Makers Guide | Halloween 2021

BOO! I’ve rounded up my favorite wares from makers for this spoooky makers guide!

My favorite is the Wormy Skull by Jessica McLeod! I stumbled across one of her skulls on Instagram, and then popped over to her shop to find more cuteness — Harold the Pumpkin and Stanley the Ghost are so freakin’ adorable! Sadly, all of her work for the season is sold out, but I’m keeping my eye on Jessica’s shop next year!

I ordered the It’s Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocus tee and matching bodysuit for Baby J from Aspen + Company. Hocus Pocus is my all-time favorite Halloween movie — I’ve already played it twice in the background this month, but I’m looking forward to when Baby J and I can put these on and watch it together!

I’m really digging the vintage vibes of the Halloween Fangs print. I’d honestly leave it up all year round. Bonus — it’s currently 40% off!

Everything linked below!

Wormy Skull | Jessica McLeod // It’s Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocus Tee | Aspen + Company (onesie + kids tees) // Ghost Tea Light Holders | Vanilya Ceramics // Halloween Fangs Wall Art | Musings of Mei Mei // Cozy Witches Sticker | Uusikuu

Cheers,

K

Nursery Tour

Hi! I’m finally sharing Baby Heid’s nursery with you! These photos were taken nine months ago, so things have definitely changed.

When we started planning our nursery, people kept asking me what theme we were going with. While I love a themed party, I honestly just couldn’t think of a theme that I wanted to stick with for baby girl’s nursery. I knew I wanted it to be bright, fun, and to have a mid-century modern feel. I found a color palette that I loved (below) and started a mood board. During that process, I came across Within the Grove’s nursery wall and decided that an accent wall was the way to go. Shortly after that, we bought a dresser on Facebook Marketplace, which solidified our mid-century modern plan.

Color palette inspo

Nursery wall inspo

Mr. Heid and I plugged the dimensions of the nursery space and the dresser into floorplanner. From there, I searched for a crib and a bookshelf that we’d like and added those in. We added in the dimensions of a rug, glider, pouf, hamper, house plant, and side table and started rearranging things to come up with a functional and beautiful layout. Then, I dropped the floor plan into InDesign to play around with color choices and artwork. We finally agreed on what color each item should be and where they should go, and we set out to make it all happen.

Floorplanner layout

InDesign overlay

We started with the wall, researching different ways to construct it and testing a few paint colors before getting started.

For the color, we landed on the Behr Ultra interior eggshell enamel in Roulette. For construction, we decided on the following process:

• Design the wall in InDesign, using the dimensions of the slats for accuracy

• Use rollers and brushes to paint the entire accent wall

• Use a paint sprayer to paint the slats

• Use a nail gun to affix the longest slats first (we decided to only use 45- and 90-degree angles to make this as easy as possible)

• Use a nail gun to affix the remaining slats (we strayed from our original design a bit)

• Fill in the gaps and nail holes with wood putty and allow it to set

• Use paintbrushes to paint the filled gaps and holes (shoutout to my girl Jeannie for helping Mr. Heid when my very pregnant body wouldn’t let me!)

Once the wall was complete, we collected all of the other furniture and items and put everything into place.

I don’t have a before picture, but the nursery had a pretty open closet with just two long shelves at the top and a long rod to hang clothing. We wanted to have a bit more shelving and drawers to organize all of her tiny things. We found the MALM 6-Drawer Chest and SYVDE Open Wardrobe both from IKEA. Since our closet doors are bi-folds, we had to make sure the chest of drawers was centered in the closet or else they wouldn’t open all of the way. So my dad and Mr. Heid assembled only the shelving side of the wardrobe and attached it to one side of the chest of drawers. On the other side, we installed two mini hanging rods for her clothes.

Nine months later, and a few things have definitely changed. We’ve added some decor on top of baby girl’s bookshelf, switched out some of her books, added some decor to her corner table, switched out the speaker and supplies on her dresser, and added more items to her closet shelf. Overall, the aesthetic is the same - we’ve just filled it in a bit more. We still need to install her name on the wall — if you’re planning a nursery and think, “We’ll get to that later…” just keep in mind that life is about to be crazy busy, so it might be nine more months before you actually get to that thing…

Linking all items below and sharing comments on ones that can’t be linked —

ART

• Abstract Painting - made for us by a friend :)

• Alphabet Poster - Suzy Ultman for Petit Monkey

• Crab Painting - Day 5 Art

• Crayon Piece - Lila Shull

• State Prints - Bloomwolf Studio

CLOSET

• MALM 6-Drawer Chest - IKEA

• SYVDE Open Wardrobe - IKEA

CUSHIONS + LINENS + PILLOWS

• Cactus Baby Blanket - made for us by a friend :)

• Gardenia Square Tufted Velvet Floor Pillow - Safavieh

• Gray Brush Stroke Boppy - Pottery Barn

• Rainbow Swaddle - Clementine Kids

• Spotted Blush Swaddle - Clementine Kids

• Sun Cushion - Petit Monkey

• Zig Zag Changing Pad Cover - Bebe au Lait - similar

• Zig Zag Crib Sheet - Bebe au Lait - similar

DECOR

• Blanket Ladder - Store Wood UA

• Boler Vintage Camper Planter - Julie Richard Ceramist

• Freestanding Wooden Name Sign - Mod Wood Co. - not pictured

• Geometric Pink Bud Vase - atHome

• Marble Hexagon Coaster - Threshold / Target - similar

• Mini Travel Sounds Speaker - Sunnylife - similar - the speaker was horrible, so at this point it’s in the nursery for looks. We replaced it with this one, which is super high quality.

• Modern Plant Stand - Fox & Fern

• Round Decorative Wall Mirror - Project 62 / Target

• Walnut Wood Taylor Accent Lamp Base - World Market

• Wooden Deer Family - Tiny Fox Hole

FURNITURE

• Brittany 4-Shelf Book Case - Novogratz - we found ours for half the price on Overstock.com and then painted the edges and sides white to match our dresser

• Dresser - We thrifted this piece!

• Essex 4-in-1 Convertible Crib - Delta Children - we stained the legs to match our walnut furniture

• Naja End Table - Christopher Knight

• Piper Recliner and Swivel Glider - DaVinci

RUG + PLAY PAD

• Ansi Trellis Rug - The Curated Nomad

• Lily Pad Play Pad - blabla kids

STORAGE

• Fabric Cube Storage Bin - Pillowfort / Target - similar

• Mauve Velvet Storage Bin - Crate & Barrel

• Teal Velvet Storage Bin - Crate & Barrel

• Stripe Coiled Rope Storage Bin - Pillowfort / Target - similar

TOYS + ANIMALS

• Lambs - Bath & Body Works

• Lucy the Lamb - cuddle+kind

• Pink Plush Octopus - this was a gift to us :) - similar

• Minikin Fawn - Jellycat

• Musical Lili Llama - Manhattan Toy

• Slumber Sloth Snuggler - Slumberkins

• Star Wars The Child Plush Toy - Mattel

• Touch n Go Light Up Dinosaur - CubicFun

If you didn’t see the link you’re hoping for, drop a comment below and I’ll do my best to add it!

Cheers,

K

Makers Guide | Yer a Wizard

HAPPEE BIRTHDAE, HARRY!

In honor of Harry Potter’s birthday, I’m interrupting the baby train and sharing a few handmade things for your favorite witch or wizard!

ONE | I’ve been wanting this “Don’t Let the Muggles Get You Down” keychain for a while now — I just can’t decide what color! I’m torn between marigold and teal…

TWO | You can’t go wrong with a pair of snake earrings for that cunning Slytherin in your life! Velvet Orange Designs offers clay pairs in three different colors!

THREE | Sending out some snail mail? Jazzing up your planner? Grab a roll of Magical Washi Tape from Nutmeg and Arlo! You can go with the holographic roll or you can pick your house colors!

FOUR | Stealing away to the kitchen just got a little more magical with this tea towel.

FIVE | If hitting the books like Hermione is more your speed, check out this glasses bookmark!

SIX | Get comfy and rest assured because this Hogwarts sweater is far from a Mrs. Weasley original.

#MischiefManaged

xoxo,

K

Makers Guide | Quarantine Edition

Quarantine, Shelter-in-Place, Coronacation… no matter what you’re calling it, the fact is we’re all staying home. For some, staying at home may be easy peasy. But for me, it can be tough. Luckily, I still have work to do for the day job so that keeps me pretty busy. But there’s still a lot of down time and sometimes I just don’t want to work on another house project. Anyone else?

If you’re also wanting something fresh to do, here are some fun items that may get you through the slump!

ONE | I know that I personally need to get back into my yoga routine, for both flexibility and to check in and realign with my body. I really need a new mat and this might be just the time to snag one. I’m eyeing the beautiful designs offered by Yeti Yoga — especially loving The Alder Yoga Mat.

TWO | Maybe you’re bored with your usual recipes, maybe you’re always looking for something new, or maybe it’s time to get really creative with what you have left in the pantry — enter Christina Tosi’s cookbook, Milk Bar Life. It’s been out for a few years now, but it’s full of comfort food recipes (like Chicken & Dumplings or Beef Roast), off-the-wall recipes (like the Spaghettios Sammy or Cornbread Ice Cream), and fun stories to boot! Bonus — it’s currently on sale on Amazon.

THREE | In cleaning out our storage room, I was reminded that my friends and I used to elaborately decorate envelopes and mail letters to each other… and yes, we had texting, email, and AIM (HAHA), but there’s something so fun about getting funky envelopes in your mailbox! Get some glue sticks, some envelopes, some stamps, and some of these assorted scrap packs from Yarisi & Co. and go to town!

FOUR | It’s so easy to get caught up in the scariness, loneliness, and negative emotions that come with a pandemic and quarantine, but there are also so many things each of us should be grateful for. Grab a Gratitude Journal from Promptly Journals and begin jotting down those things that bring you comfort and light during these trying times and life in general.

FIVE | This Leafy Wreath embroidery template by Florals and Floss will keep your hands busy and will double as a positive reminder! It’s just a digital download, so you’ll need to get hoops, a needle, and fabric. I get my fabric and needles from JOANN, which is still fulfilling online orders. I use these hoops from Amazon and transfer my fabric to a frame afterward, but you can also use these bamboo hoops if you’re planning to hang the hoop as is.

SIX | And finally, some days it’s all we can do to cope with everything going on. If you’re teaching kids, working in the hospitals, working remotely, bored out of your mind, on your last roll of toilet paper, or simply having a rougher day than you’d like — give yourself an award for simply making it through the day. This Coping Okay Today enamel pin by Clara and Macy sums up my day sometimes and that’s okay.

See you all on the other side of quarantine, because this too shall pass! Sending you wishes for good health!

xo (from a 6-foot distance),
K

You're Gold Baby, Solid Gold

Happy International Women’s Day!

Desktop | Phone

Brighten up your desktop or phone with these free downloads — just click the links!

Now go forth and continue to be a badass today and all the days!

xo,

K

Old School Valentines

Happy almost Valentine’s Day everyone!

Remember the days of going to the store and having to pick out Valentines cards for your whole class? I always wanted something that reflected my interests and that my friends would appreciate, but also that didn’t allude to kissing — couldn’t have those gross boys getting any ideas! Oh, elementary school days — haha!

Nowadays, I pretty much send Valentine’s to two people. The cheesiest card I can find for my fiancé, Mr. Heid and a fun card for my bestie/wifey. Even though she doesn’t celebrate Valentine’s day as part of her own relationship (which I totally respect — we should make love a priority every day), I send her a v-day card every now and then. It reminds us of the days when we had no responsibilities and could hang out all. the. time. *aaahhh*

I decided this year, that I wanted to get those cheesy little Valentines of our youth for my lady friends, so I set out for Target. In the land of pink and red that is the Valentine’s section, I came across this mom begging her little boy to pick a set of Valentines. With every box she pointed out, he had a reason not to get them. “Those don’t have candy. Transformers aren’t cool. No, not pencils.”

While he was having the most difficult time deciding which boxed cards to get, I was thinking about how they’ve stepped up Valentine’s offerings — glow sticks and gel clings, what? After sifting through all of the options, I found these Etch Animal Valentines and I was sold (though I’m sure Target kid would not approve). These cards were mostly punny (someone gave up on the sloth pun) and they were coated in the black material that, once scratched off, would reveal a rainbow of color.

I don’t know about you guys, but I used to cover my paper in crazy colors and then go over the entire thing in black crayon just so I could etch rainbow pictures in the black. So, yea, these were basically perfect. Even childhood me could agree — again… something I like, my friends could appreciate, and didn’t allude to kissing boys.

I found one-sided solid pink cards in the dollar section and went home to color some envelopes! I actually had fun putting all of the cards together (so those of you ladies that received one best be etching those babies out ;)).

So if you’re in need of some last-minute love notes for your co-workers, your family, or whoever tomorrow, I definitely recommend chatting with your inner kid and picking up a boxed set.

xoxo,

K

Perler Bead Sugar Skull DIY

Can we take a moment to talk about how beautiful Día de los Muertos is — both physically and spiritually? The holiday recognizes death as a natural phase of life and celebrates those who have passed away.

I won’t pretend to know the full extent of Day of the Dead festivities and rituals, but I love the belief that those who have died are to be celebrated. It’s obvious to mourn our late loved ones — to be sad that they will no longer tell our favorite stories, make their famous recipes, sing songs with us… There are many things to be missed about those who have passed, but we can honor and celebrate them by re-telling their stories, sharing the good times we’ve had together, making that same recipe for friends and family, singing along to their favorite song, and so forth. There’s this notion in Coco that you only truly die when you’ve been forgotten by the living.

But spirituality aside, the festivities are simply stunning — the outfits, the florals, the face paint, the sugar skulls... oh, the sugar skulls! I came across the graphic below on Hallmark’s Think. Make. Share. blog and kept wishing I could have the original!

But alas, I cannot. So I recreated them with Perler beads! If you’re looking for these beads, you can get them at any craft store.

My Perler bead plates are smaller squares, so I couldn’t flesh out the designs as much as I wanted to… or so I thought. Turns out, I completely ignored those little notches in my plastic bases that clearly indicated that I could have fit them together to make larger bases. The more you know… next time. Can you imagine a super huge Perler bead design? Hmm… I’ll have to explore that later…

So when you do this, you can take a sugar skull pattern that you like or create one yourself. If you’re going to make a pattern yourself, I recommend designing it on grid paper so that you know more likely what your end product will look like. If you’re drawing inspiration from elsewhere like I did, then you may have to modify the pattern to better fit on a grid. For example, my skinny guy doesn’t have asterisk eyes. Now had I realized sooner that I could have made a larger base, he very well might have.

Play around with the patterns, have fun with the colors, and remember to celebrate those who once walked this Earth. Todos somos calaveras!

xo

K