Note from Design Mom: While I’m busy with the move to France, I’ve got a crew of talented Guest Moms filling in for me. Here’s a really cute project from Destri of The Mother Huddle. Enjoy!
I am just in the beginning phases of decorating my little girls room and after tallying the cost of everything I wanted, I found my eyes to be a little bigger than my pocket book, dang it. :) So I made a list of everything I wanted in the room, and decided which items I could make myself to save money for a few key items. This project came from that list. Let’s get started!
Click here for the full Alphabet Art instructions.
What an exciting weekend we have before us! Packing. Movers. Storage. I found the photo above from It’s Mary Ruffle. I’m going to try and channel that pretty organization while I fill boxes and suitcases. : ) In the meantime, here are a few things I’ve been wanting to share with you:
- The white minimalist nursery. Do not fear it.
- I love interior before and after shots.
- Did you know H&M has a home line?
- Falling in love with lightbulbs.
- I could get into collecting ceramics.
- Erin’s $100 rule.
- My crush on Texas continues.
I write for Babble’s Family Style blog. Here are this week’s posts:
- Girl applying lipstick while on moped = adorable.
- These took my breath away — such intricate details.
- Winter madness at your house? Try this fix.
- Elephants are the new option for teething babies.
- There’s nothing quite as nostalgic as Little People.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend with lots of downtime, TV watching and slow meals. Or wait. Maybe that’s what I’m daydreaming about for my own weekend. Hah! I’ll see you back here on Monday. I miss you already.
kisses,
Gabrielle
P.S. — I’ve got two great giveaways going on this weekend for Waterford Institute and The Vintage Pearl. Don’t miss out.
Here’s another one of those practical posts about France. It’s features the accordion folder above (which has lately become a beloved object of mine) and how we are moving and storing our belongings while out of the country.
But before I tell you about all of that, I must show you these post-it notes I’ve been using with the accordion folder. They’re part of the organization system designed by Peter Walsh. They come with tapered corners(!) and I think they are much prettier than the typical post-it colors.
Click here to read more about my beloved folder.
You’re in luck! Double giveaways today. The second one is sponsored by ever-charming, The Vintage Pearl. They’re offering two $50 gift certificates. Yay!
The Vintage Pearl offers dozens of choices — each one handcrafted. You’ll love wearing their necklaces every single day. My favorites are the mama bird, the baby feet and the vintage lovebirds. Such affordable prices! If you win, you’ll be able to pick up a couple of pretty things.
Visit The Vintage Pearl and leave a comment below to enter. The winners will be announced on Monday. Good luck!
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Stacey and Tiffany are the lucky winners! Thanks for playing!
I have two fun giveaways for you today! The first one is sponsored by Waterford Institute™ and the Read Strong blog. They are offering up a 4 month subscription to Rusty and Rosy Reading™ for one child ($100 value) — perfect for children from preschool through second grade.
Rusty and Rosy Reading is new-t0-me, so I did a little research and this is what I found:
• This program individualizes learning for your child. Extra practice is provided where your child needs more practice.
• It includes over 185 original songs, 240 digital books with beautiful artwork — that’s hundreds of hours of activities and instruction.
• Children can use Rusty and Rosy Reading™ independently — parents don’t need to know anything about teaching.
• Waterford Institute™, the nonprofit organization that developed Rusty and Rosy Reading™, has been developing educational software for 30 years and has invested over $135 million in its software.
What do you think? Does that sound like something your child would benefit from? Perfect! Go ahead and visit Waterford Institute™ and leave a comment below to enter. The winner will be announced on Monday. Good luck!
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Ayme is the lucky winner! Thanks for playing!
Note from Design Mom: While I’m busy with the move to France, I’ve got a crew of talented Guest Moms filling in for me. Here’s another great project post (so cute!) from Khali Whatley of Little Lovely. Enjoy!
Living in France for a year is bound to be an amazing adventure for the entire Blair family. The Blair children will make lots of wonderful memories, so I created memory boxes to help them remember their time abroad. They’re really simple and a cute alternative to journals.
Click here to see the full DIY.
Note from Design Mom: While I’m busy with the move to France, I’ve got a crew of talented Guest Moms filling in for me. Today, Sarah is sharing her story of growing up in France. Don’t you love this themed family photo? Enjoy!
In 1989, my parents became Christian missionaries and moved our family to France. I was seven, and my younger siblings were five and three. At the time, we had no idea how this decision would change our lives. We just knew that something exciting was happening!
We spent one year in language school in a small town in the southwest of France, but I don’t remember much about how I learned to speak French. In the mornings, we gathered in a special classroom where we were explicitly taught French. My teacher knew precisely two words in English: “shut” and “up”. But somehow, I magically spoke the language pretty fluently by the end of that school year. In fact, it became so natural that my sister, brother, and I started using “Frenglish” around the house. When we transitioned to outright French, my parents tried to outlaw the use of it at home…. they claimed they were worried we would lose our English. (But I think maybe they were just jealous of our flawless accents!)
Click here to read more about Sarah’s adventures in France.
Note from Design Mom: While I’m busy with the move to France, I’ve got a crew of talented Guest Moms filling in for me. Today, you’ll hear from Chassity of Look Linger Love. Enjoy!
I’m pretty honored to be visiting today to give my girl Gabrielle a hand in the midst of her move. I’m not so great at the lifting and unloading of boxes, but I thought a little fashion preview for spring would be a welcome break.
Even though I’m in Charleston, SC where the weather is usually warm, it’s been unseasonably cold lately. So if you’re like me, you and your kids are desperate for a little sunshine. And Little Bean is looking like a breath of fresh air with some sun sprinkled in. I’m just adoring their one piece outfits for girls and those little patchwork pants for the boys.
{ BTW, have you visited their sister store Baby Bean? It’s full of the most delightful one of a kind vintage daywear. My 14 month old daughter just got a couple of their dresses over the holidays. }
Click here for Chassity’s full Spring Preview.
We fly away a week from tomorrow. The Countdown to France has begun!
I am back from Alt Summit. (Yes, it was totally amazing.) I can’t wait to tell you all about it, but my report will have to wait a bit, because it’s time to get packed up for France!
The whole adventure seems entirely pretend and all-too-real at the same time. I’m excited and enthusiastic, plus overwhelmed and terrified. Mostly, I’m just working through my to-do list as efficiently as possible. This morning, I’ve been scanning in essential documents (like passports and birth certificates). Later today, I’ll go through my clothes and sort them into piles for France, Goodwill and Storage.
Because life is particularly hectic at the moment, I’ve recruited some talented Guest Moms to join me for the next two weeks. They’ll be writing up all sorts of great posts, and I’ll (hopefully) be adding in my own posts about how-t0-move-to-France. Plus, there will be two fun Giveaways on Thursday. Watch for the first guest post shortly.
Let me also say, that I can’t thank you enough for your encouraging words, kind emails and thoughtful advice. I truly do not know what I would do without you!
P.S. — I am in love with these map pillows by My Bearded Pigeon. They scan in actual maps and then have them printed as textiles. Thanks for the link, Emma.
