Pirates Arrrrgh Aboard

The Homestead is a great house, with just under 1500 square feet. We have to maximize every use of our space but I we also have fun creating fun things for our space. I love letting my kids get involved in the planning especially when it comes to their bedrooms. When we started having Thing 1 and Thing 2 share a room I let them pick a theme. Pirates was their choice. So the following are some of the fun things we did to make their space full of all things Pirates.
We also are on a tight budget. Like maybe $40 with bedding. Below we used this picture frame from IKEA. I had the anchor and the netting that I had found on a Clearance Wreath a few years ago. I pulled them off to use in other decorating. I used burlap that I had copied this quote and used my light board to write it on with a sharpie. The background is Pirate wrapping paper I found at Seagull Book for $1 a roll. The quote is actually two quotes I combined from Harry Potter it says:

Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right....

For it is our choices that show what we truly are more than our abilities. Prof. Dumbledore.

I put the compass in the middle to remind them to make good choices. Total: $1





This map/wall hanging I picked up for free. A friend of mine was moving and gave it to me. I knew I could use it for something. It is made of felt and is lightweight and perfect for this space. Total: $0

I wanted a banner of some kind and was planing on making one but found this part banner at Hobby Lobby for $4. It was just what I wanted for this room.

Total: $4

These pirate hats were 3 for $1 at JoAnn's fabric. I used the same wrapping paper and then just made signs the top says Captain....Boys Name and then underneath A Pirate's Life for Me. The frames we had they are from IKEA and they hang on either side of the window. The Boys love them. I love their magnet board from IKEA we have had this for awhile. They can put things they draw up in their room.

Total: $1


We love this book and have had it for awhile. I read it in my best Pirate and say things like skalleywag and arghh a lot. Thing 1 put it up on his shelf.

Total: $0



This summer we went to Cherry Hills Water Park and picked up this little sign that says "No Trespassing Pirates Only." I already had the life ring from a previous decorating.

Total: $5

I would have loved to get the boys the Potter Barn Kids Pirate bedding, but it wasn't in my budget. I kept Thing 1's bedspread but found this PB Kids pillow at Down East for $4. It has another name embroidered on it which I just carefully unpicked. I found this Jolly Roger inspired fleece at JoAnn's on clearance and the last part of the bolt. He loves this blanket.

For Thing 2 I dug around at Down East to find another one like above but none were to be had. So I picked up this pillow sham also a PB kids unpicked the name and embroidered this pirate ship. I just found a pirate coloring page online and then used my light board to transfer the lines unto my fabric. I actually love how it turned out.

Total: $8 - pillow shams

$2 - fabric for embroidery.

I had to include this picture. Thing 1 loves to draw. Several years ago he drew this picture of Jesus for his room. I love it and he loves having it up in his room.

So I already had these chairs. They are from IKEA and I found them in the as is section on clearance and just cleaned them up. I added the vinyl lettering that I did up on my Silhouette. The table is actually the top section of shelf we weren't using. Thing 1 instantly saw it as a Lego building table. The Ship Wheel in the corner I picked up from DI for $3. It is fun for the kids to play with.
Total: $3 Pirate Wheel

Grand Total: $24

The best part of this room is that my boys love it and they helped me in creating items in it.

Hope you are having a wonderful Week.

Emily

A Good Quote....Praiseworthy Inspiration

A friend of mine sent me this email today with this quote in it. I was supposed to forward it on to eight people. I figured I would post it on my blog instead. It has some good words to practice.

"May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us." - author not known


May this be a mantra today.


Emily

Finding My Creative Voice

I have a personal blog that started out as my own and has evolved into my family blog and so became private by invitation only. This blog began because I felt a need to have a place where I could just focus on the things I love, the things I enjoy, and the things that spark my creativity. Over the past year I have found so many blogs that are full of brilliant creativity, and in the process of perusing others ideas I found I started to doubt my own. So many of the blogs I see have thousands of followers, they post daily with new creative ideas. I find sometimes I barely can get a shower in during the day, plus trying to stay on top of homework, laundry, bathrooms, serving others, and although I love to create things sometimes it is only once a month and even then it seems to be simple in comparison. I don't have the budget to craft everyday, and quite honestly I don't have the desire. I don't really know how to use power tools and find it a challenge to learn with a curious 2 1/2 year old trying to help in all I do. My husband is wonderful, but he doesn't jump right on board with my projects and doesn't really have time to help me either. I don't really sew although I love fabric. I don't scrapbook, but love paper. At every turn I have felt lacking and so have remained silent.

I realized the other day that this has nothing to do with anyone else. This is about me having a place to go, a haven where I can voice my thoughts and ideas. One of my favorite blogs is Joys of Home, mostly because she is very real. A few months ago she posted this quote, "Comparison is the thief of joy" I have found this to be true.

One of my goals this year was to find my voice. As a mother of three, a daughter, a wife, a sister and a friend I have many titles with many voices, but the voice I feel like I haven't heard in a awhile is that of Emily. So this next year is going to be a bit of an exploration for me to find my voice. This blog is a tool for me to do that, so if you are reading this I hope you will come with me on my journey and see where it leads.

Emily