How to Make A Double Campaign Chest

Thanks so much for all the love on my campaign dresser + gingham drapes post yesterday! I am literally obsessed each time I walk by Weeks' room and it makes me smile to see it coming together! So, I am glad y'all shared in my enthusiasm and appreciation for the space so far..thank you :)

Today I am going to run over the quick steps of how we accomplished the Double Campaign Chest. I had been itching to use the Young House Love hardware on a piece of furniture, and as I did a little brainstorming I decided that the Ikea Rast was the perfect piece!  We've all seen plenty of transformations on the Ikea Rast, so it's not reinventing the wheel or anything...however, it did turn out pretty good. And since I like to see steps, I did a simple documentation of our process along the way!

First, assemble your Rasts. I planned on doing it myself and Stephen couldn't resist helping me. He was surprised that they were actually made out of wood and not a fiber board :)

Next, we attached them together. First, Stephen used some wood glue on one side of the dresser and attached them side by side. The glue is a little extra reinforcement to keep them in place and also make sure it is firmly secured throughout the whole dresser. Then, he used wood screws to screw the two pieces together, as seen below... You want to use a screw that isn't too long that wont poke through the other side. {I believe these were 1 1/4"} He did 6 screws all together: top and bottom of dresser- 2 in the front, 2 in the middle and 2 in the back. You will need to remove the drawers for installing the screws. 

Once the two dressers were attached, we could tell it was a solid unit and were pleased with how easy it was so far! Here it is, now one unit.

One thing about the Rast I have never been too fond of is the way the sides are taller than the top of the dresser. I knew it would drive me nuts not to have a completely flat surface, so we then attached a piece of wood, cut the length of the top of the dresser.  We used a piece of good quality pine, adding a little more wood glue on pieces that touch to attach it to the top of the dresser. More wood screws securely attached the top board to the dresser, so it now looks like this:

Next came the finishing touch: the trim piece! I knew I wanted to do this because I saw how nice of a look it gave our living room bookshelves. We used a piece of trim on the three sides to provide a finished ledge and fill the gap you see above. In order to do this, you would need to make miter cuts and have a nail gun to attach the trim.

Next comes the part that makes it look like a quality piece of furniture. I used wood putty to fill every crack and nail hole. You also want to fill the holes that the provided knobs were supposed to go in, if you are using the campaign hardware. Once that is all dry, sand away any rough patches. You are ready to paint! We primed it, lightly ran over it with a sanding block and then it got several coats of Valspar Furniture Paint, in Simply White.

The finishing touch is of course the Campaign hardware. It was a little tricky for me to get each piece positioned just right. I learned quickly Stephen needed to pre-drill the holes for all the corner pieces in order for me to get it right. He saved the day with pre-drilling those holes, thank goodness.

I couldn't be happier with how it turned out, and am so happy we pulled this one off {painlessly!} Let me know if you have any questions, I am happy to help :)

Double Campaign Rast + Gingham Drapes

So we made some real headway on Weeks' Big Boy Room this weekend, such a relief! Today I want to share this side of his room, now adorned with navy gingham and a double campaign chest {ikea} hack. 

I could not be happier with how the campaign chest turned out. I did not want it to look like a DIY piece of furniture by any means, ideally I wanted the real thing! With a few small changes to the Ikea Rast, we were able to get pretty darn close to what I envisioned all along. I couldn't be happier- it might be my favorite furniture piece I've ever worked on! 

The hardware really upgrades the look of course. I love that we have six additional drawers for storage- something that the nursery lacked as Weeks got older and those clothes and toys got bigger! 

The bookends are from the nursery but they are still perfect for a little boy. For now, I grabbed a lamp from another room until I decide on something more permanent. I was thinking a set of smaller lamps on each end, possibly. And, I just found the soft basket a few days ago at Ross, and piled a few books in there for now. The artwork is a print from a local festival that is held locally every October- Stephen has had this print forever and I even remember seeing it in his college room! I had it re-matted and painted the frame gold last summer. After seeing it done I always held it in the back of my mind for Weeks' future room!

I did the drapes myself {whew, big sigh of relief they are done!} and I'm in love. I went with a back tab style, with a blackout liner since this room is incredibly bright some days.

Here you can see the rod that I found which was a steal compared to the original inspiration rod.

I followed this tutorial if anyone is interested in this style drape- it was fairly easy, I have to say!

What do you all think? Next on the list for the Big Boy Room: Stephen is building the bed and we have to remove all excess furniture and accessories. His dresser will be here next week. Then we can really move him in his new room! 

I'll share the details of how we did the Ikea double campaign rast tomorrow!

This and That

A few things around here lately...

I got these {maternity} shorts from Loft and they are amaze {shop them regular size here!} I mean, I usually wouldn't even wear black shorts, and I love them! They are a flattering fit that is smooth and a great length- not too short, and not awkward long. They are 30% off and sizes are selling fast! I went to buy the coral as well and they were already sold out in my size. Shorts are so hard to find, and I usually just throw in the towel before finding a pair I actually like. Side note, I also got this sweet ruffle top, and this shirt I mentioned in this post. Both are keepers and great deals! 

Shown below in the regular/non-maternity version:

I made this cake last night! It was news to me that Krispy Kreme made a cake mix- my parents brought it in town after hearing about it, and after they couldn't find it in the grocery store my Dad actually purchased it on Amazon. I'm guessing it's more expensive online than if your grocery store carries it, but it was fun to try it out! My opinion on the cake- tasted so great! Super easy to make and just enough sweet with the glaze. I don't think it was identical to a KK donut, but it is a cake, afterall. And I would bet it would be perfect with morning coffee/tea! Yum. I think it would be fun to bring to a shower/luncheon...not only is it delicious but also, something to chat about!

The drapes for Weeks' new room are coming along- basically I have to hem them and we are done! The rods came and I love the finish- they are matching up perfectly with the brass campaign hardware on the ikea rast hack. I will have those reveals next week for ya!

Easter Inspiration

I seriously love Easter. Not only the meaning behind Easter and why we celebrate, but the fresh, springy, pastels and sweet and simple celebrations that go along with...it is just so special. This year I have found lots of fun inspiration for this day and this is a little selection of my favorites {for more you can follow me on pinterest here}...

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Brussel sprout topiaries! So clever and just beautiful. If I was having a Easter brunch at my home I would so do these.

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A sweet treat with only my favorite candy ever, ever. They are dangerous and I allow myself to go through one bag each holiday. Eek!

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If you haven't seen Emily Henderson's pastel Easter brunch, head on over to check that out. It's so good!

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Because Easter is also a reason to indulge just a leetle bit in some sweets.

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Simplicity at it's best! If you are hosting a brunch, this would be such a simple, quick, yet special touch for your table and your guests.

On a side note, please let me know your favorite "Easter" recipe. I love seeing everyone's spreads that day and would love some family favorites!

Big Boy Room Update

We are finally starting to get some things accomplished for Weeks' Big Boy room, which feels so nice. That is totally necessary in order to get the nursery empty enough to start on it. I feel like we are really behind and it's time to kick things into high gear!

First off, I hit some snags. The one inch check that I fell in love with was backordered until late February and I patiently waited. Then it was changed to early March. Then mid-March. Then pushed all the way back to mid-May! Ok, so that just won't work. I also tried searching everywhere I knew how for this fabric and it was out across the board. 

Onto plan B. I decided I would go with the smaller 1/8" check in the same colorway. While it isn't quite what I imagined, I still love a tiny gingham and I'm hoping these things work out the way they are supposed to! The fabric arrived this week and it is my goal to get them done this weekend. I had planned on having them made but I have decided on a fairly simple, relaxed style and it makes more sense for me to do it instead of paying and waiting...

When I was ready to buy the rods, the West Elm version I originally fell in love with was sold out, now it appears to be back in stock {go figure} so I frantically searched for something similar. I stumbled upon this simple rod and didn't even realize how similar it was until I placed them right next to each other. I have ordered the look for less, and hope it works out. The main difference to me is the finish, but it is so hard to tell shopping online anyway what either will look like in person. If the less expensive version doesn't work, I will just go back and order the original! They should be arriving soon.

INSPIRATION: here

FOR LESS: here or here {on Prime}

Weeks got his new sheets, duvet cover and comforter for his birthday! Now all we need is his bed! His dresser {my Dad's old chest on chest} will be getting moved from Raleigh in the next few weeks, hopefully.

Once we have these big things in place I really feel like we can sort the rest of it out, get things in place and see what else needs to happen.

I also have had the Ikea rast hack finished for several weeks now, but I am waiting to have the drapes hung for the reveal! It turned out sooo good and I love. Definitely worth a little effort to get the campaign look! 

Keep your fingers crossed for me that the drapery panels will go smoothly this weekend! 

xo.

Tell Me About Yourself

I saw this cute post on Design Darling and thought it would be a quick, fun way to

 get to know me at the moment! 

At the top of your wishlist right now:  This wallpaper for baby girl's nursery {I'm obsessed} and these wedges for myself!

Blog(s) you’re loving lately: I am loving the creative mind of Julie Blanner and the realness of The College Prepster.

Favorite thing about spring: Hands down, looking at the green pop out out on trees and grass, and of course, having some fresh pretty flowers to go along with!

The next trip you’re taking: We are headed to Asheville for a mini vacation with my family in the beginning of April! We are staying in a house/cabin and I can't wait!

TV show you can’t stop watching: After being hooked on so many series back to back, we are at a loss for a new addiction and I am looking to fill this void! We had been watching a show each night after Weeks falls asleep, and over the past month that time has been filled with miscellaneous chores and projects instead. TV sounds like more fun! ;)

Copy and paste this below into the comments with your answers, or use it in a post of your own and link back to me to let me know! 

At the top of your wishlist right now:

Blog(s) you’re loving lately:

Favorite thing about spring:

The next trip you’re taking:

TV show you can’t stop watching:

Saturday Shopping

I know I have been posting a lot of pregnancy related clothes lately and I don't want to forget about all my other readers. Because, let's face it, non-maternity clothes are so much more fun and I can virtually enjoy all of them! Here are a few things that caught my eye...

You can take 25% off almost everything at J.Crew this weekend with code SHOPNOW I'm mildly obsessed with this buffalo check popover...it is just perfection for me! PS- I have found that popover styles are more preggo-friendly than your regular button up, so it's still a possibility for mommas-to-be.

I could live in a Striped boatneck t-shirt, seriously. I love easy things like this I can put on with a pair of shorts and be done.

Old Navy is offering 30% off your order and free shipping, this lounge/sleep romper is so cute! And... it is only $15. Too cute, too good of a deal.

I'm also pretty impressed by this peplum top {$8!!} for easy summer days. It comes in other colors too. Note: for Mommas-to-be, I tried out these compression crops that I have heard great reviews on, and love them! I got the light grey and they are super comfortable and feel great. 

I don't shop at Ann Taylor very often, but these palm shorts are too cute, and 40% off!

So, this tote is so summery and perfect, I just love it! Me and white bags, I cannot get enough. Kate Spade is offering 25% off with code PURPOSE. 

So this is probably bad news for my wallet, but I had never checked out Kate Spade layette! I mean, lets just hold our horses. This jillian skirted one piece....the bow? Yes, please.

This ruffle footie is too sweet. I love the little lambs paired with the ruffles! 

Hope y'all have a great Saturday!

Spring Plant Wish List

 Everyone has Spring fever, and it's for good reason! It has been an absolutely beautiful week here on the coast of North Carolina. The temperature has been hovering around 65-70 and the sun has been shining against a bright blue sky. Really, you can't ask for much more from Spring! The past several Springs here have been on the cold, wet side so I am just hoping this keeps up!

If you are new here, we bought a fixer upper in 2014, and with the house came a large yard full of potential and lots of work! It feels good to have one solid year of yard work done: last year we did a whole lot of "cleaning out", added multiple hydrangeas and ferns, and added some more bed space in our back yard. That might not seem like a lot, but trust me, it was!

This year our areas of focus are: the new front walkway {I'm saving a post on that until the grass is green and we have some plants to do it justice!}, our back patio's adjoining bed, and overall tidying of current beds.

There still are not a ton of plants available in the nurseries yet, but we of course have some new things on our wish list for Spring.

Chinese Snowball Viburnum

So, this is actually our sweet golden in front of a Chinese Snowball at our old house. Man, do I miss that thing! We had two of these giant shrubs and they just flourished. We bought one last summer and it just never did much- it is hanging on, but I am definitely getting more this Spring. They are a bit harder to find than your average hydrangea. Also, noted- one of our giant shrubs from the old house started out as a scraggly, barely surviving plant and we happened to put it in a spot it liked, watered it well, and it just took off! You can click above for my post on these...

Catmint image

I have seen catmint in so many photos online and never knew what it was! After reading about it, I think it would make a great plant to line one side of our fence on our side yard. It is a tough perrenial that blooms well even with hot, dry weather...welcome to the south!

Boxwood {image}

We would really love to either expand our foundation bed to either incorporate more boxwoods, or remove the current plants {mostly indian hawthorne} and completely replace with boxwood. Our traditional brick home is just aching for a boxwood hedge!

Hydrangeas image

I can't go through a spring/summer with out adding a few! They are my addiction, it's a good one to have. It seems like they are adding new varieties all the time but a few of my favorites are the classic endless summer {rebloomers}, oakleaf, blushing bride, limelights, and peppermint twist.

Grasses image

We were thinking we would line the new front walkway with some sort of low ornamental grass, but I haven't figured out just what yet. We would like something to soften the edges, that doesn't mound too much {don't want it spreading into the grass}....any ideas? We could use grass borders in a lot of our beds actually.

Fabulous Planters image

My goal every year is to have gorgeous planters like you see at resorts and commercial areas. The meticulous care obviously pays off for them...maybe this year I will tend to them more and have planters I am proud of!


I'm sure my wandering plant eye will find loads more once things are really blooming around here and I cannot wait! Anything on your plant-list this Spring?

Pregnancy Exercise: What Works For Me

There have been some similarities and lots of differences in my pregnancy with Weeks vs. my pregnancy with baby girl. I don't necessarily believe that boys make a pregnancy one way, or girls another, but I tend to just think they are all different! With Weeks, I had a few weeks of being tired but for the majority of the pregnancy I was abounding with energy and was pretty darn good about working out regularly. 

This time, baby girl is waving her finger at me saying "uh uh Momma" every time I turn around. For the first few months I was so sick. It started out with allergies and morphed into a horrendous sinus infection. After about 7 weeks of misery, I was finally awarded with an antibiotic that felt like a trophy to me. During that time, working out was at a bare minimum which was hard on me because I love to be active and exercise. It has been a normal part of my day for so long I cannot remember, I just feel better and for the most part, enjoy it! I've had a few other little pit stops along the way that have slowed me down, not to mention tending to a toddler which of course I didn't have the first time around! Taking care of another human being plus the one in your belly is exhausting! I have no idea on Earth how my Mom did this with four kids! 

Anyway, I wanted to share what maternity exercises I have enjoyed each pregnancy and a few others that I have heard of. With Weeks I gained around 23 pounds and lost almost all the weight within about 4 weeks, which was a total surprise. I was also pumping most of those 4 weeks around the clock, which I would give credit to the quick weight loss! After the weight loss, I was still not in pre-baby shape and I worked hard to get more toned. This time I think I gained a few more pounds earlier on and then evened out to where I am tracking somewhere along the same lines as my first pregnancy. I rarely weigh myself except at doctor visits and occasionally in between. Having a bathroom renovation has kept the scale out of sight! 

Workout Schedule with Weeks:

Pure Barre Prenatal One 2-3 times a week

Walking or Elliptical Machine 30-40 minutes/ 2-3 times a week

I was faithful to my PB workout for my first pregnancy and definitely thought it helped keep my body toned under all the fluff of pregnancy. It was a challenging workout, to be sure, but not overboard. I alternated my video with early morning trips to the gym or long evening walks with the dogs.

Workout Schedule with Baby Girl:

10 Minute Solution Prenatal Pilates {40 minutes total} 2 times a week

Walking or Elliptical 30-45 minutes/ 2-3 times a week

Besides my energy level, I would say the biggest difference in this pregnancy vs. my pregnancy with Weeks has been my body re-adjusting to the growing baby. Maybe because I am three years older this time around or maybe it is like my doctor warned me: your body remembers being pregnant and to expect a few more aches and pains with the second. I totally did not take that warning seriously! For the last half of the first trimester and to the middle of the second, my body totally felt the growing pains. I was uncomfortable sleeping and I had low back pain. I am happy that I found the pilates workout because the stretching and toning is really phenomenal {my exaggeration, but it really has made me feel SO much better} If you are having a hard time sleeping or having back pain, try this workout because it was a game changer for me when I was going through a rough patch! It is divided into 5 10 minute segments, so you can pick and choose which ones you want to do if you are low on time. I usually do 40 minutes because I have a hard time wanting to workout longer or don't have the time! I also stream it on my Roku via Amazon, so it is a breeze to click on. We have a treadmill upstairs that I run up to squeeze in several times a week first thing in the morning, unless the weather is nice and Weeks and I go walking.

A few other workouts I have heard about, but have not tried:

Barre Three:

I am going to try this soon actually! My Mom and sister do their workouts regularly and I am wanting to try something new, within reason.

Tracy Anderson: The Pregnancy Project:

I have used her other workouts before but not the prenatal version. Anyone had success with it?

Suzanne Bowen's Slim and Toned:

Another barre workout that has had good reviews. Anyone tried this?

What are your favorites if you have been/are pregnant? I exercise to make my body feel good, and that is genuinely the biggest benefit to me. I have to say that the combination of low impact cardio and a toning workout is what I have found to keep my body in the best shape. Every pregnancy is different, every body is different...and just remember what amazing thing your body is doing while pregnant! So worth it:)