Projects Revealed

As if you didn't all know, we've been doing a good bit of work around the house. We say it was in preparation for the party, but really, it was stuff that we just wanted done.

I'm sad to say that I thought for sure I had 'before' pictures, but apparently I do not. I guess at the time I took a series of before photos I stopped with just the upstairs... bummer.

But alas. You can probably imagine what it looked like before. The walls were white, there were holes int he drywall from where Ryan did some wire pulls and the storage you'll see below was not there.


So, here it goes...

The toy storage unit that Ryan (and his dad) built. I still haven't found the 'perfect' ones, but I plan to get some canvas totes or baskets for underneath to store blocks, cars, etc in. Also, on the wall above the storage unit I'll be hanging some pictures from Jude's first birthday photo shoot (and possibly some that I took).

Being that there's no real furniture in the room, there was lots of blank walls. I love pictures and have hundreds (thousands!) on my computer that I never do anything with, so I decided to start a collage on one wall. I plan to add more, but this is the beginning.

Another shot look out from the storage shelf. We hung little hooks on the walls for whatever... if his friends come over they'll have a place for coats or something... maybe eventually more toy storage, depending. We also added a baby gate. The gate is specifically to keep the dog out when we're not in the room so that we won't have to clean up all the time (and he can't chew toys)

Ryan got these posters as a gift from a friend (he loves comics) and had the opportunity to have them signed by the artist when he came to Delaware a few years ago. In our old house, Ryan had them proudly displayed in the living room... in this house, I won out and they did not make it into the living room. At one point they were going in Jude's room, or even in the basement when it was finished, but we both agreed this was the perfect place for them.

All in all, we were very pleased with the way the room turned out. We still have a few finishing touches to make... but that won't be happening for a little while. I'm pretty done right now. Eventually we want to extend the bookshelf up the wall, add a nice couch and some chairs and turn it into a more formal living room... or a reading room... but for now, it's the perfect play room for Jude.