Busy Around the House!

Remember our Outside Patio and Garden Project? We haven't forgotten about it! We have just been pretty busy lately. We haven't been able to get a whole lot done in this area, but we have planted the garden area and put out some mulch. Mulch makes everything look so much prettier. Honestly, if we didn't do much else to this area, but now have the plant bed, at least it looks landscaped now. I dug up new shoots of the monkey grass from our front yard and planted it along the edge, which will eventually grow into a nice natural barrier.

Below is the rest of the garden area...

A work in progress people... Hart's mom found that awesome bamboo fencing that we are somehow going to use for more privacy between these two trees. It is obviously draped across right now. At least I can't see that ugly blue truck while I am sitting on my screened in porch! Thanks, Jane!

 We also got the gas line marked so that we know where it is when we put in the stone patio area. You should always call your Electric and Gas Co. before digging, because it saves you from costly repairs (and it is FREE!)

We also have been busy doing stuff inside the house, too. I painted some shelves for Micaiah's room and our living room! I never got the nursery finished, because of bed rest and then the newborn frenzy. Here are the before and after photos...

BEFORE: (blank)

AFTER:

I still don't love the light there in the corner, but Micaiah's cutesy reading lamp broke and so that one is what we are using until I get him another little lamp. We added the shelf and I framed his Birth Certificate from the hospital.

BEFORE: 

AFTER:

Okay, I'm not claiming that these are amazing decorating skills AT ALL. Haha! I had no awesome idea of how to cover up the cord running along the wall there to the camera (ideas?), but I absolutely love the practicality of the camera in his room, so for now...hang a bag over it! We hung shelf #2 over his changing table. He loves his little Elephant Mirror, so for now that stays to entertain him while being changed. Ultimately I would have loved his room to have a different color on the walls, too, but that just didn't happen either, and probably won't for awhile, but at least we have SOMETHING on the walls now! And the shelf will look cuter when we actually have pictures in the frame (working on that!).

Saturday, I wanted to rearrange the living room...we are going to have a crawler soon and needed to clean up all the cords running to our tv from computer. We moved our computer back to our office...hmm...good place for it! I do feel like my decorating skills were better in this area.

BEFORE:

Poor "Oprah"...she just doesn't know what to do with all that wall space. Our living room is slightly awkward. The location of the air vent and the longness of the room make it hard to find the "right" way to put furniture. I have rearranged our living room about a million times. This is the new set up. 

AFTER:

I decided to make a Cozy Area. The couch now blocks off the room some, but it makes for nice area to trap in a crawler (once he starts crawling). Say Goodbye to "Oprah"...check out my cute shelf...this is the amazing shelf I got for only $2 at His House! I looked it up in Pottery Barn... $55 - $75 dollars for a shelf like that one! Score! 

Obviously, I'm not done... but, I'm so proud of this layout!

Here is a better angle:

The only awkward thing about having the tv area in the corner was there was no main focal point, something that I just hated, so I had the idea to hang the mirror from the ceiling. I think it looks pretty awesome now! 

I'm still working on this wall area in the living room. Both of these shelves were found by my good friend Merideth for about $2 together, too. Apparently, you don't need to buy expensive shelves. 

 Don't worry...I'm not going to leave the Americana frame like that. 

Next, blocking off the room a little with the couch did add a nice little play corner for all the baby toys that just don't escape our living room now. I also have a place now to set up his pack n play when I need a spot to put him when he starts moving all around the house! 

Lastly, here's a sneak peak at what's to come in the next few days if you are following my Designs By Sessa blog, too. I made these Ruffle Curtains from a Bed Sheet and have my first sewing tutorial going out this week!

Well, I feel accomplished and productive...now I better get back to this cutie who is getting tired of watching me blog!