The Final Countdown

 Just when I think I've got this parenting thing DOWN, my daughter, without fail, springs something on me that makes me question my entire mommy-hood. Today happened to be one of those days. If you've been following me for any decent amount of time, you know by now that I am very schedule and routine oriented.V E R Y. I don't like being thrown off of the usual routine because I'm a control freak. There, now it's out in the open for the forty-thousandth time.

Usually, it starts with a crappy nap or a very early waking, and then will spiral downhill from there. Today started out as any normal day. Trey woke up early for work {inevitably waking me as well} and I got up shortly after he left {about 7}, and managed to squint my way through my bright IG feed a time or two, you know in case I missed anything that was potentially life or death. I barely made it out of bed when I heard a faint "maaaaaaaaaa" followed by "up, up, up, up, BUB-EE" {baby}. So I won't lie, I still went into the kitchen and made a cup of coffee, just in super speed. You see I don't rush into get Emerson first thing in the morning. Her time to get up is 7:30am, per my rule. As long as she's not screaming like a banshee, she stays in her crib until I go in to get her. HELP ME JESUS when she learns to crawl out of her crib. Anyway, what I was able to accomplish this morning, well that's usually just the first little portion of MY morning routine. Normally {you see where this is going}, I wake up, scroll Instagram, pee, make coffee, and make a short list of goals for the day. Today, I skipped the "pee" and went straight to coffee because time was of the essence. I drank about 4 good sips before Emerson started yelling at me. No, literally, she yells from her crib. Not cries, 

y e l l s. She's no dummy. It's really freaking adorable most mornings.

Not this morning. 

This morning I was really exhausted from staying up too late watching Making a Murderer {GAH! dying over here} with Trey. I didn't get to finish my coffee while it was hot, which is incredibly frustrating to me and makes me feel underprepared for the day. The microwave and I are besties on mornings like today. Much to my surprise, Emerson was in a fantastic mood all morning. I even got in a quick gym session and she *WILLINGLY* went into the Kid's Club to play. Like, did not even look back to say 'bye' to me. This is a whole other story for another time. 

Fast forward >>

Nap time is usually between 12:30-1pm and naps have been averaging 2.5-3 hours here lately. I was not so fortunate today because you know I didn't have a lot I wanted to accomplish during that time or anything. She woke up about 1.5 hrs into her nap screaming. Like she went from conked to scream-central in 2 seconds flat. I could not comfort her. Like for the entire rest of the day. She was cranky, whiny, snotty, and apparently very hungry because she ate almost an entire sleeve of graham crackers by herself in one sitting. #Momoftheyear

Needless to say, by approximately 5pm, I was spent. She was showing no signs of relenting to her utter exhaustion and I, in turn, was becoming more and more exhausted. I don't know if I'm alone in this or not, but I would much rather have a day of complete chaos from running a trillion errands with a content child, than a day of complete chaos from doing next to nothing and having a discontent child. It is SO draining mentally, physically, and emotionally. I'm not going to lie to you, I loaded her in the car, turned on her favorite little "tw-ain" cartoon on the iPad and we drove the back country roads for ONE HOUR. I listened to jazz music the entire time. I'm turning into my parents.

After an hour of driving around, I was famished. Driving is exhausting {tack that on to that a pounding headache + an already exhausting afternoon}. I hit up Panera on the way home for a *salad*, thank you. Once home, Emmie continued to act like I have never once fed her in her life and insisted on eating all of the chicken out of my salad. Thanks, kid, I didn't want that or anything. 

FINALLY, it was 6:30. CLOSE ENOUGH to her usual 7:30p bedtime. I ran her bath, plopped her in there {while I reclined on the closed toilet. I know, classy}. She begged me to put on a little puppet show with her finger puppets. By begged, I mean she grunted at me, while holding up her finger puppets, while repeating "dis dis dis dis". I couldn't NOT get down there with her, so I gave into playing and singing a one hit wonder, titled  "We are friends". It goes like this, "We are friends {while pretending to make all the puppets hold hands and dance}, yes we are. We are friends who love Emmie {then they all lean in and give her a kiss on the cheek}". Don't ask, it's a new song every night and she loves it.

Okay, bath was over + butt was diaper creamed {she pees like a machine at night}, fleece jammies were on, and hair was combed. Oh, and fingernails were cut {after much wrestling and many tears + probably a scratch somewhere on my extremities}. All that was left between freedom and myself, was a goodnight story and some kisses. Except, tonight no book was sufficient. We ended up reading the same book 3 times by default. {I know exactly where baby's belly button is in case anyone hasn't read that story.} I turned out the light, sang her her "night night song", and kissed her little lips. "Night night Emmie. I love you", I said. "I wooo yewwwwwww, mama", she said.

Suddenly the countdown to that very moment seemed silly. It was a meaningless countdown because I certainly need time for myself, especially after a long and trying day like today. But, that one little phrase, "I woo yewwwww mama", it put everything into perspective. So even though today SUCKED, majorly and severely, I was reminded in that brief moment that tomorrow is a new day and that God will never give me more than I can handle.

So, when you feel like it's the final countdown and you let out that sign of relief after you close your little one's door, just know that even if it was the crappiest of crappy days, tomorrow is bound to be different. Maybe it won't be great, but it will be different and for me, that's a relief. 

Cheers to you mamas {and daddy's}! Underneath those leggings and that graham cracker, snot + God knows what else-stained shirt, you're one of a kind to that little love bug that calls you "mama". Rest in that.  Oh, and pour yourself some wine {Jesus drank it, He understands!}

XO,

Keep On

This paraphrased verse popped up on my Instagram feed today. How timely it is. As a new-ish mom, and blogger, I have a lot on my mind most days. I have so much I want to say to the world, so much I want to share from a place of complete vulnerability. But I'm often afraid. What am I afraid of? Rejection. Judgement. Envy. If it's a human emotion, I've probably been afraid of it at some point. Even though the response to my blog and my IG feed have been nothing but positive thus far, I am human and I have fears, just like you. My fears within the blogging community are not as legitimate as my fears as a mother, so today I want to shed some light on my fears as a mom. I don't want to be afraid to speak about it. I don't want to be silent about it. I want to keep on speaking about it because in speaking about it comes freedom. Freedom to be who I am. Freedom to say what's on my heart and in my mind. Freedom to let others in to my little portion of the world. Freedom to let others feel that they aren't alone and in return, help me to realize that I'm not alone. With freedom comes life.

My journey into motherhood started roughly 2.5 years ago. {I included pregnancy in that estimate because I became a mother from the moment Emerson was created in my womb, in my opinion}. Pregnancy, for me, was nothing short of amazing. I honestly cannot complain about anything. The only real trouble I ran into, which really doesn't even seem like trouble compared to so many others out there, was that I had Placenta Previa, meaning the baby's placenta partially or totally covers the opening in the mothers cervix, which can cause severe bleeding and often requires cesarean delivery, without option of vaginal delivery. Thankfully, mine healed itself at 38 weeks. Aside from the very normal exhaustion and food aversions {coffee for me- I know, it was sad!}, I was healthy, active, and enjoyed being pregnant very much {well up until I went beyond my due date-ha!}. I had a quick + relatively easy delivery, especially for it being my first baby. Everything was going according to plan, just how I like life...to follow a plan, a schedule, a routine. Thankfully, in the end, God knows me better than I know myself.

The first week with Emerson, overall, was great. I was exhausted and sore, but I loved being a new mom. Then, reality set in. Milk came in {ow}, nursing started going haywire, I didn't know when or how to pump, I wasn't sleeping much, Emerson cried a lot, Trey worked all the time, everything was supposed to be able to be answered with Google {B I G mistake}. When I couldn't figure something out with the baby, I felt like a failure. I wasn't teaching full-time anymore which had brought great routine to my life, so I now felt lazy for wanting to do nothing when the baby did sleep. I was losing my mind. Depression set it fairly early on without me really recognizing it. I was miserable. I withdrew from my friends. I withdrew from my husband. I withdrew from my baby. I had a horrible self-consciousness about my body, which made me extremely uncomfortable because I've never really struggled with that before. My life as I'd known it to that point was completely over. I often regretted the choice to expand our family because I felt like life was over for me. My only role now was 'mom" and I didn't like it one bit. There was no "Chelsea" left, or so I thought.

After several months of MANY, MANY tears and inward struggles, I hit a point where I knew that if I didn't start living life at least a little bit for ME again, it would be over. I think what really did it for me was having a conversation with my husband where he told me that I had turned so negative. He said that I didn't look at life like I used to and I didn't follow through with things like I once did. That was like a dagger to the heart. I did NOT like being told that I didn't follow through on stuff, because well, that just isn't me at all. Also, to be frank, he pissed me off and set a fire under my butt {maybe that was his ultimate goal? haha}. At first, I just wanted to prove him wrong + prove to myself that I still WAS ME, so I took a job {which I referenced in a recent post} and it gave me some motivation. It got me out of the house and away from the baby for a little while a couple times a week, which {new moms} helps clear your head and it really does bring you some sanity. Over time, it ignited passion in me again. I began blogging again, too. On my blog, I began sharing more and more of my struggles, especially as they related to motherhood. I began receiving feedback from others who shared with me that they had fought so many of the same battles. Finally, I felt like I wasn't alone anymore. I felt like my negativity {which was definitely a large breeding ground for resentment + anger for a while} was taking an upward turn. I blogged on and off as an outlet for a while, mostly doing it whenever I felt the urge. Then, I just decided that enough was enough. The only person that could change the direction of my attitude, and ultimately my life was me {with Jesus' help, of course}. I read this quote recently which really hit home, "The very best thing you can do for the world is to make the most of yourself."

I made the choice to pursue blogging more intentionally. I decided to work on house projects, read, work outside, exercise {*shocking*}, etc during free time instead of laying around watching tv or cleaning obsessively. {I clean when I have nothing else to do, it's a blessing and a curse}. The more down time I have, the less productive I feel, though I am trying to learn the art of "resting" without it feeling like pure laziness.

Just a couple of months ago I made the decision to say YES more. Yes to more play dates with Emerson. Yes to opportunities with my blog. Yes to home projects I've been wanting to tackle. Yes to showing love to my husband more. Yes to going to the gym regularly. Yes to playing with Emerson more without distractions {mostly my phone or the tv}. Yes to pursing some opportunities that allow me to use my creative side, while also reaching the "teacher" in me. Saying 'YES' has been freeing for me. It's not easy for me to always say YES because even though I have no problem talking to strangers {or writing to them}, I like being alone. I like solitude and quiet. I don't NEED other people all the time to thrive. Me + God are working on getting me outside of my comfort zone on that one.  Anyway, ultimately I've been working on not being afraid. Saying yes, though often very frightening for me, has changed my attitude dramatically. I am not the same person {as a mother, wife, or individual} that I was even 6 months ago. God is using all of the difficult times throughout the past year to change me and mold me, and ultimately, I think use me. As I mentioned recently, I don't know why I've been burdened {in a good way} with this blog suddenly, but I have and I know God is at work. I have been more excited the past month about MY life and the direction it's heading than I have been in a long time. I'm just so excited that God is using my fears to bring me to a new place. A place where I have the freedom to not be silent. The freedom to not be afraid anymore, and the freedom to keep on speaking. It's giving me life and I'm so, so, so excited about it.

P.S. I am so honored and privileged {and still kind of shocked} that I was asked to be featured today on another blogger's website {Devon Brown}as part one of a series she's doing called "Mommy Bloggers". She's featuring some amazing women, aside from herself, who also happen to be great moms. You can see the post I linked on Instagram or you can click here to check out the feature, which shares how and why I got started in the blogging community. Again, thank you all for your continued support + encouragement!!

P.S.S. I've added a new board on Pinterest called "A Little Thrifty Chic" that links directly to photos, articles, and tutorials on this blog. Would love it if all of you Pinterest lovers you would go follow it to help spread the word! Thanks!

Ten Tips for Keeping a Tidy Home Daily

Do you have clutter that causes you stress? Do you get overwhelmed at the thought of cleaning up your house on a daily or weekly basis? Do you end up neglecting your house because you just can't figure out where to start? Well, I've got some tips that are sure to help you kick clutter stress in the butt!

I, by design, am a naturally tidy person. I love organization and order. I thrive on it, frankly. Teachers and parents used to comment frequently on how orderly my classroom was and how quiet and stress-free it appeared. Well, that was no accident you guys. I created that environment intentionally, not only for my students, but for me. I do the same with our home. An orderly space leads to a {more} orderly, less stressed lifestyle. So, let's dive in for  T E N tips on becoming tidy on a daily basis. Check yo'self before you wreck yo'self!

TEN TIPS FOR KEEPING A TIDY HOME 

O N E: This first one doesn't specifically deal with being "tidy", but it does set the stage for everything I'm about to say. Try to wake up around the same time every morning {those of you with kids, get up 30 minutes-ish before them if you can} and have some YOU time. For me this includes: coffee, Jesus Calling devotional, and a good scroll through Instagram.

T W O: Make your bed {and your kids' beds} AS SOON AS YOU {they} GET OUT OF IT. In fact, once old enough, teach your children to make their beds {not to perfection, but just the routine of it}. Even as a child, it was a requirement that I make my bed before leaving the house. It has always stuck with me. To this day, I cannot leave the house with an unmade bed. Weird? Maybe, but I promise it helps you feel accomplished first thing in the morning. It takes less than 2 minutes, and it really helps things look and feel tidy. Just do it.

T H R E E: After toys {or any other item} is taken out and used, put it away before moving to another location within the house. Two practical examples: 1) Emerson has a basket of blocks in her room. She loves pulling them out and scattering them across her room. NO PROBLEM there, however, I require that SHE HELP me put them back in the basket before we leave her room to go to another room. 2) We don't have a "master bathroom", meaning we all use the same one. So, hair products/styling tools, make up, etc is all stored in containers and/or baskets in the bathroom. Once I used my flat iron, I put it back in it's designated location to eliminate items from stockpiling on the bathroom counter. And for the record, the only thing that permanently stays on the bathroom counter is the soap dispenser. Everything else is stored in baskets/containers under the sink, in the medicine cabinet (behind the mirror), or in the linen closet. This is SO HUGE in eliminating unsightly clutter and unnecessary piles of stuff.

F O U R: To eliminate piles and piles of sky high laundry, start a load first thing in the morning. Do a load a day if necessary. This has been something I've been working on starting myself actually. Usually Trey + I do our own laundry, I think I have trust issues {haha}. But, recently his laundry pile has reach monumental proportions causing me slight anxiety, so I have just been doing his laundry for him. Realistically, this is helpful to him because he isn't here much, so he doesn't always have time to do it and/or he's scrambling to wash his work clothes at 9p in order to have them for the next day. Nevertheless, I now do laundry before Emerson wakes up + it has helped keep piles at a minimum.

F I V E: Straight up, get RID of stuff. Dedicate a month to going through each room in your house {a couple days at a time} and eliminating any and everything that isn't loved, or more importantly, used on a regular basis. This includes TOYS {!!!}, clothing, shoes, pens, paperwork, toiletries, and the like. I'm not a disorganized person, but I was stunned at the amount of STUFF that we had prior to decluttering recently. It is seriously FREEING to just get rid of it. Not only does this increase storage space for what you DO NEED, but it provides you with a cleaner, less cluttered environment. I posted this recently, but less stuff=less cleaning, more stuff=more cleaning.

S I X: I might catch some flack for this, but hang with me. Vacuum and wipe down your counters at least ONCE a day. I say "vacuum" not to mean the entire house every day, that should occur every couple of days. But, I used to vacuum certain spaces in our home like up to 3-4 times a day, which I agree is a little ridiculous. I have since cut down on that to now MAX 2 times daily. I try to only vacuum after dinner {or after meals, because let's be honest, I have a very messy toddler}. I wipe down the counters if there's a spill or something, but usually I do that after dinner, once we're pretty much finished using the counters for the day {for the most part anyway}. But crumbs and dirt on the floor are not pleasant on one's bare feet OR to the eye, so it's beneficial to everyone to get those up on a daily basis. Also, this is totally a personal choice, but we don't typically wear shoes in our house {unless others come over} because SO much bacteria and disgustingness is housed on the bottom of our shoes. Just think about all the places they touch during the day {um, public restrooms...*GROSS*}. I don't want that stuff coming into our home and leaving traces on the floors only to be picked up by my child when she inevitably eats food and other items off of the bare floor. Again, a personal choice, but one you may want to consider.

S E V E N: Give everything a home. It seems overwhelming, and it can be sometimes, but I promise once you  know where everything is and where it goes, it eliminates so much confusion and stress when it's time to clean up and/or find something. This is not to say that sometimes the designated space isn't overrun with items {like my hair styling basket for example-seen below}, but at the least, I know exactly where to look to find any hair styling item I may need without having to search multiple locations. Again, this is where eliminating unnecessary items is helpful. :)

E I G H T: Similar to seven, have a designated spot for everyday items, specifically those that are needed when leaving/entering the house: keys, wallet, purse, shoes, diaper bag, etc. We have hooks + a basket by the front door for all of Trey's daily items. I have more hooks in the mudroom for  jackets, umbrellas, and keys. Then in our hallway we have a hall tree bench, that hangs Trey's hats, the diaper bag and my purse. I know exactly where to look for all of those things, so if we're ever in a hurry, we know exactly where to go to grab what we need. I'm telling you, it saves so much time.

N I N E: Before you call it a night, do a once over of the house to straighten up. That, for me, includes washing the dishes and/or putting them in the dishwasher {An empty sink is HEAVEN in the morning}, and I like to straighten the pillows on the couch, refold any blankets that were used, pick up + put away shoes that were worn that day, etc. Waking up to a tidy house ensures a less stressful morning.

T E N: The least favorite, but equally as important for sanitary reasons: dusting and mopping. I don't do this every day. No, no. I try to do this at least one a week though, but if I'm being really honest, sometimes it's every two. I would say try to keep it at AT LEAST every two weeks to eliminate major dust bunnies {which are linked to allergies in this house} and disgusting stickiness on the floor. :)

So, there you have it. Ten ways to keep your house tidy on a daily {or weekly in some cases} basis. If you averaged the time it takes to do all of them in a day, I would say you are at about 30 minutes {assuming you already have designated spots for everything}, which is not a whole lot of time when it comes to keeping your home stress-free. Hopefully you've found something helpful here, and as always, if you have questions or comments, please let me know. :) Have a wonderful rest of your weekend, friends!

Watch and See

As I sit here staring at my computer screen, my fingers literally can't keep up with the speed at which my brain is moving. I have SO much to tell you guys, but so little arm strength currently. Why? Well, I worked out my arms + shoulders today...H A R D, and I'm incredibly sore already. Tomorrow isn't looking promising. Additionally, I told my husband that I'm officially becoming a "gym rat" {ha ha ha ha, I literally can't say or read that without laughing hysterically} because I have callouses on BOTH of my hands from lifting weights! I never thought I'd see the day. Okay, enough gym talk though because honestly I'm NOT a gym rat by any means AT ALL, and that's not why I'm writing today.

So you want to know what's racking my brain? This blog. My Instagram. Giveaways. Blog collaborations. DIY projects. Business opportunities within each of those things. You guys! God is doing big things right now for my creative side. He is opening doors that I didn't even know existed. 

Let me back up and explain how all of this came to be.

Most of you know that prior to Emerson's arrival on the scene, I was a 3rd grade public school teacher. I loved it, but there were many signs it was time for me to go a different route, and it just so happened that I got pregnant and that was the ULTIMATE sign. After having Emerson at the end of the summer 2014, I lost myself. I went into a deep spiral of emotion and negativity that I was unfamiliar with up until that point. As a fresh mama dealing with some serious postpartum depression, I was desperate for an outlet. I wasn't asking God for help, certainly not as much as I should've been, but God literally threw an "outlet" {in the form of a job opportunity} in my lap. It could not have come at a better time, honestly. I had Emerson in August 2014 and started this job in November 2014. I worked for a non-profit organization for a little over a year as a site coordinator and lead tutor in an elementary school. It was right up my alley, until I suddenly lost my passion for it. I can't really explain what flipped the switch, but I just knew that I wasn't the person for the job anymore. I made a rather rash decision to quit early last month before the spring semester really kicked off with the public schools, and after much discussion and prayer, I decided leaving the position was the right thing to do. My boss was very understanding and I felt at peace about it. 

>> Fast forward about a week >> 

With all this new found "extra" time, I began doing some more DIY/decor stuff around the house. I also started blogging a bit more {mind you, I still have a toddler with me all day, so most of this happens during her nap or after she goes to bed at night}. It ignited a fire in me that's been missing for a long time. I started getting major responses to my blog all of a sudden, and the recent projects that I've posted to IG were {SOMEHOW} gaining popularity/views, so I decided to research how I could gain more of a following to perhaps turn this passion for writing and decorating into a "job" of sorts. I read articles and blog posts and statistics about building your blog, how to write a good "about me" page to draw people in, what hashtags to use to bring in likeminded people, and how to capture an audience. Though, my focus wasn't really on what to write about, so much as it was how to get it out there to those people that would enjoy it's content. I contacted other bloggers, other moms {both friends + complete strangers on social media}, and I began asking questions about how they got started and how they continue to build their community of followers.

I stepped outside of my comfort zone on SO many levels. Sure, I love to talk, but I'm not one to ask strangers for their opinion. But, one of my goals for this year {ironically} has been to say "YES" more to things or situations that would normally make me uncomfortable. One of those has been to consistently exercise, and another has been to expand this blog {by means of my Instagram account mostly}. I'm a pretty private person, outside of this blog, but for some reason this blog is SUCH an outlet for me. It allows me to encourage others {hopefully}, while also build relationships and share my heart. I have built a following here and on Instagram, especially over the past month, and it just brings joy to my heart to know that people care enough about what I'm saying/showing them to keep coming back time and time again.

All that being said, within the past week alone, you've probably noticed that I've been very active on Instagram with posting my house projects and whatnot. This is due partly to the fact that I'm proud of them + how they turned out {and I hope to inspire others to do things to their homes that make them love being there}, but also because I love sharing in the community that enjoys projects and mommy-dom as much as I do. I say this next part not to brag or put myself on a pedestal, so please don't misread this, but I have gained 100 followers in one week! You guys, that's crazy to me!! Maybe it's not a big deal to most, but to me, it's a r e a l l y big deal. This week alone, I have been asked to host a giveaway {which helps to get your name out there to others in the community who love the things that you love}, to be featured on 2 other blogs by bloggers MUCH more popular than myself, AND I've received the most loving and encouraging comments on things that I've done, made, or written. I've been asked by 2 different people to create things for them based on something I created for our home. From the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful. Words of encouragement is definitely a love language of mine, so your words mean MORE THAN YOU KNOW. 

I am convinced that God is opening doors for me through this blog and through my Instagram account. I don't know if it will turn into a business venture or remain strictly a hobby, but one thing I do know for sure {and I realize that it sounds slightly ridiculous to say this} is that my "platform" {for lack of a better term} here with this blog + on my IG account, is confirming in my heart that God knows me far better than I know myself. And that His plans are greater than mine.  I believe that He knows my heart and my deepest desires. He knows how much I long to create and inspire others through doing what I love, writing and DIY'ing. I know that He has closed several doors in the past to open one that's far greater. I don't know what the future holds for me in regards to all that I've mentioned here today, but I'm so hopeful and excited to see how God uses me and this platform to further His work and His name. I know he'll keep me humble through it too. He's good at that!

Ps. In case you missed it and/or you don't follow me on Instagram {I forgive you, but seriously, go now}, here's a a DIY that I did yesterday for our mudroom. I posted about how I was planning to hang a sign over our mudroom door. It's a super quick DIY wooden sign that I created freehand using a ruler + a black SHARPIE. :) I love how it turned out, especially for it being my first one {the "O" was a little bigger than I'd planned, but OH well. ha!!}. I surprised myself with this one, honestly.

Thank you again for all of the love and all of the encouragement as I continue this journey, that's still somewhat unfamiliar territory to me. I am eagerly learning and waiting for what God is going to do. If you're a faithful follower and/or you've ever sent me love in the form of a text, email, call, message, comment, or any other form, T H A N K Y O U! You will never know how much I appreciate it. Stay with me and let's see where He takes it...

Mudroom Makeover on a Budget

As promised,  I am updating you guys on a last minute makeover project that was totally SPUR OF THE MOMENT thing. It's been a heck of a day, so this is late making it's way out, but it's here nevertheless, so that's all that matters! In case you missed it {and/or don't follow me on Instagram, which YOU SHOULD}, it's a mudroom makeover on an itsy, bitsy, teeny, weeny  yellow polka dot bikini budget.

I haven't quite finished the makeover yet, but thought it'd be fun to update you on the progress thus far. Have you guys heard of the new decor fad "ship lap"? It's basically like wood planking your walls, except with white boards {at least, that's what I've been led to believe}. Well, my original plan was to ship lap one of the walls in the mudroom, except not the real way...the fake way. The fake way being black sharpie. No really, I've seen a couple tutorials online about doing a faux ship lap wall using white paint, a yardstick, and a black sharpie. I think I've since nixed that idea because our walls are so textured that I'm not sure I'd be able to adequately draw the lines on the wall without them looking like I did it while intoxicated. It's not completely out of the question, but for now, I'm putting it on the back burner.

To begin the makeover, I painted this little room Benjamin Moore's White Dove to cover the existing color, Valspar's Morning Zen {a minty pale green}. That instantly brightened the space and provided a truly blank canvas. I haven't hopped aboard the all white err'ythang train yet, but it's growing on me for sure. To continue, I removed the existing curtain that covers the hot water heater + other unsightly tanks and replaced it with this random piece of fabric that I found at CHKD Thrift for $2.99. It's a very thin black and white gingham, borderline checkers, but I dig it. I knew I wanted the room to be mostly black and white, with some greenery and gold touches thrown in for pizazz.

Fast forward a couple days and I was able to take a solo trip to Goodwill to search for my trash to treasure items. I was searching mostly for a shelf, a vase {of sorts}, and any items that could work as wall decor. I may or may not have gotten sidetracked at the clothing section, but I  digress {also, don't knock it 'til you try it-75% of my wardrobe is thrifted-no shame in my game}. Here's what I found for the mudroom:
                  

The rectangular thing shown beside the oversized clothespin below was an ugly {beat-up} wooden wall plaque that had a picture of a blue dressed up dog on it. It was a REALLLL beauty, y'all. I got it for $1, painted it and modge podged a printable quote to it that says "Find a happy little something in every day", and I added it to our hallway gallery wall. It just didn't quite fit the mudroom wall like I was hoping. Oh, well no harm done.

The gold "vase" appears to be an antique old matches holder. It even has the striker on the side. The shelf was a twofer {2 identical little shelves for $3.75}. The oversized clothespin was just a light brown wood originally that I painted black; it was $1. AND MY FAVE PURCHASE, the gold lantern! It was a whopping $2 and I didn't have to do a thing to it because it was already gorgeous. Everything else pictured in the final gallery wall below were items I already owned. I tend to "shop" in my own house for items before I go buy anything. The only thing that was "new" to me {gifted} was the print, which says "Believe the best, Forgive the rest, and say I Love You".

After playing around for a bit, here's the final product {for now}. I have a project in the works for above the door. It involves a piece of wood + some paint. Okay, twist my arm. It's going to be a sign that says "Our Nest". I'll post pictures to Instagram once it's complete. The last two things I really need to do, excluding the sign, are find a flat rug that doesn't catch on the door + work on drawing on my DIY chalkboard covered wall electrical panel.

 The "L" was white, but I painted colored it with a gold sharpie. The little ceramic "I love you" heart was a $1 Michael's find like 6 years ago. Oh, and the framed picture of the couple kissing in the car {which was teal, you just can't tell}, that's us on our wedding day. :)

Thanks for checking in and again, my apologies for the later than anticipated post. You can thank my sweet girl for that. Apparently, a 20 minute car nap was sufficient for today. OH, and I locked my keys in my car while I was NOT at home. Sooooo, yeah I've been a little preoccupied today. First time for everything, I suppose. Speaking of, I just ripped my favorite pajama pants. This day calls for frozen yogurt. DO OVER PLEASE!

Thanks for reading you guys and be sure to check out my Instagram {linked on the right sidebar of the homepage} for updates and pictures of my girl. XO!