Because Design is a Journey…

“Because design is a journey…”

This is how One Kings Lane explains their reason for being. If you haven’t heard of One Kings Lane, then we’re not friends. Kidding. Sort of. I love this site. Started by a couple of female entrepreneurs and offering top-brand, vintage, and designer items totally discounted (but for a limited time! shop now!) items, the site is perfect for design projects big and small.

After our very big project (aka the renovation of 2013) things certainly slowed down in terms of home design activities. And especially after a new baby, we’ve taken to tackling small projects only when time (and energy levels) allow. So when One Kings Lane approached me about their Tray Chic program I thought, “yes! perfect nap time project!”

For inspiration, I obviously checked out OKL’s tray video and realized that I’m queen of the trays! Seriously, I use trays in probably every room of the house. Some for form but most for function- like corralling items in drawers and in the pantry and my favorite tray in the kitchen that keeps our coffee maker, cream, and sugar bowl off our butcher block countertops.

But reading up on OKL’s ideas for decorating with trays and clicking through their amazing array of trays that’s updated daily with gorgeous new styles- it made me want to venture out and create something totally irrelevant to my new-momma lifestyle. Yup, momma just needed a stong dose of pretty. So that came in the form of a plastic tray from the dollar bin at Target and a can of chalkboard spraypaint.
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A bunch of perky white daisies from my garden are perfect in a mason jar.

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Add a hot cup of coffee with my morning blueberries and greek yogurt and this is just the most perfect breakfast in bed tray.

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Of course that’s not exactly how this morning played out. I took some photos of my fabulous tray with a 6-month old wiggling around next to me on his playmat. Then I scarfed down the yogurt before he started getting fussy and it was off to the nursery for books and naps.

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Momma returned to a cold cup of joe. But 30 seconds in the microwave and it was just right. I spent the next 2.5 minutes admiring my tray chic project… and then returned to reality. Off to wash bottles and put in a load of laundry!

But thanks One Kings Lane for the inspiration!

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