Young House Love

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Squeezing In Some Craftiness

Since we always share our road trip adventures with the Bowers (like this one, this one, and this one), here’s a long overdue recap of our most recent visit – which included lots of kid fun, a fair amount of antiquing & crafting, and even a little luxurious mom outing for good measure (along with a really cute gift idea). Let’s jump right in, shall we?

Oh but for those looking for pictures of us doing sexy exciting things like cutting wood and using a nail-gun, that’s going on as you read this. The soundtrack of the day is bam-bam-bam! Yes, we’ve begun our big board & batten project and can’t wait to share our progress next week! Our goal is to not only finish it, but to have all of the nail holes filled, prime it, and paint it (along with painting the hallway walls) by next Wednesday. So we’re buzzing around like crazy to make that happen. And we can’t wait to spill all of the details!

BenMoore Board Batten Teaser

As for the Katie-crafting I mentioned, at around 11pm one night she and I were feeling antsy and hyper, so we decided we couldn’t just sit on the sofa. We needed to be crafting. Seriously that happened. So we looked around for some things we could use and Katie quickly came up with two old terracotta pots, some wrapping paper with a faux wood look, some pom pom fringe (which made me jump up and down like a child) and some craft paint.

Crafting1

Our first step was just to paint the entire inside of the pot along with the lip around the top with craft paint. Katie went with red and I went with a soft blue color. Then we used the wrapping paper in that faux wood pattern and cut out a piece of it that could be wrapped around the base of the pot like a little sleeve or slipcover. Once we knew it would fit (you can make a paper template to get the shape right since it’s not a straight strip, it’s more like a curved C-shaped piece of paper since the pot is tapered) we Mod Podged the side of the pot and laid the paper over it to hold it in place…

Crafting2

We also applied Mod Podge to the top of the wrapping paper to seal it and make it nice and durable. Bam: two cute little countertop pots for everything from pencils to keys or loose change. And as for the pom-pom fringe, we had planned to use it around the lip of each one (pink on mine and soft blue on Katie’s) but sadly it looked a little too “Liberace” – so we slowly backed away from the pom-poms. Don’t worry though, it inspired me to buy some from JoAnn when we got back home (it was a remnant so it was super cheap) and I have a little project planned with it. Gotta work the pom-pom fringe in there somewhere!

Crafting3

But our days weren’t all spent snuggling Mod Podge and craft paint. We had lots of awesome family time (Katie and I really bonded over being pregnant together with Clara & Will, so we love doing outings together where our kids can run around and have some fun). Along with going to the playground and soaking up some backyard fun time we also headed over to a children’s museum in Downtown Atlanta called Imagine It. Clara and Will had the best time playing with everything from trains, water, and sand to – of course – a nice big play kitchen. I think Will was frying strawberries and Clara was microwaving cereal here. Yummy.

Childrens Museum

During one amazing naptime that perfectly overlapped (all three kids were sleeping at once) Katie and I even squeezed in a pedicure and a run to Starbucks, which is about a once a year occurrence to ladies like us, so we pretty much felt like queens for that entire afternoon.

Pedicures Starbucks

We also went antiquing, but Katie has all of those pics, so I’ll just share what I brought home: two little wooden doll chairs (too big for the dollhouse but perfect for a few of Clara’s bigger dolls), an old metal moose hook (you know I love a good moose), and a cute little red wagon for Clara’s dollhouse (the wheels even turn, so I knew she’d love pulling it around). Sometimes antique shops (as opposed to thrift shops) seem to have higher prices, but I think the chairs were $4 for both, the moose hook was $3 and the wagon was $3, which wasn’t too bad. When it was all said and done, for ten bucks I got some pretty fun stuff.  Especially when you see where they ended up…

Antiquing With Katie

Here’s the moose hook living it up in the hall bathroom (which is where we bathe Clara, so we’ve been dying for a towel hook for functional reasons). And the fact that El Moose goes so perfectly with Senior Horse (an old metal horse that I got at a secondhand store and repurposed as a towel holder)… well, that made my day.

Moose Hook

As for the doll chairs, I originally thought about spraying them a bright color (you know me…) but once I cleaned them up with some soap and water they looked pretty charming just as they were.

Chairs1

Don’t mind the giant clown pants that the little doll has on. Those are from a stuffed babydoll, but Clara likes to switch everyone’s outfits.

Chairs2

And as for the little red wagon, I think it’s my favorite. Especially because I found it like this the next morning (this is not staged, Clara actually did this).

Dollhouse Wagon1

Seriously, how funny is that? She had dug two pigs out of her little pouch of plastic animals and explained that the big pig was pulling the little pig. And Olivia and Olivia’s dad (who are the kind of pigs who wear clothes) were watching. If that isn’t a good time, I don’t know what is.

  Dollhouse Wagon2

We spent a good amount of time eating (mmm) and just hanging out and talking about blog stuff and life stuff while our kids played in the house and the yard. It was an awesome long weekend with them. And of course we made this video…

… and took some adorable kid pics while we were at it.

Clara And Will1

Clara And Will2

Clara And Will3

Clara And Weston

Clara And Will4

Then on Monday morning we published the morning post and made the long drive home (it’s about 8 hours), approving comments as we went. Oh and Clara blessed us with an awesome nap:

Clara Sleeping

Speaking of blessed, can you believe that Katie and I have been friends for almost four years?! Crazy how time flies. It’s so funny when we think back to how we met before any kiddos (we did everything from vacationing in Nashville to going out for sushi at midnight) and now we collectively have three kids under three. Haha! My how the times have changed. But in the best possible way.

And here’s the thoughtful gift that I found sitting outside of the guest room when we awoke the morning after our very last book signing:

Katie Gift

The hand written note on the top of the box talked about how Katie knew what a big thing the tour was (both exciting-wise and exhausting-wise) and she wanted to congratulate us for completing it and said that she hoped this new after-the-tour season would hold and be filled with many things and be a time that is… (yes she left me hanging so I had to open the box). Inside I found that she had put notes on each item in the box that correlated with what she wrote. So on the little box of chocolates she said “sweet and refreshing” and on the notebook she said “a fresh new start” and on the mug full of herbal tea it said “soothing and calm.” How awesome is that? I loved it. Just what I needed after living out of a suitcase for four months!

So a huge thanks to the Bowers for hosting us and being our buddies. John and Jeremy even went to a movie together while Katie and I hung back with the kids, which made us all nerdy and giddy. We love that our men are such good friends because it bodes well for them always saying “sweet!” when we bat our eyes and start planning another visit. Haha! What road trips have you guys gone on lately? Are you giving (or getting) any presents so charming and clever that they make you want to blog about them? What about crafting and antiquing. I’m sure we’re not the only ones doing that…

Psst- Clara’s just getting funnier and funnier. Hear her take on everything from baby naming to wheeling away from a yogurt raisin here on Young House Love.

Comments

  2. Megan says

    I’m so jealous you get to wear flip flops! We wear snow boots into April here. Road trips are the best! We just went to North Dakota to see George Strait. 12 hour drive but totally worth it. Just wanted to say also, that I LOVE your blog. It’s an important part of my morning routine!

    Reply

  7. Carrie Zimpfer says

    Loved this post! I have been following you guys and Katie for like 5 years! It’s so nice to see you guys be such great friends! Thank you guys so much for sending me a signed plaque to put in my book!! You guys are awesome! Both you and the Bowers have inspired many projects in our home!

    Reply

  8. jeannette says

    the news that clara has now started to style her wagon and dollhouse with skins and shirts pigs is a.) no surprise since she knocked the big girl room curtain design out of the ball park and b.) almost overwhelmingly hopeful.

    god bless.

    xxx

    Reply

  9. Sarah K says

    LOVE those flowerpots you guys made! They look really expensive & would be such a great gift filled with anything from an actual flower to a bag of treats. Also, glad you guys stepped away from the pom pom trim (for that project).

    I was also going to ask where you got the adorable blanket Clara is snuggling with. Too bad it’s John’s sweatshirt – it would be an adorable blanket!
    Sarah

    Reply

  10. [email protected] says

    Question: I want to do B&B on a wall, but can’t figure out what to do with where it meets the floor molding: I really (really) don’t want to take that off, but can’t figure out how it will look if I don’t. What are you planning to do?

    Reply

  11. Abby says

    This warms my heart. Nothing is better than good friends. I am glad you all have each other. I also hope this new season is a little more relaxing for you.

    Reply

  13. Karen T says

    We’re about to take on a road trip to Disney! We’re saving our vacation dollars for a trip next year to Hawaii, so we decided to drive the 21 hours to Disney vs. fly. We might be crazy. Or, maybe we will be at the end. Oh, and did I mention that we have three kids (13, 9 and 6)? Oh, and did I also mention that we’re bringing my 81 year old Mom? She’s probably got more energy than any of us, and we figure that since she’s never been to Disney, no time like the present.

    We’re prepared for the road trip madness, and seriously looking forward to getting out of the MN weather and snow. And, we really can’t wait until our daughters and their Grandma have fun playing together!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw that sounds like so much fun! Once my entire extended family took a two-day-long train trip to Florida (from NJ) and we still reminisce about it to this day. So many memories!

      xo
      s

  15. Ali Miller says

    I <3 Senior Horse and the moose. They are probably my favorite accessories of yours. I love "rustic" mixed with clean and modern. And animals, who can resist?

    Reply

  17. jbhat says

    Why just this last weekend, I got to bond with an out of town friend who had been pregnant with her twin boys while I was pregnant with my first kiddo. We had a lovely time comparing notes, commiserating with and congratulating each other. Being pregnant at the same time as a good friend can definitely deepen the friendship. So glad you all had such a good time with the Bowers. Love the thoughtful gift box.

    jbhat

    Reply

  19. Emily says

    You and Katie are on my “blogs-to-read-everyday” list, so I love posts like these. Y’all always seem to have so much fun.

    And I’m loving those pots – might try my hand at it soon since spring is around the corner (or at least it feels like it down here!)

    Reply

  20. M.C. says

    Isn’t it funny how we girls always want our hubbies to hit it off and become bffs too? I always do that whenever we’re visiting my friends, and get so giddy when they’re having fun conversation together. haha!
    Glad you got to spend some quality time in my hometown of ATL and congrats on finishing the tour.

    Reply

  24. Erin says

    Did you watch The Wire? The top photo with the nail gun totally reminds me of Season 4…we are watching it now and are completely hooked!

    Reply

  26. Mary | lemongroveblog says

    So pumped to see that project post to the blog next week! We did something similar on our stairs and I totally love the look! Really, we found it to be not super hard, and the end results really make the house look classy :) Can’t wait!

    Reply

  27. pat says

    I think I spy the Craftsman Evolv brad nailer. I got it for Christmas, but haven’t used it yet. I hope the hallway post has brad nailer tips!!

    Reply

  28. Kim says

    Oh. em. gee. Will & Clara are so cute together! I’m like 1,000% single right now and nowhere near married or having children at this point in my life, but looking at photos of those two together makes my ovaries kick into overdrive. Those two kids are DARLING. I can’t wait to see pictures of their future wedding ;)

    Reply

  31. Karla says

    I love this post. It is so important to have a friend like that! I wish you guys lived closer so you could do more bloggy colaborations! I just love when you two get together! :)

    Reply

  32. Meg Sluyter says

    I LOVE the Moose hook! I <3 moose (meese, mooses???). I was forced into kind of, my husbands nickname is Moose, so I guess I better like 'um. And that lamp, even if I wasn't married to a Moose, I'd still be in love with it, it's AWESOME! :)

    Reply

  33. Lotte Symonds says

    Love the post and the site guys, just had to say, I think it’s safer to put the chairs with their backs against the counter, they’re harder to tip that way, and you don’t fall so hard. I remember being told that all the time as a kid :) probably because I was so clumsy. :)

    Reply

  35. Chrissie says

    I have to admit, I was skeptical of how the pots would look with wood-look paper and the coloured edges, but they came out really cute! Did you guys have that picture in your minds when you started, or did you just wing it and hope it looked good?

    Also, unrelated to this post, I finally logged into my “subscriptions managing” email account (I use managing in the loosest sense of the word) and decided to unsubscribe to most things in there since I check them anyway – your unsubscribe message is really sweet! It made me smile, and now I can’t bear to push the button. Oh wells, looks like that one is staying!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw thanks Chrissie! We can’t even remember what it says! Now I want to go see… hahah!

      As for the pots, we just looked at what we had on hand (a few colors of craft paint, that wrapping paper, etc) and held them up together to try to picture it. Then we just winged it to see what happened. Thankfully there wasn’t much at stake since they were cheap old pots :)

      xo
      s

  37. Danielle says

    I haven’t done any road tripping this year yet, but we love road trips, so there will likely be one this summer (I’m thinking of going to the beach in Maine). I have done plenty of antiquing lately, and scored a china cabinet for $60 and just yesterday, a small mid-century 3-drawer dresser/nightstand for $19 (on the blog, except for yesterday’s find, which will post today).

    Did I miss the details on the sweet bird print that is in Clara’s dollhouse? I love it, and can’t stop thinking about Portlandia at the moment… put a bird on it!

    Reply

  38. Christina @ Floridays Mom says

    You guys are so luck to have each other. As a blogger, I feel like I have my blog friends who read all of my posts, comment constantly and humor me with my blog. Then I have my actual hang out friends and I feel like neither really cross-over. I sometimes feel like I lead two diffrent lives, it must be so fun to be able to be able to share both of those with one person who equally understands… So cool! Clara is so adorable, love that she set up that wagon like a carriage.. Beyond adorable!! Enjoy your weekend project!

    Reply

  41. Anne says

    I’m considering doing board and batten in our powder room. BUT my walls have fairly “busy” orange peel texture on them and I’m worried that would look weird in the large open areas. What do you think? Board and batten is supposed to look smooth in the large areas, isn’t it?

    Reply

  46. Grace @ sense and simplicity says

    I love that gift that Katie gave you – so thoughtful and fun (and useful – especially the chocolate). It’s great to have a kindred spirit even if they are an 8 hour car ride away – just knowing that you found each other is the best.

    Reply

  49. Allison says

    This is a random comment, but I want to thank you for buckling Clara into her carseat correctly. Of course this is for her sake, but also to model this for others! I am a peri-natal educator and get so annoyed when I see pictures of children buckled incorrectly into carseats in ads or online. You always get that chest clip up where it belongs! Well done and many thanks!!!

    Reply

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