One of the reasons we fell for this house was the unfinished basement. We saw so much potential things we could do with the space. We really wanted the boys to have a large open room to share as they grew up together. I was far from an easy process, but we finally finished up their bedroom over the holidays, and now it’s everyone’s desired place to hang. Seeing it come to life from it’s concrete floors and insulated wall beginnings was such a long, but rewarding process. We have loved the extra space, and needed it especially during these cold months. This boys bedroom design stayed pretty close to our original design board. All sources are linked below. Here is a little tour of the space!
We have been winding down over here and welcoming the chance to use these short winter days for rest and renewal. These children make me feel like I get the chance to relive that childhood magic of Christmas all over again. Each year, no matter how challenging, gets to end with the holidays….when we are reminded of the gift of each other. When the simplicity of that first Christmas asks you to make room in your heart for more love, forgiveness, and compassion. I’m grateful for that chance.
Those cute little faces that have minor anxiety when mom goes to the mailbox without them. This pic ended up landing on the Washington Post! Before we sign off for the year, I wanted to welcome you all into our home for a cup of coffee or cocoa;) So how about at least a glimpse of what’s been going on around here…
I don’t think those 5 noses pressed against the glass will soon forget that unexpected southern snow fall! VIEW FULL POST
The master bedroom…..a place we spend little time, but the time we do spend there is valued. It is the place we unwind from the day, and re-charge for the next. In recent months it has been filled with boxes from our move back in May due to our downsize in closet space. It was actually a welcome change considering it forced us to get rid of anything we didn’t use or need. Our bedroom wasn’t a priority when we first moved in, but we soon realized the disheveled clutter that was consuming it was not contributing to a peaceful day’s end. It was doing quite the opposite. Every time we walked into our room our anxiety levels rose from the clutter. So we decided to bite the bullet and make it a focus.
I remember as a little girl my mom would leave no room untouched for Christmas. Even if it was something as simple as Christmas mice candle holders or a red dish cloth, these things reminded us that something significant was coming. I want to create the same atmosphere in our own home for my children, so for the past few weeks, I have added a wreath here, a garland there, and a million ornaments in between.
I decorated with them in mind so that it would become a place that felt full of wonder through their eyes. Our first Christmas in our first owned home called for more holly and lights than I would normally scatter. We are hosting this year as well, and staying put for the first time in years so I am taking my responsibility of Christmas cheer very seriously…
front door info in this post, trees from whole foods and pottery barn kids, car from an antique market
Birch star c/o, nativity scene (found at Hobby Lobby), glass jug, pillar candles
Our beloved blue spruce with all kinds of heavily laden branches and tacky ornaments, tree skirt (Pottery barn out of stock), stag longhorn throw via In2Green c/o, side wooden table, stack of old Christmas books, rug (IKEA)
Knitted advent calendar c/o (I filled this with ornaments for the boys to decorate their tree), nativity scene c/o, mini tree (Gabe and I’s very first tree from our first year of marriage still going strong!)
An accurate depiction of Christmas with little ones.
We started working on our unfinished basement and bedrooms are turned upside down at the moment, but I made the most of the space we mainly live in. I look at these pics and chuckle a little knowing that around every corner there are stuffed socks in drawers, bottles under the couches, and cars in the tree branches. Signs of living as we like to call them.
Are you traveling or staying put for the holidays this year? Since we are staying put I am hoping to use that extra time to do some of the service ideas we have been brewing. The kids are getting so excited for Christmas morning. I’d say it’s a tie between seeing all 7 stockings hanging on our mantle and hearing Veronica sing Christmas carols at the hop of her lungs that is giving me the Christmas spirit in the deep down tingle your toes sort of way. Children bring so much hope to the world. “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.”
Wishing you all a warm and peaceful week leading up until the best day of the year!
I first met Courtney of Honeycomb Studio when she attended my very first Brand Market Workshop in November. When I saw her work, I knew I had to have a first hand look to share her talent with you. As soon as you walk into the studio you feel the creative vibe, and you know you have walked into an artist’s territory. Lucky for us, Courtney so kindly opened the door to her studio to give Kimberly (who took all these beautiful photos!) and I a behind the scenes look at her process, her pieces, and what she loves most about the life of a ceramicist. I was enamored with the small details of her designs that left them with a flawless finish. Rows of beautiful and delicate pieces that I could easily fill my home with;) I will let you get to know her…
When did you first start Honeycomb Studio full time? Honeycomb Studio was born in the summer of 2012 when I left my job in non-profit fundraising and charged head first into the world of the working artist. I spent the first 3 months renovating a disgusting old garage in my backyard into my dream studio and then, in late October, fired my first kiln.
What is your day to day schedule like to run the studio? I wake up around 7:30/8 and, with the first of MANY cups of tea, check emails and print shipping labels for outgoing orders. I head back to my studio around 9 am and begin the process of opening the kiln that I may have fired the day before (hope everything survived!) and starting in on the tasks for the day. Sometimes that task is production, sometimes it’s glazing, sometimes it’s mold making. Because pottery is such a physical discipline, I also try to make it to pilates or the gym around lunch time 3 or 4 times a week.
The afternoon is when the real work gets done. One of my studio assistants usually comes in around 2pm and we work our fingers to the bone and lose all sense of time until 6pm, when they go home. I usually stay in studio until 7ish, which is when I try to wrap everything up and head inside for a glass of wine and dinner with my husband. After dinner, I check emails again, and look in on my website to see if I have any new orders or any inventory that needs updating.
Do you currently have your products in any storefronts? If so, which cities? Yes! Honeycomb Studio’s ceramics is currently for sale at about 25 select boutiques around the world, and we’re adding more stockists every month. In addition to the shops listed on our website, we’ll also soon be found in shops in Nashville, Brooklyn, Toronto, Mexico City and Perth, Australia. If you are local here in Atlanta, you can head to Steve Mckenzie’s on the Westside, West Elm in Atlantic Station, and Young Blood Boutique in Poncey Highland to see pieces in person!
What do love most about being able to do your craft for a living? Honeycomb Studio is a labor of love. It is, undoubtedly, the hardest that I have ever worked but it’s hard to explain the power of seeing something you love grow. Of course, I love my days out in the studio with my hands in clay and having the power to realize new designs, but being able to put my work out into the world and have people respond to it is incredibly gratifying. The process of owning a business, has also stretched me in new ways and made me realize new strengths (and weaknesses) that I’d never known.
Big goals for Honeycomb Studio in the future? Can you give us any hints at upcoming products? 😉 Oh yeah, I’ve got all kinds of goals! First and foremost, keep growing, keep connecting with my customers, and keep innovating. I have lots of new forms in mind, as well as a planned foray into lighting. I’m also kind of outgrowing my cute little studio, so I’d also like to start looking for a larger studio space – perhaps with some sort of retail component where we could host fun community events, like a Porcelain and Prosecco night. We’ll see what the future has in store!
So grateful to Courtney for allowing us to spend the morning with her. She is as genuine and sweet as they come. So happy to support her work and can’t wait to see her achieve all those up and coming goals! Porcelein and Prosecco night? I am there!
GIVEAWAY: Courtney also wanted to give a Copper Bud Vase to one of you readers! All you have to do is visit her shop and leave a comment letting us your favorite piece to enter!
Every year on approximately Oct. 28th I am scrambling to put together costumes for the little ones. (Last year I took an easy route.) Thanks to a little nudge and encouragement from Pottery Barn Kids, I am a whole 6 weeks early this year;)
Their entire line of costumes for kids is outstanding. I mean really, who can compete with this? I am so glad they included Captain America in their treat bag section because he happens to be my son’s favorite super hero. Gabriel has been asking me for a Captain America shield so when this opportunity arose to do a little DIY action for PBKids, I knew exactly what I would attempt. I got a little carried away and made the whole costume.
Materials:
Frisbee (We had a few of these from parades we had collected.)
Sticky back foam sheets
Regular foam sheets
Red and White Duck Tape or
Duck Tape sheets
Elastic trim
Sticky back velcro
Blue T-shirt
Instructions: Shield: Cut out a white ring, white star, and blue circle out of the sticky foam sheets,(You will need red too if you can’t find a red frisbee) and attach to the front of the frisbee. Turn over, attach sticky back velcro circles in two rows. Hot glue elastic or fabric strips to the top sides of the velcro dots.
Shirt: Using duck tape rolls or sheets, cut strips and place vertically along the bottom half of the shirt. Cut out a second white star out of a duck tape sheet to place at the center of the shirt.
Mask: Trace a mask shape on blue foam and cut out. Draw an A and two small wings on the scraps of your white duck tape sheet to attach on the front of the mask. Staple an elastic trim piece on either side of the mask. (Pre-measure.)
PB Kids is offering 20% off all their treat bags (+ Free Shipping!) which means we will be getting that Captain America one for Mr. Superhero…;)
*Thank you to Pottery Barn kids for sponsoring today’s post.
Today along with 4 other bloggers, I am sharing how I styled the Audrey Lamp from Lulu and Georgia over on The Glitter Guide! This came at the perfect time for me, since I was in the middle of decorating our living room area. I had the couch and wall decals, and end tables, but needed just the right lamp to get the look and feel I was going for. Cue the Audrey Lamp. The details came easier after this. I found the coolest vintage phone at an antique market and used a couple different spray paint colors to get it the chartreuse gold color I was hoping to achieve. The green palm tree (aka our love fern), brought everything to life. I now have my favorite Saturday morning reading corner in the house!
Head on over to Glitter Guide to see how the other lovely bloggers styled their Audrey Lamps! And guess what? Today only, you can score 10% off your entire purchase at Lulu and Georgia with code “AUDREY10”! They are one of my favorite go to sites for home decor inspiration! Enjoy! *Couch: Target, Pillows: Home Goods, Lamp: Lulu & Georgia, World Map: Pottery Barn, Striped Rug: Dwell Studio c/o, Table: Antique Market, Votive: Target, Phone: Vintage (you can actually find some cool ones online like here and here), Plant: Home Depot, Wall decals: Walls by Mur
, 
