Posts Tagged ‘bringing design home’
LIFE: Oh Boy, It’s a BOY! :D
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’s family in 1910. We don’t have central heating and air (thank God for window units and gas heaters!), our bathroom kinda protrudes out of the rest of the house layout since it was a much needed upgrade to the original house design (in place of an outhouse), and the second floor no longer exists (featured in the photo above). Apparently Grandpa Woody lost his leg and his wife didn’t want to go up stairs and have to clean the top floor (cause back then you cleaned the entire house instead of shutting off the entire top floor for the general public), and so they had the farm hands take the second floor off! 
You could say it’s definitely full of “character”… so much “character” that my mom freaked out the first time she came to visit us because of it’s wonderful “character” (and much needed work)!
It’s taken a lot of vision and foresight to make this place home. I’m not gonna lie the first year we lived here I didn’t put anything on the walls because I myself was unsure of really making this place “home”.
But now, I love our little farm house. I love our first home and the amazing opportunities that have come up because we’ve chosen to live in this old house. Some of our “designer” friends come out to visit and think we are a little crazy. They prefer pristine white apartment walls, white washed wooden floors, and the sounds of the city. But at night, when all you can hear is the bugs and the frogs I swear it’s pure magic! It’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’m sure these walls could tell!
It’s beautiful, and I can’t think of a better place to raise our first son! We may not have very much installation in our walls (that is what extra blankets and footed pajamas are for!), and it’s true that our child will share their first bedroom with the washer and dryer, but it’s home.
It’s the place I will become known as “mom”, and Cale as “dad”.
Looking back it seemed like a tough decision to stick it out here, but we are so proud of this simple life we’ve chosen. All “design” chat aside, it’s everything we’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 (or chickens) and coming in and saying “I didn’t do it!”. 
Bring it on little baby boy! We’ve been waiting for you.
From the Farm 
PS The photo above is an original family photo (and one of my personal favorites) of our farm house with Cale’s Uncle John as a little boy. Apparently he liked to carry the chickens around as pets. 
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2012 Garden Checklist: April
If your plants are anything like mine your cool weather greens are going crazy in this wonderful spring weather. Good amounts of rain and cool afternoons have made for some amazing growth in my asparagus and broccoli, even my radishes (a new attempt in my garden) are growing in leaps and bounds. But with this wonderfully gradual spring we are already seeing the first blushes of summer. So here’s what we need to do to stay ahead of the heat and on course for harvest.
Click HERE to download our 2012, April Garden Checklist!
I hope these little tips help make your gardening a little easier, and greener this year. I know I’m headed out this weekend to mark some of these very items of my list. So here’s to lush gardens, great harvests and green thumbs!
From the Farm 
GCD: Concrete Jewelry in Dwelling Spaces
This past Monday we took a little road trip and dropped off our first batch of concrete jewelry at Dwelling Spaces in Tulsa, OK. We have heard amazing things about this store and it’s owner, Mary Beth, but had no idea just how wonderful it was until we we’re able to visit in person. Not only is the store aesthetic eclectic and fun but it’s got all the heart and soul we could ever ask for from a store carrying our products.
“Meet Mary Beth Babcock, the thirty-nine-year-old geek-chic cheerleader for all things Okie who makes you want to wear state pride like a party dress.” – Oklahoma Today: Mary Beth Babcock named Oklahoma Today’s 2011 Oklahoman of the Year
For the past six year Mary Beth has created not only a store but an art district and culture born out of a genuine passion to support local art and artist.
“Art feeds the soul, so she would feed the art.” - Oklahoma Today: Mary Beth Babcock named Oklahoma Today’s 2011 Oklahoman of the Year
We only spent 30 minutes with Mary Beth (and mostly that was us talking), but instantly we found a friend that loves pushing boundaries and is not afraid to take things to the next level. Her passion is truly contagious and something we hope you’ll support by checking out her wonderful store; Dwelling Spaces.
From the Farm 
You can also purchase our jewelry at Shop Good in OKC and online!
Creatives Near You: Ryan & Chelsea [Lovely Indeed]
I first met Ryan and Chelsea this past January at a special dinner prepared for ALT Summit attendees. They arrived all sleek in their New York attire and to be honest it made me wish that Cale could have attended the conference with me. It’s always amazing to me to see other couples who work together creatively. I love hearing their process and how they balance work and life.
When Ryan and Chelsea first met, they were both full-time actors; actually they were doing a national tour of a show. Since then, Ryan has mostly left the acting business and started his own web design company, called Roundhouse Designs. He specializes in designing websites for actors and creatives while Chelsea has continued acting and has added blogging to her plate. Together they take on DIY projects, designing and re-designing Chelsea’s DIY blog; Lovely Indeed, auditions, and all that a New York City life has to offer!
Q1) What was the inspiration behind starting your blog Lovely Indeed?
A1) When Ryan proposed, I knew that I wanted our wedding to be very DIY, so I started reading DIY and wedding blogs regularly. After a while, I realized that I had a lot to share, especially while planning our wedding, so I put together a blog of my own. We documented all of our wedding projects and planning stages. I’m so grateful for it now; it’s almost like looking at a scrapbook of our engagement. I’m still so surprised and grateful at how it’s taken off – even though our wedding has passed, the blog has grown and transitioned into something that I hope is long-lasting.
Q2) What about your lifestyle inspires your work or makes it better?
A2) We’ve been so blessed during our time in NYC. While Ryan was still acting, we had the opportunity to work together on two U.S. tours, and to work together on a job in China. That kind of travel is so inspiring and eye-opening. In each new place, we’d be sure to try new foods, hunt down local shops, and go on photo tours. Those are memories that we both absolutely treasure, and seeing so much of the world together has exposed us to so many beautiful, inspiring things.
Q3) It seems you and Ryan work very closely together. How do you balance a healthy home while running a blog, graphic design clients, auditions, shows, etc.?
A3) For us, everything sort of runs together. One day may be filled with three auditions plus two client meetings and seeing a show in the evening; the next day might be staying home to get the laundry finished before we go to a rehearsal for something. To be honest, we know that it’s not necessarily something that’s a long-term lifestyle; but in the theater world, you have to somewhat roll with the punches and fit the puzzle pieces together however they will fit! And while we’re living in the city, we’re trying to soak up as much of it as we can.
Q4) In your opinion, define what makes a great DIY Project?
A4) To me, photos are key. If the project is attainable and the photos are quality, there are times when you almost don’t need instructions. I think that it’s easy to want to push through a project without taking the time to make sure the photos are beautiful and descriptive; but the truth is that much of the blog world is image-driven, and people want to see beautiful things – even if it’s a DIY tutorial.
Q5) What advice do you have for others interested in starting a DIY blog?
A5) Be ready to invest the time to make it great! DIY blogging is extremely time consuming once you add everything up – you have to conceive the project, shop for materials, do the project (do it again if you mess it up), photo it, edit photos, and put the post together. And that’s just one project. So you’ve got to be ready to work. But on the flip side, it’s so rewarding to share ideas with people and see your work making the world a little more beautiful!
AND NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF!
Q6) If you could co-star with your husband in any show what would that be? Why?
I’d probably go with us playing Robert and Janet in The Drowsy Chaperone (even though I’m so wrong for that role!). The show is kind of old-school, and Ryan comes from an old Vaudeville family, so he’d be hysterical in it. That, plus I’d get to wear lots of sequins!
Q7) What is the DIY project you are the most proud AND the one you will NEVER do again? Why?
LIFE: The Right Stuff
When was the last time you spent sometime in the baby aisle at your local retail store? Have you really looked at all the stuff they tell you that you will need for your new Little Noodle? Recently, Cale and I were purchasing items from a baby registry and I swear we could have gotten lost in all the gismo and gadgets (who knew there were so many options for a pacifier?)! I realized then and there that if we got this child all the “stuff” that they say you need our little farm house would only have room for one baby! I’m not saying essentials like diapers and bottles are not important, but seriously how do you even know where to start? How do you know what really is the right stuff?
I don’t know if this makes me a bad parent or not but I kinda figure the Little Noodle’s necessities will be met one way or another (the Grandmother’s are already bringing stuff over); but, the part that freaks the hell out of me is how do you as a parent provide the other stuff? The life stuff? How to create a since of hope and adventure? How do you cultivate an explorer instead of someone full of fear? These are the questions I’m more worried about. I know the Little Noddle will have plenty of toys and as far as the breast feeding equipment goes, well… I’ll figure it out! But what weights more on my heart is establishing a safe place for our child to dream big. A place that cultivates new ideas and a since of wonder.
Below is a list of images that have inspired us as we create a space for our Little Noodle.
Green Couch Design started from a place of dreaming big and that is exactly what we want to instill in our children. Call me crazy but I think the right stuff starts with the nursery decor. I’m more of a visual person anyway so we’ll get to the gismos and gadgets later.
First, let’s create a space that speaks to the heart and soul behind our vision and love for family.
That’s my kinda stuff.
From the Farm
PS See more of my nursery ideas on Pinterest.
LIFE: Waiting
It seems lately we’ve been doing a lot of waiting.
Waiting for spring.
Waiting to find out the sex of our Little Noodle.
Waiting for checks in the mail.
Waiting for our next vacation (1st week in June!).
Waiting for the rain to pass.
Waiting for the asparagus to grow.
Waiting for parenthood to begin.
Waiting for this project to end.
Waiting for the fabric to come in.
Waiting for an email.
Waiting for the grass to get just a tad bit taller (so we can mow it AGAIN!)
Waiting for a new car.
Waiting for a free weekend to catchup on the “house”.
Waiting to get our products in more stores.
Waiting to make our next BIG move with the business.
Waiting to find a photographer.
We’re learning a lot about waiting and it’s kinda hard.
From the Farm
Lesson #2: Work Smarter Not Harder
This week we’re sharing lesson #2 in our series about running your business around your home life instead of letting your business run your home life. Figuring out how to work smarter not harder (thanks for the title James!) has been a very important lesson for us and something that we are still working on implementing. In order to work smarter not harder you first have to recognize that even though the marketing world would tell you something different there is no right or wrong way to do this. It honestly starts with knowing your own lifestyle and business perimeters and setting up tasks to help you stay within those boundaries. This will look different for every person, every family, every business. If you are single you may not mind working late into the night and if you are a mom you may find that you get your best work done early in the morning before the kids are up. Either way, you figure out how to work smarter by first recognizing what daily tasks are foundational elements to establishing a satisfying home life for you and your family.
Start by asking yourself what are the day to day tasks that have to be done in your home life? As fun as it is to dream up the perfect home life at the end of the day what stresses us out is the stuff that everyone has to deal with; chores and all that responsible adult stuff! More often times then not it’s the daily tasks of running a household that can easily distract you when you work from home so it’s important to figure out what those daily tasks are and how they align themselves up with your preferred lifestyle.
For me (Meg), my list looks like this:
Based on the list above there are four categories that are important to me and the home life I desire to have:
- Chores
- Marriage/Immediate Family
- Personal
- Social/Friends/Extended Family
By going back through the individual pieces that make up each category I was able to establish simple, everyday tasks that have helped me meet and maintain a healthy and realistic balance to my preferred lifestyle:
GCD: Okie Charm SWAG at SXSW Buffalo Lounge!
It’s that time of year where our twitter feed becomes all a buzz with the latest happenings from one of the coolest festivals around the country. In case you have been living in a hole (or WAY out in the country ) South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual music, film, and interactive conference and festival held in Austin, TX.
The last few years it’s been really exciting to see Oklahoma art and music represented at SXSW and one of the ways this has been able to happen is through The Buffalo Lounge, presented by The Oklahoma Film & Music Office:
“The mission of The Buffalo Lounge is to promote Oklahoma’s film, music, and interactive industries to a statewide & nationwide audience. The vision is to be the premiere event and outlet for filmmakers, musicians, and interactive companies to connect with their supporters and attract a new audience, including the chance to gain national attention.”
LESSON #1: The Kitchen Table is NOT Your office!
The last few months we’ve been determined to get our priorities straight and run our business around our home life instead of allowing our business run our home life. As we have continued to get re-focused and better organized we thought it would be helpful to share some of the key factors that have helped us find and maintain balance. Lesson #1 is a really honest post featuring some of the cool and really awful home offices we’ve established over the past three years.
Recently, the biggest thing that has helped us maintain the separation of our home and business is the realization that we had to STOP using our kitchen table as our home office! You might be wondering… don’t you have a home office? Why, yes! Yes, we do indeed! But… my architect in training husband built it in the laundry room (which you should take note of) and didn’t think about the fact that our old dryer could quite possibly and did fry our hard drive (even though that was the same computer he had in college?). After that catastrophe Cale refused to let our new iMac take up residency in our official “office” so it quickly became the dumping ground place of storage for all things business related; thus, turning our kitchen table into our actual work space.
Sounds like a mess doesn’t it!? Talk about being stressed out! No wonder our business was taking over our life! It was time to make an executive decision about the space available and needed within our home and completely give up our guest bedroom. We had been using half of the room for storage anyways, so we moved the entire “office” into the guest bedroom and opened up the laundry room as the future baby’s room. I know, I know… we are sticking our poor child in with the dirty laundry, but we promise to decorate it and make it look real nice!
LIFE: Celebrating 90 Years of Living
There are not many things that live to be 90 years old. I’ve heard of cities celebrating 90 years, or award ceremonies, but rarely do you get to know someone personally that is 90 years old. I’m blessed to say that I’ve had my Grandma Mac around for 90 years (and my other Grandma for 80!). The older I get the more I realize what a special and rare occasion it is to have had so much of your life spent with Grandmas/Grandparents. There are a lot people that have never known the safety of a Grandparents hug, the warmth of their laughter, or the taste of their cooking. It’s moments like these that hold some of my fondest childhood memories.
Last Sunday my mom, my Grandma B (my mom’s mom), and I took off on a road trip to KC to celebrate my Grandma Mac’s 90th Birthday. It was truly a momentous occasion with handmade brunch (my favorite!) and family that I have not seen since I was a kid. It was one of those afternoons where time stood still and it felt refreshing to stop the busyness of the hour and celebrate the gift of 90 years.
My mom wrote the following speech about my Grandma Mac and I thought she did terrific job describing all the in and outs of this wonderful lady and sharing a few new things that I didn’t even know!
High class design in overalls. It's the simple life of a farm through the eyes of a couple of crazy designers. We call ourselves Green Couch Design and we are Bringing Design Home.
