dressing up the windows.

this post was actually written in June 2017.  as is my tendency when it comes to blogging, I composed it rather quickly, but took months to complete a photoshoot to go along with it.  I have been asked about our window treatments a few times, so I figured now would be a good time to [finally] share about it on the blog.  the remainder of this post will be written from my point of view ten months ago, when I was 33 weeks pregnant, just having finished the DIY renovation of our home, merely weeks away from the arrival of our second baby, as that is when it was originally written.

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You know how when you move into a new place, there are a million things to do?  and some of it's fun, and some of it's not.  I think most would agree that unpacking isn't considered fun.  on the other hand, many would say that decorating and adding your own personal touch to make it a home can be pretty fun.  I have so enjoyed this part of moving into a new home.  whatever your feelings on the matter, I think we can all agree that it is a process.  from the actual moving to the unpacking to the organizing to the decorating and hanging pictures and curtains... it's a lot of work and it takes time.

I had to come to grips with this when we moved into this house.  I had to learn to be okay with not having everything done or finished or just so.  at times, this was a struggle.  but as we completed [or mostly completed] projects on the extensive to-do list, my husband and I both got comfortable and kind of took a break.  I mean, the house was livable and we had already made so much progress and we were tired and we have a one year old and we've got another one on the way, so a break from the renovations and house projects sounded nice.  but then a few weeks ago, I woke up in the middle of the night and realized: if we aren't getting things done now, why should I think they will get done after we bring another baby home in a few short months?  and that was all the motivation we needed!  within weeks, the rest of the quarter round was installed, my husband built more shelving for my closet, the butcher block countertops were finally complete, all the new exterior doorknobs and locks were installed.  we were on a roll.  

one of the things halfway marked off the list was window treatments.  they were done in about half the rooms; and I'd started on them in the other half, but then took a break.  after that 3am epiphany, I got my act together and set out to work on completing the window treatments.

here's what I knew:

• I wanted something simple and linen-like

• I wanted to hang my rods high

• I wanted my curtains to puddle

• I had four large windows [ 72" + a 10" transom] to dress up

I had seen some gorgeous ready-made panels at a local fabric store while helping a client months earlier.  I remembered them being on the pricey side, but I reasoned that if they were what I wanted and were ready to go, it may be worth splurging.  so, to the fabric store I went!  as I looked at these panels again, I realized even the longest length wasn't long enough for my windows.  also, they were $150 a pop.  yes, you read that right.  one hundred fifty dollars per window panel.  if I did two panels per window, I was looking at $300.  if I wanted all my windows done, in the master + living, which I did, I was looking at spending $1200, plus tax.  on curtains.  having done design work for a contractor and renovated our own home, I am well aware that things for the home can be costly, but that just wasn't going to cut the mustard.

so after a little brainstorming, I decided that canvas drop cloths were the best, most cost-effective option.  perhaps you've heard of this.  it's become a popular go-to thanks to Pinterest—and for good reason!  canvas drop cloths are versatile and can be used in all sorts of DIY projects.  in regards to window treatments, they can be used as-is, meaning right from the package, sew or no-sew, and hang.  in fact, I currently have drop cloth curtains in the nursery.

The wall color is Sherwin William's Wool Skein.  this was in the original tiny white house and it's one of my go-to paint colors.  I know grays are super in right now, but I've never been a big fan myself.  they feel too cold for my taste.  at the same time, I didn't want to paint everything white.  I loved Wool Skein in our old house, so we decided to use it as our wall color throughout in this house.  I love it, still; but it matches the natural color of canvas drop cloths almost exactly.  I wanted there to be some contrast between my walls + drapes; so after doing some research, I decided to bleach mine to lighten and soften them.  they say this gives them more of a linen look + feel, as well.  so, I bought lots of bleach and got to work.

for this project, I used a 9x12 drop cloth.  I'm not great with numbers; but I figured that if I cut it in half twice, I could have four 9x3 panels.  this would be enough for the master bedroom, allowing two panels per window.  however, once I got the drop cloth out of the packaging, I noticed the seam ran long ways, down the 12' length.  I didn't want a seam running across them horizontally, so I split them in half, along the seam, and hemmed the raw edge.  then the bleaching process began.

this was the trickiest part of all.  it was kind of like a science experiment.  I read a few blog tutorials on how-to.  there are several different recipes on bleaching drop cloths, and I kind of mixed a few together.  but the gist of it is this: take your drop cloth, place it in a top loader washing machine, start a normal wash cycle, fill washer with water + 8 cups of bleach.  after the washer fills and before the cycle actually begins, stop it. let it soak 3-4 hours.  turn the washer back on to complete the cycle/drain the bleach + water mixture.  once that's done, restart the washer on a normal cycle and add detergent.  do this once more.  in one of these last two cycles using detergent, I added a cup of hydrogen peroxide.  I read this neutralizes the bleach and keeps it from breaking down the fibers.  throw it in the dryer.  and voila!  bleached drop cloths. 

I only did one drop cloth at a time so it would be completely submerged and that's what made it so difficult.  I had to follow the exact recipe for each canvas.  the first time around, I soaked the drop cloth in the bleach + water mix in my washing machine for three hours.  then I followed the above recipe.  but on the next go-round, I started the three hour bleaching process and then left the house to go run errands.  I didn't return home to finish it until four hours later.  it was kind of a happy accident, though, because that extra hour made a dramatic difference and I ended up following that recipe for the rest.

then it was time for the fun part.  dressing up the windows!  my handymen [read: father and husband] hung my rods high + wide.  this creates the allusion of higher ceilings + bigger windows.  in my case, the ceilings really are higher and the windows are a good size.  I love this about my house.  next, I placed my ring clips onto my panels and inserted the ring clips + panels onto the rod and hung them.  I squealed at the finished product.  my husband squealed at the finished product.  shh—don't tell his friends!  okay, maybe he didn't squeal, but he was very complimentary and a little too excited.  but for good reason! you see, we live at the end and on the corner of our street so the streetlights beam right into our bedroom at night, even through our temporary curtains.  we've mostly gotten used to it, but he had asked more than once when we would have "real curtains" in our bedroom.  bless his heart—real for him means painters' drop cloths.

below is a breakdown of the cost:

9x12 canvas drop cloth - $21.98
3.78 quarts of bleach - $4.72
hydrogen peroxide - 98¢
drapery rod - $15
ring clips - $4.74 [I used 2.5 packs per window]

that comes out to be less than $55/window for "fabric" material, hardware, and supplies, bringing the grand total to $220 for four 130" curtain panels.

I am thrilled with the finished product.  they lighten our living room and master bedroom with their natural, mild color, while softening it at the same time as they puddle onto the floor.  and honestly, the way the curtains are hung so high, I'd venture to say they make me feel fancy.

This will seem like too much work to some and too homemade to others, and that's okay.  DIYing isn't for everyone, in the same way that paying a fortune for custom drapes isn't for everyone.  there are a lot of things going on in my heart lately and I have been realizing that interior design + decorating is not my "dream" anymore.  while I enjoy it, it's not what I want to do for the rest of my life, or at least to the extent that I thought I did.  I love to create + work with my hands.  I feel most like myself when I am doing these things, but I am beginning to think that this will look differently than what I envisioned even a few months ago.  I don't exactly know what this means or what it will look like.  I'm still figuring that out myself.  but if you stick around, maybe we can find out together.

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and now here we are, nearly a year later, and I'm still not certain about certain things [who am I kidding? that should read "most"], in regards to design or work or what I'm doing.  however, I am certain that I still love the way these bleached drop cloth curtains turned out and I am certainly trying to enjoy the journey and make the most of every opportunity I am given.

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sources:

canvas drop cloths | Lowe's Home Improvement
curtain rods | Tuesday Morning
ring clips | Mainstays via Walmart 

framed baby clothes and how I know my husband really loves me.

I wish I could say this ivory baby dress had been mine or is a priceless family heirloom, passed down for generations.  but the truth is, I found it in a favorite thrift + junk store of mine.  it was a steal at just five bucks!  however, the day I found it, I already had several other items I was purchasing.  I guess that little dress would've put me over, so I hid it on a rack between some old quilts, with the intention of coming back for it.

A few nights later, my family and I were celebrating my birthday over dinner.  we dined under the trees in my parents' backyard, feasting on shish kabobs at a pretty table my mother had set.  after I blew out the candle on a homemade molten chocolate cake, I began to open my gifts.  wouldn't you know each of the little treasures I found days earlier while shopping with my sister were wrapped up in a cardboard box?  among them was that sweet little ivory dress.  my sister snapped photos of things that caught my eye, hid them when I wasn't looking, and then sent my mom the pictures and the hiding places.  then, my mom went on hunt to find these items and surprise me with them for my birthday.

it makes me smile remembering this.  I'll never forget the thoughtfulness and intentionality of those sneaky girls.  and even though it's not an heirloom from my family, per se, it's still a family heirloom from someone's family and I am more than happy to give it a place in my home.

The fabric + frame are from Hobby Lobby.  the fabric is a beige linen and cost $16.99/yd.  with my coupon, I got a yard and a half for about $16.00.  typically, I would have searched for a frame at a yard sale or secondhand store, but large, chunky, gold frames are hard to find.  I had been eyeing this frame for awhile, but was waiting for the right time to buy it.  the right time is obviously when there's a sale.  regularly priced at $79.99, that's more than I would usually [read: ever] spend on a frame.  so when the frames were marked 50% off, I snagged this baby and a smaller 8x10, as well.  the frame was backless; so after giving my husband the dimensions, he cut some cardboard at work and brought it home to use as my backing.

I wish I could say this involved a fancier process, but maybe the simplicity of it will make it a more attainable diy project.  first, I measured my fabric against my frame, leaving a little extra around the edge, and cut it.  I just eyeballed it—no rulers or measuring tape needed.  I had a good bit of fabric leftover, too.  next, I steamed the linen fabric.  then, I stretched and wrapped the fabric over the cardboard and hot glued the edge of the fabric onto the backside of the cardboard.  after steaming the dress and using my straightener to iron out the collar [doesn't everyone do this?], I laid the dress onto the fabric covering and arranged it how I wanted it to look when hung.  using straight pins, I secured the dress onto the cardboard—first along the top, then along the bottom.  I then rested the frame against the wall and fastened the rest of the dress to the fabric.  it helped to stand the frame up so I could insert the pins completely through the cardboard and I was better able to see how it would look, rather than laying it flat on the ground.

once the dress was secured onto the fabric covered cardboard, I called my husband into our bedroom to ask him what he thought.  he was sweet, as always, and told me he loved it.  I mean, what guy doesn't want a framed baby dress hanging over his head?  literally.  I know he probably could not care less about this project or many of the things I do around our house, but he always humors me and is complimentary about these kinds of things. this is how I know he really loves me.  that, and one time he went to Walmart at night to get me coffee ice cream.  because for whatever reason, Blue Bell coffee ice cream is "not available" on Walmart's grocery pickup in our area and we had run out [aka it was an emergency].  this might not seem like a big deal, but this is the same guy who buys our dog food from a drug store, meaning he pays substantially [$3ish] more, just to avoid stepping foot in Walmart.  that was the night I knew he really loved me.  we've been married nearly four years and I thought he might before that, but this is how I knew.

I love the way this project turned out.  I tend to lean towards a more southern, traditional style and I think this embodies that.  I already had scissors, a glue gun, and straight pins; so between the frame, the fabric, and the dress, the grand total comes to $55ish.  not too shabby if you ask me.

what do you think?  would you ever hang a framed baby dress in your home?  or drop everything to run to the store to pick up ice cream for someone you love?

the master bath renovation.

When I first shared about the home we bought, I mentioned that it wasn't a major fixer upper.  by this I mean it wasn't in need of major repairs, such as structural issues.  but being built in the 80s, it needed a little updating. 

I truly love the whole house.  it's very classic and has such good bones, but nearly every room had wallpaper or some type of border and outdated fixtures.  the master bathroom may have been the room that needed updating most.

like the rest of the house, it needed some love; but it had lots of potential.  such as: 

• his + her closets -- this was huge for us because the original tiny white house only had one closet in the entire house
• a linen closet
• separate toilet room
• large space for vanity
• a window — this was exciting to me because I love windows + natural light
• high ceilings
  
  and then there were the not-so-good things:
   
• wallpaper everywhere — and not just one, but three complementing patterns
• a blue-gray tub
• a vanity that took up a little too much space
• outdated fixtures
• outdated + grossish tub surround
• popcorn ceilings

I had a vision in mind of what I wanted, but our budget was tight.  here's what I knew: the wallpaper had to go, the ceilings needed to be scraped, the vanity + tub surround would be ripped out, the ceiling fan would be replaced with a light fixture, and all fixtures would be updated.

we knew when we bought the house, we needed to do as much of the work as we could ourselves.  I have always had a knack for decorating + fixing things up, so I was thrilled about this.  but as we got into this adventure, I realized it wasn't possible for us to do everything ourselves.  and frankly, it wasn't wise either.  there are certain things one can get away with doing themselves, but some stuff should be left to the pros, or the brave/extreme DIYers.

in our case, we did all the painting.  after getting a quote and realizing the cost for a professional to do it was the same amount as the budget for the entire house, that got scratched off the list fast.  we did decide, however, to splurge and let professionals do the flooring + tiling.  I'll share more about that with each room; but for the master bath, we hired someone to lay new tile for the floor and install a new tub surround.

the old bathroom tile, which is also in our living room, isn't terrible.  it's not exactly my first choice, but it could be much worse.  I think it had been updated at some point since the house was built.  I knew we were ripping out the vanity, though, and there wouldn't be any tile underneath it, so we decided to rip it all up and put something new down.  one area we were able to "save" in our master bath reno was to rip the old tile up ourselves.  and obviously, when I say "ourselves," I mean my husband.  he scraped every popcorn ceiling, as well.  he's the best ever.

Now you have an idea of what we were working with.  ready to see the transformation?

I decided on a small, white hexagon tile for the new bathroom tile.  I know this is "in" right now, but it was also used in bathrooms a hundred years ago. something you should know about me is that I hate to be trendy or do what everyone else is doing.  so, my decision to install hexagon tile was purely because 1) I liked the clean look of it and 2) it's timeless.  I chose a light gray for the grout color.  I wish I had gone a little darker, but overall, I am pleased with it.

some of the generous people that took care of us during the flood gave us a dresser that I refinished and we used as our vanity.  I wanted to strip it and stain it; but for the sake of time, I decided just to paint it.  I used this chalk paint in Boot Black and sealed it with a satin polyurethane.  I wish there wasn't as much of a sheen to it, but I suppose that's the tradeoff for using a dresser as a bathroom vanity.  I stripped and stained the mirrors that belong to this vanity, and I'm so happy I did because I really wanted to feature some dark wood in the bathroom somewhere.

The old vanity had one large sheet mirror and since we were going from one mirror to two smaller mirrors, I asked [read: begged] my husband to change the electrical wiring so we could do a wall sconce in the center, rather than two overhead light fixtures.  he made this happen, and I found our light fixture on Wayfair.  I really love it.  I added these crystal prisms that I found in a junk store and a little sheer ribbon from a craft store.

Once we realized the blue-gray tub was cast iron + porcelain, we decided to keep it and refinish it.  this worked best with our budget; and I knew once a new tub surround was installed, the whole thing would look brand new.  after some research, I ordered a tub + tile refinishing kit and my dad refinished both the upstairs and downstairs tubs.  we chose a white subway tile for the tub surround.  again, I'm going with the timeless factor over the trendy factor.

After scraping and painting the ceilings, we exchanged the old ceiling fan for a little teardrop chandelier I found at an antique store.  I added a ceiling medallion I found at Lowe's to give it a little something extra. this is one of my favorite details.

I made our window treatment following a tutorial by Miss Mustard Seed.  I'm certainly a beginner when it comes to sewing, so don't look too closely.  however, I love the simplicity of this little valance.  I plan to make something similar for the upstairs bathroom eventually.

I love the way our bathroom renovation turned out.  such a transformation!  it was especially fun to see this space transform right before our eyes.  I love just stepping into this room and soaking in that pretty painted tub.  it's amazing what a little paint, a little money, and a lot of hard work can do for a room.

sources:

sinks | Kohler via Lowe's
faucets | Kingston Brass via Wayfair
hexagon tile | American Olean via Lowe's
subway tile | American Olean via Lowe's
shower + tub faucet | Delta via Home Depot
wall sconce | One Allium Way via Wayfair
tub + tile kit | Rust-Oleum Tub & Tile Refinishing Kit via Home Depot

a {mini} fall tour.

Decorating for holidays, and decorating just because, looks a little different than it used to, as we have been living with family since the flooding of our home.  I really and truly have loved almost every minute of it, but it has certainly been challenging, at times, for all my "roommates."

One of the wonderful things about being back at home is that my sweet mother has given me complete "creative control."  in other words, I am free to style, decorate, rearrange, etc. the way I would in my own home.  this woman is so gracious to do this because, you know, it's not even my house!  but to be completely candid, I think she has probably enjoyed it a little, because who doesn't want a live-in decorator?

that said, it is interesting to decorate a different house in these new seasons.  I never dreamed that last fall and Christmas would be my last time to decorate for the holidays at the tiny white house.  however, at my parents', I have a great canvas to work with.  for instance, they have a mantle!  I know, I know—what a luxury, right?  but this is something we didn't have in our first home, so it's fun to create something centered around this.

But enough with all the words! without further ado, I'd like to share the 2016 {mini} fall tour with you!

When I began to envision my fall decor, I knew I wanted to incorporate this oversized frame. I actually acquired this sometime earlier in the year. one afternoon, I was driving the little girl I nanny to her voice lesson. the church where her lessons took place was located near Good Will; so some days, if time allowed, we would stop by to see if they had any treasures for us. but, that's actually not where this came from. it was on the way to Good Will that I spotted a dumpster behind a store and what looked like a dresser sitting near it. so we took a detour and that's where I happened upon this piece! the dresser was beyond repair, but this frame was on the ground behind it. it used to frame a mirror, but I suppose the dresser + mirror fell and cracked so the store threw it out. obviously, they didn't realize they could paint it, staple some toile fabric in it, and place it on their mantle for fall decor, but that's neither here nor there.

In the spring, we hung a boxwood wreath in the frame.  but when our baby arrived, that wreath moved to the nursery.  so the frame sat empty for some months, and then September rolled around.  I got the idea to frame some fabric and then remembered I had a couple yards of toile fabric I'd bought from Hobby Lobby to recover some pillows.  it had been sitting under our bed, folded up, in the very plastic bag it left the store in last fall, waiting for its time to shine.  with some assistance from my mother, we stretched + stapled this fabric in the frame.  it's a little simple, maybe even understated; but, to me, it definitely shines.  this is one of my favorite projects to date.  and the best part is it cost less than $10 to make!

As I've mentioned before, silver is one of my favorite things to feature in my decor.  this antique silver ice bucket was a gift from my husband last Christmas.  clearly, he knows the way to my heart.  in the spring + summer, it was filled with hydrangeas.  for the fall season, it holds stems of cotton.

The ice bucket sits upon my great grandfather's Bible.  my mother has several Bibles that have been in our family for generations, and I'm jealous and I want them.  isn't that ironic?  to covet someone else's vintage Bible.  she says I can't have them [yet, anyway]; but since we're roommates, I am free to use them in my/our decor.

Of course, pumpkins are a staple when it comes to fall decor, and there's just something about white ones.  the oversized blue pitcher is a favorite of mine and adds a little color to this mostly neutral scene.

A wire basket filled with cozy blankets is a simple, yet decorative way to create storage and warmth—quite literally.

In the 2015 {mini} fall tour, I mention that simply placing pumpkins throughout your home adds a little touch of fall without much effort.  this lovely vignette is on the shelves of the hutch in the kitchen.  you already know I love blue + white dishes and greenery, throw in a pumpkin and I'm sold.  and would you look at that?  another old Bible I covet.

As pleased as I was with the way the mantle turned out, I couldn't help but feel as if the fall decor wasn't complete.  so, I decided to set the little drop-leaf table in the kitchen.  I used my favorite blue + white dishes, fresh apples + berries, and a few nuts I found in the backyard. 

I was excited to use these chargers I scored at Home Goods when we were visiting family in Texas last Christmas.  I found them hidden under some bowls on a bottom shelf and just had to have them.  I did feel a little bad, though, because I'm pretty sure someone hid them there with the intention of coming back for them.  but you know, finders keepers, or whatever.

the mismatched flatware is part of my collection that I've gathered along the way, from antique stores to garage sales and junk shops.  the antique linen napkins were another Christmas gift from my husband.  cloth napkins are another one of my favorite things to collect.

It's not much; but it's warm and inviting, and that's enough for me.

thanks for looking!  what do you think?  how do you decorate for fall?

life begins all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.
-F. Scott Fitzgerald

I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.
-Anne of Green Gables

diy crib mobile.

Recently on the blog, I shared a little about our baby's nursery.  one of the things specially created for his room was the crib mobile.  today, I want to share a tutorial with you on how to create this crib mobile.

materials needed:

• embroidery hoop
• fishing line
• x-acto knife + scissors
• tissue paper
• embroidery needle(s)
• sewing thread
• book of your choice
• paper + pencil
• drill with a 1/16 bit

First, I read through Robin Hood looking for the best parts. you know what I mean... the meaningful parts with good words and strong imagery. the parts with the most adventure and love and excitement. this step is important because our baby will be able to read from the time he exits the womb, so I want him to have the best parts of the story floating over his sweet, little head. okay, so no. this step was more for myself. I wanted favorite parts of the story like... when Robin Hood + Little John meet, when he's reintroduced to Maid Marian, when he shoots his last arrow... you get the idea. the good stuff.

In case you haven't noticed from reading my blog, or if you know me personally, I'm a word girl.  my mother has always described me as wordy.  if I ever tell you a story or something that happened in a book or show, be prepared to stay awhile.  I really don't mean to be.  but there's just so many good words out there and I like a lot of them and I use a lot of them to say the things I say.

So, I skimmed through Robin Hood and picked out my favorite parts and marked them.  these would be our clouds.  next, I took the x-acto knife and begin to cut these pages out.

My little sister helped me with this project and she's a real artist.  we decided it would be best for aesthetics + symmetry + balance to have two small clouds and two large clouds. she sketched a stencil for our small cloud and I did one for the larger clouds.  we did this with a pencil and notebook paper and sketched until we came up with a cloud shape we liked.

then, I took the clouds and placed them on the page, over the words I wanted to be seen.  because I'm so wordy, this part was a little sad + hard because I couldn't fit the entire quotation as these are little bitty clouds.  I would've loved to have had the full excerpts I had chosen, but that just wasn't doable.  [one way to make this work would be to mat + frame the excerpts, rather than cutting them into the shape of a cloud.  that's one of my favorite, super easy crafts that makes for beautiful, yet different framed art.  I have a few of these type of framed pieces in my home, ranging from hymns to poetry to stories.]

I traced my little clouds over the book pages and then cut them out with scissors.  one thing to keep in mind when tracing the clouds is this: after you trace your cloud, you'll need to flip your cloud stencil over to trace your next cloud, so that it will match up when it's stitched together.  this is one of the easier parts of this project.

After the clouds are all cut out, it's time to sew!  we took little pieces of tissue paper, crumpled them up, and flattened them back out.  this is what we stuffed our little clouds with.  I wanted them to have some volume and this was the best I could come up with for stuffing.  next, get out your needle and thread and get ready for the fun part!  and by fun, I mean most tedious, time-consuming part.  once you thread your needle, start stitching your clouds together.  I would sew the cloud about halfway around and then begin stuffing it with bits of tissue paper.  this part really doesn't take too long, it just takes the most attention.

I took the inner hoop of the embroidery hoop [the one without the hardware], white-washed it, let it dry, and then drilled holes.  actually, I let my husband do that step.  I never want him to feel left out of my projects, so I try to always find something for him to do to be a part.  that last line should actually read: I always need help with at least one part of my projects, so I beg him to help me.

he took his handy drill and used a 1/16th drill bit and drilled four holes, one across from the other, evenly around.  then, I took two pieces of fishing line, probably about two feet in length and inserted them into the holes on the embroidery hoop.  they crossed over each other and I gathered the four strands together and tied a knot.  [this sounds confusing, but there are photos below that will make this step more clear]  after this, I cut a shorter piece of fishing line, threaded that through the embroidery needle and into the top of the cloud, and tied a knot.  I took this piece of fishing line sewn onto my cloud and threaded that through the hole on the embroidery hoop and tied a knot [several times so it wouldn't slip through].  I repeated this step until all four clouds were fastened to the hoop.  I didn't measure the exact length of fishing line the clouds would hang from.  I eyeballed it and purposely made them to hang at different lengths.  I did intentionally hang the two larger clouds across from each other on the hoop and the smaller across from each other to create balance + symmetry.

my husband placed a screw hook in the ceiling, and after cutting one more piece of fishing line about two feet long, I looped it under the knot that held the four strands together.  then we hung it from the ceiling.

I wrote this post just weeks before our baby arrived.  he's here now!  even though he's not sleeping in his crib yet, he took a little nap in it one day and I couldn't resist snapping a photo of him under his sweet little mobile.

thanks for reading + hope you enjoyed!