I found these rope circles at the craft store months ago, and bought them without knowing exactly what I would do with them. Maybe back them with mirrors? Make them into a mobile? 

You can probably see where this is going...instead of doing either of those things, I just ignored them under my bed for months :). By the time I found them again, I wanted a project that I could finish that same day. The fact that I had three made me think of monograms - but a fun, nautical version!

First I traced the ropes on large watercolor paper. I painted the circles with lots of layers of blues, green, and black...just having fun and not trying to be too precise. 

When they were dry, I cut them out and used a hot glue gun to attach them to the ropes. Then I used a chalk pen to add the initials. I loved how the white was subtle, but still popped against the dark background!

For such a quick, easy, and almost free project, it makes quite a statement! Now I'm excited to decorate the rest of the room. :)

Winter is such a good time to teach kids about taking care of others! Donating outgrown coats, buying extra hats and mittens to hand out, and working at a soup kitchen are all fantastic ways to keep others' needs in their minds.

But when you need something immediately to diffuse the whines and greediness that can come after a season of presents? I suggest feeding the birds :). You probably already have everything you need in your house, and this quick little project can be a great reset for focusing their attention on someone else!

You just need an apple or two, cut in half from top to bottom. Scoop out the inside - an ice cream scoop can help, but it doesn't have to look pretty! And fill the scooped-out spot with peanut butter (or any nut butter).

Tie twine or string vertically around the whole apple. You can add more peanut butter on top of it, if you want. Press bird seed into the peanut butter firmly, to make sure it sticks. 

Add in any "teachable moments" you might want here ;). Pick a tree that you can see from inside, and help the kids hang it up themselves. You can do it faster, but it's worth dragging a stool outside for them to have ownership of the project! 

This holiday season, we'd love to take a moment to share with you a few of our most favorite things! The brands that we'll show you are cool, modern and if you love the Lucy Darling aesthetic, we know you'll love these brands too. Happy Shopping Mamas! 

1. Lorena Canals:

We can't get enough of these machine washable rugs! All of us Mama's personally have them in our nurseries and we love to use them on the set of our photo shoots. There are so many styles to choose from, we know you'll find a few that just perfect for you.

2. Cuddle and Kind:

These dolls are not only ADORABLE, but they also have an awesome give-back component. For every doll you buy, 10 meals are given to children in North America and around the world! We just love how cute, soft and fun these dolls are- we think every babe needs at least one. :)

3. Petit Maison

This brand makes the best playhouses for your kiddos! They are super easy to put together, they pack up super small if you want a change of scenery, and there are so many designs to choose from!

4.June and January

This is one of our all time favorite clothing brands. They have the most comfortable basics for your babes. You can mix and match all pieces and colors to change up the looks for your kiddos- trust us, you'll love them.

5. Babyletto

If you haven't heard of Babyletto yet, run don't walk, do their site! They have the BEST cirbs and nursery furniture for your babes. They are modern and affordable and make any nursery space super chic. This is one of our most fave book shelves from them! 

6. Nico and Yeye

This brand is just the coolest. They make awesome bookshelves, tables and chairs and so much more for your kids playrooms and nurseries! Every item is "made to order" so you get to customize exactly what you want, from wood to colors, it's such a beautiful brand.

I'm all about tradition when it comes to the holidays...but sometimes I want to change things up just a little. Just enough to make the old decorations seem new again! If you agree, here are a few twists on holiday classics that I found:

Geometric, modern wreaths to break up all of the pine needles. And why don't we use more florals at Christmas?

Colorful bottlebrush trees, instead of the realistic green ones!

Instead of using cranberries just as fillers - make them the centerpiece in this amazing chandelier!

If you need a change from all of the twinkle lights, how about tiny bells?

Nutcrackers are classics...but they can also be kind of dated and cheesy. If you have one that needs a makeover, how about modern monochrome?

Do you have more ideas to refresh the classics? I'm excited to decorate again!

Do you have your tree yet? We're still waiting (because I want it to last longer this year!), which means I still have time to do some ornament scheming. The options for homemade ornaments are truly endless, so to narrow the field, I decided we'd only use the classic round shape for whatever DIY we end up picking. They're the easiest to find, and can be made of glass, plastic, cardboard, or wood...making them break-proof for basically any age ;). Here are some of my favorite ideas so far!

These might be the easiest of the bunch - those pretty flowers are just temporary tattoos! 

I can't get over how whimsical this set from Anthropologie is! And while I might end up bringing it home, it'd also be fun to do a personalized set in this style for a family gift!

I think I've made my love of blue and white known by now :). This marbling project would be really fun for the kids!

And saving the cutest for last: these woodland creatures would be so sweet peeking around the tree branches!