Family

June 10, 2020

9 Month Old Baby Favorites – Goldie Mae

How do I have a 9 month old baby again? Our sweet Goldie Mae is 9 months old – which is probably one of the most bittersweet milestones for me with my babies. Something about knowing the whole world has known her as long as I have, and knowing that she is so close to ending that first year as a baby is breaking my heart this time. I wish I could slow down time. This post has all her 9 month updates and my favorite products for 9 month olds.

this post may contain affiliate links

9 Month Old Baby Goldie

9 months. You all have known her for 9 months. I also can’t believe that means that I have known about her and loved her for a year and a half. Goldie has been pure sunshine since she was born and something about her holds my heart so strongly.

I thought she seemed mild at first (similar to how I thought Avé seemed mild) but she is showing more and more signs that she will be a fire ball. She already makes us laugh so hard and has a spunky little personality that truly cracks us up on the regular.

She is almost crawling, still has 2 teeth, waves bye bye and says dada. She loves going on walks, and is VERY angry if we eat things we don’t share. She challenged peanut butter this month and won – so we are able to rest a little more assured on allergies, and are praying it’s only an egg allergy.

Overall she is everyones favorite person in the house, and although it’s been a bit sad to not to be able to share her with the world, I am trying to see this extra time of getting to hog her all to ourselves as a blessing.

9 Month Old Favorite Products

And – as for favorite products if you have been following along with this series then you know that I have been keeping track of everything we love month by month here on blog posts.

My hope with this series is that you are able to figure out what items I loved and found to be favorites for how long – this way you can better decide what to invest in and what you might want to skip.

It is worth noting that although these are my favorites everyone uses items for different lengths of time.

In the comments below the round up I will explain further why we love the item and give some disclaimers, and at the end of the year I think I will be sure to sort of break this all down for you all. If you are interested in the rest of the posts, all the monthly baby favorites will be linked below!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

Shop 9 Month Baby Favorites Below

Boon Drying Rack – this is an item that I think just remains a favorite for as long as you are using bottles. It makes it so much easier to just wash them and let them dry there since you use them multiple times a day.
Infant bath seat – we don’t have this exact one, but have something really similar that we got when Jack was a baby. It is a great way to keep your baby safely sitting in the tub and not slipping around. just a reminder – these items can give you false security. They are no safer in this seat than in the tub sitting.
Bibs Pacifiers – I love these for Goldie and she still loves them too.
Teether – these have been favorite teether for both her and my now 2 year old
Pool float – we have been living at the pool and this pool float is a favorite. Check out some photos of it in use here if you are wondering how it works.
Carseat – we moved Goldie out of her infant carseat and to our convertible a bit earlier than we would have if it were a normal time. Because she is in the car so little we decided to just move her to this one so we didn’t have a carseat sitting in storage. We have been Clek lovers for 4 years and I can’t say enough good things about the carseats. They are heavy duty and no fuss!
These bows are my favorite – they are gorgeous and don’t leave a dent on their heads
Mustella foaming shampoo – helps so much with cradle cap!
Veer Wagon – this is seriously the best stroller we have and we have tried a lot. I have a full review of it here!
Aquaphor – if you have a baby with dry skin use this!
Pacifier clips
Hatch sound machine – I still love this so much because I can adjust it from my phone.
Avent bottles – I have used these same bottles with all of my babies.
Freshly Picked diaper bag – This has been my favorite diaper bag for the past couple of years as well and I am obsessed with it. I have a full review of it here!
Boppy baby carrier – I LOVE this baby carrier. I think finding a good baby carrier can be hard and I love this one.
Pack n play – we recently switched to this one and I LOVE it. It sets up just as easy as advertised and is a great place for Goldie to hang out.
Snack cup – this snack cup is my favorite thing. It has a lid and can condense smaller. It’s a great one piece cup!
Joovy walker – this little walker is GREAT! We have been using it outside a lot but I love the big tray for her to play with toys.
Crinkle book – something about these toys that crinkle seriously make babies so happy.
Stokke Highchair – I wrote a full review here on how much we LOVE THIS highchair!
Jumper – we changed from our old jumper to this one for our 4th and I LOVE IT. the footprint is nice and small but it’s super sturdy and amazing.
Slumberkins – this is by far one of my favorite brands.
This guy little glow worm is such a favorite for us. it is not cute. but let me tell you – it has helped every one of our babies sleep.
Mattress – this mattress is amazing

Hopefully you found some items that you love! Be sure to check out all the posts below with more favorite baby items!

MONTHLY BABY FAVORITES

If you need more ideas for your baby be sure to send me a message. These favorites for a 9 month old baby are just the top items, but there are so many others I love!

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Amazon Finds

June 10, 2020

Amazon Girl’s Nursery Decor

Amazon girls nursery decor coming at you. I have been loving doing Amazon round up blog posts for you all because what is better than finding unique items without leaving your house? Over the past couple of years I have loved doing these Amazon round ups for you all, and this post is no exception.

This Amazon Girl’s Nursery Decor post contains affiliate links

this post was originally published in April of 2019 and was updated in June of 2020

Amazon Girls Nursery Decor

Before I get to the exact items, I want to talk about why I love Amazon decor, and some of the items I personally have below. Shortly after this post was originally written I started working on baby #4’s nuersey, who was my second girl. I was so inspired by this post and the amazing finds that I included many of them into her room.

Overall, my goal with the image below was that you could literally grab all of this, and in my opinion it would make a well designed nursery. That is not always the case with posts like this, but in the case of this post I was really planning for our baby so was putting things together in that manner.

We personally have both the crib and mattress in Goldie’s Nursery (see full nursery here), and LOVE both. I wanted a modern, simple crib, and really wanted a good mattress. Both are working so well for us, and she seems to love the mattress.

I also went with the acrylic book ledges in this post for her room. I had them already for my older daughter and knew I loved them (they are honestly the best book ledges we own), so that was an easy purchase. They are easy to hang and look great!

Lastly – we did the moon and star hooks and they are SO SO CUTE!! See the image below to see how cute it looks hung in person. I will also link to my older daughters room where the pink rug is, so you can see that in a room, as well as some other great Amazon finds!

After this first round up, be sure to keep scrolling for a second round up of nursery items for your baby girl from Amazon. Now onto the Amazon girls nursery finds. If you find anything you love, be sure to check out the rest of my Amazon finds here!

Shop This Round Up

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20

Moon and Star wall hooks – These are so sweet, and will likely be incorporated in my sweet girls nursery! I love that you could hang bonnets, headbands, ring slings or blankets on them!
Wicker Floor Pouf – This has been a well loved item from my Amazon girls room roundup. I think these would be perfect for a foot rest for the nursery chair, then transition into a little step stool for her!
Gold Floor Lamp
Framed Canvas Bunny Picture
Pouf Mobile – This is so sweet and affordable. A great simple addition over the crib.
Belly Basket – I always add baskets to my kids rooms for animals and such!
Throw Pillow
Rug – See it in real life here. We have this rug, and I am strongly considering it for my babies room!
Faux Fiddle – this one has great reviews. I think adding faux plants in a nursery is such a great way to add decor and keep it bright.
Round Jute Rug – I also LOVE this idea for a nursery rug
Pink Pom pom Basket – this comes in several sizes and shapes, but I think its such a sweet way to give a tiny bit if pink to the room.
Watercolor Dot Sheet
Acrylic Book Ledges – I have these in Avé’s room and I love them!
White modern crib – This convertible crib is gorgeous.
Wood Bead Light fixture – very similar to the one I have here, and I love!
Gold Crib – I am so torn between white and gold this time around. I love how fun and modern this gold is.
Changing basket – Lay this on your babies dresser for diaper changes!
This Mattress has the highest reviews, and we LOVE it!
Floral Crib sheet
Small Plant – so affordable and you can throw it in any pot

Amazon Girls Nursery Decor – Round up 2

The above round up has been so popular with you all that I wanted to give you more options to choose from. This time around I really tried to make sure the entire round up was kind of like a one stop shop nursery.

If you buy everything in this post it will all coordinate perfectly to make a gorgeous slightly boho nursery for your daughter with true nods to it being a baby room. I tried to find whimsical elements that make the room remain perfect for an infant, and I hope you love the end result!

Shop This Round up of Girls Nursery Decor from Amazon

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23

Rug – for me a rug is always one of that hardest things to find for a room. I love that this one is pink and girly but not overly feminine where it will make the room look like its filled with spilled bubble gum.
Pillow – this pink pillow reminds me SO much of some really popular Target pillows a couple years ago.
Cuddle and Kind – I actually incorporated this exact one into my daughters nursery. I love that they are a doll/stuffed animal that for those first months works as decor.
Rattan Elephant basket – seriously love this cute little guy for laundry or stuffed animals
Floor lamp – this gold floor lamp would be perfect next to a chair for reading books.
Bow holder – this is gorgeous and will just make for great wall decor for the first while, then as you start getting clip in bows you can add them to it.
Changing basket – I have one on the above round up too, but wanted to include another fun, unique version.
Star Vase – this is so cute – such a fun piece of decor
Short pom pom basket – this would be perfect on a dresser to hold pacifiers, headbands, or all the other little odds and ends you use every day
Pom border swaddle – this comes in several colors and is so stinking cute.
Wicker animal face – this is so freaking cute I can’t even stand it!
Rattan mirror – this over a dresser would be darling
This little caddy is so cute for diapers and wipes – then you can use it later for crayons and such.
Pom-pom garland – such a fun little piece to hang over a crib.
Vase – this vase is stunning!
Prints – love these simple yet fun prints
Small plant – I am big fan of adding greenery to any room, and this little plant is perfect for a dresser or side table by a chair.
Basket – such a fun take on a basket
This sheet is SO CUTE
Faux fiddle – I love adding a fake plant to my nurseries. Once they get older if you think they are messing with it you can easily put it in another space in your house.
Little cloud and rainbow round wall art
White pillow – I have this on my boys round up too. I love it so much!
Simple Jenny lind crib – I LOVE the Jenny lind look, and actually talk about my inexpensive Jenny lind beds in this post.

Be sure to stay tuned to see if I use any of these in our daughters nursery this summer, and before you leave be sure to check out all these Amazon decor round ups!!

Other Amazon Finds

ALL AMAZON POSTS

AMAZON GIRLS ROOM | AMAZON BOYS ROOM | AMAZON HOME FINDS

If you have any questions on these Amazon girl’s nursery decor finds , be sure to leave me a comment below, or DM me on Instagram!! Hopefully they are helpful in you creating a sweet space for your baby that is unique and affordable.

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DIY

June 7, 2020

Easy DIY Abacus Baby Toy

I think every baby has an abacus toy in some fashion, right? They are a timeless toy (and historically a great learning tool), so I wanted to make one for our baby girl.

I went back and forth on what I wanted to make, but ended up deciding I was up for the challenge of an Easy DIY abacus push toy. The end results were so much better than I anticipated and I can’t wait to share how you can make one yourself!

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Easy DIY Abacus Baby Toy

Have you had dreams of making your baby something that they can pass down to their babies? My grandpa was the most amazing wood worker and made me so many toys that are still in our family, so the idea of us being able to do something have that amazing for our kids is something we have wanted to do.

I actually initially was going to make a rainbow abacus – which I still think I will do with my leftover beads, but wanted to do something more ‘useful’ for Goldie, which is where the push toy version of this was born.

Let me tell you – this was not the most simple project we have done. Not because it was necessarily cray hard, but because we really had to do the thinking and math to figure it out. It took some learning and playing to figure out, but in the end I am so happy with it.

Like I stated above, we made this for our 4th baby. I LOVE when baby gear and toys can be both pretty and functional, and this one totally fits that bill. I love the look of it, and Goldie can’t get enough.

I will talk about some things you could do differently to make this your own as I walk you through it, but hopefully you are able to accomplish a toy that you will love for years to come with the help of this tutorial.

Supplies and Tools for the Abacus Push Toy

Below are the tools and supplies I personally used for this project. – I will also let you know if a tool could be skipped to keep costs down if you are not an avid DIYer.

Tools:

Saw – We used a Table Saw. A table saw or miter saw will make this a lot easier, but if need be you could go with a hand saw.
Sander or Sand paper – again we used a sander but you could use sanding blocks or sand paper if needed.
Jigsaw – This is used to make the curved look. You don’t have to do this, but if you don’t you need to use an electric sander and really take down the corners for safety!
Drill

Supplies:

Spray paint – for mine I used white for the frame and 8 different colors for the beads. you could also do this with craft paint but I found it to be much easier to use spray paint. Most craft stores sell the mini sizes which are a great choice for this!

2 Packs of these metal dowels (8 total dowels)
Wood Beads
Wheels
1 x 3 poplar board – 1 board is enough
1 dowel somewhere between 1 and 2 inches
Screws
wood glue
2 fluted dowel pins
super glue
ruler
foam and q tips for painting the beads – optional but makes it easier
9/64 inch drill bit
6 Screws – 4 of them need to have a head larger than 3/8 of an inch.
optional – wood filler
spray paint in colors you want for the project

Prepping the Beads

Before I started on anything else I worked on painting the beads. I personally used 8 beads per row and did 8 colors.

Set up a block of foam. For me this was just scrap foam that had come in a box with a coffee pot. I then took q tips and broke the cotton off one end. Stick the side WITH the cotton inside the wooden balls and stick the other side in the foam and you are ready to paint.

You will have to flip the balls and do this again, so what I did was had 3 total foam blocks. 2 for painting and one to transfer over q tips while they were drying.

I did the balls in my free time over the course of a few days, but take it as fast or as slow as you would like. The goal is just to get all your balls done and ready then set aside.

We obviously did ours in a rainbow color scheme – but this is completely customizable and could even be done with the natural wood beads to match the dowels. I love the idea of doing a really similar color scheme to this pillow for a boy!

Creating the Legs/ Cutting Dowels

First – cut your poplar boards. You need 2 boards 21.5 inches long and 2 boards 1o inches long.

Then if you are rounding your corners like we did, on both ends of the 21.5 inch boards and 1 end of the 10 inch boards you need to draw a curved line ( I made a little template on paper to keep them uniform), then use your jigsaw to cut the corners.

All in all that means 6 ends cut with the jig saw, and 2 ends should still be flat.

Next – use your drill to drill a hole for your dowel pin in the flat end of the 10 inch boards. You need to drill enough to snuggly fit your dowel pin in halfway. We also used wood glue in the hole for extra stability. Do this on both 10 inch boards then let them fully dry for 24 hours.

Now you should have 2 21.5 inch boards that are curved on each end and 2 10 inch boards with a dowel pin coming out of the middle of the flat end!

Now its time to make each side. Your dowel pins may not be EXACTLY in the same spot on each of your shorter boards so its important that when you’re attaching your legs you measure from the bottom of the board.

The BOTTOM side of our 10 inch boards hit 8.75 inches up from the bottom of the 21.5 inch boards. We laid the shorter boards on top of the 21.5 inch boards to find the exact heigh for the dowel pin hole and drilled a female hole into the under side of the 21.5 inch board.

Then using a small amount of wood glue put the dowel pin in that board and again let it fully dry. Do this for both legs. I personally used wood filler on the seams – but if I weren’t painting this I would have skipped that.

Once the legs have fully dried its time to paint them if you want. I personally painted ours with white spray paint.

You also want to cut your dowels during this step for the handle and the other connectors. You need 3 dowels 13 inches long.

Creating the Abacus

Once your legs are done you have 2 lopsided ‘t’ pieces. The shorter sides are your bottom, and the longer sides are your top. This is important when it comes to the next step.

You will lay your ‘t’ let on the side and measure up from the bottom 3 inches and make a dot in the middle of the leg. You need to make sure these are centered and straight going up – for me my ruler was exactly half the width of the leg so I aligned it on the side.

From the bottom dot make seven more dots 1.5 inches apart each going up.

Now into those holes you will drill using a 9/64 inch drill bit to make a tiny hole to stick your metal dowels into.

You can also drill the pilot hole for your wheels and the bottom dowel. 1 inch from the bottom of each leg, and 1 inch from the top drill a small pilot hole all the way through each leg.

Repeat the same steps on the inside of the other leg. Remember you need it to be ON THE INSIDE AND THE BOTTOM HALF.

Now lay your first side down with the small holes facing up and put your dowels into the holes after first dipping them into a tiny dot of super glue. Now you can drop your beads on – I show this whole step in the video in this post, incase that would be helpful. For me I worked from the bottom in a true ‘rainbow’ ish order going – purple, blue, blue green, mint green, yellow, orange, light pink, hot pink.

Once they are all on carefully place your top piece on getting all 8 dowels in their holes. One thing to remember is that some of the dowels may be further down into the bottom piece than others because of how far you drilled in, so this can take a minute to get it just right.

At this point your abacus is on its side with all 8 metal dowels in place with the beads. You will place 1 of your wooden dowels carefully in the position below your gold dowels, and place the wheel on the outside. Screw through the wheel through the wood leg and into the wood dowel.

Flip to the other side and do the same, then repeat on the back wheels. Last you will drill the top dowel into place for the handle. Once they are all In place you may need to loosen the screws on the wheels a bit to make sure that they roll and things are feeling even.

This little abacus push toy was by far one of my favorite projects we have ever done. It took a lot of thinking, math (and even a little geometry) to accomplish, but in the end it it turned out beyond darling.

If you are looking for an item that your baby will love, and you will keep for years to come make sure you try this out.

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Amazon Finds

June 7, 2020

Boy’s Nursery Amazon Finds

As promised last week when I shared my Girls nursery finds from Amazon, I have my Boy’s Nursery Amazon finds post ready. You will see quite a bit of crossover between this post and the girls nursery finds room post because I love finding great gender neutral items you can use in all your kids rooms.

This post was done originally on 4/22/19 and has since been updated with a second round up on 6/7/20.

This Boy’s Nursery Amazon Finds post contains affiliate links.

Boy’s Amazon Nursery Finds

Finding decor from Amazon is one of my absolute favorite things. To me it’s like going to Home Goods, finding those hidden gems, but without the hassle of wasted trips where you found nothing you wanted.

Personally, when I did my son Walker’s Nursery (above) I went super neutral, and loved the idea of simple finds – which is exactly what Amazon is good for. The rug shown above if from Amazon and is now in a shared bedroom for both of my boys and has continued to be a great, neutral piece.

When it comes to finding pieces for your nursery, I always tend to think about what I will use the longest and the most and spend the most there, then trickle down. So if you don’t think yo will use the changing pad and cover for long, don’t go big on that expense.

If you are looking for other Amazon decor finds I have several linked here, along with so many Amazon fashion posts for kids. You have to really sift through things to find items from Amazon that are worth the purchase, but I have done the heavy lifting in these cases, and have dug up some really great finds.

Now onto these great finds!!

Boy’s Nursery Amazon Finds – Round up 1

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19

Wall tapestry – these are so cute and versatile. I love that you can hang this over the crib and its not a heavy item that will hurt the baby if it falls.
Throw Pillow – I love this mod cloth idea from Amazon
Rug – This is the rug I have in my youngest son’s nursery (see here) and we love it!
Leather Pouf – this is a great idea for a chair ottoman – we did a gold version in my daughters room and she loves to use it as a bean bag now.
Boppy Cover
Floor lamp
Faux plant – I love this faux fiddle leaf (also shown in the girls round up)
Frame – I searched high and low for an inexpensive big frame for my sons room and ended up with this one (see how I used it here).
Animal head wall hook – I have this in my oldest sons room
Hanging number basket – this is by far one of the best selling items from my blog (first seen here) – it would be so cute over the changing table or with books in it.
Simple striped sheet
Belly Basket
White and Wood crib – a great price and love that it has a unique flair
Light Fixture
Changing pad basket – This was on the girls room post too. I think this would be so cute in a nursery for changing on the dresser or floor!
Black Crib
Grey buffalo check crib sheet
Small Plant – I think adding greenery in a nursery is a must
Nook Sleep Mattress – If you are looking for a mattress I personally think its a good place to splurge and this one has amazing reviews.

The picture frame below with the large buffalo print in it is from Amazon. I personally picked it due to the plexiglass based on where it was at, and am so glad I did, because we later moved it over my sons bed as a toddler, and since it was on Amazon it was really easy for me to grab another to go over my older sons bed.

For me that is one of the biggest perks of Amazon, that I can grab another years later and many time they are still available

More Finds

The above round up has been so well received and loved that I wanted to add another to this post to give you more ideas, and a bit of an updated round up. The round up below is meant to be able to be a one click nursery.

You will have to add a few things, but if you combine most items from the two round ups you could have your nursery fully completed!

Shop Amazon Nursery for Boys Round up 2 Below

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15

Lidded wicker end table – this is perfect to sit next to your chair in the nursery to store blankets, stuffed animals or whatever you need. Babies come with a lot of stuff, so more storage is never a bad thing.
Framed animal canvas – this comes in SO MANY ANIMAL VERSIONS, such a good way to add a fun little pop to the nursery.
Animal head hooks – these hooks are great. I love adding hooks to my walls to hang things like wraps and ring slings or even swaddles for decor!
Small baskets – these are so cute. You could use them as a diaper caddy on your dresser or to organize small things.
Ladder – I LOVE this ladder – such an affordable dupe on the one from Anthropoligie and a great way to display blankets or just add simple decor to a wall.
Swaddle – I am a sucker for solids for boys and this solid swaddle comes in several other colors.
Pillow – I LOVE this pillow. Simple and Neutral but will add great texture.
Floor lamp – a good floor lamp is so great by your chair, and this is a great modern look.
Lion Face pillow – I saw this and instantly fell in love. Such a fun take on an animal pillow that is still modern and fun.
Felt Animal head – this comes in several versions but I LOVE this Zebra and it is great and affordable.
Basket – I love this unique basket and the tiny pops of orange are such a fun way to add just a little color to the room.
Cactus blanket – such a gorgeous find that looks so high end.
Diamond Pillow – this is gorgeous for a boys space. The colors are amazing and I wish I had found it for my last sons nursery.
Faux Snake Plant – I am a big person on adding a little greenery to all rooms. I love this version because it won’t take up too much room
This crib is CRAZY affordable and so gorgeous and modern. It is a convertible option so if you’re looking of a great affordable crib that will last check this one out!

Hopefully you found some great finds for your baby’s nursery in these round ups , and if you didn’t, be sure to check out the posts below with more amazing items that can all be delivered in an instant thanks to that trusted site!

Affordable Amazon Home Finds – 2

This is the second Affordable Amazon Home Finds post that I have done. Its a highly requested, and well loved post on both fronts, so I am excited to continue digging deep into the pages on Amazon to find you gorgeous, unique items for your home!

this post contains affiliate links

Affordable Amazon Home Finds

This post was seriously inspired by realizing how many McGee and Co items had amazing dupes on Amazon for a fraction of the cost.

I love everything Studio Mcgee sells or put their hands on, so to find such great dupes of items – like I am talking nearly exact replicas is amazing! This is a great way to have a home that looks high end bt saving money on some of the smaller items.

I think sometimes people think that everything in your house has to be designer to be gorgeous, and that is simply not the case. With 4 little ones, I more often than not skip the pricey and go for affordable on items those little hands can touch.

No one would be any the wiser with the items in this post!!

Other Amazon Finds

If Amazon finds are your thing be sure you check out the rest of my Amazon posts, as well as my amazon store front below. I am also showing you the other two Amazon Home round ups here so you can head to those to find even more great items to shop!

Amazon Store Front | Amazon Posts

Amazon Home Finds under $100

VISIT POST HERE

Natural and Neutral Amazon Home Finds

VISIT POST HERE

Now – onto this round up. I am sure you will be able to tell from the round up that I love neutrals. I mean I love color too…but I love natural decor. This round up has lots of nods to McGee and Co with soft naturals, and I honestly want every item!

Amazon Home Finds – Shop Items Below

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21

1.Rattan Headboard – Rattan is really in right now, and this is SUCH a fun way to add it to a bedroom!

2. Small decorative vases – these have a good amount of texture to them, which would make them gorgeous on built in shelving!

3. White Chairs – these are a great Serena and Lily knock off. I love white chairs for kitchens. In fact we have the ones in the first round up.

4. Ladder – this is the BEST dupe of a Mcgee and Co item I have seen in a while. I actually think I will grab this for our home.

5. Pillow – I love the added pom poms to this gorgeous neutral option

6. Planter – I think I am going to grab this in black and terracota for some of our larger floor plants.

7. Small Decorative Pitcher

8. Hanging baskets

9. Olive Tree – I have my eyes on this one. Olive trees are really ‘in’ right now – so definitely worth checking out!

10 Large Round black mirror – I love simple mirrors. This is a great price and its gorgeous.

11. Small rug

12. Chairs – these are gorgeous. They are the highest price on this round up, but they are still a really great deal and absolutely gorgeous.

13. Plant and planter – I again love the texture to this one.

14. Towel Rack

15. Clay pitcher

16. Coffee Table book – this one is really affordable with a gorgeous cover.

17. Magazine rack

18. White Vases

19. Black Candle Sticks

20. Terracota Bowl

21. Large Herringbone jute rug – I love this one and its SO AFFORDABLE

All of these finds from this round up are such great deals for what they are, and the perk of getting items like this, is that you won’t have the same thing as everyone else.

Often times I have readers or followers who think that you have to spend a lot of money to get more unique items, but thats really not the case. Especially on smaller decorative items.

These items will keep your decor looking unique and on trend without being the same thing that everyone else has from Target. (but don’t worry… of course I still love Target!)

For More Amazon Finds Check Out These Posts

ALL AMAZON FINDS

Amazon Boys room finds // Amazon Girls Room Finds // Amazon Lighting // Decorative Storage from Amazon

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Hopefully you found some Amazon home finds you loved, and to find them later be sure to pin the photo below. I am constantly rounding up new favorites and inspiration on Instagram (@arinsolange) so give me a follow there too!

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Amazon Finds

June 4, 2020

Affordable Amazon Home Finds 3

Rounding up finds from Amazon has been by far one of my favorite aspects of this job. I know that as readers and followers it is something you have grown to expect and love, so I am on a mission to round up affordable Amazon home finds more often for you.

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Affordable Amazon Home Finds

Previously I have been adding these items to one blog post, but that seems to be a bit busy, and overwhelming as a reader, so hopefully sharing the on individual blog posts will be easier for you all to navigate!

I am VERY passionate about finding unique items for my home from Amazon. I am a young mom of 4, and honestly – I wish I had more time to shop, but hitting stores, especially boutiques is not often in the cards for me.

I have found over the years that some of my favorite decor botiques actually source some of their items FROM Amazon, and not only that but there are so many great dupes of high end stores that I personally love on Amazon.

To me Amazon isn’t a replacement for supporting some of those great other businesses, but to tie in some affordable options can be so great.

Other Amazon Favorites

If you liked these posts – here are my other Amazon Round ups

I also have an Amazon Store front Here.

And – as you can tell with this being post #3 – I have two other round ups just like this with other items I love below!

Amazon Home Finds Inspired by Studio McGee

VISIT POST HERE

Affordable Amazon Home Finds under $100

VISIT POST HERE

Now – onto this round up. I am sure you will be able to tell from the round up that I love neutrals. I mean I love color too…but I love natural decor. This round up has lots of nods to Serena and Lily with more black than blue, and I honestly want every item!

Amazon Home Finds

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22

1 – BENCH – I own several things from this brand and love them. This is a great neutral and gorgeous piece!

BUY HERE

2 – This small plant is so pretty. I love a small planted fake plant and this one has such a cute pot.

BUY HERE

3 – These pillows are so cute!! They are in my cart and I am planning to find a place for them in our house. Definitely a great choice that could be added to any space and changed up seasonally.

BUY HERE

4 – This set of three baskets is so cute!! I love that you get three of them so you could definitely use them in several rooms.

BUY HERE

5 – This chair is gorgeous – A great choice to add to a living room or as end chairs in your dining room. I love adding cane for a natural, timeless style.

BUY HERE

6 – This pendant light is stunning!!! Velvet and cane would be gorgeous in any space of your home. If you are looking for an item that you haven’t seen in anyone else’s home this is a great one!

BUY HERE

7. These three little baskets with feet are so fun – I could see using these in a playroom for toys, on a dresser to store items, or as a diaper caddy. They would also be so cute on the ground as a planter. Such a fun item to use in so many way.

BUY HERE

8 – These chairs are a really affordable option for chairs. You can get all 4 for a great deal and they will be easy to keep clean. If you are looking for new kitchen chairs check these casual and modern options out!

BUY HERE

9 – I have a couple of cane frames and they are so hard to find. – this frame with the cute art inside is a great way to add to your built ins or any area of your home.

BUY HERE

10 – This little faux plant in a cement planter is a great idea for built in shelving or to decorate the top of a dresser. I love adding cement as a new texture to a space in a neutral.

BUY HERE

11 – This wall Organizer is so cute!! Such a fun idea for any room.

BUY HERE

12 – Decorative Bowl – This would be gorgeous on any shelf or on your kitchen counter!

BUY HERE

13 – This laundry basket is an item I recently purchased. I was looking for a pretty laundry basket I could carry up and downstairs without having canvas involved – I normally find those get gross. I am loving this basket personally and highly recommend it.

BUY HERE

14 – Log holder – this has Hearth and Hand vibes and comes in two colors – such a fun, and gorgeous item that you could put on your mantle in the winter to hold your logs!

BUY HERE

15 – Round black mirror with natural wood. I clearly love tying in natural wood, and this mirror does it in such a fun unique way. Again an item you won’t see in another house!

BUY HERE

16 – Ladder – this one comes in so many color options and it is so pretty. It is a great dupe of the Anthropologie one that is WAY more expensive. So if you are looking for a good item for your house this is it!

BUY HERE

17 – Black Rattan Mirror – OBSESSED with this mirror. I love rattan but think this black mirror option is a fun different take on it. I am thinking this would be great in my master bedroom.

BUY HERE

18 – Fake Snake plant – snack plants are a great plant option for your floor that fit in smaller spaces. I love this option and will be getting it for my dining room to finish the space!

BUY HERE

19 – Dot pillow – this pillow is so pretty and such a fun way to add a soft playful pattern to your space without going with normal polka dots that can come across too juvenile.

BUY HERE

20 – Black pitcher – a great useful or decorative item. I have a similar one on my built ins that I fill with eucalyptus.

BUY HERE

21 – white and terra-cotta pot. this is a gorgeous piece, and terra-cotta is another great way to also add a natural texture and color to a space.

BUY HERE

22 – This jute rug is unique and GORGEOUS. If you’re looking for a great item for your home that has a slightly unique take – this is a great option.

BUY HERE

Hopefully you found those finds helpful and fun – I know I grabbed several for my house. If you have any questions on them be sure to leave me a comment below and I will help you out!

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May 30, 2020

Patio Hacks for a More Enjoyable Summer

It is that time of year where we all live outside. I am here with 5 patio hacks for summer that will make your time outside more enjoyable, less stressful, and will keep you outside enjoying your backyard so much more!

This post was sponsored by Hoffmann Brothers – thank you for supporting the brands that support my blog! If you are in the St. Louis area and looking for someone to help you get your home inside or out ready for summer they are my go to call. They can help you with so many of these hacks below to make your summer more enjoyable.

Patio Hacks for Summer

How many of you do more living outside than you do inside in the summer? We have 4 little ones and spend most of our time outside…and if you know me very well then you know I have to do everything under the sun to make life more pleasant out there.

Over the past few years we have been slowly adding some convince hacks that make life more simple in our outdoor space, and have big plans to continue that over the next year or so…because after all – Rome wasn’t built in a day.

I am going to give you 5 hacks in this post for making your patio and outdoor space more enjoyable as you go into the summer in this post..but if you have ideas I haven’t thought of be sure to leave me a comment!

1. Add a Ceiling Fan

If you have a deck that you like to sit under, or any kind of covered porch – adding a ceiling fan is an easy way to make your patio more enjoyable and keep you sitting out there on even the hottest days.

I am adding a found up of some lighting and ceiling fan options for your outdoor space to this post – but if you are in the St. Louis area I also wanted to tell you about a great resource for getting that fan hung and installed.

Hoffmann Brothers is a great resource for installing or adding the electrical for your ceiling fan outside. I am also going to be sharing down below some great options for those ceiling fans or outdoor lights!

2. Get your Lawn Sprayed for Mosquitos

If you live in the midwest like I do mosquitos can truly steal the joy of being outside in the summer. I am all for going as natural as I can, but we also have chosen for the past 2 years to get our lawn sprayed each season for mosquitos and it has made life so much more enjoyable.

Most of the time you can call and get that done one time and call it a day – so if you are struggling with this, I would suggest calling your local bug sprayer and most have the option.

3. Choose the Right Plants

On the note of mosquitos – filling your planters and pots with the right plants can make a world of difference for your outdoor life. Here are a few options for plants to choose to make your patio space more enjoyable and pest free!

Citronella and Lavender – Repel Mosquitos naturally

Lavender and many of your herbs – repel flies

Eucalyptus – add this to the mix, with many of your others above and it will help keep wasps away

There are so many other options when it comes to plants that help keep pests at bay, so be sure to do some research based on what is heavy in your area.

4. Install a Gas line

Do you love to grill, or do you have a gas powered fire pit? We built our past home and that was one of my favorite things we did – we added a gas line to the outdoor area for our grill so we no longer had to fill up tanks.

Lets just say that before that – more than once we were prepping to grill for company and realized we didn’t have gas on hand. It encouraged us to grill so much more often and was such a sanity saver!

Hoffmann Brothers in St. Louis can easily come out and install that gas grill line for you and save you the trouble of filling your tanks for the rest of time!

5. Make Things Well Lit

On the note of ceiling fans – having lighting is also so important. I think half the fun of enjoying your patio and outdoor area is heading out after the sun has gone down for a glass of wine.

Whether its having your wall sconces changed out to be more modern, or adding a electrical plugin so you can add some twinkle lights, having good lighting will totally elevate your space.

This is again something that Hoffmann can do for you if you are looking to have electrical installed – I am not a fan of having cords willy nilly, so I tend to think adding a good plugin in a well placed area will serve you for years both in terms of the summer (and many times again for your Christmas lights in the winter!).

Fun Lights and Fans for Your Outdoor Space

If you are feeling inspired to update the lighting and add a ceiling fan to your outdoor space I rounded up some of my favorite options below for you to get your outdoor space in tip top shape!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

3 blade chrome fan
Black fan – I love this style of ceiling fan
galvanized scones – I am obsessed with the idea of these if you have a farmhouse vibe
Lantern sconces
3 blade matte black fan
bronze sconces
Black rectangular sconce
Another similar one – but with 2 lights
I love these pretty black sconces
This ceiling fan comes in so many colors ways and is so fun
String lights
Double fan – if you have a larger outdoor space this option is so great!

If you have any questions on these hacks – or have more hacks for making your outdoor space more enjoyable be sure to leave me a comment below. I am going to share a few decor hacks that will get your patio in tip top shape for summer on a budget too.

DIY outdoor Table for $40 (seen in this post) | DIY Terra-cotta Pots and Outdoor Rugs | Trashcan Planter Hack | Outdoor Furniture and Decor from Amazon

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May 27, 2020

Floating Shelf Brackets for Open Kitchen Shelving

Did you all see my kitchen overhaul a few weeks ago? We took it from drab to fab, but were still walking on floating shelf brackets for our open kitchen shelving, as well as some great shelves to go with them.

I wasn’t originally planning to write a whole blog post on these bad boys – but let me tell you. I AM AMAZED. My husband and I are DIYers and have updated so much of our home, so we truly love great design when we see it, so I had to share.

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Floating Shelf Brackets

Alright so – floating shelf brackets are a bit lame, right? I know I know – sometimes I have to share things that are practical and will make you thrilled in the long run, instead of the fun and exciting finds.

When we were redoing our kitchen we knew we wanted two floating shelves (more on why later) – but honestly we have had horrible luck with lesser costing floating shelves, and I knew these were going up for function not just decor.

I did a ton of research and ultimately landed on the shelves and brackets that I will share below – they are stunning, and lived up the hype.

Overhauling our kitchen was a super budget friendly project from start to finish, but I knew that shelves and brackets were not the place to skimp. (kind of like how I stressed to make sure you get a good quality paint for your cabinets).

To check out the rest of our kitchen Reno be sure to check out this post – it was a week long project for only a couple hundred dollars, and the end outcome was better than I could have wished for!

Why did we do Open Kitchen Shelving?

I have gotten the big question of why so many times in the past few weeks. I know that typically the goal in a kitchen is more storage. And our kitchen isn’t huge so I do agree with that. BUT – I also think that sometime you can get creative to create a better space.

Our home was built in the 1980’s and is by no means super open, so I am always doing what I can do make things as open and airy as I can.

The cupboard that we took down closed off the sight line and so much light that came in over the kitchen window, so removing it made the whole kitchen feel brighter and more open.

floating shelf brackets and solid wood shelves

I have also found that having the glasses and coffee cups (IE the only things we regularly used from that cabinet) on open shelving is actually much more convenient. I don’t do clutter, and did have to find a place for a few traveler mug type items, but over all we really didn’t lose much storage.

I LOVE the overall look and am sure we will forever add some kind of open shelving to our kitchens from here on out.

Ultra Shelf – Floating Shelf Brackets and Shelves

We ultimately after lots of research went with Ultra Shelf for our shelves and brackets. We originally planned to make our own shelves, but it felt like a bit of a big job for something that would be seen so often.

One of the reasons I liked Ultra shelf was that they had the option for solid wood shelves – like I went with, but also thicker shelves that are not solid wood, so will save you some money.

That isn’t as big of a deal with a small space like I did, but when you get to longer shelves, or even things like a mantle that starts to truly matter!

The floating shelf brackets come in several lengths up to 7o inches long – the good news is that your shelf length can/should be slightly longer than the bracket, so if you don’t see the exact size you are looking for don’t panic.

You can also choose your rod length – Again this is all really nice incase you are making your own, or have your own shelves. Ultra shelf carries the drill bits and everything you need to make your own solid wood shelf compatible with the shelves if that is what you choose to do.

We did two solid wood white oak shelves with clear coat. Both at 24 inches long and 8 inches deep. The shelves are each 1.75 inches high, and I think they have look great at that length – not too tall where they look nubby but deep enough to look high end and expensive.

Watch a Video of us Hanging the Shelves

Hanging The Brackets

What you will need: The brackets, shelves, and screws that came from Ultra Shelf

Drill

Stud Finder

Level

The way that these shelves are designed allow for you to hit a stud no matter where you are on the wall for the most part. We personally found our height for our shelves and found where the studs were on the wall. We were lucky enough to be able to get into the stud on both sides of the bracket.

Each bracket comes with 4 screws so we put one in on the top, and one on the bottom of the shelf bracket into the stud. Trust me you will notice when you screw it in that it is going NOWHERE.

floating kitchen shelves and floating shelf brackets

Make sure before you do all of this that you have your bracket really level – no matter how sturdy your shelves are you aren’t keeping anything on if its at a slope haha.

Once you get this finished you simply slide the shelf onto the bracket. There are two large hollowed out holes in the back side of the bracket and you sort of shimmy it back until it is in place.

Styling Your Shelving

Make sure when you order your shelves you know what you plan to use them for so you know how deep to get the shelves. I knew for a fact that I would be displaying my cups and coffee cups on the shelves and wanted to be able to place them 2 deep on the shelves.

Coffee cups | Short Glasses | Tall Glasses

I personally – as stated didn’t plan to use these for decor, so I think in some ways the rules of shelf decor kind of go out the window. BUT if you are using them decoratively remember to vary the height on each shelf, stick to odd numbers, and mix your textures.

I always suggest sticking to a pretty similar color pallet if you are adding a lot so that you don’t make things too busy. I have a blog post here on decorating shelving that is super helpful if you are planning to decorate yours!

Overall – like I said before, these are one of those items that both my husband and myself were VERY impressed by from the moment we received them. You can tell there is thought and craftsmanship that goes into each order and you will ultimately have open shelving that is every bit as sturdy as your cabinets.

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floating shelf brackets and open kitchen shelving

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May 22, 2020

Patriotic Boys Room

How about a little patriotic boys room to start off this Friday? Having my boys share a room has been both a joy when it comes to decor but also sometimes I get so bummed I only have one room to decorate. Because of that I end up decorating it twice as often ha!

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Patriotic Boys Room

I have two boys – 2 and 7 – that share a bedroom. It has been such a joy and a lot of fun decorating a room for double the kids. But I will not lie – sometimes I get bummed not getting to change up boy decor as often because of it.

I have gotten creative with ways to change up their room often, and this little summer refresh is no exception.

A Video Tour of The Room Below

Where the Room Started …and Where it has been

Part of the reason my boys room has been so fun, and easy to transform is due to the ease of changing things out. I am very simple with my decor, and their room allows me to just add a throw blanket and pillow and change out large prints for a huge impact.

Last year around Christmas I redecorated the room for the holiday and we loved it, and so did you all. It was so fun to transform their space on a small budget to be so ready for the holiday season.

If changing things up for holidays is your thing I recommend having some frames that are easily changed, as well as some neutral bedding that can be added to. Bedding – especially with two beds in one room adds up really quickly.

For their room I personally have Beddys bedding and am obsessed – if you decide to get that, be sure to check out this review, and use my discount code in the post.

Beddys Bedding Discount Code: ARINSOLANGE

The Patriotic Space

So like I said I did very minor changes for the most part to their room for this post. I had already changed out their rug – this one isn’t staying but its a place holder until I decide whats next in their little bro cave.

Overall – I didn’t want the space to be tacky, so tried to be as minimal as I could with the actual red white and blue, and I think I accomplished keeping it simple. I overall wanted a Patriotic theme with some frat boy nods.

Adding a few things like their hats, trophies, and some books to the nightstands added that neutral fun – ‘boy’ look, while having to spend no money!

What I purchased

For the frames above the beds I framed these flags. I have used one of the frames over the boys bed in Walker’s room since he was born. It was such a great, simple piece that I added the second one when the boys joined rooms and it has allowed such easy decor changes.

I literally just added them to the frame – then I used painters tape to tape down the excess. I didn’t want to cut the flags, and didn’t want any hanging out.

I added some fun throw pillows and blankets to the bed which I loved. (full disclosure I thought I ordered the star blanket in red…don’t wine and shop people haha!)

I also used a pack of small American flags to add to some greenery. If you have been following me for very long then you are not shocked that greenery is alway a go to for me in any room.

On the empty wall I hung a few diy pennant banners that I made – I originally wanted them to go on the wall with the frames but changed my mind.

Last but not least was the felt ball banners that I draped over the headboards – I have added these to each of my kids rooms and love the fun, playful feel they add!

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The Nightstands

One big change I made was the nightstands – I saw these nightstands and loved them, but wasn’t about to spend that price for my boys room. (My two year old is seriously destructive haha).

I found a great alternative at Target and used this spray paint to paint them. When you are painting them give them a really light sand, take off the drawer pull, and use painters tape to cover the rattan section on the drawer front.

The process was really easy and fast. I don’t know if it was just the cans I purchased, of it’s the brand of paint overall, but the spray paint was AGGRESSIVE, so be forewarned haha.

These nightstands won’t be a forever item in the space – I will move them to our guest room soon, where I plan to tie in the blues as well, so it was sort of a win win on incorporating the color for now.

Overall – I set the room up in just a couple of hours and am absolutely thrilled with the end outcome. The boys were so excited to see it when they came in, and they have been loving me changing things up for them from time to time.

We have some other big changes coming in their room in the nearish future, but for now are loving spending just a little time and effort showing them some love in their simple little space.

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May 21, 2020

2020 Serena and Lily Memorial Day Sale

The 2020 Serena and Lily Memorial Day sale is here!! I get so excited overtime Serena and Lily has a sale because some of my FAVORITE items are from there, and I try to grab a new item or two each time they do a sale like this.

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2020 Serena and Lily Memorial Day Sale

Serena and Lily is by no means a budget place to shop – but for good reason. Their items are of the highest quality and seriously everything I own is just stunning. They are known for their fresh take on causal Dining their luxurious linens and their inspired outdoor collection.

I am going to share a few of the favorites from the sale this year – but the whole site (minus a couple of exclusions) is 20% off. As always if you decide on any of these items I am always beyond grateful if you shop the links in this post.

A few of my Favorite Items

First 0ff – I am obsessed with the hanging chair from Serena and Lily. So much so I have a full review on it here! That is one item I would say is a total buy from there!

Original Rattan – see Here in Goldie’s Nursery

White Rattan – See here in Avé’s Room

Ladder Full length Mirror – we have this mirror in our room. I am OBSESSED with it. It is a great option for a leaning mirror!

Dip-dyed Stools – These stools are so versatile and gorgeous. I was worried they would tip easily but don’t!

Step Stool – literally the best step stool, and gorgeous when left out!

To shop any of the round up images below simply click on the item ON the photo and it will take you to it!

Beach Days

Great items for your beach home!

Pillows and Throws

I have some Serena an Lily pillows and throws and am OBSESSED with all of them. I am thinking that #7 will be one of my purchases during this sale.

Casual Dining

If you follow me on Instagram then you know I have been on the hunt for the perfect new dining room chairs. There are a couple on here that I just might grab for these great prices.

Outdoor Oasis

Spruce up your patio area with these gorgeous options! I am loving the drink bar!’

Outdoor Pillows

I am a sucker for using indoor outdoor pillows inside with 4 kids running around. Serena and Lily has stunning options that you would never know are for outdoors!

Playroom Inspiration

This round up gives me all the Inso for our playroom. Such fun pieces for any area but great for kids! Both tables are kids tables and SO cute.

Self Care

These selfceare items are gorgeous – We personally love and use all Serena and Lily linens and towels in our master and they can not be beat!

Bedding

Like I said above – we have all bedding from Serena and Lily and it can’t be beat – check out this post to see more.

If you have any questions on anything you see above, or anything I showed that I personally have and love leave me a comment or shoot me a DM on Instagram and I would be happy to help!

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May 17, 2020

Hanging Chair from Serena and Lily Review

Swing chair. Hanging chair. Whatever you want to call it, they are all the rage! Since we clearly love Serena and Lily hanging chair enough to own two, I figured it was time I wrote a review.

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serena and Lilly hanging chair by rainbow

Hanging Chairs

I know that hanging chairs are a bit of a splurge item, so when we were going back and forth on ordering one for our daughters nursery I did a lot of research to be sure we would love it!

My assumption is that if you are looking for a hanging chair for your home you are in the same boat!

Some FAQs about Hanging Chairs

Before we get into a review on the chair we personally purchased, I thought I would answer a few FAQ’s about hanging chairs in general.

Are Hanging Chairs Comfortable?

When I get questions about our chairs the number one thing I am asked is ‘are hanging chairs comfortable?’ I honestly didn’t know if they would be comfortable and was going simply for style.

Once we got it hung in Goldie’s Nursery we realized it was really comfortable and we loved sitting in the chair – enough so that we purchased another one for our older daughters room.

How Much Weight Can a Hanging Chair Hold?

This is another common question – and I can only answer for my chair which is the Serena and Lily hanging chair – which has a weight limit of 300 lbs. You also have to check the weight limit on the caribeaner and eye bolt you get for hanging the chair!

baby girl in plum tutu on her first birthday

Serena and Lily Hanging Chair

Incase you don’t know what I am talking about – this whole review is on the chair in the photo above. We currently own the white version as well as the natural rattan version – 1 in each of our girls rooms.

We purchased the natural rattan color for our baby girl’s nursery initially. It was one of those items that my husband gave in on even though he thought I was nuts in wanting it. (But, you know – who was he to tell his super pregnant wife that?)

Fast forward to nearly a year later and he LOVES it. It was actually his idea to update our older daughter’s room and give her own as well.

Buy in White | Buy in Natural

Why we chose this hanging chair

Rattan chairs are really popular right now…so popular that I am rounding up some other options in this post incase a hanging chair is not your jam haha. I personally decided on the Serena and Lily version partially because I love the company.

Everything else I have owned from Serena and Lily has been beyond high quality and when it came to a chair I was about to hang from my ceiling and sit in with my newborn daughter I wanted quality even if it meant spending a few extra dollars.

Serena and Lily hanging chair in nursery

I also love that the Serena and Lily version of these chairs is a pretty timeless look. It isn’t really ornate or swirly, so I felt like I wouldn’t get tired of it quickly.

If a hanging chair isn’t your thing, or you live somewhere where you can’t hang it be sure to check out the round up of other great options towards the bottom of this post with some great free standing options.

Also – you can buy stands to hold these chairs so keep that in mind if hanging it makes you nervous!

Hanging the Serena and Lily Hanging Chair

When we got the swing chair we went back and forth with how to hang this chair – I will say LOUD AND CLEAR – they recommend it being hung professionally. If you are not REALLY confident I recommend following that protocol. I am sure you could get a contractor pretty inexpensively to come hang it.

What you will need is a large eye bolt, and possibly a caribeaner – make sure that both are approved for high weight bearing loads.

For us personally – we used a large eye bolt and used our stud finder. I highly recommend THIS one because it shows you where the center of the stud is so you can be sure you are all the way in the stud for safety. We then hung it using a fancy knot that my husband looked up.

Once the knot was secure we sort of tucked the hanging rope to hide the eye bolt.

My biggest tip is when you pick your height to hang it, pick it just a bit higher than you think. As you hang it and it settles it will settle down just a bit.

Hanging swing chair from Serena and Lily with wall rainbow

The Pro’s to the Serena and Lily hanging chair –

So far these have been so durable. We have 4 little ones and I wasn’t willing to get something that I thought they would break apart like a wicker basket haha.

They are so well made and durable and I have no doubt they will be beautiful in the girls’ rooms for years and years to come.

They are comfortable and large enough for an adult or child.

hanging chair in front of daisy wallpaper

I did add throw pillows to each of them and these white faux fur throws that make them even more comfortable. I don’t think you will want to sit on them without something like that. – those two things make them sooo comfortable and I have dozed off in Goldie’s many a time!!

The Cons of the Serena and Lily Hanging Chair

There aren’t many cons to these chairs – I know for some the price is a con, however in my opinion if you buy it on sale it really isn’t over priced.

One thing I don’t love about the white is that there is a section towards the top that is a slightly different shade of white. You can see that in the picture below. It isn’t something that ruins the chair in any way – and I would buy it again totally, but I didn’t expect it.

You do need to add cushions, throws, or pillows for comfort – or you don’t have to, but I won’t say they are super comfortable straight out of the box!

white hanging chair in front of Daisy wallpaper

Otherwise my only other con would be that I wish they would send the items to hang the chair with it. Hanging a chair is nerve wracking for anyone, and I think that can add a level of nervousness – being worried you will purchase the wrong thing.

I think this sort of goes for most all hanging chairs, but regardless that would be a small con.

Other Gorgeous Rattan Chair Options

Although I personally don’t think you can beat the Serena and Lily hanging chair (clearly – that’s why I purchased two). But I also know sometimes when you want to do a rattan chair in a space hanging it isn’t an option, or it is out of the budget.

I rounded up some other great rattan chair options for your space below so you can add that touch to your room no matter what your style is!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Black hanging chair
Sitting chair option
Affordable Rattan Option
This Egg chair option is pricey but oh my gosh is it gorgeous!
This is one of the options that has a stand option!
Egg chair – it is gorgeous!
Black egg chair
The hanging chair from this post in natural
White hanging chair from this post!
White hanging chair with stand

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Hopefully from this post you have a better idea of if the Serena and Lily hanging chair is the right chair for you, and you have found some other swing chair and rattan chair ideas if it is not! I have loved them in my home, and hope if you decide to add one to your home you will love it too. Be sure to leave me any questions in the comments below or dm me on Instagram!

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May 16, 2020

Easy DIY Outdoor Table

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Keeping the projects rolling during our time at home – this week I am sharing an easy DIY outdoor table. Last week Sam built me a bench using a tutorial I will link below, and it was SO EASY, and turned out amazing. I will walk you through how I made a beauty of a table for $45 that we are already loving so much as a family.

This post contains affiliate links and was originally written in May 2020. It was updated March of 2024 – When we built this table the price of lumber was MUCH lower. It will likely cost you more to build this now.

Easy DIY Outdoor Table

This year going into summer feels so different. I know it is going to include so many meals at home instead of eating at the pool like we usually do all summer.

I am on a mission to make sure our outdoor space at home is ready for fun days and cool nights, because it doesn’t feel like we will be getting out as much as we normally would.

We have 4 little ones – ages 8 months – 7 years old, so we are always looking for items that allow us to enjoy our time with them more – and when it comes to meal time that also means a big table.

Finding The Right Furniture For Your Family

Previously I had done lounge seating outside, but the older the kids are getting the more we enjoy eating outside with them. We decided to sell the old lounge furniture and move a table we already had outside (an IKEA one) for some cheap outdoor dining space, but it was clear that we did need more seating.

Being the gem that he is, Sam set out to make me a bench about a week ago and it turned out SO CUTE that he decided to make me a table this week to go with it. Have I mentioned how much I love him?

Bench Tutorial

Before I give you the measurements and such, you should definitely check out this tutorial for the bench that I found on Pinterest. I was searching for ways to use up 2x4s that we had on hand and found her amazing bench that we loved so much that we decided to create the table too.

One thing I will note – if we were to do this over, and were making the two pieces at the same time I would have made the bench a bit longer than her tutorial just to have more seating on that side of the table.

I am linking to her bench tutorial, so be sure to check it out and show her some love for all her hard work and her amazing tutorial!!

Outdoor Table Supplies

16 2x4s – you can get them pretreated for outdoor or not
Outdoor Screws
Drill
Table Saw Here
Black Outdoor Paint
Poly Sealer or weatherproof stain

Cutting Your Lumber

We personally wanted a huge table – we have 4 kids and family in town so when we eat outside we usually have company. It’s also worth mentioning that the way the legs are made, it’s not as easy to put chairs on the ends. With that being said, our table is 96 inches long.

First Make All Your Cuts:

Leave 10 boards 96 inches long (or cut them to your specified length)
Cut 2 boards 89 1/4 (this measurement will change if you shortened your table)
4 pieces, 30 inches long
4 pieces, 36 inches long
1 of your longest pieces of extra (as close to 36 inches)

Build The Legs

First things first, when everything is cut – build your legs. Lay down one of your 36 inch boards and drill into it so the 30 inch boards are coming up from the ends. You will then have a U.

Then you need to drill your top cross beam in. We laid a scrap of 2×4 on top of the board to make sure we were giving it the perfect amount of clearance for the top.

Once you have built both of your legs you will paint those black with your outdoor paint.

Assembly

Now that your legs are built – once they have dried, you will attach the top.

Stand your legs up, and lay your 2x4s on top. Screw the boards in – you want them to butt up the end of the black like you see in my picture.

After all 10 are on, check to be sure they fit in there nicely. Next, you will attach the last 36 inch board to the middle of the under side of the table.

We did this for added stability, because at any given time at least one of my children will be trying to climb across the table.

Last step is attaching your two 89 1/4 inch boards to the sides. Those two boards will be attached in the other direction (so skinnier side up) than your other 10 boards.

Finishing

Once you are done you can fill in the nail holes with wood filler if you want and sand those down. Then either stain the boards (we decided not to do that) or seal them with a poly sealer – The one I listed above is my favorite!

This table is meant to be simple and rustic – if you are looking for a table and bench that are going to look super finished and fancy this isn’t your tutorial haha.

But it was simple and I LOVE the way it looks. We will definitely spend many a night out here eating this summer, and may even drill a hole through the center for our umbrella.

I know this is a quick tutorial – I had so many people excited to try this that wanted to jump on it this weekend so I worked to get it up and live for them.

Be sure to check out these posts on my Amazon Storefront to set up your new DIY Outdoor Table

Garden Party Tablescape | Patio Refresh | Outdoor Living | Easter Hosting | Pink Patio Refresh

Printable Supplies and Directions

I have started to offer printable supplies and directions to my DIY posts to hopefully help you and make things a little easier as you are working through your own projects.

My suggestion is to always read through the entire blog post at least one time before using this feature so you can see any important tips, tricks, disclaimers, etc.

The printable version is meant to be more of a cheat sheet of sorts to help you while you’re working or shopping.

Yield: 1 Table

Easy DIY Outdoor Table

Create an easy outoor table in a couple of hours. It has a modern look, and is simple for your outdoor dining.

Active Time 2 hours

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 3 hours

Materials

16 2x4 boards 96 inch length
Outdoor Deck Screws
Outdoor Black Paint
Poly Sealer or Outdoor Stain
Optional - wood filler

Tools

Instructions

1. Cut your lumber - all cuts are based on 96 inch long table

10 boards - dont need cut
2 boards- cut to 89 1/4 inches
4 boards - 30 inches
5 boards - 36 inches

2. Assemble Legs and Paint black

3. Attach Top 10

4. Attach middle under support

5. Attach two 89 1/4 inch boards to sides

6. Seal or stain

Notes

For exact insturctions head to the post!

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