The Dappled Willow

SNEAK PEEK I’ve been working for months on my baby girl’s nursery #budgetroomrefresh and I’m FINALLY done! After countless hours of painting, thrifting, crafting and decorating I’ve reached my max budget of $500 and finished all the projects on my wish list.... Can’t wait to share the whole thing with you! I’ll be taking pictures in the daylight and putting together a blog post soon but I just couldn’t wait to share! I wish you could see all these glowing stars!

DAMAGE REPORT: It’s been less than 3 months living with the refinished countertop on the bathroom vanity and it’s time for an update. It’s not pretty. Unfortunately the spray-on Tub&Tile I applied in the spring is already chipping in multiple spots. There are many reasons this could be happening: - Maybe I didn’t prep properly. ... - Maybe it’s because of my poor application. - Maybe it’s not meant to withstand kids playing and dancing on it while brushing their teeth. Whatever the reason may be, it is chipping and I said I would be honest and give updates so here it is. I have to admit I’m a little disappointed the epoxy is already failing because it wasn’t easy (for me anyway) to apply the product, it took a bunch of prep to tape everything else in the room off to protect from overspray, and it smelled so bad that our family had a camp out in the backyard to avoid the fumes. Overall, the white is still an improvement so my plan is to leave it for a full year, let it wear and tear and reassess in the spring. The DIY adventures continue!

We’ve been living with these painted bathroom floors for a few months now and I’m still head over heels for them! I had shared my plans to paint a faux hexagon floor onto my existing bathroom tile with friends and family before I started the @oneroomchallenge and was met with a ton of skepticism. I know I could have ordered a stencil online but I was determined to have my faux grout lines line up perfectly with the existing grout lines so I had to figure it out by trial and error. It may have taken forever but it was all worth it! I’m so glad I followed my heart and just went for it to make the budget version of my dream floor come true!

I’m finally finished my DIY art for the bathroom! Canvases covered in textured drywall compound are all the rage these days but my backwards art is something I’ve never seen before. It’s a simple line art creation with a saying written backwards so it’s only legible when looking at the reflection in the mirror - a cheeky reminder to anyone sitting on the throne, or primping in the mirror that You can’t stay here all day. What do you think? Would you attempt some backwards a...rt behind your bathroom mirror? Let me know what saying would make you laugh out loud on the loo! Or do you frown upon #toilethumour? #DIYart #bathroomart #toilethumor #budgetroomrefresh @ Ottawa, Ontario

I’m definitely a bath person. I dream of one day having a claw foot soaker to sink into. But since that won’t be happening any time soon, I gave my existing tub a little upgrade with this wood siding. It’s so inviting now and I’ve been enjoying it more than ever! A glass of wine, two squares of sea salt dark chocolate and a hot bath are my basic me-time go-tos.... Are you a bath person? Tell me what your favourite bath products are! #oneroomchallenge #bhgorc #budgetroomrefresh #bathroomupdate #homeimpactproject #paintedtile #hexagontiles #woodtub

Here it is! My #BudgetRoomRefresh for the Spring 2020 One Room Challenge is finally complete! Check out the blog for before and afters, my project list and my budget breakdown! After 8 weeks of hard work, it's time for a hot bath and a well deserved glass of wine!

Still here! Still slowly but surely working away on the bathroom. Week 3 of the One Room Challenge was focused on refinishing the countertop and tub surround with spray on epoxy. Week 4 I turned my attention to the window and to the walls! One highlight for me was the stroke of genius I had to add faux muntins (that is the technical term for those lines) to the window. They make such a difference. Crazy that it’s just black electrical tape!... Another personal victory is I installed the spray painted faucet myself! Fully functional and no leaks! I’m no plumber but it was fun to conquer this simple but intimidating task on my own.

Slow progress is still progress! Last week's focus in the bathroom for the One Room Challenge was all about the many layers of Epoxy! Read all about our experience refinishing the countertop and tub surround with a few different products on the blog.

I may be tired as a Mother but I expected ups and downs throughout this One Room Challenge. Some may say I shouldn’t have started this challenge as I’m busy enough with my three little ones at home right now. It definitely has been hard to find the time to work on this bathroom without help from my village to watch the kiddos. But it truly brings me so much joy to be creative in this way. Having control over this bathroom update is helping me cope during this crazy time when ...I feel I have very little control over anything. I need this project for my mental health. It’s good to do something other than playing, diaper changing, and snack making. It’s good for me to tangibly see the impact I can have on my surroundings. And seeing the changes, small as they may be, helps the days from completely blending into each other. Otherwise it feels like #groundhogday everyday! So I’m going to keep on moving, even if it’s at a snail’s pace. I’ll find the time to work on my DIYs here and there because I deserve to have this fun for myself and the satisfaction of completing something. Ultimately it makes me a better mom! And the kids deserve to have a happy, creative and sane mummy. Any other mamas tackling DIYs while home with the kids? Tell me what you’re working on and if you have any favourite #DIYMom hacks!

It’s finally here! The Spring One Room Challenge kicks off today and I’m so pumped to be a guest participant! I’ll be tackling our main bathroom on a tight budget so get ready to see a bunch of crazy DIY attempts. I’ll post weekly updates on the blog but you can follow along in stories to watch the magic happen everyday. This could all turn out to be an epic fail too, so I promise to be as transparent as possible so you can maybe learn from my mistakes.... This bathroom hasn’t been touched since we painted over the pink 5 years ago. Now it’s time to give it some love. Wish me luck! Have you ever done a bathroom refresh or reno? Give me your best advice!

Do you feel like you're drowning in kids stuff these long crazy days? Do you crave order but aren't sure where to start? Well today on the blog I share a bit about my process with decluttering my children's clothes, toys, books and craft supplies. I hope my journey and tips can be helpful and inspire you to clear out the clutter to find some peace amidst the chaos right now.

I love trying new things in closets. DESIGN THINGS. Get your mind out of the gutter! I’ve done wallpapering, a #sharpiewall and now I’ve given handpainting the inside of a closet a try. The @pehr ‘Celestial’ star pattern was simple enough for my limited artistic ability and it turned out so well!... Have you experimented WITH DESIGN in closets before? I highly recommend. #budgetroomrefresh #nurserydecor #handpainted #wallmural #starnursery #starbedroom #stardecor #anniesloanchalkpaint

With every #budgetroomrefresh I try to challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone. This time I want to be a bit bolder with colour. Initially I had an earthy, neutral, boho-chic vision for this room but I’ve since decided that I want it to feel more like a kids room. They won’t be this little forever so now is the time to have fun, right? This palette from the @pehr ‘Celestial’ line is the perfect mix of playful yet warm hues that I’m after. Now to figure out how to inc...orporate them throughout the room! Am I doing this right? When designing a room do you pick a theme, feel and palette first? I’m no designer but I’m having fun figuring out a process that works for me!

What’s your favourite quote about stars? There are so many cute and inspirational sayings about those big, beautiful burning balls of gas! How does one choose just one? I came across this print from @indigo while doing some online shopping at 2AM the other night (couldn’t sleep so retail therapy made sense). It got me right in the feels and now the nursery will be star themed! I’m pumped about this direction; onwards and upwards! #budgetroomrefresh #nurserydecor #starbedroom #starnursery #stardecor #starquote #pehr

I thought this room was complete but it turns out this free printable craft from @ishouldbemoppingthefloor was just what this space needed. It’s not all sunshine, rainbows and happy quiet time crafting over here but I’m choosing to focus on the positives and the Nautical Alphabet Signal Flags were definitely a WIN this week! My 4 year old got so much enjoyment out of colouring, cutting, gluing and stringing all 26 letters together in order from A-Z. Now it’s proudly hanging i...n his room and he loves finding the flags for the letters of his name. Had you ever heard of the nautical alphabet before? I for one learned something new!

Nearly everything in this room (except the bedding and the sconces) is secondhand or made of repurposed materials. The faux shiplap is made of plywood taken from old builder grade doors. The bed risers are made of old wooden palettes.... The bookshelf is my sister’s old entryway bench just with a fresh coat of chalk paint. The headboards were given to me by a neighbour years ago and I finally pulled them out of my basement storage. The nautical decor was inherited and the rug was freecycled. I’m proud of how resourceful I was when piecing this room together but it would not have turned out this way if it weren’t for the secondhand finds I was lucky to get. My next #budgetroomrefresh is going to be tougher without the secondhand economy thriving, but I’m up for the challenge to achieve the look I want within budget! Wish me luck! #boysroom #nauticalroom #fauxshiplap #portholemirror #anniesloanchalkpaint #chalkpaint #aubussonblue #magiclighttrick #secondhanddecor

Today I’m grateful for quiet time. Not only because it’s a nice break for my ears, but because it’s quality time spent with my eldest. He’s in Junior Kindergarten and says he’s too big for nap time now. I have to admit I do kind of miss having these afternoon hours while the younger two snooze to myself, but I am really enjoying the one-on-one time with my big guy. And I think he’s soaking up the undivided attention too! Puzzles and crafts are the go to activities. Today’s is... a printable from @ishouldbemoppingthefloor; the nautical alphabet signal flags. He’s excited to put them up in his room! #boysroom #nauticalroom #budgetroomrefresh #sharpiewall #closetdesk See more

The boys have been sharing this room for a few nights now and, as expected, it’s been taking them longer to settle down and drift off. I’m sure the novelty and excitement of being together will wear off eventually and falling asleep will get easier. I’m just so glad they’re enjoying each other and I hope down the road they look back on these times fondly. #boysroom #nauticalroom #brotherlylove #budgetroomrefresh

That’s one happy sailor in his new nautical-themed bedroom! This dresser was transformed thanks to a few coats of #AnnieSloanChalkPaint in Aubusson Blue and finished with clear sealing wax. We also added some ball bearing drawer slides and built in some dividers to make this piece extra user-friendly for the kiddos. If you’re local and interested in giving #chalkpaint a try, Malenka Originals is still delivering through online orders! Support this local business and get start...ed transforming pieces you already have in your home during isolation. #anniesloan #aubussonblue #kidsdresser #beforeandafter #worldmap #nauticalroom #boysroom #stayhome

Quarantine can’t stop the party! My 28th birthday was a blast in isolation with this dance crew!

I took some time to write an account of my birthday in isolation. It was definitely one for the history books!

It’s a big wide world out there, but for now we’re staying home and inside. I’m so glad my mother-in-law gifted us this 40 year old vintage map for the boys’ nautical room. It was given to her by my father-in-law as an engagement present. I keep picturing him saying, I’ll give you the world Mary-Beth! à la Jimmy Stewart in It’s a Wonderful Life. I used wallpaper adhesive to stick it to a piece of foam insulation and built this custom frame with some scrap wood.... It almost takes up the entire wall! We’ve enjoyed putting pushpins in it to mark the places we’ve been and telling the boys about our travels. But the only pin they really seem to care about is the one that marks HOME. #noplaceidratherbe

World’s Okayest Mom here to tell you that it’s okay to not be okay right now. I’m trying. Really I am. And everyday it’s getting a little bit easier but also a little worse. So inspired by @thehappyevercrafter ’s #vandalettering challenge I decided to bring a bit of humour and creativity to my situation with this calligraphy in my front window for the neighbours to have a laugh.... 4 year olds, right?! Relatable, no? Well, I got called out for being negative when I should be enjoying this time with my kids. *Boooooo!* And also for not being a REAL Stay-At-Home-Mom because I’ve gone back to work between having my children. *Whaaaat? Why is that even a criticism? ALL MOMS are hardworking!* So, in case you don’t know, I LOVE MY CHILDREN! They’re amazing, smart, funny, cute and oh so sweet! But they sure as heck aren’t perfect, and I’m being challenged to grow as a parent everyday. And now especially more than ever I’m having to pick my battles with my eldest as he’s learning boundaries. So, I’m just gonna leave this here, to reassure all the other parents out there struggling. We’re having tough times too. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows over here. There’s a lot of laughs and some learning going on but squabbles between siblings who are not used to spending all this time together and having to share my attention resound constantly. Parenthood is amazing, but it too isn’t easy or picture perfect. So I’m going to continue striving for better, admitting to my faults, and trying to cope with the chaos with a couple of laughs. #staystrong #windowart