Decor, DIY

DIY Dollhouse Kitchen Backsplash

by sweetsoutherngraces8 Comments on DIY Dollhouse Kitchen Backsplash

I am excited to share about a project that is near and dear to our family’s hearts. When our #3 daughter was turning 2 years old, my husband and I designed and built a wood kitchen set for her!

This is our number one, two and three daughters decorating cookies for Santa! When we built the kitchen set (far right), we also build a table and chairs set too. This photo is circa 2014.

When their baby sister came along…

Photo is circa early 2016!

…and we couldn’t wait until our youngest two were able to enjoy playing with it together! We have had this in our home for the past 8 plus years! Plus, all of their cousins have enjoyed coming over to visit and play with it too! How special!

I chalk painted the kitchen set and table/chairs set in white! Photo is circa 2018.

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Now that the kitchen set has been outgrown, I wanted to repurpose it into something that would be enjoyed for a few more years to come! I thought it would be cool to turn the kitchen set into a Barbie ”Bardominium” Doll House. The first if it’s kind, I believe. Fitting for our family, as we’ve been building our barndominium for the past year and a half!

DIY Challenge with Glue

I’ve teamed up with my sweet friend (host) Terrie from Decorating & More with Tip, plus several other blogging buddies! Our goal is to do a diy type of project with any kind of glue. Challenge accepted! My glue of choice is hot glue!

Doll House Kitchen Backsplash 

After we reconfigured the kitchen set into a dollhouse, I knew I wanted to ask my youngest daughter, what she wanted in her dollhouse. Definitely a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. Ok. Those are attainable.

This is during the demolition process of the kitchen set!

And this is part of the after. We salvaged every piece that we thought we could repurpose in some way.  

As I dove into all things dollhouse related-scale sizes of Barbie furniture, how to make little accessories, wood for building, ext, I thought about popsicle sticks for the backsplash in the doll house kitchen. Wait. Let me back up for a minute. If your new here, we did a wood herringbone backsplash for our barndominium kitchen. Check out our IG post here. Naturally we needed that in our dollhouse too, right?! 

Dollhouse Plans

I always roughly draw up plans for whatever project I’m working on. Here is my drawings for the front and back of the dollhouse. Also, keep in mind, this is our version of a Barbie Dreamhouse, “Barndominium Addition” and made to look like our barndominium. 

Front of the Dollhouse Rough Drawing.

Back of the Dollhouse Rough Drawing.

Dollhouse After

This is the dollhouse after we rebuilt it from the girl’s kitchen set. This is with almost two coats of paint! I had a great helper! Our youngest babe!

Supplies needed:

• Hot Glue Sticks

• Hot Glue Gun

• Wooden Popsicle Sticks

• Scissors 

Herringbone Pattern Backsplash

The task may seem daunting but it is achievable! We used the herringbone pattern backsplash in our kitchen as a reference! The herringbone pattern started at the bottom edge of where the dollhouse countertop will go and continued making it’s pattern,  all the way to the top. Then continued until both kitchen walls had been completed! 

Photo from welshdesignstudio.com. 

Measure 

Basically, whatever size herringbone design you decide to make,  which in our diagram is represented by the letter ‘W’, make your cuts based on the size of your space.

This is my very rough drawing.

It’s basically a math equation based on height and width. The dollhouse was a little different than our actual kitchen backsplash. Check out welshdesignstudio.com to follow their mathematical equation!

Cut

I suggest cutting your pieces in sections, in case of any mistakes that are made. There will be some as it was a learning curve until I figured out that we could easily do a herringbone pattern if I made a math equation from the size of the space for the herringbone pattern. It’s kind of like simple algebra!

Stain, Paint and Protect 

Stain or paint your wood. Since this was a dollhouse, we decided to leave the wood bare. Our kitchen backsplash in our home has two coats of poly in clear matte.

Lay Out Pieces

I suggest laying out your pieces first, which will help insure less mistakes! Trust me, we made some with the kitchen wall! 

Add Wood

Now we are ready to add the wood to the space! Herringbone is such a beautiful, classic pattern to add to any home or dollhouse in our case!

If you don’t succeed, try, try again!

I tried three different options for the dollhouse kitchen backsplash before the third one worked! First was to draw on shiplap with a pencil then trace with a black permanent marker. Second, I tried horizontal shiplap. Finally my oldest daughter suggested the original idea I had had, which was to make the herringbone patterned shiplap. I finally agreed we should at least try it and it worked to our liking!

Finishing Thoughts

It’s really not to hard and the impact is amazing! We still have a ways to go with our dollhouse as it’s been a learning curve for me! I am so glad we went with the herringbone pattern!

Dollhouse Completion

The best way to follow along on the completion of the dollhouse is on IG, which I will link below!

I finally have figured out that balsa wood is the best for dollhouses! I am going to add the window trim and board and batten next! Then I will build the kitchen cabinets! It’s a process but I will make sure to blog about all things related to the dollhouse build as things become finished!

I hope you have enjoyed being here! I would love for you to follow along with us on IG for our dollhouse build and for our self built barndominium as well!

Please take some time and check out the other ladies in our blog  to see what they’ve created with glue! 

DECORATE AND MORE WITH TIP
THE HOUSE HOUSE
PURPLE HUES AND ME 
SWEET SOUTHERN GRACE
PATINA AND PAINT

Decor, DIY

Barndominium Custom Built Work and Homeschooling Station

by sweetsoutherngraces12 Comments on Barndominium Custom Built Work and Homeschooling Station

I am excited to share how we built our barndominium desk with ya’ll today! It’s budget friendly too at under $90!!

I’ve teamed up with my sweet friend (host) Terrie from Decorating & More with Tip plus several other blogging buddies! Our goal is to each turn something from Trash to Treasure!

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Background of Our Barndominium Build


Most of ya’ll know that we have been building our barndominium, the past few months! Check out the blog here.

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We basically started with a piece of land that literally was littered with trash and have built our home with own hands! The photo below is where my husband was clearing our land of trees, trash and junk cars.

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We also had to rent several dumpsters to throw away the large amount of trash! The photo below is dumpster number 2.

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Curating Spaces For Our Barndominium Home

Since tax season has rolled around, I knew that I would need a space to work on our taxes, instead of sitting on the concrete floor. I have not had a desk since our move and had been teaching/working at my dining room table! Our youngest two girls needed a space for schoolwork!

A855ECC8-1739-43BF-9D7F-79F38528ABFEOur Vision Coming to Life

I have had this vision of what I wanted this space to look like for the past several months. I enjoy roughly sketching out designs for our home. I want to make sure that every single inch of our almost 1,700 square foot barndominium, to be useful and curated to our family’s specific needs.

Supplies needed:

~2-2x12x12 foot boards

~3-Quarter inch pipes

~3-Quarter inch floor/wall flange  

~Stain- Minwax Semi-Transparent Red Oak (on hand)

~1.5 inch wood screws  (on hand)

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Assembling the Desk

The first item on our agenda was sanding down the wood on all sides. My husband also had to trim one of the boards, as it was uneven.  Next we counter-screwed the boards together.  

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After the boards were counter screwed, we applied a light coat of the stain on either side.  

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Next up was installing the quarter inch pipes and wall flanges to the wall. Measure how far apart you want your “brackets” to be and mark with a pencil.

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Add your 1.5 inch screws to the studs in the quarter inch pipes and your done! Place your desk top on the “brackets” that you’ve installed! Done!

Styling our Work Space

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We still have a check list of items to finish. I need three barn lights to go over each desk area. I also need to build two bottom cabinets for either side of my desk area, which will hold my printer/computer on one side then files/desk items on the other side.

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I’ve bought three white mid century chairs, along with a couple cork boards for the girls wall sides. The middle desk area is mine and I’ve added a vintage crib spring for my memo board. 

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 I am also adding pipe “brackets” to the wall with metal galvanized baskets to hold pencils, crayons, markers and color pencils.  I am loving how it is looking and can’t wait to update y’all with a finished look soon-probably on IG, so be sure to be following along with us on IG as we finish up with this project plus more on our barndominium build! 

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I would love for you to check out my other blogging buddies below and see what item they found from Trash to Treasure! You will never be disappointed with these ladies!

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Decorate and More with Tip

Bluesky at Home

The House House

Purple Hues and Me

Sweet Southern Grace

Baggott Farmhouse

Patina and Paint

The House on Silverado

Pallet and Pantry

Cloches and Lavender

 

DIY

What is a Barndominium? A Guide to Building, Costs, Plus Everything You Need To Know

by sweetsoutherngracesLeave a Comment on What is a Barndominium? A Guide to Building, Costs, Plus Everything You Need To Know

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Summer of 2020, my husband asked me if i wanted to build a barndominium? A barndo-what? I am sure all of our friends and family thought we were a little crazy, as we took on such a huge project, with just myself, my husband and our oldest adult daughter.

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As we embarked on this barndominium journey, we began meeting people that were curious about doing the same! The further we got into our build, the more people we began meeting that were building barndominium’s, thus the barndominium pandemonium.

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Our family is finally finishing up on the last details of our barndominium. Projected finish date is summer of 2022. The burning question is, ”What is a barndominium?”.

What is a Barndominium?

Barndominiums are usually metal buildings that have an inside living quarter, which are very affordable, energy-efficient and low maintenance homes.

Barndominium’s can also be barn-to-home conversions, also called barndo’s. There is also an increasing number of ground up construction Barndominium’s like ours! Lots of Barndominium’s have an attached workshop/garage as well!

Many barndominium homes  feature  stained concrete floors, energy-efficient windows, engineered concrete slabs, spray foam insulation, efficient plumbing and high ceilings.

The sleek farmhouse design style has exploded in popularity and the barndominium helps you get that farmhouse look on the exterior, not just the interior. On the other end of the spectrum, other farmhouses are heavy on the rustic, countryside look.

What is a barndominium without a great room? Most feature an expansive, open-concept living room with high vaulted ceilings. Almost all barndominiums have a rectangular foundation, allowing the barndominium floor plan to be customized to your exact liking.

Barndominium Building-How long does it take to build?

Barndominiums take approximately 3-6 months to construct but construction time depends on size, customization and if you build on your own versus hiring a builder. We chose to be our own contractor and build our barndominium, ourselves! It took us about a month and a half to frame! Check out our framing video here! Our time frame from start of foundation pour to finish date is approximately 13 months. 

Barndominium Cost

How much does it cost to build a barndominium? Let’s break down a list of costs, associated with building a barndominium. 

Factors that go into the cost of a barndominium include:

* Location

*Size

*Custom Features

*Construction material pricing (fluctuation with pricing)

*Labor 

*Quality of materials being used

Barndominium’s have the option to purchase barndominium kits, which include components of walls, roof, ect.  We looked into buying a kit, but the cost was higher in comparison to buying them on our own.  The pricing of materials have fluctuated tremendously in 2021. As a result, construction pricing has been harder to predict as it is continously changing.

Below is a general price range for each component of a barndominium:

Kit $20,000-$90,000

Structural Engineer-$1,500-3,000- You will need a structural engineer to draw up your plans if you don’t buy a kit.

Land Clearing-$1,500-$20,000-Save money by renting tractors to clear the land on your own.

Labor for assembling-$30,000-$60,000-Save money by diy!

Insulation-$1,500-$3,000

Foundation-$5,000-$10,000

Roofing-$2200-$6,000

Siding-$2200-$5,500

Sewer-$1,200-$3,000

Electrical-$1,500-$15,000

Plumbing-$1,500-$5,000

HVAC-$5,000-$10,000

Permits-prices vary depending on location.

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Our barndominium build was built 90% by my husband, myself and our oldest daughter (my best friend).

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We did decide to pay for a local company to do the labor for our concrete. You can check out our concrete pour here.

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We also had my Dad, my Father-In-Law to help with a few projects. My brother also helped when we put the roof on.

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Our oldest adult daughter has also helped throughout our build. She is so strong and is able to help her Daddy lift heavier items! We are so grateful for all of her hard work! We also can not fail to mention the hot meals, prayers and just fellowship from my Sister-In-Law, (my brother’s wife) plus countless other family and friends that kept us in their thoughts, prayers and offered a listening ear, during our build!

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Tips for Building your Barndominium-How have we been able to save money with our build? 

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Research, Research, Research!

Researching  is key and the golden ticket, in building and saving money! We did not buy a barndominium kit because it was cheaper for us to buy materials on our own instead of the kit. My husband even drew up our barndominium plans himself then I took it to a structural engineer to draw up the structural design plan! 

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Shop Local Habitat for Humanity 

We shopped at local Habitat for Humanity and found windows, doors, insulation, nails and dry wall. Some of the items were new and some gently used! We saved over 5k just on windows and doors! Currently we saved over 1k on insulation! We found dry wall for $7 a sheet! That’s over a 50% savings!! Try looking for local discount stores that sell building supplies at a discount. We were  willing to drive a distance to find materials that were cheaper! Check out our reel on how we saved at our local Habitat for Humanity! Buying used windows and doors needed our own touch, like our paint colors and door stains! It was easy, see?! 

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DIY as much as you can!

Learning to have a lot of patience during this progress, you can diy the majority of your build! Be willing to learn a new trade! Don’t say you can’t because you can learn a new skill! I have learned to build barn doors, frame a wall and more! Be patient! If you don’t know how to dry wall, learn! If you can’t install a kitchen faucet, learn! 

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With diy-ing almost everything ourselves, plus with me being an influencer ( I got around $20k in collaborations), we estimated that we’ve saved over $50k on our build! Check out one of our collaborations here! 

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Ask For Help

Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Family and friends are willing to help! I think my Dad could always sense when we were getting to the point of being overwhelmed with everything. There are certain points when he would ask if we needed his help. The roof was a huge one!

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We still have projects to finish inside and even the outside of our barndominium. We even have four friends that are willing to drive hours away and come help with projects here this spring!! It is truly God ordained!

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What have we learned?

We have learned that if you put your mind to something, that you can do it! We have learned a whole heck of a lot of humility, compassion and perseverance. When we wanted to give up, we turned to God. We we wanted to throw everything out of our non-existent windows, we gave it to Him! When we thought our purpose was one way, God had other plans and we stopped, allowed Him to carry out His plan for our family. 

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When it seems like your drowning and the project seems so massive, I promise, you will look back and be glad that you did it! If we can answer any questions, please reach out! 
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Decor, DIY

DIY American Girl Christmas Tree

by sweetsoutherngraces8 Comments on DIY American Girl Christmas Tree

Today, I am teaming up with six of my blogging friends to share our ”Surprise Box Challenge”.

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Our rules were simple: draw names, purchase $10 worth of items from The Dollar Tree and ship to the person we were assigned to then wait to receive our items!

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CHALLENGE ACCEPTED 

Challenge accepted?! I was a little unsure of the items I received until.. The first idea that came to mind was making a tree for my youngest daughter’s,  American Girl dolls!

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I decided to get to work on the tree first! I used the ribbon to make a box topper first. Super simple! 

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I just gathered the ribbon in a few loops, like so..

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Then I used the twine that was attached to the wood hanging piece to tie a knot and secure my bow!

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I used the remaining ribbon to cascade down the tree in three different sections.

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I decided to use the berry garland as my garland and sort of loop it on the tree. I also used the wood tree ornaments and just strung them on the tree. They even game with string to tie them on the tree!

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I decided to use the red scarf as my tree skirt but cut off the white pom pom balls.

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I did not use the lights because they needed batteries and that was not included in my box. Bummer!

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My little sure did love Mommy’s new craft for her doll thet she got for her birthday!



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I hope you enjoyed this challenge and will visit the other ladies blogs as well!

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Decorate and More with Tip

Worcester Run

Sweet Southern Grace

Patina and Paint

The House House

Stilettos and Shiplap

DIY

SIMPLE & NEUTRAL HOLIDAY GIFT WRAPPING

by sweetsoutherngraces6 Comments on SIMPLE & NEUTRAL HOLIDAY GIFT WRAPPING

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SIMPLICITY THIS SEASON 

This year, I am craving simplicity in our barndominium for the holidays-from our tree to gift giving and even the wrapping paper! Do you crave simplicity this holiday season?

I am getting together with seven of my fellow bloggers to share how we are wrapping our Christmas gifts this holiday season!! Now, back in the day, when I was younger and our family was smaller, I would have all of our gifts wrapped by Thanksgiving! These days, with a larger family plus being I am in a much busier season of life, I simply do not. Sharing with y’all has me a bit ahead of the game this year!

ITEMS NEEDED

I have always enjoyed using brown kraft paper, as wrapping paper because there are so many ways to dress it up or down! Plus, it is super budget friendly, at $4 for a huge roll. Brown kraft paper is very thick, which means, it will not tear as your wrapping it!

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Greenery (I used fresh rosemary from my garden), dried oranges, neutral twine, red/white twine and handmade white cardstock gift tags.

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In my last blog, I shared about how I made my dried orange garland and I just love the idea of using natural elements in gift wrapping like fresh greenery, dried oranges and twine. You could use any fresh greenery like cypress, pine or sage. Fresh dried fruits like apples, pears, lemons or limes. Check out my Orange Garland Reel on IG!

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I wrapped my boxes in brown kraft paper, purchased at Hobby Lobby for $4, when it was half off. I had my twine on hand but its usually only a couple bucks at Hobby Lobby or Wal-Mart. I also had white cardstock on hand and decided to cut out my own little gift tags and handwrite each name with a special note. Next, I added either the neutral or red twine and tied with a bow. Lastly, adding the fresh rosemary and dried oranges!

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Simple, neutral and budget friendly! I am using mostly neutrals and keeping things simple this Christmas at the barndominium. Check out some fellow bloggers below and see how they are wrapping their gifts this holiday season!!

 

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Decor, DIY

DIY DRIED ORANGE GARLAND

by sweetsoutherngraces8 Comments on DIY DRIED ORANGE GARLAND

Last Christmas, I wanted to try the diy dried orange garland that was all over Instagram! I couldn’t try it out because we were living in our camper, which had no oven, while we built our barndominium! This year, I knew I would be trying it! Dried orange garland is super easy, plus budget friendly as well! check out my REEL on IG!

Today, I am joining a group of blogging friends for a fun Christmas DIY blog hop, hosted by Terrie, Decorate and More with Tip !

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DRIED ORANGE GARLAND

This garland is perfect for hanging on your Christmas tree, mantel, on a cabinet, gathered around  your window or even as trim for your Christmas gifts! It takes a little bit of time, but your house will smell amazing and it is SO worth the effort! 

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ITEMS NEEDED

  •  10-12 Oranges
  •  Scissors/knife 
  •  Twine
  •  Baking Sheet
  •  Parchment Paper

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Cut off ends of oranges. Slice oranges into about 1/4 inch thick in slices.

2. Place oranges, in  single layer, onto baking sheet, lined with parchment paper.

3.  Bake for 4-6 hours or uintil completely dry.

4. Make a knot into the end of a piece of twine and thread oranges through.

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TIPS

Pat oranges dry before placing in oven. This helps to take out some of the moisture. I also opened my oven occassionally to let out some of the steam. Oranges are dried when the pulp is see-through. I held mine up to a window and if the pulp was see-though,  it was done!

I am so glad that I made dried orange garland this year! I love it’s simplicity during the Christmas season! You could even leave it up as winter decor through February! I may add this to my yearly traditions! Check out a few of my friends as we all have gotten together to share a Christmas DIY! I know you will love what they are sharing with you! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

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Decorate and More with Tip

Patina and Paint

Blue Sky at Home

The House House

Blessings By Me

Purple Hues and Me

Sweet Southern Grace

LeCultivateur

Hootshack

Decor

Why Choose Organic Cotton Bedding for Kids?

by sweetsoutherngracesLeave a Comment on Why Choose Organic Cotton Bedding for Kids?

“This blog post is sponsored by Coco Village and reflects my own personal views and opinions on the products.”

Organic cotton is better for people and the environment. We’ve chosen to go organic with our kids bedding!

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As parents, we always want the best for our children. Our children spend an average of 10 hours out of 24 hours in their bed! By adding 100% organic cotton to their beds is really the best we can do the best for our children! Parents can sleep soundly while our children dream peacefully in bedding free of chemicals and toxic substances!

Non Organic Cotton Production 

Non Organic Cotton has “earned” the title of being the dirtiest crop on earth-with 16% of the world’s insecticides and requiring $2 Billion in pesticides each year. Pesticides and insecticides used in cotton production contaminate the soil we use to grow crops, the air we breathe and the water we drink. Non organic crops also uses much more water due to unhealthy soil conditions.

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Organic Cotton Bedding


Organic cotton is produced in ways that it is better for the environment by using non-gmo seeds, farmers hand-picking weeds, using less water by having healthier non-pesticide soil. By applying these principles, the soil will result in a harvest that yields better for cotton farmers.

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What Happens When We Choose Organic Cotton?

By making a choice for a sustainably-produced cotton product, we help protect our environment, people and animals. Since organic cotton is grown with the help of natural cultivation methods, without artificial fertilizer and chemical pesticides. Examples like: crop rotation or the use of biological control agents.  The results are that people and the environment are sleeping and breathing less toxicity!

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Coco Village Organic Cotton Bedding

Coco Village has been in our home for the last couple of years. This is one of our family’s favorite shops! Coco Village also has 100% Organic Cotton Bedding for kids! Our youngest two girls were so excited to begin decorating their new room in our new Barndominium!  We started off with Coco Village’s Organic Cotton Geo Quilt and in the White Black color. 

This quilt is the perfect mix between  texture, comfort and organic cotton quality! I love the minimalist neutral design, with soft organic cotton  blends beautifully with any decor! Your results will be  a warm and inviting environment. Your kids will love it!

Coco Village Black Friday Sale

Subscribe to Coco Village’s VIP early Black Friday sale!! If you subscribe to the link, you will get special early access on November 25th to all their BF deals!!!  Check out the REEL we made on IG of our new bedding!

If y’all have any questions, please feel free to reach out!

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Lifestyle

Our Experience with Acon Trampoline

by sweetsoutherngracesLeave a Comment on Our Experience with Acon Trampoline

“This blog post is sponsored by Acon Trampoline and reflects my personal views and opinions on the products.”

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”Mommy, can we buy a trampoline?”

When our youngest two daughters began asking for a trampoline, since their older two adult sisters had had one, when they were younger, I began researching the best trampolines on the market. I researched, I read blog reviews, just like you a reading now because I wanted the best for my children, as any parents do. What I came up with was that Acon Trampoline was safe with premium quality that is designed to last for generations. Plus, in comparison to other premium trampoline’s, Acon was budget friendly and they frequently have sales! Win! Win! Check out our REEL on IG!!!

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Acon Trampoline

Enter Acon Trampoline into our lives! Designed in Finland, since 1996, Acon has invested research and development in order to stay on the leading edge of performance. Acon has a premium collection of trampolines and in all different sizes.

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Premium Qualities

All of Acon trampolines are black powder coated and made of galvanized steel both inside and out. Do you know what that means? It means your trampoline will not rust. Thick frame tube ensure us, as consumers, that it’s construction will not bend or warp from standard use. It will keep for generations to come!

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Warranty

Acon’s warranty is 10 years on the frame, 5 years on the mat, 2 years on the safety pad and other mat components with 2 plus years on the springs, depending on your model type.  Best of all, once your warranty runs out, they have an inventory of spare parts. Anything you could need for your trampoline! 

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Build a Trampoline Package

Acon definitely build their trampolines with families in mind! Every model comes with a standard base style, plus you can choose what accessories to add to your package. They have ladders, safety enclosures and special trick accessories. 

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The New Acon Air 13ft Sport HD Rectangular Trampoline

Your backyard will be the hit of the neighborhood with the newest Acon 13ft Rectangular Trampoline! When Acon reached out and said they wanted to offer our family their brand new 13ft Acon Trampoline, our two youngest girls and I screamed with excitement! 

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The new X-series springs bring even MORE bounce and longer lifetime of jumping! The frame has an all new adjustable double layer bounce system that you can adjust the springs to one or two different vertical attachment positions to create mat tension to suit your style! It is seriously the most bounciest trampoline I have ever jumped on! Yes, this Momma still got some moves!!

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The Quiet SafeZone mat includes a skirt that reaches over the springs. It will also dampen the noise and eliminates spring contact.  The net is designed for No Finger Access and is made from durable and skin friendly materials in order to keep all fingers and toes safe! 

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Ya’ll! This trampoline is perfect for Christmas! Perfect for Santa to bring on Christmas morning, am I right?! The girls and I are LOVING their new trampoline from Acon! If y’all have any questions, please feel free to reach out!! Check out our reel on IG of our new Acon Trampoline! We hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas and wonderful holiday season! 

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DIY

Home Security with Lorex Technology

by sweetsoutherngraces2 Comments on Home Security with Lorex Technology


“This blog post is sponsored by Lorex Technology and reflects my personal views and opinions on the products.”

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Lorex Technology offers a simple solution of home security system that you can access from your pocket computer-aka your smartphone of your choice.

Home Security Made Simple

Does the thought of installing your own home security system intimidate you? Fear no more, we are here to show you just how easy it is to install you own home security stystem from Lorex. Plus, I want to share why we chose Lorex for our home security monitoring needs! Check out our VIDEO on IG of our installation and how it works

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2K Wire-Free Camera Security System with Wi-Fi Doorbell

Overview

Lorex’s home security has never been easier to install or monitor your home with their indoor/outdoor 2K Wire-Free Security System. The Lorex Home Hub, a 2K Wi-Fi Video Doorbell and three 2K resolution wire-free cameras, this system will help you protect what matters most with no monthly fees. Let me show you how!

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Smart Deterrence

The Doorbell and Wire-Free cameras include a motion-activated LED warning light to deter any unwanted guests. You can even get a notification on your smartphone when someone arrives at your home!

2K Resolution Recording

A 4MP image sensor provides 2X the resolution as 1080p, which provides an exceptionally sharp and detailed video.

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Color Night Vision™

External lighting capture’s full color video at night. In low-light settings, the camera’s IR night vision will activate.

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1080p Wi-Fi Floodlight Camera

Overview 

Combine your security plus lighting with Lorex Technology’s 1080p Wi-Fi Floodlight Camera. With dual LED lights that can produce 4k lumens, which is plenty to illuminate your front door, garage or backyard during the night.  I believe it also serves as an effective deterrent for any unwanted guests on your property.  The 1080p Wi-Fir Floodlight Camera also includes full 1080p HD recording, a remotely triggered siren, two-way audio and infrared night vision, that allows the camera to see up to 50 feet. Local storage means no monthly fees. One of the best features is that you can install by using your existing light fixture wiring, so it stays powered 24/7 without having to recharge batteries! The camera on the floodlight can be adjusted vertically or horizontally. Includes a 32 GB microSD card and supports up to 256 GB microSD storage

Dual LED Floodlights

With the Dual LED Floodlights, there are three ways of activating the floodlights: motion, on a schedule or manually. In motion-triggered mode, the lights will automatically turn on when the passive infrared sensor detects movement. They will automatically turn off after the designated duration. Option to activate the floodlights manually or on a schedule through the Lorex Home app.

Fully Weather-Resistant

The Wi-Fi Floodlight camera is MADE for the outdoors. Featuring IP65 weather-resistance certification, even rain and snow!

Real-Time 1080p HD Video

Its all in the details by capturing important details with real-time, 30 frames-per-second full, 1080p HD resolution recording.

PIR Motion Detection

Passive Infrared motion detector will capture the most important moments and has a 270° horizontal field of view!! It is designed to sense the infrared energy that eminates from people, animals or even vehicles. This helps to reduce false alarms from other moving objects! So smart!

Wide Angle Lens

This Wi-Fi floodlight security camera is equipped with a wide angle lens that is ideal for monitoring large areas or doorways and has a 137° diagonal field of view!

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1080p Full HD Smart Indoor Wi-Fi Security Camera 

Overview

Lorex’s 1080p HD indoor Wi-Fi monitoring is a seamless, easy solution for monitoring doorways, windows, hallways or even your high value items. Or if your like us, have a puppy to monitor while your away! You could even use it to monitor little ones at night. The camera features a pan-tilt feature that allows you to remotely adjust it’s field of view up and down or left and right straight from your phone. It also has 1080p HD resolution, two-way audio and  infrared night vision!

Privacy Mode

Privacy Mode is available using the Lorex Home app to temporarily disable your camera’s remote viewing, recording capabilities and push notifications. 

Pan, Tilt, Digital Zoom

The WiFi camera has the ability to pan and tilt! It also features 16× digital zoom and night vision range up to 33 feet. 

Two-Way Audio

The camera’s built-in microphone plus speaker will help you ward off uninvited guests, all with a touch of your smartphone or even your tablet. You can talk to whoever is on the other end of the camera!!!

Wide Angle Field of View

The Wi-Fi camera is equipped  with a 135° diagonal field of view. I recommend setting up the camera near doorways or wide entranceways for maximum coverage!

Person Detection

With Person Detection, avoid false alerts and unnecessary notifications. Designed to recognize when a person enters the camera’s field of view, this feature will reduce unwanted motion alerts while providing more intelligent monitoring for us!

HEVC / H.265 Encoding

High Efficiency Video Coding, more commonly referred is a video encoding technology that compresses large data files without diminishing the quality. It can compress up to 50% more than previous encoding technology, which helps save you bandwidth space when remotely watching live or recorded footage.

Lorex Security System Installation

Set up

With Lorex, you can easily set up your Wi-Fi Floodlight Camera with a quick and easy installation process by using the existing wiring from your previous floodlight or outdoor house light. It can also connect to your pre-existing standard junction box. How amazing is that?! Win, win in my book!

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Lorex Home App

For our family, if your like us, when your away for a business trip or on a long overdue family vacation, using the Lorex Home App to keep tabs on your home, has never been easier! Stress-free if you will!  Download the app and use your smartphone or tablet to view live and recorded footage, change the camera settings or even use two-way audio plus more!

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Overall Review

I researched every single home security system that is available on the market, right now and I chose Lorex for our home security! Why? Easy to install, budget friendly and it  gives us the home security that we need!

I absolutely love our new security system from Lorex!! I have worked with Matthew from Lorex and from the start, he has been so kind, asking if we had any questions about the system, if we were enjoying it and if he could be of any assistance, he would help!! If I needed tech, he was on it and they would call me within the hour! 

EXCEPTIONAL PRODUCT

Lorex’s reviews online are outstanding and I give them an outstanding ovation of quality of product and outstanding customer service! This system is also super budget friendly when comparing other home security systems! I believe it will fit into almost any budget! If you have any questions, please reach out! I’d be happy to answer any of your questions or point you in the right direction!

PS-Lorex has Black Friday sales now!!!

❤️~Shae

Decor, DIY

How I Found the Best Appliances for Our Barndominium

by sweetsoutherngracesLeave a Comment on How I Found the Best Appliances for Our Barndominium

[This post contains sponsored links from ZLINE. All reviews and opinions are mine.]

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Today, I am ecstatic to share about how I found the best appliances for our Barndominium Kitchen. I searched for modern looking appliances that were superb quality at an affordable price. I found them at ZLINE and I am thrilled to have the high-end appliances of my dreams without all those high prices!

Modern, High Quality & Affordable ZLINE Appliances 

When we began dreaming of our DIY barndominium , I had substantial plans for our kitchen in the barndominium. I was determined to find high-end, high-quality, modern appliances at an affordable price. When I found ZLINE, I knew my search was over. Their company met all of my expectations and more!

Why You Should Buy a ZLINE Appliance

On average, ZLINE appliances are 50 % less expensive compared to similar products on the market. ZLINE brings the best quality-to-price ratio in the industry. Trust me when I say that I did my research when it came to the purchase of appliances for our DIY barndominium. I wanted appliances with multiple features but also something that would stand the test of time. I wanted to have an appliance to grow old with per say. I have been cooking for over twenty years and I thought it was about time that my culinary experiences would reflect well on a quality, well built appliance. Let me not forget to mention how stunningly gorgeous these appliances are to the eye! A show stopper in any kitchen!

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ZLINE Dropin Gas Stovetop 

All ZLINE ranges use handcrafted Italian burners, which are some of the highest quality on the market and imported directly from Italy. The single-piece porcelain top is durable and easy to clean. All of the ZLINE hinges are designed to stay put and imported from Italy, along with a fluid and stable weighted action.

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Range Features

• Italian brass burners provides superior heat retention and even flame distribution.
• Solid-pieace cast iron grate. Heavy duty, built to last with exceptional strenth-to-weight ratio.
• Heavy duty, no-scratch Italian made porcelain one-piece cooktop. Easy to clean with  no crevices that can hold residue.
• Cooktop can be installed into counter or island.
 
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ZLINE Professional Single Wall Oven 

Luxury is the first word that comes to mind with our new ZLINE Convection Single Wall Oven. Experiencing the beauty of our built-in with a modern design has been surreal! I told my husband we may gain some weight with all the biscuits, casseroles and desserts I have been making!  

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ZLINE Professional Wall Oven has several standard and convection cooking modes, including: Standard Bake, Standard Broil, Convection Bake, Convection Roast, and Convection Broil. 

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Oven Features

  • Standard Bake and Broil modes.
  • Built-in design.
  • Temperature probe and sabbath mode feature.
  • Comes  with one oven rack, one telescoping oven rack and a broil pan and tray.
  • Halogen oven light.
  • Self-Clean technology with delay cleaning feature to begin self-cleaning on your schedule.
  • Safety panel lock.
  • Proprietary stay-put hinges are designed to support the full weight of the oven door and hold at any place.

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ZLINE Built-in Convection Microwave Oven 

Upgrade is the first word that comes to mind with our new ZLINE Microwave! With 11 different power levels, utilizing regular heat, broil, or convection cooking elements. It is perfect for busy families on the go! The microwave oven’s cooking features include multi-stage cooking technology, sensor cooking, express cooking, and multiple auto-defrost settings. I also enjoy the safety of the child lock safety feature! I love the reversable wire rack that you can use facing down for baking or roasting or facing up for grilling. 

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Microwave Features

  • Ceramic made with reversible turntable. The turntable can turn clockwise or counter clockwise. 
  • Kitchen timer feature with a crystal clear LCD display.  
  • Multiple defrost settings.
  • Standard, broil and convection microwave modes.
  • 1,000 watt cooking power to thoroughly cook or defrost any dish.
  • Rapide preheating-The oven reaches the set temperature very quickly to expedite the reheating process. 
  • Sensor cooking-The microwave oven automaticall determines the required cooking time for each food item and allows you to cook foods without selecting cooking times or power levels. 

Closing Thoughts on Our ZLINE Appliances

If you are looking to upgrade your appliances or install appliances in your newly built home, look no further when it comes to ZLINE appliance! Quality, luxury and best pricing for top of the line appliances. I am so pleased with our decision to purchase ZLINE appliances! We love every single detail of each appliance! If you have any questions about purchasing appliances, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

❤️~Shae