To Do List Progress: 48 Days to Go!

Holy goodness this baby is going to be here so soon!  I cannot believe how fast time is flying!  We have made some good progress on a lot of items on our To Do list (sadly none of them are ready to be photographed yet), but I did want to share with you the items we are crossing off.  Mostly so I can see the progress and not feel so overwhelmed!

Here is our updated list:

To Do:

Paint my office

Move Mr. B's desk into my office

Paint our bedroom

Paint my dresser

Paint Mr. B's dresser

Move futon and TV into bedroom

Paint nursery

Get (and assemble) nursery furniture

Paint bookshelf for nursery

Paint dresser for nursery

Organize all of Baby's stuff

Decorate nursery

Mr. B is very excited to be able to cross off all of the room painting.  It was a loooong process, but all the main rooms in our house are now freshly painted.  If you didn't see my dresser makeover last week, make sure you check it out--I love the final result!  Today we got to go to Ikea and get the furniture we need for Baby Bee's room.  The crib is already assembled and Mr. B is putting together the dresser as we speak (or as I type).  I promise I will have some pics of some of these updates for you soon, just as soon as everything is all put together!                                                                            

DIY: Dresser Makeover

Hello lovely readers!  I am back from Spring Break!  I would like to say that I am rested and relaxed, but that would be a lie.  While we have gotten a lot done over the past couple of weeks, it seems like there is still so much more to do!  But I am super excited to be sharing this project with you today, it might be one of my all-time favorites.

This is the dresser that was in my nursery when I was just a wee little baby.  It's obviously great quality, and obviously not so attractive anymore.  So I decided to give it a little makeover!  Here it is in its before stages:

And here's what I did to make it pretty!  First, I took off the lovely old brass drawer pulls.

I knew I was going to use a single knob on the drawers, so I filled in the extra holes using wood filler.

Then it was sanding time (aka my least favorite step in the furniture painting process).

Then it came time for priming.  Remember to always use super thin coats when priming furniture.

Then came the fun part, the painting!  I used Martha Stewart metallic paint in Thundercloud.  I actually had it left over from painting our kitchen tile, so I didn't even have to buy new paint.  For the dresser, I used a combo of a small foam roller and a foam brush to fill in the nooks and crannies.

Then I attached these awesome acrylic crystal-looking knobs that I found on Amazon.  I seriously looked all over the place before turning to Amazon, I should have known to start there in the first place!  I got ten knobs for about half the price of any others I found at hardware stores.

And here ya go!  I absolutely love how the dresser turned out!  I also love the fact that there is sentimental value to this piece, but it is still something that fits in with my current aesthetic.

Here is a side by side of the before and after:

Stay tuned this week for some of the updates we have completed around the house as we get ready for Baby Bee!

**This post uses an affiliate link.  If you follow the link and purchase the product, I will receive a small commission.

Baby Announcements from Minted

It's hard to believe it, but Baby Bee is about two months away from making his arrival and it is all starting to feel really real.  We still have so much to do, but I'm trying to stay calm and not freak out about it too much!  One fun thing I get to think about is picking out adorable baby things, like announcements.  When looking for announcements, I turned to one of my favorite paper sources, Minted.  I discovered Minted through my wedding blog and was so excited to see they carry fabulous baby announcements in addition to their gorgeous wedding invites.  I pulled out some of my favorite contenders to share with you today!  If you click on any of the pictures, you will be taken directly to the listing for that particular announcement!

Which one is your favorite?  When I decide (and when Baby Bee has made his grand entrance) I will share which one I end up picking!

**This post contains affiliate links.  If you click these links and purchase the items, I will receive a small commission.

March Instagram Dump

Hard to believe another month has come and gone!  I spent most of March working like a crazy person, so there's not much going on in the way of fun Instagram pics, but here they are anyway!  If you want to follow me on Instagram, click the camera in the right hand sidebar!

My main work project was the musical I directed at my junior high.  Here is one of our set pieces...

And here is my good friend Brianna testing out the safety of another one...

I finally got around to updating our baseball map with our dates from last summer...

And because I had a craving, I decided one night to whip up some cupcakes...

I hit third tri!

It still boggles my mind when I come across my own images while browsing Pinterest.  Can't believe how many repins I get sometimes!

At our favorite beer bar, I was stuck with the root variety...

Baby Bee got to attend his first Dodgers game!

I always feel like I'm coming home when I go back to Dodger Stadium...

And a hot dog with mac n cheese and Fritos on top?  Yes please!

And finally, the beginnings of a very productive weekend last weekend, Starbucks and Home Depot!

Can't wait to see what April has in store for us!

DIY: Vintage Disney Phone Case

Hello lovely readers!  Today we have a super cool and fairly easy Disney DIY project.  I'm apologizing in advance for the poor quality of these photos; since I was working on my new phone, had to take the pics with the old iPhone and it is just not the same!

Here is what we are making today:

 

First, print out a picture of your chosen vintage Disney image (click here if you need some ideas).  I first measured my phone, and then made the image about a half an inch longer on each side.  I printed my image on actual photo paper, which makes the quality better.  Then I traced my phone on a piece of card stock.

And used the template to cut out the phone shape from my picture.  As you can see, the edges are a little rough, but you can't tell once you get everything put together.

I put the image into my clear phone case...

...and then used an Xacto knife to cut out the camera hole.

And there you have it!  A totally custom and adorable vintage Disney cell phone case!  Totally love it, and I'm even thinking about making some holiday/season specific ones!

How to Have Fun at Disneyland While Pregnant

It's time for the second edition of my "How to Have Fun at Disneyland" series...(if you're not knocked up and don't have kids, check out the first edition, How to Have Fun at Disneyland as an Adult!)


I’ll admit, before discovering I was with child, I would roll my eyes whenever I saw pregnant women at Disneyland.  I mean, what is the point, ladies?  You can’t go on any of the cool rides, all you do is waddle around all day, and more often than not, it’s a day of baking in the Southern California sunshine.

And then I got knocked up.  Is there really any way that I, a self-proclaimed Disney addict, could go nine months without visiting my favorite place in the whole world?  Um, no.  I had to majorly adjust my Disney expectations (bye-bye California Adventure beer cart), but I knew I would find a way to enjoy myself.  And what have I discovered?  You can have fun at Disneyland, even while pregnant!  Just follow these easy steps:

1.        Know going in that the “fun” rides are off limits.  Space Mountain and Tower of Terror are just not going to happen in your pregnant state.  But that’s okay!  There are still lots of other cool rides you can enjoy.  In California Adventure, check out Toy Story Midway Mania and Soarin’ Over California.  If you’re a fan of Ariel, The Little Mermaid ride is also a cute option.  Across the way at Disneyland, you can rock many of the classics like Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion.  Jungle Cruise is always a crowd pleaser, and you can still battle the evil Dr. Zurg on my personal favorite, Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters.

2.       Come prepared.  First and foremost, wear comfortable shoes.  I used to dress for cuteness at the parks, but now I wear good sturdy socks and my running shoes.  You will not make it through the day wearing my former go to’s like flip flops and Chucks.  Second, bring lots of water with you.  You will need it, no matter what the weather is like (and more often than not, it is hot).  With all the walking around, it is super important to stay hydrated and you don’t want to get stuck paying the Disney standard of $3 for a bottle of water.  You also might want to bring snacks to munch on in between meals.

 The New Balance Disney themed running shoe collection; I need them all!

3.       Know where the bathrooms are located.  If you are not a frequent visitor to the parks, make sure you get a park map and note the locations of the bathrooms.  There are ample locations throughout the park, so if you know where to look, you are never more than a few minutes away.  But there is nothing worse than feeling that pressure in your tummy and having no idea where to find relief.

 Source

4.       Take lots of breaks.  There are tons of places in both parks where you can sit and relax and enjoy one of my favorite aspects of the Disneyland experience: people watching.  At California Adventure, I like to grab a waterside table at the Cove Bar.  Overlooking the pier, the bar gives you a great view of the Ferris wheel, and depending on your timing, you may even be able to catch one of the many water shows that takes place during the day (and don’t worry, even though it’s technically a bar, there are plenty of non-alcoholic options available).  If you’re at the Happiest Place on Earth, grab a seat at the Tomorrowland Terrace and listen to some live music.  Or kick up your feet and watch some of the awesome live entertainment at the Fantasyland Theater or the new Princess Fantasy Faire.

5.       Enjoy the food.  Churros and pretzels and Dole Whip, oh my!  Disneyland is home to some of the yummiest junk food on the block, why not use your expecting state as an excuse to indulge in some tasty goodies?  If you are sticking with the healthy stuff, there are many places to get fresh fruit (and pickles!), but don’t be afraid to stop by the Ghiradelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop in California Adventure for dessert.  You deserve it!

6.       Do some baby shopping.  There are enough cute kids clothes in the stores at the parks to make even the hardest of hearts squeal with delight.  Feel free to poke around and maybe even purchase a onesie or two…or ten.

Whether this is your first pregnancy or your tenth, there is no need to let your unborn child keep you from the awesomeness that awaits and Disneyland and California Adventure.  Be prepared, set your expectations, and most of all, enjoy your day at the Happiest Place on Earth.

Personal Post: In a Perfect World...

In a perfect world, a dream world, blogging would be my job.  I love writing, I love crafting, I love sharing my knowledge and experiences with others.  When I sit down for a day of blogging, I feel accomplished.  I feel productive.  I feel like my creativity is being put to good use.

That's not to say I don't feel that way when teaching, because I definitely have those moments in the classroom too.  Actually, typically those moments come when I am watching my theater students perform, but that happens about three times a year.  And while I am endlessly proud of them, it doesn't often feel like my accomplishment.  As I consider my options for next year, I can't help but wish that blogging was a way to supplement my income so that I could teach part time and blog to make up for my lost salary.  Right now that's not an option, and that's okay, but in a perfect world...

I find myself torn when it comes to blogging.  This blog deals with all of the things I am passionate about right now: my home, my family, my baby, my crafts.  I also have a Disney blog that has barely been touched since I first started posting there.  Disney is something I am definitely passionate about, so I made the decision to stop posting there and start posting my Disney info here.  You will note the "Everything Disney" tab at the top of this blog, which is a new addition.  I don't want to stop blogging about Disney since I love it and have many ideas to share, but having a separate blog (that makes three all together) doesn't make sense for me at this point.  I also still have my wedding blog, Pink Cupcake Weddings, which has been around for almost four years now and was my first blogging endeavor.  It can be hard for me to come up with relevant ideas for PCW as I am so far removed from wedding planning these days, but it has always been my most popular blog, and if ever I were going to make money blogging, it would be there.  In fact, looking at my stats for the past couple of months, I am experiencing traffic similar to the rates of other blogs that I know bring in some sort of income for their writers.  So maybe if I keep at it, someday that will be me.

What I don't want to do is blog for the sake of blogging.  I hate when I publish a post I don't feel good about, and I try not to do that very often.  I want my posts on both of my blogs to be worthy of my readers.  No one wants to read filler or fluff.  So what happens now?  I will blog when I feel like I have something worthy to share.  You may see an influx of Disney themed posts over the next couple weeks since I have some ready that I haven't shared with my Bees readers yet.  If you stop by PCW you will see some new posts when inspiration strikes.  And maybe one of these days I will bring in some income from one of these blogs.  I am realistic about those chances (aka slim to none) but I will keep on dreaming.

DIY: Photo Mats Using Silhouette

I have finally had some opportunities to start messing around with my Silhouette , which I got for Christmas (thanks Mom!).  One thing I am terrible at is cutting in a straight line, which is a handy skill to have, but luckily the Silhouette takes away the need for the skill!  I used my Silhouette to create these photo mats out of scrapbook paper for some quotes I am framing and using in Baby B's nursery.

Creating this look was super easy.  I first plugged in the outer rectangle measurements in my Silhouette software, and then added in another smaller rectangle using the measurements of the size of my printable.  I sent this super cute paper through the machine, and voila, a perfectly cut and shaped photo mat!  This is a quote I personally love for obvious reasons, so I typed it out in Microsoft Publisher and printed it on regular white paper.  Boring on its own, but when you add in the mat, super cute!

These darling printables I downloaded for free here.   Again, printed them on regular white paper.  They were cute on their own, but they needed the mat in order to fill the frames I had purchased (from Ikea).  I used the same process as the first time around, this time cutting two mats.  Added them into the frames, and suddenly, super cute and ready to hang signs!

It was a little tricky at first to get the mats to lay flat, but once I put the whole thing together, everything stayed in place perfectly.  I am excited to be finishing up some of the decor elements I will be using in the nursery, but at the same time anxious to put it all together.  Hopefully we can get some of the bigger items checked off our To Do list soon so the fun stuff can begin!

***This post uses affiliate links.  If you click these links and purchase the products, I will receive a small commission.