I Love You Because...

Hiking w/ Grandma

After being cooped up in a hospital room all week we're enjoying the beautiful Springtime weather with a Sunday afternoon mini-hike with Grandma... and it's making me excited for Waterton this summer! 

 

Lorali's Quilt - Dardanelles

In an effort to get every room in the house settled in before Baby Cameron comes, this week we're focusing on Lorali's room. We have big plans in here for both organizing and decorating but we're lucky because we have some key pieces to the room that are perfect and staying just the way they are. Her Quilt is another amazing  treasure we have from Grandma that we're designing the entire room around so I'll start there. It's my favorite quilt pattern ever... Double Irish Chain in just pink and white. The details on this one are just as amazing as the details on The Hudson Bay Quilt. The fabric Mom chose is white/pink flowers and pink/white polka dots and so the quilting is daisies (another favorite) in each block. Mom alsop names all of her quilts. This one is named 'Dardanelles'.  The Dardanelles is an area in Waterton, Canada that we go to often to picnic or for a quick hike, my favorite memory of the area is going for Canada Day with my Grandma when I was about 8 or 9. It's an area known for the amazing wildflowers growing in the fields and she walked me through the fields teaching me/quizzing me on all the names of the different flowers growing there. It's the perfect name for a perfect quilt for a perfect little girl! 

Owen's Room

7 months after moving in and I'm finally getting around to the tour of the house, sorry about that. Owen's room has been done since the week we moved in but I guess actually uploading pictures proved to be a bigger task then I thought. I promise I'll be better. 

This room has been in the planning since I was pregnant with Owen but in the old house there was no actual room to put him in. BUT... It's not like that stopped me from collecting just the right accent items for the last 3+ years and frankly, when we moved in, it all paid off.

The first thing you see when you walking is the Hudson Bay Quilt I posted about last week. I love it with the red bed frame and since I hate the look of the box springs underneath and I'm not a fan of bedskirts, I plan on trying out THIS fun idea I found on Pintrest sometime this spring. (it's on my to-do list.) This room is the smallest room in the house at 12x14 so it's all about the little details. Like the dead,  stuffed animals on the 'trophy' wall.  

(we have the Elk, the Bear and the Deer... now I'm thinking a Buffalo or a Mountain Goat would be fun to add but since I got these three cuddle-y touches as a gift I'm not keen on the price tag for more.)

On the other wall we have a fun kids map that we got on one of our travels years ago and then we foam board mounted it and framed it. (I think in our last house it was in the Ethan's Therapy Room)

Of course no canadian rocky mountain inspired room in my house would be complete without a picture of The Prince of Wales Hotel, a cute bear statue Owen picked out in on a trip to the N. Georgia  Mountains and some great books about Bears....

I really wish I had a 'before' picture of that dresser. It was my brothers 20+ years ago and stained so dark it was practically black. Doug and I have had it since we were married but a few years ago Husbandface and I stripped it, sanded it down, refinished it and added fun rustic handles. It took FOREVER but it was so worth it. I love the knotty look and the clean lines.... LOVE IT! 

Then a few more perfect Waterton touches that make me happy everytime I see hear it, like this fun TeePee Cuckoo Clock.

and the Indian Head door stop? Yeah, I love it. (That apparently my 4 year old thinks is a weapon... and since it's cast iron? it kinda is!) 

Okay, two rooms down and 6+ more to go. Thanks for caring!

Joanna  

 

 

Hudson Bay Point Quilt

I have been planning Owen's Room since before he was born but as soon as we moved into this house I already had a lot of the decor ready to go. The thing I didn't have was the perfect quilt. Owen's room has a Waterton/Canadian Parks theme and the only appropriate blanket I could think of was a Traditional Hudson Bay Point Blanket. (When talking about it to friends hereI learned that most people in the South have never heard of them. Seriously!) The problem with the Hudson Bay Blanket was that 1) it's wool... which means it's not only harder to clean with a 3 year old using it regularly but it's also itchy and frankly it's not until you're an adult that you start to really like it. 2) Thos puppies are expensive! I had to hold back and remind myself that this was for a 3 year old and spending $200-$600 on a non-washable bedspread might not be the brightest of all ideas and 3) we don't live in the canadian rockies (huge problem), we live in Georgia... the need for a super warm (HOT) wool blanket is pretty much zero. So with my heart set on a real/authentic Hudson Bay Blanket I had to get creative.

The month before we moved in my Mom come out for a visit and I had her help me bring my idea to life. 

Just a 1/4 yard fabric in the classic Red, Yellow, Green and Black with a cream Queen Size sheet and The Hudson Bay QUILT came to life in just one night. (Remember? I told you my Mom was amazing? This is just more proof of how insanely talented she is.)

This was another one of those projects that made Husbandface feel like I was crazy or he didn't get the concept of it until it was actually done but 1) that's becomeing a trend and 2) he doesn't have the same love for Hudson Bay Blankets as I do so of course he didn't get quite as excited.  (We actually did this the same week as we refinished the chairs and we were packing so to his credit, the timing was a little bit questionable.)  In the end I'm pretty sure Doug loves it just as much as I do.

This quilt was super simple in concept/design but it's the little touches and small details that make it perfect.

Like the Custom Gold Embroidered Patch...
(that name it an official Wallace Point Blanket from the Boundary Bay Company)

And the 5 points added to it, making sure everyone can see the authentic quality/status...

And the AMZING quilting done by the BEST machine quilter I know. ... Mom came up with the idea of maybe putting a reference to bears in the quilting and Dixie (the Quilting genius) came up with these!! 

Hundreds of 'hidden' bears quilted onto the entire quilt! It absolutely made it spectacular and now not only do I love, LOVE the finished project, but so does my Baby Bear!! 

There you have it! My First Custom Designed Quilt. 

Thanks for reading!
J 

 

Grandma and Santa

Ethan's quote of the day, "I think, Maybe Grandma is related to Santa. Because he's almost as good as her and spoils me almost as much but not quite... and she has a house kinda like in the North Pole."

Cameron's Quilt

I know, not many mentions on the old blog about how another family member will be joining the ranks in less than 16 weeks BUT we are making plans for our 3rd boy, even if it's slow going. Much to Ethans disappointment, Thanksgiving weekend we decided on a name. Ethan wanted him to be Baby Rex- or at least Austin Rex Wallace. (after the dinosaur he tells me.) while that name didn't quite make the cut we still came up with the perfect name. Cameron Ray Wallace. I wanted a 'Waterton Name' so that's where Cameron is from and since all of our middle names are family/close friends names, it was a no brainier on choosing Ray. He is Doug's closest nephew, who died in 2010 while fighting in Afghanistan. So now that the name part is taken care of, the kids have taken to asking how Baby Cam is doing every morning and I have moved onto nursery prep! More accurately, Mom was in this mode long before me and got to work making this adorable, detailed and perfect baby quilt and now I'm shopping for sheets and matching decor. Yeah, you can say it, my Mom? She is amazing!

3 things I love this week.

First, I love this man. He has been my rock this week. MY ROCK. He's been wonderful. Thank You Doug for your support and patience and encouragement. Eu Te Amo. 

Second, I love that necklace. It was a special gift I bought myself for Christmas and I love, love, LOVE it. I actually bought two... One for my hometown that I miss so much.

and one for where my heart is. Waterton Lakes International Peace Park, Alberta CANADA. Which I miss so much it hurts. Just two of the reasons it's hard for this girl to live in the south. So I got these little reminders to keep them close even when they're soo far away. 

If you want a custom one for yourself contact Sudlow.... AMAZING. While you're there be sure to look at her guitar picks, I love them and it makes me want to learn to play.Oh and her cufflinks... love them too! (On a side note; if you are one of my 4 sisters you are NOT allowed to contact her- just sayin'.)

Third, I love my little artist and the gems she brings home. 

 

Missing My Mountains

It happens every summer. A longing to be back. To hike the trails, smell the trees, fish the streams, canoe the lakes, shop the town and enjoy time with so many people that I love.

Already planning next summers trip.

Iceburg Lake
Glacier National Park
Circa 1992 (?)