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st alphonsus speed dating chicago Children’s books are absolutely, positively my weakness.  I simply cannot control myself when it comes to collecting, buying and stockpiling picture books.  They are my addiction.  It’s safe to say I probably love them even more than my kids do.  I try to tell myself that there are worse addictions to have.

additional resources I love that as my kids are getting older we have been able to add audio books into the mix as well.  They are perfect for in the car or even for quiet time at home.  Even though my children are only 2 and 3, it is surprising the length of time they can listen for and also the complexity of the stories they love.  As kids, my mom always had audio cassettes for in the car.  We used to check them out of the library each week.  It is one of my fondest memories from my childhood.  My two sisters and I are all avid readers, and I truly believe our love of reading stemmed from our the enjoyment of reading and storytelling my parents instilled in us.  It is definitely my goal as a mom to try and foster that same love of reading for my children.

bares conocer gente sevilla I have compiled a comprehensive list of audiobooks geared towards young children based on our family favourites.  These are ones that not only my children adore, but so do I.  And believe me, that is important when you start listening to everything on repeat! Our selection includes a wonderful mix of classic’s you likely recall from your own childhood as well as some lesser known, but equally captivating tales. Whether your family is new to listening to audiobooks, or you are looking to change up your regular rotation, I hope that some of these titles will spark your interest.

1. Charlie and Lola – We have so many of Lauren Child’s books, the complete DVD collection as well as this audio book set.  The stories of this brother and sister duo (with the appearance of an imaginary friend or two) are simply charming and entertaining.
2. Harry and His Bucketful of Dinosaurs – Cute story about a boy who finds a collection of dinosaurs in his nan’s attic.  He names them all and never leaves home without them.
3. Paddington Bear – A classic by Michael Bond about an adorable bear who makes his way from Peru in to the loving home of the Brown Family.
4. Winnie the Witch – Cute tales about Winnie, a witch and her black cat Wilbur.

   

   

   

   

5. Roald Dahl – Anything and everything Roald Dahl is a favourite for me.  A little bit too advanced for my young children, but we have started with James and the Giant Peach and it was a hit.
6. Katie Morag – We have several of the Katie books and just love them. And the audio books are great too. Set in Scotland, the tales follow Katie and her adventures on the Isle of Sturay.
7. Boxcar Children – This was a family favourite from my childhood and I can hardly wait for my boys to listen to it.  Perfect for any adventure loving family.
8. Basketful of Kipper – We own a handful of Mike Inkpen’s books as well as some of the Kipper DVD’s.  The boys love this cute pup and so do I.

   

   

   

   

9. A Year in Brambly Hedge – Cute tale of the mice of Brambly Hedge.  Contains four stories and follows the mice on their adventures through each season of the year.
10. The Gruffalo and Other Stories – What’s not to love about Julia Donaldson!  Her books are wildly popular and I have to admit I am fond of the rhyming text.  This 8 story set includes the Gruffalo, Snail and the Whale, Room on the Broom and many others.
11. Four Tales from Percy’s Park – Another favourite around here is author Nick Buttersworth.  His books are so charming, with beautiful illustrations.  They feature Percy a park keeper and his animal friends.
12. Alfie Gets in First – I first picked up this book on a whim to later discover the author Shirley Hughes has written over 200 books!  It follow Alfie and his family and their daily happenings.  Definitely a keeper!

    

    

    

    

13. Curious George – My son’s love these books and the audio collection is equally entertaining.
14. Amelia Bedelia – She is a lovely, yet literal minded housekeeper who causes chaos wherever she goes.
15. Mercy Watson – Mr and Mrs Watson just love their pet pig Mercy whom they treat like their child.  Funny and cute, sure to be a favourite.
16. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle – These stories have been around for ages, and for good reason.  Mrs. Piggle Wiggle has the craziest solutions to children’s problems which are sure to have everyone laughing along.

    

    

    

    

17. Pippi Longstockings – With no parents to tell her what to do, Pippi is always getting into mischief.  These were some of my favourite stories as a kid.
18. Magic Treehouse – These ones are new for us, but my 3 year old is loving them and always asking to start up where we left off.  Bestselling books about a magical treehouse in the woods that transports these children on different adventures, whether it be a pirate ship, ancient Egypt or time of dinosaurs.
19. Charlottes Web – One of my son’s just adores Charlotte’s Web.  It is a classic that never gets old.
20. Ralph S. Mouse Collection – Ralph the mouse is always on an adventure.  This set includes all three adventures in one collection.

explanation I am gearing up for a bit of a laundry room makeover in the coming weeks.  I have been eager to tackle some home reno and decor projects, but keep getting frustrated with the lack of room in our budget for my never ending list of ideas.  That being said, I have decided to start with some of the smaller areas of our home and allow a reasonable budget to work within.  By completing some of the less daunting and financially draining projects, I think I will feel like I am making some headway once again.

Our laundry room is small, and by small I mean it is literally the width of a washer and dryer and probably only equally as long.  It is a constantly a mess as a result of being so small, but even more so because of the lack of organization.  Currently, the room is pretty blah and uninspired.  We had to get a new appliance package a while back, slapped some leftover paint on the walls and added some hanging laundry hampers.  Otherwise, we haven’t touched it since we moved in.

The laundry room is a fairly small space that I can renovate fully from head to toe with minimal expense, but that could actually greatly improve not only the appearance but the functionality of the space as well.  What I dream for this room and what I can afford are completely unaligned.  However, I have some thrifty diy projects up my sleeve and some generous hand me downs that I am hoping will save some money and make a large impact for the space.

The plans for this room began taking shape when I came across some faux brick wall paneling on craigslist for FREE!  I had hoped to use them for a different project, but when that fell through I began searching for another area of our home that I could apply them to.  I remember seeing a gorgeous photo of Chip and Joanna’s laundry room with the white brick backdrop.  I love that it adds some character, yet the neutral white colour will keep the space feeling a larger.

I have been crushing on coloured kitchen cabinets lately, anything from blue to green or grey.  I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to add them to our home.  I am currently thinking about a nice sage green.  I think it compliments the other colours throughout our home and isn’t too dark for the space. While I would love a new upper cabinet installed in the space, I doubt the budget will allow for that so I think this will have to be a paint job instead.  Some brass or gold handles will be a great way to make it look more modern and expensive.

We currently do not have an countertop in our laundry room, but I think it would do wonders for the appearance of the room and also serve well for laundry folding and storage.  Again, the marble counter I envision for the space is definitely a no-go budget wise, so I have found a brilliant alternative.  My dad kindly offered up a miscut piece of laminate countertop he has sitting unused ,collecting dust.  However, the orange/brown colour combo just won’t work!  I have seen amazing projects on Pinterest using adhesive marble sheets and think this could work really well for this room.

Right now we have a single cabinet with rod across the other side of the wall and an old white shelf that has seen better days.  I would love to improve the storage situation by installing a new natural wood shelf or even white painted shelf, some black wire baskets (for corralling lone socks) and glass canisters for storing laundry detergent etc. It would be handy to add some wall mounted organizers as well for mail and keys etc. and a hook for the ironing board as well.  And if I am feeling crafty, I may just whip up a new cover for the ironing board, but not making any guarantees here.

The opposite wall is where we have our hanging laundry hampers. I adore the look of these and am grateful for how much space they save in this cramped room.  I would love to add some stenciling to the front, labelling them for darks, lights and colours.  Perhaps then my husband wouldn’t just cram all his laundry into the first available basket, though that may be wishful thinking.  I think some bead board panels below would be a nice finishing touch.  And above, I envision this being our command centre so to speak.  We need somewhere to jot down sporting events, grocery lists, family functions etc. to keep us organized.  The clean lines and uncluttered look of an acrylic calendar are just what we need. And yay dad, he’s got a piece of acrylic as well, so this will be a diy project for sure.  Finally add some art and finishing touches like faux potted plants and we are set!

I have budgeted about $200 to $250 to finish the space.  It will definitely be tight given the number of items I want to replace and decorative accents to be added.  Here is the breakdown of costs I have allotted for so far, as well as the links to everything.

Light fixture $30

Hardware $20

Laundry Hampers $12 each (already own)

Laundry Wall Plaque $30

Art Prints $0 (using clip art purchased for another project)

Wood Picture Frames $20 (using coupon)

Marble Adhesive Film $9

Glass Canisters $7.50 each (already own)

Metal Laundry Basket $25

Cast Iron Wall Hooks $1.50 each (already own)

Brick Panels $0 (craigslist freebie)

Countertops $0 (hand me down)

Acrylic Calendar $0 (hand me down/diy)

Paint $0 (hubby gets free paint)

Bead Board $30

Wood Shelf $40

Misc. expenses $50

I am so excited to share my modern farmhouse inspired laundry room plans with you today, and even more excited to get started on this laundry room overhaul.  I hope you found some inspiration in today’s post.  I will be sure to share the final makeover as soon as it is complete.

 

Morning friends,

Our master bedroom is just begging for some decorating love.  It is the one room that I never got around to finishing.  I mean, really no one ever sees it, so it was the easiest to neglect.  But with the start of a new year, I am determined to finally get it done.  This mama needs a peaceful retreat from the chaos of work and family.

I have been pinning like a mad woman these days and came across this cheerful and fresh bedroom from Pottery Barn.  While I am not typically drawn to yellow in terms of home decor, I just loved how airy, clean and crisp this room felt.  I don’t know about you, but a bedroom, or any room for that matter fully furnished in beautiful Pottery Barn wares just isn’t in the cards financially for me.  So I thought it might be fun to recreate this photo using some more affordable items.  The whole shebang including the bed, bedding, side tables, curtains and decor etc. all comes in at under $900!  Not too shabby when you think about what a trip to Pottery Barn may have cost you!

1. Rope Mirror – This metal rope mirror from Kirklands is already a great deal at only $25.  Using code FLASH25 makes it under $20.  Another option with a similar shape to the Pottery Barn room is this one at $54.
2. Mercury Glass Lamps –  This set of two lamps from JCPenney Home is a fantastic deal at only $67 for both! Use code DEAL62 for these savings.
3. Coverlet – This particular one is from Wayfair and is 70% off right now for only $32 for a queen size.
4. Ruffle Shams – Love the whimsical and feminine details of a ruffle edge pillow.  These from Amazon are just $27 for a set of two.
5. Nailhead Linen Bed – This beautiful bed is from Joss and Main and is $226 for a queen.  Less of a statement, but a cheaper alternative would be to go with a headboard instead.  Here are two options for under $200. Linked here and here.

6. Blue Accent Rug – The one pictured is from Rugs USA and is under $100 for a 5×7 area rug. Use coupon style35 for the discounted price. The Pottery Barn rug is actually on sale now for $299 for 5×7 (reg. $499) and is a great option.  Two other affordabel options under $300 are here and here.

7. Woven Accent Stool – Joss and Main for $65

8. Yellow Medallion Bedding – This particular one is from Home Depot of all places, for $59 for queen size.  But here are a couple other options, here, here and here.

9. X Base Nightstands – These look a likes from Overstock cost less than a third of the Pottery barn ones at $124.

10. White Curtains – Tried and true Ikea curtains for the win at $15 per panel.

11. Black Curtain Rods – Here are some simple black ones for Amazon under $20.

Total $890!  (this is basically the cost of two nightstands from Pottery Barn!!!)

I hope this post inspired you to get a start on decorating some of the spaces in your home that may have been forgotten about or need some extra attention.  You don’t need to spend big bucks to make an impact with your home decor.  It may take some time and research but there are so many great deals out there just waiting for you!

Hope you have a wonderful day

Hayley

 

 

With the start of a new year I love making a fresh list of all the projects and spaces throughout our home in need of a refresh.  At the top of this years list is my oldest son’s bedroom and I am so excited today to share the plans we have for his big boy room.

1. Wooden Oars (unknown) – similar 2. Moose Wall Mount (unknown) – similar 3. Vintage Inspired Animal Poster  4. Watercolour Landscape Print – unknown 5. National Park Poster 6. Camping Lantern (superstore – no longer available) – similar  7.  Dresser 8. Rocking Chair 9. Fox Drawer Pulls 10. Paint Colour 11. Bear Sheet Set 12. Bed 13. Buffalo Plaid Bedding  14. Felt Trees Tutorial 

His room currently has a travel theme which I still adore, but for quite some time now I have been itching to change things up to better suit his style and personality.  I have been dreaming up a sort of camping/outdoorsy/nature themed room channeling the beautiful scenery and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest. We live in such a beautiful area on the west coast of British Columbia and are so fortunate to have such an abundance of natural beauty surrounding us.  I was also inspired by our recent vacation to Seabrook in Washington.  It was our first family vacation with the kids and let me tell you, they loved it!  It’s so sweet, they talk about returning to “our beach house” at least once a week. The scenery is just gorgeous, with huge tall evergreen trees on the cliffs overlooking an incredible beach with vast sandy shores and deep blue crashing waves. Not only are the surroundings breathtaking, but the rental cottages are so adorable.  If you haven’t been or checked it out, I highly recommend visiting soon!

It’s easy to get lost in dreams of beach vacations, but lets get back to discussing decor! I’d love a room design that can grow along with him and isn’t too childish and of course something that fits in my tiny budget, which is never an easy task.  Thankfully, many of the larger pieces (bed, rocking chair, dresser etc.) we already own, so it is mainly just the decorative touches left to add.

We are going to stick to shades of blues and greens along with some neutrals with a pop of colour here and there to make things playful and fun for a toddlers room.  The walls are already painted a pale blue colour which I think we can make work. The focal point of the room will be the vintage inspired national park posters. I have my eye on some great ones from Anderson Design Group, that I think will totally make this space.  I am envisioning three large frames over his dresser.  I have one more frame that I think could work for a beautiful watercolour landscape piece to tie into the theme but I haven’t found the perfect one just yet, so the hunt continues.  .

We already scored a great twin bed on craigslist which we painted a dark grey colour.  And by we, I really mean, I convinced my husband take it to work and paint it with the sprayer!  I also picked up a fantastic pair of oars off craigslist for just $15.  I am eagerly waiting for my husband to bring home some paint so I can get started on that project.  I think this will be a fun way to add some colour and if I am feeling up for the mess, maybe my son could help on the painting front.

Thanks so much for stopping by to check out our plans and inspirations for a west coast inspired boys room and we hope you will follow along as we transform this space.

Hayley

 

I am a firm believer in getting children outdoors as often as possible, so I absolutely love gifting (and my children receiving) things that will inspire them to play outside or foster an interest in nature.  So here are my top 15 gift ideas for the young nature lover in your life.

1. Live Butterfly Garden (ages 4 -14) – Fun activity to help children understand the metamorphosis of butterflies. Includes several resources and activities as well as certificate for live cultures and food and fact guide.  ($35)
2. Garden Tool Set (ages 3+) – This is a great way to get your kids involved in yard work and gardening. Love this one since it includes a great assortment of large sized tools and a wheelbarrow, though the set can be purchased without it.  ($50)
3. Bird Feeder and Field Guide (ages 6+) – at under $10 I think this is a great gift for the little bird lover in your family. Includes a bird feeder and identification cards for 20 birds, with facts about their habitats and habits.  ($10)
4. Design a Birdhouse (5+) – Another great inexpensive gift. Includes wood birdhouse with chain for hanging as well as 4 paint pots and a brush.  Makes for a fun craft and also enjoyable to watch as birds make the house their home.  ($10)
5. Nature Puzzle (5+) – Instilling a love of nature can be done indoors as well. I love the idea of a puzzle featuring different wildlife like this one from Eeboo. ($15)
6. Rainboots – The gift of adorable little wellies would ensure outdoor play is feasible no matter the weather. Oakiwear has pretty reasonable prices for quality boots and offer a huge selection of boys, girls and adult boots and apparel.  ($20)
7. Backyard Explorer Kit (age 5 – 10) – Children love hunting and searching for things and this is the perfect way to bring them outdoors. It includes a tree and leaf guide as well as a leaf collecting album and heavy-duty plastic collecting envelope.  Also featured are several leaf related projects to keep them busy all year round.  Super fun to take to the park or even the back yard.  ($10)
8. Fun with Nature Book (6+) – Love this jumbo book full of nature activities and information. It is a compilation of seven bestselling titles and covers various topics so every child’s interests will be covered.  ($10)
9. Garden kit (5+) – Super cute and simple set with planting cup and tray, trowel, soil disks and three different seed types. ($15)

   

   

   

   

10. Insect Hotel Kit (3+) – A fun way to learn about insects like ladybugs, butterflies and bees while giving them a safe home in your backyard. My kids have a similar bug house that they love inspecting each day to see who might be home.  ($35)
11. Owl Nesting Set (ages 3+) – Includes 5 different owls that all tuck nicely into the large Gray Owl. My youngest loves birds and I just might have to grab a set of these for him! ($20)
12. Tiny World Insects (ages 6+) – Includes a special microscope tool which allows children to explore the world of insects. Over 300 hidden objects on the 12 theme cards.  The scope can be used around the house, backyard and more.  ($15)
13. Animal Caller (5+) – Allows children to recreate animal calls from several different animals (wolf, duck, eagle, bear, cougar etc.). Easy to use, just blow into the caller.  ($25)

    

    

14. Rock & Leaf Painting Kit (3+) – Creative way to use nature for a craft project. Includes several rocks, leaves, wood slices, branches, pinecones, paint, brushes and googly eyes.  ($20)
15. Work Gloves (3-6) – these are a perfect stocking stuffer. Great for helping with gardening and yard work. ($6)

I hope this list provided you with some inspiration and gift ideas for the little nature lovers on your list this year.  I’d love to hear about any nature inspired toys or games your family loves.

Happy Thursday my friends, I hope you have a lovely day!

Over the weekend, my boys and I were perusing the nursery, ok ok, I was shopping and they were asking how much longer we were staying, but nevertheless, I came across the sweetest little topiary lavender and rosemary plants.  I snagged two and rushed home with a plan in mind.  To me, potted plants just make a house feel more like a home, and I have always been a sucker for the elegant and classic look of topiaries.  I have countless images saved to pinterest so I knew exactly the look I was going for with this fun little DIY.

I thought the addition of an  aged rustic looking pot, urns and other vessels and knew that would be the perfect home for these little topiaries.  For roughly $10 I think I managed to create something that would not only be a beautiful addition to your own home, but would make a pretty awesome hostess or housewarming gift as well.

Here’s the breakdown of what you will need:

 

 

Topiary – I found both Lavender and Rosemary at my local nursery for $7.99

Clay Pot – I had left overs from my son’s birthday décor, but had originally picked them up from the dollar store for $1.25

Moss – I found a massive bag of Spanish Moss at the thrift store for just $1, but I am sure any craft store would have something similar

Paints – I just used whatever colours/types I had handy

Foam paint brush – again had this handy but could be found at a craft or dollar store

Rag – for wiping away any unwanted paint, or spills if you are a messy DIY’er like me

Spraypaint – I chose Rustoleum’s textured gritty spray paint I had handy from another project. This will help you achieve a more aged appearance and make the pots look less new.

I started by taking the pots outdoors and lightly spraying with a coat of the textured spraypaint, making sure I didn’t evenly coat the pot.  I was hoping to keep some of the clay colour popping through. The textured spray paint is great for giving the pots a more aged feel.  Next, I mixed up some green, white and brown paints and lightly added those sporadically to give a more mossy colouring.

I added one more quick spray of paint since it was looking a bit too green.  And finally, I added some limewash.  If you guys haven’t used this yet, I highly recommend this product and have used it for several different applications and always loved the end result.  It gave the pots more of a toned down white wash look that I loved.  Just brush on and rub off with the rag.  The great thing about this project is there is no right or wrong way of painting them, so just use what you have handy and mix paint as you please.  Each will look unique which is all part of the charm.

After letting these dry outdoors, and believe me you are going to want to wait, the odor is pretty potent and headache inducing, bring them inside to add the topiary.  Mine came with some festive red foil and bows which I removed.  Once inserted into the pot I topped them off with a small serving of moss.  I have mine in my kitchen window above the sink and think they look so charming.  This is such an inexpensive and easy project to whip up during nap time or give as gifts this holiday season.

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and were inspired to create a lovely topiary for your home. And if you do create one, I’d love to hear how yours turns out.  Thanks for stopping by!

With the Christmas holidays quickly approaching, I know many of you are already beginning to think about Christmas gifts.  Throughout the year I keep a list for each family member, jotting down or taking note of anything I notice they need or something they have mentioned wanting.  It makes shopping far less stressful and even can save you money!  I don’t think you need to spend a fortune to get a good quality toy or gift; especially if you shop with a plan and you watch for sales.  And if you are anything like me I’d much rather one small quality toy than something huge just because it is cheap.  Quality over quantity is my motto.  Each week I will be sharing some of my favourite gift ideas that either my own children treasure or that we have gifted and have been well received by other children. Today we will be focusing on the Bookworm, or children like mine with a love of reading.

Books are by far my favourite gift, both to gift and receive.  I give them for baby showers, birthdays, Christmas, you name it.  They are generally at a great price point  for gifting, there are literally zillions to choose from and something for every age/interest, they are educational and in my opinion, you can never have too many books!

• Library Stamp Set ($15): a fun little toy great for setting up a pretend library at home.

  

  

  

  

  

  

•  Books (of course!):  These are some of our top picks that we usually read several times a week (or sometimes even per day!)
  • Katie Morag Books (ages 5 – 9, but my 3 year old adores these stories). Join the adorable Katie Morag on the Scottish Isle of Struay as she gets into mischief and adventures.
  • One Snowy Night (ages 2 – 6) Percy the park keeper helps his animal friends on a cold winter’s night. We love all the Percy the Park Keeper books and everything else by Nick Butterworth.
  • Stella and Sam Books (ages 2 – 8) Stella has the most wonderfully overactive imagination and her little brother Sam is full of questions. The two share a lovely bond.  The artwork is beautiful too.  We own all the Stella and Sam books and thoroughly adore anything and everything by Marie Louse Gay.
  • Charlie and Lola (ages 4 – 8, but my 3 year old has loved these since he was 2) Another great sibling set. Lola, the younger sister with an imaginary friend and Charlie her kind older brother have the most entertaining adventures and mishaps together.  The sketch-like illustrations are fun and unique.
  • Toot and Puddle (ages 4 – 7) Adorable best friend pigs. One is a homebody, the other an adventurous world traveler.  Beautiful illustrations.
  • Chris Van Dusen Books (ages 3 – 8) All of Chris Van Dusen’s books have wonderful rhyming text, that is easy and fun to read. The illustrations are great as well. We can hardly wait to read his newest book, Hattie and Hudson.

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• Audiobooks
  • Piggle Wiggle : wonderful series about a woman and her magical cures for all of the children’s bad habits.
  • Roald Dahl: such a classic stories that are pretty much guaranteed to become a staple in your home.
  • Mercy Watson: another great series about a couple and their pig. Bonus points for the fabulous illustrations by Chris Van Dusen.
  • Boxcar Children:  these were a favourite in my family growing up and I am hopeful my children will have as fond memories of this fantastic series as I did.  About four orphaned children and their wild adventures.
• Create and Tell me a Story Cards by Eeboo. (ages 3+) Beautifully illustrated cards with characters, props and locations to help children use their imagination to create a story. Can be played individually or with a group.  Various different themed packs. ($12)
• Library Book Bag: I made my boys their very own book bags, and they just love filling them up at the library.  It is a fun way to get even the uninterested little ones involved in the book fun.  There are so many great options online, but I am loving these personalized ones from Toluni.  ($39)

I hope that this list has inspired you and that some of our favourites will become yours and your children’s as well.

Nobody loves a good look a-like as much as I do and today I have a fantastic deal on dishes to share.  If I was in need of some new dinnerware, you’d better believe I’d be scooping these up ASAP!  Today on Joss and Main they have a couple items, that are so similar to Pottery Barns it is hard to tell the difference.

 

sources: left: Pottery Barn   right: Joss and Main

Pottery Barn’s Emma dinnerware set is so classic.  My sister-in-law actually has this set, and they are just as beautiful in person.  She received them as a wedding gift, but if you were to purchase the set of 4 dinner plates, 4 salad plates, 4 soup bowls and 4 mugs, it would cost a whopping $ 168 plus tax!

The Margeux 16-piece dinnerware set on Joss and Main is equally beautiful (actually, from the photo I prefer the Joss and Main set) and awfully similar for a fraction of the price.  At only $68 it works out to under $5 a piece and over $100 less than Pottery Barn which is a pretty darn good deal!

sources: top: Joss and Main bottom: Pottery Barn

And because a table setting just isn’t complete without some charger plates I also wanted to share this deal.  Pottery Barn’s Beaded Gilt Charger Plates are $12.50 each, and while stunning, this is a pretty hefty price.  I actually own and love these, but received them as a gift from my mother-in-law who picked them up at the outlet I believe.

Today Joss and Main is featuring the Kendra Melamine Charger Plate which is a pretty good match for only $33.56 for a set of four.  This works out to slightly less at only $8.39 each.

Hopefully you enjoyed these look-a-like deals.  I plan to get a few more up on the blog soon.

Today I wanted to share with you another great craigslist find.  We were in desperate need of some additional storage space in our master bedroom.  We have a little walk-in closet (mine) and a regular closet (his) but didn’t have anywhere to keep socks & underwear etc.  We figured we could share a tall dresser between the two of us.

I was hunting for something white, or at least wood that could be painted white.  Height was important because we have our tv mounted above it and were hoping to find something that wouldn’t require us moving it.  I  really wanted something with a bit of character and something a bit fancier than your standard Ikea dresser.  Below were the gorgeous pieces from Wayfair I was inspired by.

However, at nearly $1,000 each, sadly there was no way they would be making their way into my home. So my craigslist hunt began.  After months of searching, I finally came across this dresser for $200.  It had a bit of a scratch on the top, but I figured most likely we would have it covered up anyways.  I managed to talk them down a bit, and for just under $200 got a really stunning dresser.  I am so pleased with it! It really is quite beautiful in person, and is so similar to the pieces I had been admiring.  Now I just need to come up with a plan for finishing up the rest of the room.