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		<title>Fresh &amp; Local: 2012 Summer Guide to OKC+ Farmers’ Markets</title>
		<link>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/18/fresh-local-2012-summer-guide-to-okc-farmers%e2%80%99-markets/</link>
		<comments>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/18/fresh-local-2012-summer-guide-to-okc-farmers%e2%80%99-markets/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2012 14:16:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>meg</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fresh and Local]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Healthy Living]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bringingdesignhome.com/?p=7133</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Can you believe it!? It&#8217;s that time of year where the tomatoes grow just so perfect in the summer sun and the taste is unlike anything else in the entire season! We love out little garden but we realize that not anyone can afford the time, money, and energy it takes to maintain a garden. [...]

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Can you believe it!? It&#8217;s that time of year where the tomatoes grow just so perfect in the summer sun and the taste is unlike anything else in the entire season! We love out little garden but we realize that not anyone can afford the time, money, and energy it takes to maintain a garden. With the idea of fresh and local becoming such a popular term these days it&#8217;s making it easier for the not so green thumbs to still cash in on some wonderful homegrown vegetables! We like to attend Farmers&#8217; Markets simply because we can purchase fillers that we didn&#8217;t plant in our garden and it makes a wonderful Saturday morning for the kids. We&#8217;ve also found that even on a small budget you can always find a few cheap veggies AND their shelf life is 2-3x longer than the stuff you buy at the store! Totally worth the extra $0.15 cents if you ask us!</p>
<p>It&#8217;s time to officially welcome in the summer by attending a Farmers&#8217; Market near you. Enjoy! <img src='http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<h4>NORTH OKC</h4>
<blockquote><p><a title="Edmond Farmer's Market" href="http://edmondok.com/index.aspx?NID=365" target="_blank"><strong>Edmond Farmer’s Market:</strong><strong> </strong></a><br />
Date: (June 6<sup>th </sup>– August 15<sup>th</sup>) Wednesdays &#8211; includes Jr. Market<br />
(April– October) Saturdays<br />
Time: 8am to 1pm<br />
Location: Downtown Edmond on 1st street, west of Broadway<br />
Payment: Cash and some vendors accept checks &amp; credit/debit cards</p>
<p><a href="http://edmondok.com/index.aspx?NID=368" target="_blank">Vendor List;</a> <a href="http://edmondok.com/index.aspx?NID=369" target="_blank">Product List</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.nationalwomeninag.com/Farmers-Markets.html" target="_blank"><strong>NWIAA&#8217;s (National Women in Agriculture Association) Community Farmers&#8217; Market</strong> <strong>:</strong></a><br />
Date: (June 19th &#8211; August 24<sup>th</sup>) Fridays<br />
Time: 9am &#8211; 1pm<br />
Location: Where: YMCA; 1701 N Martin Luther King, Oklahoma City, OK<br />
Payment: Cash</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nationalwomeninag.com/Cheryl-Bryant-Bell-Peppers.html" target="_blank">Produce List;</a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Women-In-Ag-Association/116899484999863?ref=ts&amp;sk=wall" target="_blank">Facebook<strong> </strong><br />
</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.osuokc.edu/farmersmarket/" target="_blank"><strong>OSU-OKC Farmers&#8217; Market</strong> #2:</a><br />
Date: Every Wednesday, Starting May 9th, 2012<br />
Time: 11 pm to 3 pm<br />
Location: Whole Foods Market Parking Lot, 6001 N. Western Ave.<br />
Payment: Cash or Check.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.osuokc.edu/farmersmarket/vendors.aspx" target="_blank">Vendor List;</a> <a href="http://www.osuokc.edu/farmersmarket/fresh.aspx" target="_blank">Product List;</a> <a href="http://www.osuokc.edu/farmersmarket/produce.aspx" target="_blank">OK Seasonal Produce Availability Calendar</a></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #888888;">* All produce is 100% Oklahoma Grown! See what vendors are certified organic <a title="OSU-OKC Farmers' Market #2" href="http://www.osuokc.edu/farmersmarket/vendors.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></em></p>
<p><a href="http://mollysgarden.tumblr.com/" target="_blank"><strong>(Yukon) Molly&#8217;s Garden </strong></a><br />
*Closed this season*</p>
<p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mollys-Garden/196314097077802" target="_blank">facebook</a>; <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/MollysGarden" target="_blank">twitter</a></p></blockquote>
<h4>EAST OKC:</h4>
<blockquote><p><a href="http://www.choctawfestival.org/Farmersmarket.html" target="_blank"><strong>(Choctaw) Eastern Oklahoma County Farmers&#8217; Market:</strong></a><br />
Date: (June 2<sup>nd</sup> – October) Saturdays<br />
Time: 8am – 12pm<br />
Location: Choctaw Creek Park located at 2001 N. Harper Road<br />
Payment: Cash Only</p>
<p><span style="color: #888888;"><em>* All products are 100% Oklahoma Grown and Made! </em></span></p>
<p><strong>(Midwest City/Del City)</strong><strong>Mid Del Farmers&#8217; Market:</strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #888888;"><em>* Still waiting on updated information?</em></span></p>
<p><strong>OSDH Wellness Farmers&#8217; Market<br />
</strong>Date: (June 7th – August) Thursdays<br />
Time: 7am – 1pm<br />
Location: 1000 NE 10th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73117<br />
Payment: Cash Only</p>
<p><span style="color: #888888;"><em>* This is a very small community market that is looking for farmers. If you are interested in selling your produce this is a great place to start! Email <a href="mailto:kpayne@health.ok.gov"><span style="color: #888888;">wellness@health.ok.gov</span></a> for info!</em></span></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #888888;">**Includes Oklahoma Grown only!</span></em></p></blockquote>
<h4><strong>SOUTH OKC: </strong></h4>
<blockquote><p><a title="Moore Old Town Farmers' Market" href="http://www.cityofmoore.com/moore-community-center/old-town-farmers-market" target="_blank"><strong>(Moore) Old Town Farmers&#8217; Market:</strong></a><br />
Date: (May 24th – September 1st) Thursday/Saturday<br />
Time: 4pm-7:30pm/8am-12pm<br />
Location: Next door to the Moore Community Center at 301 S. Howard<br />
Payment: Cash</p>
<p><em><span style="color: #888888;">* The first 1000 shoppers at the Old Town Farmer&#8217;s Market will receive a free re-useable shopping bag!</span></em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.clevelandcountyfair.org/farmmarket.html" target="_blank"><strong>Norman Farm Market:</strong></a><br />
Date: (April–October) Wednesdays/Saturdays<br />
Time: 8 am–12 pm<br />
Location: Cleveland County Fairgrounds; 615 E. Robinson, Norman, OK (3/4 miles East of I-35)<br />
Payment: Cash, check and there is an ATM machine down in the Market. Select vendors accept Access Oklahoma (food stamps), WIC, Chickasaw vouchers, and Senior Nutrition Cards.</p>
<p><a title="Norman Farm Market: Vendor List" href="http://www.clevelandcountyfair.org/Used%20by%20Andrea/Market/vendorlist.html" target="_blank">Vendor List;</a> <a title="Norman Farm Market: What's In Season List" href="http://www.clevelandcountyfair.org/Used%20by%20Andrea/Market/monthlylist.html" target="_blank">Seasonal Product List</a></p>
<p><span style="color: #888888;"><em>* See what vendors are 15%-100% homegrown <a title="Norman Farm Market" href="http://www.clevelandcountyfair.org/Used%20by%20Andrea/Market/vendorlist.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #888888;">here.</span></a></em></span></p></blockquote>
<h4><strong>WEST OKC:</strong></h4>
<blockquote><p><a href="http://www.osuokc.edu/farmersmarket/" target="_blank"><strong>OSU-OKC Farmers&#8217; Market</strong> #1:</a><br />
Date: Every Saturday Year Around!<br />
Time: 8am – 1pm<br />
Location: OSU-OKC Campus in the Horticulture Pavilion; 10th &amp; 400 N. Portland Avenue<br />
<em>Payment:</em> Cash or Check</p>
<p><a href="http://www.osuokc.edu/farmersmarket/vendors.aspx" target="_blank">Vendor List;</a> <a href="http://www.osuokc.edu/farmersmarket/fresh.aspx" target="_blank">Product List; </a><a href="http://www.osuokc.edu/farmersmarket/produce.aspx" target="_blank">OK Seasonal Produce Availability Calendar</a></p></blockquote>
<h4><strong>DOWNTOWN OKC: </strong></h4>
<blockquote><p><a href="http://www.saintsok.com/internet/home/saintsok.nsf/Documents/E3AADE6DB7FA3FB38625789200695F1E?OpenDocument" target="_blank"><strong>MidTown Market:</strong></a><br />
Date: (May 11th – Thru October) Fridays<br />
Time: 1-6 pm<br />
Location: At the SW corner of 9th &amp; Walker<br />
Payment: Centralized checkout with acceptance of credit/debit cards, cash, check, or payroll deduct for St. Anthony employees.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.urbanagrarian.com/Links" target="_blank">Producer List</a>; <a href="http://shop.uaoklahoma.com/" target="_blank">Order Online &amp; Schedule a Pickup through Urban Agrarian</a></p>
<p><a title="Facebook: ODA" href="http://www.facebook.com/OklahomaAg" target="_blank"><strong>Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Farmers&#8217; Market</strong></a>:<br />
Date: (April – October) Thursdays<br />
Time: 12pm-5:30pm<br />
Location: 28th N. Lincoln Blvd. (ODA&#8217;s Parking Lot)<br />
Payment: cash, check, credit/debit cards</p>
<p><span style="color: #888888;"><em>* Features Oklahoma Grown/Made items only and specialty BBQ sauces, local cheeses (18 different flavors), table and wine grapes, salsa, etc. </em></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.uaoklahoma.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Urban Agrarian:</strong></a><br />
Date: Year Around/Sundays<br />
Time: 11am &#8211; 3pm<br />
Location: Outside of Cheever’s (23rd &amp; Hudson)<br />
Payment: Cash</p>
<p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/urbanagrarian" target="_blank">facebook;</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/UrbanAgrarian" target="_blank">twitter</a>; <a href="http://shop.uaoklahoma.com/" target="_blank">Order Online &amp; Schedule a Pickup through Urban Agrarian</a></p></blockquote>
<h4><strong>OKLAHOMA STATE &amp; BEYOND:</strong></h4>
<blockquote><p><strong><a href="http://www.okgrown.com/markets/" target="_blank">OK-Grown:</a></strong> Farmers&#8217; Markets in all of Oklahoma (General).<strong></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.oklahomafood.coop/welcome.php" target="_blank">Oklahoma Food Cooperative:</a></strong> Can’t make it to a market? Place a monthly order online and pickup at any one of their 32 sites across the state!<strong><a href="http://www.localharvest.org/"><br />
</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.localharvest.org/" target="_blank">Local Harvest:</a></strong> Brief overview of various Farmers&#8217; Markets in other states.</p></blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #888888;"><em>* A lot of these sites have individuals post information themselves regarding these markets. Because of that I have no idea when this information was last updated. Make sure that you are looking at a current schedule or contact the market specific to your location to ensure that the information is updated. </em></span></p>
<h4><em></em><strong>EXTRA CREDIT &amp; OTHER FUN STUFF <strong>(For the kids!)</strong>:<br />
</strong></h4>
<blockquote><p><strong> <a title="Oklahoma Agritourism" href="http://traveler.oklahomaagritourism.com/" target="_blank">Oklahoma Agritourism</a>:</strong> Find weekend getaways &amp; day trips to local farms, ranches &amp; vineyards!</p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><strong><a href="http://www.osuokc.edu/farmersmarket/produce.aspx" target="_blank">OSU-OK Seasonal Produce Availability Calendar:</a></strong> Tired of cooking the same meals? Schedule your cooking around what is in season. This not only changes things up, but provides a way for you and your family to eat local year around!</p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><strong><a href="http://www.kerrcenter.com/buy-fresh.htm" target="_blank">The Kerr Center:</a></strong> Download a FREE “Buy Fresh Buy Local” guide that connects consumers directly to Oklahoma Farmers (way cool)!</p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><strong><a href="http://edmondok.com/index.aspx?NID=365" target="_blank">Edmond Junior Market Days:</a></strong> Growing stuff in your garden with your kids? This market encourages kids to not only get active in making or growing a product for sale, but introduces them to the basics of business and customer relations. Help your child build his/her garden empire and make a little extra summer spending cash! <img src='http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p></blockquote>
<p>YOU HAVE NO EXCUSES! We&#8217;ve done ALL the leg work for you so grab a cute tote to collect your favorite veggies in and re-introduce your kids to some good ole down to earth family time!  This summer, discover all the agricultural adventures that our grand state has to offer!</p>
<p>From the Farm <span class="signature cm"><img src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-content/themes/bdh/images/sig_cale-meg.jpg" border="0"></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="color: #888888;"><em>* Please let us know if any information changes throughout the summer, or if we have missed any local markets, by posting a comment or sending us an email: megan@greencouchdesign.net. We want to make sure we are providing you with the most accurate and up-to-date information. </em></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #888888;"><em>** Every market in the Green Couch Design 2012 OKC+ Summer Farmers&#8217; Market Guide has been called personally and/or confirmed online for their summer 2012 schedule.</em></span></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #888888;">*** When clearly stated we&#8217;ve marked which markets are Certified Organic and/or 100% Locally Grown at the bottom of each listing. Feel free to contact individual markets specifically if you need further clarification or refer to their individual vendor list.</span><br />
</em></p>


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		<title>STUFF: Katie Daisy Farmhouse Prints</title>
		<link>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/16/stuff-katie-daisy-farmhouse-prints/</link>
		<comments>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/16/stuff-katie-daisy-farmhouse-prints/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 15:35:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>meg</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Country Inspired]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farmhouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illustration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Illustrator]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Katie Daisy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spring]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stuff]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bringingdesignhome.com/?p=7117</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s that time of year where the windows are constantly open, including the front door, and the old farm house seems to fade into the background of fresh flowers, green grass, and overgrown trees. Evenings seem to slow down a bit and life&#8217;s burdens feel lighter. We love how Katie Daisy encompasses all the joys [...]

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]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It&#8217;s that time of year where the windows are constantly open, including the front door, and the <a title="LIFE: Oh Boy, It's a Boy! :) " href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/03/life-oh-boy-its-a-boy-d/">old farm house</a> seems to fade into the background of fresh flowers, green grass, and overgrown trees. Evenings seem to slow down a bit and life&#8217;s burdens feel lighter.</p>
<p>We love how Katie Daisy encompasses all the joys of a country spring through her lovely illustrations.</p>
<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/il_570xN.333870011.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7120" title="il_570xN.333870011" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/il_570xN.333870011.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="777" /></a></p>
<p>Such a sweet reminder of just how wonderful this season is&#8230; even when it takes you four hours to mow the lawn! <img src='http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_sad.gif' alt=':(' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Purchase a <a title="Etsy: Katie Daisy Farmhouse Print" href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/thewheatfield?section_id=10885673" target="_blank">Farmhouse Print</a> from Katie&#8217;s <a title="Etsy: Katie Daisy" href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/thewheatfield" target="_blank">shop</a> and stop by her <a title="Katie Daisy: Blog" href="http://katiedaisyart.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blog</a> to see whats new.</p>
<p>From the Farm <span class="signature cm"><img src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-content/themes/bdh/images/sig_cale-meg.jpg" border="0"></span></p>


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		<title>Kara Paslay Designs &#8220;Inspire Me&#8221; Series: Green Couch Design</title>
		<link>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/15/inspire-me-series-green-couch-design-featured-on-kara-paslay/</link>
		<comments>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/15/inspire-me-series-green-couch-design-featured-on-kara-paslay/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 May 2012 12:55:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>meg</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dreams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Family and Friends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Couch Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LIFE]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[We we&#8217;re recently asked to be featured on an up and coming home interior design blog. Have you heard of Kara Paslay Designs? Well if you have not you definitely need to check out her and her husbands interior design company based out of Tulsa. They&#8217;ve always got lots of home projects going on with [...]

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/7165698604_ca9d6870d3_z.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7107" title="7165698604_ca9d6870d3_z" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/7165698604_ca9d6870d3_z.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="432" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/7165696862_17140243de_z.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7106" title="7165696862_17140243de_z" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/7165696862_17140243de_z.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="432" /></a></p>
<p>We we&#8217;re recently asked to be featured on an up and coming home interior design blog. Have you heard of <a title="Kara Paslay Designs: Inspire Me Series - Green Couch Design" href="http://karapaslaydesigns.blogspot.com/2012/05/inspire-me-series-green-couch-design.html" target="_blank">Kara Paslay Designs</a>? Well if you have not you definitely need to check out her and her husbands interior design company based out of Tulsa. They&#8217;ve always got lots of home projects going on with simple DIY&#8217;s perfect for any budget.</p>
<p>Kara asked us to share our story behind starting Green Couch Design, and the road we&#8217;ve taken to get to where we are today in a new series called &#8220;Inspire Me&#8221;. It&#8217;s a pretty heartfelt post, but one we&#8217;ve truly enjoyed putting together and going over some of where we have been and what we have overcome. Sometimes you just need to remind yourself of the process.</p>
<p>We hope it inspires you today as you pursue your dreams! Read the feature at <a title="Kara Paslay Design: Inspire Me - Green Couch Design" href="http://karapaslaydesigns.blogspot.com/2012/05/inspire-me-series-green-couch-design.html" target="_blank">Kara Paslay Designs</a> and make sure you tell her we said hello! <img src='http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' />  <a title="Kara Paslay Design: Inspire Me - Green Couch Design" href="http://karapaslaydesigns.blogspot.com/2012/05/inspire-me-series-green-couch-design.html" target="_blank"><br />
</a></p>
<p>From the Farm <span class="signature cm"><img src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-content/themes/bdh/images/sig_cale-meg.jpg" border="0"></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


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		<title>LIFE: Bye, Bye Bambi (And Other Life Parallels)</title>
		<link>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/10/life-bye-bye-bambi-and-other-life-parallels/</link>
		<comments>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/10/life-bye-bye-bambi-and-other-life-parallels/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 May 2012 02:30:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>meg</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Dreams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Family and Friends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LIFE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baby]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[boy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cale and meg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prep]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bringingdesignhome.com/?p=7078</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Since we found out last week that we are having a BOY it has been full on baby mode at our house. We are getting more and more eager to meet our little guy. Meg&#8217;s starting to feel him move more and also finding it harder to get around. It&#8217;s really frustrating when your body [...]

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								<li class="related_1"><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/03/life-oh-boy-its-a-boy-d/" rel="bookmark" title="LIFE: Oh Boy, It&#8217;s a BOY! :D"><img width="100" height="100" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/old-farm-photo2-100x100.jpg" class="attachment-related-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="old-farm-photo2" title="old-farm-photo2" /></a><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/03/life-oh-boy-its-a-boy-d/" rel="bookmark" title="LIFE: Oh Boy, It&#8217;s a BOY! :D">LIFE: Oh Boy, It&#8217;s a BOY! :D</a></li>
									</ul>

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Since we found out last week that we are having a <a title="LIFE: Oh Boy, It's a Boy! :) " href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/03/life-oh-boy-its-a-boy-d/">BOY</a> it has been full on baby mode at our house. We are getting more and more eager to meet our little guy. Meg&#8217;s starting to feel him move more and also finding it harder to get around. It&#8217;s really frustrating when your body won&#8217;t let you do what mentally you feel like you can do!</p>
<p>Yep, we&#8217;re in full baby pre-prep. And maybe we should have been in that mode a couple of months ago, but we&#8217;re trying really hard to slow down life and enjoy the last few months we have together as Cale and Meg. Soon we&#8217;ll be adding another name to that list and although it&#8217;s exciting we feel like we&#8217;re saying bye to a lot of what we knew. What was normal. We&#8217;re saying bye to sweet moments of sleeping in on Saturdays, and being able to catchup with friends on a whim.</p>
<p>Josie&#8217;s still trying to figure out what is going on&#8230;</p>
<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/josie-dog-crib-makeover.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7082" title="josie-dog-crib-makeover" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/josie-dog-crib-makeover.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>I&#8217;m saying goodbye to my feet. The next time I see you will be when I&#8217;m holding our little man.</p>
<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/baby-belly-26-weeks.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7080" title="baby-belly-26-weeks" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/baby-belly-26-weeks.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>And we&#8217;re both saying goodbye to Bambi.</p>
<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/cale-painting-crib.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7096" title="cale-painting-crib" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/cale-painting-crib.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>That&#8217;s right, Cale didn&#8217;t think the crib design was manly enough <span style="color: #888888;"><em>(I don&#8217;t know why?!)</em></span> so we are painting it gray with a touch of orange!</p>
<p>We&#8217;ll fill you in with more photos later. Can&#8217;t wait to share.</p>
<p>But until then, we&#8217;re prepping for baby. As much as we can!</p>
<p>From the Farm <span class="signature cm"><img src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-content/themes/bdh/images/sig_cale-meg.jpg" border="0"></span></p>


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									</ul>

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		<title>2012 Garden Checklist: May</title>
		<link>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/09/2012-garden-checklist-may/</link>
		<comments>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/09/2012-garden-checklist-may/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 May 2012 02:52:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>meg</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Garden Checklist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Things]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2012]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Checklist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[May]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bringingdesignhome.com/?p=7060</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What a year we are having in Oklahoma. So far it’s been surprisingly wet, and surprisingly cool. Not that I don’t think we deserve it after last summer and winter! So down to business; how many of you have already started to harvest some early veggies? We’ve already been eating broccoli, and harvesting radishes. Although [...]

<h3>Related Posts</h3>
<ul class="rel_posts clearfix">
								<li class="related_1"><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/04/06/2012-garden-checklist-april/" rel="bookmark" title="2012 Garden Checklist: April"><img width="100" height="100" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/04/Garden-Checklist-Free-Download-4.2012-100x100.jpg" class="attachment-related-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="Garden-Checklist-Free-Download-4.2012" title="Garden-Checklist-Free-Download-4.2012" /></a><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/04/06/2012-garden-checklist-april/" rel="bookmark" title="2012 Garden Checklist: April">2012 Garden Checklist: April</a></li>
									<li class="related_2"><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2011/09/29/2011-garden-checklist-october/" rel="bookmark" title="2011 Garden Checklist: October"><img width="100" height="100" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2011/09/GCHL-FreeDwnld-100x100.jpg" class="attachment-related-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="GCHL FreeDwnld" title="GCHL FreeDwnld" /></a><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2011/09/29/2011-garden-checklist-october/" rel="bookmark" title="2011 Garden Checklist: October">2011 Garden Checklist: October</a></li>
									<li class="related_3"><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2011/08/25/garden-checklist-september-2011/" rel="bookmark" title="2011 Garden Checklist: September"><img width="100" height="100" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2011/08/GCHL-FreeDwnld-final-100x100.jpg" class="attachment-related-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="Click HERE to download our September, 2011 Garden Checklist" title="Click HERE to download our September, 2011 Garden Checklist" /></a><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2011/08/25/garden-checklist-september-2011/" rel="bookmark" title="2011 Garden Checklist: September">2011 Garden Checklist: September</a></li>
			</ul>

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What a year we are having in Oklahoma. So far it’s been surprisingly wet, and surprisingly cool. Not that I don’t think we deserve it after last summer and winter!</p>
<p>So down to business; how many of you have already started to harvest some early veggies? We’ve already been eating broccoli, and harvesting radishes. Although my radishes didn’t do as well as I had hoped, kind of puny, but we’ll try again next year. If you took the time to get your cool weather plants in, you should be enjoying some harvest right now. And if you’re a hot weather gardener, then your watching your tomatoes and peppers develop for your first jar of salsa! Usually I would be talking about dealing with heat about now, and getting ready for that hot dry spell from the end of May till mid August. While I’ll still include some of those reminders on my list, something different that you’ll see this year is pest management. Due to the weather wonders around here we are fighting more than our normal share of pests. So get out your garden tote and get ready to battle the bugs!</p>
<h6><span style="color: #33cc00;"><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/Garden-Checklist-may-2012.pdf"><span style="color: #33cc00;">Click HERE to downolad our 2012, May Garden Checklist!</span></a></span><span style="color: #33cc00;"><br style="color: #33cc00;" /></span></h6>
<p>Also, we recently did a week of garden posts on Curbly and couple of those topics may help you check a few items off your May Garden Checklist!</p>
<ul>
<li><a title="Curbly: Top 4 Things to Consider When Picking Plants for Your Garden" href="http://www.curbly.com/users/green-couch-design/posts/13694-the-4-things-to-consider-when-picking-plants-for-your-garden" target="_blank">Top 4 Things to Consider When Picking Plants for Your Garden</a></li>
<li><a title="Curbly: DIY Upcycled Garden Weed Block " href="http://www.curbly.com/users/green-couch-design/posts/13699-how-to-make-your-own-upcycled-diy-garden-weed-block" target="_blank">DIY Upcycled Garden Weed Block</a></li>
<li><a title="Curbly: Roundup: DIY Trellis Ideas" href="http://www.curbly.com/users/green-couch-design/posts/13700-roundup-6-diy-garden-trellis-ideas" target="_blank">Roundup: DIY Trellis Ideas</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Thanks for reading. Hope this helps and happy gardening!</p>
<p>From the Farm <span class="signature cale"><img src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-content/themes/bdh/images/sig_cale.jpg" border="0"></span></p>


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									<li class="related_2"><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2011/09/29/2011-garden-checklist-october/" rel="bookmark" title="2011 Garden Checklist: October"><img width="100" height="100" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2011/09/GCHL-FreeDwnld-100x100.jpg" class="attachment-related-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="GCHL FreeDwnld" title="GCHL FreeDwnld" /></a><br /><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2011/09/29/2011-garden-checklist-october/" rel="bookmark" title="2011 Garden Checklist: October">2011 Garden Checklist: October</a></li>
									<li class="related_3"><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2011/08/25/garden-checklist-september-2011/" rel="bookmark" title="2011 Garden Checklist: September"><img width="100" height="100" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2011/08/GCHL-FreeDwnld-final-100x100.jpg" class="attachment-related-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="Click HERE to download our September, 2011 Garden Checklist" title="Click HERE to download our September, 2011 Garden Checklist" /></a><br /><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2011/08/25/garden-checklist-september-2011/" rel="bookmark" title="2011 Garden Checklist: September">2011 Garden Checklist: September</a></li>
			</ul>

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		<title>LIFE: It&#8217;s Better with Friends</title>
		<link>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/08/life-its-better-with-friends/</link>
		<comments>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/08/life-its-better-with-friends/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 May 2012 14:12:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>meg</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family and Friends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LIFE]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bringingdesignhome.com/?p=7040</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This weekend we put on our party hats and headed into the city. Our friends Robb and Courtney are welcoming their second baby to the world, a baby girl in June, and we couldn&#8217;t be more excited to share in this journey with them! Let&#8217;s just say Meg and Courtney have had lots to chat [...]

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No related photos.
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This weekend we put on our party hats and headed into the city. Our friends Robb and Courtney are welcoming their second baby to the world, a baby girl in June, and we couldn&#8217;t be more excited to share in this journey with them! Let&#8217;s just say Meg and Courtney have had lots to chat about and compare <span style="color: #888888;"><em>(like baby bellies!)</em></span>. We were spoiled with fresh burgers and veggies off the grill along with homemade ice cream <em><span style="color: #888888;">(served in the cutest little mason jars)</span></em>!</p>
<p>Life sure is better when shared with friends! <img src='http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/life-flowers-party-4.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7042" title="life-flowers-party-4" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/life-flowers-party-4.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="941" /></a></p>
<p><a title="DIY Pinwheel" href="http://www.thesweetestoccasion.com/2011/05/video-tutorial-diy-pinwheels/" target="_blank">Handmade decorations</a> in pink and purple&#8230; definitely the &#8220;cutest&#8221; BBQ we&#8217;ve ever attended <em><span style="color: #888888;">(and Courtney claims she&#8217;s not that crafty)</span></em>! It was the perfect way to welcome their little girl and celebrate with friends.</p>
<p>Thanks for spoiling us with great food and great friendship! We love you both and are still considering that arranged marriage if you are interested! <img src='http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>From the Farm <span class="signature cm"><img src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-content/themes/bdh/images/sig_cale-meg.jpg" border="0"></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>PS Get Courtney&#8217;s recipe for <a title="Better Homes &amp; Garden: Pink Lemonade Cake" href="https://secure.bhg.com/common/profile/regStep1.jsp?recipeId=RU173793&amp;override=e&amp;regSource=1177" target="_blank">Pink Lemonade Layered Cake</a> in the 2012 May Better Homes &amp; Garden Issue <span style="color: #888888;">(you&#8217;ll have to become a member to get the recipe online)</span>!</em></p>


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		<title>LIFE: Oh Boy, It&#8217;s a BOY! :D</title>
		<link>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/03/life-oh-boy-its-a-boy-d/</link>
		<comments>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/03/life-oh-boy-its-a-boy-d/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 May 2012 14:20:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>meg</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Dreams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Family and Friends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LIFE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baby]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[boy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bringing design home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cale and meg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green couch design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[growing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bringingdesignhome.com/?p=6996</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When we first moved into our farm house, nearly four years ago, we had a lot of work to do! We live in the house that was homesteaded by Cale&#8217;s family in 1910. We don&#8217;t have central heating and air (thank God for window units and gas heaters!), our bathroom kinda protrudes out of the [...]

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						</ul>

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When we first moved into our farm house, nearly four years ago, we had a lot of work to do! We live in the house that was homesteaded by Cale&#8217;s family in 1910. We don&#8217;t have central heating and air <span style="color: #888888;"><em>(thank God for window units and gas heaters!)</em></span>, our bathroom kinda protrudes out of the rest of the house layout since it was a much needed upgrade to the original house design <span style="color: #888888;"><em>(in place of an outhouse)</em></span>, and the second floor no longer exists <em><span style="color: #888888;">(featured in the photo above)</span></em>. Apparently Grandpa Woody lost his leg and his wife didn&#8217;t want to go up stairs and have to clean the top floor <em><span style="color: #888888;">(cause back then you cleaned the entire house instead of shutting off the entire top floor for the general public),</span></em> and so they had the farm hands take the second floor off! <img src='http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_sad.gif' alt=':(' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>You could say it&#8217;s definitely full of &#8220;character&#8221;&#8230; so much &#8220;character&#8221; that my mom freaked out the first time she came to visit us <em></em> because of it&#8217;s wonderful &#8220;character&#8221; <em><span style="color: #888888;">(and much needed work)</span></em>!</p>
<p>It&#8217;s taken a lot of vision and foresight to make this place home. I&#8217;m not gonna lie the first year we lived here I didn&#8217;t put anything on the walls because I myself was unsure of really making this place &#8220;home&#8221;.</p>
<p>But now, I love our little farm house. I love our first home and the amazing opportunities that have come up because we&#8217;ve chosen to live in this old house. Some of our &#8220;designer&#8221; friends come out to visit and think we are a little crazy. They prefer pristine white apartment walls, white washed wooden floors,<em></em> and the sounds of the city. But at night, when all you can hear is the bugs and the frogs I swear it&#8217;s pure magic! It&#8217;s then that you realize what makes this place so wonderful. I often wonder what type of history has lived in this space before us? What were the children like that ran around this once working farm? Oh what fun stories I&#8217;m sure these walls could tell!</p>
<p>It&#8217;s beautiful, and I can&#8217;t think of a better place to raise our first son! We may not have very much installation in our walls <em><span style="color: #888888;">(that is what extra blankets and <em>footed pajamas</em> are for!)</span></em>, and it&#8217;s true that our child will share their first bedroom with the <a title="My Two NEW Best Friends" href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/01/15/life-my-two-new-best-friends/">washer and dryer</a>, but it&#8217;s home.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s the place I will become known as &#8220;mom&#8221;, and Cale as &#8220;dad&#8221;.</p>
<p>Looking back it seemed like a tough decision to stick it out here, but we are so proud of this simple life we&#8217;ve chosen. All &#8220;design&#8221; chat aside, it&#8217;s everything we&#8217;ve dreamed it up to be. We cannot wait to see what our farm house will sound like with a little boy running around catching bugs <em><span style="color: #888888;">(or chickens)</span></em> and coming in and saying &#8220;I didn&#8217;t do it!&#8221;. <img src='http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Bring it on little baby boy! We&#8217;ve been waiting for you.</p>
<p>From the Farm <span class="signature meg"><img src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-content/themes/bdh/images/sig_meg.jpg" border="0"></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #888888;"><em>PS The photo above is an original family photo (and one of my personal favorites) of our farm house with Cale&#8217;s Uncle John as a little boy. Apparently he liked to carry the chickens around as pets. <img src='http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </em></span></p>


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						</ul>

]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Everyday Design: Indoor Clouds</title>
		<link>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/02/everyday-design-clouds/</link>
		<comments>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/05/02/everyday-design-clouds/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 May 2012 14:42:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>meg</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Everyday Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[art]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Berndnaunt Smilde]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clouds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[indoor clouds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[instulation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[manmade clouds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[storms]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bringingdesignhome.com/?p=6967</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Spring is one of our favorite seasons here in Oklahoma and that is mainly because it&#8217;s storm season! You always recognize the visitors from the &#8220;locals&#8221; because they typically run to the nearest shelter as soon as their is any sign of tornado activity while everyone else is setting out lawn chairs. When you&#8217;re in [...]

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]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Spring is one of our favorite seasons here in Oklahoma and that is mainly because it&#8217;s storm season! You always recognize the visitors from the &#8220;locals&#8221; because they typically run to the nearest shelter as soon as their is any sign of tornado activity while everyone else is setting out lawn chairs.</p>
<p>When you&#8217;re in the country you get the best seat in the house. Watching storms roll in from afar and seeing how the clouds take shape and move across the sky is a surreal and powerful moment. We just love how artist <a title="Berndnaut" href="http://www.berndnaut.nl/index.htm" target="_blank">Berndnaunt Smilde</a> has captured that moment in an indoor setting and encourages us to look at each cloud as truly unique piece of art.</p>
<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/nimbus3.1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6970" title="nimbus3.1" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/nimbus3.1.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="420" /></a></p>
<p>&#8220;These stunning photos of indoor clouds might look like digital creations, but they&#8217;re actually of real scenes&#8230; The clouds are generated using a smoke machine, but Smilde must carefully monitor a room&#8217;s humidity and atmosphere in order to get the smoke to hang so elegantly, and with such life-like form. Backlighting is used to bring out shadows from within the cloud, to give it that look of a looming and ominous rain cloud.&#8221;<em> &#8211; <a title="Mother Nature Network: Artist Creates Beautiful Indoor Clouds" href="http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/stories/artist-creates-beautiful-indoor-clouds" target="_blank">Mother Nature Network</a></em></p>
<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/cumulusklein.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6969" title="cumulusklein" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/cumulusklein.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="415" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/nimbus4.1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6974" title="nimbus4.1" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/05/nimbus4.1.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="416" /></a></p>
<p>The cloud instillation is so majestic and angelic like. It really makes you long for that next BIG storm! We&#8217;re looking forward to more opportunities to cloud watch and storm chase as this spring has already brought us lots of wonderful rain <em><span style="color: #888888;">(which means the <a title="LIFE: 2010 Summer Wrap Up " href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2010/10/25/life-2010-summer-wrap-up/">blackberry&#8217;s</a> are growing great!)</span></em>.</p>
<p><strong>Do you hide from storms or like to watch them? What is your favorite storm watching moment?</strong></p>
<p>From the Farm <span class="signature cm"><img src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-content/themes/bdh/images/sig_cale-meg.jpg" border="0"></span></p>


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			</ul>

]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>LIFE: Blue or Pink? Moments That Change Everything.</title>
		<link>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/04/27/life-blue-or-pink-moments-that-change-you/</link>
		<comments>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/04/27/life-blue-or-pink-moments-that-change-you/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:36:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>meg</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Dreams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Family and Friends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LIFE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baby]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Make it Blue... No]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sleeping Beauty]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bringingdesignhome.com/?p=6938</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This weekend we find out if we are having a boy or girl. It&#8217;s been a crazy week and one that has barely allowed us any free time to actually process what this weekend will mean&#8230; but, this is one of those moments that changes everything. When we first found out we were pregnant we [...]

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			</ul>

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/04/pink-or-blue.gif"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6956" title="pink-or-blue" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/04/pink-or-blue.gif" alt="" width="621" height="448" /></a></p>
<p>This weekend we find out if we are having a boy or girl. It&#8217;s been a crazy week and one that has barely allowed us any free time to actually process what this weekend will mean&#8230; but, this is one of those moments that changes everything.</p>
<p>When we <a title="Guess What We're Growing This Spring?!" href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/02/29/life-guess-what-were-growing-this-spring/">first found out</a> we were pregnant we found ourselves constantly saying; &#8220;We just want a healthy baby&#8221;. But one night as we were laying in bed Cale revealed that he was just saying that because it&#8217;s the &#8220;politically correct&#8221; thing to say. In all honesty he really wants a boy.</p>
<p>So&#8230; since then we have been saying we really want a boy. <img src='http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>But, we just checked the <a title="Baby Center: Chinese Gender Predictor" href="http://www.babycenter.com/chinese-gender-predictor" target="_blank">Chinese Gender Predictor</a> <em><span style="color: #888888;">(</span><span style="color: #888888;"><em>t</em>hat is over 700 years old)</span></em> and it says we are having girl?! All I can think about is that part at the end of Sleeping Beauty when the two fairy Godmothers keep changing her dress&#8230; &#8220;<a title="YouTube: Sleeping Beauty" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie3FfJXgwiw&amp;feature=related" target="_blank">Make it blue&#8230; No, make it Pink!&#8221;</a>. Does anyone else know what I&#8217;m talking about?</p>
<p>I have no doubt we will welcome whatever gender God has given us, but the battle wages on in my head. What is this Little Noodle <em><span style="color: #888888;">(that is what Cale calls it)</span></em> inside of me? Ultimately, we are excited to know either way. 24 weeks and counting!</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s to a weekend full of BIG events! <img src='http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>From the Farm <span class="signature meg"><img src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-content/themes/bdh/images/sig_meg.jpg" border="0"></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="color: #888888;"><em>PS Keep up with our nursery inspiration by following Meg&#8217;s Pinterest Board: <a title="Pinterest: I Have a Thing for Whales" href="http://pinterest.com/megan_lopp/i-have-a-thing-for-whales/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #888888;">I Have a Thing for Whales</span></a><br />
PPS <a title="Etsy: Room29 Whale Transfer Image" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/73640568/whale-vintage-illustration-download-and?ref=sr_gallery_12&amp;ga_search_query=whale+print+bag&amp;ga_view_type=gallery&amp;ga_ship_to=ZZ&amp;ga_min=0&amp;ga_max=0&amp;ga_page=1&amp;ga_search_type=allhttp://" target="_blank"><span style="color: #888888;">Whale image from Room29 on Etsy</span></a>. It&#8217;s only a $1.00 to download and you can transfer it onto anything of your liking!</em></span></p>


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			</ul>

]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lesson #4: Have an Orginal Idea</title>
		<link>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/04/26/lesson-4-turn-an-original-idea-into-a-great-idea/</link>
		<comments>http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/04/26/lesson-4-turn-an-original-idea-into-a-great-idea/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:35:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>meg</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dreams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Family and Friends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Couch Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LIFE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green couch design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[have an original idea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[idea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lesson #4]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[original]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[process]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[product]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Turn an Original Idea into a Great Idea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work vs. life]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bringingdesignhome.com/?p=6914</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I think for creatives, for anyone really, the hardest part is coming up with that truly “original” idea. But, sometimes it doesn’t take a truly “original” idea, it’s just looking at something that has been done before and finding a way to make it better and make it your own. How can you take a [...]

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			</ul>

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I think for creatives, for anyone really, the hardest part is coming up with that truly “original” idea. But, sometimes it doesn’t take a truly “original” idea, it’s just looking at something that has been done before and finding a way to make it better and make it your own. How can you take a tea towel and customize it to your design aesthetic? Are there products that you love, but that you wish came in a certain pattern or function? Our entire <a title="GCD: Shop Kitchen Line" href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/greencouchdesign?section_id=6828061">Kitchen Line</a> was started with a need for a <a title="GCD: Shop Modern Mixer Cover" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/62348260/just-beat-it-screen-printed-mixer-cover" target="_blank">modern Mixer Cover Design</a>. When I couldn’t find the style of prints I wanted I decided to make and sell my own. I can’t tell you how many handmade stories I have read where <a title="People That Inspire Us: Susan with Freshly Picked" href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/02/21/people-that-inspire-us-susan-with-freshly-picked/">entire businesses were started from an absence of a specific product</a> someone was looking for.</p>
<p>To help define if your idea is original you have to be able to look at your product and/or service and answer the following questions <em><span style="color: #888888;">(be honest now!)</span></em>:</p>
<ul>
<li>How can we make our products/service more original and uniquely our own?</li>
<li>How can we make our products better and different than our competition?</li>
<li>How can we make our products/service harder for people to copy just from seeing a photo or sharing a bit of our process?</li>
</ul>
<p>For us the process of answering the above questions developed as we walked through the following phases in our product development: Phase 1: Materials, Phase 2: Production, and Phase 3: Value.</p>
<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/04/lesson-4-materials.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6917" title="lesson-#4-materials" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/04/lesson-4-materials.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="432" /></a></p>
<p><strong>PHASE 1: Materials:</strong> While it’s ok to <a title="Lesson #3: Start With What You Have" href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/04/05/lesson-3-start-with-what-you-have/">start with what you</a> have it’s also important to think about the type of materials you are using, what do they say about your brand, the over quality they add to your products, and their availability? Stores want to sell and customers want to buy a product because of it’s unique materials and style. If you have to change your product depending on the materials available it can be harder to establish brand recognition and in turn see a consistent profit.</p>
<p>Originally we started creating our concrete jewelry out of materials we had found like: rope from the old pull windows we took out of our house, recycled wire, carved bones, found buckles in an old shed, and metal casings we purchased at a local craft store. All these materials worked great until we sold out of that particular style of necklace and people wanted more! It was at that point we felt stuck because we didn’t know if we could re-create a similar design without those exact materials. We decided to think of our first initial jewelry set as a sort of “test” round. Taking a step back we did lots of research and established new relationships with vendors that were reliable and could provide an unlimited quantity should we need to order large batches in the future. By slowing down our production and taking time to find quality materials that were available at our disposal we were ready to meet the need we had created within our own market, felt confident about the materials we were using, and also opened up the doors for both consignment and wholesale retailers.</p>
<p><span id="more-6914"></span><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/04/lesson-4-production.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6919" title="lesson-#4-production" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/04/lesson-4-production.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="432" /></a></p>
<p><strong>PHASE 2: Production:</strong> Think about your skill level and the amount of time it will take to reproduce an item again and again. Is it something you can do over and over again and not get tired of re-creating? Do you feel confident in your ability to create the product at a price point that is truly profitable?</p>
<p>While we were working on perfecting our concrete jewelry we were also wanting to explore a more modern aesthetic. At one point Cale was able to get his hands on several carpet samples so we put our heads together and came up with an upcycled <a title="GCD: Shop Wood Tote" href="http://www.etsy.com/transaction/24631881" target="_blank">Wood Tote</a> and the <a title="GCD: Shop Wall Pocket" href="http://www.etsy.com/transaction/25682678" target="_blank">Wall Pocket</a> as an updated solution for a coat hanger. There was one week on Etsy where we sold close to 10 Wall Pockets <em><span style="color: #888888;">(exciting right!?)</span></em>! We quickly learned that both of these ideas were really cool, but really awful to have to re-create again and again. Cale was cursing the whole week <em><span style="color: #888888;">(not a good week for our marriage)</span></em> and after that we decided we didn’t want to have to reproduce something that we did not enjoy making. It turned out that as much as people love the idea of upcycled materials, they were not willing to pay the amount it would cost to hand make each item. We also struggled with selling a product that we didn’t feel confident in the level of craftsmanship behind the piece. The ideas were initially cool, but the Wall Pocket was basically glued fabric around a PVC pipe. If we had the finances to develop the idea out of plastic or ceramic, at that time, it might have been something we could have pushed further, but we were not satisfied with the level of quality we could make from hand alongside the price point we had to charge to make it worth our time.</p>
<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/04/lesson-4-value.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6920" title="lesson-#4-value" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/04/lesson-4-value.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="432" /></a></p>
<p><strong>PHASE 3: Value:</strong> Who will want to buy this product? Who needs this product? How much does it cost to make it again and again and is that something of value to you? What is the perceived value of other products similar to yours within your market? Will you be able to charge more/less for your product based on the quality of materials used, production time, etc.?</p>
<p>Originally the idea for a <a title="GCD: Shop Modern Mixer Cover" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/62348260/just-beat-it-screen-printed-mixer-cover" target="_blank">Modern Mixer Cover</a> was born out of a hole in the market. Our first batch fit too tight around the mixer, the second batch we forgot to pre-wash and realized we had already sold close to 10 <em><span style="color: #888888;">(even though we had been advertising them as “washable”)</span></em>. Yep, a total disaster&#8230; BUT it gave us time to recognize that the printed sayings on the mixer covers were a great hit! People loved the sayings and would stop at shows to point them out to their friends, but we didn’t take into consideration that a majority of people don’t have a standing mixer. A lot of people wanted to purchase the print, but did not need a mixer cover. It was then that we decided to expand our Kitchen Line into <a title="GCD: Shop Mixer Cover" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/62348202/peace-love-and-cookie-dough-screen?ref=v1_other_2" target="_blank">Mixer Cover</a>s,<a title="GCD: Shop Apron" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/60196570/peace-love-and-cookie-dough-screen?ref=v1_other_1" target="_blank"> Aprons,</a> and <a title="GCD: Shop Tea Towels" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/60994667/peace-love-and-cookie-dough-screen" target="_blank">Tea Towels</a>. Not only did this widen our market, but it added variety to our price point from $39.00 to $12.00-$39.00 establishing both a low and high end market that was more affordable for a much wider audience.</p>
<p><a href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/04/lesson-4-process.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6923" title="lesson-#4-process" src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/files/2012/04/lesson-4-process.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="432" /></a></p>
<p>It’s hard to believe that what <a title="Lesson #3: Start With What You Have" href="http://bringingdesignhome.com/2012/04/05/lesson-3-start-with-what-you-have/" target="_blank">started with a bag of concrete</a> has developed into <a title="GCD: Shop" href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/greencouchdesign?ref=seller_info" target="_blank">two product lines</a> we can finally honestly say we feel confident in the quality, production, and overall original design that we are providing for our customers. I hope that by sharing some of our process you see how we have developed <em></em> our products over the past few years. Walking through this process has helped us establish our own Green Couch Design style. It didn&#8217;t start over night, but it was something that we have worked and re-worked again and again. And it&#8217;s something still to this day that we are constantly aware of, analyzing, and evaluating so that we know 100% that we are pushing our ideas to be the best they can be on all levels. It’s ok to start with you what you have, but you have to have the patience and the time to flush out that original idea until it’s not only a great idea, but a great product/service as well.</p>
<p><strong>What inspires your creativity and keeps it fresh? In what ways do you strive to push your ideas further and make them better? What is your favorite phase about developing a new idea or product?<br />
</strong></p>
<p>From the Farm <span class="signature meg"><img src="http://bringingdesignhome.com/wp-content/themes/bdh/images/sig_meg.jpg" border="0"></span></p>


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