I go to share them with you, I haven't saved the original link back direct to where I found it. So getting to the point.....how do you 'file' images you love and want to blog about?

Hmmm, off to ponder some more. Baby brain is KICKING in big time!