::Weekend Bloggy Reading:: Link Up! {and BOTB}

Happy Friday! Welcome to my Weekend Bloggy Reading link party. This is the day of the week where other bloggers stop by to link up their best post of the week, and readers get to browse tons of fun project ideas. If you're new here, don't forget to "Follow" or subscribe so you don't miss future parties and projects!

*Please be sure to read my guidelines before you add a link--I've had to bypass so many great projects lately because they didn't include a link back to my blog in the post! Blogging is quid pro quo.

This party is a great place to showcase your very best post of the week (home decor, crafts, party ideas, recipes, DIY, tips and tricks, etc.) and to see what else is out there.

Here are a few of my faves I spotted around the web this week:

sources listed below

~Top 5 Most Common Design Mistakes via because i like to decorate

~Monogram Nursery Wall Art via Jani Photography

~Jasmine Dead Sea Salt Soap and Body Scrub via Essentially Eclectic

~Mudroom Built-Ins via Twice Lovely

~And Me? I'd love it if you have a moment to click over. This week featured:

• IKEA Decorating Ideas {Shopping Inspiration with Fall Items}
• Send Us Some Love
• A "Before" Room Video Tour
• Featured Project Ideas

**Also, it's BOTB Day over at Centsational Girl. Be sure to click over some time today and see what Kate and I rounded up for the Best of the Blogosphere. Great inspiration, as always!

Time to link up your best post of the week!

IKEA Decorating Ideas {Shopping Trip Inspiration with new Fall Items}

The girls and I made a quick jaunt up the road to our Woodbridge IKEA on Tuesday. I was hoping to see tons of new Fall showrooms, but was slightly disappointed. There were a few new additions to our favorite "apartments" here and there, but I guess our store has yet to update completely for the upcoming season. A few of the new showrooms looked like they belonged on a Swedish space station--way uber-modern. No matter...I did snap a few iPhone shots of things that popped out at me. Hope you find some IKEA decorating inspiration today!

I love the way they use the large mirror to balance out the two dressers. The red containers are also super cute:

Hello, adorable clock. Swoon!

Almost positive I saw that white piece featured in the marketplace as a plant stand, but I love the way it's used here. Great storage options!

Here's a great example of IKEA's Expedits used in a living area. They're not just for kids' spaces! I like the incorporation of the drawer and door units.

Just love this glass-topped dining set...it's new!

The gray beadboard caught my eye in the bath, as well as using towel racks all along the wall...no more jumbled up towels!

Love the cheery yellow wall and that white bed!

Here's another great bedroom...this one's a bit more sophisticated with an upholstered headboard and layered hanging fabric.

Here's a great example of incorporating shelving for storage and display in an older child's room:

These tall, skinny dressers are new and I just love 'em! Would be great for the baby's tiny closet, but I'm planning to repurpose the existing girlie dresser that we already have. 

Seriously considered taking the round black and white rug home with me, but I wasn't sure it would work in our kitchen. Was small, but adorable.

Playroom, kids' room, or craft room...I about died from the sweetness of this rug!

And now I am kicking myself for not bringing this typewriter art home with me. What was I thinking?! I blame it on pregnancy brain and trying to stay on budget.

What did we bring home? I picked up a cute aqua rug to go on the floor in front of my kitchen sink until I can find a more "permanent" one, and some cute little accents for the baby's room. I spent less than $20, so I was really proud of myself!

Which room was your favorite?

Also, thanks to everyone who sent in kind words, thoughts, and prayers yesterday. The baby's heart looked "perfect," to quote the doc! Looks like he'll be here mid-November, despite my December due date...hurray for a third classical c-section (note the sarcasm).

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, I hope you'll click your "Pin It" button to add this post to Pinterest, or a +1 for Google+. And I always appreciate kind comments.

Send Us Some Love Today!

Hey, readers! I'm asking for prayers and good thoughts today...Ellie the German Shepherd goes in for her spay appointment this morning and I have an appointment for another ultrasound around 9 am. They want to take a closer look at baby's heart. 

I feel pretty good about things...I don't think they would have made me schedule another ultrasound for baby if I hadn't told them about Michaela Byrd's innocent heart murmur. She was also born with a small hole in her heart that closed up on its own. We would never have even known about it if the doctor hadn't caught it during her NICU stay. Thousands of people have the same condition and never know about it.

At any rate, the perinatologist herself said that the likelihood of baby boy having the same problem is very small. I feel like maybe this appointment is more to say that they checked it out than anything else.

But I guess any time a doctor schedules more tests and talks seriously at you and mentions the word "heart" you freak out slightly. I'd appreciate your prayers today for a continued healthy pregnancy and baby!

And also, some patience in dealing with a very large, groggy, post-surgery German Shepherd.

Thanks, readers. I always know I can count on you! 

A "Before" Room Video Tour (Craft Supply Organization)

This post brought to you by The Original ScrapBox. 

Hello, hello! I'm headed up to our IKEA for some shopping fun, but I thought today would be perfect to show you a quick "Before" Video Tour. You may remember the very embarrassing post I shared last month with photos of Natalie's old room (soon to belong to baby boy) and the girls' play area.

I dreaded sharing my craft supply chaos with you guys, but I received so many encouraging comments and emails. It seems that many of you also have a secret room or closet where you stash stuff. I'm excited to be calling it quits with the clutter and working with The Original ScrapBox to get things organized. I'll share more about the WorkBox and the process of putting it all together in an upcoming post, but today is all about giving you a closer look at the awful mess I created. 

I don't know if I've ever given you guys a close-up look at our addition, which is where 90% of the girls' toys reside. (Side note: Please excuse the tarp over our shed outside...a storm took the roof out and we're waiting on the tree guy to come and take care of things before we can replace everything.) So, hopefully today's video tour will give you a better idea of the space I have to work with. 

Please note, you may have to click over to the blog to see the video if you're viewing this in a reader or email:

I can't wait to show you guys the WorkBox in our downstairs space once the shelves are in and supplies relocated. I have a list of to-do projects a mile long that I'm hoping will be made easier with a new workspace! Most exciting is the transformation from little girl's room-turned stash area to baby boy's nursery. I have a lot to do!

What's your biggest organizing challenge?

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, I hope you'll click your "Pin It" button to add this post to Pinterest, or a +1 for Google+. And I always appreciate kind comments.




Disclosure: This is not a paid post, but I received product from The Original ScrapBox in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions expressed are 100% my own!

Featured Project Ideas {Link Party Features}

Hello, hello! I love Mondays because I get to share some Features from the weekend link party. There was a fantastic line-up of creative posts: Home Decor, DIY, Crafts, Recipes, Party Ideas, Tips and Tricks, and more. It's an awesome spot to find stuff to add to your Pinterest boards! Just a note, please be sure to add a link back (text or button) within your post when you join the party...I've had to bypass so many neat projects that didn't take the time to link back in the post. Without further ado, here are some that I spotted this weekend:

~Cheery Yellow Pillows via Pillow Love

~Lemon Crinkle Cookies via Simply Suzanne

~Shadow Box to Charging Station via Lookie What I Did

One More Day to Link Up--Showcase YOUR Project!

Howdy! Just wanted to remind you that there is one more day to link up to this week's Weekend Bloggy Reading link party. I'd love to see you there! I'll have a post with some Featured Project Ideas up tomorrow.

If you haven't joined the fun yet, please hop over to the party and add your best post of the week. We have Home Decor, Crafts, DIY, Recipes, Tips and Tricks, Party Ideas, and so much more! Lots of fun ideas to Pin and tuck away for future use.

If you've already linked up, be sure to browse some of the other projects. If you haven't added a link back to me within your post, please take a minute to do that if you'd like your project considered for a feature. It's good for both of our SEO, guys!

Hope you've had a fantastic weekend.

::Weekend Bloggy Reading:: Link Up!

Happy Friday! Welcome to my Weekend Bloggy Reading link party. This is the day of the week where other bloggers stop by to link up their best post of the week, and readers get to browse tons of fun project ideas. If you're new here, don't forget to "Follow" or subscribe so you don't miss future parties and projects! Please be sure to read my guidelines before you add a link.

This party is a great place to showcase your very best post of the week (home decor, crafts, party ideas, recipes, DIY, tips and tricks, etc.) and to see what else is out there.

Here are a few of my faves I spotted around the web this week:

sources listed below

~DIY Pencil and Supply Holders via Lil Blue Boo

~IKEA Table Upgrade via A Mommy's Life with a Touch of Yellow

~Custom Piping Tutorial via i heart naptime

~DIY Ruched Leggings via MADE

~And Me? I'd love it if you have a moment to click over. This week featured:

• How to Learn More About Your Ancestry
• Veggie Snack Chips
• Scrap Wood and Mason Jar Centerpiece
• Summer Vignette Inspiration

Time to link up your best post of the week!