Making Time for Crafts

The kids and I had an afternoon to kill at home while Brett studied for a test earlier this week. We'd already gone for a wagon ride through the neighborhood, jumped on our neighbor's trampoline, read some books, made a mess at lunch time, and watched Pink Panther on Netflix.

I decided it was time to introduce Ruby to the joys of water colors. Sebastian isn't always up for crafting when I suggest a new project but he's always up for painting with water colors. He spent a good ten minutes working on his project this time, which is a good eight minutes longer than he used to. That made me happy.

Ruby took to that paint set like it was an old hobby of hers. I did catch her trying to drink the dirty water, sucking the water off the brush, stealing her brother's paint brush, and painting on my arm but she lasted as long as Sebastian and ended up getting some color on her paper coffee filter.

When we were through I had to wrestle it away for a pic. It was headed for her mouth. I may save it forever.

Sebastian ended up with a stained glass effect which I thought was interesting. I wonder what this type of painting is supposed to tell me about my child.

We got the popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners out of the craft box and made flowers out of the paper coffee filters. I have about a bajillion more from a garage sale that may turn into a garland one of these days.

I need to remember to sit down with the paint sets more often. Ruby is much more interested in coloring than Sebastian ever was (or still is) at her age so it's been fun to encourage that in her. I never had to worry about marks on the walls with Sebastian, though. Thank goodness for Magic Erasers.

Sebastian was so proud of his paper flower when he was done. It was a nice little break from sword fights, couch jumping, karate chops, and crashing block towers.

xoxo,
Rachel

The Easiest DIY Ever

I found a bunch of acrylic gas station letters and numbers at a flea market in OKC, OK that have been sitting around just waiting for something to do. I had a small stack sitting on my side table and needed something to put my coffee cup on when it dawned on me. DUH. Make them into coasters.

Being acrylic, they are a little tricky to cut. I tried using kitchen scissors but then decided to try and use my paper cutter. It needed sharpening anyway. I would suggest using an X-acto knife or sharper craft scissors.

Mark them in the middle or cut them into squares so they are even on all sides.

They have a really modern, graphic feel to them and it's another way to add a little bit of an industrial feel to your home. I found mine for $ .25 each so I didn't mind cutting them in half. You may be able to find some at your local flea market or Etsy. Here are a few.

They'd look great in black and I've seen some in orange and would be the perfect house warming gift for a friend with modern tastes.

xoxo,
Rachel

Room Tour: Behind Closed Doors

Doesn't my title sound like a Dateline segment? So, I knew I wanted to share a little more about this space after sharing photos in it's BEST state yesterday. It took a lot of work to get things in place and an hour of my husband keeping the kids out of the house for me to even get those shots because they are always in there if I am. It's not always as camera ready as it was in the room tour but we do try to keep the chaos to a minimum and at the end of the day, the floor has to be cleared. It keeps me sane.

We have a lot of loud, colorful toys in primary colors that we store in the bottom half of the white wardrobe. It gives the kids easy access to getting them out and, more importantly, putting them up when they're done. Ruby is a stellar picker upper right now but Sebastian needs more convincing so I race him to see who can pick up Legos or trains the fastest. He instantly joins in. It's my #1 trick.

Sebastian doesn't have as many clothes as Ruby for obvious reasons (hello, the selection for girls is SO much harder to resist) and most of his stuff is pretty toned down so having them on display in their room isn't really distracting or overwhelming. It's at a height that allows him to pick out his own clothing and have that sense of independence. I even bought plastic hangers without grooves so he could pull his shirts off without having to remove them from the curtain rod.

Originally, I wanted a wardrobe with doors for Ruby's clothing because it felt really ideal and sweet but now I'm thankful I have a way to hide the color explosion. It's nice to be able to keep things tucked away and it's high enough that she can't get up there and pull it all out herself. Because she would.

And this is what it looks like right before nap time, after nap time, before dinner, and until bed when we have another round of racing to clean up. Organization and tidiness don't come naturally to me. I have to work extra hard to instill those habits into my kids but I also want them to be able to enjoy making productive messes. Messes mean you're having fun or something.

What are some of your tricks for keeping ALL of those Thomas trains and legos from taking over?

xoxo,
Rachel

Ruby and Sebastian's Room Tour

Sebastian and Ruby's shared room has been one of my favorite rooms to decorate in our current rental. I imagined it being a place that not only met practical needs such as storage but inspired play and creativity. I wanted them to have memories of their space being a little imaginative and full of color.

I used my vintage globe collection for color inspiration. I have always loved the muted colors of these old globes and knew it would allow me to use traditionally boy and girl colors in the same space easily. I took the pinks, yellows, greens, and some aqua when putting Ruby's side together and the aqua, yellows, greens, and browns on Sebastian's side.

I had this one bare wall near the entry that had so much potential that it kind of intimidated me. I wanted to do something big and fun but didn't want to spend money on more furniture or a big art piece. One day I was out thrifting when I came across the largest blank chalkboard seen above and suddenly knew I had enough to warrant a collection and that they all needed to be displayed together.

I hung them a little lower than usual for practical reasons and secured them with screws and double-sided 3M tape to make sure they wouldn't fall on little toes. Our neighbor's kids came over last week and one of the little girls instantly started drawing on the chalkboard. That's when I knew it had been a good idea.

In the first corner by the entrance is a bookshelf we found for free in Seattle. I've filled it with art prints from Michele Maulle, Freya, an interactive art journaling piece inspired by Shauna, some other items I've made for Ruby, and a lot of thrifted vintage toys and decor. We've got photos and board books in the baskets as well as momentos from her home birth and those first few weeks together.

I found this vintage fan at a shop in Ada, OK and grabbed it as soon as I saw the brand was the same as Ruby's middle name (minus an 'm').

The white wardrobe was the solution to having small closets in our last place. I found it at a resale shop, sanded it, painted it, and added a curtain rod and hooks on the top level when I was seven months pregnant with Ruby. It was one of the most enjoyable DIY's I've ever worked on because when was done I got to fill it with tiny pink clothes! The bottom houses most of their toys and games. I love having all of those loud colors out of site.

The rocking horse in the foreground was one of Ruby's Christmas presents from Plan Toys and the rug was purchased new from Goodwill but is originally from Target. Ruby comes in here and lays on it almost every day.

I made Ruby's crib sheets (as well as two other sets) out of vintage flat sheets, crocheted her afghan, and painted the rainbow. You can see the set up in our old house here. I purchased this Ashley G. print for our living room originally but it worked perfectly with these colors. I love her work.

The crib skirt was handmade and the bumper is from IKEA. This is the fourth crib we've used between the two of them due to recalls, moving, and borrowing.

The print on the opposite side of the crib from the Ashley G. print is from Pretty Little Thieves.

I made the curtains for their room from a vintage sheet as well. I really love the mid-century headboard on Sebastian's bed and was so happy to have discovered it for $7 after searching for something for months. The hand-tied quilt is vintage and the afghan was thrifted. I painted the wood grain piece three years ago and made the triangle mobile earlier this year.

I've collected vintage Melmac saucers and aluminum cups in small sizes for the kids to use while playing kitchen. They're durable and extra easy on the eyes!

Sebastian's 'closet' was a Billy bookshelf from IKEA that we picked up for free in Seattle and used as his wardrobe in our one bedroom apartment right after he was born. Since then I've covered the inside backing with wood grain contact paper, added a rod and hooks, and adjusted the shelving as his clothes have gotten bigger!

I've thrifted various display pieces such as the signage, typewriter, and metal toy gun. He's currently into Transformers so I cleared one shelf off for him to display them without worrying about Ruby's little hands reaching them.

The garland on the chalkboard wall used to be above Ruby's crib but I relocated it when I hung her rainbow painting. The Modernica rocker was a birthday gift about three years ago and the doll house was purchased on Amazon for Ruby's birthday. It's still a work in progress as I'm slowly collecting vintage Fisher Price furniture and people to fill it.

It's been over four months since we moved in and I'm finally ready to call this room finished! The kids have plenty of space to dump out legos and build towers, read on the soft rug, and even play indoor basketball. I totally took the basketball hoop off the back of the door for pictures. It got us through many winter days and will probably get us through a few hot summer ones, too.

I think it's really important for kids to enjoy their surroundings and I'm thankful that we've been able to create a space that fits in with the rest of the house and is easy on the eyes. It's been a fun process of collecting, thrifting, and repurposing over four plus years and has yielded us a room we all love.

Thanks for taking the tour!

xoxo,
Rachel

p.s. You can see Sebastian's room here, and how we changed it to be their room at our last house.

Vintage Here, Vintage There: Inside Weather

I took these photos about three weeks ago before we left for Spring Break when the weather was mostly crummy and too chilly to go outside and still have semi-happy faces. So, we borrowed a newly painted bench from the end of our bed and found some inside light near a window.

I found Ruby's top at 3RingCircus a few weeks ago. It arrived with a special surprise in it for Sebastian that he wore in this post. And since then Heather has been sweet enough to send over two more tops that her daughter has grown out of, one of which we've worn and is already in the wash. Thank you, Heather!!! Expect a return favor early next week!

Her adorable little shoes remind me of some I'm sure I had as a little girl. I got them from Freckle Wonder months and months ago but Freckle Wonder now has it's own kids' vintage shop called Kid Wonder. Head on over if you haven't see it yet!

I found my dress at a local flea market and am happy to say that I now need to take it in at the sides a little bit! I've lost about four pounds since we started the Paleo Plan (without exercise because I've been kind of lazy in that department) which has felt kind of wonderful. I don't mind having to take in dresses for that reason AT ALL. Let them pile up!!

It's finally feeling like we're past the point of needing heavy sweaters but I'm holding on to my cardigans well into May just in case. I may have one in every color. Yep.

I wore: Vintage dress, thrifted. Vintage belt, thrifted. Cardigan and shoes, Target.
Ruby wore: Tee, Target. Top, 3RingCircus. Pants, thrifted. Shoes, Frecklewonder.

I'm so thankful for both of my kids and love enjoying the differences in their personalities and ways they're wired. Ruby is such a cuddler and often follows me around the house with an animal book or her pink shoes. I know I'll look back in a few years and be so glad we had a fun reason to take photos together each week.

Here are a few of my favorite vintage things for mamas this week: Bare Shoulders, Full Skirted, Stripey, Farmer's Market, Carnival, Just For Fun.

And a few of my favorite vintage things for the little ladies: Strawberry Picking, Rainbows and Hearts, Spring Blouse, Picnic Ready, Easter Sunday, Tea Time.

I've been hunting for the perfect vintage Easter Dress for my Ruby and may have found it this week! She's got a lot of pastel in there but nothing for fancier occasions. I think we may have to set aside a special VH, VT post just for this, Rubyellen!

Be sure to check out what Rubyellen wore in her VH, VT post yesterday. She looks so good with her itty bitty baby bump! I am so happy that we're going to have our own 'how to wear vintage while prego' feature for the next six months! YAY for babies!

xoxo,
Rachel

Now Accepting April Sponsors

Join the lovely crowd in the sidebar for April and see if sponsoring Smile and Wave is a good fit for your growing blog or shop. My readers enjoy vintage clothing and home goods, handmade, DIY's, art and illustrations, photography, and yummy treats. With over 3,800 followers (growing daily) and regular posting, you're sure to draw new traffic and potential sales.

Check out current rates here. Contact Leigh-Ann at admanagers(at)frecklednest.com to secure your spot for April before they fill up!

xoxo,
Rachel

p.s. We've had some fabulous sponsors in March. Stay tuned for a giveaway next week!

Vintage Mama: Tammy of Ms. Tips

Head over to Rubyellen's blog to find out how more about Tammy's vintage shop and how she styles herself and her family! I've favorited more than my fair share of things in this lady's shop. It's up there in my top ten for interesting pieces for little ones AND grown ups.

Thanks for sharing with us, Tammy! See some of her favorites here.
xoxo,
Rachel

***** vintage mama features *****

vintage here, vintage there: vintage mama heather

vintage here, vintage there: vintage mama karen

vintage here, vintage there: vintage mama james

vintage here, vintage there: vintage mama alix

vintage here, vintage there: vintage mama beth

vintage here, vintage there: vintage mama danielle

vintage here, vintage there: vintage mama stacy

vintage here, vintage there: vintage mama gisela

Framed

With the help of some Twitter friends I found a frame large enough (and cheap enough) to fit this print that has been rolled up in it's original mailing tube for three plus years. It's shiny black plastic, which paired with the hot pink print makes it feel a little like it belongs in a teenager's bedroom. I would have preferred a natural wood but you work with what you have, right? I may take some sand paper and black matte spray paint to it and see if that helps.

Otherwise, I'm really happy to finally have it on display in our bedroom. There's a lot of pink in there now but Brett can handle pink. I like that about him.

I'm not sure if this print is still available online but I bought it from ReForm School. Here's one of my current favorites from their print selection. And these two. I need more walls.

xoxo,
Rachel

Yes, That's A Bowl of Garlic

No, that bowl of garlic was not my breakfast. I DID enjoy that cup of green tea with raw honey. I love sunny mornings in my kitchen.

xoxo,
Rachel

From The Road: Vintage Findings

Spring break last week meant a road trip to visit family on both sides, which also meant stopping at flea markets and thrift stores along the way. Here are a few of my favorite things. Some were lifted from my MIL's stash before they had a chance to make it into her Etsy shop, some were almost free, and some were just worth the extra hour they tacked on to the long drive.

Square one includes three Vera napkins, an unusual Pyrex casserole dish and matching green mixing bowl, a vintage sand bucket with fantastic coloring, a LOT of vintage binding, a green lotus dish, a fun metal trash can for my studio, a floral, vinyl tablecloth, and a yellow enamel Dansk stock pot with lid.

Then there were two vintage aprons (among other things not shown) from my MIL. Thanks, Cheryl! A few vintage pieces for Ruby, a crocheted daisy afghan, vintage placemats in a fun green color, vintage pink Minnetonka mocs, a Fisher Price person, and a lovely embroidered piece.

I also got this beautiful piece of chintz fabric from Brett's grandma. It's just so pretty I don't want to use it quite yet. I'll have to think of the perfect project. It's a tad blurry here.

We're hitting a point now where our walls and closets are finally full of vintage/thrifted pieces so it's much harder to come back from a thrifting trip feeling really satisfied. I used to get that cheap (sometimes) high every time I went shopping for my vintage Etsy shop, Pony Party. Springfield and the surrounding areas have some great thrifting so it's always been kind of easy.

As of this week, though, I'm taking a thrifting break. Unless it's a vintage sheet that I can use for quilt kits, something I absolutely need and can find cheaper than at full retail, (or something REALLY special in the wardrobe dept.), I'm going to leave it for someone else to pick up. Have I just put three clauses on my hiatus?

It's a fun habit but lately it's felt a little less satisfying and that usually means something. Thankfully, I have a whole batch of vintage dresses that have been waiting for warm weather (and a little time at the sewing machine) to be shared!

Anyone else have too much of a good thing in their life at the moment?

xoxo,
Rachel

Kid's Room Sneak Peek

It's taken me three and a half months but I finally have the kids' shared room organized and decorated! We're renters and will only be in this home (as far as we know) until Thanksgiving time (but you never know with the military) so I wanted to get things in place as quickly as I could to enjoy it as long as we could. Three months doesn't sound quick at all but it's been a process of feeling out each space, using what we have, picking up a few extras, and finding the time to drill into our plaster walls so as not to wake anyone up from a nap!

I'm really enjoying our space and can't wait to share how we've made it work for us!

xoxo,
Rachel