Oh, baby!

I have incredibly exciting news to share...

I'm going to be an aunt!!!

That's right - my amazing sister and her husband are expecting their first baby this July! I have been waiting impatiently anxiously to share the news for quite some time now. In the meantime, I have been occupying myself by thinking of fun ideas for baby showers, baby gifts, and all sorts of ways to spoil my new little niece or nephew! With all of the ideas, I've already secured myself the titles "Favorite Aunt" and "Best Aunt Ever!" [It doesn't hurt that I'm my sister's only sibling and her husband is an only child...]

I can't wait to meet the new addition to their adorable little family! The new little one is sure to be beautiful, incredibly smart, sweet and loved more than words can explain!

More free ideas...

Speaking of free magazines, I am also more than a little obsessed with the free Lowe's Creative Ideas magazine. Can we say incredible? I'm big on tearing out and saving magazine pages and today I felt like I was ripping out every other page. But my very favorite idea from this issue...

A plain mirror turned fabulous with glass tiles. I love glass tiles, so naturally I love this project. The instructions make it look really simple and we even have mirrors left over from our wedding we could use. :)

P.S. For more great ideas, check out how to Recycle in Style.

Fruit shooters...

I am quite possibly a mega dork, but I love when we get the free HyVee Seasons magazine in the mail. Seriously, I get crazy excited. Especially when there are awesome ideas inside it like these fruit shooter recipes...

Watermelon and Raspberry Juice

3 cups watermelon, rind removed, cubed and seeded
1 cup raspberries, rinsed and dried
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cherry-Berry Juice
2 tablespoons Nature Blessed Cherry Concentrate
12 oz. of water
3/4 cup blueberries, rinsed
1 apple, washed, cored, cut in wedges and seeded

Cantaloupe Surprise
4 cups of cantaloupe, rind removed, seeded and cubed
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Green Apple and Kiwi Popper
2 kiwifruits, peeled
2 apples, cored, seeds removed and cut in wedges
1 tablespoon lemon juice

I am definitely looking forward to trying these out. I don't know about you, but whenever Mr. W and I buy a watermelon or cantaloupe, it seems like we can never finish it. I have a feeling these little ideas will come in very handy. :)

Artful words...

I love words - saying them...writing them...and art made with them. Like this incredible "subway" art made from a family's resolutions for 2010. What a great idea! [Check out this week's challenge at So You Think You're Crafty to vote for it.]

I also love this idea for smaller art from Bower Power with words from their home states.

The ideas for this type of art are endless...Bible verses, special memories, vacation sites, etc.

Pottery Barn ideas...

So, this Pottery Barn-inspired project got me thinking about other possibilities for creating my own one of a kind piece for less. Here are the Pottery Barn inspiration pieces I found...

Eat Sign [$49]

Number Door Know Row of Hooks [$99]

Planked Pony [$199]

Modular Chalkboard Tiles [$136 for a set of four]

Painted Pieced Woodwork [$399]

The best things about these ideas:

• I am certain each of them could be DIYed for waaay under $49
• The colors, sizes and even pictures could be customized (i.e., ponies aren't really my style, but the idea could be easily changed to a giant monogram or any other picture)
• And making things yourself is just fun. :)

Pottery Barn inspiration...

I love projects that recreate a pricy piece for much less. Like this $349.00 Pottery Barn artwork...

...that inspired this beautiful and almost free artwork by Susie [with a great tutorial!].

Keep organized by using white...

I just read "How to KEEP organized in 2010" on Houzz and learned an interesting tip - use white bedding and linens...

"White not only looks professional, it can be cleaned easily and transferred from room to room while keeping a continuity throughout the house. If all-white bedding is too pristine, add splashes of colors with throws, pillows, and color surrounding the bed."

I'm not gonna lie, I've always been a little afraid of white bedding and keeping it looking nice (i.e., not getting make-up on all the pillow cases if I take a nap). But after thinking about it, I guess it makes sense that they would actually be really easy to clean. And after looking around on Houzz for photos including white bedding, I am pretty much sold...

I also love it because white sheets would work perfectly with the bedding set in our master bedroom (below) and the comforter in the guest room. [My wallet and I are both too scared to go to completely white bedding yet!] 

Bed Bath & Beyond

Well, I'm off to scour the Internet for some deals on white sheets! Have a wonderful evening! 

P.S. The sheets that came with our bedding set look waaay whiter in this picture than in person. They are actually a kind of dingy gray.