Tag Archives: DIY

“Stalwart” INDEED!

DSCN0319It has been awhile…and here’s why…we MOVED!  AGAIN!  BACK TO LOS ANGELES!   Jeff got a great job offer and we took our chance to get back to the west coast where grass and trees will be plentiful for our baby boy.   Since I last wrote, I have been flying, searching for houses, packing, moving, unpacking and decorating yet again.   Needless to say, it’s been a really crazy year for us.   You know how “they” say that some of the top causes of stress are changing a job, having a baby and moving?  WELL…We’ve done all of those, plus an additional move, in only 10 months!  So…We. Are. Tired.

I can’t express how lucky we feel though, to have found this perfect rental house in the middle of LA at the very last second.  It feels like being on vacation everyday.  It is simply PERFECT for us right now and we can’t wait until it’s more consistently warm outside so we can really enjoy the outdoor area in the evenings.   I approached the interior design differently than before, since the house is old and Spanish instead of new and modern like the New York apartment.  I had to look at each piece of furniture and artwork in a new way to make it mesh better with the space and I wanted to keep most of the walls white for light, using paint only as an accent in a few of the rooms.   How about I stop writing and get to the photos!? Continue reading

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Cute DIY Birth Announcements

George's stats: Name, birth date (on the calendar), Gemini, weight (5lb. sack of flour plus 2 lbs. 14 oz. on the scale), time, and length (the ruler).

George’s stats: Name, birth date (on the calendar), Gemini, weight (5 lb. sack of flour plus 2 lbs. 14 oz. on the scale), time, and length (the ruler).

We got our idea for George’s birth announcement from an adorable and popular pin on Pinterest.   We spent two of his naps setting everything up on our dining room table, checking the lighting and camera and then we gingerly lowered him into the photo before he woke up to eat!  It was such a fun project for us to do in those early weeks, so it got me thinking about other cute birth announcements you could accomplish in your own home without a professional there to help.   Here are some other ideas from Pinterest! Continue reading

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Babies, Scallions and Pudding Pops

puddingThe interesting (er…annoying) thing about nursing a newborn is that you only have a few hours at a time to do anything while they are not eating, and most of that time is spent pumping for the future, changing their diaper or entertaining them.  As a maker and a doer, this has been pretty tough for me, so I started trolling Pinterest for all those quick little projects I’ve always wanted to try out to make me feel like I’m accomplishing something.   Without further ado, I bring you three DIY projects that you can actually finish while nursing a new baby! Continue reading

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The New Apartment!

From the front door.  The kitchen, living room and dining room are an open floor plan.

From the front door. The kitchen, living room and dining room are an open floor plan.

When Jeff and I found out we were pregnant, we knew we would have to leave our labor-of-love garage loft for a more practical apartment with doors so we wouldn’t constantly worry about the cats sleeping on top of the baby.

Our new view is spectacular!

Our new view is spectacular!

While we realized newborns could be brought up pretty much anywhere, the building was extremely loud from the scrap metal business on either side and sometimes even crumbling a little from the rumbling!  It was time to move on and so we began the epic search for a New York City apartment.  Nothing would be 1,400 square feet with a 1,400 square foot rooftop, but something great would come up…right??  WELL…It took a lot longer than either of us could have ever predicted, but we finally settled on a condo that couldn’t possibly be more unlike the garage! Continue reading

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Our Magical Woodland Nursery

IMG_8003We finally finished our magical woodland nursery and I am absolutely in love!   Rather than forcing the typical gender stereotypes (I mean…I don’t even know this person yet!),  I wanted to create a mostly unisex nursery that encourages a healthy imagination since that’s what I remember most from my own childhood.   We would gather around as my mom told elaborate stories about gnomes and fairies that my brothers and I fully believed and lived.  They were so magical and real to us that I wanted to start my own child’s life out with that same sense of possibility and wonder.    I combined stuffed animal taxidermy with a large painted mural of a magic forest, neutral furniture and the most modern-looking nursery essentials as possible.  I already posted about some of the elements in the room, but the final result below really brings everything together beautifully.  I hope you feel inspired to keep things simple, magical and woodsy for your baby too! Continue reading

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My Very Own Brooklyn-Hip Baby Shower!

IMG_7922It made more sense to have our baby shower host write the post about planning this shindig…so without further ado, I give you my bestie’s thoughts on throwing me a rockin’ party…

By: Jeff Hinchee

As someone who reads Delia’s blog, you no doubt spend your free moments thinking about how lucky her friends are to regularly indulge in her epic and well conceived parties. We ARE very lucky.  Delia and (husband) Jeff are really amazing friends,  so I wanted to throw them the baby shower they deserve.  Actually, when Delia and I were in California last year throwing baby showers she pulled me aside, looked me in my eyes and said— totally deadpan— “Take notes. This is your job when I’m pregnant.”

The theme was loosely inspired by Delia’s nursery. Enchanted forest, real and imaginary animals, with a splash of “baby hunting lodge”. For the invitation I collaged together a bunch of images I liked to convey that unusual concept.

The theme was loosely inspired by Delia’s nursery. Enchanted forest, real and imaginary animals, with a splash of “baby hunting lodge”. For the invitation I collaged together a bunch of images I liked to convey that unusual concept.

Throwing a party for such a seasoned party planner is a daunting task.  Even though I knew she would be happy with anything, you would never invite the Queen of England to stay in your railroad apartment and sleep on the Ikea mattress on the floor that you call a bed.  And so I enlisted the help of some other devoted friends, referenced Martha Stalwart frequently, and proved that you, reader, CAN throw these parties too!

With only 30 minutes to set up the space it was a scramble to get the food table arranged, the leafy pennants and balloons hung, and the furniture moved around.

With only 30 minutes to set up the space it was a scramble to get the food table arranged, the leafy pennants and balloons hung, and the furniture moved around.

IMG_7899 Continue reading

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The End of an Era

photoAs Jeff and I settle into our new swanky baby-friendly apartment, I wanted to take a moment to remember everything that happened in our DIY garage loft that made me start this blog in the first place.    So…here’s a little trip down memory lane…How It All Started, The Next Step, The Step After That, Getting Closer, One Last Disaster, Or So We Thought…, and The Moment You’ve All Been Waiting For.

Proof for the baby that we were cool, edgy New Yorkers once!

Proof for the baby that we were cool, edgy New Yorkers once!

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Finally, Our Own Baby Quilt!

IMG_7836After making three community baby quilts this year, I was so happy to finally be able to make our own baby quilt.  IMG_7845I decided on a chevron strippy pattern because of how many adorable vintage and new prints I had leftover from all of the other quilts, and the chevron is simple and modern looking no matter how many different prints you use.   IMG_7837I backed the quilt with a navy and red woven ikat dot print and bound it with navy cotton chambray.  The backing and the binding are really what help to make it look modern and cool.    Here’s how I pieced the strips!  Continue reading

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Heirloom Wedding Book

I just finished turning the photographic fabric panels and muslin from one of my best friend’s chuppah into a hardcover book for them to have forever.  Let me begin by saying this gorgeous wedding book wasn’t my idea, I was merely the craftsman in this post, but I always love sharing a beautiful idea.    As you can see from the photos, Sarah and Ryan’s chuppah was a stunning combination of branches, unbleached cotton muslin and white fabric panels printed with photos of their story, from their ancestors to their childhoods to their own new family together.   You could certainly make a quilt out of the panels as a keepsake, but I loved the book idea because it will last a lot longer.   Continue reading

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DIY Woodland Nursery Decor

Faux elephant, unicorn and lion taxidermy in Italian linen!

Faux elephant, unicorn and lion taxidermy in Italian linen!

My need to nest has been seriously delayed by our apartment hunting and packing to move, but I managed to squeeze out a few wonderful goodies for the nursery before I trade my gigantic studio space for a much, much smaller one.   Even before I knew it was a boy, I knew wanted a light and airy magical woodland nursery where bears play banjos and mice are pirates.   Luckily, what I wanted would have worked for either!   Continue reading

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