Tis the Season

{The Burns/Gustine Family 2012}

 

Tis the season to give thanks for all our blessings! This is my favorite time of year where we celebrate all our family traditions. This weekend begins our traditions- Parade of Holiday lights, Candlelight Christmas Eve service, visits from Santa aka Papa:), present exchanges, holiday food, Santa Hunt hosted by Papa and watching my children's eyes light up during every moment. I wanted to take a moment and thank all our customers this year for choosing us to help you decorate (in my mind) the most special place in your home. My mom and I have really enjoyed the exciting projects that have come to us and are looking forward to a new year with new and old customers. Our wish and prayer is for you and your family to have a very blessed 2013. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from our Bungalow to yours...

{Finley (2) and Caden (5)

{Gustine Family 2012}

A Peter Rabbit Tale

{ Peter Rabbit Nursery}

This whimsical nursery began for my client's first child 3 years ago. When Stacy found out she was having her 2nd boy, she came to me to help develop the theme for her new little boy's nursery even further. They had just moved into a new house so it was decided to re-purpose some old pieces and bring in some new ones for the new layout.

{ Custom Dresser from Beach Bungalow}

The custom dresser we designed for Stacy is also used as a changing table. We chose a finish that was a distressed rub through in white. Stacy was gifted the cute Peter Rabbit canvas the hangs over her dresser at her baby shower. We added a cream matelasse border to give the canvas more body around it.    

{ Corsican Iron Crib}

The crib bedding was a traditional toile in blue and white which we accompanied with a white mattlasse and a blue\white check. I found the blue diamond chenille rug at Pottery Barn kids. The rug has a super soft texture to it for Andrew as he starts crawling.

{ Vintage Shelf from Beach Bungalow}

This shelf is one my favorite accessories that we carry. It can come in any color and you can pick a scalloped bottom or straight like this one. Its a different way to display your favorite special pieces that you want to keep little hands away from!:)

The lamp was found by Stacy's mom. We all felt like it needed some color added. I found this polka dot trim which we lined the top and bottom of the lamp shade with. We had our muralist paint the blocks so the letters stood out in blue. These little touches add so much to the room.

Stacy found the hot air balloons and hung them in the corner. I LOVE them and were a great way to introduce other colors in the room besides blue and white.

{Lauren Heinle Murals}

 Lauren painted this scene as a take on the Peter Rabbit theme. The mama bunny being Stacy and the two little rabbits being her two boys. She customized it to have two little hot air balloons floating above with Andrew and Warren's names written on them. We aren't totally finished with this room yet. We decided to add a couple more pictures and some canopy curtains to the crib after installation. I'll be sure to post pictures when it is totally done! I hope you we inspired you to find your favorite theme and interpret it through out your room. AND, as always, we are here at the Bungalow to help!

Carly's Whimsy Nursery

{AFTER Beach Bungalow Designs}

{BEFORE}

When my client Carly contacted me to help her, she had a blank slate to start with. She knew she wanted to possibly reuse the dark crib from her son's nursery and that she loved whites with pops of color. Our inspiration began with the fabric on the pillow in the glider. We decided to use yellows and pinks around the room but keep the rest mostly white.

{Newport Cottage Celine Changing table}

This Vintage inspired changing table from Newport Cottages fit right in to the space we had for a changing table. It was Carly's big splurge because we both just loved it in the room. She felt since she was re-using her son's crib and glider that it would be nice for her little girl to have a piece just her own.

{Lauren Heinle Murals}

We decided to bring in the brown for the crib in the tree mural that is behind the changing table. Lauren found some fun felt flowers in blues and hot pinks for a three-dimensional effect. We all loved the outcome and I think its something that Carly's little girl can grow with.

{Custom Curtains Beach Bungalow Designs}

The curtains were made out of a white linen. We added banding to all 4 sides in a hot pink for a splash of color. We made a sash tieback out of our inspiration fabric to repeat the pattern one more time. The great part of using a pattern like this sparingly is that once the room moves into a toddler space you are not stuck with a certain scheme to follow. You can always make new tie-backs out of a different fabric and create a totally different look. Carly also opted for linen sheers behind the curtains as the nursery faces the main street and it will allow for privacy during the day.

{ Dwell Studio Yellow and White Stripe Rug}

We went with this rug from Dwell Studio for a BOLD pattern in the room. I think it finished off the room perfectly!

{ Vintage Barbie Prints}

We decided to add a Vintage Barbie theme to the main wall that the crib was on. To keep budget down, I suggested what I did in my daughter's room. I found a Barbie Calendar and cut out the pictures and framed them for Finley. She followed suit and  the outcome was a fun themed wall that introduced new colors to the room.
I hope you enjoy!! And as always we are ready at the Bungalow to help you with your dream room.

Thankful Heart

{Caden(5) and Finley (2)}

It is with a thankful heart that I write my post today. I am sitting at my store and realizing that in this time of Thanksgiving, I have a lot to be grateful for. This year has been a year of many ups and downs but the Lord is teaching me to be thankful in the midst of any obstacle or victory in my life. The key for me is to concentrate on the little things that I take for granted. Here is my list that I have had on my heart..

1) Thankful for my husband who is a huge support in my life. Without him, NONE of this could happen. He is a husband, dad, mom, cook, cleaner, laundry finisher, store owner, tech support and engineer all in one. 

{Celebrating 10 years in January}

 2) Thankful for HEALTHY children that are amazing to me. I LOVE every second with them and think that God gave me the exact children I needed to mother. Caden is my first born and little boy that tells me sometimes the correct way to behave:) He is a little cuddler and loves his mommy. AND Miss Finley is a joy to be around and soooo sweet. She is a sunshine in my life and my little girl.

3) Thankful for my MOM and Dad. They have blessed me with this opportunity to have this precious store. What many of you don't know is my dad fronted all the money to start this store 8 years ago. I know in my heart that I will repay him for generosity but I don't tell him enough in the ups and downs of running my own business that I love it every day!! Secondly, my mom works at Beach Bungalow 5 days a week and helps me with my kids FOR FREE. A gift that is beyond words.. Never know how to tell her thank you. She is my best friend enough said:)

4) Thankful for special friends and extended family. It is rare to feel like you are always surrounded by people that love you. I have many friends that I am grateful for that I count on for laughter, tears and heartfelt conversations. You know who you are and what you mean to me. My brother, sister-in-law and my in-laws have been big supporters and I'm grateful for their constant texts, emails and phone calls of encouragement..

5) Thankful for my relationship with the Lord. Grateful that I hear HIS voice in my life and I know that I am walking towards His path for my life. I have felt a huge challenge this year towards helping others. I think big things are ahead and I can't wait share those blessings. My faith is everything to me and I hope those that know me understand that:)

There are many more things that I have been blessed with but this Thanksgiving this is the list that was on my heart. I hope this challenged you to grab some paper and begin on yours. Happy Thanksgiving from the Bungalow!

The Cake Lady: Happy Harvest

The Cake Lady Mary is back with some fun cupcakes for you decorate for this Fall Season with your children. Enjoy!
 

Pumpkin Cupcakes

It is Fall and although it is supposed to reach 88 degrees today, I am determined to jump into Fall full force. With Fall comes everything pumpkin…the pumpkin patch, pumpkin carving, pumpkin pie and now you may add pumpkin cupcakes to your list of must haves for Fall!

Follow these simple steps…there are no “tricks” just fabulous “treats” when you finish!

You will need the following items from your grocery store or craft store:

Vanilla cupcakes (I used a box mix)

Vanilla frosting

Orange sugar sprinkles

Orange ready to use frosting with a round tip

Chocolate candies

Green taffy

Lollipop stick or skewer stick

Frost the cupcakes with the vanilla frosting. Turn the frosted cupcake upside down and gently dip into orange sugar sprinkles poured into a bowl. Be sure to cover ALL the frosting with sprinkles.

Use the lollipop stick to make lines in the top of the cupcake as seen above.

Fill the lines with the ready-made frosting with a round tip.

 

Time for the treats! Open up a chocolate candy and form it with your fingers into a stem like shape. Make the stem extra long as this part will be pushed into the cupcake.

Place the stem into the top of your pumpkin!

Open up a green taffy and pull off a small piece. Shape into a leaf. Use the back of a knife to put a line down the center of your leaf. Place the leaf on the cupcake next to the stem. (I used the lollipop stick to help push the leaf into the cupcake)

You now have a delicious treat to take to any Fall event! Make them alone or with the kids! Happy Fall everyone!

 

Custom Bunk Rooms

{the high heeled hostess}

 This weekends conversation with my mother-in-law about designing a bunk room for a spare room she has at her farm inspired this post. I have also had several clients approach me this month to start designing spaces that allow their kids to share a bedroom without taking up all the floor space in the room. I found some really cool ideas and wanted to share them with you. 

{the boo and the boy}

The room above would be great for a pre-teen. There are stairs down the back side, that also work as cubby system for storage in the room. This would be the ultimate place for a sleep over!

{goo.gl}

I would label this as the perfect playroom. I like the idea of having a space for sleep overs with friends where you can hang out and watch movies or play games. The artistic detailing of the railing on the bunk is one of my very favorite.

This bunk is a great space saving idea. It is a creative use of your blank space under the bunk while still fitting in a bottom bunk bed. Great idea: bottom bunk is a daybed to use for seating during the day.

{flor}

This modern kids bunk is spectacular! A great look for a toddler transitional room. They have really utilized a sloping ceiling to create the tree. This allows for a lot of open floor space for a toddler to play in.

{houzz}

This rustic barn bunk was what I was thinking about for my mother-in-law's farm. I think the curtains give a child a feeling of their own little space while adding a softer decorative accent against all the wood. The idea of utilizing the ends of the bunk for game, book and toy storage is a great space saver as well.

{momtastic}

I can't stop thinking about nautically inspired rooms. I love the colors in this room with the slight nautical accents without being overkill.  What a creative idea to incorporate the structure of the bunk as if you were in a ship!

{Daniel Oakey Interiors}

 

Loft beds are a different option for your child that provide a space saver without the addition of a bed. In this case, they have utilize the under-space as a mini-play kitchen. As she grows, you can put a desk or make it a reading area. 
I am looking forward to using all these inspiring ideas to create bunk rooms  for my clients. Our custom wood workers can create any design possible. Let us know at the Bungalow how we can help you!!

Canopies: An Elegant Edition to Any Room

{Katie Ridder}

I am feeling inspired by canopies this week! I am starting to think about Finley's big girl room and I definitely want to put a canopy over her daybed. It adds such a dramatic statement to the room when you walk in. The picture above creates a awning like feeling over the bed and is finished by a decorative shape. I love the idea of placing a mirror and sconses on the inside as well. There are many different styles you can choose from but here are some of my favorites...

{Dear Lily}

Creating a full cornice and drapery over the bed with fabric is a different way of interpreting a canopy. I like how they used a simple fabric with a trim detail. A great idea for someone who has a large room to work with.

{Beach Bungalow Designs}

This is a style we have created many times at the store. We find a wooden crown to work with and then drape fabric to the floor off of it. In this case, it added something to the wall without taking away from the decorative paneling.

{decorpad}

Iron crowns are an option. You can tab top or tie top your drapery for a different finished look at the crown. We often will buy ready-made panels for this look and finish them off by adding banding in a contrast color to make it look more custom. Its a great way to save on yardage for the curtain portion.

I hope you are inspired to add a canopy to your room and as always we are here at the Bungalow to help!

 

Just a Mom: TRUTH

My mom is back to share her last rule of my parent's home. Tell the Truth.. This was ingrained into my mind.. I was a little story teller and I challenged my mom a lot in this area when I was young. I learned the hard way many times and now its one of the most important things in my life as a mom, wife and business owner.. Honesty..

{ Tritia makes fun of me all the time but this hair cut was very stylish then!!}

The Third Rule ---Tell the Truth

Why is it that we all struggle with telling the complete truth.  Probably  because we all know we are then responsible for our actions.  Fostering truth telling is an art as a parent.  The first step is that we always have to tell the truth ourselves.  Yikes! That's a little hard to swallow but we can't walk a different path then we are asking our children.

This may be to much information.. But I'm a too much information gal. I can vividly remember one time being at the mall around a lot of people and accidentally passing gas ( as we all do ladies) .  Of course I said, “Todd (my son) don’t do that."  WELL you know what the truth telling child said loudly,  "That wasn’t me that was you MOM."  Embarrassing, yes, but the Truth correct?? 

Tritia always was trying to help others as a young girl.  Once in second grade they needed ice cream for some party.  She proudly announced that her DAD had a ice cream business..  Well that was a long stretch of the truth.   It was a great lesson for her when the school called and asked for ice cream.  Poor kid, she had to go to school and face her teacher with the truth. This is a perfect example that even lying with a good intention never works out.

As parents we must emanate truth at all costs.  There is no option for us or our kids. WE always told our kids if they told the truth no punishment.  Especially, when something happened in school and we heard it from them first and not from others.  Knowing that they always can come to you honestly without punishment fosters open communication with trust.

Unfortunately, telling the truth is learned, lying comes natural.  Take the time to reward telling the truth at a very young age.  We always had even at a young age a no tolerance rule for lying.  Don’t think it was easy at times but explanation of the value of truth really pays off later.  We as a family need to know that we can all trust each other.

Plain and simple “Truth Reigns and the Truth Will Set You Free”...

Love,
Lexy

Thanks mom! A good reminder for us all as we are fostering our children to grown into honest adults. I certainly appreciated it in my own life.
 

Just in!! New Furniture at the Bungalow

{Beverly Collection from Newport Cottages}

We just discovered some new pieces to add to our selection at the Bungalow.. I am seeing a theme in all the pieces: Upholstery Tufting on the beds and chic shapes on the dressers.  I am loving these fun finds!!

{Newport Cottages}

{ Newport Cottages}

They also have an option without upholstery! I love the idea of the mint trim for a gender neutral nursery. It is available to be customized in any color combination.

{Art For Kids}

{ Art For Kids}

These new pieces from Art for Kids are great for an older girl's room. I think they could work long term through the teen years.

{Art for Kids}

 An upholstered daybed is a great toddler option. I am thinking about using a piece like this in Fin's big girl room. The soft edges make it easy for them to transition with their new found freedom! My little climber is going to need something like this..

British Invasion!

In light of the Summer Olympics being held in London, I have received quite a few requests for British-inspired pieces. We are currently working on a new room that is close to installation that is completely themed by the British flag. I thought I would share with you some of my fun finds so far..

{Lauren Heinle Murals}

Lauren just delivered this canvas that was inspired by an old vintage poster that we found. We will be hanging it over the pre-teen's desk. 

{British Flag Rug}

This rug just arrived for the floor of my client's room. Its going to be the big British statement piece of the room. I feel the canvas above coordinates well but the flag is just a part of the picture so we doesn't take away from the rug.

{Red and White Fabric}

 This fabric is going to be on some pillows and a shower curtain. We needed a little pattern on the bed but wanted it to be mostly solid since the rug is such a huge statement.

{British themed knobs}

 We painted the desk from a natural wood to a crisp white and switched out the knobs to the ones above to re-purpose her furniture. Switching the knobs on furniture can completely change a look on a piece without going to the expenditure of buying a new one.

{Pottery Barn Teen}

We will be adding these seats to the room from Pottery Barn Teen.  They add a funky look to our room that I feel fits the theme. I can't wait to share with you the outcome in a couple of weeks. This is going to be a very different room for us. The before and afters are shocking!!