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Everyone has their own decorating "thing", right? For example, in past years, my mom, Jeri's "thing" was Fleur de Lis. However, in recent months, she's been transitioning to...BIRDS! Let me explain. They're not alive, nor were they ever (translation - they're not hanging on our walls stuffed with sawdust). She's started placing these cute little ceramic birds discretely around the house. They can be founds on little wall decor pieces, on window sills, on bathroom counters...even used as salt and pepper shakers. Okay, as I'm reading this back to myself, it sounds so tacky, but I can assure you it is not. Come on - we're talking about Jeri's Corner!

Needless to say, we have started a little bird collection of our own. In the two bathrooms, we have little white containers for cotton balls and Q-tips with birds on the lid. Recently, we bought a framed picture of a bird from Pottery Barn which I love. Jeri has even helped us out a little and gifted us with a fat fluffy bird that sits on our window still in the kitchen.

What's your decorating "thing"? We'd love to hear!

DIY - Table Time

For us, one of the most difficult things to shop for is a table. Not a dining room table or a coffee table - I'm referring to the those tables used to either anchor a small wall, add decor to a foyer, or possibly used as a petite writing table. It's difficult to shop for them (for us at least) because it's hard to pin point exactly what we're looking for. I just know the ones I find online are too small or big, narrow or wide, short or tall... or IF I find the one that's just right, it's too expensive. Soo...we made one. Well - in a sense:

Using an old Singer sewing table base given to me by my gradma and paring it with a old shutter Beau found at Circa, we created this little miscellaneous table. Pretty cool, right? At our rental property, it was the perfect size to use as a catch all table (mail, keys, wallets, etc) in the entrance hallway because of its narrow shape. However, we now use it to anchor one of the walls in our living room.

The goal was to keep the decor simple for this piece, so we didn't clutter it with too much stuff. We just used:

 - Green vase (with faux branches added - all from Red Door Interiors)
 - Brookstone speaker ball
 - Archipelago candle (literally obsessed)
 - Picture (Pottery barn frame given to us as a present)

These are one of my favorite DIY projects because there's no mess, it's functional, and you can see your work pay off everyday! We hope this inspires you!

(Leftover) Steak Salad!

"Leftovers" are something that Beau and I are not all too familiar with - considering we typically eat everything on our plates...and then seconds - but every once in a while, we'll have a little something left over. In this specific case, we had a big steak lunch at Beau's mom and step-dad's, and afterwards, they sent us home with a huge leftover T-bone steak. Mmmm! After that hugh meal (and feeling a little bloated) we opted lighter option the next night - steak salads!

It was so easy and fast (I'm picking up a theme with my "cooking") I just added the strips of the steak to mixed greens, crumbled blue cheese, and Marzetti's Roasted Garlic Italian vinaigrette dressing. Put this on everything anything! Done.

I know that this is nothing new, and by no means are we taking credit for the idea of leftovers. However, we DO hope that this inspires you to, at the very least, get a little more creative (with your leftovers) than simply reheating a plate from the night before.

*Obviously, this works with bbq or baked chicken or sausage, too.

Before and After: Guest Bathroom

 

Like the rest of our house when we first bought it, the guest bathroom was a tragic mess. It was dirty, outdated, and periwinkle. It has this awful oval, gold-colored, dingy mirror (which once removed revealed a hugh hole), plastic hand towel holders, and an LSU mat that surrounded the toilet. Eww. While there are still a few changes here and there that we'd like to eventually make, below is a list of easy DIY improvements we did to transport the bathroom from college apartment circa 1993 into something we wouldn't be embarrassed for our guests to use.

Improvements:
- repainted the whole room (linen gray)
- removed hand towel holder from wall (patch hole)
- replaced toilet seat cover
- removed old mirror, patched hole, hung new mirror
- replaced shower rod and curtain
- decorated
- replaced light fixture

We chose a lighter color for the bathroom than we did in the rest of the house. Truth be told, I would have gone with a shade of white, but Beau and I settled on a super light gray (a few shades lighter than the rest of the house) We recommend super light colors for bathrooms, especially if they get natural light. Lighter colors (especially in the cool family) emote a sense of sterility - and who doesn't want that in a bathroom?!

The Courtyard

After spending the morning cutting the grass (finally), walking the Danes, cleaning the house, and training for the Gulf Coast Half Marathon, we were STARVING. Deciding to try a new lunch spot, Beau and I headed off to Airline Hwy., near Jefferson, to The Courtyard Cafe (formerly O-Ya-Ya's). The restaurant is located behind The Courtyard gift and antique store, and offers inside as well as patio seating in the courtyard (hence the name). The location of The Courtyard is a bit peculiar as it sits on a random street surrounded by outdated...and somewhat dilapidated houses, but we forgot all that when we drove around back and walked into the quaint and almost whimsical courtyard.

Since the restaurant offered outside seating, Beau and I chose to sit in the courtyard, which was quite nice - especially since we were the only people there. There was no server, so the chef took our order, which was a little strange, but he was very nice. Anyway, Beau ordered a curry chicken salad sandwich with a side pasta salad, and I ordered a turkey sub with basil, artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, and tomatoes with a side potato salad. I have to say - the descriptions sounded much better than the actual food itself. It definitely wasn't bad, but it wasn't great, either. We walked away glad we tried it, but not dying to go back a second time. After eating, we walked over to the gift shop/antique store...

Once inside, we were pleasantly surprised. Similar to The Royal Standard, The Courtyard gift and antique store offered monogrammed trinkets, jewelry, art, soaps, antiques, and other miscellaneous gift ideas. Since it was in an old house, it had more of a charming antique store feel, and less of a store vibe. The staff was friendly and helpful, and made us feel right at home. Needless to say, we will be back again...just not to eat.

One Step at a Time

What comes to mind when someone says 13.1 miles? Up until two weeks ago, it meant 2 or 3 hours in Baton Rouge traffic. Now it means the Gulf Coast Half Marathon! After talking to Claudean, Beau's step-mom, (who is also running in it) Beau and I were convinced to start training for this 13.1 mile race held in Mandeville, LA on October 9, 2011. Crazy? Perhaps. Worth it? Definitely. Not only is this a great way to get in shape, but it will (hopefully) provide a sense of personal accomplishment and satisfaction.

Right now, we're in the "fun" stage of training. You know - when you buy the new shoes, watches, shorts, and shirts, but your training runs are only a couple of miles, and you're still really excited about it. Talk to me in a month when we're doing 8, 9, and 12 mile training runs. I'm SURE it'll be a different story. For now, though, it IS quite relaxing. Capital Heights (the street we live on) is so beautiful, and makes for a perfect backdrop for an early morning jog. For the longer training days, Beau and I run the picturesque LSU lakes for our 4 mile course (or 8 or 12). At last, we have the routine down pat, and I'm kind of loving it: Beau wakes up, runs, lets the dogs out to go to the bathroom. Once back inside, they (the dogs) wake me up to walk and feed them. Once this is done, it's my turn to run. Then water plants, shower, and then off to hell work.

In all seriousness, we are very excited to run this half-marathon. It will be a big challenge for the both of us, but it's something that we accomplish together. I'm hoping for one of
those life changing moments at the end; one where you know that you've really accomplished something great.

Per a good suggestion, click here or above on "Gulf Coast Half Marathon" for more information and registration details.

Reed Diffuser Flower Vase

Picture it: empty vodka, bourbon, or wine bottles lining the top of your freshman college apartment's kitchen cabinets. Do you remember? Are you guilty? Me, too...ahh those were the days. Well, this is similar...but not God-awful. Reusing old, unique, and cute (this part is essential) containers is definitely something we'd recommend for your home. The glass bottles in the pictures above were originally parts of reed diffusers. Once they were out, we didn't throw them away because we knew EXACTLY what we were going to use them for: flower vases!

Because of their skinny and tall shape with a narrow mouth, these bottles are perfect for holding a single rose (which we can conveniently clip from our rose bush in the front yard). Also because of the shape of the bottle, they fit flawlessly on our kitchen window sill allowing me us to enjoy them while doing the dishes! We actually have three identical bottles that sit in a row right next to each other creating a clean uniformed look. However, you could also find or reuse a few mismatched containers to create a more fun and festive (almost Anthropologie) look.

Try them on smaller surfaces like: a beverage area at a party, a "sign-in" book at a wedding, window sills, bathroom sinks, end tables, kitchen islands or window sills, etc.

Backyard Renovation: The Plans

We've hired our good friend and Landscape Architect/Consultant, Chris Ferris to completely transform our backyard from a sad and tragic space into the fun, lively, and beautiful backyard that we know it has the potential to be. A few weeks ago, Chris came over to measure our lot and discuss our preferences, budget, and timeline. We obviously asked for beautiful, inexpensive, and for it to all be done next week. While we're not getting EXACTLY that (mostly in terms of timeline), I have to say we are beyond impressed with what Chris has come up with for us.

We met last Sunday afternoon for lunch and coffee, and Chris brought all the plans for us to check out. He explained his vision and exactly which elements he was planning to bring in for the project. Always open to suggestions and options, Chris worked with us to come up with a final concept that Beau and I are in love with. Chris also walked us through the necessary steps that would by involved in terms of timeline and budget, and gave us a break down of what to do and when. We told him that we were willing to do a lot of the manual labor ourselves, but he recommended a few contractors for some of the initial steps (like leveling the yard and replacing (and extending) the patio). We couldn't be happier, and are looking forward to getting our hands dirty and start on the renovations! Don't worry - we'll keep you posted every step of the way!

To contact Chris Ferris, Landscape Architecture Consultant and Planner:

- email: christopher.c.ferris@gmail.com

- phone: 225-936-7156

Bringing NOLA to BR

Over the past few years, several of our Baton Rouge friends have moved away from the Capital city and into the Big Easy. While we DID consider moving, we both have jobs in Baton Rouge, so Beau and I decided to plant ourselves here - at least for the time being. Regardless of where we live, we still love the New Orleans culture and laissez fair attitude. To help us bring in a little NOLA into our home, our best friend, Megan picked up these cute New Orleans inspired coasters from The Royal Standard in BR near the Perkins Rd. overpass. We are obsessed with this entire store, but specifically their NOLA inspired pieces - which they have a great selection. Don't worry - I don't mean gaudy, Affliction looking, studded rhinestone fleur de lis shirts and hats...HATE those!

Coasters like these are such an easy and affordable way to turn something as mundane as...well...a drink coaster into something cute and decorative. It sure beats a folded paper napkin! Another option is to put a few together and turn the coasters into a trivet when serving a hot dish for dinner. Just a thought.

Pizza Party!

Saturday night, while Beau was volunteering at Forum 35's 8th Annual Art Melt in downtown Baton Rouge, I entertained a small get-together with some best friends/co-workers. We decided on a pizza party, but let me explain. I'm NOT talking about your average Domino's 3 large pizza special that comes with buffalo wings, cheesy bread, and two 2-liter cokes. No, no, no. These were some seriously delicious, homemade, gourmet pizzas.

To keep things fun and interesting, what we decided to do was allow each person (or couple) to bring whatever ingredients they wanted to create their own pizza. The pizzas were assembled and baked one at a time, allowing everyone to sample each one as they were ready - almost tapas style. We LOVE this way of entertaining because it's so easy and low-key. Also, it provides easy table-talk topics (not that we needed it!) This is what we came up with (all on a Boboli crust):

Pizza One: Rosemary and Italian Sausage (Matthew)
- base: olive oil, fresh garlic, goat cheese spread over entire crust
- sweet Italian sausage (cooked before guests arrived)
- ample rosemary
- kalamata olives
- diced red onion
- mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top to set ingredients

Pizza Two: Veggie (Stephanie and Greg)
- base: olive oil, roasted garlic
- fresh spinach
- home-grown beats
- home-grown corn (sauteed)
- goat cheese
- banana peppers
- mozzarella cheese

Pizza Three: 3 Cheese (Kara)
- base: olive oil and garlic
- sharp cheddar cheese
- smoked gouda cheese
- mozzarella cheese
*all grated thickly on top

Disclaimer: These pizzas will make you quite thirsty, so make sure you have 4 or 5 bottles of wine to wash them down with!

Men's Fashion: TOMS

Happy Friday! I'm excited about our second men's fashion post, which I've decided to dedicate to shoes. Since this is such a broad topic, we're going to focus specifically on one type: TOMS! If you're not aware, this company's slogan states that for every pair of TOMS 
bought, they will donate a pair to a child in need. Incredible, right?

Over the past two years, we've collected several pairs, and they have become our catch-all shoe option because they go with...well...just about everything. Try gingham or even burlap TOMS paired with a pair of gray skinny Levi's jeans (not too tight), a white v-neck, and a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers, (a possibly a fedora!) and you've created a super easy, comfortable, and complete look that's great for going to class or studying at a coffee shop. You could also opt for the Cordones which are essentially TOMS with laces. For a informal outdoor wedding, try the Linen Pinstripe Cordones, nice jeans or casual slim fit light blue pants, white oxford, and a simple chambray tie from J.Crew. The look is sophisticated yet 
effortless.

TOMS does offer a few different shoe options other than the classics and cordons, but you'll have to check them out online. I want to keep to those specifically for this post. Hopefully, you'll give them a try and love them! I really cannot express how much we love 
these shoes!
Update: I just became aware two days ago that TOMS is now selling sunglasses as well. I want need the Wayfarer style. In tortoise. NEED!

DIY - Chalkboard Paint!

Okay - I've been DYING to blog about this because I think it's one of the coolest DIY projects we're undertaken. Chalkboard paint is just like any other paint (in terms of how you apply it...not so much in price) however, once dry, you can write on it and erase just like a regular chalkboard! You can apply chalkboard paint to literally just about anything and it will automatically make it better. Fact. Try it in a kid's room or a playroom, flat-front cabinets, or pantry doors. You could even paint an entire wall in your kitchen (although we'd recommend selecting a small wall. This could be a LOT for a wall that goes the length of an entire room!) What this does is add that "amazing-magazine-idea-but-it-could-never-work-in-my-house" look. Seriously!

In our previous house, we applied the chalkboard paint on some cabinet doors in the kitchen, and we used it to keep grocery lists and reminders. In our new house on Capital Heights, we tried to go for a more industrial look by painting it on a piece of wood we had cut and then bolted to the wall using dramatic bolts and washers. The goal was to create almost a restaurant kitchen feel. Regardless, we LOVE the finished product. The best part is that this is the DIY that keeps on giving. We mostly use it to jot down ideas for The Mended Nest which are ever-changing, but we'll use it for the occasional reminder as well. As I said before, as you're going throughout you day and realize here and there that you're out of something...write it down! Also, it's great for remembering appointments, projects, or deadlines.

You seriously have to try this - I guarantee you'll love it. Even better - your guests are going to love it. Get ready to hear over and over again what a great idea it is and how you're so creative because you though of it...and what's better than that?!

(Mini) Office Space

One challenge facing many homeowners is a lack of space, and when space does become an issue, often times the first thing to go is the home-office. Since the danes have their own room (which stores their crate, food, beds, and toys) and the other spare room is a guest room, we had to get a little creative. Beau needed a space where he could work on his freelance and where all of his things were together, organized, and separated from the chaos. Well...he got two of the three - there's no escaping the chaos when you live with two great danes...and me. Especially when your "office" separates the kitchen and the dining space.

The kitchen wall opposite from the sink and dishwasher steps back about one foot as you leave the kitchen and walk into the dining space. It creates the illusion that you're leaving one room and entering another when in fact, it's all one big room. Either way - starting where it is set back a foot, there is a seven foot space before you hit the frame of the bedroom door. Also know as...Beau's office space!

To meet the needs to this fairly tight area, we needed furniture that would allow us to walk through the kitchen into the dining area comfortably. The perfect solution was a very narrow antique piece of furniture we picked up from a antique store in Denham Springs, LA a few years ago. At about a foot and a half deep and 5 feet long, it fits the space perfectly! It's tall enough to hold a trash can and other miscellaneous baskets and wires underneath while allowing a clean work space on top. One key is to keep a desk like this clutter-free. Since it is such a tight space to begin with, the clutter seems to be amplified. We kept ours simple by only adding small speakers, a lamp, a candle, and ornament sticks (I really don't know what to call them!) To give the space a more "office feel", we added this simple alphabet art piece (which we ordered from Ikea and shipped via Love Blue Bag).

Hopefully this will help inspire you to get your office off your dining room table or out of your closet and find a space that REALLY works!

Our Lake Chuck Weekend

This weekend, Beau and I finished our chores super early, and we headed off to Lake Charles to attend a "honey do" shower for Beau's cousin, Katherine and her fiance, Jimmy. After stopping by the Holland's (Beau's mom and step-dad's) in the Graywood neighborhood to freshen up and change into some pastels, ginham, and plaid, we met up with the Moss' (Beau's dad and step-mom) for a quick drink and some much-needed catching up. Soon after, the four of us piled into the car and left for Big Lake where the shower was held. The invitation said that the party (a fish fry) was going to be held at a family friends' camp, so I had an idea of what to expect...or so I thought. Needless to say, the party and the "camp" were both beyond beautiful. The camp's view of the lake at sunset made an exquisite backdrop for this elegant gathering which seemed to be torn (literally) right out of the pages of Southern Living magazine. Or Pottery Barn. Or Heaven.

We were bad and took no food pictures (I know - so unlike us), but trust me, everything was to die for. Lightly battered and fried catfish, white truffle fries, cole slaw, and sweet potato biscuits. Seriously? White truffle ANYTHING and I'm hooked. It was camp-cuisine in its most elegant form. All courtesy of the camp owners' oldest daughter's catering company - Whisk and Ladle. Delicious. Period. Hire them for everything.



After a quick night cap back at the Moss' where we shared stories and laughed it up, we headed back to the Holland's to call it quits for the night.

7:30 - We're up, grabbing coffee, and heading out the door en route to the grocery store. We needed to pick up a few things for the early steak lunch that we (happily) stayed for. As if that wasn't enough, after lunch I...I mean we nearly finished off an entire homemade lemon icebox pie as we sat and watched the U.S. Women's soccer team beat Brazil in a shootout in the quarter finals of the Women's World Cup. To top it off, Beau even drove home so I could nap...the entire two hour drive. What a treat!

Front Yard Mini-Makeover

Over this past three day weekend, we got a LOT accomplished in our front yard. Luckily, the front was already landscaped (for the most part) from the get go, so not too much work was needed; the back yard, on the other hand, is one big hot mess. Just by watering daily, the grass and bushes in the front are starting to grow thicker and greener, and no longer are we "that house" on the street. Either way, this weekend we made some minor (but necessary) improvements. Think of it as a chemical peel, some Botox for the crow's feet, and just a touch of fillers for those "parenthesis" lines around the mouth. Really, it was more maintenance than anything else. (Now the back yard...brow-lift, lipo on the inner and outer thighs, arms, and stomach, rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, and a laser hair removal treatments...everywhere.)



Our "problem area" for the front was this triangle created by our Y shaped driveway and the brick walkway to the house. The previous owner filled this space with big funky rocks and then piled dirt on top. Hideous. A few weeks ago, we attempted to plant Asian Jasmine which is supposed to spread like wildfire and requires very low maintenance - of course, it didn't spread one stupid inch. I blame the crap soil and all the rocks that I CANNOT get up! Then, we had this great idea...

Since the space really functions best as a walkway, we decided to make it just that. I pulled up all the ground cover and planted it in the saddest place on earth our back yard. Then, I dug up as much soil and rocks as possible, laid "black stuff" to keep potential weeds from growing (this is KEY), and poured 11 bags of pea gravel to fill in the space. Y'all - it looks SO good!



We also lined a good portion of our driveway with mondo (monkey) grass which hopefully will start to fill in the the end of the summer. It makes such a big difference already even though it looks like plugs from a hair transplant right now. Finally, we planted out newest obsession - agapanthus! (It's also really fun to say. No? Just me? Okay) Right now it's just green, but will eventually grow a tall stalk and a purple flower will bloom. I can't wait!

DIY - Crackle Paint

Purchased at an estate sale in Lake Charles, Louisiana, we brought home this small, sad mini-chest of drawers (super awkward name) that was in desperate need of some TLC. Deciding to branch out a little and try something on the funkier side, we ran to the Lowe's and picked up red paint, avocado green paint, and crackle finish. (Scary, I know. I couldn't see it either!) However, I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome...

Basically, we started by sanding and painting the piece red. After it was dry, we coated on a layer of the crackle finish. Finally, we completed the piece by painting a layer of the avocado green, and let the crackle finish do the rest. (There is a specific way to apply the top layer of paint - you don't want to go over the same spot twice, or it will affect the crackle finish. Don't worry. It's all explained on the can) Done! Completely new piece of furniture with just the cost of paint! Gotta love it!

We would recommend something like this ANY day of the week. It's a smart and cost effective method of updating your home - especially for the constant DIYer. Anytime you can completely redo a piece of furniture by just slapping a coat of paint on it (or two and crackle finish) and possibly changing out the knobs if necessary...well...enough said!

¡Black Bean Salsa!

Hola! Today, The Mended Nest is happy to bring you a fun, easy, and delicious appetizer that's perfect for a nice summer picnic or hanging out by the pool. This is the first of many recipes from Jeri's Corner, and it happens to be one of my favorites. Remember, Jeri is my (Matthew) mom, from which I draw a lot of inspiration. This salsa is light and fresh, and best of all foolproof. Really it's more of an assembly than a recipe, but who cares? Not those who are eating it - I can guarantee it!

Ingredients:

• 2 cans black beans

• 2 cans corn

• two bell peppers (green and red)

• 1/4 red onion

• garlic (to taste)

• cilantro 

• lime and lemon juice

• salt/pepper

• cumin 

Simply serve with lime chips and Skinny Girl® margarita, and you're good to go!

Independence Day

Happy Independence Day, everyone! (Yes, I'm aware today is the 5th, aka Tuesday, aka four day work week!!) We were very busy this weekend, and we're excited to share all of our weekend festivities! We kicked this beautiful three day weekend off by picking up a few Skinny Chick margaritas (why can't they find a name that's a little more gender neutral?) from Zippy's and we headed off to our friends, Joe and Chad's beautiful home on the LSU lakes for a quaint 2nd of July cookout and pool party. As usual, we had a great time as those two definitely know how to throw a fun party. Needless to say, after forgetting to apply sunscreen and then later dropping Beau's phone in the brisket (oh yes - now it SMELLS like brisket, and you can only talk on speaker phone) I was pretty dead for the rest of the night. However, how could we pass up a surprise birthday party for our friend, Michael? Exactly. Not possible. So that was the 2nd.

There are no pictures from Sunday, but this actually may have been my favorite day of the weekend. After an exhausting Saturday, we were able to sleep in a little - until almost 9:00! After a cup of coffee, we ran out to Clegg's Nursery to buy 2 flats of mondo grass with which to outline our driveway. (We'll have a whole post about front yard renovations, so don't worry - pics are coming soon!) Just as we were finishing up, it started to thunderstorm, so we were able to enjoy  a midday nap as we watched the rain falling outside. Then we got dressed, ran to Calandro's to pick up a bottle of wine and a few cheeses, and joined our good friend, Lissa, and the rest of the Weston family for dinner. As a night cap, Lissa, Lissa's friend named Lisa, Beau, and I finished off a few more bottles (go figure) of wine on the front porch of their beautiful Bocage estate. Heaven!

Now the 4th! After working a few more hours on our front yard facelift, we threw on bathing suits, loaded up the Danes, picked up some grub, and once again drove out to Bocage. Try to keep up, but the parents of our best friend's (Megan) boyfriend (Chris) live in the neighborhood as Lissa. It was exactly what I was hoping for: good food, beer, pool, and relaxation. I can't speak for them, but I think the Danes had a great time, too! Neither had been swimming before, and they seemed to love it! While mostly staying on the steps, the two of them at least once were curious enough to attempt deeper waters. They were so cute! 

Just before leaving and wrapping the weekend up, Megan, Chris, Beau, and I decided go to Superior Grill for some yummy Mexican food (as if we hadn't eaten enough). I plan on dedicating an entire post to this God-sent restaurant a bit later, but I do want to at least mention the margaritas. O. Em. Gee. While on the pricier side, I can say with confidence that these are the best margaritas in Baton Rouge. Trust me - after one, you'll definitely be feelin' good. After eating, paying, and taking the rest of the margs to go (gotta love Louisiana), the four of us strolled around the Capital Heights neighborhood as I asked Chris (our landscape architect) about every single plant, bush, and shrub we passed. Beautiful weather, great friends, and margaritas - it made us really appreciate our life, family, and our country. Happy Fourth from The Mended Nest.

Red White and BlueBag

One of our favorite things about moving is that we get to edit our life and all the crap in it. (I should say that by no means do we live in a space that’s worth our own episode on A&E’s Hoarders.) Beau and I did quite a bit of editing when moving into our house, but I’m most excited about our decision to get rid of our old sofa. Let’s just say that after allowing 3 pets on it for two years, the sofa has had its fair share of spills, pet hair, pet accidents, and pet odor. Yum. Looking back, it's completely embarrassing, and the fact that we never really noticed the smell is bewildering. It’s like being a cigarette smoker or mothball advocate. After a while, you don’t even notice the smell, but unfortunately, everyone else can. But what can I say? - you live and you learn. Mended!

We made the decision to start fresh with a new sofa for the new house, and chose to not allow any animals on it. Obviously, sofa options from places like Pottery Barn, Crate&Barrel, and West Elm were tossed around, but in the end, we decided we didn’t want to take out a second mortgage, and we went with a more conservative option from Ikea. We immediately fell in love with to the EKTORP sofa in Svanby Gray from Ikea! However, We neither wanted to take the trek out to Houston (where the closest Ikea is located) nor pay an arm and a leg to get it shipped. Soo...we did a little research and found a company called Love Blue Bag. 

Basically, Love Blue Bag takes orders from people in New Orleans, the Northshore, Lafayette, and Baton Rouge (as well as a few other places), charges twenty percent of the cost of your order, and goes to Houston to pick it up whatever you’ve ordered for you! That was a long sentence, to to break it down. You order. They pick up and deliver. You pay cost of order plus 20%. Done. As long as your order is placed by Monday, your purchased items will be delivered to your home by Friday. Sliced bread, step aside - this is the coolest thing ever! They’ll even assemble whatever you’ve ordered, if needed…for a price of course. The sofa was the first time we’ve used LoveBlueBag, and we were so pleased with them that we’ve already ordered from them again for art work over Beaus “office”. My favorite part is that there’s no order too small for them. If you like something as small as a picture frame, they will pick it up and deliver it to you. Amazing!

Save the Date!

We are pleased to announce that The Mended Nest is now open for business, and ready to create your personalized invitation, announcement, or stationary!

Our long time friend/former roommate, Elizabeth and her fiancé, Miles announced their engagement (YAY!) a few months ago, and she asked us to design all of her wedding print materials. The above "Save the Date" is the first of a series of announcements/invitations that we will design based on the input provided by Elizabeth and Miles.

Per Elizabeth and Miles' request, we created an outdoors-inspired rustic theme with main the colors including the following earth tones: eggplant, olive, and brown. Make sure to follow us as we design the rest of the announcements and formal invitations for their wedding!

For more information or to consult with the designers for your own personalized invitation, stationary, or announcement, please email us at themendednest@gmail.com!