Tile & Typography

Today's blog will probably feel a bit disjointed, as that is how the past couple of weeks have felt. We are trying to "take life slow" in the midst of what feels like a lot of random bustling. Blake, Adeline, and I are counting down the minutes until we leave for our week long vacation to Florida! Blake and I always joke that every time we go on a real, actual vacation, the month before it is when we "earn" our vacation (because it is usually a really hard/busy/somewhat overwhelming month). Every day Addie asks, "Are we going to Disney World TODAY?!" We are only going to Magic Kingdom one day. Although, "only" is kind of a strange word choice for talking about DISNEY WORLD. Considering I won't be pregnant this time (or at least I'm not planning to be!), I am so ready for the in-your-face amount of entertainment and spectacle. And every other day, we will be laying on a beach all day and cooking meals in a legit kitchen. SO READY.

Major prep work happening for Magic Kingdom.

Speaking of the kitchen, we have actually begun a pretty big project: tiling! We have to finish a few little spots and grout still, but after that--even though our cabinets wouldn't be built yet--we could go ahead and install the oven to have some more cooking options. Obviously, the most important thing is the option of fresh-baked cookies.

We have tiled both the kitchen and the mudroom; the mudroom isn't nearly as close to being finished as the kitchen, though. Of course, the kitchen isn't "close" either, just closer.

Addie has self-appointed herself as our renovation inspector.

In the midst of work, fixer-upping, parenting, family-ing, and all of our other -ings, we have taken up a little hobby/side-business project. It is in very beginning stages right now, but Blake and I have gotten enough inquiries that we thought, hey, why not stick a name on this stuff and try to organize it into something a bit more tangible? I do hand-lettering, and Blake gets asked to work on some t-shirt design and logo stuff here and there, so we are considering opening up an Etsy shop and taking on a few projects together to see if we can earn a little extra to help with our fixer upper expenses. I launched our Instagram account today, but like I said, this is in the very beginning stages; Blake is working on our logo. Our project is called Simply Stated, and once we open an Etsy shop, I will let everyone know. We will do custom prints, cards, stationary, envelope addressing for special events (like weddings, graduations, etc), t-shirt design, and logo/branding design (depending on Blake's time frame for that last one). Our Instagram username is simplystatedok. We would love for those of you on Instagram to follow us and check us out. :) Depending on how interest grows, we will see what happens. Our fixer upper is definitely a project, but it's been fun already for Blake and I to work on this project together as well; it's a little more therapeutic and a little less stressful than the house. 

Here's an example of a collaborative project between the two of us:

Is it too late for Ron Swanson or Leslie Knope to run for president? Pretty opposite options, but much better options methinks.

I did the hand lettering and drew the fish, and Blake did the Photoshop work. You could buy this as an 11x17 poster print. Pretty cool, right? Also, hard to go wrong with a Parks and Rec reference.

After vacation, hopefully we will have the magic trifecta of necessary time, money, and energy to get back into a full (or at least fuller) swing of house renovation. But until then......catch you on the flippity flip, cause I'll be beach bumming it up!