All Hallow's Eve

Better late than never.  My goal was to do this Sunday, but I was sickety, sick, sick, sick.  I guess that's what you get when you procrastinate sewing until the wee hours of Thursday night. I mean, Friday morning.  It's BYU all over again.  How did I ever graduate? ...seriously.

This year, our family was themed!  We haven't done this since our oldest was one and we went as the Three Musketeers.  So, I thought that I would share with you pictures of the costumes that I came up with this year.  And their inspirations! 

Our littlest went as Alice from Alice in Wonderland:

Though, to be honest, she cried when she realized she wasn't going as this:

But I wanted her to be instantly recognizable. So, this is what we came up with:

I found a dotted organza for the apron!  Perfect!

Our redhead just had to go as the red rose.  It was TOO perfect.

Can you see her green stems?

Figuring out how to make this costume almost took as much time as sewing it. Almost.

Our oldest went as the Mad Hatter, which I was very excited about. I loved interpreting a boy's character into a girl's costume!

 And add this:

 plus this:

And you get...

Can you tell that hubby's and mine were kinda afterthoughts? Oh well. 

Next year I have plans to make it more even!

Thanks, Julianne for the great pics! Bet you can't tell which ones were her's. Hahahahaha.

Update on Little One's Room

My baby turned 5 last week!  What?  When I started this blog she looked like this:

[Sobbing.]

This last year, as you prolly already know, I've been making the girls presents from Ana's website.

My oldest got this bookshelf.  (Styled by herself using Archie Comics and Webkinz!)

I couldn't find a link, but here's something similar.

The redhead got this bench.

And sister last week got this picnic table.

 Let me just say that this one wasn't super easy. Build with TWO people and clamps. Not just yourself and your swear words, like I did. But in the end, I'm happy. It's won't last her forever, because she'll outgrow it. It's very tiny. But for now she loves it and her new tea set.
Now onto the next project...

Little One's New Room

So, when I first did my daughter's nursery, I didn't paint.  I hate builder's grade paint, which I call "water", but I was pregnant and tired.  I wanted cream anyway, so I just left it.  About 6 months ago, I realized that it was time to paint and organize.  Because even though this before picture is pretty, this is what the room looked like on the other side. 

It's like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  No?

She was using her old crib as a doll bed.  It was time to put it up.

So, after building bookcases (which took all summer) and painting polkadots, this is what we have.

 I built the bookcases w/ Ana's plans called the Favorite Bookcase.  I bought the baskets first, and built them deeper to fit the larger baskets. I decoupaged wrapping paper for the shelves. I also painted the dresser and changed out the knobs. 

My daughter wanted a pink room, but I wanted the furniture, bedding and window treatments to stay the same. I think we came up with a good compromise.

I've linked with Thrifty Decor Chick's Before and After Party.

House of Turquoise

I had a plan for my life.  It didn't come to fruition, but it was a good plan.  Finish school.  Get MBA.  Move to Milan and have an awesome apartment with a white couch,

chrome/glass coffee table,

and turquoise pillows. 

Yes, the design of the apartment was part of the plan.

Lately, I've been trying to capture the look that's been in my head for 15 years and apply it to my suburban home.  Who cares if it's not an apartment in Milan with a big picture window?

So, imagine my shear joy! when I discovered House of Turquoise.  Erin blogs all about her favorite color (and mine)! These are some of the pics that took my breath away. 

This is the bathroom I want.  This is almost the bathroom I have, except my doors on the vanity are peeling and breaking.  The sink is chipped.  We have a builder's grade mirror, and no wainscotting.  And there is no Carrera marble in our bathroom, much to my dismay.  Okay, so the only similarity is the paint color. I'm dreamin' here!

Wowza! Me likey!

Sigh.

Okay, seriously.  I'm gonna bust a gut.

Just peaceful. Really.

And for the piece de resistance...

It's like my dream room.  I love this room so much I could cry.  My two older girls happen to walk by the computer when I first saw this.  They did double takes and joined their momma in the droolin'.

So, don't be suprised if I blatantly rip-off  take inspiration from these rooms.  Also, check out Everything Turquoise.  Erin posts daily on items for sale that are, you guessed it, turquoise.  If turquoise isn't your thing,  (that's okay, more for me) click on Decor by Color, Erin's link to her other blogs based on colors-she has lots!  But I'll stick to my beloved turquoise, because who wouldn't love this?

In Love,Second Verse, Same as the First

'Cept different.  So, the summer in England is not a go.  Is anyone surprised?  Yeah, I didn't think so.  But...we'll be going with the kids to Europe for Spring Break!  Yippee!

It started off with hubby announcing that we were invited to a co-worker's house in Paris.  Then, I got the bright idea to hop over the channel (or maybe go under the Chunnel) to England. 

It's been a while since hubby and I had a whole 7-8 days in Europe, because usually someone has to watch the kiddos.

Now, we're not sure that we'll be staying with hubby's friend, but the trip is still a go. And I'm too, too excited.  We talk about it everyday.  We'll go here:

And definitely here:

And don't forget here:

And absolutely here:

And maybe hubby will get me this for Christmas:

So that I can speak and look like this:

except with red hair and freckles.

Ooh la la.  I'm so excited.  And jealous of my kids, because I was in my twenties before I went to Europe for the first time.  Oh well, c'est la vie.  Look at me, and my French words!

Had a Good Summer?

Does anyone else have trouble coming up with blog titles?  I've always been really bad at titles.  I mean, really bad.  Like, I used to get my grades knocked-down because they were so bad.   Oh well.  No one grades my blog.  (I think I might just go look at my diploma to cheer myself up.)

Ok, enough of Katrina's neurosis. 

We had way too much fun this summer to even think about blogging.  But I'll post about that later.  Right now, I need to update you all on my project list.  Because I know that you've been on pins and needles waiting for this.  Not.  (Ha ha.  Did anyone see Psych last night?)

Now I'm just being silly.  Here's what I really want to talk about: Ana has a new website. Formerly Knock-off Wood, her website has more interactive applications.  (I sound techie.) And more viewer photos in her posts.  Here is what I found today. 

What a cute family! Right?  I love the colors on this playhouse.  So crisp and masculine.  Which is why it totally wouldn't work for us.  My girls would cry if I painted the house dark green.  But I love it!

And all I can say is, "Yummy!" I want one of these! In white, with a marble top.  Well, maybe just a top stained gray.  Marble would bankrupt me, unfortunately.

I told my little one that I would build her this play kitchen if she stopped sucking her thumb.  Kirsten from thecraftingchicks.com did this up so cute!

While I'm wishing, can I just plop my house right next to where this photo below was taken? Breathtaking!

For little one's birthday next month, this table.

With a tea set.

What about this storage solution for closets? Wowza.

Isn't Ana brilliant? Oh, to have a brain like hers.

Right now I'm in the middle of building two of the favorite bookcases.

But, I'm stuck inside blogging. Because it is raining.  So I can't paint outside.  And I have a headache.

Let's all wish for sunny days to paint, and happy building!