book love - kid made modern

Todd Oldham's new book Kid Made Modern is awesome! It is full of funky crafty ideas that you can do with your kids, and that you won't mind having posted around your house! Case in point- this mobile foam project pictured below. So easy, and SO cute! There are tons more ideas that bring color and life to your home, and give you and your little ones some fun time creating together. Examples include woven belts, cuff bracelets by recycling plastic water bottles, and crazy custom wall decals from contact paper. Link here to buy this book on Amazon, or go to your local library and borrow it (that's what I did).

martha stewart kitchens at home depot

My husband and I had a night out last week (date night rocks!) and since it didn't take us that long to eat and talk over our in-process house plans, we decided to stop in at Home Depot to take a look for anything that might inspire us. I know, so romantic, (and yet, for us and our dream of the new house coming true, it actually was!). I was really excited when I saw the display for the Martha Stewart kitchens because they embody several elements matching up with the whole vibe we want to go for in our future kitchen (white, airy, traditional done in a modern way...). The above image will probably be closer to what we go for than this image below, but the gray with white countertop is a great inspiration for our island. Seriously, just looking at these pictures makes me want jump up and down with excitement for the day that these snippets and glimpses become our real kitchen!

I loved the new Corian samples that looked a lot like marble, but I am definitely skeptical of going that route, since it seems like scratching could be a problem, as well as the risk of discoloration if something hot were to be set down. Also, smaller samples looked great in-store, but as you can see from the first picture I posted, the overall pattern of the Bedford Marble (see chips below) doesn't look very natural. I think the second picture showing the Sea Salt looks better. I liked the look of the Shoreline in person, too, and I saw a larger sample countertop. I guess it's only relevant if you want Corian- and I'm not sure that I do (we'll leave that to another post)- but at the very least it's great inspiration to see combinations, especially if you figure that the real thing (marble or quartz) in the same palette will look better.

I also really loved the hardware that was offered, which really had a balance of that traditional/modern thing I want to accomplish. I really love the look of these longer handles with the finial detail. I have the simple, sleek handles right now but they seem a little bit more modern than I would like in the new kitchen. I also would love to add the look of bin pulls on the drawers, for a bit of old school charm.

Finally, I absolutely loved the look of this kitchen, too. But it's just not what we're going for. But it's yellow! (Soooo cute.) But I promised my husband that I would reign in the wide range of my desires to actually have a plan. So I'm sticking to white. But I sure hope somebody out there chooses this one, though, and has me over for dinner so I can see it in person!

P.S. The cabinets didn't look up to par on quality, although maybe because that's the in-store doors that  have tons of peoples' mitts all over them, but still, we weren't super impressed. However, the looks offered in the glass doors were very charming, and there are so many options. If you are interested in any or all of these items, go to your local Home Depot, or click here for more Martha Stewart kitchen goodness.

snow day

 

Happy Snow Day to you!

Here's my little nutkin, all bundled up for the weather.

book love - charley harper board books

If you're like me, you have every board book in your house memorized- page for page. Although it's worth every minute that you can sit and spend that time with your child, it can kind of make your stomach turn to know how many dozens (hundreds?!) of times you've stared at the pages of some pretty lame stuff. If you are tired of the same old pictures of baby vocabulary labeled with bubble fonts, give your eyes a treat and get these Charley Harper board books to add to your collection.

The art is beautiful and geometric, and the colors are uplifting. The essential 123s and ABCs are elevated to a taste level that makes any design-savvy mom happy to take in, and your nutkin will still be mesmerized by the bright pictures and straightforward labels.

I do have a teeny tiny bone to pick with the fact that in one book the image is labeled as apes and in the other they are chimpanzees... so minor, I know, but when you've read a book 74 times these things are bound to start nagging at the back of your brain. Even still, these are definite favorites of mine!

batman and robin

This print had me smiling as soon as I saw it! It is brought to you (and definitely me) by Etsy seller Judy Kaufmann. Someday, when our new house exists and the art is up, you're going to see the esteemed spot that gets to present these super-buddies. Clark is going to love it. Second favorite: Frida.

purple bridal shower - simple!

 This summer I co-hosted a bridal shower for a bride who loves purple. We aren't from the social circles that host super-formal showers (especially because of the large #s of family and friends in the same area- our showers are usually about 30 to 40 women!) so we decided to keep it simple.

 

 I used live annuals to decorate with an array of purples, from lavender to magenta to deep violet, which was soooo pretty. (This picture shows how simple it was to make the containers- soup cans and snack cartons covered in cute craft paper!) In each small arrangement I stuck a sign that stated a wish that we had for the couple, i.e. "we wish you prosperity" or "we wish you romance." It was a small touch to make her know that we want to share more with her (and him) than just the gifts.

 I also decided to use the couple's wedding website as inspiration, since not many people even knew that they had one, and since I love to use type as decor. Simple tags attached to kisses were passed out, and small vases with fresh lavender and branches had the little sign popping out (attached to kabob sticks for height). So sorry about the bad pics! Way cuter in person, I think you can tell...

circle bib necklace

I have been wanting to make my own version of this adorable wooden-circle bib necklace from Martha Stewart for about a year. With my new-found energy to actually start AND finish my creative ideas (my mom once called me the queen of unfinished projects- sad), I did it, and I love the results. I think this necklace could go with a lot of different tops, and could definitely be appropriate in winter or summer- bonus points for versatility!

I used glass beads from a local craft shop, but you could definitely use the wooden ones like Martha. I did reduce the number of beads per circle, since my beads are smaller, but you can determine how many look best on yours by trial and error. I also didn't do as many circles since I didn't have that many beads, but a pretty ribbon will be perfect, and will make the length adjustable (depending on how long I leave the ribbon when I tie it). A super added bonus is that this only took me about 30 minutes and only cost about $10!

kitchen scheme

In our new house, I am shooting for a gray and white kitchen that contains both traditional and modern elements. I want the look to be as timeless as possible, while making sure that it doesn't lack interest and style. I am thinking all white cabinets, a few upper cabinets with glass doors, and a gray island. Our flooring will be a medium to dark wood. Here are a few inspiration photos, found here, here, here, and here.

yellow and gray nursery

This morning while checking my weekly email from BabyCenter, I found myself clicking over to see a "sweet & sunny" nursery that was featured. It is not just adorable, it looks completely attainable. My favorite feature is definitely the yellow dresser (!) with number knobs (must. obtain. these.) and a close second is the circle art on the wall. And then there's that fabric she used on the bedskirt and footstool. Oh, and the window treatments! OK, you know you want to see more pictures and get more details, so click here for the whole scoop.

new house

My husband Joe and I have been dreaming about planning and building our own home since before we got married. My parents have done it twice, his parents once, and my sister did it with her husband, too. We think that being able to be a part of the process of making a house that will become our family's home for the duration is an incredible project, making it such a personal, sacred, custom and unique space. Because we don't live in a big city, and because Joe is so dedicated to our family as an engineer by day, we are going to be able to make our dream come true this year!

We have drawn up dozens of plans, perused hundreds of pictures from blogs, read endless amounts of magazines (clipping pictures all along), and checked out several books from the library. We are currently working with Joe's uncle, Tere Thornhill, to really pull our floor plan together, making sure that it's got everything we need, most of what we wanted (all budget-related, of course, since the sky is the limit when you're just in the dream-planning stage!), and that it all fits with the parameters of the covenants, ordinances, lot dimensions, etc. I will be sharing stages of these developments with you as big decisions and milestones arrive.

So far, here are the key elements that we know of:
-craftsman style: going for traditional with some modern charm that may show through in the colors and/or the accessories (like big bright planters or cool succulent/grass landscaping)
- river view to the southwest/west end of the lot
- daylight basement for maximizing the view on the main floor (upper floor), and because of the covenants that forbid building a two story house
- five bedrooms- hoping for a full house someday, as well as regular entertaining our large extended family
- big kitchen/dining/living space that is open but well defined
- hoping to have a library(!), aka the office, but with lots of books books books
- of course the other basic things like bathrooms, laundry, closets, storage, etc.

More details to come, but just wanted to give you an appetizer of the feast that's on its way! Please feel free to comment or email with advice and/or questions as things progress.

happy new year! ... and goodbye 2010

- right hand raised -

I, Julie of  Nutkin and Nest, am ready to ring in the new year, 2011, with this updated blog design and a commitment to making my creativity known! For years now I've been endlessly inspired by so many blogs and have been just itching to be a part of the super cute-creative-fun-chic-smart-unique blog club (here's hoping that you're all as chill and fun as your blog posts make you out to be, and, of course, that I'm worthy)!

I have false-started blogging a few times, since it seemed awkward to put my ideas out there, worrying that I didn't have enough cash to make projects as cool as I would want, and thinking that it would take too much time away from my family. Also, I once complained to a friend that some blogs seem to stage "moments" for the sake of a good blog post, which would definitely be something that I couldn't stomach- living a contrived life for the sake of an audience...  She replied that having a blog inspires people to make more lemonade out of their lemons by making time to try new things, focusing on creativity and enrichment instead of just crossing things off of a list, or amping up a party or project or just day-to-day activities more than they normally might. And, that by having one of my own, it might just give me an extra boost to do more for my family and push my creativity instead of limiting me. From then on I realized that it was true, and that I'd make sure that this is exactly what having a blog would do for me- just keep me inspired to keep doing fun, creative, enriching things for my family, and to share with others.

This year might be a test of my perseverance, but undoubtedly will be a huge bonus for my creative juices. To start off with karma on my side, I would like to list my top ten favorite blogs to give credit where inspirational credit is due. These blogs harbor all or parts of what Nutkin and Nest is all about-  design, kids, decor, parties, family, photography, reading, generosity, style, color and the DIY attitude. In no particular order:

 

Making it Lovely 

Inchmark

Oh Joy!

Design Mom

Young House Love

Little Green Notebook

Amy Atlas

A Great Full Day

Jordan Ferney

How About Orange

P.S. - Thanks in advance to anyone who becomes an interested reader!!! Send me a note, I'd love to hear who you are and what you like about N & N.