40 WEEK pregnancy update!!

4.18.2018

40 WEEK pregnancy update!!

Happy due date, baby!!
We are SO ready to meet you! And, well, because we've never done this before, we're actually ready to find out if we're ready. :P So much preparation and apprehension and worry can go into having a baby for the first time, we have been doing a mix of preparing for the worst and hoping for the best... and now we're really anxious to see how hard it actually will be.

And, as I have shared in all my pregnancy updates but now more than ever, I am so proud of my body and grateful that I've had a textbook experience so far and everything is going as it should.

But, I am getting a little uncomfortable and having some weird side effects... figured I should document them here!

READ POST

No comments

All about rugs!!! Rug size by room, prices, sources, and more!

4.17.2018

All about rugs!!! Rug size by room, prices, sources, and more!

Ohhh, I love rugs. I have spent hours, HOURS perusing sources for new and vintage ones and am still not bored of it. I love learning what rug sizes work in what rooms, where to position them with common furniture pieces, etc. so I know what I'm buying will work!

READ POST

No comments

Real simple IKEA hack - Hemnes dresser to changing table update for the nursery

4.16.2018

Real simple IKEA hack - Hemnes dresser to changing table update for the nursery

It has been too long since I've done a DIY project or house update! We have our own apartment now so I have a little freedom and have been hanging art, etc. (see updates on Instagram) but we don't have a lot of room to work with and are trying not to buy new furniture until we have our next house.

The exception is baby stuff. We have a crib and I've done some nursery mood board-ing, but we don't have room for it yet so have this bassinet set up and most of the baby stuff is in our big hall closet built-ins.

I knew I needed a dresser for baby clothes and more... I dreamed of a medium wood tone mid-century one, but couldn't find one the right width on Craigslist and didn't want to spend $$$$$ on a new one when the style for the nursery might change at the next house. So, I bought an IKEA Hemnes on Craiglist and did a minor IKEA hack on it to make it look good in our current place!

The Hemnes is a nice traditional style line, but I haaaate the big black cartoon-ey bug eye handles they come with. (I changed them out for a pull style on our Hemnes bathroom vanity--big improvement.) For this dresser, I thought about a pull or wider handle, but didn't feel like drilling the second holes... so this is a really easy project!

I looked at different knob options and thought about hexagons, midcentury look cones, and more... but ended up going with this simple modern "finger pull." I got a pack of 10 so I might use them on something else, too. I really like them!

READ POST

No comments

Oregon hazelnut and frozen blackberry tart recipe - grain-free, gluten-free, Paleo, real food!

4.12.2018

Oregon hazelnut and frozen blackberry tart recipe - grain-free, gluten-free, Paleo, real food!

It has been a super long winter for many of us all over the US... berry-picking season seems a long way away, but we still have some frozen berries in the freezer from last year and the Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission is collecting recipes that use frozen berries and other Oregon-grown ingredients in delicious recipes.

What says Oregon more than berries and hazelnuts?! I've made a lot of nut-based crusts in my day but never used this many hazelnuts and man, is it special.

The Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission supports hundreds of Oregon growers of raspberries, blackberries, Marionberries, and other caneberries and wants to spread the word that we can eat Oregon berries all year long! Thanks to them for sponsoring this post!

READ POST

No comments

Real [Estate] Talk: How to SELL a Home

4.10.2018

Real [Estate] Talk: How to SELL a Home

How clever is that title? ;) Thankyou,thankyou,thankyou. Haha. Seriously though, real estate can be a scary topic... I'm not sure which is scarier, the though of buying or selling, but figured we'd start with selling since I'm fresh off of it with the Stanley 90's Reno.


We personally have almost sold houses (meaning we had an offer we moved forward with) four times!, only once with mutual success. Ashley has sold a house once, in a different market than the one we're in here in the Portland area, so our experiences are pretty different. Episode 16 of the Your Home Story podcast includes our experiences plus short- and long-term tips for selling a house!

So if you think you might be selling in the next 5? years (or working with sellers as a buyer), tune in to this episode!

(You can see all of the before and after listing photos from when we bought and sold the Stanley 90's Reno here. We had quite a few issues... you can read about why our first offer fell through here.)

READ POST

No comments

My favorite sources for great affordable lighting fixtures! Plus 43 great pieces

4.05.2018

My favorite sources for great affordable lighting fixtures! Plus 43 great pieces

I loooove shopping for lighting. The other day I got a question on Instagram I think about where I source lighting fixtures and I was like HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE!?! I could seriously talk about lighting forever and would love to help each and every new homeowner replace the dated or mismatched light fixtures in their homes with something more their style.

Next best thing? I thought I should share my top 4 sources for affordable, stylish lighting, plus some favorite pieces.

First, some lighting wins from the Stanley 90's Reno. (Check out all my lighting posts here.)

Bathroom lighting is a particularly good one to update - it's not too expensive, and it can be so ugly and builder basic! So pick out something cool. Like we did in the guest bathroom. This fixture is no longer available but this one is similar.

READ POST

No comments